Modeling
About Archicad's design tools, element connections, modeling concepts, etc.

Working with Blocks like in Autocad

Anonymous
Not applicable
Hi friends and Graphisoft Team,
First i want to say "I love archicad very much" And i thank to Graphisoft Team for this good program.
You'll sure I will never compare Archicad with Autocad
But i am begging you for an important subject.
Pleeeeeeeeease put the property of working with blocks like in Autocad instead of /or beside of .mod files.
Working with blocks in Autocad is very easy and very quick. You can create hundreds of blocks in a single project file.
This property must be in the next hotfix or version.
Thanks.

*Please explain the reason who says " not needed " .
15 REPLIES 15
Anonymous
Not applicable
It has been quite a while since I've used Autocad, but I don't think there is anything that a block can do than a GDL object can't, that is why I voted not necessary.
TomWaltz
Participant
What is it about blocks that you would like to do that you cannot? Archicad Objects and MOD files are pretty flexible.

The other question is: why would you want to create hundreds of blocks in one file? What are you trying to achieve?
Tom Waltz
Karl Ottenstein
Moderator
I agree with Scott. A GDL object is the same as an AutoCAD 'Block' ... with this exception: blocks are embedded within the dwg file, but the gdl object is external.

Just like a block, if you edit a GDL object's content, all placed elements are updated.

If you do not have the shortcut key cmd-shift-O (ctrl-shift-O) set to open a GDL object, you might want to assign it or something similar. You then just select the placed object, issue cmd-shift-O and edit away. If your 'block' content is just 2D content, then you edit visually in the 2D symbol window.

Related to your question: if you have symbols/etc from autocad days that are stored as 'blocks' in existing dwg files, AC makes it easy to convert those blocks into GDL objects via both a File menu option as well as dwg translator options.

Cheers,
Karl
AC 28 USA and earlier   •   macOS Sequoia 15.3, MacBook Pro M2 Max 12CPU/30GPU cores, 32GB
One of the forum moderators
Anonymous
Not applicable
Hi friends,
I explain what i mean by block. I haven't use this technique in my projects before. I've just learned it from my friend.
Now we had a big and detailed project. Its about 25.000 m2. So working with blocks is essential. Saving each block as a seperate file is a kind of death.Editing them "in place" is must to be.

Making hundreds of blocks is explained in picture-5.
Saving .mod files and editing them is not easy and usable like this, GDL is same too.
If Archicad solve this problem, i think there is not need to work other CADs.
Anonymous
Not applicable
picture2[/img]
2-making block.jpg
Anonymous
Not applicable
picture3
Anonymous
Not applicable
picture4
4-editing block by just one click.jpg
Anonymous
Not applicable
picture5
This is what i mean by hundreds of blocks
Anonymous
Not applicable
picture 6
Editing blocks "in place"