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Quickly Insert Xref Files
Tip# 3150 By Sonny BorsodyNagy On 22-Feb-2009
2
Rated By 1 users
Categories : DWG
Software type : AutoCAD
Rename File To : No Files to download.
Use this tip to paste xref files into a new drawing.

Sonny Borsody-Nagy sent us a tip on how he quickly inserts xref files into a new drawing.  He said that his drawings are generally of plant layouts and that he uses xrefs a lot to keep information up to date across a lot of drawings. He normally creates a master drawing where he develops his xrefs and uses the xrefs from this master drawing to create his assembly and subassembly drawings. The easiest way would be to copy all this information into the new drawing rather than inserting individual xrefs as required.  Here’s how he does it:

I use ‘copybase’ (shift+Ctl+C) to copy an object or objects, also include the xrefs, both relative and full path, and blocks. I enter 0,0 (origin) for base point. When I create my new assembly drawing, I need to place my previously selected objects into it. I just paste (Ctl+V) the objects in at 0,0. Now my new drawing has the same objects as the master drawing and at the same origin.


Notes from Cadalyst Tip Patrol:  Good time-saving tip.  If you have a drawing that already has xref files in it, and you want to use those files, just perform a COPY/PASTE sequence.  The SHIFT+CTRL+C will perform a windows Clipboard copy command but will ask you for a set of coordinates to be the origin.  In the new drawing, use the PASTE (CTRL+V) command to insert the items selected and put them in the file.  You are asked to insert the point of origin coordinates.  This creates a full copy, file path, layers and clipping included, into your new file.  You don’t have to xref the files, clip them, etc., to get the same thing.  A second method might be to perform a SAVEAS and delete what you don’t want.  The first tip works better if you want the xref files to go into an existing drawing.
Tested in AutoCAD 2009
 

 

Average Rating:
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User comments
Comment by Antonov,Nikolay
Posted on 2009-07-14 00:23:59
I am using same metod but using Ctrl+C to copy the objects and then at destination drawing on the edit menu I use "paste to original coordinates". Just make sure that source and destination drawings are in same UCS when the copy/paste to original coordinates takes place. When using this metod actualy by default the base point is 0,0,0.