Special Edition Using AutoCAD® 2000

Understanding External References

In today's design environment, AutoCAD 2000 users must be proficient with the workings of external reference files. Most AutoCAD projects involve the sharing of drawings between work groups within companies and with design team members in other companies. Using the external reference feature is the only way to allow multiple users to access the same drawing at the same time. Understanding how to use external references effectively is essential for productivity.

Although in principle, external references have long been the most efficient way to share drawings, in practice they were hampered by some performance issues. Many reference files were overly large; file paths and circular references caused problems; and ...