Use Block Grips And Base Points

What this is

A base point is the placement anchor for a block.

Grips are move handles on a placed block reference.

Base points control where a block is inserted. Grips control where a placed block reference can be grabbed and moved.

State overrides can change which grips appear and where those grips are located.

Interaction model

A block has two interaction layers:

• Placement: the base point defines the anchor used when the block is inserted.
• Movement: grips define handles used to move the placed block reference.
• The base point defines the reference for insert, move, rotate, and scale transforms.
• Grips act as alternate grab points for the block reference.
• Interaction happens on the placed instance, not on the block definition itself.

Where it is

• Definition Tab -> Properties Panel -> Block Base Point.
• Definition Tab -> Properties Panel -> Block Grips.
• Definition Tab -> Properties Panel -> State Grip Overrides.

What you can do

• Set the insertion anchor using the base point.
• Define named grips for moving block references.
• Place grips at useful grab points on the block.
• Override grip visibility or position per state.
• Control which move handles are available to users.

Try it now

1. Open a block definition and locate the base point.
2. Insert the block and observe its placement.
3. Select the block and grab one of its grips.
4. Move the block reference from that grip and observe its placement.
5. Change state, if applicable, and observe grip differences.

What happens

• The base point sets the reference position for the block when inserted.
• Move, rotate, and scale transforms use the base point as the origin.
• Grips appear on the placed block reference as grab points.
• Dragging a grip moves the block reference from that grip location.
• When a state is active, only grips defined for that state are used.

Common behaviors

• Blocks insert relative to the base point, not the visual center.
• Grips move the block reference; they do not edit child geometry.
• A grip may appear in a different place than the base point.
• Changing state can reposition or remove grips.
• Different instances of the same block can behave differently.

Key idea

Base points define where a block is placed. Grips define where a placed block reference can be moved from.