Discover the process of adding block instances, such as door and window symbols, into a drawing using software. The article elaborates on the need for incorporating specific values into the attributes of blocks, the selection of the correct layer, and the importance of using tools like object snap tracking.
Key Insights
- When adding door and window symbols as block instances into a drawing, it's important to specify a value for each of the block's attributes.
- Selecting layer zero as the current layer is a prerequisite for bringing in a block. Additionally, to avoid size issues, the uniform scale needs to be updated to match the scale factor of the drawing.
- Object snap tracking is a crucial tool when placing objects without a specific distance from the tracking points. This tool, although not as locked in as TRA enter for tracking, ensures precision in drawing.
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In this video, we will add our door and window symbols. Please remember that these are going to come in as block instances, and that we will be adding a specific value to each of the attributes for every block instance.
So for now, let's prepare our drawing by opening our blocks dialog box, which is I, Enter on the keyboard. And we can see that we do not have our door and windows blocks in the current drawing. Before we begin to insert these blocks, however, let's think about what they are and where we're bringing them into.
To start, let's go to our Home tab and make sure that we are on layer zero. Remember, every time we bring in a block, we want to select layer zero as our current layer. Additionally, we are about to bring in paper space elements into model space.
These elements were drawn very, very small. And if we brought them in, they would appear as big as a penny on the floor of our building. So in this case, our uniform scale needs to be updated to 48 to match our quarter inch equals a foot scale factor.
Additionally, because these are going to be placed in multiple locations around the screen, let's turn on repeat placement. Okay, now that we're ready, we can browse. And let's start with our door symbol.
And now when I select door symbol, I can see my preview includes that attribute and let's hit open. My first one will be in door A, if you look at the handout. I won't place this on any specific point, but somewhere in that door swing is a great place to place door symbols.
Every time I place, it will ask me to type in the attribute value. Enter door symbol. Again, I'm checking the handout.
This is A and I'll hit okay. Because we have repeat placement activated, it will prompt me to place another symbol. I'll click up here.
This is a value of B and I'll hit okay. I'll place again over here. B, okay.
I'll place in this door. C, okay. And I'll place down here in the bathroom door.
And this is D and I'll hit okay. Now when I'm done, I have to hit ENTER to say that I'm done or hit escape to cancel. If you ever want to change an attribute value, it's as simple as double clicking on the text, just like double clicking on M text.
But you'll notice that an enhanced attribute editor will open. If there are multiple attributes, it'll let you select between them and mess around by typing in the value down here. If you just want to edit it as if it was multi-line text, hold control on the keyboard and double click on the attribute.
Then it will edit the attribute text as if it were single line or multi-line text. Let zoom extents and control S to save. Now before we bring in our window symbols, I want to introduce a new tool.
And this is next to our object snap button. Just to the left, it's object snap tracking. Object snap tracking is an important tool to use when placing objects when we would normally use tracking.
But we might not need to have a specific distance from those tracking points. Now, what does that mean? We're about to place four window symbols. And these window symbols are going to be somewhere to the left, somewhere to the right, or somewhere below our windows.
But we don't really need to know exactly how far out from those objects we need to go. This is where object snap tracking comes into play. I'll show an example by drawing just a circle for now.
But when it asks me to specify the base point, I'll come over and hover over the midpoint of this window. When I hover, I'll see a green plus sign appear and it's hard to see on the window. But when I move my cursor to the left, it will begin to track.
This is not as locked in as the TRA enter for tracking, but it will still allow me to click anywhere on this green dashed line and ensure that in this case, my circle is drawn at the exact Y value of that midpoint of the window. Now, let's bring in our window symbol and place using object snap tracking. I'll go to Browse, scroll down and find Window Symbol, and hit Open.
Remember that our options were set from our door symbol, scale factor of 48, and repeat placement. Now, when I come over here, I'll zoom in on the window, hover to find that midpoint. When I see the plus sign appear, I'll drag to the left and then click to place.
This window is a value of one, and I'll hit OK. Now, I'll pan over and do the same thing over here. Hover over the midpoint until I see the green plus sign appear, slide to the right and click to place.
One again, and I'll do the same thing down here. Hover, move to the right, click to place, one, enter, OK. Hover over this midpoint, wait until I see the plus sign appear, move down and click, two, and I'll hit OK.
Escape to say that I am done, zoom extents, and Control S to save. Object snap tracking might get in the way when we do dimensions, so I will turn it off for now. But just know that it is a very helpful tool when you need to find quick datum references while drafting.
In the next video, we will begin placing our dimensions.
