Learn about the External References Palette with the AutoCAD Vault Add-in

You can perform most vault tasks within the External References palette when you are logged into a vault.

You can manage the relationships between a host file and its xrefs in the vault. Standard xref operations continue to be available. The AutoCAD Vault Add-in adds vault functionality to the External References palette.

When you install the Vault add-in, the External References palette becomes a dockable Enhanced Standard Window (ESW) that supports both drawing xrefs and image files in the same window. The External References palette supports most Vault operations and status icons. The Vault commands are only available when you are logged into a vault.

Note: The Vault commands are also available from the File menu and the command line.

External References Palette Operations

The Vault commands are available by right-clicking a file within the External References palette. The state and kind of file selected determines which commands are available.

You can use the External References palette to:

Check files in and out of a vault

You must check out the file to the working folder on your local drive to edit it. When you finish working on the file, you must check the file back into the vault so that others on the design team can view your updates.

Tip: If you want others to view updates you made to a file and you want to continue modifying the file, select the Keep files checked out option on the Check In dialog box. This checks in the updates you made to the file and keeps the file checked out to you.

Note: You must have all references of a host file downloaded to your working folder to edit the host file.
View the status of files in a design.

Vault status icons indicate the status of your local copy of the files as compared against the copy of those same files in the vault. The vault status icons indicate when the local copy is in sync with the vault and when it is not. Tooltips provide descriptions of the icons. Pause the cursor over a status icon to see a detailed description. The tooltips also help guide you to the next logical steps, especially when the local copy is no longer in sync.

Note: The vault status icons are available in the list view and treeview, and only appear when you are logged into a vault.
Get the latest version of a file

The Refresh Files command compares the local file version with the version in the vault. If the local version is older than the version in the vault, the latest version is copied from the vault to the local working folder and the current drawing is reloaded.
Reuse and share common data

Attach from the vault command attaches a new instance of a file from the vault. The instance can be attached as either a library file or a shared file.
Attach, Detach, Unload, Bind

All standard xref operations remain available in the External References palette. Although the behavior of these commands are the same as when you are not logged into the vault, the following additional operations are required:
- Attach: You must check out the host file to attach a new file. Newly attached files are not automatically added to the vault. You must check in a newly added file references to the vault for it to be added as a dependency of the host file.
- Detach, Unload and Bind: You must check out the host file to complete the operation.
Note: Refer to Xrefs in the AutoCAD help topics index for information on standard Xref concepts.

Library Files

Most organizations have either created or purchased a collection of part and assembly files that are commonly used in design, for instance, fasteners, electrical component, and pneumatic components. These library files are typically static in nature, are reused often in many different designs, and are standard within an organization.

You can attach a library file directly from the vault to your current drawing. A file becomes a library file by checking the file into a library folder in the vault.

Note: Only host library files can be checked out from the AutoCAD Vault ARX. You must use the Autodesk Vault client to check out XREF library files.

Library files are not identified by a particular icon. Instead, the term is inserted [Library File] in the tooltip after the file name.

Note: If the host file is a library item, the library icon will appear as the file type.

Access to vault folders depends upon the permissions you have been granted. You cannot see files or folders you do not have permission to view.

Basic External Reference Palette Tasks

The behavior of the External References palette is the same when you are logged in to a vault as when you are not logged into a vault. Refer to "Xrefs" in the AutoCAD Help topics index for information on standard Xref concepts and procedures.

The workflow for using the External References palette on a system that has AutoCAD Vault ARX installed is different than the workflow for using External References palette on a system that does not have AutoCAD Vault ARX installed.

Access the External References Palette

Use the External References palette to perform most vault tasks. You must be logged into the vault to perform vault tasks in the External References palette.

Note: The External References palette and standard xref commands are available when you are not logged into the vault.

Access:

Click Insert tab > Reference panel > Dialog box launcher.

Note: You must be logged into the vault to perform vault tasks in the External References palette.

Attach an xref

Access the External References palette using one of the following methods:
- Select Insert > External References. Right-click the background of the dialog box, and then select Attach DWG.
  Note: To attach a dwf file, right-click the background of the dialog box, and then select Attach DWF.
In the Select Reference File dialog box, select the file you want to attach, and then click Open.
In the External Reference dialog box under Reference Type, select Attachment.
Specify the insertion point, scale, and rotation angle. Click Specify On-Screen to use the pointing device. Attachment includes all nested xrefs.
Click OK.
Note: You can attach a new instance of an existing xref. Right-click one of the xrefs in the External References palette window, and then select Attach.
For additional information on using the Detach, Reload, Unload, Bind, and Open commands, see "Xrefs" in the AutoCAD help topics.

Detach, Reload, Unload, Bind, and Open Commands

Select Insert > External References.
Select one of more files. In the List View, multiple files can be selected by holding down the Ctrl key to select individual files or by holding down the Shift key to select a group of files.
Right-click the selection, and then select an operation from the context menu. You can also access the Reload and Attach command from the toolbar.
For additional information on using the Detach, Reload, Unload, Bind, and Open commands, see "Xrefs" in the AutoCAD Help topics.
When you currently have a file checked out to you and the file is newer than the one in the vault, the reload command reloads from the working folder, and not from the vault.

View the Details of an Xref

Click Details to view the Size, Type, Date, and Saved Path of a referenced file.

Use the Vault Commands in the External References Palette

To Check In, Check Out, Undo Checkout, or Refresh File, right-click a file in the External References palette.

Note: In the List View, multiple files can be selected by holding down the Ctrl key to select individual files or by holding down the Shift key to select a group of files.
To Attach from Vault, Log into Vault, or Log out of Vault, right-click the background of the External References palette.