Updating attribute tags across all drawings

[junkinjam]

Hello

I found an issue with an attribute tag within a block in our company's titleblock. The department involved with creating our standard set of AutoCAD drawings for a typical panel we build has created a block with an attribute tag with commas in it. I found that when trying to update the value for that attribute project-wide it does not update. I used the BATTMAN command to edit the attribute tag, and after using the underscore in place of the commas, it updated fine. The problem I have is that I would like to update this attribute tag in all of the drawings in our project, but can't seem to find a way to do this. The BATTMAN command only works for the drawing it's being used in.

I am using Electrical 2010.

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated! Thanks 🙂

Julie

[testsubject]

Edit the dwg the titleblock is based on and then use Swap/Update block to update it in the schematic. This can be done for the whole project...

[junkinjam]

I thought of that, but don't I need to have that block saved somewhere? We do not have that original block (the one within the titleblock) on our server.

Suggestions?

[testsubject]

Sure thing. Copy the block to a new drawing, explode it, edit the attribute you want to change, purge the drawing, then save the drawing with the same name as the original block. Now you can do the Swap/Update like I described earlier...

[algerj]

Hi Junkinjam,

You could also "wblock" the block out.

Type in "w" and write the block out to a new location (preferably in the Library you are using)

If it needs to be used by multiple users then put it on a network drive.

I hope this helps,

James Alger

[junkinjam]

Okay, now I'm completely baffled! I tried to update the block as suggested above, both ways, and tried to swap/update block 'project wide'. Here are my steps, and here is the conclusion:

1) I choose "Project wide" in my 'swap block/update block/library swap' command box

2) I choose Option B:Update Block, 'Update a Block', then click OK

3) I select my block and in the "Update Block-New block's path/filename" I direct the path to where I have saved the updated block, checked the "Retain old block scale", click "Yes, copy all, old to new" and click on the "Project" button

4) I select "Do All"

So this is what happened:

The open drawing updated fine, except that now I see a new block in the list of Block Definitions with the same name, but with a zero after the name. What the heck?! So then I use block editor to check out this new block definition, and I find that it's the old block. But wait, there's more. So none of the other drawings in the set have updated, and even worse, now I cannot even move to prev or next drawings!

Can anyone help me out with this bizarre situation?

Thanks!

[testsubject]

Sounds like ACE crashed somewhere during the Project wide update. For future reference, try a smaller sample set of drawings before running something like this on the whole project.

It is normal to see multiple copies of the block if you update it alot. The 00, 01, 02, etc blocks are old copies of the block after you have updated it. It is safe to purge them after you are done.

I have used this procedure many times to change the titleblock of my projects based on where they are going.

Maybe you can post a copy of the symbol you created that you are trying to update so we can take a look at it and see if there is anything amiss.