Editing Blocks

TPC lets you edit blocks three different ways. The way you choose depends on what you want to edit.

Edit with Save As Block

If all you want to change is the color or size of the block, right click the block and choose Save as Block from the pop-up menu. Make the changes you want in the Block Reference dialog and choose OK. Use this to change the paper space, size, color, height or apply drawing scale. TPC updates the block file as well as the current block reference.

You can specify a new name and filename to create a new block from the current block. This is a great way to make some changes while keeping the original block around.

Edit with Convert to Group

If you need to edit the objects in the group, but don't need to add new objects or reposition the objects in the block, convert the block to a group, modify any of the objects, then right click the block and choose Save as Block from the pop-up menu.

This is a very powerful feature of TPC. Groups are much like blocks, but you can edit the objects within the group. Just position the cursor over an object like a line and TPC will display 'Group: Line' in the status bar. Right click the line to edit its properties. Title Blocks are good example of a block you would convert to a group. As a group, you can edit the text for Revision, Drawn By, etc. In the case of the title block you wouldn't even save the group back to a block, you would just leave it as a group.

Edit with Ungroup (Explode)

If you need to add objects to a block, remove objects or change the position of the objects within the block, you will need to explode the block, make the changes, then create a new block, overwriting the original block or creating a new one.

Converting to a Group vs. Exploding

When you convert a block to a group the individual objects in the block remain related via the group. You can right click any object in the group and change its properties, then convert the group back to a block.

Because the relationship of the individual objects within a group is fixed, you might choose to explode the block instead of converting it to a group if you need to move individual objects within the block.

When you convert a block to a group and when you explode a block, TPC loses the connection to the original block. If you regroup the same objects and save the group as a block or create a block from the same objects TPC does not remember which block they originated from. You can save the block using the old block name and filename or you can save the block under a new name.

Storing the New Block

Once the block has been modified either as a group or exploded objects, you will create a new block and overwrite the existing one. If you converted the block to a group, right click any object in the group and choose Save Group as Block. If you exploded the block, choose Tools | Create Block and follow the prompts.
Left click the block insertion point. When the block is inserted back into a drawing in the future it will be positioned so that this point in the block is at the insert point.
From the block dialog, choose Browse next to Filename and double click the original block filename.
When prompted to overwrite the existing block, choose Yes.

Missing Block Place Holder

When you open a drawing, TPC tries to reconcile the blocks stored in the drawing with their block filenames. If the block is not stored in the drawing, TPC locates the block file and recreates the block from the file. If TPC is unable to locate the block file, it displays the block filename in brackets like {C:\COMMON\BLOCKS\MISC\LOGO.DXF} on the drawing at the insert point of the block. You can change the block so that it uses a block that is available to your computer or leave it as is.

To edit the block reference, right click the block filename in brackets and choose Properties. The block reference dialog displays the block name and filename.
Choose Browse and select the appropriate block. TPC updates the block reference dialog with the new block name and filename.
Choose OK. TPC redraws the block using the new information.

Editions

Premium, Professional