xref on layer 0 or its own layer?

Hi
Just wondering how others handle the layer to which xrefs get placed on?
Some just use layer 0 and others use a specific layer to xrefs files to. I
would like to hear from some of you why do you use the layer you do and what
are advantages and disadvantages in your particular situation/method. We
always xref to zero (0) and at 0,0,0 (we are a civil/survey firm) so this
works for us. Just wanting to know what others are doing. Thanks
Richard

 

If just 1 xref it goes on layer xref. If more than one the layers are
xref-tax, xref-photo, xref-base... This makes xref control much easier.

Also 0,0 as we are civil/survey. 1 exception might be architectural plans.

I believe this was covered extensively in the cad managers newsgroup. You
might want to do a search there.

Allen

 

I always use a specific layer.

Often I use a layer for each xref. At the very least I differentiate
between plotting and non-plotting xrefs.


DJE

 

It's been discussed extensively as Allen said. The primary reason for a
non-0 layer seems to be to be able to freeze the xref independently. I
normally place them on 0 unless I have a need to freeze them in total, then
I make an xref layer for that purpose.

 

My preferences are for separate layer for XRefs, even that many years I used
0. The reason I changed my mind was that we had a problem with one new
consultant who used 0 layer for objects we didn't want to show-up in our
drawings when we x-ref his drawings. The layers 0 and Defpoints are the only
layers which don't have xref prefix when x-refed, so you can't separate them
from your own 0 and Defpoints. Generally these two layers are created for
other purposes by Autodesk - not to hold real objects in any form. Of
course - you may not have problem until now (we didn't have many years), but
it's matter of time. It's better to use the proper technique from the
beginning, because is very difficult to change the drafter's habits later.
Similar problems are with linetypes and line colors. This is why in my
company I build these rules:
1. Do not use 0 and Defpoints.
2. Lines should be ByLayer (both linetype and color).
No any exceptions from rule 1, some exceptions from rule 2 (after specific
permission).
Well, this is just my experience and my way to do the things - I'm not
saying it's right for everyone.
Hope this helps.
John

 

Thanks very much to all of you for your input and time
it seems to be that layer zero used to work for some but a xref specific
layer seems be the prefered method
Thanks again
Richard

 

Seems to me the seperate layer, freeze the xref approach isn't needed any
more, as you can just UNLOAD your Xrefs. For that reason I prefer to just
treat an Xref as the multilayer block it is, and insert (attach) on layer 0.
Then I don't have to worry about layer names, or layers being no plot, or
renameing a layer if I change the Xref name. As for the consultant who uses
layer 0, I would let them know that they need to use a different layer,
either DEFPOINT or a unique layer (the same name every time). As my
consultant, I can dictate how they draw to a point.

Best,
Gordon

 

Yes, I agree with Gordon completely. This is how I have always worked with
xrefs. If I don't want to see an xref, I will simply unload it (same for
images).

 

<<Seems to me the seperate layer, freeze the xref approach isn't needed any more, as you can just UNLOAD your Xrefs.>>

You can't unload it in individual viewports and leave it loaded in others. But if it is on a unique layer, that layer can be controlled in different viewports.

 

Then why cant you simply freeze the x-ref layers you don't want to see
within the specific viewport...That works regardless of what layer the x-ref
was brought in on....At least it has in my experience..

Tim W.

any more, as you can just UNLOAD your Xrefs.>>

But if it is on a unique layer, that layer can be controlled in different
viewports.

 

Another one is that you cannot bind unloaded xrefs. Of course it can be
detached but not if it's nested.

--
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CAD and Database Developer Manager at www.pharmadule-emtunga.com
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any more, as you can just UNLOAD your Xrefs.>>

But if it is on a unique layer, that layer can be controlled in different
viewports.

 

I find it much faster to freeze a layer then to unload the xref.

 

Each Xref gets its one layer: "X-Grid," "X-Border,"" X-Plan," etc. This
way, all of our Xrefs can be frozen, isolated, or REFEDITed easily. The "X"
prefix helps us keep the layers together and identify them as Xrefs.

 

This is how I have always worked with xrefs.

I learned to avoid unloading xrefs early on, because for at least a couple
of versions after they were introduced, unloading and reloading would cause
your visibility changes to be lost, regardless of the visretain settings. I
only recently discovered that this bug has been fixed for the last few
versions. The habit so well ingrained that it never occurred to me to
keep checking whether the workaround still applied.

As others have said, unloading works as a way of totally wiping the xref
from view, but it doesn't work on a per-viewport basis, and the
layer-freezing method seems a little quicker. To each his own.

 

<<Then why cant you simply freeze the x-ref layers you don't want to see within the specific viewport...>>

Sure that could be done, but it is much faster to freeze one layer than it is 300, especially if you may want to thaw "some" of them again later. See that's the neat part, in that viewport I can freeze/thaw individual XREF'd layer for a particular display, then to turn "off" the entire XREF in that view, just freeze that one layer, thawing it restores the previous layer display. Works for us, and gives a greater flexibility in displaying what we need when we need.

 

<<Yes, I agree with Gordon completely. This is how I have always worked with xrefs. If I don't want to see an xref, I will simply unload it >>

Hard to unload in one viewport and keep loaded in another though, isn't it?