How to Use the Fuzzy Insert Guided Workflow in BricsCAD

Quick answer: Reference curves align a 2D parametric block with entities in the target drawing during insertion. Parametrize those reference curves, and the block’s size and appearance can also adjust to match the target’s configuration, not just its position, this combined process is called fuzzy insert guided.

What Fuzzy Insert Guided Does

Ordinary reference curves only handle alignment. Parametrized reference curves go further: the block’s size and appearance adapt to match whatever configuration of entities it’s snapping to in the target drawing.

The Workflow

1. Create a new drawing for the block definition.
2. Create the block’s entities, a simple rectangular symbol works for this example.
3. Create the entities you’ll use as reference curves, two lines, for instance.
4. Define the reference curves: launch REFERENCECURVES (Command line, or the Reference Curves button on the Operations tab of the ribbon) and select those two lines. They turn purple and move to a REFERENCE_CURVES layer, created automatically by the command.
5. To parametrize them, run REFERENCECURVES again and choose the Parametrize option. This creates parameters controlling the reference curves’ configuration, viewable in the Parameters Manager panel, and optionally usable in the expressions of constraints you add manually, to fix the reference curves to the block’s detail entities, for example.
6. Save the block.
7. Open the target drawing and insert the block, either with INSERT (with Use reference curves for insert turned on in the Insert Block dialog), or by dragging a block with parametrized reference curves from a library directly into the current model space.

Make sure the block’s reference curves are correctly tweaked and mapped to the target situation, then move the mouse to where you want it to snap and click to place it.

How the Snapping Behavior Works

Move the cursor (with the block attached) near entities that match the reference curves, and the block snaps to them. Move it near entities that don’t match, or away from any relevant entities entirely, and no snapping happens, the block just inserts normally instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between plain reference curves and parametrized ones? Plain reference curves only align the block’s position. Parametrized ones also let its size and appearance adapt to match the target drawing’s configuration.

What color do reference curves turn once defined? Purple, and they move to an automatically created REFERENCE_CURVES layer.

Can I trigger fuzzy insertion without using the INSERT command directly? Yes, dragging a block with parametrized reference curves from a library into the current model space works too.

What happens if I try to insert the block somewhere with no matching entities nearby? It inserts normally, without any snapping or alignment, since fuzzy insert guided only activates near a genuine match.