How Do I Unblock in AutoCAD?

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Unblocking objects in AutoCAD can be a common need for many users. Whether you accidentally blocked an object or received a drawing from someone else with blocked elements, knowing how to unblock in AutoCAD is essential. In this tutorial, we will walk you through the various methods to unblock objects in AutoCAD.

Method 1: Using the Properties Palette

If you have a specific object that needs to be unblocked, you can use the Properties palette to accomplish this.

  1. Select the blocked object by clicking on it.
  2. Right-click on the selected object and choose “Properties” from the context menu.
  3. In the Properties palette, locate the “General” section.
  4. Under “General,” find the “Block” property and click on its value (usually displayed as a hyperlink).
  5. A dialog box titled “Edit Block Definition” will appear. In this dialog box, click on the “Explode” button.
  6. Click “OK” to confirm your changes and unblock the object.

Note: Exploding a block will permanently convert it into individual entities, thus losing any block attributes or dynamic properties associated with it.

Method 2: Using the EXPLODE Command

If you want to unblock multiple objects at once or are unsure which objects are blocked in your drawing, using the EXPLODE command can be more efficient.

  1. Type “EXPLODE” in the command line and press Enter.
  2. Select all objects that you want to unblock by either window selection or individual selection.
  3. Press Enter to complete the selection.
  4. AutoCAD will explode the selected objects, converting them into individual entities and unblocking them in the process.

Method 3: Using the BURST Command

The BURST command is another useful method to unblock objects that are part of an external block reference (XREF).

  1. Type “BURST” in the command line and press Enter.
  2. Select the XREF containing the blocked objects that you want to unblock.
  3. AutoCAD will burst the XREF, converting it into individual entities and unblocking them in the process.

Note: After using the BURST command, it’s important to remember to delete any unnecessary exploded blocks or XREFs from your drawing to keep it clean and organized.

Method 4: Using the REFEDIT Command

If you want to modify a block that contains blocked objects without exploding it, you can use the REFEDIT command.

  1. Type “REFEDIT” in the command line and press Enter.
  2. Select the block that contains blocked objects by clicking on it.
  3. A new window will open, displaying only the selected block for editing purposes. Make any necessary changes or modifications within this window.
  4. To unblock specific objects within the block, select them and use any of AutoCAD’s editing commands as required (e.g., ERASE, MOVE, etc.).
  5. Once you finish editing, close the REFEDIT window by clicking on its “Close” button or typing “CLOSE” in the command line.

Conclusion:

In this tutorial, we explored different methods to unblock objects in AutoCAD. Whether you choose to use the Properties palette, EXPLODE, BURST, or REFEDIT command, you now have the knowledge to unblock objects efficiently. Remember to exercise caution when making changes to your drawings and always save a backup copy before performing any modifications.

Happy unblocking!