Attaching an external reference
The XATTACH command attaches a drawing as an external reference (Xref). The attached Xref appears as an insert in the current drawing. Just like blocks, attached Xrefs can be nested. The attached drawing represents the most recently saved version.
To attach an external reference
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Do one of the following:
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Click the Attach Xref... tool button () on the Insert toolbar or the Insert / References ribbon panel.
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Choose Attach Xref... in the Insert menu.
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Click the Attach Xref tool button () on the Details toolbar on the Drawing Explorer / Xrefs dialog box.
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Choose the Attach DWG from the drop-down menu opened by pressing the tool button () on the Attachments panel.
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Launch the XATTACH command.
The Select Reference File dialog box appears.
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Select the drawing you want to attach, then press the Open button.
The Attach External Reference dialog box appears.
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The full path to the selected drawing is displayed in the Path field.
(option) Select the Path Type: Full, Relative or No path.
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Choose the External Reference Type:
- Attachment: if the current drawing is attached as an Xref to another drawing, an attachment becomes a nested Xref.
- Overlay: an overlay is ignored when the drawing to which it is attached is then attached as an Xref to another drawing.
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Choose whether to specify the Insertion Point on screen or in the X, Y, Z fields.
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Choose whether to specify the Scale on screen or in the X, Y, Z fields.
Check the Uniform Scale option to specify the scale in the X field.
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Choose whether to specify the Rotation angle on screen or in the Angle field.
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Click the OK button to attach the Xref.
Depending on the options in steps 5, 6 and 7 you are prompted to specify the insertion point, scale and/or rotation angle.
- Parametric external references are also kept in the Attachments panel, in order to be reloaded, and in this case all its inserts including parametric ones are rebuilt.
- The XDWGFADECTL (Xref database fade control) system variable sets the fading level for external references.
- The origin point of an external reference is controlled by the INSBASE (insertion base point) system variable. Use the BASE command to define the INSBASE system variable in the external reference drawing.
- The Unit field under Block Unit is set by the INSUNIT (Insertion Units) system variable in the external reference. The Factor field expresses the relation between the value of the INSUNIT system variable in the Xref and the parent drawing.