Xref Help!

I received a subdivision plat from a developer that has lot lines, easements and road center lines. Usually, when I receive these files, all those layers are on individual layers and I can clean them up and insert them into ArcMap. However, this time, all those layers are part of an XREF. What I need to find out how to do is be able to edit those layers in the XREF individually because I send the layers over to ArcMap individually. How do I do this? I know I cannot simply explode the XREF and work with those layers individually. My XREF knowledge is pretty limited...

Thanks!

sounds like refedit is what you're looking for

?

will that allow me to individually edit all the layers in that xref and individually insert them into my ArcMap map?

not real sure I understand exactly what you are trying to do, refedit allows you to edit an xref without leaving the drawing it's in. You can also "bind" it whereas it then becomes a block and then write it out into a dwg by itself and edit..... how do you "insert layers" ?

skinning a cat

Usually, when I receive these files, all those layers are on individual layers and I can clean them up and insert them into ArcMap. However, this time, all those layers are part of an XREF.

An xref is just an ordinary drawing file that someone has pulled in as an external reference... this means that you must have the original file somewhere which can be edited in just the way that you used to (unless you are saying that this new xref has no individual layers... in which case you're stuck), or edited as Dumfatnhappy (love that name ) says using refedit in the drawing you're in.

In some instances, there may be 3 or 4 different layers that make up the lot lines or easements in a subdivison plat. What I will do is combine all of those in a layer named 'PARCEL'. When I am in ArcMap, when I do a CAD import, I have to run a query as to which layer I want to bring over from the CAD drawing. It is easier to have all the layers for the lot lines combined into one when I run that query. I do the same for the easements and road center lines.

That is what I mean by importing layers. I try to combine all the layers into the 3 layers I need for my ArcMap map, then I import each one into ArcMap and I am good to go. But the key for me is to be able to edit the individual layers so that I can import them into ArcMap

you sure it's not just a block in the dwg? (typ xref and see if it comes up in the list) like hedghog said if it is an xref you have a path to that dwg somewhere, if not...then it is a bllock and refedit will edit it as well. I'm not a dirt merchant by any means but have been known to play one one occasion, personally I'd probably nuke it, freexe all but the layers I want and then put all entities on the one. Not sure why you want to keep the "xref" intact. ?

If it is an xref, you should be able to see the path to it in the Xref Manager _externalreferences or _XREF, you will need to Bind or Insert it into your drawing. If it as been Inserted it is now a block. You can explode the block and it will revert to individual entities on to their layers.

It is an xref...and it appears the whole drawing is an xref. I see the path for the xref but the drawing was sent with the xref attached to it....I don't have the original drawing used as the xref.

In the xref dialog box I right clicked on the xref and picked bind and that didn't work. Do I need to have the original drawing used as the xref?

What happens when you double-click it? If the file was not sent with it, it must already be a Bind or Insert.

Can you post it on here?

so you are saying it shows "path not found" in the xref manager? and the whole drawing being an xref is confusing me. Can you nuke (explode) the "xref" ? perhaps post the drawing here?

The path for the xref is not on my local machine. Under the details section of the xref manager, next to TYPE is says ATTACH. What I mean about the whole drawing appearing to be an xref, when I click on any line in the drawing, all the lines become selected.

How do I post the drawing on here?

go to advanced and scroll down, you'll see a browser button, etc. ok can you explode it? (type explode). if you can than it is a block, can't nuke xref's until you bind them.

I cannot explode the xref. When I went to try to bind it earlier, it didn't work either.

see if you can post it, this is puzzling

attached is the drawing

8498FP1BS2E.dwg

"drawing file not valid" did you save it as 2007? I'm using 2006

if it still listed as an xref and you can see the linework you must have the xref drawing in your files. ..... if you didn't have the xref drawing it would be listed as not found. Check and see where it is, open that dwg and isolate the layers you want, move them to a common layer then export to arcmap.

Make sure that the base xref and the drawing where it is attached have a common coordinate base, ie that the base xref is attached at 0,0.

it will xref automatically (by default) if it resides in the same directory as your drawing, if it lives anywhere else you'll have to tell it where to find it (define the path in xref manager)

It is an xref, you should be able to Bind it. What does it say in "Found At"?