AutoCAD Blocks

• What is a Block?
• Creating Blocks With the WBLOCK Command
• Related Webinars

Blocks are among the fundamental units of CAD design. Learn what blocks are, why they are beneficial, and how they work.

What is a Block?

A block is a combination of lines, arcs, text, hatches, and/or any other entity you can think of in a CAD drawing. The linework and text making up a block is grouped together in such a way that you can select the entire object (block) at once in order to perform actions such as placing, copying, and moving the block.

The fact that blocks are selectable means that you can easily insert them into, and move them between, your drawings.

Creating Blocks With the WBLOCK Command

You can create your own blocks using the AutoCAD Write Block (WBLOCK) command. You can think of WBLOCK as a way of isolating a block from a drawing and exporting it to its own .dwg file.

Our plugins automate the WBLOCK process with the Save Block tool. In most cases, we recommending this handy tool when you want to create a block and save it as a DWG. However, for your understanding of how blocks work within, and between, your drawings, it's a good idea to get to know how the WBLOCK command works.

Open Write Block:

 

Insert ribbon, Write Block button

 

 

 

or type WBlock in the Command line

The Write Block dialog box will open.

1. Select whether you want to create your block from your Entire Drawing or from selected Objects in the drawing.

 

2. Select one of the following options:

• Retain: Retain the layers and separate linework of the selected objects in the current drawing.
• Convert to block: Convert the selected objects to a block in the current drawing.
• Delete from drawing: Delete the selected objects from the current drawing.

 

3. Click the ... button to the right of the File name and path menu to enter a name for the block and select a folder path in which to save it.

 

4. Select the Units for your block (inches, feet, meters, etc.).

Click OK when finished.

If you selected Objects (see item #1 above) and have yet to select the objects to make up your block, the following dialog box will appear, informing you that no objects have been selected.

 

 

Click Select objects.

Select the objects to make up your block.

A DWG source file containing the linework for your block will be saved in the location of your choice.

Related Webinars

• Working With Blocks: Take a broad look into the role of blocks within Land F/X and how to integrate your personal set of blocks into our system. (1 hour 4 min)