Layout Detail Blocks

Command

Prerequisites

• FireCAD must be loaded and licensed
• Entities must be selected or available for selection

Overview

The ATLAYOUT_DETAIL_BLOCKS command uses an automatic graph layout algorithm to arrange selected block entities in an organized, readable layout. This is useful for creating detail sheets or organizing device blocks in a structured arrangement.

Steps

1. Select the block entities you want to arrange (or pre-select them before running the command)
2. Type ATLAYOUT_DETAIL_BLOCKS in the AutoCAD command line
3. FireCAD creates a graph from the selected entities
4. The graph layout algorithm calculates optimal positions
5. Block positions are updated in the drawing

How It Works

The command uses the yFiles graph layout engine to:

1. Build a graph representation of the selected entities and their relationships
2. Calculate an optimal layout that minimizes overlaps and crossing connections
3. Update each block's position in the drawing to match the computed layout

Tips

• This works best with related blocks that have logical connections (e.g., panel detail blocks)
• Pre-select only the blocks you want to arrange — unrelated blocks may produce unexpected layouts
• Use ATSAVE_PROJECT_BLOCKS_TO_FILE to create a complete detail drawing with automatic layout

Related Commands

• Saving Project Blocks to File
• Replacing Block References

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