Block References - Found a Quicker Way!

I made a new discovery so I thought I would share it with everyone. I am inserting a block, which exists in another drawing, into my current drawing. I am adding this block to the drawing several times at different locations. After I define the block reference with the entire path to the other drawing one time, the next time I insert the same block again I do not need the entire path, I just need the block name which is the filename prefix (dwg name without extension). This is where serious time savings takes place. Using the entire path every time makes it run 3 times slower! I attached a code snippet using the faster method. Enjoy!

 

I couldn't help myself [of course I didn't get a chance to test this].

Public Function Insert_Shape_As_Block(Shape As String, InsertionPoint() As
Double, dblScale As Double, dblRot As Double) As AcadBlockReference
Dim BlockRefObj As AcadBlockReference

'symbol drawings "CCI_SymP01.dwg", "CCI_SymP02.dwg",
"CCI_SymP03.dwg",..."CCI_SymP10.dwg"
Shape = Format(Shape, "00")

'Check if the Block Already exists in the Drawing
For Each BlockRefObj In ThisDrawing.Blocks
If BlockRefObj.Name = "CCI_SymP" & Shape Then
Set Insert_Shape_As_Block =
ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.InsertBlock(InsertionPoint, "CCI_SymP" & Shape,
dblScale, dblScale, dblScale, dblRot)
Exit Function
End If
Next BlockRefObj

'the block does NOT exist so use the entire path to add the block from the
other drawing into this drawing
Set Insert_Shape_As_Block =
ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.InsertBlock(InsertionPoint, "CCI_SymP" & Shape &
".dwg", dblScale, dblScale, dblScale, dblRot)
End Function

Joe
--

inserting a block, which exists in another drawing, into my current drawing.
I am adding this block to the drawing several times at different locations.
After I define the block reference with the entire path to the other drawing
one time, the next time I insert the same block again I do not need the
entire path, I just need the block name which is the filename prefix (dwg
name without extension). This is where serious time savings takes place.
Using the entire path every time makes it run 3 times slower! I attached a
code snippet using the faster method. Enjoy!

 

Using the entire path every time makes it run 3 times slower!
I believe it: you have redefined that block everytime! Using the entire
path, you make autocad read the Wblock from HD and to re-define the block
stored in the drawing everytime

 

If this is about how to get your code to run faster, then one thing you can
do
to speed it up a bit, is to use the Item() method of the Blocks collection,
and
just trap the error that occurs if the block is not in the drawing:

Dim ABlock As AcadBlock
Dim AName As String
AName = "SomeBlockName"
On Error Resume Next
Set ABlock = ThisDrawing.Blocks(AName)
If Err then ' block was not found
Err.Clear
AName = "d:\path\filename.dwg" ' insert from file
End If
On Error Goto 0

inserting a block, which exists in another drawing, into my current drawing.
I am adding this block to the drawing several times at different locations.
After I define the block reference with the entire path to the other drawing
one time, the next time I insert the same block again I do not need the
entire path, I just need the block name which is the filename prefix (dwg
name without extension). This is where serious time savings takes place.
Using the entire path every time makes it run 3 times slower! I attached a
code snippet using the faster method. Enjoy!