In-Place Editing of Components¶

Use the EditComponent command to edit individual Elements within referenced Blocks or drawings directly in the current drawing, changing the definition of Blocks or References.

All instances of modified Blocks and References are updated in the drawing.

Block insertions and attached References behave as single Elements in drawings. They are referred to as Components. You can move, copy, mirror, rotate or scale Components, but the Elements that make up a Component are not accessible by default. The EditComponent command starts a Component editing session, also referred to as in-place editing. During a Component editing session, you can access and modify individual Elements of Blocks and References. You can add to Components or remove Elements from them.

Additionally, you can automatically include all nested Blocks in the Component editing session or specify the nested Block to edit in-place.

To finish the Component editing session, use the SaveComponent or CloseComponent commands.

To modify a Block definition:

Click Modify > Component > Edit (or type EditComponent at the command prompt).
In the graphics area click a Block or Reference to edit.
From the list in the Edit Component dialog box, select the name of a Block or Reference:
- If you select a Block or Reference that does not contain further Blocks or References, the list contains only that Block or Reference.
- If you select a Block that contains other Blocks, or a Reference that contains Blocks or other References, the nesting is displayed in a hierarchical list. Additionally, you can control how nested Blocks are selected:
  - Automatically select all nested entities. Lets you specify any entity contained within the specified nested Block in the tree. The Component editing session starts immediately.
  - Prompt to select nested entities. Lets you individually specify the nested Block in the graphics area before starting the Component editing session.
Note: Use the EditComponent command only with simple Blocks. Opening a CustomBlock removes the CustomBlock features from the definition.
For nested blocks, you can control nested entities selection during an editing session.
If you want to zoom to the imaginary bounding box that surrounds the selected Block or Reference, click Zoom to Bounds before you click Show Selection or OK.
Click Show Selection to highlight the Block or Reference in the drawing before you start editing.

The dialog box temporarily disappears until you click in the graphics area or press Esc to return to the dialog box.
Click OK to start in-place editing of the Block or Reference you selected.

The drawing is dimmed except for the Elements that define the Block or Reference.
Modify the geometry of the Block definition or Reference using modification tools and commands.

Use the ChangeElements command to add or remove entities in the Block definition or Reference.
Type SaveComponent to accept the changes to the Component

- or -

Type CloseComponent to open the Component dialog box so you can Save or Discard the modifications.

To modify the hierarchy of nested Blocks:

Click Modify > Component > Edit (or type EditComponent).
In the graphics area click a Block containing other Blocks.
From the list in the Edit Component dialog box select a nested Block.
Click Move Up to move the nested Block a level higher and repeat as needed.

Click Restore to bring a moved Block back into its original position.
Click OK.
Type SaveComponent to accept the changes to the Component

- or -

Type CloseComponent to open the Component dialog box so you can Save or Discard the modifications.