Xref colour changing for printing

[Binu Mathew]

Dear All,

Does anyone knows how to change the colour of the Xrefed files in one short.? without opening the file. As we are working for MEP services Like Electrical, HVAC etc. we dont need to have the architectural basemaps to print in very strong line, we have in our company a standard lisp which can be allow before printing change xref colour for printing only, but this is very usefull for printing per drawings each drawing we need to open for this, and when we close and then opens the line colours are will be as per the original again we need to use the same procedure before printing although we are using layer manager for changing colours but some blocks inserted xref files will not change the colour through the layer. when we are trying to publish the drawing for printing it needs lots of efforts offcourse the Architects does not have any problems as we face..

appreciated your help in this regards

Best regards
Binu Mathew
Senior CAD Designer-Electrical
KEO-Kuwait

President
FOCUS (Forum Of Cad UserS - Kuwait)
web: www.focuskwt.org

[Firmso]

Are your referenced files color Bylayer?
Having colors set to Bylayer help in some instances.

Edit: Also, try setting visretain to 0.

[Binu Mathew]

Hi Firmso,

Yes most of the colours are sets to bylayer yes thats helping and we are doing it, but some instance as i mentioned the original files (XREF file) some times is having an inserted blocks with different colour and not in bylayer like Structural columns and furnitures etc...

Best regards
Binu Mathew
Senior CAD Designer-Electrical
KEO-Kuwait

President
FOCUS (Forum Of Cad UserS - Kuwait)
web: www.focuskwt.org




Are your referenced files color Bylayer?
Having colors set to Bylayer help in some instances.

[Firmso]

Make sure that the Layers for those blocks not Bylayer are set to be Bylayer. Also, Blocks inherit the property of the current layer they were inserted depending on how they were created. So, you will have to make sure those layers the blocks were inserted are also set to Bylayer. I hope this helps.

[Firmso]

If you are xrefing an independent Architectural dwg I would open it an do a "Burst" command at least twice and then purge the drawings( do not use Explode). Then, I would open the Layer Manager and select all and set them to be Bylayer. Save and close the file.

Make sure you reload the Xref.

[Binu Mathew]

Thanks....Firmso

Yes in that case will work see this is the core team work we are not working neither in Structural nor furniture we may have subconsultant for these areas.

Fine, iam looking for the source or lisp without opening the file is it possible to change the XREF file colour ? for publishing the drg as in one short to reduce the time for such changing the colour etc..

Best regards
Binu Mathew
Senior CAD Designer-Electrical
KEO-Kuwait

President
FOCUS (Forum Of Cad UserS - Kuwait)
web: www.focuskwt.org

[Binu Mathew]

If you are xrefing an independent Architectural dwg I would open it an do a "Burst" command at least twice and then purge the drawings( do not use Explode). Then, I would open the Layer Manager and select all and set them to be Bylayer. Save and close the file.

Make sure you reload the Xref.

Dear Firmso,
could you pls. tell me the use or benifit of the Burst command its new to me
thanks again

Best regards
Binu Mathew
Senior CAD Designer-Electrical
KEO-Kuwait

President
FOCUS (Forum Of Cad UserS - Kuwait)
web: www.focuskwt.org

[Firmso]

The Burst command is similar to Explode command. The difference with the Burst is that blocks maintain their attributes associated with it.

Edit: Sorry I am not aware of any lisp routine that does what you describe. But that doesn't mean it does not exist. However, I do not think it will take much time to set up a xref file the way i am describing with decent Acad knowledge. The benefit with directly modifying and setting the xref is it eliminates any future mishaps with line weights when printing especially when two or more persons are doing it. I wish i could help you further. Maybe others can contribute to this. Good luck.