Bulk Xref Binding?

[Dicastaddict1]

Would anyone know how to take several drawings and bind the xrefs all at one shot? A program or lisp routine that would allow several drawings so that all the drawings xrefs be bound all at the same time? When our company sends out a drawing package we make copies of what was sent, but we need to bind the xrefs. Some cases there would be as much as 200 drawings.
Open to all suggestions.
thanks.

[Opie]

Have you tried the search function on this site?

You could also look into Etransmit

[Dicastaddict1]

yes, well I'm not really sending these drawings anywhere, there just for our records on what we had for that submission. eTransmit basically takes all the xrefs and creates a transmittal etc. I guess it's the updated "Pack & Go" . This is not our goal. We want to bind the xrefs so later down the road the drawings we had of record will not change if the xrefs are updated. Thanks for the help.

[Wanderer]

yes, well I'm not really sending these drawings anywhere, there just for our records on what we had for that submission. eTransmit basically takes all the xrefs and creates a transmittal etc. I guess it's the updated "Pack & Go" . This is not our goal. We want to bind the xrefs so later down the road the drawings we had of record will not change if the xrefs are updated. Thanks for the help.

~shrug~ this is what I use in-house. I don't care if they end up in a zip file or not. it's the quickest way (for me) to bind them up.
i'd be interested to hear of any other options, but, I'm pretty happy with this one for now.

[Opie]

yes, well I'm not really sending these drawings anywhere, there just for our records on what we had for that submission. eTransmit basically takes all the xrefs and creates a transmittal etc. I guess it's the updated "Pack & Go" . This is not our goal. We want to bind the xrefs so later down the road the drawings we had of record will not change if the xrefs are updated. Thanks for the help.

Like Melanie said, you don't have to transmit them out of the office. YOu could use the zip file as your archive for that submission.

[Glenn Pope]

You can even set it to create a folder instead of a zip file.

[Wanderer]

You can even set it to create a folder instead of a zip file.

~golf clap~ see man, this is why you're super. you get in a habit and forget about other options.

[glee.94356]

My question is this. After you achieve binding all your x-refs together for your archive, how exactly will you archive your files?
Burn it to DVD or CD? The purpose of an archive for the most part is to ensure you have a record of your drawings up to a certain timeline/ submittal/ permit set/ bid/ etc.
If you back up your files to come kind of optical system/ dvd or cd on a regular basis (above and beyond your IT's tape backup, redundancy is good), you technically have an archive. Your files are not going to change on that disk anytime soon, unless you have a rewritable CD. But you would not burn updated files to a CD/DVD archive. What has been archived stays archived. (Unless you drop that CD/ DVD down twenty flights of stairs.)
So why add extra work onto what technically has been achieved?
If you need your drawings to look the same way they were issued, then technically plotting a PDF set would probably be better (you keep the PDFs on the same disc as your archive). It is an archive that you can plot out true to scale and the pen weights won't change. If assuming hardware like plotters get replaced over time or pen weights or settings are revised or if the software you utilize is replaced. Say your firm moves to Revit from Autocad or something even more different.
If you need the CAD files themselves, well you technically have retained the folder structure of your set and the files have not changed. Unless you keep the project active on your server then you have a problem as pointed out because your sheets will reference the paths of the files on the server. But if all you are trying to do is view the sheet or print them, why bother to open those files, if you can plot a PDF or view a PDF?
You won't be editing the archive files.
Heck if you sent out your drawings to a reprographics company, they probably have full size tiffs or PDFs of your sheets. Better still if those have the permit stamps on them( makes a better record set). A reprographics company will usually not be adverse to sending you those files.
Anyway, I didn't answer your question. I'm naturally curious and like to see what other firms are doing and why.
Personally I don't really like to bind x-refs in sheet files. Anytime you don't have to spend additional effort in doing something, means money saved for your firm.

[jaberwok]

I agree 100% with that.
When drawing changes are always ongoing then a pdf file seems the best way to record what was sent to the client on that particular day.

[Dicastaddict1]

Quite simply, I understand what your saying about the methods and means of archiving drawings. Our/my purpose for binding the xrefs and leave those archived drawings active is to be able to copy and paste equipment, notes, etc. to the newly revised drawings in relatively the same spaces. We don't want to re-create the wheel each time an architect switches a room around. We then archive these drawings with each submission after the project is finished.