Explode everything

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I don't have a whole lot of experience with AutoCAD (3 years). In my job I receive Cad files from the architect and make a layout point file for our surveying software using the CAD file as the background drawing. I have to do a lot of editing to the linework usually to make it usable for our needs.

I received a .dwg file for an architectural floor plan for a housing complex. I want to explode everything so that I can select any line and edit it. In the drawing file, each housing unit is an external reference and there are also referenced blocks (such as a window or door) that are within the drawing also. For the external references I bind each one, and for the blocks I have to select each one, go to properties, enable exploding and save and exit, then click the block and use the explode command.

This scenario happens a lot to me and I would like a simple way to "open up / unlock" these plans for easy editing. Is there a simple command that can just explode everything down all the way no matter the circumstance?

Thanks 

[ronjonp]

Post a before and after drawing.

[cheryl.buck]

Hi @Anonymous,

That sounds frustrating. The only other option for the Xrefs I know of would be to copy the content from the Xref into your file or insert it as a block. 

For the blocks, I do not see a variable or functionality for this however, I was able to export the entire drawing to PDF then use the PDFIMPORT command to disable it.  When I deselected the Import as a block option in the PDFIMPORT dialog, all previously "locked" blocks could be exploded. 

If a post answered your question or resolved the issue, please click the Accept Solution button.

Likes are always welcome.

All the best,

[timothy_crouse]

Bring up the xref manager "xr"

Right click the xref in the upper pane

Select "Bind"  

There are 2 forms, one makes a crazy long layer  name while the other strips the path and creates a shorter layer name.

Binding the xref will turn it into layers in the top level drawing.

Best Regards

-Tim C.

[ennujozlagam]

try to open the xref drawings and copy/wblock only those you need and paste as block in your drawing and see if helps. when you bind the xref's don't select bind you will have $$$ in your layering, select the insert options. thanks

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the help from everyone. Getting closer but still not there. Binding the xrefs by inserting them is good enough for dealing with the xrefs but I still have to deal with the blocks that are still within the drawing. Sometimes these blocks are locked from exploding. I have to select the block, then edit it, then right click and go to properties, then enable exploding, then save and exit the block editor, then click the block, and use the explode command. There can be hundreds of different blocks in the drawing and this process can take hours. 

Does anybody know a better way to enable exploding of all the blocks at one time? Again I am trying to find a simple solution to just explode everything in the drawing regardless of any factor. It doesn't seem like this is possible, so I need to find the next best solution. 

It would make my life so much easier if there was an explode everything command.

Thanks again.

[Kent1Cooper]

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@Anonymous wrote:

....

Does anybody know a better way to enable exploding of all the blocks at one time? Again I am trying to find a simple solution to just explode everything in the drawing regardless of any factor. ....

---

Put "explode everything" into the Search window, here and/or in the Customization Forum, and you'll find may places to look, for example >here<.  Just consider whether you want absolutely everything Exploded [which would include such things as Polylines and Mtext and Dimensions], or only Blocks, and analyze the suggestions in relation to your decision.

[schurthing]

Are you trying to edit the geometry in the xrefs/blocks or just the visual properties (color, lineweight, linetype)?

If just the visual properties, have you tried using SETBYLAYER? (Make sure you say yes to the 'Include blocks?' prompt). Then you can control the visual display of them with layer properties.

[pendean]

I suspect you need to start HELP and explore the following built-in features that many of us use to deal with 3rd party files and trying to make them confirm to our own layer/color/plot settings:
- SETBYLAYER command
- XREFOVERRIDE system variable (and VISRETAIN if you're not familiar with it)

Read more here https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2020/ENU/AutoC...

HTH

[Anonymous]

I am trying to edit geometry and the visual properties. Also I need to assign the linework to different layers. I like to organize the CAD file so that the original layers are merged down to about 4 or 5 layers. The blocks usually contain an object that has multiple lines in multiple layers. I need to reassign the lines to another layer and in order to do that I usually have to explode the block.

[Kent1Cooper]

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@Anonymous wrote:
.... The blocks usually contain an object that has multiple lines in multiple layers. I need to reassign the lines to another layer and in order to do that I usually have to explode the block.

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LAYMRG with the Name option will let you reassign Layers of things without Exploding the Blocks, and will thereby do the reassignment in all Insertions of such Blocks, and any other Blocks that contain anything on the same Layers, or any top-level objects on those Layers.

[timothy_crouse]

Here is a lisp to enable block exploding

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/visual-lisp-autolisp-and-general/allow-exploding-outside-the-block-ed...

[3wood]

You can try EXPLODEALL.

Select "Bind xrefs" to explode xrefs as well.

[ronjonp]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Thanks for the help from everyone. Getting closer but still not there. Binding the xrefs by inserting them is good enough for dealing with the xrefs but I still have to deal with the blocks that are still within the drawing. Sometimes these blocks are locked from exploding. I have to select the block, then edit it, then right click and go to properties, then enable exploding, then save and exit the block editor, then click the block, and use the explode command. There can be hundreds of different blocks in the drawing and this process can take hours. 

Does anybody know a better way to enable exploding of all the blocks at one time? Again I am trying to find a simple solution to just explode everything in the drawing regardless of any factor. It doesn't seem like this is possible, so I need to find the next best solution. 

It would make my life so much easier if there was an explode everything command.

Thanks again.

---

Here's a simple example how to make all blocks explodable and explode 3 times.

(defun c:esplode (/ ad)
  (vlax-for a (vla-get-layers (setq ad (vla-get-activedocument (vlax-get-acad-object))))
    (vlax-put a 'lock 0)
  )
  (repeat 3
    (vlax-for b	(vla-get-blocks ad)
      (vlax-put b 'explodable -1)
      (if (= 0 (vlax-get b 'isxref))
	(vlax-for a b
	  (if (= "AcDbBlockReference" (vla-get-objectname a))
	    (progn (= 'list (type (vl-catch-all-apply 'vlax-invoke (list a 'explode))))
		   (vla-delete a)
	    )
	  )
	)
      )
    )
  )
  (princ)
)
(vl-load-com)

[Anonymous]

This looks like exactly what I want to do.
1. What is the process for getting this onto my AutoCAD software? I downloaded the EXPLODEALL.VLX file now what do I do / where do I place this file?
2. How do I open up this explode all settings box and how do I execute the command.

Thanks!!

[chrisk3FHDQ]

shootging from the hip here but maybe ctrl+A followed by explode command? not sure if it will work if xrefs involved or not but it it just worked for me in one of my drawings, but I also dont use x refs, everything is self contained with in the drawing and blocks

[timothy_crouse]

Sorry for the delay

Place the attached file in your c:\temp directory for now

from the tools, menu  select load application

browse to c:\temp

select and load it

type esplode at the command line

every block will be exploded at this point

Best Regards

-Tim C.

[Kent1Cooper]

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@chrisk3FHDQ wrote:

.... maybe ctrl+A followed by explode command? ....

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... as long as you want not just Blocks but also Polylines, Mtext, Dimensions and Hatch patterns Exploded.

[3wood · Accepted solution]

You can save such add-on files into a folder. Then use command APPLOAD to load it into AutoCAD. After loading, you will have some new functions in AutoCAD to use. Here you just type "explodeall" in the command line and follow the prompt to bring up the settings. You can get a free registration to use the full version.

[RobDraw]

Exploding everything and editing architectural backgrounds is an exercise in futility. Unless the architect is also making these changes, it could potentially lead to problems. and possibly coordination issues. Also, these changes would need to be redone every time you get an update. I would strongly suggest not doing anything to the XREFs except for setting them up for display/lineweight purposes.