Difficulty changing color properties of X-ref

[sdyer]

I am teaching an AutoCAD class (using version 2009), and just introduced X-refs this week. Out of my class of 16 students, 3 experienced difficulty changing the color properties of the X-ref'd Plan. I instructed them to change all the layers in the X-ref (via the expanding folders under the Filters section to the left of the Properties dialog box) to be color 8 and linetype Hidden2. The linetypes changed without trouble, but the colors are not changing at all.

 

Nothing seems unusual in the file that is X-ref'd... I checked to make sure all layers were unlocked and By Layer, etc. The X-ref was brought in on the 0 Layer. I've also tried playing with the VISRETAIN settings, in both the X-ref and the active file. I should mention this only seems to be an issue with 2009-- I opened the file in my 2008 version, imported the same X-ref, and had no difficulties changing color properties.

 

Please help! I'd love to get this resolved so my students can move forward in the class.

 

Thank you!

[ReMark]

Have you tried the old manual way by typing -LAYER at the command line and choosing the Color option? Might be worth a try.

 

I take it that all the students' computers are running AutoCAD 2009 with the latest service pack installed?

[Lee Mac]

This thread may help you tons:

 

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?t=533

[sdyer]

As it turns out, it was a simple issue of file naming. I had just reviewed the three tenants of file naming with the class when this issue arised, namely the following:

- Abbreviate as much as possible.

- Underscores and dashes are your only friends (no # symbols, etc.)

- No spaces

 

The students had named their files without abbreviating, adding spaces, and the # symbol. When I renamed the file to be X-ref'd, all the properties were easily changed.

 

Funny thing is, the 2009 version seems to be unusually sensitive to file naming. Before changing the file names I had tried it in 2008 and it worked fine.

 

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

[ReMark]

Live and learn. Thank you for updating us on the status of your problem. We can mark this one SOLVED.