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Workgroup references - binding


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Richard,

The way you "bind" WGR'd layers to your working drawing is to break the link(s). From the Workgroup References window, highlight the links and click Remove. Check keep info. This will import the layers directly into the file.

BTW, we always do this prior to issuing a final C/D set. This way, future "updates" on the referenced files (typically standard details, etc.) will NOT be reflected in previously issued drawings.

Good luck,

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Dear Travis

many thanks for your reply. However, although it breaks the link and preserves the info, the info is still alterable by recipients. We would like to capture the drawing and send it in an unalterable state. We have only been able to do this by sending PDF's of drawings but this is a bit inconvenient.

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... We would like to capture the drawing and send it in an unalterable state...

This reminds me of the discussion we had several years ago about the VW Viewer. NNA has done an excellent job of stripping Viewer down to bare essentials so that recipients of your drawings can "see it but can't change it" -- including any broken links to WGRs.

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Happy belated birthday, Richard. Courage!

Does Autocad have some way to create a DWG file that can't be altered? I don't know of any, and this recent Autodesk forum decries the lack of one:

http://discussion.autodesk.com/thread.jspa?threadID=407217

Binding xref's doesn't do it. At most you have to explode the block made from the xref, and then you can edit anything.

The DWF format was created as Autodesk's way to distribute non-editable files, competing with the PDF format. And I think even DWF isn't secure if the recipient really wants to alter the drawing and buys software to convert it back to DWG. But they give out a free DWF Writer that's supposed to make DWF files from any Windows application, in case you want to try that.

You can't open a DWF file in Autocad and use it as a reference, which I gather is what you want your recipients to be able to do. That's apparently really hard, to make a true cad file that's locked. And think of the headaches it'll cause if they do it. Last-minute changes needed before printing, and somehow the file got locked and noone knows the password. What fun.

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Jan15

many thanks for your message. I must admit I wasn't aware that you could unbind a bound xref as easily as that! I think the only way to solve my problem is to issue as pdf or ensure that recipients have VWviewer.

Many thanks to all the other helpful advise, this is my first time of using this service and very pleased at response.

Richard

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