rename block

[Anonymous]

dear  Sir

my drawing file , have block name 'column' but i want to change name from column to new column.

pls reply me

[maxim_k · Accepted solution]

Hi,

You can use RENAME command to accomplish this.

Maxim

[Anonymous]

thanks a lot Sir

its work

[Anonymous]

I had an issue with the same block being defined differently when merging two drawings together. Thanks for posting this, the RENAME command helped me!

[Sæmorr]

It works but remember that commands depend on Autocad language, so if it's not in english the command propably is different from RENAME.

[Anonymous]

Hi, the issue with the rename command remain the same. e.g. I want to make a copy of a block, RENAME it and be able to apply amends to it and don't change the previous one. If I just RENAME it, AUTOCAD automatically updates all the copied blocks applying the new name. Please, how can I do it? Once, up to Autocad 2014 there was an option on the right click mouse tap, now has been disappeared... Many thanks!!!

[Kent1Cooper]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

.... I want to make a copy of a block, RENAME it and be able to apply amends to it and don't change the previous one. ....

---

What you want is not to RENAME a copy of a Block [since as you've learned, RENAME simply replaces the name associated with whatever it is with a different name, but doesn't affect whatever it is otherwise].  What you want is to make another [different] Block under a different name, starting out with the same definition as an existing Block.  There are routines out there to do that.  Just on the Cadalyst CAD Tips site there are at least two -- this one and this other one.  If those don't work for you, you can probably find more with some Searching.

[Sandervp]

Hello Salimulla,

I'm using this lisp for renaming blocks:

{code}
( defun c:RenBL ( / oldblock )
( if ( and ( setq oldblock ( car ( entsel "Please select old block:" )))
( = "INSERT" ( cdr ( assoc 0 ( entget oldblock )))) );a
( progn
( princ ( strcat "\nBlock name is \"" ( cdr ( assoc 2 ( entget oldblock ))) "\"" )); <-- use or replace with alert
(command
"_.rename"
"_block"
(cdr (assoc 2 (entget oldblock)))
pause
); end command
);p
( )
);i
( princ ))
{code}

Just select your block, by clicking on it, which you want to rename after using the "renbl" command and you can change his name.

If you use the "rename" command, you need to know the name of the block. If you use this code, you don't.

[Kent1Cooper]

---

@Sandervp wrote:

....

If you use the "rename" command, you need to know the name of the block. If you use this code, you don't.

---

That was one of the main reasons that I made the first version of this routine, RenameBlock.lsp with its RB command.  This newer version has several advantages over @Sandervp's routine and other like it:

1.  You can select a Block first and then call up the command, if you like [as with most AutoCAD editing commands with PICKFIRST turned on].  If you have more than one thing selected, but only one is a Block, it still works [un-selecting any other thing(s)]; if more than one Block is pre-selected, it un-selects them all and asks you to pick one.

2.  It asks for the new name in a text-editor window, rather than at the Command prompt, in which it fills in the current Block name for you, and lets you edit that.  That means if it's a long Block name and you only want to change one or two characters, you don't need to type the whole thing in, but can simply make your minimal change.

3.  If you edit out the content of that name entirely, or leave only spaces, it won't attempt to use that, but insists that you supply a viable Block name.

4.  If you give it a name that's already in use in the drawing, it notifies you and aks for another name.

5.  If you miss when picking, or pick something other than a Block, it doesn't give up on you, but asks you to select again.

6.  It can identify an Xref [they're also "INSERT" objects, but can't be Renamed], so if you pick one, it doesn't attempt to Rename it, but asks you to select again.

[Anonymous]

Hi Sandevp,

thanks for your quick reply.

Looks like that in Autocad 2016 that command doesn't exist...

I found a way. Open the block with "BE", "save block as...", close it, than "I" for insert and chose the block.

Done.

It is different than the previous version but it is working.

Many thanks to all!!!

[Sujan.Maharjan]

Why is there no pick block option ?

[douglas.shortCM2W5]

WHY is everything in AutoCAD Unintuitive?

I love the idea of rename, BUT, like most everything with AutoCAD, it doesn't work as described.  Of course.

I type RENAME in the command line, click on Blocks to edit block names, and 3 of many dozens of blocks come up.

SO how does one rename all of the blocks which DON'T come up on the list?

And WHY do we accept this wretched program as in industry standard?  It is the absolute worst thing I've ever encountered.  Absolutely nothing is intuitive, predictable, or user-friendly.  

[cadffm]

"and 3 of many dozens of blocks come up"

"blocks which DON'T come up on the list"

Sure? Never heard before except anonymous Blocks.

Can you share the dwg?

[DraftechTX]

Autocad is becoming a pain in the ass to use. It been 5+ years and there is still no better way to manage blocks. Microstation is improving the user experience while Autocad makes this more complicated or useless. We spend so much time on this type of function but it gets so little support.

[Kent1Cooper]

---

@douglas.shortCM2W5 wrote:

.... 

I type RENAME in the command line, click on Blocks to edit block names, and 3 of many dozens of blocks come up.

SO how does one rename all of the blocks which DON'T come up on the list?

....

---

I agree with @cadffm -- I've never known Block names that are defined in the drawing to not show up in the list in RENAME.  Are some of yours really XREFs instead?

Or are you talking about "many dozens" of Block insertions  [or Block references ], but with only 3 different names  defined in the drawing?  RENAME is not for giving a different name to different insertions  of the same Block, but only for changing the name of a definition of a Block, however many insertions of it there may be [including none].  There are routines around that will take a Block insertion and make it into a new Block definition with a different name, if that's what you're trying to do.

[gordonNXKSE]

Instantiate the block, explode it, make your changes, and save it as a new block with a different name.