CHAPTER 16: More Draw Commands

Polygon 16.1

1. Choose Draw,Polygon

or

2. Click the Polygonicon

or

3. Type Polygon at the command prompt.

Command: POLYGON

4. Type The number of sides for the polygon (3-1024)

Number of sides <default>: number

5. Pick The center of the polygon. Edge/<Center of polygon>:

pick or

6. Type E to define the polygon by two edges.

7. Type I or C to place the polygon inside or outside of an
imaginarycircle. Inscribed in circle/Circumscribed about
circle (I/C):
POLYGON INSCRIBED IN AN POLYGON DRAWN WITH EDGE
IMAGINARY CIRCLE

POLYGON CIRCUMSCRIBED
AROUND AN IMAGINARY CIRCLE

Rectangle 16.2

1. Choose Draw, Rectangle.

or

2. Click the Rectangle icon.

or
3. Type Rectang at the command prompt
Command:RECTANG
Chamfer/Elevation/Fillet/Thickness/Width/
<First corner>:
 4. Pick first corner.

5. Pick other corner or type coordinates (i.e. @4,2).

Spline 16.3

The SPLINE command creates a particular type of spline known as a nonuniform rational B-spline
(NURBS) curve. A NURBS curve produces a smooth curve between control points

1. Choose Draw, Spline. or

2. Click the Spline icon. or

3. Type SPLINE at the command prompt

Command: SPLINE

4. Pick A start point for the spline

Object / <Enter first point>: (pick point)

5. Pick Points until you are done drawing splines

Enter point:(pick points)

6. Press Enter or close to complete the spline

7. Pick Starting tangent point for the spline

Enter start tangent (pick point)

8. Pick Ending tangent point for the spline

Enter end tangent: (pick point)

Spline options:

Object Converts 2D or 3D spline-fit polylines to equivalent

Splines

Points Points that define the spline

Close Closes a spline.

Fit Tolerance Allows you to set a tolerance value that creates a smooth
spline.

TIP: Refer to AutoCAD online help topic for more information on spline options.

Editing Splines 16.4

1. Choose Modify, Object, Spline.

TIP: Drawings containing splines use less memory and disk space
than those containing spline -fit polylines of similar shape.

Covert PLINE to Spline 16.5

1. Draw a PLINE.

2. Type PEDIT to edit the polyline as a spline.

3. Choose Draw, Spline.

 4. Type Object at the command prompt.

5. Click once on the polyline to turn it into a spline.

TIP: Use the LIST command to determine if an object is a PLINE or SPLINE.\

Donut 16.6

Donuts are filled rings or solid-filled circles that actually are closed polylines with width.

1. Choose Draw, Donut.

or
2. Type Donut at the command prompt.
Command: DONUT
3. Type A value for the inside diameter. Inside diameter <last>: .5
4. Type A value for the outside diameter. Outside diameter <last>:
1
5. Pick A point for the center of the donut.
Center of doughnut: (point)
Ellipse 16.7

Creates an ellipse or an elliptical arc.

1. Choose Draw, Ellipse. or

2. Choose the Ellipse or Partial Ellipse icon. or

3. Type ELLIPSE at the command prompt

Command: ELLIPSE
4. Type One of the following options: Arc/Center/Isocircle
/<Axis endpoint 1>:

Ellipse options:

Axis endpoint 1 Defines the first axis by two specified endpoints. The
angle of the first axis determines the angle of the ellipse.
The first axis can define either the major or the minor
axis of the ellipse.
Axis endpoint 2: <Other axis distance> / Rotation: Specify a point or enter
a distance
Arc Creates an elliptical arc. The angle of the first axis
determines the angle of the elliptical arc. The first axis
can define either the major or the minor axis of the
elliptical arc.
Center Creates the ellipse by a specified center point.
Isocircle Creates an isometric circle in the current isometric
drawing plane.
Rotation The major axis is now treated as the diameter of a circle
that will be rotated a specified amount around the axis.
You enter an angle between 0 and 89.4 degrees.
ELLIPSE, ELLIPSE,
Axis , Eccentricity (Axis Endpoint, Axis Endpoint, Axis Endpoint, Axis Endpoint, Rotation=60
Other Axis Distance)

ELLIPSE,
Center, Axis, Axis
Multilines 16.8

MLINE Command

Creates multiple parallel lines.

1. Choose Draw, Multiline.

or
2. Type MLINE at the command prompt.
Command: MLINE

3. Pick A point to start the multiline.

Justification/Scale/STyle/<From point>: pick point

4. Pick A second point to continue the multiline.

<To point>: pick point

5. Pick The next point to continue drawing multilines. Undo/<To
point>: pick point

6. Press ENTER to end the mulitline

Close/Undo/<To point>: press enter

or

7. Type C to close the multiline back to the first point.

Close/Undo/<To point>: c
Multiline Justifications

Top Justification

Bottom Justification

Zero Justification
Multiline Styles 16.9

1. Choose Format, Multiline Style...

or
2. Type MLSTYLE at the command prompt.
Command: MLSTYLE

3. Rename The existing style called STANDARD to your new style.

4. Choose Element Properties to change the appearance of the
multilines.

5. Choose ADD to create the new multiline.

Editing Multilines 16.10

1. Choose Modify, Multiline...

or

2. Type MLEDIT at the command prompt

Command: MLEDIT

3. Choose From one of the mledit options:

Construction Line 16.11

Creates an infinite line.

1. Choose Draw, Construction Line or

2. Choose the XLINE icon. or

3. Type XLINE at the command prompt.

Command: XLINE
Specify a point or
[Hor/Ver/Ang/Bisect/Offset]:
 XLINE Options

HOR Creates a horizontal xline passing through a specified

point. VE R Creates a vertical xline passing throug h
aspecified point ANG. Creates an xline at a specified
angle.
BISECT Creates an xline that passes through the selected angle
vertex and bisects the angle between the first and second
line

OFFSET Creates an xline parallel to another object.

Ray Command 16.12

Creates an infinite line inone direction.

1. Choose Draw,RAY

or

2. Type RAY at the command prompt.

Command: RAY

Specify a point :(pickthroughpoint)

CHAPTER 17: Crosshatching
BHATCH Command 17.1

1. Choose Draw, Hatch...

or

2. Click the Hatch icon.

or

3. Type BHATCH at the command prompt

Command: BHATCH

BHATCHoptions:

Pattern Type Sets the current pattern type by using

AutoCAD's predefined patterns or user defined
patterns.
Pattern Properties Sets the current pattern, scale, angle, and
spacing. Controls if hatch is double spaced or
exploded.
Pick Points Constructs a boundary from existing objects that
form an enclosed area.
Select Objects Selects specific objects for hatching. The
Boundary Hatch dialog box disappears and
AutoCAD prompts for object selection.
Inherit Properties Applies the properties of an existing associative
hatch to the current Pattern Type and Pattern
Properties options.
Preview Hatch Displays the hatching before applying it.
AutoCAD removes the dialog box and hatches
the selected areas.
 Associative Controls associative hatching.

Apply Creates the crosshatching in the boundary.

Advanced Hatch Options 17.2

1. Choose the Advanced... TAB from the BHATCH dialog.

2. Choose one of the following advanced options:

Define Boundary Set

Defines the set of objects AutoCAD analyzes when defining a boundary from a specified pick
point.

Hatchstyle

Specifies the method used to hatch objects within the outermost hatch boundary. If there are
no internal objects selected, specifying a hatching style has no effect.

Boundary Options

Specifies whether or not the temporary boundary objects will be added to the drawing.
Gradient Hatch 17.3

1. Choose the Advanced... TAB from the BHATCH dialog.

2. Choose one of the following advanced options:

HATCHEDIT 17.4

1. Choose Modify, Hatch...

or

2. Click the Hatch Edit icon from the

Modify II toolbar.

or

3. Type HATCHEDIT at the command prompt.

Command: HATCHEDIT

4. Choose One of the BHATCH options to modify.

5. Pick The OK button.

Inherit Hatch 17.5

1. Choose Draw, Hatch...

or

2. Click the Hatch icon.

or

3. Type BHATCH at the command prompt

Command: BHATCH

4. Choose Inherit Properties.

5. Pick the cross hatch of an existing associative hatch to

make the current Pattern Type and Pattern
Properties options. Preview Hatch Displays the
hatching before applying it.
 CHAPTER 18: Regions and Boundaries

Boundary Command 18.1

Defines the object type,boundaryset, and island detectionmethod for defining boundaries from
points youspecify.

1. Choose Draw, Boundary

or
2. Type BOUNDARY at the command prompt.
Command: BOUNDARY

Boundary created

Pick
internal
point
Region Command 18.2

Regions are two-dimensional areas you create from closed shapes or loops. Closed polylines, lines,
and curves are valid selections. Curves include circular arcs, circles, elliptical arcs, ellipses, and
splines.

1. Choose Draw, Region

2. Type REGION at the command prompt.
Command: REGION

Select objects: (pick boundary)

Select objects:1 found

1 loop extracted.

1 Region created.

Object created as aregion

Mass Properties 18.3

Calculates the mass properties of regions o rsolids.

1. Choose Tools, Inquiry, Region/Mass Properties

2. Type MASSPROP at the command prompt.

Command: MASSPROP

Select objects: (pick region)

 ---------------- REGIONS ----------------

Area: 11.1328
Perimeter: 16.3734
Bounding box: X: 3.1508 -- 7.1352
Y: 2.8950 -- 6.8942 Centroid:
X: 5.1508
Y: 4.8946
Moments of inertia: X: 276.6983
Y: 305.3510
Product of inertia: XY: 280.6701
Radii of gyration: X: 4.9854
Y: 5.2372

Principal moments and X-Y directions about centroid:

I: 9.9891 along [1.0000 0.0000] J: 9.9891 along
[0.0000 1.0000]

Write analysis to a file? [Yes/No] <N>:

CHAPTER 19: Blocks and Attributes

Creating Local Blocks (BMAKE) 19.1

1. Choose Draw,Block,Make.

or

2. Click the Make Block icon.

or
3. Type BMAKE at the command prompt.
Command: BMAKE or BLOCK

4. Type the name of the block.

5. Pick an insertion point.

6. Select objects to be included in the block definition.

7. Click OK.

Insertionpoint
.
Inserting Blocks 19.2

1. Choose Insert, InsertBlock or

2. Click the Insert icon from the INSERT toolbar.

3. Type INSERT at the command prompt.

Command: INSERT

4. Choose the name to insert a localblock and Browse...to

insert a Wblock.

5. Choose the insertion point, scale, and rotation of the

block.
Typing Insert (-INSERT)

1. Type - INSERT at the command prompt.

Command: -INSERT

2. Type Block name to insert.

Insert block name or (?) type name

3. Pick An insertion point. Insertion point: pick

point

4. Press ENTER to keep the same x scale factor

as the original block. X scale factor
<1>Corner / XYZ:

5. Press ENTER to keep the same x scale factor as

the original block.

Y scale factor (default=X):

6. Press ENTER to keep a

rotation
angle of zero. Rotation angle <0>:

or

7. Pick A rotation angle.

Control the Color and Line type of Blocks 19.3

The objects in an inserted block can retain their original properties, can inherit properties from the
layer on which they are inserted, or can inherit the properties set as current in the drawing.
You have three choices for how the color, line type, and line weight properties of objects are treated when
a block reference is inserted.

- Objects in the block do not inherit color, line type, and line weight properties from
the current settings. The properties of objects in the block do not change regardless
of the current settings.

- For this choice, it is recommended that you set the color line type, and line
weight properties individually for each object in the block definition: do not use
BYBLOCK or BYLAYER color,
Line type, and line weight settings when creating these objects.
 - Objects in the block inherit color, line type, and line weight properties from the
color, line type, and line weight assigned to the current layer only.
- For this choice, before you create objects to be included in the block definition, set
the current layer to 0, and set the current color, linetype, and lineweight to
BYLAYER.
- Objects inherit color, linetype, and lineweight properties from thecurrent color,
linetype, and lineweight that you have set explicitly, that is, that you have set to
override the color, linetype, or lineweight assigned to the current layer. If you
have not explicitly set them, then these properties are inherited from the color,
linetype, and lineweight assigned to the current layer.
- For this choice, before you create objects to be included in the block definition, set
the current color or linetype to BYBLOCK.

Wblock Command 19.4

Writes objects to a new drawing file.

1. Type WBLOCKat the command prompt

Command: WBLOCK

2. Type A drawing name (and location).

3. Type A block name if a local block already exists. Block
name: name or

4. Press ENTER to create a block.

5. Pick An insertion point on the object

Insertion base point: pick a point

6. Pick Objects to create the block.

Select objects: pick objects

7. Press ENTER to end the selection set.

Purge 19.5

1. Choose File, Drawing Utilities, Purge. or

2. Type PURGE atthe command prompt

3. Command: PURGE

4. Choose One of the following purge options:

Purge unused Blocks/Dimstyles/LAyers/

LTypes/ SHapes/STyles/Mlinestyles/All:
Defining Attributes 19.6

1. Choose Draw, Block, Define Attributes...

or

2. Type ATTDEF at the command prompt. Command:

ATTDEF

3. Choose TAG to specify each attribute occurrence in the

drawing.
4. Choose Prompt to fill in the prompt that the user sees
when placing the attribute.

5. Choose Value to fill in a default value.

6. Pick An insertion points for each attribute

7. Create A block which includes the new attributes.

Toggle the following mode settings to on or off. Invisible Does

not display, but allows extraction.

Constant All occurrences of this Attribute have the same value.

Verify Issues extra prompts to verify a proper value.

Preset Does not prompt for this Attribute during Block insertion.
Editing Attributes 19.7

1. Choose Modify, Object, Attribute, Single...

or

2. Click the Edit Attribute icon from the Modify II Toolbar.

or
3. Type ATTEDIT at the command prompt

Command: ATTEDIT

4. Pick The block to edit

Select block: pick

Block Attribute Manager 19.8

1. Open a drawing with attributes.

2. Type BATTMAN at the command prompt.
Command: BATTMAN

or

3. Choose Modify, Object, Attribute, Block Attribute Manager

or
 4. Click the Block Attribute Manager icon from the Modify II
Toolbar

Synchronize Attributes 19.9

Updates all instances of a specified block with the current attributes defined for the block

1. Open a drawing with attributes.

2. Type ATTSYNC at the command prompt.
Command: ATTSYNC

3. Click the Block Attribute Manager icon from the

Modify II toolbar.

4. Press Enter an option [?/Name/Select] <Select>:

enter and select a block with attributes.

5. Press ATTSYNC block computer? [Yes/No]<Yes>:

enter to synchronize. ATTSYNC complete.
Enhanced Attribute Extract 19.10

The Editor enables you to edit the attributes in an individual block as opposed to the Block
Manager which is used to Block Definitions.

1. Open a drawing with block attributes.

2. Choose Tools, Attribute Extraction...

or

3. Click the Attribute Extract icon from the Modify II toolbar.

4. Choose the Current Drawing radio button and Next.

5. Click Next to choose Xrefs and nested blocks from the Settings window.

6. Click Next to not choose an existing template.

7. Choose the Blocks and Attributes to extract and Next.

8. Choose the View output.

9. Click Next.
 10. Save the file phone.xls

11. Open the template in Excel.

Design Center Overview 20.1

The AutoCAD
DesignCenter
finds and
tranfers
blocks, text
 styles, layers, dimensionstyles, etc from drawings, WEB

1. Choose Tools,AutoCADDesignCenter.

or

2. Press CTL+2 on the keyboard.

or
3. Type ADCENTER at the command prompt.
Command: adcenter

Design Center Blocks 20.2

1. Choose Blocks from one of the Design Center

menus.
 2. Drag and drop a block from the Design Center
into a drawing.

TIP: Blocks with attributes will be prompted as they are inserted into the drawing

Hatching from the Design Center 20.3

1. Choose acrosshatchpatternfromthe following

AutoCAD directory \AutoCADxxxx\Support\acad.pat or
\AutoCADxxxx\Backup

2. Drag and drop a pattern into a drawing.

TIP: Be sure the HPSCALE is set before dropping a hatch pattern into a drawing.
 20.4 Tool Palettes

1. Choose Tool, ToolPalettes Window

2. Choose Palettes icon from the Standard Toolbar

CHAPTER 21: Point, Divide, Measure

Point Styles 21.1
Changes the appearance of points and point sizes.

1. Choose Format, Point Style... or

2. Type DDPTYPE at the command prompt.

Command: DDPTYPE
Point Command 21.2

1. Choose Draw, Point, Single or Multiple Point.

or

2. Click the Point icon.

or

3. Type POINT at the command prompt.

Command: POINT

4. Pick A point on the drawing.

Point (point)
Divide 21.3
1. Choose Draw, Point, Divide.

or

2. Type DIVIDE at the command prompt

Command: DIVIDE

3. Pick Object to divide

Select object to divide: (pick one object)
You can select a single Line, Arc, Circle,
or polyline. If you enter a segment
count between 2 and 32,767, Point
entities will be placed along the object
to divide it into that number of equal
segments.

4. Type The number of equal segments to divide the

object into<Number of segments>/Block:
(number)
 Objects divided using points

or

5. Type B to specify a block instead of a point to insert.

6. Type The name of the block to insert

Block name to insert: (name)

7. Type Yes or No to align the block with an object Align

block with object? Y or N Number of segments:

8. Type The number of equal segments to divide the

object into<Number of segments>/Block:
(number)

TIP: The Block must currently be defined within the drawing. If you answer yes to the Align block? prompt, the
Block will be rotated round its insertion point so that it is drawn tan- gent to the object being divided.
 Objects divided using block symbols

Measure 21.4
1. Choose Draw, Point, Measure.

or

2. Type MEASURE at the command prompt.

Command: MEASURE

3. Pick Object to measure: Select object to measure:

(pick one object)

4. Type The length of each segment along the object.

<Length of segment>/Block:(number)

or

5. Type B to specify a block instead of a point to insert.

 Points placed along measured distance (remaining length is on the right
side of the line)

CHAPTER 22: Grips

Grips Overview 22.1

Entity Grips

Entity grips allow AutoCAD drawings to be edited in an entirely new way. Without entering any edit
commands, you can stretch, move, copy, rotate, scale, and mirror entities. You can also snap to
geometric features such as endpoints, midpoints, centers, quadrants without entering object snaps.

Grips are the small squares that appear when objects are selected with the crosshairs directly from the
command prompt.
Unselected Grip

An unselected grip is one that has not yet been picked with the cursor, but is an item in the
current selection set (it is highlighted).Pick an object to see grips.

Selected Grip

A selected grip is the grip box that you select with the cursor to define the base point to
edit from. It has a solid filled color and is the grip location that editing is done from.

The red grip at the line endpoint is the selected grip

Cancelling Grips

1. Press ESC to clear GRIPS.

TIP: If grips are visible on an object, pressing the DEL key or ERASE will delete the selected
object.

How To Use Grips 22.2

1. Pick The objects you want to edit.

2. Pick One of the grips to use as the base grip.

3. Press the SPACE BAR, or RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON too

cycle through the grip modes.

Or

4. Type The keyword for the mode you want: Stretch(ST)

Stretch the objects. Move (MO) Move the
objects. Rotate (RO) Rotate the objects. Scale
(SC) Scale the objects. Mirror (MI) Mirror the
objects.
5. Drag The mouse to perform the operation.

6. Type C to create a new copy of the selection set enter

C.

7. Type X to exit Grip mode.

 Copy Multiple with Grips 22.3

If you use the COPYoption with any one of the edit commands, a temporary auxiliary snap grid is
created. To invoke the grid, hold the SHIFT keyafter specifying the location of the first copy.
AutoCAD then uses the X and Yoffsets from the originalentity to define the snap,grid,and rotation
of the remaining entities.

Holding the SHIFT Ke y

while in Copy Mode wil l
create a copied array o f
objects

Grips Settings (DDGRIPS Command) 22.4

1. Choose Tools, Options...

or
2. Type DDGRIPS at the command prompt.

Command: DDGRIPS

3. Choose the Selection tab from the dialog box.

4. Choose the Grip setting to change.

Enable Grips

Enables the display of grips. AutoCAD stores this setting in the GRIPS system variable.

Enable Grips Within Blocks

Enables the display of grips on objects within blocks. If you disable this setting (but have Enable Grips
selected), blocks are assigned one grip at their insertion point. Disable this setting to work on blocks
with many objects. AutoCAD stores this setting in the GRIPBLOCK system variable.

Unselected

Sets the color of unselected (unfilled) grips. Choosing this button displays the Select C olor
dialog box, in which you set the grip color. AutoCAD stores the color in the GRIPCOLOR system
variable.

Selected
Sets the color of selected (filled) grips. Choosing this button displays the Select Color
dialog, in which you set the grip color. AutoCAD stores the color in the GRIPHOT system
variable.

Grip Size
Changes the size of grips. To adjust the size of grips, move the slider box left or right.
AutoCAD stores the pixel size (1-255) of the grips in the GRIPSIZE system variable. Changes
the size of grips. To adjust the size of grips, move the slider box left or right. AutoCAD stores
the pixel size (1-255) of the grips in the GRIP SIZE system variable.
CHAPTER 23: Commands
Selection Modes 23.1
1. Choose Tools, Options...

2. Choose the Selection TAB from the following dialog.

3. Change the settings as desired.

Noun/Verb Selection

Allows you to select an object before starting a command. The command affects the
previously selected object or objects. You can also set this option by using the PICKFIRST
system variable.

Use Shift to Add to Selection

Adds or removes an object to the selection set when you press SHIFT and select an object.

Press and Drag

Draws a selection window by selecting a point and dragging the pointing device to a second point.

Implied Windowing

Initiates the drawing of a selection window when you select a point outside an object.
Object Grouping

Selects all objects in a group when you select one object in that group. With GROUP you can
create and name a set of objects for selection.

Associative Hatch

Determines which objects are selected when you select an associative hatch. If this option is
selected, boundary objects are also selected when you select an associative hatch.

Groups 23.2

1. Type GROUP at the command prompt.

Command: GROUP

2. Type a name for a newgroup.

3. Choose the New button under Create Group.

4. Pick objects to be included in the group.

5. Press ENTER when done choosing objects.

6. Pick OK.

Object Selection Cycling 23.3

It is difficult to select objects that are close together or lie directly on top of one
another. The following example shows two lines and a circle that all lie within the
selection pickbox

1. Press the CTRL key before choosing objects at the

Select Objects prompt.

2. Pick repeatedly in the area where multiple

objects are located. AutoCAD will cycle
through all objects that were touching the
pick box.

3. Press ENTER when the desired object highlights.

4. Press ENTER again.

Objects touching pickbox First object selected highlights

Second object selected

Double-Click Edit 23.4

1. Double-Click an object to edit.

Draw Order 23.5

1. Choose Tools, Display Order.

or

2. Click the Draw order Icon from the Modify II

Toolbar.

or

3. Type DRAWORDER at the command prompt.

Command: DRAWORDER

Select objects: pick an object.

Object Filters 23.6

1. Type FILTER at the Command prompt.

2. Select Line in the Object Selection Filters dialog box

under Select Filter.

3. Choose Add to List.

4. Choose Apply.
5. Type ALL at the Select Objects prompt or select a
window.
Command:
FILTER Applying filter to selection.
Select objects: all
6 found, 3 were filtered out.
Quick Select 23.7

1. Type QSELECT at the command prompt.

Command: QSELECT

2. Enter the selection criteria (i.e. TEXT HEIGHT < .5)

3. Choose OK.

TIP: AutoCAD puts those object(s) into a selection set. Use the “P” previous
 option to select these objects.

Layer Filters 23.8

1. Choose the layer dialog box.

2. Choose the three dots(...)to invoke the filter dialog

for layers.

3. Choose the type of filter you would like to use (e.g.

layer name= 1st*)
Point Filters 23.9

AutoCAD point filters allow the user to specify one coordinate, such as the X, with one pick and a
second coordinate, such as the Y, with another pick. The point filters are .X, .Y, .XY,.XZ and .YZ. Only .X
and .Y are used for two dimensional drawings.

1. Type A command that asks for a point.

Command: CIRCLE

2. Type .X when AutoCAD asks for a point.

3P/2P/TTR/<center point>: .X

3. Pick The point to filter (HINT: use osnaps)

of MID of point on x axis

4. Pick The next point to filter (needYZ)

MID of point on y axis

5. Pick A diameter or radius

 Diameter/<radius>: Pick or type a diameter

X point filter

Y pointfilte r

Circle center is
placed at the
intersection
of the filters

CHAPTER 24: External References

External Reference Files Overview

Attaches, overlays, lists, binds, detaches, reloads, unloads, renames, and modifies paths to
external references (xrefs) in the current (or host) drawing.

1. Choose Insert, External Reference...

or

2. Click the XREF Iconfrom the

Reference Toolbar.

or

3. Type XREF at the command Prompt.

Command: XREF
The following are Xref characteristics:

- An external reference file is known as an “Xref”.

- Current drawing contains only a “pointer”, the path and filename, to the Xref.

- The current drawing does not increase much in size when it contains an Xref. -The
Xref is reloaded each time the current drawing is loaded, thus always showing the latest
revision of the Xref.
- Xrefs import their linetypes, layers, text styles, dimstyles, views, ucs’s, vports, and
blocks into their current drawing.

- -Each Xref named object is p refixed with the xref drawing name and a pipe “|” symbol.
(i.e. HOUSE|A-WALL for drawing house.dwg and layer a-wall)

- Xdep stands for external reference dependent objects.

- Xref’s layers can be turned on/off in the current drawing.

- Layer zero(0) resides on layer zero(0) of the current drawing.

- Xrefs can be bound to the current drawing,in whichcase they become blocks. -Xref layers
cannot be made current the the drawing they are xreferenced into.

- Xrefs can be snapped to.

- -Xref entities cannot be individually modified in the current drawing.

- -Xrefs can be plotted.

- -Xrefs can be detatched from the current drawing and will disappear.

- -The current drawing pointer, file and pathname can be changed.

- -Xrefs can be re-loaded during the current drawing session.

- -Xrefs can be nested.

- -Xrefs can be clipped to show parts of the reference files.

Attaching Xrefs 24.1

Attaches, overlays, lists, binds, detaches, reloads, unloads, renames, and modifies paths to external
references (xrefs) in the current (or host) drawing.

1. Choose Insert, External Reference

or

2. Type XATTACH at the command prompt.

or

3. Click the Xref Attach Icon from the Reference

Toolbar.

4. Choose a drawing name to attach.

5. Specify the insertion parameters.

Xref Layers 24.2

Layer Dialog Box

- Each Xref named object is prefixed with the xref drawing name and a pipe
“|” symbol. (i.e. HOUSE|A-WALL for drawing house.dwg and layer a-wall)

- -Xdep stands for external reference dependent objects.

- -Xref’s layers can be turned on/off in the current drawing.

- -Layer zero(0) resides on layer zero(0)of the current drawing.

- -Xref layers cannot be made current the the drawing they are xreferenced into.
Xclip 24.3

Defines an xref or block clipping boundary and sets the front or back clipping planes.

1. Choose Modify, Clip, XRef

or

2. Click the Xclip Icon from the Reference Toolbar.

or
3. Type XCLIP at the command prompt.
Command: XCLIP Select objects: Other
corner: 1 found Select objects: pick
reference file

ON/OFF/Clip depth/Delete/generate
Polyline/ <New boundary>:
Specify clipping boundary:

Select polyline/Polygonal/<Rectangular>:
First corner: Other corner: pick corners

Defining a Clipping Boundary

Xclipframe 24.4

Controls visibility of xref clipping boundaries.

1. Choose Modify, Object,ExternalReference.

or

2. Type XCLIPFRAME at the command prompt.

Command: XCLIPFRAME

0 Clipping boundaryis notvisible

1 Clipping boundaryis visible

Turning xclip frame on/off

Binding an Xref 24.5

Converts Xreference files to block definitions in the current drawing.

Associ- ated objects change names (i.e. the layer called HOUSE|A- WALL becomes
HOUSE$0$A-WALL). Binding looses the connection to the referenced file. Xrefs can
also be inserted like Wblocks.

To Bind an Xref:

1. Choose Insert,Xref Manager

2. Choose an xref name.

3. Choose the Bind option.

4. Choose Bind or Insert.

5. Choose OK.
Xbind 24.6

The XBIND command is used to bind layers, blocks, linetypes, styles, and dimstyles of an attached
xref without binding the entire xref.

1. Choose Modify, Object, External

Reference, Bind...

or

2. Click the Xbind Icon from the Reference

Toolbar.

3. Type XBIND at the command prompt.

Command: XBIND
Block / Dimstyle / LAyer / LType / Style:

Editing Xrefs (Xref Manager) 24.7

Detaching Xrefs

Detaches one or more xrefs from your drawing, erasing all instances of a specified xref
and marking the xref definition for deletion from the symbol table.

1. Choose a drawing name to detach from the Xref Dialog.

2. Choose the Detach option.

Unload an Xref

Unloads one or more xrefs. Unloaded xrefs can be easily reloaded. Unlike detach,
unloading does not remove the xref permanently. It merely sup- presses the display and
regeneration of the xref definition, to help current session editing and improvement of
performance.

1. Choose a drawing name to unload from the Xref Dialog.

2. Choose the Unload option.

Reload an Xref

Marks one or more xrefs for reloading. This option re-reads and displays the most
recently saved version of the drawing.

1. Choose a drawing name to reload from the Xref dialog.

2. Choose the Reload option.

Opening Xrefs to Edit

1. Choose Modify, Xref and Block Editing, Open Reference.

or
 2. Choose Modify, Xref and Block Editing, Edit Xreference in
Place.

3. Edit the objects as desired.

Overlay an Xref 24.8

Overlays are typically used when you need to view another drawing’s geometry temporarily, but
don’t plan to plot using that data. In the following illustration, several people are working on
drawings referenced by master.dwg. The person working on a.dwg needs to see the work being
completed by the person working on b.dwg, but does not want to xref b.dwg because it would
then appear twice in master.dwg. Instead, the person overlays b.dwg, which is not included when
a.dwg is referenced by master.dwg.

1. Choose the Attach option from the Xref Dialog.

or

2. Click the Xref Attach Icon from the Reference

Toolbar.

3. Choose a drawing name to attach.

4. Choose Overlay in the Attach Xref dialog box under

Reference Type.
5. Specify the insertion parameters.
CHAPTER 25: Raster Images
Inserting Images 25.1

1. Choose Insert, Raster Image...

2. Choose a raster image file to insert.

3. Specify a location to insert the image.

or
4. Type IMAGEATTACH at the command prompt.
Command: IMAGEATTACH

or

5. Click the Image icon from the Reference Toolbar

Image Appearance25.2

Adjusting Image Appearance

1. Choose Modify, Object, Image, Adjust...

2. Choose a raster image file edit.

3. Choose options from the dialog box to adjust.

Image Transparency

1. Choose Modify, Object, Image, Transparency.

2. Choose a raster image file edit.

3. Type ON or OFF to turn an image’s transparency

on or off.

Erasing Images

1. Click once on the image to remove.

2. Choose Edit, Cut.

Image quality

1. Type IMAGEQUALITY at the command prompt.

Command: imagequality

Enter image quality setting [High/Draft] <High>:

Clipping Images 25.3

1. Choose Modify, Clip, Image