Block segments reside on many layers

[Nathan.Mantz]

Hello.

I'm working on cleaning up a drawing, to consolidate layers.

I have run into an issue where it appears that various segments of a block have been separated and are assigned to different layers.

One suggestion has been to select the line segments per layer and explode them.  Since this will remove the block functionality, I'm wondering if there is another way to essentially reassemble the block?

The block doesn't appear to be exploded - if I select a segment on layer 2, then properties identifies the segment as being a block reference; if I select different segments on layer 30, properties also identifies those segments as being a block reference.  However, in both cases, properties identifies the segments as being on Layer 0, and only id's the actual layer correctly when exploded.

thanks.

[pendean]

>>>...I'm working on cleaning up a drawing, to consolidate layers...<<<
Any reason you are shying away from using LAYMRG command to combine those unwanted layers with ones you wish to keep (or layer 0)?

[Kent1Cooper]

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@Nathan.Mantz wrote:

....  However, in both cases, properties identifies the segments as being on Layer 0, and only id's the actual layer correctly when exploded. ....

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I expect Properties is identifying that the Block Reference is inserted on Layer 0, not that the segments are on that Layer.

If you want to put all the pieces in Block definitions on Layer 0, there are multiple routines for doing things like that, for the Searching, mostly over in the >Customization Forum<.

[Nathan.Mantz]

I watched a bunch of the blog post regarding how blocks work today (https://blogs.autodesk.com/autocad/how-to-work-with-blocks-in-autocad/)
and it seems like a segment of a block has been copied while the previous user was on a layer not where the block was originally placed. So if I layer walk though about 4 layers (in this case), I see duplicate objects on some of the layers, and eventually all of the objects that make up the block on all the layers.
If I do a layermerge, will I have all of those duplicates on one layer, but still not the entire block?
I'm wondering if I can/should just reinsert the block on the layer that I want it, and delete the others.
There's several instances where there may only be an arc, or 4 circles on the layer, and the layer could be merged and deleted.

[Nathan.Mantz]

Thanks for the lead...i'll take a look

[Nathan.Mantz]

So I'll admit first that I didn't go looking in the customization forum as Kent1Cooper recommended.

However, after trying a few things with PRoperties and the block editor, I figured out a solution.

The problem I have (had) is that segments from a block are displaying on several different layers.

After deleting the segments from one of the layers, I am still not able to delete or laymrg the layer that appears empty (Purge command shows there are still references to the block on the layer even though there is nothing to display and QS doesn't return a selection by layer).

My solution, using the thought from Kent1Cooper was to QS the block by name, use PRoperties to determine which layer it was assigned to, edit the block, select all the segments, use PRoperties and assign all items selected to the layer the block was assigned to.  Now all segments display on the assigned layer and I am able to purge the layer I wish to purge.

[Kent1Cooper · Accepted solution]

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@Nathan.Mantz wrote:

.... My solution ... was to QS the block by name, use PRoperties to determine which layer it was assigned to, edit the block, select all the segments, use PRoperties and assign all items selected to the layer the block was assigned to.  Now all segments display on the assigned layer and I am able to purge the layer I wish to purge.

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If I understand correctly what you're doing, try BELTB-M.lsp with its BELTB command, available >here<.  It stands for "Block Entities to the Layer of the Top-level Block."  The -M at the end of the file name means it's the version that allows selection of Multiple Blocks [modified from one for single selection, without the -M, that you can Search for if you prefer that].