topic Re: redefine block origin in AutoCAD Forum

redefine block origin

peter.roman — Tue, 28 May 2024 02:51:27 GMT

Hi, I have a client site 3D .dwg model, likely exported from plant/structural software that I want to get into Inventor via .stp format.

I can export from ACAD Mechanical to stp and import into Inventor however I have issues with the origin location being far away (100's of km away from the model geometry) causing issues in Inventor:

If I explode all the blocks and move the 3d solid objects close to the origin in the dwg, then export to stp, this fixes the origin distance issue but I lose the assembly structure and just get a single part.

If I don't explode and just move the blocks to the origin in the top level, it does not fix the issue since the geometry in the block definition is still far from the block origin (per the 1st image) but I get the assembly structure in Inventor from the blocks.

Is there anyway to redefine / move the origin in the top level and have that propagate into all the inserted blocks so I can fix the origin distance issue and still preserve the blocks / assembly structure?

Re: redefine block origin

cadffm — Tue, 28 May 2024 06:22:38 GMT

Hi,

there is no native function in plain AutoCAD to do what you want, but manually it is a simple 'move'

Open the block by BEDIT

MOVE ALL objects from <coordinate near to the objects, f.e. 1000000000,70000000,0>*

to <0,0,0>

and save your edit.

MOVE your blockreference from 0,0,0 to <1000000000,70000000,0>

Or before you insert the dwg as block:

OPEN this file

make sure UCS WCS is current

check out your INSBASE setting,

is it 0,0,0? ->

move all objects from <1000000000,70000000,0> to 0,0,0

or is it not 0,0,0?

Re: redefine block origin

peter.roman — Tue, 28 May 2024 08:23:17 GMT

Yeah, but there could be 10-100+ nested blocks so it's not really feasible to do it manually.

I'm just opening the provided dwg, exported by the client's software.

Re: redefine block origin

cadffm — Tue, 28 May 2024 11:25:29 GMT

I talked about the whole .dwg content.

If you have trouble after my "fix", so you need to change it for each single blockdefinition, you need a tool to do this.

But I can not share a link for this (sorry), the most betterthannothing-Tools don't replace nested blockreferences well.

But perhaps you are lucky, search for it and try every tool what can do that for multiple block in one step.

Re: redefine block origin

TomBeauford — Tue, 28 May 2024 11:58:57 GMT

The blocks in those drawing weren't set up very well for what you need to do.

Lee Mac has two lisp functions for resetting a blocks base point with video demonstrations at the bottom:

Change Block Base Point: https://www.lee-mac.com/changeblockinsertion.html

and

Justify Block Base Point: https://www.lee-mac.com/justifybasepoint.html

Fix the blocks in the original drawings then the ones you export afterwards will have insert points where you set them.

Re: redefine block origin

alexandru.alexeN6U84 — Tue, 28 May 2024 12:36:32 GMT

the cause of your problem is when you import that file .stp you have an dwg that is not geo-referenced.

if the original file was elaborated/drawn on an geo-referenced file, you must import that file in a geo-referenced DWG

use mad3D, ore civil3D