topic Re: How to set block insertion rotation reference in AutoCAD Forum

How to set block insertion rotation reference

ben_pike2P54L — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 00:55:19 GMT

Hello,

Is there a way to define the rotation reference of a block so that when you insert the block and specify its rotation on screen the reference line is at a particular angle (e.g. aligned with the vertical axis of the block rather than the horizontal axis)

I have a lot of blocks that need to be inserted and then aligned to an aiming point but they all come into the drawing with the reference line 90 degrees out from the main axis of the block.

Re: How to set block insertion rotation reference

Kent1Cooper — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 02:51:30 GMT

Draw the Block's pieces with that rotation reference direction toward zero degrees [to the right]. For an existing Block, open it in BEDIT or REFEDIT and rotate the contents around the insertion point so that your reference direction aims that way.

Re: How to set block insertion rotation reference

ChicagoLooper — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 03:18:19 GMT

@ben_pike2P54L wrote

<<….blocks that need to be inserted and then aligned to an aiming point….>>

Are you saying you need each individual block, regardless of its location, to point to specific target? Or all inserted blocks to be uniform and have the same rotation?

Re: How to set block insertion rotation reference

ben_pike2P54L — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 04:18:03 GMT

Each block ends up at a different rotation angle. The blocks are associated with traffic signals so they are rotated to suit each approach to the intersection and aimed at a specific distance from the stop line

Re: How to set block insertion rotation reference

ben_pike2P54L — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 04:20:10 GMT

Thanks for the reply. I have found this as an option but I have over 50 blocks affected so am interested to see if there was a global setting I was unaware of

Re: How to set block insertion rotation reference

Kent1Cooper — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 12:51:01 GMT

@ben_pike2P54L wrote:

.... am interested to see if there was a global setting I was unaware of

Read about the >ANGBASE System Variable<. You can set what direction is 0°. You may also be interested in ANGDIR.

Re: How to set block insertion rotation reference

ben_pike2P54L — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 21:05:06 GMT

Thanks Kent. I’ll read up on that now

Re: How to set block insertion rotation reference

RyanCameron — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 21:47:53 GMT

Just running through this myself. I opened the block editor (BEDIT) and selected the block. Define the axis as the rotation reference. I typed BASE at the command line and selected one of the objects. (its just defining the base at this point for now). I then typed UNITS at the CL (command line) and selected the axis I wanted to use as the rotation. (for example, the Y-axis). Hit the RE in the CL and regen'd the preview. Save and close. Next block insert I specified the rotation angle and reference line aligned it with the selected axis. I typed "ALIGN" to align it to another spot after inserting it too. It worked. Cheers!