topic Re: How to make Xref unselectable? in AutoCAD Forum

AutoCAD - How to make Xref unselectable?

Anonymous — Sun, 06 Nov 2022 18:53:38 GMT

Hi all,

I am having trouble with my Xref as it has quite a few lines, and I always select it by accident.

Is there any way of working in the drawing without having to select the Xref, but still be able to find Osnaps on it?

I have tried putting my Xref on Defpoint and freezing Layer0 but it will lose all the snap references.

Also tried adding (ssget":L") as a command, but I might be doing it wrong as it doesn't work either...

Thanks heaps!

[ The subject line of this post has been edited for clarity by @handjonathan Original: Line Type - .lin files ]

Re: How to make Xref unselectable?

Slawomir_ — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 06:18:16 GMT

Hi,

you can lock all Xref dependent layers. Osnaps will stay active.

Re: How to make Xref unselectable?

imadHabash — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 06:45:04 GMT

Hi,

i suggest to make a layer like (xref) and make your xref attachment on that layer then Lock it.it still selected but without an action because it's on locked layer. also try to don't use layers 0 and defpoints that it could make problems to other items.

Regards,

Re: How to make Xref unselectable?

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 06:32:41 GMT

Hello both, thanks for the suggestions!

I have put the Xref on a separate layer and locked.

The Defpoint I tried as well, but yeah, it can cause some problems, like making the snap points undetectable.

I think we can only go so far, AutoCAD does have some limitations I guess...

Re: How to make Xref unselectable?

Kent1Cooper — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 11:43:11 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

....

Is there any way of working in the drawing without having to select the Xref, but still be able to find Osnaps on it?

....

Another way, which may not work in your situation, is to work in Paper Space and have the Xref in Model Space, viewed through a Viewport. You can't select as long as you don't accidentally get into the Viewport, but even working in Paper Space you can still Osnap to things in the Xref in Model Space.

Re: How to make Xref unselectable?

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 01:46:11 GMT

Hi Kent,

Yes, that sounds like a great way of solving my issue.

Let me try it out.

Thanks!

Re: How to make Xref unselectable?

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 08:00:12 GMT

Hi,

I think I have a more workable solution to this problem. It also works on blocks used in a drawing.

Note: I'm using IntelliCAD which is a Autocad look a like. Many similarities. Hopefully the below mentioned steps work as well on the original Autocad software.

Step 1:

Make 2 layers that you won't use other than for a xref.

One of them is used to make a block. For example: Layer "XREF" and "XREF_block".

Step 2:

Insert a xref and put it on layer "XREF". This can also be a PDF file. Or maybe other files. Haven't tried it yet.

Step 3:

Make a block of the xref.

Step 4:

Put the block of the xref on layer "XREF_block"

Step 5:

Turn OFF layer "XREF_block".

This should do the trick. This way you can't select the xref, but still use the osnap settings.

This also works using normal blocks. Put some objects in a separate layer. Than make a block of those objects and put the block in layer "XREF_block" or another dedicated layer. The objects inside the block are visible, snappable, UNselectable and still remain visible to print.

Let me know if this does or doens't work on Autocad.

good luck.

Daniel

Re: How to make Xref unselectable?

cadffm — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 09:13:41 GMT

Let me know if this does or doens't work on Autocad.

Step 2: Make a block of the xref.

I don't know why you do this step, perhaps you need this and this is your trick because there is a bug in intellicad.

In Autocad it make no sense.

>"This should do the trick."

No (for Autodesk products and i am sure also for intellicad.

1.The Block/Xref is still selectable, while currently active command and also without an active command, it's still selectable.

2. Step2 changes nothing, useless

3. Think about which layer in your main file reflects Objects on layer 0 (of your Xref) and what happens by turning OFF

4. By turning OFF the layer you still able to see all Objects which are not on Layer0(in your Xref),

still able to select the block/xref and still editable the block.

So this way is 100% useless in Adesk products.

The normal way is: Insert the xref on a special layer, turn the layer LOCKED.

Still selectable (so it isn't a solution for the question), but not editable (good).

Re: How to make Xref unselectable?

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 09:37:03 GMT

Hi CADffm,

Thanks for your reply! To bad that this doens't work in autocad. The main reason for me at the moment is that I'm using a pdf as an underlay. If I want to select multiple objects that are drawn on the pdf, the pdf underlay always gets selected and the objects disappear while the pdf is selected. Wherever I click it gets selected which makes drawing pretty difficult. And that's why it's important for me that the pdf is not editable AND not selectable. But it could be some Intellicad problem. I'm using it for the first time since a couple of weeks. However I prefer to have the option to make a xref not selectable so it doens't happen by accident.

I have used autocad at my previous employer, but I hadn't used a pdf as an underlay before. So the problem never occured. However, for some reason this works for me and apperently locking the xref layer is a proper solution for everybody else. 🙂

have a good day!

Re: How to make Xref unselectable?

vinodkl — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 11:05:38 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Hi CADffm,

Thanks for your reply! To bad that this doens't work in autocad. The main reason for me at the moment is that I'm using a pdf as an underlay. If I want to select multiple objects that are drawn on the pdf, the pdf underlay always gets selected and the objects disappear while the pdf is selected.

Are you sure your using the PDF as underlay as I have never come across this type of behavior of object disappearing when pdf is selected, because this type of behavior is happens when you working with OLE underlay.

Did you use the command "PDFATTACH" to attach the PDF into the drawing?

Re: How to make Xref unselectable?

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 11:30:51 GMT

I used a pdf as an underlay in a drawing. And used that drawing as an Xref. But it also works when I put the pdf directly into a block the same way I did with the Xref.

But I just found out that the pdf in Intellicad behaves differently from Autocad software. I opened the drawing (dwg-file) I made with Intellicad with a Autocad viewer from Autodesk and the gridlines were visible through the Xref. In Intellicad the grid lines ar not visible and the Xref is seen as the drawing on the original pdf file, but with a solid black background. That's the reason I can select it by accident and the objects on the drawing disappear in to the background. I have put some screen shots to show you what I mean. Left is Autocad viewer, right is Intellicad.

Autocad exampleIntellicad example

Unfortunately I don't have original Autocad software at my disposal to test it. I suggest I leave it to rest, because it the issues with Intellicad software apparently don't correspond with the Autodesk software. Sorry I wasted everybody's time. 😉

Re: How to make Xref unselectable?

sarchwba — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 16:05:53 GMT

I know this isn't a great solution but I hope it will make your drafting a little easier.

Turn on "Allow press and drag on object" which is under OPTIONS>>Selection>>Selection modes. This allows you to click and drag anywhere activating the lasso tool.

Again I understand that it's not a direct solution but it made a huge difference for me when I was having a similar issue.

Re: How to make Xref unselectable?

susanne.mirsoyanH9BD2 — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 09:48:35 GMT

1. Go to OPTIONS >>> Selection (at the end)

3. Under Preview, click Visual Effect Settings...

4. Under Selection Preview Filter, Exclude check the box for Xrefs.

Re: How to make Xref unselectable?

RobDraw — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 11:46:38 GMT

@susanne.mirsoyanH9BD2 wrote:
1. Go to OPTIONS >>> Selection (at the end)
3. Under Preview, click Visual Effect Settings...
4. Under Selection Preview Filter, Exclude check the box for Xrefs.

That does nothing to prevent selection.

Re: How to make Xref unselectable?

zoeQL4SR — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 18:40:09 GMT

I wanted this to work so badly! I have xrefs on a locked layer. They are truly locked - if I try to move or delete they won't. BUT, it's visually frustrating to have them show up as selected even if they aren't moveable. Also, the xref is technically selected, so if I want to edit all of one element at once (ie, floating attributes), I have to unselect the xref first.

I tried the options --> visual effects --> exclude xrefs / locked layers technique and it did absolutely nothing. Even when I unchecked "indicate selection area" altogether, it doesn't stop indicating the selection area...

Any thoughts?

Re: How to make Xref unselectable?

RobDraw — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 18:45:10 GMT

@zoeQL4SR wrote:
Any thoughts?

Yeah, forget about it. It's not possible without jumping through hoops, doing your work, and then jumping back through them.

Re: How to make Xref unselectable?

Kent1Cooper — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 19:55:40 GMT

@zoeQL4SR wrote:

.... it's visually frustrating to have them show up as selected even if they aren't moveable. ....

Editing something [such as your example to Move it, or Copy/Erase/Rotate/Scale/Trim/Extend, etc.] is not the only reason you might want to select it. Suppose you want to use something in your Xref as a Trim or Extend or Hatch boundary? You can use things on locked Layers for those purposes, but would not be able to if you can't select them. [However, I find in quickie trial that you can't use things on locked Layers as the path in Extrude or ArrayPath, and possibly some other things I didn't try.]

Re: How to make Xref unselectable?

ВeekeeCZ — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 20:07:51 GMT

Install THIS add-on. Then you can set xref unselectable or unsnappable easily.

Re: How to make Xref unselectable?

uk3YRWG — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 14:42:54 GMT

This works perfectly! Thank you BeekeeCZ !!

Xref Tools Extra - Free plugin from Autodesk store

Re: How to make Xref unselectable?

jhuntFX2RL — Sun, 06 Nov 2022 00:38:09 GMT

The plugin mentioned by BeekeeCZ is free and is the easiest solution for making an xref unselectable.

Xref Tools Extra - Free plugin from Autodesk store

Follow these steps:

1. Install the plugin

2. Close AutoCAD (if open), and relaunch

3. You will be prompted to allow/disallow the new add-in to load. I would suggest choosing 'Always Load'. This pop-up should not occur again for you.

4. Once your drawing is open, run XREFI command which opens up the window shown below.

5. Enable the Show, Snappable, Selectable options checkbox.

6. Unselect the Selectable checkbox next to the xref you would like to make unselectable.

That's all there is to it!