Insert from a file or the library

Insert a block from another drawing

1. Type I and press ReturnEnter, or click Insert in the Blocks group.
2. At Enter block name or [File/Library], type F and press ReturnEnter.
3. Choose the DWG or DXF on this computer. It is read here; it is not opened, and nothing is uploaded.
4. In the Insert from dialog, pick a block from the list (type in Filter blocks to find it), or keep The whole drawing. Click Insert.
5. Click where it goes, and fill in any attributes it asks for.

The whole drawing comes in as one block named after the file. Blocks inside the block you picked come too. The layers they use are added to this drawing.

If the other drawing is in different units (inches and millimeters, say), CadCraft scales the reference to match and says so in the history.

When a name is already used

If this drawing already has a block with the same name, CadCraft asks:

• Keep existing uses this drawing's block of that name.
• Rename brings the new one in as Name (2).

The whole insert is one step: ⌘ZCtrl+Z takes the reference and the copied definitions away again.

Open the library

Click Library… in the Blocks panel, or Library in the Blocks group, or type LIB. At the INSERT prompt, L opens it too.

The library has three sources, as tabs:

• LibraryCraft: the CadCraft library. Search by name, maker or model, and filter by category.
• Files…: an item file (item.json) from any library, or a drawing, spreadsheet or 3D model to make items from: a DWG or DXF (each block becomes an item), a CSV with name and size columns, or a glTF or OBJ model. Nothing is uploaded.
• Other feeds: other libraries that answer the same way LibraryCraft does. Add their address once; this browser remembers it.

Each card shows a preview, the name, the maker and model, the license and the version. A withdrawn item is marked Withdrawn with the reason; CadCraft asks before you place one.

Place an item

1. Click Place on a card.
2. Click where the item goes. Type R first to turn it, or S to scale it.
3. At Enter Item number (CC-ITEM), press ReturnEnter for the next free number, or type your own.

The item becomes a block named LIB_<name>_v<version>, drawn in this drawing's units. If the drawing has no units, the item goes in at millimeters and the history says so; set Units in the right panel first.

Its data rides along as invisible attributes: the item's id and version, license and attribution, maker, model, category and sizes. See Block attributes.

Check for updates

1. Open the library.
2. Click Check for updates.

Each library item in the drawing is listed with its item numbers and whether it is up to date, has a newer version (and what changed), or was withdrawn. Click Update on a row, or Update all. Every reference moves to the new version's block and keeps its item number, quantity, place, angle and layer. ⌘ZCtrl+Z undoes an update.

Credit what you used

Click Library credits. Each item is listed with its attribution line and license.

• Copy attribution copies one item's line; Copy all copies every line.
• Download CSV saves the list with the item numbers, makers, models, licenses and attributions. It opens in any spreadsheet.

Licenses such as CC BY ask you to credit the author where you use the work. Put the lines on the drawing, in the specification or in the project notes.

Sign in to the library

Click Sign in to the library. A small window opens on the site; once you are signed in there, CadCraft can show your team's items and register what you place, so you hear when an item you used changes. The sign-in lasts for this browser tab. Revoke it any time from your account's security page.

Common mistakes

• "Making items from IFC types is in BimCraft." IFC and family files are read in the BimCraft app. Make the item there or on LibraryCraft, then use its item.json here.
• "The library could not be reached." You are offline, or the library is down. Items already in the drawing are not affected.
• An item is far too big or too small. The drawing's units are wrong or not set. Undo, set Units, and place it again.