AutoCAD EXPLODE Command: Break Blocks Into Objects
Breaks compound objects such as blocks, polylines and dimensions into their component objects.
- Command
- EXPLODE
- Aliases
- X
- English name
- Explode
The AutoCAD EXPLODE command breaks compound objects such as blocks, polylines, dimensions, hatches and multiline text into their component objects. Start it with EXPLODE or the alias X. The command has no options: select the objects and press Enter.
Treat exploding as a one-way conversion: blocks lose their link to the block definition, dimensions lose associativity and polylines lose width information. Use it only when you really need to, and preferably on a copy.
How to use it
- Type EXPLODE or X and press Enter.
- Select the objects to explode.
- Press Enter; the objects are broken into their components.
Options
- Block
- Breaks into the objects it contains. Nested blocks open one level per explode; attribute values are lost and the attribute definitions are shown instead.
- Polyline
- Becomes individual lines and arcs; width and tangent information is lost.
- Dimension
- Becomes separate lines, text and arrowheads with no link to the measured geometry.
- Multiline text (MTEXT)
- Becomes single-line TEXT objects.
- Hatch
- Becomes the individual lines of the pattern, which can add many small objects to the drawing.
Notes and tips
- To change a block, use BEDIT instead of exploding it, so every instance updates together.
- Use JOIN or PEDIT to turn exploded lines back into a single polyline.
- Blocks whose definition does not allow exploding cannot be exploded.