AutoCAD 2007/2008/2009 DWG Format

[#1]

Hello ,
I want to create a several drawings with the same comun block(will be more then 400 blocks) , when I change the block if it's possible to be changed in all drawings.
When i make a new revision to  the block , the block to be loaded automatically in the drawings with the modification applied.
It is possible with external references ? or some LISP routines to do this?

Thank you in advance

[#2]

That is exactly what XRefs are for.

The detail is stored once only, in a seperate dwg file of Model Space entities (PS is ignored)

The actual drawings read this file each time they are opened and show it at each insertion point. The entities are not stored in this file. If the detail drawing is changed in any way then these changes will be reflected in every drawing that references it.

[#3]

I understand , but if I need to make a new revision to the external referance(because i need also the old revision for checks) and I will change the name it doesn't apear in the drawing.
I don't want to make manual attach everytime i change something because i have a lot of drawings.
In attachament i put one example as I want to be.
If it doesn't possible with external reference , how it is possible this?

please help me

[#4]

You could do this programmatically by updating the path of the ExternalReference object, but an easier way would be just to maintain a separate latest-version copy of your blocks: make your xrefs using the copy, which always stays the same name regardless of the contents. So you have xref_01, xref_02, xref_03 and xref-latest. When you revise the xref_03 creating xref_04, you copy it also to xref-latest.

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[#5]

You're right in what you are saying, but if you make a new revision to the drawing: drawing_01, drawing_02, drawing_03 all revisions will be the last reference modified.
How can I load a reference all the time? if I rename a folder the drawing knows where to get the reference? because i want to put all the referance in separate folder.

Thank you

[#6 · Accepted solution]

there are a couple of things that can make it all a little smootehr.

1. Look at the difference between full path and relative paths for your xrefs. If the project folder may get moved around renamed etc BUT within that you have a SUBFOLDER for your xrefs and that doesn't get renamed then RELATIVE is the way to go. On the other hand if the XRefs are in a fixed folder on your server and the project moves around then Full Path is for you. Personally I prefer Relative, as it also comes in handy if you archive a project to Disc or create a snap shot of a project status in a further subfolder.

2. The naming of versions: Xref-1 Xre-2 Xref-3 etc are ALL previous releases. Whereas Xref-CURRENT is the current release. When an update is issued then CURRENT is renamed as Xref-4 and the new one get called Xref-Current and hence all the drawings which use it are automatically only looking at the new version with no further work. The previous ones should probably be in a superceded sub folder as well just to avoid confusion.

3. Another thing to consider when using a lot of Xrefs is the recording of milestones within a project, many people get a little confused if they keep drawing files which then update themselves with new xrefs, I like to take a snapshot in PDF format.

[#7]

Thank you Alistair

[#8]

I believe the advice given referring to external references is valid here, and if you went that route, that's good.  If however, you have not gone the way of XREFs, thus far, then you might want to try FXBLOCK.LSP.  When you make changes to the dwg files you use as blocks on hard drives and you want to update a block in your drawing with the latest version of the block, FXBLOCK looks at the Support File Search Path and attempts to find a DWG file that matches the name of the block in your drawing and then redefines your block in the drawing with the DWG file it found.  To get that routine, click here Free AutoLISP/Visual LISP Routines, so you'll go to the routines, scroll down to FXBLOCK.lsp and click on it and save the file to your hard drive as FXBLOCK.lsp.  You might like some of the other ones, as well.  The link also exists on my web site.  Click on my name below to go there.

Bill DeShawn