Here is something you could do. It has worked for me. Go into the dwg drawing for each part. Offset all the lines and text that you want viewable @0,0,2.. Then draw a plline that matches the perimeter of the part. Select Draw/region and pick the pline you just created. Move this new region back @0,0,1. Now if you want to place each item side by side (like terminals) then create a line that starts at the insertion point and ends perp to the opposite side with z=0. I typically lay down a construction line at the insertion point of the dinrail and put it on a non plotting layer. you can then either insert the new part or just insert block and have it redefine the existing blocks. Now when you type Hide, the lines under the new block will be hidden. Just be sure that the viewport has HIde lines selected for plotting. This allows you to keep the dinrail as a AE block ( usually type in the length for CNT and "in" for UM this way it automatically adds up the lengths.)
I would recommend only doing the specific blocks that you will use all the time. It would take too much time to convert them all. After that, just convert the new ones you use.
I hope this helps. It make a little bit of time to set up, but after that it is a breeze. I have been using AE for about 7 years now and love its flexiblility.
Robert Hanrahan
Weigh Right Automatic Scale
PS
Sorry, Phil. I was just rereading this post and realized you said the same thing I just spelled out.
Message was edited by: testsubject
Bob Hanrahan
Ace User since 1998
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