• Home
  • Training Books
  • Subscribe to Our Email Newsletter
  • About
    • Contributors
    • Feedback
    • Contact
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookie Policy

CADnotes

CAD Tutorials and Best Practices for professionals and students

  • Featured
  • AutoCAD
    • AutoLISP
  • Revit
    • Revit Architecture Basic
    • Revit MEP Basic Tutorial
  • Inventor
  • MicroStation
    • MicroStation Basic Tutorial
You are here: Home / AutoCAD / WBWA / Task 8: Managing Reusable Contents

Task 8: Managing Reusable Contents

September 12, 2011 by Edwin Prakoso 1 Comment

In this Article...

  • Saving the reusable contents
    • File location
    • Managing block files
  • Discussions

This is 8th task of Work Better with AutoCAD. We have discussed about choosing reusable contents for your drawings and creating reusable contents.

Saving the reusable contents

File location

It’s common that we need to update our AutoCAD blocks regularly. There are always new common objects, new standard to implement. And also Autodesk add new functionalities to AutoCAD.

The idea of using blocks is reduce drawing repetitively and to maintain standard. So the best location, if all AutoCAD users are using the same blocks, is saving the file on shared location over computer network.

computer network

© Cybrain – Fotolia.com

There are several ways to access the files. You can manually insert the block, using design center, using tool palettes, or using customization. Or you probably have other ways that work better for you.

I also know that in Autodesk Inventor, people can share the content libraries using Autodesk Vault. I haven’t seen AutoCAD users sharing libraries using Vault before, but if you do, it would be interesting if you share your experience.

However, if you prefer to place your blocks in local folders, I would like to hear why you decided to do it that way.

Managing block files

In the past, it was common to save a drawing as an AutoCAD block. So if you have one hundred blocks, you save one hundred DWG files. We use folders to manage similar blocks based on their categories. You can insert the file as block later. I’m not sure if it is the best practice today, but in the past it looks like a good idea. Probably the benefit of using this method today is it’s simple to use it in customization. I use simple AutoLISP code to make level elevation and grids bubble.

But today, it’s very easy to access blocks within a file. We can use tool palettes, and creating palettes is very easy using design center. It works better if you put similar blocks in one file. But I think the biggest benefit of saving block definition in DWG file is when we use dynamic blocks. We can’t save dynamic behavior of our blocks if we simply save geometry in an AutoCAD file.

Discussions

Image copyright: Yuri Arcurs – Fotolia.com

In this last discussion of AutoCAD reusable contents, I would like to discuss these topics:

  1. How do you save your blocks, one block in one file, or saving several blocks with the same category in a DWG file?
  2. How do you use blocks? Insert them manually, using design center, tool palettes, or other methods?
  3. Do you save blocks in local folders or shared location? Or do you use other applications (such as Autodesk Vault or similar) to manage them?
  4. Do you use customization to use those blocks?
  5. What are the benefits and downsides of using the methods, and why you choose to use that method?

About Edwin Prakoso

I work as a Sr. Consultant in PT Cipta Satria Informatika. I've been using AutoCAD since R14 and Revit since Revit Building 9. I occasionally write for AUGIWorld magazine and I am also active in Autodesk discussion forum. I'm a member of Autodesk Expert Elite, an appreciation for individuals who give contributions to the Autodesk community.
Connect with me on twitter or LinkedIn.

Filed Under: WBWA Tagged With: block library, design center, saving blocks, sharing blocks, tool palletes

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Login
Notify of
guest

guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

1 Comment
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
wpdiscuz   wpDiscuz

Featured

Work Better with AutoCAD | challenge 7: Evaluate your progress

You have completed 6 challenges to work better with AutoCAD. Now it’s time to evaluate your progress after completing the challenges. Is there are any area that you can improve?

Recent Articles

  • Autodesk Construction Cloud Activity Log
  • Exporting AutoCAD Plant 3D Model to Navisworks
  • Autodesk Data Connector for Power BI is Now Available

Advertisement

New on CADnotes

  • Autodesk Construction Cloud Activity Log
  • Exporting AutoCAD Plant 3D Model to Navisworks
  • Autodesk Data Connector for Power BI is Now Available
  • Autodesk Forma Design Contest
  • Revit 2025: Toposolid Enhancements

Meet the Authors

avatar for
avatar for
avatar for
avatar for
avatar for
avatar for

Get Connected

CADnotes on FacebookCADnotes on InstagramCADnotes on TwitterCADnotes on YouTube

© 2009 – 2025 CADnotes · Feedback · Privacy Policy · Become an affiliate

wpDiscuz