AutoCAD Tips & Tutorials

XPlode a block

You can use the EXPLODE command to break up the block into its components, but you don't have control over layer, color, or linetype. The XPLODE command gives you that control.

Here's how it works:

Type xplode on the command line.

At the Select objects: prompt, select one or more blocks.

If you select more than one block, the next prompt is XPlode Individually/<Globally>: If you want to give different blocks different properties, use the Individually option; AutoCAD highlights each block in turn and you can apply the options to each one.. Otherwise, use the default Globally option.

The next prompt is [All/Color/LAyer/LType/LWeight/Inherit from parent block/Explode] <Explode>:

Here's how to use the options:

• All: Lets you specify color, layer, linetype, and lineweight
• Color: Lets you specify color, by name or number. You can specify true colors using RGB or color book specifications.
• LAyer: Lets you specify the layer
• LType: Lets you specify the linetype
• LWeight: Lets you specify the lineweight
• Inherit from parent block: Applies to blocks created on layer 0 whose color and linetype were set to ByBlock. The ByBlock objects retain their color and linetype after you explode them.
• Explode: Does a simple explode operation (the default)

Note that XPLODE doesn't explode blocks that have unequal absolute X and Y scales, such as a block that you scaled x=2 and y=3.

Related tips

• On which layers should you create blocks?
• Use groups for flexibility
• Replace one block with another block
• Clip xrefs and blocks

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