topic Re: External references in AutoCAD Forum

External references

s293157 — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 15:48:39 GMT

Once, while using Autocad, I turned off the setting of external references and now when I have received an external reference it does not allow me to see the file/picture. I tried enabling it in the options window of the app, and even though it says that it is now enabled, the picture that is the external reference is still not visible. How can I restart this setting? Preferably, I would want it to go back to how it was in the beginning, before I turned it off- that every time I enter the Autocad app it asks me if I'm enabling it or not.

Re: External references

pendean — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 16:09:26 GMT

@s293157 wrote:

Once, while using Autocad, I turned off the setting of external references...

Where did you do that please? Show us.

@s293157 wrote:

...I tried enabling it in the options window of the app, and even though it says that it is now enabled, the picture that is the external reference is still not visible....

If the DWG file that is to be an XREF has no preview saved inside of it, you'll never see anything. That's just how AutoCAD works.

Use OPEN command to open tat DWG file you wish to use as an XREF, fond the content you want to see, QSAVE that file, then close it.

Now option the file where this is XREFed and see if you can see what you saved in it. for 99% of us, that would be the case.

HTH

Re: External references

s293157 — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 16:32:09 GMT

Hello! Thank you for the advice.

However, I’m not sure if I understood well. I just tried doing as you told me and I still do not have the external references shown. I opened the first file (my file without the external references), typed in open, and opened my friend’s file (the one with the external references) and it still would not show me the picture that was supposed to be transferred as an XREF. Besides that, I’m looking to resolve the issues from the beginning which was me clicking the “ignore always” button when it came to XREF which came up every time I opened the app. Would that be resolved if I completely deleted the app and reset it from the beginning or is the problem much bigger now in means that it’s set in the computer settings?

I’m afraid I cannot include a picture of the tab as it came up only when I opened the app, before I clicked ignore always, or something similar, I’m not sure how it’s written in English..

Re: External references

pendean — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 16:44:38 GMT

@s293157 wrote:

...typed in open, and opened my friend’s file (the one with the external references) and it still would not show me the picture that was supposed to be transferred as an XREF...

Unfortunately you did not follow through with what I asked. Can you try again?

What you are going to do is create that thumbnail for that file to confirm that is not the problem. here is how:

FIRST, ensure your THUMBSAVE system variable on your computer is set to 1

Then you will need to OPEN your friend's DWG file, and with it's content in full view on screen, you will use QSAVE command.

You want to manually save that file, again, once more.

Now you should be able to see that thumbview.

Re: External references

Valentin_CAD — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 17:03:07 GMT

@s293157 ,

This could be a result of the reference file type (attach vs overlay).

Attached xrefs and overlaid xrefs in AutoCAD

Re: External references

RSomppi — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 17:32:14 GMT

@s293157 wrote:
opened my friend’s file (the one with the external references) and it still would not show me the picture that was supposed to be transferred as an XREF.

Did your friend send you the additional file that is the XREF?

Re: External references

paullimapa — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 17:57:49 GMT

https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-enable-Dialog-prompts-that-are-not-displayed-anymore.html