# Phantom blocks and layers that can't be deleted

**URL:** <https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/phantom-blocks-and-layers-that-cant-be-deleted/17686>\
**Category:** Rhino for Windows\
**Created:** [March 11, 2015, 3:52pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/phantom-blocks-and-layers-that-cant-be-deleted/17686 "2015-03-11T15:52:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 13\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![shaadie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@shaadie](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/shaadie)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2015, 3:52pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/phantom-blocks-and-layers-that-cant-be-deleted/17686/1 "2015-03-11T15:52:15Z")

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Hey! I have this file where there are a few blocks that I can’t select or delete, and a number of layers I can’t select or delete. Apparently there are no objects on the layers, but c’mon, I can see them on the screen! But I can’t select them, I am driving nuts here. It’s like a phantom. What i **can** do is to turn off the layers that contain the objects…

All the basics have been tested, such as:  
no hiding objects, no layers locked or turned off, etc.

Any tips to get rid of all this? Am I missing something really obvious? In that case you can of course laugh after letting me know…

Thank you very much in advanced!!

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**Author:** ![pascal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/pascal/32/479395_2.png) [@pascal](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/pascal)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2015, 3:55pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/phantom-blocks-and-layers-that-cant-be-deleted/17686/2 "2015-03-11T15:55:32Z")

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Hi Monica- if there are blocks in the file and the objects in the blocks are on those layers, you will not be allowed to delete the layers. If there are blocks in the file but no instances of them anyplace, use Purge to remove the block definitions and then your layers should be available to delete. You can also BlockEdit an instance and move the parts from the block onto other layers. Feel free to post the file or send to [tech@mcneel.com](mailto:tech@mcneel.com).

-Pascal

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**Author:** ![Helvetosaur](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/helvetosaur/32/635974_2.png) [@Helvetosaur](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Helvetosaur)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2015, 3:55pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/phantom-blocks-and-layers-that-cant-be-deleted/17686/3 "2015-03-11T15:55:37Z")

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Sounds like bad objects… If you run SelBadObjects, does anything show up? If something is selected try Ctrl+X is the delete button doesn’t work… --Mitch

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**Author:** ![shaadie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@shaadie](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/shaadie)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2015, 3:59pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/phantom-blocks-and-layers-that-cant-be-deleted/17686/4 "2015-03-11T15:59:11Z")

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Hey!

I run bad objects and they’re not there.  
I tried already block edit, but… as I said, I can’t select them.  
I already purged, but the block definitions won’t go because they’re actually there: I can see them.

This is the funniest thing: I just typed Explodeblock\>selectall, and they all exploded. I select all the lines and deleted… and the blocks stay underneath. Exploding just created a copy of it. Weird!

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**Author:** ![Helvetosaur](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/helvetosaur/32/635974_2.png) [@Helvetosaur](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Helvetosaur)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2015, 4:01pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/phantom-blocks-and-layers-that-cant-be-deleted/17686/5 "2015-03-11T16:01:50Z")

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> [@shaadie](#):
>
> block definitions won’t go because they’re actually there: I can see them.

You normally shouldn’t be able to see a block definition - only an instance… so you have instances that are showing up but you can’t select them… Sounds odd… post the file if you can --Mitch

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**Author:** ![shaadie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@shaadie](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/shaadie)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2015, 4:07pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/phantom-blocks-and-layers-that-cant-be-deleted/17686/6 "2015-03-11T16:07:12Z")

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Thanks. I just sent it by email.

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**Author:** ![pascal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/pascal/32/479395_2.png) [@pascal](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/pascal)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2015, 4:09pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/phantom-blocks-and-layers-that-cant-be-deleted/17686/7 "2015-03-11T16:09:38Z")

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Hi Monica - Your objects are locked - run Unlock or UnlockSelected to get at them… does that clear things up?

-Pascal

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**Author:** ![shaadie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@shaadie](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/shaadie)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 8:12am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/phantom-blocks-and-layers-that-cant-be-deleted/17686/8 "2015-03-12T08:12:53Z")

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Ough, that was easy! But I never used this lock tool before 🙂 Thanks for your help, and of course you can laugh now.  
Every day you learn something…

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**Author:** ![pascal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/pascal/32/479395_2.png) [@pascal](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/pascal)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2015, 3:16pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/phantom-blocks-and-layers-that-cant-be-deleted/17686/9 "2015-03-13T15:16:05Z")

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Hi Monica- it may be that you used BlockEdit and the locked state that this uses was somehow ‘stuck’. Is that possible, is BlockEdit one of the tools you use? (Double-click on a block instance)

-Pascal

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**Author:** ![shaadie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@shaadie](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/shaadie)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2015, 3:38pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/phantom-blocks-and-layers-that-cant-be-deleted/17686/10 "2015-03-13T15:38:14Z")

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Hi. No it was probably someone else. It is not just me working on this. But anyone could apparently remember that. It is ok now, as I said, I learned somethig new. Thanks for your help.

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**Author:** ![Brenda](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/brenda/32/758009_2.png) [@Brenda](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Brenda)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2015, 5:13pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/phantom-blocks-and-layers-that-cant-be-deleted/17686/11 "2015-03-13T17:13:52Z")

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I am sorry, but it’s a design flaw to marry a block definition to any layer–because it doesn’t have to be on any.

After dealing with this, I now create ALL of my definitions on the “default” layer. From there, I put the instances on which layer I want. It’s a poor compromise, but it’s better than searching for definitions.

[This is one of the only 3 things I dislike about Rhino, the others being the texture replacements didn’t work in blocks, and the block manager is quite paltry for counting objects.]

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**Author:** ![yethica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/f9ae1b/32.png) [@yethica](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/yethica)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 1:46pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/phantom-blocks-and-layers-that-cant-be-deleted/17686/12 "2016-07-21T13:46:01Z")

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This just solved my problem as well. Thank god. I’d already wasted a half an hour on this stupid object.

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**Author:** ![seyyed\_reza\_Hosseini](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/seyyed_reza_hosseini/32/474804_2.png) [@seyyed\_reza\_Hosseini](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/seyyed_reza_Hosseini)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2024, 6:38am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/phantom-blocks-and-layers-that-cant-be-deleted/17686/13 "2024-01-09T06:38:41Z")

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Thanks a lot for this Tips, Dear Pascal