How to change xref layer colors

[Anonymous]

After I've inserted a xref into a drawing I would like to change all of the the xref layers to the color 253. I go to Layer Properties Manager and choose all the xref's layers and change them to the color 253. My problem is that not all of the layers change into 253. I've noticed that all of the components in the original file that has a color override (is not set to ByLayer) are not converted into color 253.

Is there a solution to this problem without making any changes to the original file (I don't want to use SETBYLAYER in the original file)?

[jggerth · Accepted solution]

at this point you'll have to run SetbyLayer.  the ability to ignore property overrides has been an Augi wishlist item for a while.

Best bet is to make a copy of the orignal Xref, and save it in the state it was received, and only modify the copy that you will use internally as a base.  (can also send pointed emails to whomever sent you the drawring)

[doni49]

Are you saying that the layer color doesn't change or that the elements on the layer don't change?  If the latter, that's expected if the elements have color overrides.  But when I read your message, it sounded like you might be saying the layer itself doesn't change (you change the color to 253 and and it immediately reverts to the previous color).

[3wood]

 What most people usually do is to make a copy of the xref file, then do whatever they like with the copy. We don't worry about the orginal file at all then.

[Anonymous]

+1 and kudos to 3wood 

thats what we do here too

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your answers!

I feared there wasn't a straight forward solution to this problem, hopefully Autodesk will make changes to this soon.

Background to my problem: In our office we plan the renewal of piping in multistory buildings. I convert old paper architectural drawings into dwg and my collegue plans the piping with a software called Magicad. He uses my dwg directly as a reference. We would'nt want to make a copy of it to a different folder because we often do small changes to it and every time you would have to copy it, use SETBYLAYER and then change the layer colors. It's not a problem but I would've wished for a easier solution 😉

The problem with Magicad is that every storey has to be in its own dwg-file so there can easily be 40 dwg-files in a project. In Magicad there is a option that changes the reference to a color you want but it wont save this change, so when you reopen the file, the reference colors are the same (even with VISRETAIN = 1). So he has to do this everytime and furthermore change the reference's draw order to Send to Back for some reason. And if I want to change my file's location he has to go through the 40 dwg-files and change the reference location (ok, you can use reference manager to do this but this option will save the files into that computers autocad version, which is a problem when not everyone in or outside our office has the newest AutoCad version). This takes so much time!

My solution to this problem would have been to create an empty dwg-file in my collegues folder and insert a reference of my file. Then permanently change all the layers colors to 253. Then he would use the file in his own folder as a reference and it would always show as color 253. And if I would like to change my file's location, he would only have to update the reference in this single file. Easy! But not possible at this moment 😞

[Anonymous]

We use this and it works great.

http://autocadtips1.com/2011/12/16/autolisp-control-xref-color/

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

just to update: starting with AutoCAD 2016 there is a new sysvar XREFOVERRIDE (>>>details<<<) which can adjust the display of referenced objects as like they were all created with color/linetype/lineweight/transparency = "byLayer".

... and all that without modifying the source drawing(s).

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

 >>   But when I read your message, it sounded like you might be saying the layer itself doesn't change (you change the color to 253 and and it immediately reverts to the previous color).

I have exactly that problem.

It's as if VISRETAIN = 0, except it reloads the xref immediatly.

I select a few layers (layers of an xref), change the color to grey (or what ever), 1 second later everything reverts back.

I have no idea wha't going on

----

So I have a plan called "architecture.dwg" (that's the xref), and a plan "electrical.dwg" (which has "architecture.dwg" as an xref).

When I make a new plan, let's say "plumbing.dwg", and I attach architecture.dwg, there is no problem.

When I attach a "dummy_architecture.dwg", the problem is also there.

Layers of electrical.dwg itself (not belonging to any xref) can be changed without problem.

So I would guess the problem is situated in electrical.dwg. 

We use Autocad 2010 (normal).

[jggerth]

Post an example that shows the problem

[Anonymous]

Look, if anybody knows a solution, I prefer not to attach any file; my employer requires secrecy.

If not, ... I'll try to delete/strip/purge/... as much as possible.  But I will wait a little 

[doni49]

If a solution were known, it would've been posted already.  The reason that I, for one, haven't come up with anything is that I have no way to troubleshoot it.  A sample data set will allow someone to troubleshoot it and search for a solution.

If both the active file and the xref file is blank (no linework -- just layers) does it still do this?  That should aleve any "secrecy" concerns.

[Kent1Cooper]

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@Anonymous wrote:

... I prefer not to attach any file; my employer requires secrecy. ....

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Can you strip [copies of] a couple of drawings having this problem down to just a few objects on each Layer, without any proprietary content?

[Anonymous]

Okay, the content is gone, the problem is still there (again, we use Autocad 2010).

It's just this 1 file (electrical.dwg).  Never seen this problem before.

 (also, I don't need a workaround.  I can wblock the content, I can copy/paste the content to a new dwg, which solves the problem.  But I want to understand what's going on)

[mariah.hanning]

Hello @Anonymous

I have assessed the files you have provided and I notice you have spaces in the layer names. This is causing the layer command to read only part of the name, (The command is returning "16_WALL" as a layer name instead of "16_WALL RETAINING") and is unable to complete. 

There are two ways to solve this issue:

By replacing these spaces with an "_" in the original file, so that the complete layer name will be read.

Or by changing the system variable  EXTNAMES to 1 in the current drawing. More information on the EXTNAMES system varieable can be found HERE

Please let me know if this solves your issue, I would be happy to further investigate this for you. 

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous ,

set EXTNAMES to 1.  Yes, that solves it.

(It is pretty stupid to have spaces in layer names, we should change this.)

Thanks a lot

[Anonymous]

XLIST to determined the the specific layer.

LAYER properties to changed the color of your layer

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[milen.stoyanov]

The XREFOVERRIDE system variable set to 1 and the problem is solved 👍 Thank you @Alfred.NESWADBA

[dfitzgerald32T23]

Alfred.NESWADBA, you are a lifesaver!!!

[clintJG9BM]

AutoCAD LT 2022 Help | About Xref Layer Property Overrides | Autodesk

VISRETAIN to 1

XREFOVERRIDE is set to 1

XREF plot style = By Layer

"If you want the xref layers to retain the overrides you made in the current (host) drawing, it is recommended to set VISRETAIN to 1.

This assumes that the visual properties on the external reference objects are set to ByLayer.

When XREFOVERRIDE is set to 1, objects on xref layers are treated as if their properties are set to ByLayer."