Screened Xref

Hello all. I used to be a member long ago when I was a cad manager. In those days, we used to keep all one drawing with all of the sheet files in it and we used layer states to change the screening of objects as the user went from Site, to Storm, To Grading and so on.

Well, a lot has changed since then and I just started with a firm that doesn't have good cad standards.

My question is, how do cad managers control the way drawings look now? I tried creating a template that had xref's in it, but you can't do that.
I want people having to change the colors of layers kept to a minimum. I know there is no perfect world but we need to start somewhere.

and no, they refuse to just change ALL layers to the same color.

I appreciate any and all responses.

Thank you

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rnoakes767365

I tried creating a template that had xref's in it, but you can't do that.

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Why not? A template is just a DWG file with a different extension. It can have Xrefs.

Templates absolutely can have xrefs in them. I've been doing it that way since 2006. Our templates have xrefs, title blocks, with viewports preset with the layers that should be shown and how they should be shown. Starting a new drawing from one of these templates will notify you that an xref is not found until you correct the proper dwg for the current project.

We handle screening at the viewport level with layer transparency settings as a viewport layer override.

MMccall and rkmcswain,
Thank you both for replying! I didn't get an email notification that you replied so I didn't know that you had.

Here's the funny thing. I set up a drawing with XRef in it and created a DWT file. Shut down, started up, created new drawing from said template and the xref didn't show up, hence the reason for my post.

Now I've done the same thing but low and behold the xref is there??? User error I guess but again thank you.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by IB&rumpy;

MMccall and rkmcswain,
Thank you both for replying! I didn't get an email notification that you replied so I didn't know that you had.

Here's the funny thing. I set up a drawing with XRef in it and created a DWT file. Shut down, started up, created new drawing from said template and the xref didn't show up, hence the reason for my post.

Now I've done the same thing but low and behold the xref is there??? User error I guess but again thank you.

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Something else to look at to make sure an xref gets loaded, is have xref demand load settings "enable with copy" selected.
This ensures your xrefs are loaded when starting a new drawing.

Just something else to keep in mind.

Ted,
Thank you very much!

I swear turn someone into a project manager for 7 years and they loose the ability to follow the way CAD grows LOL.