Signal referencing across multiple drawings does not retag/update correctly

[Egly.Barrero]

We have a particular issue where we use autocad electrical a little differently than normal. Instead of creating a .dwg file for each sheet, we insert multiple sheets in a .dwg file across the width.

When using signal references within a sheet using XY coordinates, the xref attributes are populated correctly. However, when trying the same thing across two drawings in the same project, the xref attributes only go up to 100 in the horizontal (X) coordinate. We know the reference is still linked, since moving the arrows vertically still updates the Y-coordinate of the xref. The horizontal coordinate works fine up until it hits 100, after which it stays at 100.

Understandably, this is an unconventional way of using autocad electrical, but is there something we can look into to fix this? The xref works fine when working in the same dwg file. This only pops up when referencing across two dwg files in the same project.

[Egly.Barrero]

I've noticed that there is a difference between the signal codes information in the drawing and the same signal code's information in the project. I've attached screenshots showing that the same signal arrow has different references when looking at the drawing level, vs the project level.

 

[arshdeepsingh404]

Hello @Egly.Barrero 

This is definitely little different from how the standard electrical projects are setup with Title Blocks. From your snip it looks like that the sheet one is ending at X-Grid Ref 110 and Sheet 2 is starting at  X-Grid Ref 111 and I guess it carries for the entire length of the horizontally placed sheets.

If you have the X-Y Grid setup inaccurately in the drawing settings, That would contribute to an error like you are experiencing.

From your description and snips, I am assuming that you have an X-Y Grid setup and the X Horizontal Grid is numbers.

Can you check the drawing properties > Drawing Format > Format Referencing > Setup

and confirm that the horizontal Grid Labels extends past 100 till the maximum number you want?

If that is correct, Would you be able provide a couple of reference drawings so we could do some testing.

[jaya_priya_ramasamy]

Hi @Egly.Barrero ,

There is a known issue with the reference beyond 100 for the XYGRID and XZONE. We are working on a fix for the same. Will let you know once it has been fixed and released.

Regards,
Jaya Priya Ramasamy
Senior QA Analyst
www.autodesk.com

[Egly.Barrero]

Hi Arshdeep,

I checked and it does look like the format referencing has been set up correctly.

Are you able to go past 100 in the X-coordinate when signal referencing across

drawings in a project? I couldn't help but notice you went up to 101 horizontally.

[Egly.Barrero]

Hi Jaya,

That's unfortunate. Is there any workaround or maybe an indication of then this might be resolved? We have a drawing that we would like to create using the situation described in my first post.

[arshdeepsingh404]

Hi @Egly.Barrero 

I was doing that just to test it out the ACE 2025 environment. I have attached the sample project with a couple drawings in the style that you use. Basically I was able to go above 100 and get it working within same drawing and multiple drawings but there seems to be character limit on how long can we make the X Horizontal references.

Same Drawing, 2 different Title Blocks

From Drawing 1 to Drawing 2

But unfortunately, I was only able to up to a max of 340 in X Horizontal Grid before AutoCAD wont let me type anymore.

[jaya_priya_ramasamy]

Hi @Egly.Barrero ,

Unfortunately I don't have a tentative timeline.  The development team is researching the fix.  However, I shall update this thread once the fix is available.

Regards,
Jaya Priya Ramasamy
Senior QA Analyst
www.autodesk.com

[Egly.Barrero]

Hi Arshdeep,

Thank you for the information. I used your sample to try some things and found the following:

Just as you found, I can only enter up to a certain number in the horizontal label list. For me it goes up to 47.

This causes autocad to reference up to a maximum of 47 as well, even though the component is placed further to the right than 47. In the example below, I have the component placed in X-position 99, but the reference only goes up to 47.

The way we normally work is we just enter the first number in the horizontal grid label and let autocad populate the rest.

From this, I can only conclude that autocad automatically only inserts horizontal grid labels up to 100 and does not continue past 100. @jaya_priya_ramasamy I hope this can provide some information to help resolve the problem.

Again, I understand that this is not conventional use of autocad, but it is unfortunately how this drawing is set up and when referencing signals within the same drawing, there are no issues. It is only when referencing across drawings in the project, that causes the problems.

[rhesusminus]

Just out of curiosity.... Why are you doing it like this? Performance? Administrative things?

[Egly.Barrero]

Administrative. This is how we've been doing drawings for many years now even before using electrical and it has kind of stuck

[arshdeepsingh404]

Hi @Egly.Barrero 

I did another test but with a little different approach of setting up the XY Grid this time and seems like it doesn't have any limit of Vertical Horizontal Grid.

I modified the sample project to have have two drawings with 20 Horizontal Title Blocks in each. And instead of using drawing properties to setup XY Grid, I used the AEXYGRID command which gives you additional Horizontal and Vertical Count options. Seems like you were already trying this method, Try checking off the insert X-Y grid labels and add the horizontal counts to what you need.

Test out the updated attached sample project, This is working all the way up to 1,2,3.......199,200 and more on how you setup the grid.

[Egly.Barrero]

Hi Arshdeep,

Thank you for your help with this. I have the same behavior where the cross reference across two drawings works fine when you first insert it. It's unfortunately when we try to retag/update the cross references that it goes back to 100

[arshdeepsingh404]

@Egly.Barrero 

Oh I see what you mean, I thought it was working for me but it only works when its inserted for the first time, As soon as I do retag/update, it resets to 100 as well.

@jaya_priya_ramasamy Thanks for taking this to your development team. Hopefully this thread and the sample project gives enough data for them to get this resolved.

In a nutshell, The XY Grid setups menus are different when launched through drawing properties and AEXYGRID command. The drawing properties seems to have a limit on the number of characters while AEXYGRID has to option to simply specify counts and allows to go past what could setup though drawing properties.

When inserting signal reference arrows between drawings, It creates correct references to XY grid on destination for the first time, but as soon as you run a retag/update command, the reference resets to 100 if the horizontal reference is more than 100.

Seem more of an Source/Destination update tool issue instead of a problem with the grid itself.