INTRODUCTION

One of the most powerful time-saving features of AutoCAD is the ability to have one drawing (referred to as an external reference) become part of a second drawing while maintaining the integrity and independence of the first one. And if the external reference is changed, those changes will be reflected in the drawing in which it is referenced. This feature is provided by the XREF command, short for external reference.

After completing this chapter, you will be able to do the following:

• Attach and detach reference files

• Change the path for reference files

• Load and unload reference files

• Decide whether to attach or overlay an external reference file

• Clip external reference files

• Control dependent symbols

• Edit external references

• Manage external references

• Use the BIND command to add dependent symbols to the current drawing

• Attach and detach image files

EXTERNAL REFERENCES

Prior to Release 11, existing AutoCAD drawings could be combined in only one way, by using the INSERT command to insert one drawing into another. When one drawing is inserted into another, it is actually a duplicate of the inserted drawing that becomes a part of the drawing into which it is inserted. The data from the inserted drawing is added to the data of the current drawing. Once the duplicate of a drawing is inserted, no link or association remains between the original drawing from which the inserted duplicate came and the drawing it has been inserted into.

The INSERT command and the XREF command now give users...