What is the difference between Unload vs Detach an Xref

[sherflor]

What is the difference between unloading an xref and detaching one?

[david-k]

Detaching removes it from the dawing.
Unloading prevents you from seeing it or plotting it akthough it is still in the drawing. Think of it as freezing the x-ref.

[bmonk]

what david-k said.

Also, unloading still retains the path of the xref, while detaching it (like said above) removes it all together. Unloading it makes it much easier and faster to just Reload it later, when u need to look at it again. If you detached it, you would have to re-map it all over again, this can take up some time, especially if you files are not in perfect order, and you have to look forever to find them

just my 2c

[sherflor]

This is all good. Thanks

[mmccarter]

We have a simple lsp routine which allows us to type "xun" to click on an xref and it becomes unloaded. "xre" will reload the last xref which was unloaded.
This is great if you have a drawing with multiple xrefs and you are not 100% sure of the name of the one you want to unload from the list in the xref manager as it allows you to simply click on an xref to turn it off.

The combination of a quick xun follwed by xre when ever you want to bring it back also is great for lazy people like myself who hate brining up the xref manager every time we need to turn one on or off!

; UNLOAD XREF

(defun c:xun ()

(setvar "cmdecho" 0)

(setq xb nil)

(setq xb (entsel))

(if (/= xb nil)
(progn

(setq xc (car xb))
(setq xd (entget xc))
(setq xe (assoc 2 xd))
(setq xf (cdr xe))

(command ".xref" "U" xf)

) ;progn
) ;if

(if (= xb nil)
(princ "\n No XREF selected!!")
)

(setvar "cmdecho" 1)
(princ)

)


; RELOAD LAST UNLOADED XREF

(defun c:xre ()

(setvar "cmdecho" 0)

(if (/= xf nil)

(command ".xref" "r" xf)

)

(if (= xf nil)
(princ "\n No XREF to reload!!")
)

(setvar "cmdecho" 1)

(princ)

)

[The VLG]

What is the difference between unloading an xref and detaching one?

If you are new to the use of x-refs then you might need to have a quick look at the difference between ATTACH & OVERLAY.

If you're not familiar with using them then attach can get you into a right old mess fairly sharpish.
If in doubt overlay.

[H.Hunter]

What is the difference between unloading an xref and detaching one?

I have an ATP course coming in September on Xrefs. You should register when it opens up.