Visretain - Whats it all about?

[Jabba]

Im using AUtoCAD 2005 LT and have just begun using xrefs. What I cant seem to grasp is the VISRETAIN variable and how its used and what advantage you have in using it?

My work now involves a lot of xref usage so any help would be very grateful - explaination in "Janet & John" type language please!

[Dommy2Hotty]

Let's call the drawing you're x-ref'ing 'Baseplan'. Let's call the drawing you're bringing the xref into 'A-1'. A-1 is the drawing that is opened.

Baseplan.dwg contains a layer called 'Walls' that has a continuous linetype and color 2.

A-1 has visretain set to "0" (off).

You change the layer 'Baseplan|Walls' to have a hidden linetype and color 8, save the drawing and reopen A-1.dwg

The walls are back to continuous and color 2.

Now you set visretain to "1" (on) and make the same changes, save and reopen A-1.dwg. Now the Walls layer stays the way you set it in A-1.dwg. However, no changes are being made to Baseplan.dwg.

Now, let's say you need all the original layer colors and linetypes back the way they are in Baseplan.dwg. Simply turn visretain off, save, reopen and viola! Back to the way the layers are in Baseplan.dwg.

[Jabba]

Brilliant! Simple when you know how huh!

[BITDRAUGHTY]

It also helps if you set up layer states for each drawing so that should you detach any xrefs you can hit one button (maybe 2) and all of your layer settings go back to how they were(on -off etc).set up one for each of you drawings and export them to an external file.

[StykFacE]

Layer States are my best friend when it comes to XREF's