Blocks vs Groups in AutoCAD: When & Why To Use Them
Plus a time-saving tip and new AI tool for Civil engineers.
Hi All,
Happy July 4th Long weekend to all of you celebrating it this weekend!
Here in Canada, we had our Canada Day long weekend last weekend and the holiday on July 1st, so it’s been a busy short week for all of us here as well so I’ll keep this weeks email short and straight to the AutoCAD tips!!
For the long weekend I was out camping with my family, campfires, boating, lake swims, no computers. The works!
And it reminded me: life’s way better when you’re not fighting with software.
I started my AutoCAD journey over 20 years ago now, and I’m always excited to learn a new trick or shortcut even still. Recently I had a question come up from a viewer and it resonated with me as one of the early things that confused me as a beginner..
What the heck is the difference between a Block and a Group?
And more importantly, which one should you use, and when?
Let’s jump into this weeks email and video.
Blocks vs Groups in AutoCAD: When to Use Each (and Why It Matters)
In this week’s video we’re talking a common question and confusion among new and seasoned AutoCAD users, what’s the difference between a Block and a Group in AutoCAD?
In the video we go over the basics to save you time and frustration:
The core differences between Blocks and Groups (with examples)
When to use one over the other, and how the wrong one slows you down
Bonus tips for reusing objects, keeping drawings clean, and preventing errors!
Whether you're building reusable title blocks, drawing floorplans, or coordinating electrical schematics, this video will save you a ton of rework and confusion.
AutoCAD BLOCKS vs GROUPS: What’s Better (and Why It Matters)
Quick Tip:
Use the BURST command to explode blocks while keeping their original attributes and text intact.
Great for quickly modifying block-based drawings without losing valuable attribute data like Part Numbers and IDs.
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I/Tech Tool of the Week:
CivilGPT (by Civils.ai)
I came across this one last week and I’m excited to try it out soon, it certainly looks like it could be a great time saver for many of us!
This ChatGPT-based assistant is tailored specifically for civil and infrastructure engineers.
It can:
Draft technical specs
Automate calculations
Help with codes and design references
Think of it as an AI junior engineer on standby.
Check it out here
Let me know if you think it’s worth taking a deeper look at in a future newsletter or video!?
That’s it for this week!
I’m off to our next camping trip (after wrapping up a few designs, of course). Hope this week’s video helps cut the clutter and get you drafting faster!
Let me know in the comments or on twitter: @cadintentions !
Catch you next week with another tip, and don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube if you haven’t yet we’re getting soooo close to 100,000! CAD Intentions Youtube
As always, thank you so much for reading and watching, I am super excited for the rest of the year, growing the content, tutorials, and blog with you all.
Cheers and happy Drafting!
Brandon