One Block. Two Layers. Two Colors. How?

[NicholasMorgan]

Hello Everyone,

I have a block that I drew on a layer, let's call this layer "Layer 1".

I then inserted this block many times.

I now realize that I want some of these blocks to be on Layer 2.

I move some blocks to Layer 2.

Layer 1 is blue.

Layer 2 is red. 

Although the certain blocks show that they are on layer 2, they remain blue. I am assuming this is because I drew them and created the blocks on layer 1 which is blue. 

I need these specific blocks on layer 2, to show red (or whatever color I change Layer 2 to be).

How do I do this? 

I cannot figure it out. 

Thanks,

Nicholas

Real world: The block represents a door. Layer 1 represents interior doors of a plant. Layer 2 represents exterior doors. My manager wants interior doors blue and exterior doors red.

[Patchy]

Make that block on Layer 0.

[NicholasMorgan]

Thank you sir! That solved my issue!

For future projects, should I always draw blocks on layer 0 and then insert the block onto whatever layer it should be on?

[ampster402]

just adding to Patchy's post, when you create blocks with layer 0, what ever layer you insert those block on will take on the properties of that layer.  That will solve your issue.

[scot-65]

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@NicholasMorgan wrote:
For future projects, should I always draw blocks on layer 0 and then insert the block onto whatever layer it should be on?

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The answer varies per user preferences. For my situation the answer is Yes.

For the sake of argument, the blocks we create have forced colors onto the object(s), except possibly text objects.

Why not text objects? If the "regular" text inside the block is of another color, then the block is on the wrong layer.

[Assuming of course there is a base layer, text, dimension, and hatch layers in a given file]

Also consider dimensions inside the block. Will it ever be possible to scale a block say 0.8 times?

If so, then explode the dimension when finished creating the block. Otherwise the dimension will update.

[Kent1Cooper]

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@ampster402 wrote:

....when you create blocks with layer 0, what ever layer you insert those block on will take on the properties of that layer. ....

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Just to clarify that a little --

The parts of a Block that were drawn on Layer 0, and without property overrides, in the definition of the Block will take on the properties of the Layer on which that Block is inserted.  Blocks can also contain parts that are drawn on Layers other than 0, and those parts will retain the properties of the Layer(s) on which they were drawn, regardless of the Layer on which the Block is inserted.  And they can contain parts with property overrides that will take precedence over the properties of the Layer on which the Block is inserted [you can make part of a Block red by color override, and it will always be red, whatever the color of the Layer on which the Block is inserted, even if the part is drawn on Layer 0].

Also consider the Byblock possibility for color, linetype and lineweight.  For example, you can assign Byblock as the color to an object in a Block definition, in a Block that also contains objects with Bylayer color drawn on Layer 0 and on Layer 1.  If you insert that Block on Layer 2, the parts drawn on Layer 0 will appear with the properties of Layer 2 on which it's inserted, and the parts drawn on Layer 1 will have the properties of Layer 1.  The parts with Byblock color will appear with the properties of their Layer(s) when inserted [or of Layer 2 if they were drawn on Layer 0], but can be changed in color [without changing the appearance of the other parts] by assigning a color override to the Block insertion itself.  Likewise with linetype and lineweight.