AutoCAD "MVSETUP" Command - Title Block Configuration

This article will concentrate on a method of adding your companies custom title blocks to the AutoCAD MVSETUP command.  When the command is run it uses the file "mvsetup.dfs" to determine the available title block configurations.  Editing this file, using Notepad, is the easiest method of adding custom title blocks to the list.  Below is the default list created by Autodesk and installed with AutoCAD.

The "mvsetup.dfs" file for AutoCAD 2017 is located in the following location in Windows 10, C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2017\R21.0\enu\Support  The file contains full instructions on how to add custom title blocks but I will go over the process here also.  First thing is to make a backup of the original file just in case you really mess up.  Next thing is the make sure you only add your entries just above the "END_NAMES" entry (see above).

Below is a line entry for a B-Size title block.  Below it is the dissection of each entry which are separated by commas.

• Beyond the Drafting Board B-Size - This is the entry name as it will appear in the MVSETUP command list of available title blocks.
• IT B-Size Title Block.dwg - This is the name of the title block drawing containing your custom title block.  A file path may be included but it is a lot easier to add it to a location already specified in AutoCAD's Support File Search Path or add your folder location to the search path.
• (1.0 3.0 0.0) - These are the coordinates of the lower left corner of the available area for paper space viewport(s).  The MVSETUP command can create viewport(s) if desired.  These coordinates also assume the lower left corner of the title block paper size is located at (0.0 0.0 0.0) in the title block drawing.  Also note the syntax of the coordinate entry which includes a decimal entry for X Y and Z value.
• (16.0 10.0 0.0) - These are the coordinates of the upper right corner of the available area for paper space viewport(s).  Same rules shown above apply.
• in - These are the units of the title block drawing and the coordinate entries.  If the title block units were millimeters this would be "mm".

When the AutoCAD MVSETUP command is run and I ask to insert a title block, the following list appears.  It is entirely up to you if you remove the original AutoCAD title block entries.  In my example I have left them and only added my custom title blocks to the bottom of the list.

 

The graphic below shows the result of using the MVSETUP command and using number 14 title block from the list above.  A single viewport has been added by the command to illustrate the configuration entries.

 



In an upcoming article I will cover the use and options of the AutoCAD MVSETUP command.