Controlling Layers in X-Refs
Is there a way to control layer visibility in x-ref drawings, separately from other layers?For instance, I have a plot plan with lots of legal mumbo-jumbo as well as the lot lines, building located, etc. When I bring this into a site plan, for working out roads, parking, etc., I want to shut off the legal stuff and keep it off. If I freeze a layer, then thaw all, the x-ref layers thaw and I have all this legal stuff to freeze again. Is there a way to avoid this?Thanks, V. McIlrath
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oops. I didn't mean to go 'cloaked'. "Guest" is me.
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Try combinations of the NOT operator ~.E.g assign a toolbar button with a command string like this:Layer F ~| (Freezes all non-xref layers)Two more tips:If you haven't already, learn the concept of an Xref Overlay.It is also essential to know how the variable VISRETAIN works. The explanation in the intellicad help files is misleading, here is a better explanation:The value of the system variable VISRETAIN determines how Intellicad controls the visibility of XREF layers. If the value of VISRETAIN is set to zero, the layer visibility of layers in the source XREF drawing will take precedence over the modifications made during the current drawing session. If the value of VISRETAIN is set to one, the layer visibility modifications made during the current drawing session will take precedence over the source XREF.
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Mr. Vaernes,Thank you for the powerful tips. ....however....I don't understand "visretain". If I set = 0 (off), I don't see the layer 'names' listed in IntelliCAD Explorer. So, if I do freezing and thawing through the explorer, the xref view is unaffected (either stays frozen or thawed). But if I freeze/thaw through the command line, the xref dwg freezes and thaws just like I don't want it to. Am I missing something?
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I don't think you are missing anything. It looks like VISRETAIN has a double functionality in Intellicad. One is to enable/disable the display of xrefs layers in the explorer, the other (the original functionality) is as described in my post above. Only this is consistent with AutoCad. The point of VISRETAIN is primarily to allow the modification of an xref's layer state without it reverting to the source drawing state each time you open the drawing. Occasionally, however, you may want it to do just that. In that case, you should turn it off.I believe visretain has been partly misunderstood by the Intellicad programmers (which is revealed in the Intellicad help file). It should work like in Autocad, nothing more or less. The double functionality only serves to create confusion.
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Something is out-of-whack today. Now I can't freeze/thaw any layers in XRefs. "visretain" only affects visibility of layer names in explorer, and I can get the layer to indicate "thawed" or "frozen", but there is no change in the drawing. The only way I can freeze/thaw is to open the referenced drawing, make the change, save it, and then reload the xref.What am I doing wrong?
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Visretain = confusion.It looks like to have visretain function, one must close the current drawing (containing an xref) and reopen it. Is this true?
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Hi,I am reading this thread with interest regarding visretain.I want to 'hide' all layers contained in xrefs when i use the explorer. Can visretain do this or have i misunderstood?Thanks
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Yes, this is correct: if Visretain is off (zero), then the layers of the attached Xrefs don't show in the IntelliCAD Explorer.
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I have set the visretain value to off, but the Intellicad explorer still insists on showing me all of the reference layer names. Is there some thing else I should be doing?
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I have version 3.2.0001 installed and Xref layers only show in the IntelliCAD explorer if VISRETAIN is on. Please not that this is a Drawing setting. It has immediate effect in the current drawing.
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I personally suggest that Bricscad removes this functionality from visretain. A system vaiable should have a dedicated meaning, Currently, it has two unrelated meanings. See how it works in Autocad.
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