Inserting a traditional block often requires multiple steps to properly place and align the block. For example, if you insert a block of a kitchen range into a floor plan, you might have to rotate the block to align it with the rest of the floor plan. Even if you use the most efficient shortcut options it will require 6 steps (picks, clicks and keyboard entries), to properly place the block.
1) Right-click
2) Select Rotate
3) 9
4) 0
5) Enter
6) Pick to place block in drawing
If you update the block definition to use an alignment parameter, you will reduce the required picks, clicks and keyboard entries to 1! Simply push the cursor towards the object to which you want to align and pick!
To add an alignment parameter to your existing block definitions, use the Block Editor in AutoCAD 2006 or 2007.
1) Open the block definition in the Block Editor.
2) In the Block Authoring Palette, choose the Parameters tab.
3) On the Parameters tab, select Alignment Parameter.
4) For the Basepoint of Alignment, select the insertion point.
5) Pick a point to specify the alignment direction. By default, the alignment will be perpendicular to the direction you specify.
NOTE: In order for the block to automatically align upon insertion, the alignment parameter must be located at the basepoint of the block.
If the alignment parameter is not located at the block’s basepoint, it can still be used to move and align a previously inserted block, but it can’t align the block during insertion.
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