Inserting a layout (tab page) from a template with a lisp isn't bringing in the pdf underlays (xrefs) in that page. Solutions??

[fabi_rm94]

Wrote a simple lisp that allows me to bring in the tabs from a template into my current drawing. The lisp brings in everything I need EXCEPT for the xref pdf underlays, which do not appear at all. Is there another step I can write into the lisp to bring those in?

(defun c:STDGENSUP (/ BNAME LAYOUTNAME acadObj adoc ss AcDbBlkRef)

(command "layout" "template" "C:\\Users\\AppData\\Local\\Autodesk\\AutoCAD 2020\\R23.1\\enu\\Template\\BUP_Supplemental-sheets-template.dwt" "R-616"
		 
  		 "layout" "template" "C:\\Users\\AppData\\Local\\Autodesk\\AutoCAD 2020\\R23.1\\enu\\Template\\BUP_Supplemental-sheets-template.dwt" "R-608"
		 
  		 "layout" "template" "C:\\Users\\AppData\\Local\\Autodesk\\AutoCAD 2020\\R23.1\\enu\\Template\\BUP_Supplemental-sheets-template.dwt" "R-609")

    (command "layout" "rename" "R-616" "R-601"
	     
	     "layout" "rename" "R-608" "R-602"

	     "layout" "rename" "R-609" "R-603" )
  

 (vla-endUndoMark adoc)
 (vlax-release-object adoc)

 (setvar "cmdecho" 1) 
 (princ)
); c:STDGENSUP

Above is the code I have, and I've attached the template Im bringing the tab pages from. I appreciate any guidance. 

[paullimapa]

yes, I recall recently learning from another posts here about that limitation with pdfs not coming over.

[fabi_rm94]

Do you know of any way I could bypass this issue somehow? I can try bringing in the pdfs through a lisp that uses pdf-insert, but I would have to create so many more things to bring in everything else and it would be incredibly painful, whereas just inserting the layout page exactly how I want it from an existing template would save everybody lots of time.

[paullimapa]

Here’s Autodesk workaround 

https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/PDF-underlay-in-pa...

[fabi_rm94]

Ok, I think Im getting somewhere now. Do you know of any way to attach all the xrefs from a template into a different file? If I do write that process within the code prior to bringing in the layout, I think this could work 

[paullimapa]

What’s the problem with the this method

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-forum/how-to-insert-a-template/td-p/6963606#

[fabi_rm94]

The xrefs are not copying correctly using this method. The pdf overlays disappear completely.

[paullimapa]

Please clarify “not copying correctly “

[fabi_rm94]

The pdf overlays that are xref in the template do not appear when I bring in the template layout to another drawing. They disappear 

[paullimapa · Accepted solution]

Yes we already covered that as an AutoCAD limitation regarding inserting templates with PDFs inside xrefs and I provided for you a link with Autodesk solutions. So unfortunately there’s no other way to get around this limitation 

[Sea-Haven]

The only other way may be make a text file that has layout name and all the pdf details so the layout is copied from the dwt then the pdf are Attached according to the information in the text file.