TheSwamp
CAD Forums => CAD General => Topic started by: Mark on February 09, 2015, 07:30:41 AM
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Which is the best practice for block storage now days? Separate files or all stored in a single file?
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Yes.
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Both have their up-and-down sides.
Seperate files is still easier to maintain via scripting but single files are nicer to pack up and put on the network.
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I like to keep the routine block files within a template (set to QNEW) with un-common blocks as separate files.
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I like to keep the routine block files within a template (set to QNEW) with un-common blocks as separate files.
That is exactly what i used to do. But now I have many more blocks to deal with.
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We tend to use a container drawing these days... some of our older/legacy blocks are still in individual files though
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My preference would always be individual files - one can easily create new blocks with WBLOCK that way.
dJE
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I like to keep the routine block files within a template (set to QNEW) with un-common blocks as separate files.
That is exactly what i used to do. But now I have many more blocks to deal with.
How many blocks are you talking about? You could look into a 3rd party program to organize and aid in searching block files as well.
CMT Detail Manager comes to mind
https://apps.exchange.autodesk.com/ACD/en/Detail/Index?id=appstore.exchange.autodesk.com%3adetailmanager_windows32and64%3aen
Also, if you keep a consistent naming structure and add the block library folder to your support path, simply inserting through insert dialog will bring blocks in.
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Also, if you keep a consistent naming structure and add the block library folder to your support path, simply inserting through insert dialog will bring blocks in.
Thats a really good idea! There is no naming structure at the moment, we're working on that as well.
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We have a large number of blocks, and a number of clients who may or may not have their own "spin" on some of those blocks. So I keep them as individual files, using a combination of code and SFSP search order to keep management simple. If the client needs something different, I only need to create a new block with the same name and drop it in the client folder. If I need to update a common block I don't need to update umpteen dozen copies.
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I use a naming structure (i.e. 2d, 3d, Plan, Elev(ation), Iso(metric), Elec(trical), Mech(anical), and so on) and some code to go along with them. All blocks are stored as individual files in one folder that is included in the search path. Some are inserted through dialog boxes with some lisp for different things, and some are just static references that really only need just graphic representation on a standard layer. Since a lot of what I do isn't your normal cookie cutter variety of things, I find myself creating quite a few new blocks from old ones that I just pull in from Windows Explorer. Like today I needed to create a 3d and 2d version of a USDA Anchor Cage, which will more than likely only get used for this job, but I block them out anyway just in case. The consistent blocks get some lisp attention and a place in the menu.
Also, I don't use spaces in the naming conventions. ;-)
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We use a separate Profile for internal/client standards with SFSP, which allow us to manually insert individual blocks from respective directories, or use the Tool Palette for each (i.e., Drainage, Trees, Signing & Pavement Markings, etc.)... A small contingent of a command reactor, and tool palette configuration allows the insertion to be placed on the correct layer automagically (regardless of which method of insertion is used).
Cheers