Hi Maxim,

Thank you for your guidance !!

I'm sorry but I'm still running into trouble.  I have tried the following but still have not magaed to get it working corrcetly:

You have helped so much already, and Im pretty sure going off what you have told me that its the nut behind the wheel - not a problem with AutoCAD.  I totally understand if you dont have time to help me with this any further.. 

If you are able to help me more (THANK YOU!!), and here is whats happening:

When I open a new drawing based on the template that contains my original working title block, (the one where i double click ion it and the advanced attribute list pops up ready to be filled in)  , I go to layout,( and paperspace), highlight the bock and type in the comman line "blockeditor", enter.

"0" is coming up saying read only.  I try not high lighting the block and still the same read only message.

So i created a new block and select exactly the original block (so when I select it it looks like one object).  I save it in my Blocks folder eg "Title Block A3.dwg".

Then I open a new drawing , create a new layout, insert the new block I've just created.  Double click on it and it goes into Block Editor mode  

So the only block that is working correctly seems to be read only in block editor.  

I did not create the working block, I just have a template that is pretty much that title block.

So I go ahead and try anyway with the new block that WILL open in block editor, use ATTDEF to add a couple of attributes, then make another block ;

w, write block etc

save that eg "Title Block 1.dwg,

Then i open a new drawing,

create a new layout,

insert my new block Title Block 1.dwg

double click on it and:

it opens in block editor

so I double click on one of the attributes and it opens up each attribute individually rather than compiled into one list.

Thank you again for all your help - i understand if you have not made it this far though... but if you have THANK YOU !!!!!!!!