Purging viral blocks

[SCR73]

Ever since I started working with MEP I have 10 blocks that appear in the block list for every drawing. The names of all the blocks start with "Aecb_default_" with several different endings.
None of these blocks actually appear anywhere in the drawing but they are not purgeable, and if I WBLOCK all the linework to a new drawing they still appear.
I have tried just blocking bits and pieces to see where they come from and they seem to be something to do with dimensions. However, they appear on drawings sent to me from other companies as well as drawings that I have created.
Also, apparently linked to this, I get a cycle of "bad layer" and "bad block" creation when I try to purge and audit the drawing. I have seen this mentioned before. The audit command comes up with a bunch of "eWasErased" errors and creates error blocks and error layers. The purge command removes those layers. Then the Audit command puts them back again etc. The advice I have seen recommends closing and reopening the drawings but this doesn't get rid of any of these problems.

Any sugestions? Or are these "Aecb_default...whatever" blocks just an integral part of MEP that I have to live with?

[Micaletti]

These blocks are used to represent the rise and drop symbols for MEP objects among other things. They probably shouldnt be forcefully purged from the drawing. The reason they will not purge is because some styles and definitions in the style manager are still referencing these blocks, such as the "Rise Drop Styles" under "HVAC Objects". If you are just doing line work and you really dont want these blocks in the drawing, try starting up using the stock AutoCAD profile. This will load MEP as stock AutoCAD without all the bells and whistles. The stock AutoCAD profile option is available when installing AutoCAD MEP for the first time.

[SCR73]

Thanks for replying.

I don't use any of the MEP features at all but I don't think our IT guy will let me re-install the software to get the "stock AutoCAD profile option"!

At least I have some more things to search for in the help files.

[dkoch]

You should be able to create a shortcut to start in AutoCAD-only mode without reinstalling.

If, as installed, you already have a profile called "AutoCAD", switch to that profile and click OK in the Options dialog. Now reopen the Options dialog - if all of the AEC tabs have disappeared, then you are running in "as AutoCAD" mode and you should be able to create a shortcut that uses "AutoCAD" after the /p switch in the Target string on the Shortcut tab of the shortcut's properties to launch that way.

If you do not have an "AutoCAD" profile, or if that profile has been altered to run "as AMEP", make a note of all of the named profiles that you currently have. If you make another shortcut, edit the Target string on the Shortcut tab, and replace the the quoted string after the /p switch with a name of your choosing that is NOT an already-defined profile, the first time you launch AutoCAD using that shortcut, a profile using that name will be created, and it should use the default settings, which should be the same as the "as AutoCAD" settings.

[SCR73]

Thanks for the suggestion. There was no "AutoCAD" profile option so I made a new shortcut. It still loads all the MEP stuff though

Oh well, I guess it's something I'll just have to learn to live with. I don't really mind the non-purgeable blocks; I just object to all the "eWasErased" errors that come with them and I dont like to send AutoCAD drawings to other people that have those errors in them.

[Misteracad]

Funny how the content of this thread seems to be going in a completely different direction from what the title eludes too. Of course, that can be pretty typical in the world of AutoCAD troubleshooting .

If I'm reading this right, it sounds to me like the vanilla AutoCAD option wasn't selected when MEP was installed, or it was deleted somehow. FYI you have to select "Custom" when installing so you get the option to install MEP as AutoCAD, as well as the Global settings, Metric, UK, MEP as Architectural, etc, etc. I'm pretty sure the AutoCAD shortcut is not set to be installed by default. There are a ton of shortcuts and profiles that can be placed on your desktop automatically during the install process, and each option as well as shortcut can be turned on or off, but ONLY if you choose Custom during the install!

That being said, how many MEP shortcuts are actually on your desktop? What you want to see and use is the AutoCAD MEP as AutoCAD, so if that's not there, you're going to be fighting an uphill battle to configure the software the way you want. My suggestion might be to go into Add/Remove Programs and choose Repair to see if you get the option to "fix" what I am talking about. I can't remember if you will get that option or not, so you may have to be prepared to choose the Reinstall option instead. Another option you may want to consider is to manually reinstall the software, which would be a pain, but that's a sure thing to get everything setup the way you want...the right way.

Also, this Custom area of the installation is where you would choose to install the Express Tools. Do you have those? If not, you can assume 100% that whoever installed the software chose the "Typical" install instead of "Custom."

Hope this helps!

[RobertB]

That being said, how many MEP shortcuts are actually on your desktop? What you want to see and use is the AutoCAD MEP as AutoCAD, so if that's not there, you're going to be fighting an uphill battle to configure the software the way you want. My suggestion might be to go into Add/Remove Programs and choose Repair to see if you get the option to "fix" what I am talking about. I can't remember if you will get that option or not, so you may have to be prepared to choose the Reinstall option instead. Another option you may want to consider is to manually reinstall the software, which would be a pain, but that's a sure thing to get everything setup the way you want...the right way.

Also, this Custom area of the installation is where you would choose to install the Express Tools. Do you have those? If not, you can assume 100% that whoever installed the software chose the "Typical" install instead of "Custom."

That might be overkill. If the OP would tell us what version of AutoCAD MEP they were using, it would be rather trivial to just post a ARG file from one our installations.

[SCR73]

I'm using 2009 but I think I'll get in trouble with our IT guy if I try ANY of those suggestions!

I think my problem is that I don't want or need MEP but the company insisted that I have it.
We have only one person in the company who does mechanical and piping drawings so they put MEP on his machine. Then they decided that it was crazy to only have one person who knew how to use it, which is fair enough I suppose. I do structural drawings: special designs for precast manholes and culverts mostly. Everyone else in the company does civil design so naturally they all have civil3D. Since they won't put civil3D on my computer I was the obvious choice for MEP.

The idea was for me to learn MEP in case the mechanical/piping guy ever quits or is off for a long time. The problem is that I don't know ANYTHING about mechanical or piping stuff. I wouldn't know a butterfly valve from an elbow joint!

[Misteracad]

I'm using 2009 but I think I'll get in trouble with our IT guy if I try ANY of those suggestions!

As a member of my own company's IT Dept, I can tell you from experience that it wouldn't hurt to inquire as to whether or not someone in IT would be willing to reinstall the software using the Custom setup as opposed to the Typical. I uninstall/reinstall AutoCAD MEP all the time and it's not that big of a deal. FYI it certainly wouldn't be the first time someone unknowing in IT installed AutoCAD incorrectly, or at least missed this step. It happens all the time across the industry with regards to the Express Tools not being installed (merely because people don't know), so it doesn't surprise me one bit that this step was overlooked with your MEP installation.

The idea was for me to learn MEP in case the mechanical/piping guy ever quits or is off for a long time. The problem is that I don't know ANYTHING about mechanical or piping stuff. I wouldn't know a butterfly valve from an elbow joint!

Of course, it sounds like you've got bigger fish to fry than worrying about missing shortcuts and profiles lol! But as Robert said, downloading a copy of someone else's "AutoCAD MEP as AutoCAD" (aka vanilla AutoCAD) ARG file and loading it thru the Options menu might be the quick trick for you to consider in lieu of total cooperation from IT. Good luck!

[SCR73]

As a member of my own company's IT Dept, I can tell you from experience that it wouldn't hurt to inquire as to whether or not someone in IT would be willing to reinstall the software using the Custom setup as opposed to the Typical.

I think they already did a custom installation. I have the Express Tools, and my software came with the ribbon disabled. The trouble is, despite the fact thet I'm one of only two MEP users, they didn't consult with me at all about my needs or what I would be using it for. Non-civil drafters are considered to be second-class citizens here unfortunately. Every time I try to approach IT or the bloke who's in charge of AutoCAD, I'm told they don't know the answers to my questions, they don't know anything about MEP, and they're too busy to find out. "Have you looked on the forums?" is the usual response!

AArgh, I could rant all day...maybe it's time for a tea break...

(Sorry I'm so grumpy, I know you're all trying to help!)