Copy Blocks from one DWG to an other DWG

[arshiel88]

Select block
Copybase (CTRL-SHIFT-C)
Pick base point
Change to new drawing
Pasteblock (CTRL-SHIFT-V
Pick insert point

Simples

No need to PASTEBLOCK I think, otherwise you will end up in a new block with your desired block inside. Unless you explode afterwards, or actually defining a new block from selected objects.

[henrik.ubbe]

I am using Design center without any problems.

AutoCAD (vanilla) 2019.

[bhutchinson]

This is my preferred method and I too have been using ACAD since 1987.

[rayford.henderson775142]

The old fashioned way of copying all blocks from one drawing into another drawing (just to have the blocks referenced in the drawing for insertion purposes) is simply to use the Insert command for the drawing containing all the desired blocks and when you are asked for an insertion point hit the Esc key. This copies all blocks from one drawing into another.

[Ed Jobe]

The old fashioned way of copying all blocks from one drawing into another drawing (just to have the blocks referenced in the drawing for insertion purposes) is simply to use the Insert command for the drawing containing all the desired blocks and when you are asked for an insertion point hit the Esc key. This copies all blocks from one drawing into another.

However, it won't do a redefine. You just get a message that duplicate definitions were ignored. Its likely that the OP was having problems due to the need to redefine.

[rayford.henderson775142]

However, it won't do a redefine. You just get a message that duplicate definitions were ignored. Its likely that the OP was having problems due to the need to redefine.

True. Reversing the process might have been used in that case - inserting the drawing with blocks that they wanted redefined into a drawing with those blocks already redefined so the old definition would have been ignored and the new one taking its place. That is what I love about AutoCAD (almost always more than one way to do the same thing) - if one way does not work, try another way.

[CCarleton]

That is what I love about AutoCAD (almost always more than one way to do the same thing)

I'm not trying to pick on you or anyone in specific, but I have to point out that there are efficient ways over inefficient ways. This goes back to what John_C was saying earlier in this thread...kind of surprising there's this much discussion for how simplistic it should be to insert blocks into a drawing because it really should be rather straightforward. Copy/paste should work, and if it doesn't I'd say the other two efficient ways to do this would be to either use the REN command to rename one of the blocks (up to the user at that point) or use ADC to redefine the block. That's like a 5 minute process tops. Maybe there are others, but I don't even agree with the idea to wblock it out because that just seems like a waste to create another drawing.

Personally I've never agreed with concept that all workflows are equal or "Hey, if it works who cares?" because if you can speed up a workflow without sacrificing something important then it's not a choice, it's just efficiency versus inefficiency. Then again I'm the guy whose polyline command is V because I'm not going to reach across the keyboard for PL.

[Tim Machiels]

I find he advantage of ADC over copy/paste to be that the source drawing doesn't have to be open. Depending on the size of the drawing that can be preferable.