Copies linked, so modifying one modifies all?

[fostertom]

Following http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?t=33732 I'm trying Xrefs instead of Blocks. I posted here about a problem, now solved, so deleted - but will be back!

[fostertom]

The problem has returned - so have taken it back to http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?t=33732

[fostertom]

Following problems described in http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?t=33732 , and to try out dipali's ond others' advice above, I have rebuilt my error-ridden .dwg into fresh file(s), copying across only lines and hatches, no Xrefs, Blocks, Layouts or Viewports.

 

3 versions made, identical on-screen appearance, but

1) using Xrefs

2) using big Blocks

3) using neither, just lines and hatches.

 

Very interesting results, I'd like to share.

 

To recap, 5 elevational directions, N S E W and SW; and 4 floor plans. All 1:50 elevations (and sections parallel to same) in horizontal row(s), so I can project horizontally between them. All 4 plans each copied 5 times, so 5 sets each rotated to suit the 5 elevational directions and stacked so I can project vertically between them and to/from the elevations/sections.

 

Xrefs or Blocks used only on the plans - elevations/sections simply drawn in modelspace.

 

1) using Xrefs, each of 4 plans drawn in a separate .dwg, each attached 5 times with different rotation - 338kB, plus the separate .dwgs 19, 104, 46, 71, 30kB.

 

2) using big Blocks, all 4 plans drawn in modelspace, converted into 4 Blocks, each copied to 5 instances with different rotation - 533kB.

 

3) using neither, all 4 plans drawn in modelspace and simply copied to 5 instances of each with different rotation - 1148kB!

 

Then adding 10 A1 layouts to each of files 1) and 2), nos 1-9 with single big VP scaled to 1:50, no 10 with 9 small detail VPs scaled to 1:5. The Xref file 1) became 494kB, the Blocks file 2) became 701kB.

 

So file size 1) with Xrefs isn't greatly better than 2) with Blocks, and any advantage will decrease as more gets drawn straight in modelspace and as more Layouts with multiple VPs get added (the old error-ridden file is 1799kB, but it has a bit more in it, like graphic title blocks).

 

The differences are:

 

Layers:

With Xrefs 1), huge number of Layers, which AFAIK can only be manipulated by Refediting the Xrefs one at a time - or is there a setting where it can be done globally, affecting all Xrefs and straight modelspace in one hit?

With Blocks 2), no additional Layers, and can be manipulated for the whole drawing in one hit. 2) suits me better, unless there's a setting for 1), as asked above?

 

Zoom/pan, by both mouse or SpacePilot:

In both 1) and 2) Layout no 10 with 9 VPs takes 1min to load when the tab's clicked - 'caching viewports' - and also makes the whole .dwg equally slow to load (quite fast without no 10).

With Xrefs 1) zoom/pan is OK in Layout 10, but with Blocks 2) it's very sticky and jerky. No prob in any other Layout or in modelspace. When the VPs were first placed, and the whole of modelspace appeared in each VP, before scaling, zoom/pan was difficult with Xrefs 1) and almost impossible with Blocks 2) - 1sec between jerky moves!

 

So it looks like my original problem, as http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?t=33732 was more to do with VPs than with Blocks vs Xrefs. And the more acreage of multiple modelspace that's visible in the totality of VPs, the worse.

 

Is this effect of multi-layouts and multi-VPs normal, or is something wrong? Cos I've got lots more multi-VP Layouts to be added.

 

The files are too big to post but I'd be glad if someone could take a look. Been looking a a file-warehouse service that works like Photobucket - any suggestions?

[tkelly]

Instead of using x-ref etc. and making it complicated just use multiple viewport is model space in one you can modify plan and in other you can modify elevation.

 

Just go to "View -- viewports -- you can divide your same screen horizontal or vertical in 4 viewports". Do editing of objects separately in each viewport (For eg.: plan in1 viewport, Front elevation in other, rear eleavtion in third etc.). The basic advantage of this is once you update in 1 viewport others get updated automatically. Once you are finished just move to 1 viewport and save.

[fostertom]

Yeah I'd forgotten about VPs in modelspace, useful, but in this case AFAIK you can't rotate the image in just one VP, and you can't line them up for projecting between views.

 

It's working well now - closing and opening file a few times seems to have settled it down. Still 45sec RegenAll's tho, sometimes longer, go get cup of tea.