How to insert blocks with different attributes?

dasy2k1 · August 9, 2026, 10:07pm

Hi all, new to the forum currently tearing my hair out as to placing blocks… every time i try and place the same block from the libray into the drawing it just comes as an instance of the block i already have… which is all well and good but i need to have differrent attributes on differnt instances of the same (well copies) block… 1 for existing, 1 for new 1 for to be removed if that makes sense

LordOfBikes · August 9, 2026, 10:36pm

Welcome @dasy2k1 !

My experience with blocks is, that insert from library browser creates a new sequentially numbered instance in the block list of the drawing. That means, each block inserted from the library will become a separate instance in the drawing.
For multiple copies of the same library block just insert one instance from the library browser, then select the inserted block from the drawings block list and insert from there.
This is intended and useful, when a block from the library needs different modifications in a drawing.

This is important when a block is modified in the drawing. The numbered blocks from the library must each be modified individually. But on a block from the drawings block list, which was inserted multiple times, the modification will apply to all inserts.

Apart from that, each insert has it’s own attributes and preferences. You can change them with the Modify tools Attributes and Peferences.
That means, you can change the layer, scale, rotation and more for each single block insert individually, even when they are from one single block in the block list.

So editing the blocks shape/geometry will affect all its inserts, but scale, rotation, layer and so on will be individual settings for each insert of the block.

This may have changed in newer versions, so it may help, when you share the LibreCAD version you use.