How to Use Blockify in BricsCAD

Quick answer: Blockify automatically converts repetitive sets of entities into block definitions. Select a set of 2D entities or 3D solids, and BricsCAD searches the whole drawing for identical sets and replaces them with block references automatically.

Blockify from a Selected Input

1. Launch BLOCKIFY. You’re prompted to select source entities, or choose match Equal solids (the default), find Collections, or match existing Blocks.
2. Select the entities to convert and press Enter; the selected count displays, and you’re prompted for more source entities or Settings.
3. Select more, or press Enter or right-click to stop. You’re prompted for a block insertion point, or to use the default point.
4. Identify the insertion point. You’re prompted for a search space, defaulting to the entire drawing.
5. Press Enter or right-click to search the entire drawing. You’re prompted for a block name, or to press Enter for the default name.
6. Type a name and press Enter. You’re prompted to select matches to replace with block references.
7. Click the green check marks or red cross signs in model space to select or deselect which matches get replaced, then press Enter (or Esc/A to cancel).

BricsCAD reports the new block definition’s name and how many block references it inserted. Depending on BLOCKIFYMODE, some of these prompts get suppressed, using default values for the insertion point, search space, block name, and/or matches instead.

How Blockify Handles Existing Block Definitions

Blockify also checks whether your model already has matching block definitions, and behaves differently depending on the mode:

• Using a selected input set of entities: if an existing block definition matches your Blockify input, no new definition gets created; instead, a message confirms it’s using the existing one. You’re prompted for a search space, then to select matches (click the green check marks or red cross signs, or press Enter/R to accept the current selection). Matching elements get replaced with references to that existing definition.
• Match existing blocks: searches the entire drawing or a selection for geometry matching your existing block definitions. Tick Show preview in the Command Context panel’s Settings area, then choose which found group(s) to replace from the panel, selecting or deselecting individual entities within each group the same way. This option is particularly useful for recreating block instances that were accidentally exploded.

Combining Duplicate Block Definitions

Worth correcting here: an earlier page in this hub on OVERKILL described it as doing three things, deleting duplicate entities, straightening angled lines, and joining contiguous entities. It actually has a fourth capability too: combining duplicate block definitions.

1. Launch OVERKILL. You’re prompted to select entities, or choose Combine duplicate block definitions.
2. Choose that option. The Combine duplicate block definitions dialog opens.
3. Optionally select properties to ignore during comparison.
4. Optionally set the comparison tolerance, 1e-06 by default.
5. Optionally tick Purge duplicate block definitions.
6. Click Apply. The Overkill Command Context panel opens, listing every group of duplicate block definitions found, along with each duplicate’s name within its group.

Select which groups to combine and which block definition name to keep for each, then click Combine groups to finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Blockify recreate blocks that were accidentally exploded? Yes, using the “Match existing blocks” option, which searches for geometry matching your existing block definitions and can replace it with block references again.

Does OVERKILL only clean up geometry, or can it also tidy up block definitions? Both. Beyond deleting duplicate entities, straightening lines, and joining contiguous ones, it can also combine duplicate block definitions via its own dedicated dialog.

What happens if Blockify finds an existing block definition matching my selected entities? No new definition gets created; your selected entities are instead replaced with references to that existing definition.

How do I control how strict the comparison tolerance is when combining duplicate block definitions? Set it in the Combine duplicate block definitions dialog, it defaults to 1e-06.