Best modeling practice? - using blocks

I am trying to use blocks in my main structure for seperate parts. How ever I am struggling with 3dm files not opening and rhino freezes resulting in me going back to a earlier revision and remodel stuff already done.

It feels like this is because of the blocks because when I moved the blocks to a different location and choose NO TO ALL to update locations in the main file then the file opens without the blocks linked.

I am using option linked and reference in the layer.


? - What is the best practice for rendering purposes and for modeling practice? I thought keeping the file size low was good but now I am not sure
? - Is the location of the blocks important? IE should it be a sub folder to main file?

Hi Roy - are you using blocks for repeating objects? Where you have a bunch of a single part in the scene?

-Pascal

No. Most of the blocks are just one of each in the scene. Only two block are repeated 3 and 2 times. How ever some of the blocks have blocks themselves… Does this make things slow?

  • Roy

Hi Roy - this is not a good way to save space or gain efficiency, if I understand what you’re up to - blocks have two big advantages - you can edit one thing and have it update in multiple locations or files, and/or you can place a bunch of identical copies of objects while having actual geometry for only one of these. ‘Savings’ in the latter case do not really kick in until you have a half dozen or more instances - with just one or two there is no advantage as far as display or rendering goes - on the contrary, there’s some overhead using blocks and that is not overcome until you get a few copies.

-Pascal

-Pascal

Worksession can be useful for keeping individual file sizes down. For instance a boat propulsion system might have one file for the engine, one for the transmission, and one for the shaft and propeller system. Worksession allows working on one file while having the others available for reference. For rendering you may need to create a merged file from the individual files.

Interessting. I am working on a boat with a drivline which is a blocK… I have never used worksessions as I never diged into what the F… was good for - and I have been doing this for years and years… :slight_smile:

  • Roy

The Worksession documentation implies it is for use when multiple individuals are working on a project, but I find it very useful for one user to divide a project into more manageable chunks. The exterior of the boat could be in one file, the interior in a second, and the driveline in a third.