Editing Architectural Blocks


Reference Number: KB-00499
Last Modified: July 16, 2021

The information in this article applies to:

Chief Architect Premier or Chief Architect Interiors



QUESTION

I have been working with architectural blocks from the Chief Architect Library Browser, but they are not exactly meeting my requirements. How I can edit these to better suit my needs?


ANSWER

The architectural blocks included in the Library Browser are intended for inspiration and dissection. If you find one that is useful but requires a number of changes, you can explode the block and make alterations to it.


To edit architectural blocks

  1. First, open a Chief Architect plan in which you would like to modify an architectural block.

  2. To place an architectural block, select View> Library Browser  from the menu to open the Library Browser window and navigate to the architectural block you wish to modify. 

    For this example, we will use an L-Shaped Kitchen from the Outdoor Rooms and Gardens Bonus Catalog.

  3. When you move your cursor into the drawing area, it will display the Architectural Blocks  icon. Click once in your plan to add the architectural block at that location.   


  4. Click on the Select Objects  tool, then click on the architectural block to select it. 


  5. With the architectural block selected, click the Explode Architectural Block  edit button. 

    L-Shaped Kitchen Architectural Block selected with Explode Architectural Block button selected on Edit Toolbar

    • Explode Architectural Block changes the architectural block from a single, unmodifiable unit to a group of individual objects which can be selected independently.


  6. After you have made all of your desired changes, you can re-block the objects:  

    • Click on the Select Objects  tool.  

    • Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard and click and drag a rectangular selection marquee around the objects. When you release the mouse button, the objects will be selected as a group. 

    • Click the Make Architectural Block  button in the edit toolbar to merge the objects into a single architectural block again.


  7. You can also add this block to your library's User Catalog by selecting it, then clicking the Add to Library  edit button.  

    If you do not make an architectural block prior to adding grouped items to the library, you will add each individual item separately to the library and not as a single grouped object.


  8. To rename the new block, right-click on it in the User Catalog and select Rename.

Related Articles