Adding and Editing Layer Import References

In the Vectorworks Design Series products, you must first select the Layer import referencing option for the current file, as described in Setting the Referencing Options. See Creating a Referenced Design Layer Viewport for information about the design layer viewport referencing option.

To add or edit references to design layers in other Vectorworks files:

1. In the active target file, select Tools > Organization.

The Organization dialog box opens.

2. Select the References tab.

Referenced files are listed in priority order, along with their current status, whether they are set to update automatically when the target file is opened, and whether they are set to save copies of the referenced items with the file.

Button	Description
New	Opens the Open File dialog box to select a new reference file
Edit	Opens the Edit Reference dialog box to change the parameters of a selected reference file
Delete	Opens the Delete Reference dialog box to delete a file from the list of referenced files, and to choose whether to keep the referenced layers and resources in the target file; see Deleting References
Update	Manually updates the referenced items from the selected file; see Updating References
Settings	Opens the Reference Settings dialog box to set options for updates of referenced items; see Setting the Referencing Options

3. To edit a current reference file, select the file and click Edit.

The Edit Reference dialog box opens. Proceed to step 5.

4. To add a new reference file, click New.

The Open File dialog box opens. Select the desired file, and then click Open to open the appropriate dialog box:

●    Vectorworks file: New Reference dialog box

●    DXF/DWG or DWF file: Import Options dialog box

●    Image file: Image Import Options dialog box (Vectorworks Design Series required)

●    PDF file: Import PDF dialog box (Vectorworks Design Series required)

Referenced Vectorworks files must be the same version as the target file.

5. From the New Reference or Edit Reference dialog box, specify the parameters for the reference.

Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter	Description
Source File	Displays the path and file name of the referenced master file; if the Edit option was selected, click Browse to edit the file location
Save reference location as	Maintains either an absolute or relative file path reference from the current file to the referenced file. Use the absolute path when the location of the referenced file with respect to the current file is not going to change. Use the relative path when the files might be moved to another computer or platform; as long as the relative path between the files remains the same, the reference can be found. Both files must be saved on the same volume to select this option. The Source File path displays either an absolute or relative path, depending on the selection.
Layers Available	Specify the design layers to be referenced; selected layers are indicated with a check mark. Sheet layers cannot be referenced. This step is optional; a layer does not have to be selected to reference its resources. Resources in the entire referenced file are available through the Reference command in the Resource Manager.
Options	Select the update options
Save referenced cache to disk	Saves a copy of the referenced data with the target file. When this option is deselected, a copy of the referenced data is not saved, which means that the target file size is smaller; the referenced data is updated when the target file is opened.
Automatically update out of date reference during file open	Updates the reference each time the target file is opened; when deselected, the reference is updated only when Update is clicked from the References tab of the Organization dialog box
Update class definitions	Updates class definitions along with the referenced objects that use those classes
Ignore source user origin	Ignores the user origin in the master file; referenced objects will not change location in the target file if the user origin changes in the master file
Create layer link(s) on layer	Creates a layer link for each newly referenced layer on the specified design layer; select the design layer from the list or select New Layer to specify a new design layer, set to the same scale as the first selected layer to reference

Referenced layers can be used in a sheet layer viewport. Because sheet layer viewports cannot directly reference design layers in other files, reference the layers and then create a sheet layer viewport that shows the referenced layers.

6. Click OK to return to the Organization dialog box.

The selected layers are added to the target file, along with any new layers and layer links.

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Setting the Referencing Options

Prioritizing Referenced Files

Updating References

Correcting Broken References

Referencing Resources

Deleting References

Opening Referenced Files

Concept: Layer Referencing

Creating a Referenced Design Layer Viewport

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