Including and creating libraries, including shared files

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massimo
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Including and creating libraries, including shared files

Post by massimo » Tue Nov 28, 2017 5:29 pm

Hi, I have several files using the same blocks. Usually I just copy the blocks from file to file and that way I get all blocks and layers to the next file.
But the disadvantage is, that I can't centrally modify the shared blocks.

So I thought about creating a library. But that would mean I would need to export every single block to a DXF file where it is not a block.
Would it be possible that way, that updating the library would update all files including the items?

It would be more useful to have one central DXF file with all the blocks I need, and then just including that from others. I do equal things when programming or writing large texts.
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andrew
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Re: Including and creating libraries, including shared files

Post by andrew » Tue Nov 28, 2017 7:07 pm

What you are looking for is called external references (XREF) and is indeed planned (for QCAD Professional):
http://www.qcad.org/bugtracker/index.ph ... ask_id=693

RaNoPlus
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Re: Including and creating libraries, including shared files

Post by RaNoPlus » Fri Apr 17, 2020 2:51 pm

Hi Andrew,
According this message- you were busy with xrefs in 2017. What is the status now? I can't add any xref to my drawings. Yes, I have also found a work around with blocks but I think you know that's not the the best way how to handle xrefs. Are you stil busy to fix this?
Thank you for your reply.

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andrew
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Re: Including and creating libraries, including shared files

Post by andrew » Fri Apr 17, 2020 3:00 pm

Not busy. In 2017 I said this is "planned". It's still planned. However, it has not been implemented yet (no progress either).

Note that XRefs are much more complex than one might assume (think about merging of layers with the same name in the drawing as in one or multiple referenced files, block name collisions, line style collisions, pattern collisions, handling missing XRefs, recursive references, path changes when moving files around, etc.). In other words, better don't hold your breath for XRef support in QCAD. Sorry to not have better news about this.

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