Feedback on layers and xrefs

[Jeepin]

I hate to add to a long thread, but I would like some input. First, we are a civil/survey firm.
Here is our current standard. Survey does survey file and puts it in survey folder. Civil copies from survey folder and puts drawing in civil folder. I use a tool that changes all the linetypes and colors so no need for converting. Civil then has these drawing, survey, basin map, demo/s&e, site/geometry, grading, drainage, utilities, and layouts. The layouts drawing has all the others xref'd and we currently use a utility called layer states to change line weights from each application. This has become combersome and takes awhile to set up. We are currently using 2004.

What I would like to do is this. install 2006 and have the same drawings but have the layers for the xref'ed drawings already greyscaled and plot out of the seperate drawings. This means getting rid of the layouts drawing. We would keep our details drawing specific but in paper space.

I really would like some feed back on this if people would like to give some. Thanks, Rich

[MHultgren]

Why not Xref the Survey file and then modify the Xref layers globally? There should already be a layer filter listed in the Layer Manager for that Xref, set it current and then globally change the colors to your grays. You can also export this State so you can bring it into another file by Import and apply. Of course, this means you would have to have the same layers and linetypes in all your files. But isn't that what CAD Standards are for?