globally rename anonymous blocks.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone got a lisp routine that can globally rename anonymous blocks. So that you can use AutoCAD commands to change them.

The article on AutoCAD knowledge base was not very helpful, as it did not work and only worked on one block at a time (if it ever did work)

Allan
http://www.draftsperson.net/

[Anonymous]

You can't rename anonymous blocks at all, so your only option is to create a new block from the exploded entities of an anonymous block, and then update all existing references to the anonymous block, to reference the new, named block instead. You can use the BLOCKREPLACE express tool to do that. -- http://www.caddzone.com AcadXTabs: MDI Document Tabs for AutoCAD 2004/2005 http://www.acadxtabs.com "allanyz" wrote in message news:511507.1112307234937.JavaMail.jive@jiveforum2.autodesk.com... > Has anyone got a lisp routine that can globally rename anonymous blocks. So that you can use AutoCAD commands to > change them. > > The article on AutoCAD knowledge base was not very helpful, as it did not work and only worked on one block at a time > (if it ever did work) > > Allan > http://www.draftsperson.net/

[Anonymous]

so how do you explode an anonymous block? YOU CAN"T !

but want about this

RENAME the *E105 to E105 (just get rid of the *)
the BLOCKREPLACE E105 with a proper autoCAD block.

That is one step closer. but what about a push button fix all?

Allan
http://www.draftsperson.net/

[Anonymous]

Who told you that you can't explode anonymous blocks? If you can't explode an anonymous block, it's not because it's an anonymous block, check the other possible reasons. -- http://www.caddzone.com AcadXTabs: MDI Document Tabs for AutoCAD 2004/2005 http://www.acadxtabs.com "allanyz" wrote in message news:25123096.1112314405131.JavaMail.jive@jiveforum2.autodesk.com... > so how you explode an anonymous block? YOU CAN"T !

[Anonymous]

perhaps the OP sees anon blocks in the blocklist but does not know where they are in the drawing? "Tony Tanzillo" wrote in message news:424c9e68$1_3@newsprd01... > Who told you that you can't explode anonymous blocks? > > If you can't explode an anonymous block, it's not because > it's an anonymous block, check the other possible reasons. > > > -- > http://www.caddzone.com > > AcadXTabs: MDI Document Tabs for AutoCAD 2004/2005 > http://www.acadxtabs.com > > "allanyz" wrote in message > news:25123096.1112314405131.JavaMail.jive@jiveforum2.autodesk.com... >> so how you explode an anonymous block? YOU CAN"T ! > >

[Anonymous]

I tell you now. no one told me you can't explode anonymous blocks. I have a drawing opened right now that has anonymous blocks that cannot be exploded !! (Acad 2004)

I have however got this work around. and for the the purpose of this discussion the block in question is named *E105.

1. RENAME *E105 to E105 (still an anonymous block, but now will appear in the BLOCKREPLACE drop down box)

2. Create a matching block to replace E105. We will call this block COLUMN

3. Use BLOCKREPLACE to replace E105 with COLUMN.

That works.

BUT this is a programming FORUM !! surely there must be an automated way of doing something similar to this, but on a global, fix all, it is all good kind of way?

Allan
http://www.draftsperson.net/

[Anonymous]

Alan, could you post a small sample file (dumbed down to R2002) that has one of these anonymous blocks in it? Looking through the docs I see ..... *Dnnn are dimensions, *Xnnn are hatches & *Unnn are user created anonymous blocks. Please remember, too, that: Yes, this is a programming forum for peer to peer support. BUT, none of us are mind readers (although some, including myself, try to interpret the intent/goal of the poster) so without a detailed description which includes any code you've tried and a sample drawing if you are working with items out of the ordinary. Being short and snappy towards folks that are attempting to help won't get you far...... -- Jeff check out www.cadvault.com "allanyz" wrote in message news:14043094.1112423041972.JavaMail.jive@jiveforum2.autodesk.com... >I tell you now. no one told me you can't explode anonymous blocks. I have a >drawing opened right now that has anonymous blocks that cannot be exploded >!! (Acad 2004)

[Anonymous]

You cannot rename anonymous blocks. I'm not sure what you've got there, but I don't think it is a regular anonymous block, because they can't be renamed. Can you post a sample drawing with one of them in it? -- http://www.caddzone.com AcadXTabs: MDI Document Tabs for AutoCAD 2004/2005/2006 http://www.acadxtabs.com "allanyz" wrote in message news:14043094.1112423041972.JavaMail.jive@jiveforum2.autodesk.com... >I tell you now. no one told me you can't explode anonymous blocks. I have a drawing opened right now that has anonymous >blocks that cannot be exploded !! (Acad 2004) > > I have however got this work around. and for the the purpose of this discussion the block in question is named *E105. > > 1. RENAME *E105 to E105 (still an anonymous block, but now will appear in the BLOCKREPLACE drop down box) > > 2. Create a matching block to replace E105. We will call this block COLUMN > > 3. Use BLOCKREPLACE to replace E105 with COLUMN. > > That works. > > BUT this is a programming FORUM !! surely there must be an automated way of doing something similar to this, but on a > global, fix all, it is all good kind of way? > > Allan > http://www.draftsperson.net/

[Anonymous]

Allan, This is from the help files on "explode": "When nonuniformly scaled blocks contain objects that cannot be exploded, they are collected into an anonymous block (named with a "*E" prefix) and referenced with the nonuniform scaling. If all the objects in such a block cannot be exploded, the selected block reference will not be exploded. Body, 3D Solid, and Region entities in a nonuniformly scaled block cannot be exploded." I'm curious why you would want to explode such blocks. This particular behavior of not exploding blocks that contain only objects that can't be exploded seems to be designed for a purpose. Regards, Doug "allanyz" wrote in message news:14043094.1112423041972.JavaMail.jive@jiveforum2.autodesk.com... >I tell you now. no one told me you can't explode anonymous blocks. I have a drawing opened right now that has anonymous blocks that >cannot be exploded !! (Acad 2004) > > I have however got this work around. and for the the purpose of this discussion the block in question is named *E105. > > 1. RENAME *E105 to E105 (still an anonymous block, but now will appear in the BLOCKREPLACE drop down box) > > 2. Create a matching block to replace E105. We will call this block COLUMN > > 3. Use BLOCKREPLACE to replace E105 with COLUMN. > > That works. > > BUT this is a programming FORUM !! surely there must be an automated way of doing something similar to this, but on a global, fix > all, it is all good kind of way? > > Allan > http://www.draftsperson.net/

[Anonymous]

Doug,

This is getting to the problem now. thanks and well done. The anonymous blocks in question do have *E prefixes.

I have attached the file in question (acad 2000 format) so you can see the problem. Basically it is a Steel Square Hollow Section Post layout from an archtiect.

I know that anonymous blocks are often caused by thrid party programs. I believe the architects that created this file used archicad. Which I have not used but have been lead to believe it is a plug-in for AutoCAD..

I have also attached a LISP routine written by a guy called david bethel. that is suppose to fix the problem. But i think a first glance the routine is written the other way !! it changes blocks to anonymous blocks.

[Anonymous]

whatever jeff. and good answer too.

[Anonymous]

Allan, Don't have time to give you much help. There appears to be no reason that the blocks in your file are anonymous but it could be possible that an automatically generated drawing file could have problems. An Audit of the file found 40 problems with blocks. I'm not sure that this is relevant. Theoretically, you should be able to copy the objects from the root block definition(s) and create a new non-anonymous block definition from them. If you already know what the columns should look like, then you can just collect the insertion point and rotation information from the existing block references and then replace them by having a progam erase them and re-insert correct blocks. Regards, Doug "allanyz" wrote in message news:11520328.1112587019714.JavaMail.jive@jiveforum2.autodesk.com... > Doug, > > This is getting to the problem now. thanks and well done. The anonymous blocks in question do have *E prefixes. > > I have attached the file in question (acad 2000 format) so you can see the problem. Basically it is a Steel Square Hollow Section > Post layout from an archtiect. > > I know that anonymous blocks are often caused by thrid party programs. I believe the architects that created this file used > archicad. Which I have not used but have been lead to believe it is a plug-in for AutoCAD. > > I have also attached a LISP routine written by a guy called david bethel. that is suppose to fix the problem. But i think a first > glance the routine is written the other way !! it changes blocks to anonymous blocks.