Mac 2018 version- Hiding an XREF Layer

[Anonymous]

Hi All,

Me and my colleague keep walking into the issue were we have many CAD drawings/XREFS with one main XREF of our architect linked in it.  We are new to AutoCAD Lite on Mac but know this was no problem in the Windows version of CAD 2015. When we hide a layer in our architects' main XREF our other drawings don't ask for us to reload the updated XREF drawing as we were used to. Also, the hidden layer doesn't appear to be hidden in there with or without reloading. It seems as if we can no longer hide layers in our XREFS.

Is this a known bug? Is this something that just isn't supported anymore since after AutoCAD lite 2015? It's really a bummer for us as we have to update many many (about hundred) of drawings by hand instead of just clicking "Hide" in our main-XREF.

Hope somebody is able to help. Any help is appreciated.

Best Regards,

Thomas Lazarom

[maxim_k]

Welcome to Autodesk Forums!

Hi Thomas,

You need to set VSIRETAIN system variable to 1 in the to which the main drawing is attached. Then the changes in layer states will be reflected in it.

Maxim

[john.vellek]

Hi @Anonymous,

I see that you are visiting as a new member to the AutoCAD for Mac forum. Welcome to the Autodesk Community!

 @maxim_k might have guessed your issue correctly. Try setting visretain to 1/0 which controls layer property overides and post back with your results. If it is not the solution to your issue, please prepare a Screencast to show this behavior. You might also attach a couple of sample files that show this action.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[maxim_k]

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@maxim_k wrote:
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You need to set VSIRETAIN system variable to 1 in the to which the main drawing is attached. Then the changes in layer states will be reflected in it.

....

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Hi Thomas,

That was my fault VISRETAIN system variable to 0 (zero) in order to be able to see the changes in layer states in xref.

Maxim

[cage_free]

This does not work for my AutoCAD LT 2023. 

[maxim_k]

Hi @cage_free 

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@cage_free wrote:

This does not work for my AutoCAD LT 2023. 

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Have you tried to set VISRETAIN=0 and reload Xref?

[cage_free]

Choosing 0 does not work either. What ended up working is for me was LAYFRZ > Settings > Block Selection > Block

[quinn.zhang]

Hi Thomas

If you want to get xref's layers on/off settings synchronized in your current drawing, you need this command 'VISRETAINMODE' , and change the value from 0 to 1( or from 0 to 2047). 

But you can't see this command before version 2019. As a recommendation, please update your AutoCAD for Mac to the latest version like AutoCAD 2023  and it can help solve your problem.

See these two pages for more details.

https://help.autodesk.com/view/ACDMAC/2023/ENU/?guid=GUID-32CFDDB7-E6F8-4BEF-9538-65862F87092D

https://help.autodesk.com/view/ACDMAC/2018/ENU/?caas=caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Modified-xref-la...

Quinn Zhang

AutoCAD for Mac team.

[quinn.zhang]

Hi @cage_free Please try this command ' 'VISRETAINMODE' , and change the value from 0 to 2047, then reload the xref. It works fine on AutoCAD LT for Mac 2023. btw, the visretain value is 1 and visretainmode value is 2047 on my side.