Replace subroutine from directory folder
The Cadalyst CAD Tips site has several things related to replacing Blocks [if that's what you're talking about -- it's not quite clear to me], some of which may do what you're after -- try a Search there. Otherwise, can you post the routine, or a link to where it can be downloaded, so we can see exactly what it does, and a more detailed description of what you want it to do differently?
Kent Cooper, AIA 
@Anonymous wrote:
is there a way that you know of where i can make a simple function to replace any object in a drawing with any object in a folder...
What kind(s) of object(s)? If you're talking about Blocks, it shouldn't be too hard, and some of the routines in the Search in my previous Reply may be close to what you want. But if you want to replace, for example, a Circle with an Ellipse, the Ellipse can't be "in a folder" except as the content of a drawing file, so it would need to come in by way of something like Inserting it as a Block [though it can be Exploded in the process, so it doesn't remain a Block]. And if you are talking only about Blocks, when you say "replace," do you mean you want to replace individual Block references with different ones, or you want to replace the Block definition so that all such Blocks in the drawing are replaced? The more detail you can provide about exactly what you want to do, including the range of possible object types, how you would want the location of the replacement object to determined, etc., the better.
Kent Cooper, AIA
@Anonymous wrote:
so it would replace blocks on the draw, individual references and not globally from a list of blocks that i have already created that are stored on my computer
Here's a start, using two routines just for now. If they work together for you, they can be combined into one routine.
If your Blocks are all drawing files in a single folder, the following will call up a File Dialog Box which will be the list from which to select one of them:
(vl-load-com); in case needed
(defun C:GBFD (/ fname dname); = Get Block from File Dialog-box (command "_.INSERT" (setq fname ; = File name -- will bring in as Block definition (getfiled "Select drawing:" "X:/Your/Folder/Location/" "dwg" 0);<--EDIT drive & file path ); setq ); command (command); cancel without actually Inserting one (setq dname (substr fname (+ (vl-string-position 92 fname 1 T) 2)); = Drawing name bname (substr dname 1 (- (strlen dname) 4)); = Block name [dname with ".dwg" removed] ); setq (setvar 'insname bname); set as default for Insert command ); defun (prompt "\nType GBFD to Get a Block from a File Dialog-box in YourFolder.");<--EDIT
Run the GBFD command defined by that. It will import the selected drawing into the current drawing as a Block definition [but not actually Insert one], and will both store that Block name in the 'bname' variable and make it the current default Block name for the Insert command.
Then, run the BRS [= Block Replace by Selection] command from BlockReplace.lsp, available here. The first time you run it, it will offer Insert's default Block name [the one you just picked from the File Dialog Box] -- accept that default, and select as many existing Blocks [of any name] as you want, and they will all be turned into that Block, keeping their Layers, Scale factors, Rotation angles, etc. Thereafter, BRS will offer the Block name last used within itself, so if you bring in another using GBFD, you will [for now] need to type its name when the BRS command asks for a Block name. That can be made automatic in a combination routine if this pair of routines works for you otherwise.
Kent Cooper, AIA