XREF Dynamic Sheet Fields

[twilkinson]

The sheet set manager can be a great help from having to update every sheet when something changes. However, it is really quite odd that I can't set a field in an XREF (for a Title Border) that will update based on the sheet it is being XREFed into. Please consider expanding the actual usefulness of fields.

As it stands, almost every project still has a moment where I waste 3-4 hours of my client's money by having to open every single drawing to cut and past one (supposedly) dynamic field.

[el_nath]

The Sheet Set manager is based on the attributes in the actual layout drawing, thus an xref won't work. What will work is a block that contains block attributes (the Sheet Set Manager controlled title block data) and the Xref'd in border linework; an external reference (line work) within a block reference (containing the fields).

All of title blocks I use are set up using this "best CADD management practice". Some people use a separate data block and a separate xref, but I like having a single title block containing both the attributes and a border xref, as it's cleaner, simpler and easier to manage. Put the block on a locked layer, and the layout becomes almost mess proof (yes, the block attributes will still update while the layer is locked!).

[twilkinson]

Blocks do not solve the problem as there are times when the layout of the title block must be changed. I understand that XREFs cannot currently draw variable information from the sheet it is loaded in which is why this is in the "Request" forum.

[el_nath]

use ScriptPro http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=4091678&linkID=9240618 to replace the blocks in multiple drawings with one you want ("title blocks" included).

[twilkinson]

Thanks for the tip! I'm still hoping for a built-in solution in the next version, though.