Autodesk 235B1-05A761-1301 User Guide - Page 103

on page 747, and for multi-view blocks, see Multi-View Blocks. For information on blocks, see "Create and Use Blocks (Symbols)" in the AutoCAD Online help. Working with Style-Based Content Objects that use styles are referred to as style-based content. Styles are sets of parameters that you assign to objects to determine their appearance or function. Objects in AutoCAD MEP that use styles include schematic symbols, devices, panels, and plumbing fittings. Styles define additional behaviors that traditional block-based objects do not have. For example, a symbol style determines the appearance of the symbol in different views, how connecting lines are trimmed, and the location and type of smart connectors used to create an intelligent building system. You can create style-based content by defining new object styles. You assign a style to all instances of an object that share the same characteristics. For example, you can assign one symbol style to all 3-way float valves and another symbol style to all 3-way pneumatic valves. You can define the appearance of style-based content by assigning block-based graphics to specific views of the style. This enables you to convert traditional block-based objects, such as symbols, into usable content in AutoCAD MEP. Hundreds of add-on block-based objects are available from third-party vendors. Many building product manufacturers provide inventories of block-based symbols, and many design offices now sell libraries of custom block-based symbols. With the ability to create new styles, you can easily convert symbol libraries into style-based content and customize AutoCAD MEP to suit your needs. The key to working with style-based content is organizing the content in a logical way. You can organize related style-based content in libraries and categorize the libraries into smaller subsets of related content. To understand the operations, commands, and options available with style-based content in AutoCAD MEP, it is important to understand how style-based content is stored and referenced in a drawing. Central to working with style-based content is understanding style definitions. NOTE For information on creating style-based content, see Customizing Style-Based Content on page 599. How Style-Based Content is Stored and Referenced In AutoCAD MEP, schematic symbols, devices, panels, and plumbing fittings are style-based content. Each piece of style-based content is defined by a style. You can create style definitions using Style Manager or one of several conversion tools provided by the software. (For more information, see Customizing Style-Based Content on page 599.) Style-based content can be stored in individual drawings; however, it is better to store style-based content in libraries that can be categorized and accessed through the dialogs and worksheets in the software. A style definition is similar to an AutoCAD® block definition, which consists of all information associated with the block. Style definitions store all information associated with a piece of style-based content. The key difference between a block definition and a style definition is that a block definition stores information related only to appearance, whereas a style definition stores additional information related to function and behavior. For example, a traditional block-based symbol definition stores the geometry of the symbol. A style-based symbol definition stores the geometry of the symbol for each view direction. It also specifies how connecting lines are trimmed, defines the location and type of smart connectors used to create intelligent building systems, and determines the display properties of the symbol. For more information about defining styles, see Configuring Styles on page 603. Style definitions are referenced when you add style-based content to your drawing. AutoCAD MEP does not copy information from the style definition to the drawing area. Instead, it establishes a link between the style-based content and the style definition. If the style definition is changed, all references are updated. Style-based content can be stored in libraries. Generally, your drawings include symbols that you draw repeatedly, such as schematic symbols, devices, panels, and plumbing fittings. Style-based content libraries Working with Style-Based Content | 85