Auto Cad 2011 XREF's

Hi I am using Auto Cad 2011 and I always use the option to 'attach' xrefs. what is the difference between attaching and an overlay? Does one use less memory than the other? When would be the best time to use an overlay?

Also when my new version was installed when I bring in an xref the layers show light (I really like this) another girl in our office has the same version but her layers are still saturated. how does she change it to show ghosted layers in the xref?

And one more thing...is there a way to not have the long list of xref layers when I bring them into a drawing?

I am teaching a xref class with the girls in my office and just want some good pointers and clarification on these items.

Thanks for your help:)

Hi I am using Auto Cad 2011 and I always use the option to 'attach' xrefs. what is the difference between attaching and an overlay? Does one use less memory than the other? When would be the best time to use an overlay?

If drawing E01 has A01 xrefed in as an attachment, and A01 has C01 xrefed in as an attachment then in E01 you will see A01 and C01. If those files are overlayed then E01 would only show A01. There is no difference in memory usage.

In that example it doesn't matter if E01 xrefs in A01, but only how C01 is xrefed into A01.

Also when my new version was installed when I bring in an xref the layers show

light (I really like this) another girl in our office has the same version but

her layers are still saturated. how does she change it to show ghosted layers

in the xref?

At the command line use XDWGFADECTL, or in Options you will find a slider to adjust this.

And one more thing...is there a way to not have the long list of xref layers

when I bring them into a drawing?

No. But you can use layer filters, name it no-xref-layers (or whatever) and filter out with ~*|*

Just a note to attaching or overlaying xrefs.

If you want people to like you, overlay the xrefs, it produces less problems then if you attach the xrefs.

Hi

I tried changing VISRETAIN value from 1 to 0 and it worked