Referencing Resources

Use the Resource Manager to reference the resources from any Vectorworks file. The master file that contains the resource and the target file that references it must be the same Vectorworks version number.

To reference the resources from another file:

Display the resources of the master file in the Resource Manager. Either use the Browse a Document command on the file options menu, or if the master file is a favorite or library file, use the file browser pane to access it (see Resource Manager: File Browser Pane).

Right-click on the desired resource, and select Reference from the context menu.

The Reference Resource(s) dialog box opens. Specify the location of the referenced resource and click OK.

► Click to show/hide the parameters.

If the master file has never been referenced in the current file, the New Reference dialog box opens. Specify the reference parameters and click OK.

► Click to show/hide the parameters.

The resource is added to the target file. Referenced resources display with italicized names in the Resource Manager.

The following rules apply to referenced resources.

Situation

Description

Editing a referenced resource

If in-place editing is enabled in the target file, a referenced resource can be modified from the target file (see Setting the Referencing Options). Even when in-place editing is enabled, the master file must not be open, the reference must not be broken, and the resource must not be out of date. Changes to the referenced resource are automatically exported to the master file; while in edit mode, the master file is locked.

The following resources can be edited within the referenced file:

● Gradients

● Hatches

● Images

● Line types

● Record formats

● Renderworks backgrounds, styles, and textures

● Plant symbols (Vectorworks Landmark required)

● Symbol definitions

● Text styles

● Tiles

● Sketch styles

● Roof, slab, and wall styles (Vectorworks Design Series required)

Resource name conflict

If there is a name conflict between a referenced resource and another resource when you are creating a reference, an alert displays. If the resources are of different types (a hatch and a tile, for example), rename the resource in the target file to continue. If the resources are of the same type, replace the resource in the target file to continue.

Change user origin of master file

If the user origin of a master file is changed, the location of the referenced resources do not change, if Ignore source user origin is selected in the Edit Reference dialog box

Change master file classes

Changes to the class of a referenced resource are only reflected in the target file after an update if Update class definitions is selected in the New Reference dialog box

To break a reference, right-click on the desired resource, and select Break Reference from the context menu. The resource remains in the target file, but it is no longer referenced to the master file.

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Parameter	Description
Preserve folder hierarchy	Maintains the same folder structure the referenced resource had in its source file
Select destination folder	Adds the referenced resource to the selected folder
Folder list	Displays the folders in the target file that are the same type as the resource being referenced; the selected folder becomes the destination for the referenced resource
New Folder	Creates a new folder within the selected folder; specify the folder name and click OK

Parameter	Description
Source File	Displays the path and file name of the referenced resource file
Save reference location as	Maintains either an absolute or relative file path reference from the current file to the referenced resource’s 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 save volume to select this option. The Source File path displays either an absolute or relative path, depending on the selection.
Save referenced cache to disk	Saves a copy of the referenced resource with the target file. When this option is deselected, a copy of the referenced resource is not saved, which means that the target file size is smaller; the referenced resource is refreshed 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 resources that use those classes