738 AutoCAD and Its Applications—Basics Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Using the MINSERT Command The MINSERT command allows you to insert multiple arranged copies of a block. Figure 24-7 shows an example of a MINSERT command application. To follow this example, set architectural units, draw a 4′ × 3′ rectangle, and save the rectangle as a block named DESK. Then access the MINSERT command and enter DESK. Pick a point as the insertion point and then accept the X scale factor of 1, the Y scale factor of use X scale factor, and the rotation angle of 0. The arrangement is to be three rows and four columns. In order to make the horizontal spacing between desks 2′ and the vertical spacing 4′, you must consider the size of the desk when entering the distance between rows and columns. Enter 7' (3′ desk depth + 4′ space between desks) at the Enter distance between rows or specify unit cell prompt. Enter 6' (4′ desk width + 2′ space between desks) at the Specify distance between columns prompt. The pattern created using the MINSERT command is a single minsert block object that you cannot explode. Do not confuse this object with a rectangular array created using the ARRAY command. Use the Properties palette to modify the number of rows and columns, change the spacing between objects, or change other properties. If you rotate the initial block, all objects in the pattern rotate about their insertion points. If you rotate the patterned objects about the insertion point while using the MINSERT command, all objects align on that point. Exercise 24-3 www.g-wlearning.com/CAD/ Complete the exercise on the companion website. Inserting Entire Drawings To insert an entire drawing into the current drawing as a block, access the INSERT command and pick the ellipsis (…) button in the Blocks palette. Use the Select Drawing File… dialog box to select a fi le to insert. The fi le appears in the Other Drawing tab along with any blocks defi ned in the fi le. Insert the fi le as you would a block. When you insert a drawing into another drawing, the inserted drawing becomes a block reference and functions as a single object. The drawing is inserted on the current layer, but only objects drawn on the 0 layer inherit the color, linetype, lineweight, and transparency properties of the current layer. Explode the inserted drawing if neces- sary. When the block is exploded, the objects revert to their original layers. Inserting a drawing can bring any existing block defi nitions and other drawing content, such as layers and dimension styles, into the current drawing. Type MINSERT Figure 24-7. Creating an arrangement of desks using the MINSERT command. An alternative is to use the ARRAY command after you position one block. Insertion base point Insertion point 7′ 6′ Desk 4′ 3′