External references are not part of the drawing. Rather, they are links to an externally referenced file. To provide a copy of a drawing containing external references to someone else, you must also provide all the external reference files. In addition, the person receiving the drawings must either re-create the same paths you used when linking the external references or change the paths for the external references.
To provide a copy of a drawing that contains external references, it is often easier to first bind the external references to the drawing. Binding the external references makes them a permanent part of the drawing, which is similar to inserting a separate drawing as a block.
You can bind external references that are attached directly to the current drawing; you cannot bind nested external references.
To bind an existing external reference to a drawing
1 Do one of the following to choose Xref Manager (
):
• On the ribbon, choose Insert > Xref Manager (in Reference).
• On the menu, choose Insert > Xref Manager.
• On the Tools toolbar, click the Xref Manager tool.
• Type xref and then press Enter.
• On the status bar, click Manage Xrefs, which displays when external references are linked to the drawing.
2 Select the external reference to bind.
3 Click Bind.
4 Choose one of the following:
• Bind Binds the external reference and creates a unique name for each named entity, such as a layer or block, that is located in the external reference. For example, a layer named Electric in the external reference will be named Xref$0$Electric in the current drawing. If the current drawing already has a layer or block with the same name, the name is changed incrementally, for example, Xref$1$Electric.
• Insert Binds the external reference, but does not change the names of any named entities in the external reference. For example, a layer named Electric in the external reference will have the same name, Electric, in the current drawing. If the current drawing has a layer or block with the same name, the named entity in the external reference takes on the properties of the named entity in the current drawing.
5 Click OK.
