Template Replacement in AutoCAD Electrical Project

[raneenkhory]

Greetings CAD experts!

I would like to ask if there any opportunity to substituting a new template throughout the entire project. I have a project spanning 150 pages, and I'm exploring the option of replacing the template for all these pages. I attempted to use the AESWAPBLOCK command, but it proved ineffective for me. The issue lies in the inability to update the title block because the template needs to be in .dwt format rather than .dwg. Any guidance or alternative methods would be greatly appreciated.

[rhesusminus]

A DWT file is basically just a DWG file. You can't change the template used after you have created the drawing using this template.

So, swapping the block is your only option using standard functionality in AutoCAD Electrical.

[jseefdrumr]

I'm wondering about your word choice here. I don't fully understand what you're asking.

In ACAD a template is a .dwt file. When you start a new drawing using a template, what's really happening is the .dwt file opens up, and the software immediately performs the 'Save As' command and changes the file format to .dwg. Because of this, you can't swap out templates on drawings. The template became the drawing, and everything inside the template is now inside the drawing. There is no template information inside of the drawing to swap out.

You say you're having problems updating the title block but it sounds like you're not updating it (there's a specific command for that), it sounds more like you're replacing it with a new version. Is that the case?

Also, your statement that the issue lies in the inability to update the title block because the template needs to be in a dwt format doesn't really make sense. Yes, templates need to be in a dwt format, but that has nothing to do with updating a title block because there are no template files in a project, only dwg files.

So to sum up, updating a title block in ACADE is a specific command. It goes through all the title blocks in your project and updates the information inside them, like drawing name or sheet number. Although you said you were updating your title block, I think what you meant was that you were changing your title block. As in, you made edits to it and it now needs to be swapped out in all of your drawings.

Is that right?

[raneenkhory]

Apologies for any confusion in my previous message.

My issue arises from the fact that, following the TEMPLATE change, I encounter difficulties in executing a TITLE BLOCK UPDATE, specifically in making alterations to the attribute.
My current workaround involves replacing the TEMPLATE by AESWAPBLOCK and subsequently creating a SCRIPT to EXPLODE the TEMPLATE . This enables me to carry out a TITLE BLOCK UPDATE successfully.
I'm curious if there exists a more efficient and straightforward solution to this challenge.

[jseefdrumr · Accepted solution]

I'm not sure what you mean by template. Templates can't be exploded and can't even be a part of a drawing file, as I explained above. If you're 'replacing the TEMPLATE by AESWAPBLOCK' then you're replacing a block. The swap block command only works on blocks. 

If you are running a script to explode a block, and only then seeing the title block update work correctly, then most likely what you have is an incorrect title block setup. If that's the case, you are probably getting around it in the fastest way possible already.

In order to prevent this in the future, rebuild your template file and redo your title block setup. The title block should be its own file, without any blocks in it. It should be just graphics and attributes. Then, that file should have the title block setup command run on it, which inserts the title block information. Then, that file should be inserted as a block into your template (.dwt) file. 

You'll know it's right if you create a new drawing based off your template, then explode the title block, and can't explode anything else.