Introduction
In this project you'll learn how to create Multi-View blocks that are compatible with standard layouts and display representation sets for use in AutoCAD® Architectural Desktop software. A Multi-View block is a block that can look different in reflected, side, and 3D views.

You'll learn how to:

• Create Multi-View block components from a 3D model.
• Define new Multi-View blocks.
• Assign components of a Multi-View block to specific views.
• Insert a Multi-View block into a drawing
• Export Multi-View blocks for use in other drawings.
• Import Multi-View blocks for use in the current drawing.

Figure 1: 3D view of a Multi-View block.

Creating Multi-View Block Components from a 3D Model
To create Multi-View blocks in AutoCAD Architectural Desktop, you first draw and block two independent views of your model. Usually you create a 3D model and a top or reflected view. The easiest way to create these views is to start with a 3D model.

You view the model from the top and side, and use the WMFOUT command to export each of the views as 2D geometry. You then use the WMFIN command to import the 2D geometry back into the drawing and edit it. Finally you use the block command to turn the 3D model, the front view and the top view into three independent blocks. Later you use the three blocks to create a Multi-View block. Prior to proceeding with this lesson, open the 9915a.dwg.

Figure 2: Front view of a Multi-View block.

1. From the View 3D views menu, choose Top.

2. From the File menu, choose Export.

3. From the Save as type list, choose Metafile (*.wmf).

4. In the File name box, type Top.

5. Choose Save to save the WMF file.

6. Select all the components of the 3D model.

Figure 3: Top view of a Multi-View block.

7. Press ENTER to indicate that you don't want to select any more objects. You have just created a 2D representation of the top view of the 3D model and stored it in a file called top.wmf.

8. From the View 3D Views menu, choose Top.

9. From the View Zoom menu, choose Realtime.

10. Click and drag out to display some space around the 3D model.

11. Right-click in the drawing area and choose Exit.

Figure 4: Zooming out to display space around the symbol.

12. At the command prompt, type WMFIN.

13. Select the top.wmf file created earlier.

14. Choose Open to open the .wmf file.

15. Click to place the upper right corner of the .wmf file.

16. Press ENTER three times to insert the block.

Figure 5: Creating 2D geometry from 3D geometry using a .wmf file.

17. On the Modify toolbar, choose Explode.

18. Select the edge of the object you just inserted.

19. Press ENTER to indicate that you don't want to select any more objects.

20. On the Modify toolbar, choose Explode.

21. Select the objects you just exploded.

22. Press ENTER to indicate that you don't want to select any more objects. You exploded the object twice to make sure you could select, edit or delete all its components.

23. Delete the border around the block and any other lines you want to remove. Add to or scale the geometry if desired.

Figure 6: Editing imported geometry to create a clean top view of a light fixture.

You will find a version of the drawing file to this point in 9915b.dwg.

Creating Blocks
Now that you have created front and top view geometry, in addition to the 3D geometry, you can use the geometry to create blocks.

1. From the Draw toolbar, choose Make Block.

2. In the name box, type light-3D.

3. Select the Pick point icon.

4. Select a point in the center of the 3D lamp.

Figure 7: Selecting a point.

5. Choose the Select Objects icon.

6. Select two points to select all the 3D geometry.

Figure 8: Selecting geometry to be incorporated into the block.

7. Press ENTER to indicate that you don't want to select any more objects.

Figure 9: Defining a block.

8. Choose OK to exit this dialog box and create the block

9. Use the techniques just demonstrated to create a light-top block using the top geometry you created earlier.

You will find a version of the drawing to this point in 9915c.dwg.

Defining Multi-View Blocks
Now we'll convert several blocks into a single Multi-View block.

1. From the Design Design Content menu, Define Multi-View Block.

2. Choose New.

3. Type Lamp in the Name box.

Figure 10: Specifying the name of the Multi-View block.

4. Choose OK to exit the Name window.

5. Choose Edit to edit the Multi-View block definition.

6. Choose the View Blocks tab.

7. Select the General button.

8. Choose Add.

9. Choose light-3D.

Figure 11: Indentifying the Multi-View block you want to edit.

10. Choose OK.

Figure 12: Linking display representation to view blocks.

11. Choose Model.

12. Choose Add.

13. Choose the light-3D block.

14. Choose OK to exit this window.

15. Select Reflected.

16. Choose Add.

17. Select light-top.

18. Choose OK.

Figure 13: Selecting the Reflected display representation.

19. Choose OK.

20. Choose OK to exit the Multi-View Block Definition box.

You have just created a Multi-View block. You will find a version of the drawing to this point in 9915d.dwg.

Inserting a Multi-View Block
Let's insert the Multi-View block you just created.

1. Select the blocks you created in the previous lessons.

2. Press the Delete button to delete the objects.

3. Select the Work-3D tab.

4. From the Design Design Content menu, choose Add Multi-View Block.

5. Choose Lamp from the list of blocks.

Figure 14: Inserting a Multi-View block.

6. Select a point in the left viewport to create Lamp.

7. Choose Close to exit this window.

8. From the View Zoom menu, choose Extents.

9. Click in the 3D View.

10. From the View Zoom menu, choose Extents.

Figure 15: Seeing different views of a Multi-View block in 3D and Reflected display representations.

11. Select the Plot-RCP layout.

12. From the View Zoom menu, choose Window.

13. Select two points to put a window around the model. Note that it shows the block you assigned to the Reflected display representation in the previous lesson.

Figure 16: Viewing a reflected ceiling plan with the top view of the Multi-View block displayed.

14. Select the Plot-SEC tab.

15. From the View Zoom menu, choose Window.

16. Select two points to put a window around the block in any view. Note that the view correctly displays the side view of the 3D model.

Figure 17: Viewing a side view of a Multi-View block.

You will find a version of the project to this point in 9915e.dwg.

Exporting a Multi-View Block for Use in Other Drawings
Now that you have created a symbol that displays correctly in work, plan and section views, you will probably want to use this symbol in other drawings.

1. From the Design Design Content menu, choose Create Multi-View block.

2. Select Lamp.

3. Choose Import/Export.

4. Choose New.

5. Specify the name of the symbol. Make sure to specify the folder in which the symbol should be placed.

Figure 18: Specifying a file name for a Multi-View block.

6. Choose Save to create the file.

7. Choose Export to write the lamp block out to the file.

Figure 19: Exporting a Multi-View block.

8. Choose OK to exit the Import/Export dialog box.

9. Choose Yes to save your changes.

10. Choose OK to exit the Multi-View Block Definitions dialog box.

Now that you have created, placed and exported a Multi-View block, you should be ready to start building your own Multi-View block library.

Figure 20: Importing a Multi-View block into a drawing.

Save the lamp.dwg drawing file onto your local hard disk, then import it into your drawing.