ABSTRACT
External References are files that have been previously completed, either in AutoCAD or another software that can be loaded into a new file and viewed and/or manipulated within AutoCAD. The functionality of External References is controlled through the External References Manager. To attach a previously created AutoCAD file to users present drawing, they need to click on the “Attach DWG” button at the top left of the External Reference Manger. This will load the Attachment menu. Once an External Reference has been loaded into a drawing, users can access a shortcut menu in the XREF manager to change the behavior of the reference. Choosing open from the Shortcut menu will open the External Reference drawing in a new window. Bind option exists only for externally referenced DWG files. It turns the externally referenced file into a block within the present drawing. XREF type allows users to change the externally referenced file to either an attachment or an overlay.
