Topic: Locate block within multiple layouts

[Biscuits]

Using Acad2015 Windows 7 (64) bit

Any ideas for a simple method to locate a block within a drawing that has multiple layouts?
QSelect appears to only work in the current layout.

Any advice would be helpful. Thanks

[mjfarrell]

what are you trying to do to this block?

[ronjonp]

Assuming it's not a modified dynamic block:

Code - Auto/Visual Lisp: [Select]

1. (SSSETFIRST nil (ssget "_x" (list '(0 . "insert") (cons 2 "blockname"))))

Then change what you want in the properties box.

[Biscuits]

MJ  Looking to locate and possibly explode it.

[mjfarrell]

MJ  Looking to locate and possibly explode it.

that's not nice...
why not just block edit it instead?

this would update all instances of the block without you locating it

[Biscuits]

Basically, some items in our older drawings should never have been blocks in the first place.
My employer wants/insists these blocks be exploded. Example: a line of text or a simple line. Some of these older blocks contain extraneous data that mess up file management software that renders PDFs from the drawings when checked into the system. The data should have been purged from the original block but still remain. So, if I'm trying to find a block called "TIC"
I have to find where in the drawing it is located then determine if it should be exploded. Trust me it is more involved than that.
But, for now I am looking for a way to locate which layout (s) contain the block in question. Qselect is great only for the current layout and some of our file may have 30 layouts or more. Thank you ronjonp for the code, but it does not direct me to the layout (s). Block edit is not an option.

Thanks for the help, gang!

[ChrisCarlson]

Code - Auto/Visual Lisp: [Select]

1. (defun c:explodeTIC ( / ss)
2.         (if
3.                 (setq ss (ssget "_x" (list (cons 0 "INSERT") (cons 2 "TIC"))))
4.                         (progn
5.                                 (command "_.explode" ss)
6.                                 (princ (strcat (itoa (sslength ss))" Blocks Exploded"))
7.                         )
8.                         (princ "\nNo Blocks Found")
9.         )
10.         (princ)
11. )
12.  

[Biscuits]

Thanks for the effort Chris. I already have a similar routine. But. I have to locate the blocks first for a visual then only possibly explode.

It's the finding of the block I need.

[ronjonp]

This will print the tabname to the command line where the blocks are found.

Code - Auto/Visual Lisp: [Select]

1. (defun c:foo (/ ss)
2.   (if (setq ss (ssget "_x" (list '(0 . "insert") '(2 . "TIC"))))
3.     (mapcar '(lambda (b) (print (cdr (assoc 410 (entget b))))) (mapcar 'cadr (ssnamex ss)))
4.   )
5. )

[Lee Mac]

When you know the layout, this may help you locate all references of the block:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/visual-lisp-autolisp-and-general/to-find-amp-mark-blocks-via-lisp/m-p/4715139#M318045

[ChrisCarlson]

Code - Auto/Visual Lisp: [Select]

1. (defun c:explodeTIC ( / ss)
2.         (if
3.                 (setq ss (ssget "_x" (list (cons 0 "INSERT") (cons 2 "TIC"))))
4.                         (progn
5.                                 (command "_.explode" ss)
6.                                 (princ (strcat (itoa (sslength ss))" Blocks Exploded"))
7.                         )
8.                         (princ "\nNo Blocks Found")
9.         )
10.         (princ)
11. )
12.  

Actually, testing this code it only explodes in the current space.

[Biscuits]

ronjonp's FOO code comes closest to what I need. I can make this work.

Big thank you to everyone for their efforts. You guys are awesome.

Thanks again

[ronjonp]

Glad to help

[Marc'Antonio Alessi]

Why not create clean blocks on separate DWG files and then insert them with "insert="  ?