XREF: Absolute > Relative Path

[stephen]

Any way to automate the convertion of Saved Path of Xref(s) from Absolute to Relative?

Want to convert a set of (parent) drawings (batch mode) without knowing the folder structure which would indicate the location of the (child) Xref(s). Manually making this change is much work opening file counting how many folders to backup before following path to (child) xref (ie. ..\..\..\folder\folder\child.dwg)

Of course I would also have to fisrt check if DWG file has an xref.

Thanks

[CADfunk MC]

If you put the xref in the same folder as the installation-drawing, it the installation drawing will find it automatically (relative path). This way the absolute path is not necessary anymore. Any other way requires an absolute path as far as I know.

[Ed Jobe]

Any other way requires an absolute path as far as I know.

If the file is on the same drive, you can still specify a relative dir using the old dos notation for a parent folder ".."

[Ed Jobe]

Want to convert a set of (parent) drawings (batch mode) without knowing the folder structure which would indicate the location of the (child) Xref(s).

If you are using ACA or MEP, have you tried the Reference Manager?

[jason.bell]

I wrote this awhile ago but it still works. It changes all xref and image paths from full path to relative path on the current drawing or on all the drawings in the current drawings folder. Let me know how it works for you.

Sub Runsall()
Dim cmd As String
Dim cmd2 As String

cmd = ThisDrawing.Utility.GetString(False, "You are about to update all of the Xref and image paths from hard paths to relative paths. Would you like to continue?: Y/N:  ")
If UCase(cmd) <> "Y" Then
Exit Sub
End If
cmd2 = ThisDrawing.Utility.GetString(False, "Would you like to run this on the entire directory or the current drawing? D/C :  ")
If UCase(cmd2) = "D" Then
direct
ElseIf UCase(cmd2) = "C" Then
xrefpth
End If
End Sub
Sub xrefpth()

Dim a As Integer
Dim l As Integer
Dim c As Integer
Dim D As Integer
Dim i As Integer
Dim pth As String
Dim npath As String
Dim newstr As String
Dim tmpstr As String
Dim xref As AcadExternalReference
Dim ent As AcadEntity
Dim img As AcadRasterImage
Dim blkref As AcadBlockReference


On Error Resume Next
'Loop through the drawing and fid
For i = 0 To ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.Count
    If ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.Item(i).ObjectName = "AcDbBlockReference" Then
        Set xref = ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.Item(i)
            
                pth = xref.Path
                l = Len(pth)
                    For a = 1 To l
                        tmpstr = Mid(pth, a, 1)
                            If tmpstr = "\" Then
                                D = c
                                c = a
                                
                             End If
                    Next a
                        newstr = Mid(pth, D)
                        npth = ".." & newstr
                        xref.Path = npth
            'End If
    ElseIf ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.Item(i) = "AcDbRasterImage" Then
        Set img = ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.Item(i)
            pth = img.ImageFile
             l = Len(pth)
                    For a = 1 To l
                        tmpstr = Mid(pth, a, 1)
                            If tmpstr = "\" Then
                                D = c
                                c = a
                             End If
                    Next a
                    newstr = Mid(pth, D)
            npth = ".." & newstr
            img.ImageFile = npth
    End If

    npth = ""
    pth = ""
Next i


End Sub

Sub direct()
Dim doc As AcadDocument
Dim docs As AcadDocuments
' Get the directory of the current drawing
MyPath = (ThisDrawing.Path) & "\*.dwg"   ' Set the path.
MyName = Dir(MyPath, vbNormal)
    Do While MyName <> ""    ' Start the loop.
        ' Ignore the current directory and the encompassing directory.
        If MyName <> "." And MyName <> ".." Then
        ' check if document is already open
            If Not MyName = ThisDrawing.Application.ActiveDocument.Name Then
                ThisDrawing.Application.Documents.Open (ThisDrawing.Path & "\" & MyName)
            End If
                'run the xref routine
                xrefpth

                        'close drawing as long as 1 drawing is always open
                        If ThisDrawing.Application.Documents.Count > 1 Then
                        ThisDrawing.Application.ActiveDocument.Close
            End If
    End If
        MyName = Dir    ' Get next entry.
    Loop

End Sub

[stephen]

Thanks jason, this works but assumes:
..\path
From the folder of the host drawing, move up one folder level and follow the specified path

This is not always the case in my situation. My challenge is being able to count folders (up) from host before following path to xref. Here is an example:

Host Location
D:\CAD\F076\CP012-06\VEND\PROCESS\SPEC\HOST.dwg

Xref Location
D:\CAD\F076\CP012-06\VEND\REF\REF2\REF3\REF4\XREF1.dwg
Relative Path
..\..\..\VEND\REF\REF2\REF3\REF4\XREF1.dwg

[jason.bell]

If its consistent or there are two variations I can write it in to the code. If it’s all over the place it would be difficult to nail down. I suppose I could have the code look at the folder structure to create the Relative path string instead of replacing it. I’ll take a look at that possibility and get back to you.

[jason.bell]

This is probably the easy way out but......
If you replace the xrefpth sub with this it will prompt you for the coding that you want to replace. This should give you some flexibility.

Sub xrefpth()
Dim a As Integer
Dim l As Integer
Dim c As Integer
Dim D As Integer
Dim i As Integer
Dim pth As String
Dim npath As String
Dim newstr As String
Dim tmpstr As String
Dim xref As AcadExternalReference
Dim ent As AcadEntity
Dim img As AcadRasterImage
Dim blkref As AcadBlockReference
Dim relcode As String
On Error Resume Next
'Loop through the drawing and fid
relcode = ThisDrawing.Utility.GetString(False, "Enter relative path string:  ")
For i = 0 To ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.Count
    If ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.Item(i).ObjectName = "AcDbBlockReference" Then
        Set xref = ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.Item(i)
 
                pth = xref.Path
                l = Len(pth)
                    For a = 1 To l
                        tmpstr = Mid(pth, a, 1)
                            If tmpstr = "\" Then
                                D = c
                                c = a
 
                             End If
                    Next a
                        newstr = Mid(pth, D)
                        npth = relcode & newstr
                        xref.Path = npth
            'End If
    ElseIf ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.Item(i) = "AcDbRasterImage" Then
        Set img = ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.Item(i)
            pth = img.ImageFile
             l = Len(pth)
                    For a = 1 To l
                        tmpstr = Mid(pth, a, 1)
                            If tmpstr = "\" Then
                                D = c
                                c = a
                             End If
                    Next a
                    newstr = Mid(pth, D)
            npth = ".." & newstr
            img.ImageFile = npth
    End If
    npth = ""
    pth = ""
Next i
 
End Sub 

[Ed Jobe]

Host Location
D:\CAD\F076\CP012-06\VEND\PROCESS\SPEC\HOST.dwg

Xref Location
D:\CAD\F076\CP012-06\VEND\REF\REF2\REF3\REF4\XREF1.dwg
Relative Path
..\..\..\VEND\REF\REF2\REF3\REF4\XREF1.dwg

Actually, the relative path starts from where HOST.dwg is stored, backing up to a common folder and then down to the xref. i.e.
..\..\..\REF\REF2\REF3\REF4\XREF1.dwg

Using vba string functions, and searching for backslashes, compare folder strings. If they don't match, move up a folder (search for the next "\" to the left) and compare again until they match. Each time they don't match, replace the folder string with ".." When they do match, just discard everything to the left that still remains. e.g. the first folder string in the host path is "spec". Using InStr to search the xref path, counting how many iterations you do this. When InStr finds "VEND" note its position, calculate the position where it ends and trim the left. Prepend "..\" times the folder count.