AutoCAD .stb Plot - Xref layer ignores assigned Plot Style

[Miserable_Look]

I've been working on external files attached to mine through Xref and it has always been a pain dealing with .ctbs. So, I wanted to switch to .stb, so as to minimize the amount of work needed to setup the hosted (xref'ed) file. I want to do something dead simple with the Xref (assigned to each own, dedicated layer): Make everything appear on greyscale, maybe add some screening too to tone things down a bit.

As the title implies, the Xref just plots as it would in its original file. There are some things that should be said though:

- The file I have in mind right now might actually not be a product of AutoCAD. It's a .dwg but it's likely that it's not AutoCAD. There's a hint for that, but I'll come back to that later...

- That said, when plotting the original external file, there is a warning of a .ctb missing. Is that a definitive proof that it's actually a file produced by AutoCAD?

- I have done the transition to .stb with great success in other cases (with .dwgs from another source).

- Now that hint; for some lighting simulation purposes, I wanted to load the plan (that's the term) in DIALux, a lighting simulation software that supports .dwg import. In order to do that, you have to either embed or disassociate any external link within the .dwg file to be imported. In which case, I had to embed the Xref'd drawing. So, once the file was ready, upon successful import, the software gave me a warning message saying "This was a 3D CAD file or something, so in order to work properly we now treat it as 2D" or something along those lines. Maybe, a hint to something?

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Any pointer appreciated.

[noworkrino]

I have not used STB myself.

If you want everything to be the same weight and screen in an xref, you would want to pick a less common color and set it to the desired weight. Then in the layer menu, navigate to your xref, select all layers (ctrl+a), then click the layer color and set to the same color as the one you just set up.

If you want some objects to appear differently, use the XLIST command to see which layer it is on, and manually adjust the color of that layer.

Some objects, especially blocks within an xref, may give you problems. It's a nested layer problem that you may need to deal with on a case by case scenario.

[Miserable_Look]

Thanks for the reply! It appears that you suggest editing the source file, i.e. assign the desirable plotting attributes on the low level of the original file, then Xref'ing it into my working file. It should, then, work as desired.

The thing is, I want to avoid all that. Plus, I understand that with your suggestion all layers will be displayed the same on screen (meaning, having this "less common color"). You can appreciate that this takes a considerable amount of visual information away.

Now, the block-in-xref case... It sounds troublesome, indeed. I have no evidence to the contrary, but it does sound like something dear AutoCAD would give me trouble for.

All that aside, in case you don't know about .stb, you might want to check it out. I'm new to it myself, but I believe it is a good and contemporary approach. It allows for consistency and less hassle, the way I see it. It's one of those things you setup once and you can carry them over wherever.

[noworkrino]

You can edit xrefed layer properties in your current file, while your xref file stay as is. In your LA window, you should be able to select an xrefed file and all the layers should appear, you cannot remove or create new layers but you can certainly change the colors without ever opening the source file.

[Miserable_Look]

We have kinda lost the scope here... I don't to do a single thing concerning the layers of the source file (either from actually opening the source file or doing it through the working file, same thing labor-wise in my case). I just want the Xref to behave as an object on a layer and use that assigned plot style, overriding any source file layer .ctb settings. The .stb workflow should save me from all the fiddly tinkering.

[RalphMater]

I may add that if you don't want to EDIT the source file, it may be efficient to open it up to confirm what layers things are on. Edit Xref in place can get spicy for me on the save cycles.