Outside Limits Message in Command Line / Cannot Place Blocks / Blocks Not Visible in Model Space

Issue

You're trying to place blocks in your drawing, but you are unable to place them, or see them in Model Space. You may have even tried running the DISTANCE command to measure something and are not getting a reading. You're just seeing an Outside Limits message in the Command line.

Cause

Something is off with the Limit settings of your drawing. You most likely have the Limit Check (LIMCHECK) system variable enabled, and your current limits (set through the LIMITS command) are set to a smaller area than the coordinates you're trying to use for your drawing.

Solution

You have two options for resolving this issue.

Option 1: LIMCHECK command (the most common method)

Type LIMCHECK in the Command line and press Enter. When prompted to enter a value, type 0.

The LIMCHECK variable will be turned off when checking the limits of your design, and you'll be able to place blocks.

Option 2: LIMITS command (a less-common method)

Type LIMITS in the Command line and press Enter. When prompted, set the limits to your drawing (the lower left and upper right corners) so they include the coordinates of your design.

You should now be able to place blocks.