Block Problem - HELL-P

Where do you keep the original block?

Hi,
I keep the block in the same directory as my clients drawing templates. One block, A,B,C,D size templates (4)...
By the way I forgot to mention SW 2007, SP2.2
Aron

You can send me a copy of it - I would like to see what it's doing.
WT

I don't know the answer to your specific problem, but an alternative method might be to save the note as a "favourite" rather than as a block. It only makes sense to use a block if it is used multiple times on the same drawing.
Alternatively, save a custom sheet format with your client's details already included.
John H

This is my logic.. which seems OK to me... but to others... maybe not... anyway!
I have a Drawing template for say all of the various sizes, A thru E, & an A "Portrait" (AP) as well as an A "Landscape" (AL).
While I did just copy the text from one template to another for my "Corporate" Drawing Template(s), I decided it would be nice to have a full set of A thru E (AP & AL) without the name and address area of the templates filled in. I created a "Block" with one of my clients info, and an insertion point (the way a block works) and then "inserted the block" on each of the templates, therefore customizing it to the individual client.
As a side note and yet another good reason to use blocks (or some type of text I can re-use) I want to create a block for the tolerance area as well because sometimes I do small very high accuracy (0.0001") work and at other times work with clients making say Billboards with 1/4" - 1/2" tolerances. And in the case of the Billboard client I can have drawings that range in tol. from 0.005" to 1/2" in some places, and it would be nice to have that where it belongs, i.e. on the drawing title block area - so I do not have to keep adding notes one way or another - just create templates for high and low accuracy work lets say... and how about when a clients address changes as often happens in small companies? this is yet another reason for the flexibility of using blocks... OK, back to the problem at hand:
I have not done this again due to these recent problems.
The initial templates where done in SW2005 and have worked fine thru 2006 with the exception of an telephone number error in the clients "block" which was made in SW2006 (when it came out)
Now when I try to edit the block in SW2007 (SP2.2) it will not let me change how the text wraps around the "text" window - like "MTEXT" in good-old ACAD. I can select it stretch it, get it to work, save the block (SW gives me a message "are you sure you want to save over the old file")... but as soon as I save the updated template the block changes back to its original "wrong wrapped text" mode - it is like it uses it from some other location, but the block file only exists in on area - and I really do not use blocks that often - I thought this was a good use - I was mistaken.
So in short, my "customized" clients drawing template(s) are fine, but they have a simple error in the telephone number area which happens to be a block that I am un-able to edit or change.
This is very difficult to explain, but I believe this should do it...
Thanks for you help guys (and gals),
Aron
PS - Wayne I will send you the block and two of my templates - see if you can edit the block and have it stick! That way I will know if it is time for me to go out to pasture!!!

Aron,
There may be a word wrap hidden in the text of your block. Perhaps try deleting the block (renaming it or something) and create it from scratch. Also, do control word wrap, I have an old macro that I use here. I'm not sure it will work on 2007, but worth a try: Good luck!
Matt
Ar> This is my logic.. which seems OK to me... but to others... maybe not... > anyway!

Boy, if that isn't the strangest block I've seen. I tried a variety of things and I can make it stop - just add a hard CR after the (7823).
But, why it misbehaves, I don't know. I tried removing the other notes, making it left justified rather than centered, bigger, smaller, make all the letters the same font, etc, all with the same effect. When you rebuild several times, it eventually crunches it down to the shortest distance across as determined by the longest word. However, if I copy that note out as just a note, it works just fine.
Make sure you send this thing in, but for now, add the CR to stop it.
WT

Well I really try to have "good problems" ;-)
Sorry for the work, but it really got me, and sure is strange behavior...
Thanks for the suggestion, I will give it a try.
If not I will just go to doing it on each of the templates by hand, i.e. eliminate the block and just cut and paste the info - I have so much time in it now, I hate to quit - or maybe I should while I am ahead?!
I will probably just start from scratch and make sure nothing is corrupting a file or link, value or whatever... that would seem the safest way.
Thanks to everyone (& Wayne - you're great!)
Aron

Hi Aron,
I have seen this same problem recently with Drawing Blocks. What I have done to fix it is extend the borders of the note wider and use returns to separate lines rather than depend on the text wrapping. (Sounds similar to what Wayne is proposing.) I have been so busy lately I haven't sent it in. The next time I run across it, I will send it in to my VAR. I recommend you send your problem file immediately.
Best Regards,
Ricky Jordan CSWP Dynetics, Inc. Huntsville, AL
check out my SolidWorks Blog at

I'm sure there are numerous valid methodologies, but mine is as follows, and has at least one advantage, I believe:-
1) I have only one drawing template, which defines the usual settings such as fonts, text heights, dimension styles etc. It is not necessary to duplicate this for different sheet sizes because...........
2) I have 4 different sheet formats for A1 to A4 sheet sizes. The sheet formats contain the drawing border , so there is no need to have a separate "block" file to add this in. I therefore achieve in 5 files what you apparently do in 8. Where I work there are effectively 2 different companies in the same office, so we actually have another set of sheet formats for the other company.
3) The fields in the drawing border (which are saved in each sheet format) that change are "automatically" filled in by linking them to either the custom properties of the drawing or the part/assembly that is referenced by it. This could include the tolerance information, and so there is a case for having a "big tolerance" drawing template and a "small tolerance" template. Alternatively, you could have separate sheet formats that displayed the different tolerances as dumb text.
There are usually pros and cons, but I can't help feeling that yours is not the optimum solution, particularly given that you seem to have encountered a bug with this method.
Regards, John H