Xref usage - attach or overlay

[Anonymous]

At the company that I just started working, they have chosen to create a Discipline master file of the main plan and ATTACH all possible xrefs so that they are all easily accessible.  It has been my practice everywhere I have worked to OVERLAY xrefs on an as needed basis.  Im not sure why they have chosen this method but Im guessing they have "Dumbed Down" the system for the less-experienced users.  My question is what side effects would this method have on normal everyday usage?  It takes a long time to open a file and likewise to reload xrefs as they change.  Im assuming the computer system has something to do with this but I wonder if the mass amount of Xrefs that are attached to every file has something to do with the lag on the system.

I should also say that the company standard is to open a "Prototype" drawing that was created for each project and Discipline and to do a Save-As to the new file name.  The standard is also to Insert a border block into modelspace and use all the associated scale factors to Scale up the blocks, text, dimensions, etc and they have set up the layout tabs to print to all of the printers.  Sort of like a Page Setup.  While this makes it easy for even the least experienced person to print and get a scaled drawing that matches every other drawing, it really isnt best use of the layout tabs.  I started using autocad pre-modelspace/paperspace, so when the need for block scale, dimscale, etc. went away I was more than happy.

Any help or suggestions on stream lining the system in its current configuration would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[cadffm]

"My question is what side effects would this method have on normal everyday usage? "

There is only the main effect that by loading Xrefs, which has other xrefs inside*1*2

*1 as overlay - the nested xref will ignored

*2 as attachment - the nested xref will load as nested Xref

*1

you attached  x1.dwg & x2.dwg as xref (overlay) to d1.dwg

you attached  x1.dwg & x2.dwg as xref (overlay) to d2.dwg

you attached  x1.dwg & x2.dwg as xref (overlay) to d3.dwg

Then you xrefed d1+d2+d3 to master1.dwg, you will see only the direct content of d1,d2,d3

nothing of x1 and x2, so you need to xref x1 and x2 separatly in master1.

x1 x2 d1 d2 d3, each is ONE TIME loaded in Master1.dwg

*2

you attached  x1.dwg & x2.dwg as xref (attachment) to d1.dwg

you attached  x1.dwg & x2.dwg as xref (attachment) to d2.dwg

you attached  x1.dwg & x2.dwg as xref (attachment) to d3.dwg

Then you xrefed d1+d2+d3 to master2.dwg, you will see the direct content of d1,d2,d3 and the xrefs x1 & x2

x1 and x2, both are loaded 3 times in master2

So it is much more information inside and it can slowing down your system.

Was it the question?