Plotting xref'd drawings as faded background

[rwright363377291]

How do you get an xref'd drawing file to fade into the background so that whatever new drawings entities are added stand out over it and then be able to plot it that way? I know you can control the fade level of the xref with XDWGFACECTL, but that only works for display. It doesn't apply to the plot.

Layer management (changing all the layers to a very light color) isn't a solution either, since some of the entities in the xref dwg are in blocks made up of different layers or have assigned colors.

The only way work-around I can think of is to convert the xref to a raster image (.tif or .pdf) then use image controls to fade it. Only problem with this is that if the xref dwg gets changed, you have to go through the whole conversion process again.

Please, does anyone have a solution for this?

[Coloradomrg]

Change all of your xref layers to a shaded color in your pen table. Usually 8,9, or the 250's.

***just re-read your post***

Layer management is the answer... and background clean up is just as important as anything else when it comes to drawing setup. As part of your clean-up, set all object to bylayer (using "setbylayer" so you include blocks).

[cadtag]

If you are using a current version of Acad, there's a variable to override by-entity colors in your Xref's and force them to display (and plot) as bylayer.

Saves you from dinking around in the Xref and fixing them

[dgorsman]

A bit of expansion on the other "BYLAYER"/change layer color suggestions. Don't change the layer to a "lighter color". Change the style to something that plots a thinner line and/or half-tone. What color that is (for CTB use) or plot style name (for STB use) depends on the settings in the CTB or STB file. For example one CTB may use color 40 while another may use color 8; one STB may use "Background" while another may use "Light". Don't assume "lighter color" equals "lighter plot". Always be aware of what plot style settings are and apply appropriately.

If you don't have a logically organized plot style its time to create one.

[reikajapan]

Transparency
or
xrefoverride
or
STB files would be my choices in no particular order, actually I would put STB first.

[RobDraw]

dgorsman's advice is spot on.

A quick fix might be to check "Plot transparency" in the plot dialog box.

Plot Transparency.PNG