AutoCAD Tip : Preventing Users from Exploding Blocks

by Dennis Collin

The Explode command within AutoCAD does have its uses, but frequently the command can become an annoyance when users explode blocks that have attributes, field and dynamic properties. Once this is done all that intelligence will be lost!

Fig. Use Explode with extreme caution, if at all!

However, it is possible to prevent this by protecting block definitions from that situation. Simply untick the allow exploding option when creating the block.

Once done, attempts to explode the block will result in a message saying that the block cannot be exploded!

So far so good, but what about if circumstances change and the setting needs to be reverted? To edit the setting, the Block Editor can be used. I would argue that this should always be done instead of exploding to edit blocks.

Block editor can be accessed by right clicking on the block that needs to be changed, or alternatively type BEDIT on the command line, choosing the block name from the list.

Fig. Accessing Block Editor from the command prompt.

Once within the block editor environment users experience a different set of palettes and the screen colour changes to a darker grey background.

Activate the properties palette (Ctrl+!) and set the allow exploding option to yes. Save the changes to the block definition when exiting.

Fig Toggling the ability to explode within AutoCAD’s block editor environment.

In summary Block Editor or Edit-in-place are generally a better practice for managing blocks than explode, for the simple reason that the Explode command is rather destructive and there is no way back.

Blocks, symbol libraries along with many other more advanced AutoCAD concepts are covered on our Bespoke and follow on AutoCAD courses. For more details, please visit https://training.cadline.co.uk/ or talk to one of the team on 01784 419922 or via the site’s live chat facility.