topic Re: Xref is missing but cannot dettach in AutoCAD Forum

Xref is missing but cannot dettach

Anonymous — Wed, 25 May 2016 06:37:19 GMT

good day,

I have a question regarding xref, trying to find some related problem here but I think mine's a little different.

I have a drawing file with the xref not found but when Im tryng to detached it says it has multiple references and cannot detach.

to put it simple, the xref cannot be found but it has multiple references. How is that possible?

I attached an screenshot of xref manager showing the file cant be found.

Re: Xref is missing but cannot dettach

Alfred.NESWADBA — Wed, 25 May 2016 06:50:14 GMT

Hi,

welcome @forums.autodesk.com!

>> the xref cannot be found but it has multiple references. How is that possible?

It might be a XRef within another (part of another) XRef, it might be a XRef inserted into a blockdefinition.

- alfred -

Re: Xref is missing but cannot dettach

Anonymous — Wed, 25 May 2016 08:08:10 GMT

Thanks for the quick reply, anyways, is there any way I can find and delete this thing? I tried searching it by names, even making a big circle to act as the xref using "found at" in the xref manager to make it apear in the drawing but to no avail.

Re: Xref is missing but cannot dettach

RobDraw — Wed, 25 May 2016 11:00:03 GMT

If it is nested in a block, it is going to take some digging or some code. I think I saw this solved in another forum. I'll see if I can dig up that thread for you.

Re: Xref is missing but cannot dettach

3wood — Wed, 25 May 2016 11:34:09 GMT

The issue related to the solution in the link here is quite similar as yours.

You can try and see if it works for you.

Re: Xref is missing but cannot dettach

dbroad — Wed, 25 May 2016 12:21:12 GMT

Select the button shown. It will show you the nesting relationships. Select its parent, open the xref and detach the xref from that nested file. Then reload the xrefs in the target drawing and it probably will be gone.

Re: Xref is missing but cannot dettach

sattar_rizwan — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 06:35:51 GMT

Hye,

The solution is very simple, you just click on you xref file and press delete, it will disapear, then regenerate. Now you can detach that file. It will work

Re: Xref is missing but cannot dettach

cadffm — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 06:52:15 GMT

Hi sattar,

that will not work in the case.

Your solution will work in another simple case, if this xref is attached to the current file ONLY, but not if the file is also nested in other attached files.

(Note, the thread is 10 years old and solved)