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difference between WBLOCK & BLOCK

16 REPLIES 16
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Message 1 of 17
officeworks
21035 Views, 16 Replies

difference between WBLOCK & BLOCK

hmm....can anyone tell me the difference?
I have created many symbols using the 'make block' tool and i am assuming this is the block command.

I look in the HELP but still can't understand the difference.

I'm using Autocad 2002.

thanks
16 REPLIES 16
Message 2 of 17
Anonymous
in reply to: officeworks

Hey Office;

I'll give it a go.

Block is used to create one object from one or many entities, usually to be
used over and over as suits the user's needs.

Wblock is used to create a DWG file from either a resident Block in a DWG,
or a collection of entities in a DWG, so that others who have a need to use
those entities or blocks may access them.

Both predate the concepts of the Copyclip function, which has the ability to
perform the function of Wblock without the need to create an additional DWG
file.

--
Don Reichle
"King Of Work-Arounds"
"The only thing worse
than training your staff,
and having them leave is -
not training your staff,
and having them stay."
Courtesy Graphics Solution Providers
--------------------------------------
LDT3/CD3
IntelP4-2.4
1GB RAM
Intel 64MB


wrote in message news:4836201@discussion.autodesk.com...
hmm....can anyone tell me the difference?
I have created many symbols using the 'make block' tool and i am assuming
this is the block command.

I look in the HELP but still can't understand the difference.

I'm using Autocad 2002.

thanks
Message 3 of 17
Oberer
in reply to: officeworks

Also, a wblock is actually a separate drawing file you create from objects you selected (or the entire dwg).
Creating an internal block (using BLOCK) creates a goup of objects as don mentioned.

The main difference is that blocks tend to reside in the drawing you create them in. Since a wblock is a separate dwg, it's more easily inserted & shared.

I also agree with Don about the copy clip. "Back in the day", making wblocks was about the only way to share info between drawings. Now it's as easy as saying "copy" (from the menu, not autocads copy) and paste....
Message 4 of 17
Anonymous
in reply to: officeworks

Hey Dave;

Thanks for filling in the "gaps". 🙂

--
Don Reichle
"King Of Work-Arounds"
"The only thing worse
than training your staff,
and having them leave is -
not training your staff,
and having them stay."
Courtesy Graphics Solution Providers
--------------------------------------
LDT3/CD3
IntelP4-2.4
1GB RAM
Intel 64MB


wrote in message news:4836231@discussion.autodesk.com...
Also, a wblock is actually a separate drawing file you create from objects
you selected (or the entire dwg).
Creating an internal block (using BLOCK) creates a goup of objects as don
mentioned.

The main difference is that blocks tend to reside in the drawing you create
them in. Since a wblock is a separate dwg, it's more easily inserted &
shared.

I also agree with Don about the copy clip. "Back in the day", making
wblocks was about the only way to share info between drawings. Now it's as
easy as saying "copy" (from the menu, not autocads copy) and paste....
Message 5 of 17
Oberer
in reply to: officeworks

You know I'm fairly new 'round here Don.... There's quite a nice team and a wealth of info...

Besides that, I personally think many here are a bit more articulate than some of the ambigous help files 🙂
Message 6 of 17
officeworks
in reply to: officeworks

thanks...
so let me see if i understand..
wblock is a dwg file consists of many blocks . is that right?
whereas a block is a block created just specifically for the dwg file,.is that right?

now about delete.
i can use purge to delete the blocks in the drawings.
but i am still seeing some redundant blocks when i go to insert/block/browse. where are these blocks and how do i delete them?

regards,
Message 7 of 17
Oberer
in reply to: officeworks

"so let me see if i understand..
wblock is a dwg file consists of many blocks . is that right?"

Even easier: wblock is a dwg file. like any dwg, it can contain nothing, or a thousand different types. Typically, it;'s a "subset" of the original dwg. Say for example, your contractor wants a dwg to do some dirt #'s on. You don't need to send him everything that'd be on the construction dwgs. He needs basic grading info. You could create a "wblock" that would contain this smaller subset (info and objects relating to grading).

Yes, you purge block definitions out of your drawing, providing of course, they're not in use 🙂

"i am still seeing some redundant blocks when i go to insert/block/browse. where are these blocks and how do i delete them?"

It depends on how the blocks were created.

For instance, say I create a block to represent a mahole. I create the first block and call it MH. It's a single circle.
I later realize I'll need a storm manhole and a sanitary, so I decide to create two more blocks.
I insert MH and add a "S" in the middle for sanitary. I then create a new block called SMH that consists of the block MH and the text object.
I can now erase all insertions of MH, but the block MH will still show up since it's "nested" in SMH.

I'm sorry to offer such a long winded explaination, but it is a fairly "deep" subject.


are we getting closer?
Message 8 of 17
Shane Wayment
in reply to: officeworks

I consider my WBlock command as a long term block, or a block I may put in a library. My block command as a temporary block that is only being used in that drawing and at some point can go away.
Message 9 of 17
Anonymous
in reply to: officeworks

Hey Shane;

The other side of that "can go away" coin says that if the block was
necessary to complete the Project in XYZ agency's jurisdiction, it's likely
that it would be needed again.

In my catalog of biggest pet peeves are those who suffer from myopia, and go
around willy-nilly exploding Blocks. Most of the time I'm using them to
perform a Quantity Takeoff for a Cost Estimate. It's far easier to use
Qselect to tell me how many MH_SS or CI_SD there are than a collection of
Circles and Lines (my apologies to Ms. Allen).

--
Don Reichle
"King Of Work-Arounds"
"The only thing worse
than training your staff,
and having them leave is -
not training your staff,
and having them stay."
Courtesy Graphics Solution Providers
--------------------------------------
LDT3/CD3
IntelP4-2.4
1GB RAM
Intel 64MB


wrote in message news:4836379@discussion.autodesk.com...
I consider my WBlock command as a long term block, or a block I may put in a
library. My block command as a temporary block that is only being used in
that drawing and at some point can go away.
Message 10 of 17
Shane Wayment
in reply to: officeworks

Yes, you are absolutely correct. And in most cases I probably wouldn't delete said blocks, I was just trying to show the subject matter from another point of view. My point is the block is merely temporary in the big picture, and mainly used in that particular project.

I too find it very frustrating when I take the time to properly put a drawing together just to have something exploded due to pure laziness (blocks, dimensions, etc.).
Message 11 of 17
Oberer
in reply to: officeworks

Funny Don, I was about to say a similar thing. I'm not sure where to start since the original poster didn't mention how familiar he is with blocks as a concept.

Don;s "pet peave" is one of many drafters who work with others I'm sure. this applies to dimensions as well for different reasons.

Typically, a block is a group of related objects. To represent a catch basin for example, you could use:
4 lines
1 polyline
1 block (which could consist of a many entities)
When, as Don points out, you want to do a 'count' of each structure, IF you have blocks, it's a snap. With any other entity type, you really need to verify your "count."

Drafting with blocks is also much easier. In the above example, if i needed to move the catchbasin, i could either select one object (ie the block) or have to select up to four (ie lines).

The "big" (and perhaps only) difference between a block and a wblock is that the wblock is an external file. A block is contained within the drawing...

I have a feeling we've answered way more than we were originally asked for, so I'll hold off until the original poster stops back by....
Message 12 of 17
old-cadaver
in reply to: officeworks

A BLOCK is held only in the library of the current drawing file and can contain any kind or number of elements including other blocks.

There is no such element as a WBLOCK. WBLOCK is a command that creates a separate DWG file. That file can contain any kind or number of elements including other blocks. The creation of that separate DWG file can occur several ways from within the WBLOCK command; from selected elements, an existing BLOCK definition within the current file, or the entire current drawing.
Message 13 of 17
teiarch
in reply to: officeworks

Ob: Did you mean copy and paste blocks or c/p objects? If objects, I hope you enjoy working with unnessarily large file sizes.
Message 14 of 17
madcadd
in reply to: officeworks

Hi ow,

Type b (block) and follow prompts. The result is a block that resides in your current dwg and nowhere else.

Type w (wblock or write block) and follow the prompts. The result is an external dwg that resides in whatever directory that you designated.

Sometimes you will find yourself in a dwg that is "dirty" and will not purge to your satisfaction. You can use the wblock command to get to a clean version of the dwg.
Message 15 of 17
Shane Wayment
in reply to: officeworks

That was much more clear than what I said, easy to understand.
Message 16 of 17
Jediknight
in reply to: officeworks

Speaking of Copy clip. Do any of you know why sometimes I can't copy clip entities from one drawing to the other. It happens especially when I am converting from 2006 to 2000. I would very much appreciate some help.
Message 17 of 17
vmcmech
in reply to: officeworks

can you explain the details about the sections in dxf?

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