2004
Table Of Contents
- Contents
- Chapter 1 - Find the Information You Need
- Part 1 - The User Interface
- Part 2 - Start, Organize, and Save a Drawing
- Part 3 - Control the Drawing Views
- Part 4 - Create and Modify Objects
- Chapter 14 - Control the Properties of Objects
- Chapter 15 - Use Precision Tools
- Chapter 16 - Draw Geometric Objects
- Chapter 17 - Change Existing Objects
- Part 5 - Hatches, Notes, and Dimensions
- Chapter 18 - Hatches, Fills, and Wipeouts
- Chapter 19 - Notes and Labels
- Chapter 20 - Dimensions and Tolerances
- Part 6 - Create Layouts and Plot Drawings
- Chapter 21 - Create Layouts
- Chapter 22 - Plot Drawings
- Part 7 - Share Data Between Drawings and Applications
- Chapter 23 - Reference Other Drawing Files (Xrefs)
- Chapter 24 - Link and Embed Data (OLE)
- Chapter 25 - Work with Data in Other Formats
- Chapter 26 - Access External Databases
- Overview of Using AutoCAD with External Databases
- Access a Database from Within AutoCAD
- Link Database Records to Graphical Objects
- Use Labels to Display Database Information in the Drawing
- Use Queries to Filter Database Information
- Share Link and Label Templates and Queries with Other Users
- Work with Links in Files from Earlier Releases
- Part 8 - Work with Other People and Organizations
- Chapter 27 - Protect and Sign Drawings
- Chapter 28 - Use the Internet to Share Drawings
- Chapter 29 - Insert and View Markups
- Chapter 30 - Publish Drawing Sets
- Part 9 - Create Realistic Images and Graphics
- Glossary
- Index
Edit External References and Blocks in Place | 679
Edit Xrefs and Blocks Within Context
By editing a reference in place, you can modify the reference within the
visual context of your current drawing.
Edit Selected Objects in Xrefs and Blocks
You can modify external references and redefine block definitions from
within the current drawing by using in-place reference editing. Both blocks
and xrefs are considered references.
By editing the reference in place, you can modify the reference within the
visual context of your current drawing.
Often, a drawing contains one or more xrefs as well as multiple block refer-
ences. When working with block references, you can select a block, modify
it, and update the block definition. You cannot edit a block reference that is
inserted using
MINSERT.
When working with xrefs, you can select the reference you want to work
with, modify its objects, and save back the changes to the reference drawing.
You can make minor changes without having to go back and forth between
drawings.
Note If you plan to make major changes to a reference, open the reference
drawing and edit directly within the file. Using in-place reference editing to
make major changes can increase the size of your current drawing file signifi-
cantly during the in-place reference editing session.
Understand the Working Set
Only the objects that are a part of the selected reference are available for
selection in the drawing area. AutoCAD temporarily extracts the objects you
choose from the selected reference and makes them available for modifica-
tion in the current drawing. The set of extracted objects, or the working set,
can be modified and then saved back to update the xref or block definition.
Objects that make up the working set are visually distinct from other objects
in the drawing. All objects in the current drawing, except objects in the work-
ing set, are faded.
Control the Fading of Objects
The
XFADECTL system variable controls how objects are displayed while a
reference is edited in place. The set of objects extracted from the reference are
displayed normally. All other objects in the drawing, including objects in the
current drawing and in any references not belonging to the working set, are
faded. The value indicates the intensity of display for objects not in the work-
ing set. The larger the value is for
XFADECTL, the more the objects are faded.