Preventing images in XREF's showing in drawings

[Anonymous]

I have an drawing for utilities that I use to hold services information, and I xref this into another drawing.  For context, I have aerial images in the xref file using the "Insert Image" command.  However the images always show up in my drawing when xreffed in and confuse things.

Is there a way to prevent this, similiar to the overlay/attachment option for drawing xref's?  I like to be able to edit the services xref directly as this changes often, so would prefer not to detach the images all the time, but only turn them off.

[pietro.pedone · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous ! 

As you correctly stated, there is currently no way to choose an "Overlay" option for images.

However, there are a couple alternative solutions that I would like to suggest you:

- Moving all images to a layer, and keeping that XREF layer turned off in the master drawing;

- Unloading and reloading the images as needed through the -IMAGE command. You may also create two buttons (one for loading and one for unloading) with the following macros:

• For unloading (hiding) all images: ^C^C _-IM _UNLOAD * _REA 
• For reloading (displaying) all images: ^C^C _-IM _RELOAD * _REA 

(remember that Macros should have an extra space at the end to send the command!)

If any of these procedures help you, please accept this answer as a Solution! 🙂

[pietro.pedone]

Hey @Anonymous ,

Just checking back about my post earlier today. Did it help you? If so, it would be great if you could mark it--or some other user's answer--as a Solution! 🙂

Otherwise, just update this thread with any additional info and we'll be happy to continue helping you 🙂

[Bob_Zurunkle]

Here's what I do with PDFs to keep them away from my 'parent drawing'. I use a separate drawing called PDFs for nothing but my PDFs, and I XREF that into an x-base drawing as an overlay. I use the x-base drawing for all of my plan views, but XREF that in turn into my parent drawing, where I do the elevations/sections and plan sheets. Because PDFs is an overlay in x-base, it doesn't carry forward into the parent drawing.

I wonder if the same principle works with images? It's worth a shot...

[vinodkl]

Create a separate layer and add the xref into the that layer and freeze it when not required and thaw it when you need it.