AutoCAD Civil 3D

[#1]

I didn't know what to title this question but I have a Civil drawing that contains an Xref (overlay) to a survey topography + Data Shortcuts containing the surface data. The Civil drawing contains design elements + alignment + profile data that is also added to the Data Shortcuts.

If I create a new drawing and Xref (overlay) this Civil drawing to this new drawing, will it also carry over the Xref'd survey topography that the Civil drawing contains?

[#2]

If your asking for instance?

I have EG surface in a source drawing called topo.dwg.

I'm in different file & Xref'd Topo.dwg into it & also created a datareference of same EG surface into that file then yes you will be able to see it twice in "available sources to sample" in Sample Line Group Properties etc.

Basically it's pulling the same info from the dref & the xref for EG in this case.

[#3]

Your situation is very simliar to mine except that I don't want to Xref what you call "topo.dwg" that contains your surface.  I just want to use the data shortcut into the new drawing since the data shortcut will generate the DTM lines in the new drawing when I create reference.

This is my scenario. I have a drawing called "Surface.dwg" that only contains the survey points and DTM. I have a separate drawing called "Topo.dwg" that only contains the linework and labels (EP, FL, etc.)

Our engineers have a drawing called "Civil.dwg" that created a reference to the data shortcuts in "Surface.dwg" so that they can see and access the underlying DTM data. They Xref'd the "Topo.dwg" so that they can see the linework. The reason for this procedure is so that they don't tamper with the original surface and original linework.

In their "Civil.dwg", they created their design linework for the new road plus created an alignment and profile which they added to the Data Shortcuts. 

I want to create a new drawing called "Stakeout.dwg" that contains the Data Shortcuts for the DTM from "Surface.dwg" without Xrefing the drawing plus the Data Shortcuts for the alignment and profile. But I do want to Xref the "Civil.dwg" so that I can see the design linework for the new road. 

My question is, when I Xref the "Civil.dwg" which contains the Xref to "Topo.dwg" (the survey linework) into my "Stakeout.dwg", will only the design linework show up or will the survey linework show up as well?  If not, then I will have to Xref the "Topo.dwg" into my "Stakeout.dwg" as well.

[#4 · Accepted solution]

I see, so your asking if the Topo.dwg will come through as a nested xref?

If it's xrefd as Attachment as opposed to Overlay then yes it would automatically come along for the ride as a nested xref.

[#5]

Oh ok, I think this is the answer I was looking for. So, I just need to Xref it as Attached and not as Overlay.

Thanks for really going through this process with me.  Much appreciated.