Have to explode block with invisibility states in order for them to work

[Mr-Wrongway]

Hey Kids,

I created a block that has 4 visibility states. In the block drawing itself, the visibility states work fine. Now when I insert this block into a drawing, I have to explode it first in order for the pull-down for the states in order to select the state that I want. Whether if I insert it as a block into a new drawing or xref it in, the results are the same except that as an xref, it will not explode.

I know I created the block correctly but something tells me I forgot a step or I'm a little out of order here. What did I do incorrectly?

Theojkett

[Libbya]

This is just a guess...  you didn't WBLOCK or 'Save as block file' and now when you are 'inserting the block' you are really inserting the host file (as a block) with the block nested in it.  Under those conditions, a single explode would be required in order to access the nested block.  

[Mr-Wrongway]

So what's the fix? 

If I take the whole drawing with all the objects and wblock it to a new drawing, I end up with 4 individual blocks but not visibility states. I've created the block correctly and it works when I open it normally. But if I want to use it in another drawing I have to explode it first.  Now I can set the block to explode upon insert, but I don't think that's the way it should be done.

[Libbya]

Always post your file.  Explode on insert is not the way to do it.  I would recommend saving it as a block file within block editor or adding it to a block library host file and adding it to a tool palette for insertion.  Here's a screencast showing how to save it as a block file within block editor.

[MMcCall402]

Hey Theo!

What you have is a block contained within a drawing file. When you insert that drawing file into another drawing as a block you end up with a block in a block, thus requiring you to explode it once to get to that inner block.

WBlocking it out of the drawing will make the block its own drawing.  

For future editing, when you open that drawing it will prompt you into the block editor.

Note, the designcenter and toolpallets can access blocks contained within another drawing and insert them as they exist in the other drawing. Toolpallets can also insert the at a designated scale, layer, color, etc, and with designated dynamic parameters pre-selected.

[Mr-Wrongway]

Thanks everyone... all figured out.  I know what I was doing wrong.

Ted

"Engineers are not CAD professionals are not engineers"