Drefs extend the External References palette so that you can manage data shortcut references alongside external references (xrefs) in a single location. On the Dref tab, each reference is listed with its status, source drawing, and other details, so you can identify and resolve broken references without leaving the palette.
The External References palette displays a status icon and tooltip for each dref, so you can quickly see which references need attention. Statuses include:
When a dref is broken because its source drawing was renamed or moved, can suggest a path to the correct source drawing. The suggested path is shown in the palette, and you can apply it to repair the reference. You can repair a single dref, or fix multiple broken drefs at the same time. For more information, see To Fix Broken Drefs.
For each dref, the palette shows the drawing name, the source file path, and the date the reference was last modified and by whom. When a source drawing is referenced with a relative path, the relative path is shown first in the Source File column.
Managing drefs in the External References palette requires access to Autodesk Collaboration for Civil 3D, which is available when you subscribe to Forma Design Collaboration.
Repair suggestions require the source drawing to be stored in the cloud. Drefs are supported in non-Forma projects and in projects that use custom directory configurations; however, the suggestion feature is available only when the source drawing is stored in the cloud.