Attach External Reference Dialog Box

Quick Reference

See Also

Attach Drawing References (Xrefs)

Attaches drawings as an external reference (xref).

Access Methods

Button

Ribbon: Insert tab

Reference panel

Attach Does not exist on the ribbon.

Menu: Insert

External ReferenceDoes not exist in the menus.

Toolbar: Reference

Command entry: xattach

Summary

If you attach a drawing that contains an attached xref, the attached xref appears in the current drawing. You can select multiple DWG files to attach. Like blocks, attached xrefs can be nested. If another person is currently editing the xref, the attached drawing is based on the most recently saved version.

List of Options

The following options are displayed.

Name

Identifies the DWG you have selected to attach.

Browse

Displays the Select Reference File dialog box (a standard file selection dialog box), in which you can select a new external reference for the current drawing.

Preview

Displays the DWG you have selected to attach.

Reference Type

Specifies whether the external reference is an attachment or an overlay. Unlike an xref that is an attachment, an overlay is ignored when the drawing to which it is attached is then attached as an xref to another drawing.

See Attach Drawing References (Xrefs) and Nest and Overlay Referenced Drawings.

Locate using Geographic Data

Attaches drawings using geographic data as the reference.

Scale

Specify On-screen: Allows you to input at the Command prompt or the pointing device.
X: Sets the X scale factor.
Y: Sets the Y scale factor.
Z: Sets the Z scale factor.
Uniform Scale: Sets the Y and X scale factors as the same as Z.

Insertion Point

Specify On-Screen: Allows you to input at the Command prompt or the pointing device.
X: Sets the X coordinate value.
Y: Sets the Y coordinate value.
Z: Sets the Z coordinate value.

Path Type

Select the full (absolute) path, the relative path to the external reference file, or No Path, the name of the external reference (the file must be located in the same folder as the current drawing file).

Rotation

Specify on-screen: If Specify On-Screen is selected, you may wait until you exit the dialog box to rotate the object with your pointing device or at the Command prompt.
Angle: If Specify On-Screen is cleared, enter the rotation angle value in the dialog box.

Block Unit

Displays information about the block units.

Unit: Displays the specified INSUNITS value for the inserted block.
Factor: Displays the unit scale factor, which is calculated based on the INSUNITS value of the block and the drawing units.

Show Details

Displays the external reference file paths.

Found In: Displays the path where the external reference file is located.
Saved Path: Displays the path that is saved with the drawing when the external reference is attached. The path is dependent upon the Path Type setting.