AutoCAD 2010/2011/2012 DWG Format

[#1]

Let me explain what I am trying to do.  We are in the process of automating the first page of our drawing sets. As a part of the automation, we are inserting our panels into the first page as a block.  The boarder of our drawings is an XREF drawing and blocks are inserted into said border to create our first page.  When it comes to one particular block, we have different thicknesses within the same block.  So in order to not have multiple drawings of the same block, I combined all of them into one and use layer manager to control which thickness is needed.

The problem...

When inserting the block with the different thicknesses and using layer manager to show the thickness needed all layers in the XREF drawing are turned off.  I tried adding the XREF layers (they are consistent all the time) into the Layer Manager, but when inserting the block into the drawing, the XREF layers did not seam to be within the different layer controls anymore.  I am now at a standstill and not sure what to do.  I would be grateful for any and all suggestions.

Thank you for your time.

[#2]

Anyone have any suggestions?

[#3]

Your description of the problem is vague and confusing, you may need to post your drawing and blocks and clarify a bit what is happening in a better manner or terminology.  Thicknesses?, do you mean lineweights?  Are thicknesses controled by color (ctb) or lineweights (stb) when plotted or polyline widths (thicknesses, as you stated)?

I get trying to have one titleblock drawing for all your border needs, that's what I did at my old job.  But I had everything I needed (attributes, keynote line, plan and profile grid, logos and such) in one drawing and froze the layers for the majority of the sheets the way I needed them to look when plotted.  By the way I xref the titleblocks into paperspace, just in case you don't do it that way, not that it matters here.  I would then adjust the layers to the sheets that needed changing.  HTH.

[#4]

azrdgldr, thank you for the suggestion.  That explains why I have not received a response.  I hope that I can clear things up with this. Some things may be redundant, please bear with me.

We work in Model space only.  The title block is inserted as an XREF. We have numerous layers for different things to organize and for pen weights.  I am trying to simplify the insertion of our insulated panel profiles by including all widths and thicknesses in one block.  In order to get the correct thickness and width to show on the drawing I am using layer manager.  When I insert the panel profile block into our front page and use layer manager to control the layers of the panel, it turns off all layers for the XREFed drawing.  I have tried including the XREF layers in the block in the layer manager, but they do not hold when inserting into the drawing.  I am trying to figure out a way that I can successfully insert and modify all of our insulated panel profiles without affecting any other portion of our first page.  I have included some attachments to show what I am looking to get.

Hope this explains it better.  Thanks again for everyone’s time.

[#5]

Are you saying when you insert your profile block into the drawing the xref layers get turned off? Or when you adjust the profile block layers the xref layers get turned off?  If it's the latter then it sounds like you may have layers of the same name in the block as the xref if you have binded and inserted (and maybe exploded) your xref.  But without looking at the drawing itself, I can't tell.  So prepare to have a lot of ?'s asked.  Have you done an audit to your drawing to see if there are any issues?

One other possiblity, are you using a layer filter to adjust such settings to your profile block within the Layer Manager?  If you are check the syntax to the filter and make sure it not conflicting the xref layer names.

[#6]

OP have you considered making the block dynamic with the different "thicknesses" as merely Visual States? have you considered using fields to automate the population of information? Have you considered creating custom sheet properties under the Custom tab of Drawing Properties? Have you read up on CTAB?.....