2012

Table Of Contents
layer named STEEL in a referenced drawing called stair.dwg is listed as
STAIR|STEEL.
When you attach an xref, the definitions of its dependent named objects are
not added to your drawing permanently. Instead, these definitions are loaded
from the referenced drawing file each time you reload it.
Bind Xref-Dependent Definitions
An xref-dependent named object's definition can change if the referenced
drawing file is modified. For example, a layer name from a referenced drawing
can change if the referenced drawing is modified. The layer name can even
disappear if it is purged from the referenced drawing. This is why the program
does not allow you to use an xref-dependent layer or other named object
directly. For example, you cannot insert an xref-dependent block or make an
xref-dependent layer the current layer and begin creating new objects on it.
To avoid the restrictions on xref-dependent named objects, you can bind them
to your current drawing. Binding makes the xref-dependent named objects
that you select become a permanent part of your current drawing.
When xref-dependent named objects are merged into a drawing through
binding, you can use them the same way you use the drawing's own named
objects. After you bind an xref-dependent named object, the vertical bar
character ( | ) is removed from the name and replaced with two dollar signs
($$) separated by a number (usually zero): for example, the referenced layer,
STAIR|STEEL, becomes STAIR$0$STEEL. You can then use the RENAME
command to change STAIR$0$STEEL to STEEL.
If you specify a layer whose associated linetype is not CONTINUOUS, the
referenced linetype is also bound. If you apply XBIND to a block, all named
objects that are referenced by the objects in the block are also bound. If the
block contains a reference to an xref, that xref and all of its dependent
definitions are bound.
Track External Reference Operations (Log File)
You can maintain a record of actions while attaching, detaching, and reloading
xrefs, and while loading a drawing containing xrefs.
This log is maintained only if the XREFCTL system variable is set to 1. The
default setting is 0.
The log file is an ordinary ASCII text file with the same name as the current
drawing and the file extension .xlg. If you load a drawing with the file name
Reference Other Drawing Files | 735