Assign a color to a block without editing block or exploding block

[tadthurston725387]

Hello all,
Is there a way to change the color of the line work in a block without exploding the block or editing the block? I want to keep the block as a block but just change the line color. When I change color in the properties menu, nothing changes i.e. the color description in properties does not override the block line color. The block I am using has all one line color but I use it in different locations where the line color needs to change.

Thanks in advance,
TT

[Ed Jobe]

Try putting the block on a different layer with the desired color.

[MMccall]

Select the block and choose 'Set Nested objects to ByBlock' from the right click menu.

[tadthurston725387]

Yes that works. Thank you.
TT

[Ed Jobe]

Select the block and choose 'Set Nested objects to ByBlock' from the right click menu.

I'm using 2018 and don't have that option. Where is it coming from?

[tedg]

Yes that works. Thank you.
TT

I assume you used Ed Jobe's suggestion?
And I assume your block was created on layer zero?

THAT is the very purpose and beauty of layer zero, when blocks are created on layer zero (and are ByLayer) they take-on the properties of the layer they are placed on.
So you can have copies of the same block on many different layers and they can all appear different.

Glad it worked out for you, that is what it is supposed to do.

[Tom Beauford]

I'm using 2018 and don't have that option. Where is it coming from?

In Civil 3D the right-click command is SetNestedObjectsByBlock. If not there it's also the command name. We could help each other a lot more if everyone added a signature with at least the AutoCAD version and vertical they're using. Different verticals have different commands and options which is probably the case here.

I've also used lisp originally by one of AUGI's leaders Peter Jamtgaard that I modified to put all objects on layer 0 and set all properties to Byblock:

; Written By: Peter Jamtgaard 12/20/2006
;^P(or C:BlkByBlock (load "BlkByBlock.lsp"));BlkByBlock
(defun C:BlkByBlock (/ colBlockReference
                    ActDoc dprSelection
                    objSelection strBlockName
                 )
 (if (setq dprSelection (entsel "\nSelect Block: "))
  (progn
   (setq ActDoc (vla-get-ActiveDocument (vlax-get-Acad-Object))
         dprSelection (car dprSelection)
         objSelection (vlax-ename->vla-object dprSelection)
   )
   (vla-StartUndoMark ActDoc)
   (BlkByBlock objSelection)
   (entupd dprSelection)
   (vla-EndUndoMark ActDoc)
  )
 )
 (prin1)
)

(defun BlkByBlock (objSelection / colBlockReference objBlock
                    strBlockName
                 )
 (if (= (type objSelection) 'ENAME)
  (setq objSelection (vlax-ename->vla-object objSelection)))
 (if (wcmatch (strcase (vla-get-objectname objSelection)) "*BLOCK*")
  (progn
   (vlax-for objBlock (vla-item
                       (vla-get-blocks ActDoc)
                       (vla-get-name objSelection)
                      )

    (vla-put-Color objBlock 0)
    (vla-put-Layer objBlock "0")
    (vla-put-linetype objBlock "ByBlock")
    (vla-put-Lineweight objBlock -1)
    (vla-put-PlotStyleName objBlock "ByBlock")
   )
  )
 )
 (prin1)
)
(prin1)

[Ed Jobe]

In Civil 3D the right-click command is SetNestedObjectsByBlock. If not there it's also the command name. We could help each other a lot more if everyone added a signature with at least the AutoCAD version and vertical they're using. Different verticals have different commands and options which is probably the case here.

I see, I'm not using C3D. I was focusing on the question at hand and forgot what forum I was in...You would think something basic like that would be in plain acad?