Working with Blocks and Xrefs
Scott Onstott · 2017
This chapter offers guidance to users on how to work with global blocks, access content globally, store content on tool palettes, and reference external drawings and images in AutoCAD. Users will learn how to write local blocks to files, insert a drawing file as a local block, and redefine local blocks with global blocks. The local block is redefined when users insert a global block with the same name as a local block. External references are a more dynamic alternative to blocks. Xrefs linked to the current drawing are automatically updated every time the current drawing is opened. Blocks, on the other hand, must be edited in place or redefined when they are changed. Changes to the core and shell can be made in separate drawings that are linked to all the individual tenant drawings. The core and shell appear faded with respect to the tenant drawing.