Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
After you insert a block, all the objects displayed in the block reference behave as a
single object. When you select any object in the block reference, AutoCAD highlights all
the objects in it.
Another way to insert a block is to drag a DWG file from Windows Explorer
and drop it anywhere in the current drawing window. AutoCAD then prompts you
to choose an insertion point and optionally change the default scale factor and ro-
tation angle. Similarly, you can drag a block definition from the Blocks section of
the DesignCenter palette and drop it into the current drawing window. (Chapter 6
describes DesignCenter.)
AutoCAD provides one additional way of inserting blocks: the Tool Palettes window,
which I describe in Chapter 2. As is true of using a tool palette for hatching (Chapter 15),
you first must create and configure appropriate tools. The easiest method is right-click-
ing a drawing in DesignCenter and choosing Create Tool Palette. A new tabbed page is
added to the Tool Palettes window, containing all the block definitions from the drawing
that you right-clicked. Simply click and drag a tool to insert its corresponding block into
a drawing. Dragging blocks from a tool palette doesn't give you the chance to specify a
different insertion scale, nor can you use all AutoCAD's precision tools to specify the in-
sertion point precisely — you may need to move the block into place after inserting it. I
recommend that you first master the other block insertion methods described in this
chapter — especially the Insert dialog box and DesignCenter palette. Then, if you find
yourself inserting the same blocks frequently, consider creating a tool palette containing
them. Check out “Add Content with DesignCenter” in the AutoCAD online help system
for more information.
Although the preceding paragraph refers to the
Tool Palettes window,
palettes
in AutoCAD are not like regular windows or dialog boxes. They are
modeless,
which means they can stay open while you carry on with other tasks outside
them. The official programmer-ese term for palettes is
enhanced secondary win-
dow,
or ESW for short. (I think I'm sticking with
palettes.
)
Be careful when you insert one drawing into another. If the host (or parent)
drawing and the inserted (or child) drawing have different definitions for layers
