Block

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A block is a collection of one or more LiteCAD entities combined to create a single object. The Block reference entity uses Block data to display itself.
There are 3 types of blocks:
- Model Space
- Paper Space
- Usual block
"Model Space" block is a root block for a drawing. "Paper Space" block represents printing layout and contents an image of paper sheet. "Model Space" can be only one, and created automatically when you create a drawing. It is the first block in the blocks list, therefore you can access it by calling

hModelSpace = lcDrwGetFirstObject( hDrw, LC_OBJ_BLOCK );

Usual blocks are created with the lcDrwAddBlock... functions and you can insert them into Model\Paper Space blocks as a block reference.

These are the functions used to manage blocks in a drawing:

Function	Meaning
lcDrwAddBlock	Adds a new block into a drawing
lcDrwAddBlockFromDrw	Adds a block into a drawing from other drawing
lcDrwAddBlockFromFile	Adds a block into a drawing from other drawing's file
lcDrwAddBlockFile	Adds entire drawing from a file as one block
lcDrwAddBlockPaper	Adds "Paper space" type block into a drawing
lcDrwAddBlockCopy	Adds a block into a drawing as a clone of exist block
lcDrwDeleteObject	Deletes an object from a drawing
lcDrwCountObjects	Counts a number of objects, by type
lcDrwSortObjects	Sorts objects by LC_PROP_TABLE_PRIORITY
lcDrwGetFirstObject lcDrwGetNextObject	Used to sequentially retrieve all objects
lcDrwGetObjectByName	Retrieves an object by its name
lcDrwGetObjectByID lcDrwGetObjectByIDH	Retrieves object by its identifier

Block functions:

Function	Meaning
lcBlockSetViewRect	Set area that will be visible in a window
lcBlockSetViewRect2	Set area that will be visible in a window
lcBlockSetPaperSize	Set paper size for paper space block
lcBlockRasterize	Save a block as raster image file
lcBlockRasterizeMem	Save a block as a raster image (to memory buffer)
lcBlockUpdate	Updates block extents
lcBlockMove	Moves all entities of a block
lcBlockRotate	Rotates all entities of a block
lcBlockScale	Scales all entities of a block
lcBlockMirror	Mirrors all entities of a block
lcPrintLayout	Prints "Paper space" block, entire page
lcPrintBlock	Prints any rectangular area of a block

These are the functions used to manage entities in a block:

Function	Meaning
lcBlockClear	Deletes all graphic objects (or by layer) from a block
lcBlockPurge	Deletes all graphic objects marked as "deleted"
lcBlockDeleteEnt	Deletes entity from memory (Undo is not possible)
lcBlockSortEnts	Sorts graphic objects by LC_PROP_ENT_PRIORITY
Add graphic objects
lcBlockAddPoint lcBlockAddPoint2	Adds a point
lcBlockAddXline lcBlockAddXline2P	Adds a consrtuction line
lcBlockAddLine lcBlockAddLineDir lcBlockAddLineTan	Adds a line
lcBlockAddPolyline lcBlockAddSpline	Adds a polyline
lcBlockAddRect lcBlockAddRect2	Adds a rectangle
lcBlockAddCircle	Adds a circle
lcBlockAddArc lcBlockAddArc3P lcBlockAddFillet	Adds an arc
lcBlockAddEllipse	Adds an ellipse
lcBlockAddText lcBlockAddText2 lcBlockAddText3	Adds a text (single line)
lcBlockAddMText	Adds a multiline text
lcBlockAddArcText	Adds an arc text
lcBlockAddBlockRef	Adds a block reference
lcBlockAddImageRef	Adds a raster image reference
lcBlockAddEcw	Adds a ECW image
lcBlockAddHatch	Adds a hatch
lcBlockAddAttDef	Adds a block's attribute definition
lcBlockAddDimLin lcBlockAddDimHor lcBlockAddDimVer	Adds a rotated dimension
lcBlockAddDimAli lcBlockAddDimAli2	Adds an aligned dimension
lcBlockAddDimAng lcBlockAddDimAng2	Adds an angular dimension
lcBlockAddDimRad lcBlockAddDimRad2	Adds a radius dimension
lcBlockAddDimDia lcBlockAddDimDia2	Adds a diameter dimension
lcBlockAddDimOrd	Adds an ordinate dimension
lcBlockAddLeader	Adds a leader
lcBlockAddViewport	Adds a viewport
lcBlockAddBarcode	Adds a barcode
lcBlockAddRPlan	Adds a road plan
lcBlockAddArrow	Adds an arrow
lcBlockAddSpiral	Adds a spiral
lcBlockAddCamview	Adds a camera view
lcBlockAddClone	Adds a copy of an entity
Retrieve graphic objects
lcBlockGetFirstEnt lcBlockGetNextEnt lcBlockGetLastEnt lcBlockGetPrevEnt	Used to sequentially retrieve all graphic objects from a block
lcBlockGetEntByID lcBlockGetEntByIDH	Retrieves a graphic object by its identifier
lcBlockGetEntByKey	Retrieves a graphic object by its key value
lcBlockGetBlkRefByTag	Retrieves block references by attribute tag and value
lcBlockGetTIN	Retrieves TIN object by its name
Select and modify graphic objects
lcBlockUnselect	Clear a selection set
lcBlockSelectEnt	Select a graphic object
lcBlockSelErase	Erase selected objects
lcBlockSelMove	Move selected objects
lcBlockSelScale	Scale selected objects
lcBlockSelRotate	Rotate selected objects
lcBlockSelExplode	Explode selected objects
lcBlockSelSplit	Split selected objects
lcBlockSelMirror	Mirror selected objects
lcBlockSelJoin	Join selected objects
lcBlockSelAlign	Align selected objects
lcBlockSelBlock	Make new block from selected entities
lcBlockGetFirstSel lcBlockGetNextSel	Used to sequentially retrieve all selected objects from a block

A block object has the following properties:

Property	Type	Access	Meaning
LC_PROP_TABLE_...    Base class properties
LC_PROP_BLOCK_ID	int string	R	Unique Identifier Hexadecimal string (up to 16 characters)
LC_PROP_BLOCK_NAME	string	RW	Block name
LC_PROP_BLOCK_DESCR	string	RW	Block description
LC_PROP_BLOCK_DRW	handle	R	Handle to owner drawing
LC_PROP_BLOCK_X	float	RW	Basepoint X
LC_PROP_BLOCK_Y	float	RW	Basepoint Y
LC_PROP_BLOCK_UFSCALING	bool	RW	Uniform scaling
LC_PROP_BLOCK_UNITS	int	RW	Units
LC_PROP_BLOCK_UNITSCALE	float	R	description
LC_PROP_BLOCK_MODEL	bool	R	"Model space" flag
LC_PROP_BLOCK_PAPER	bool	R	"Paper space" flag
LC_PROP_BLOCK_STANDARD	bool	R	"Usual block" flag
LC_PROP_BLOCK_LAYOUTNAME	string	RW	Layout name
LC_PROP_BLOCK_LAYOUTORDER	int	RW	Value is used for window tabs order
LC_PROP_BLOCK_HIDDEN	bool	R	"Hidden block" flag
LC_PROP_BLOCK_NENTS	int	R	Number of graphic objects in the block
LC_PROP_BLOCK_NSELENTS	int	R	Number of selected objects in the block
LC_PROP_BLOCK_ATTRIBS	bool	R	"Block has attributes" flag
LC_PROP_BLOCK_TIN	handle	RW	Active TIN object
LC_PROP_BLOCK_XMIN	float	R	Block extents X min
LC_PROP_BLOCK_YMIN	float	R	Block extents Y min
LC_PROP_BLOCK_XMAX	float	R	Block extents X max
LC_PROP_BLOCK_YMAX	float	R	Block extents Y max
LC_PROP_BLOCK_XCEN	float	R	Block center X
LC_PROP_BLOCK_YCEN	float	R	Block center Y
LC_PROP_BLOCK_DX	float	R	Block width
LC_PROP_BLOCK_DY	float	R	Block height
LC_PROP_BLOCK_VISLEF	float	R	Area visible in a window, left
LC_PROP_BLOCK_VISBOT	float	R	Area visible in a window, bottom
LC_PROP_BLOCK_VISRIG	float	R	Area visible in a window, right
LC_PROP_BLOCK_VISTOP	float	R	Area visible in a window, top
LC_PROP_BLOCK_SELXMIN	float	R	Selected entities extents X min
LC_PROP_BLOCK_SELYMIN	float	R	Selected entities extents Y min
LC_PROP_BLOCK_SELXMAX	float	R	Selected entities extents X max
LC_PROP_BLOCK_SELYMAX	float	R	Selected entities extents Y max
LC_PROP_BLOCK_SELXCEN	float	R	Selected entities center X
LC_PROP_BLOCK_SELYCEN	float	R	Selected entities center Y
Only for paper space block
LC_PROP_PAPER_X0	float	RW	X coordinate of paper left-bottom corner
LC_PROP_PAPER_Y0	float	RW	Y coordinate of paper left-bottom corner
LC_PROP_PAPER_SIZE	int	R	Paper size (LC_PAPER_A0 and others)
LC_PROP_PAPER_ORIENT	int	R	Paper orientation (LC_PAPER_BOOK and others)
LC_PROP_PAPER_W	float	R	Paper width, mm
LC_PROP_PAPER_H	float	R	Paper height, mm

See Also

  Block attributes