AUGIWorld Magazine - September/October 2008 - (Page 14)

AUTODESK IMPRESSION Save Time with Impression Blocks If you have worked with AutoCAD®, then you have worked with blocks. A block is a single object containing a combination of other components within it. Okay, I’m going to assume we all know that—this is an AUGI publication, after all. In Autodesk® Impression, blocks, whether made in AutoCAD and imported or made from within Impression, work the same and serve the same purpose. A block’s main purpose is to recreate the same or similar information repeatedly in a drawing. Blocks provide the user with a means to rapidly add information or linework to a drawing. It is also a means to edit repeated data very quickly. Impression blocks are no different in purpose or application. to the drawing itself. It also tells you the block height and width, scale, and printed sizes. You can adjust the size of your block by adjusting the scale settings or by adjusting the height/ width settings. The aspect ratios of the scale and size can be locked or unlocked. This allows you to change just the height (or Y value in scale) or the width (or the X value in scale) of the block. Some of the functions of the icons at the bottom of the Block Library Window are rather obvious, while others need a little bit of explanation. The trash can icon is the Delete Block option. This doesn’t delete the block from your library, just from Importing blocks your Saved Blocks list. Saved blocks When an AutoCAD file is imported are blocks that are, well, saved within into Impression, its blocks come with it. the drawing file. A saved block exists The block can be edited in AutoCAD and inside the file and can be used at any later updated in Impression with the Uptime. A saved block does not mean it date Geometry command. Every instance Figure 2: The Block Properties Summary allows users to set is in use. But if a block is used in the of the block in the Impression file will be the size of the imported block during its insertion. file, it is automatically saved in the updated, just like in AutoCAD. If a block file. Deleting the block helps to keep exists as its own file (a dwg) then use the Block libraries your file size lower. Import command in Impression to insert it Impression also comes with a Block LiNext to the trash can icon is the Export into your drawing. brary containing several different blocks Block icon, which looks like a box with an in both plan and profile (or elevation) arrow pointing out of it. This command will views. Most of the blocks are of vehi- save a block into the folder of your choice cles, plants, and people. Users can link and give it a name. The next icon looks like to other block libraries on their com- two building blocks with arrows. This is the puter or company network. Just click Display Substitution Map icon. This will the Link to Block Library icon at the open the Block Substitution Map. I’ll talk bottom of the Block Library Window. about it and its functions later on. The next It looks like a file folder. icon looks like two blocks stacked together. To bring a block into your drawing This is the Multiblock icon. I’ll talk more from a library, link to the library, open about that one later, too. The next icon it, select and drag the desired block looks like a single block. It is the Create onto the canvas in the desired loca- Block from Selection icon. From here, ustion. If you pick the wrong place, just ers create a block in Impression. Select the move the block to the proper loca- linework, objects, text, shading, etc., then tion. After you drag the block into the click this icon. It will combine those items file, the Block Properties Summary into a block. Now you can save it, export it, window opens. Here you can adjust and add it to a library. The last icon looks the size of your block. This window like a block and a paintbrush. This icon is tells you the scale of your drawing to for the Redefine Block command. This will Figure 1: The Block Library. Note the icons at the bottom help you relate the size of the block substitute the selected block with a differright of the window. 14 w w w. A U G I . c o m http://www.augi.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of AUGIWorld Magazine - September/October 2008

AUGIWorld Magazine - September/October 2008 Contents The CAD Manager 2008 Salary Survey Save Time with Impression Blocks In the Family Way Structural Stairs Autodesk University 2008 Preview Action Recorder How to Embrace Third-Party Data On the Back Page

AUGIWorld Magazine - September/October 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.