Referencing window symbols and getting them to update automatically

[Roman]

Recently I discovered the flexibility of using symbols in drawings. Very nice feature. I decided to take it a step further and reference from another file via the resource browser. Very nice too.

I drew up all my windows in a window schedule file, making the windows into symbols. Then in my elevation drawings, I loaded in the file via the Resource Browser and Voila! all the windows appeared, ready to plug into the elevation. So far, so good.

Here's the problem: I go back to the window schedule and modify my windows. I go back to the elevations and the symbols are still old. I reload the file via Resource Browser and they update, but not in the drawing. So I place an updated symbol and the program replaces all the old ones the moment I place the updated one. However, I'd have to do that for each unique symbol, making the update tedious every time.

Is there anyway to avoid this two step update? I'm imagining the Resource browser to automatically (or per user disgresion) update all or certain symbols, and then replace the old ones in the drawing.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Roman

[Travis]

Once a symbol is placed in a drawing file, it belongs to that file. It is NOT linked to anything outside the file . . . so the only way to update an "old" file with a new/revised symbol is to replace it as you've been doing.

There is another option: when you Work Group Reference a file, then there's a link. The linked symbols show up in the Resource Browser with italics titles. These WGR'd symbols WILL update whenever the linked file is revised. But it will not be at your discretion, it will simply happen the next time to open the main (rather than the linked) file.

I'd worry that I may update my "master" window file at some point but NOT want one or more of my old drawings to be revised. The way around this would be to break the WGR links (clicking to save the linked data) as the drawing is finalized so that the file becomes self-contained.

HTH. Good luck,