Topic: Programmatically checking for block in current drawing.

[snownut2]

When a block is deleted from a sheet (or paper space tab) it is still in the drawing until purged out.  Is there a way to see if a particular block is in the drawing (not purged yet) but not located in a particular paper-space or model tab.  The "attedit" command cannot be performed on a block not within the current tab.  The "tblobjname" function returns the "entname" of the block if it is present anywhere within the drawing, I need to be sure pro-grammatically it is within the current tab also so I can utilize the "attedit" command.  If it is not I can insert, attedit and then delete the block, however I do not want to do this if it already exist on the current tab.

Thanks,

Bruce

[Tharwat]

Code - Auto/Visual Lisp: [Select]

1. (tblsearch "BLOCK" <Your-Block-Name>)

[snownut2]

Unfortunately that gives me the same results as "tblobjname" does.  It still returns a value even though the block has been erased from the current tab.

I am working around the issue, thanks for your reply.

Bruce

[BlackBox]

Bruce,

By searching the Block Table you're querying if a Block Definition exists, rather than if a Block Reference (an entity instance) exists on, or not on any given Layout tab.

To determine if a Block Reference exists within any tab, one would test for a valid Selection Set instead.

Here's a sub-function that can be used to determine if any Block Reference (by name) exists on, or not on any given tab name:

Code - Auto/Visual Lisp: [Select]

1. (defun _IsBlockOnTab (blockName whatTab)
2.   ;; Example: Is "MyBlock"  on any tab other than the current tab?
3.   ;;    (_IsBlockOnTab "MyBlock" (strcat "~" (getvar 'ctab)))
4.   (if (ssget "_x"
5.              (list '(0 . "INSERT")
6.                    (cons 2 blockName)
7.                    (cons 410 whatTab)
8.              )
9.       )
10.     T
11.     nil
12.   )
13. )
14.