Xref, dwg, pdf - memory usage

[Anonymous]

Hi

I would like to know the right way to draw many houses in the same project, with less memory usage.

I have maybe around 50 different houses, which I would like to draw in the same file. I need the dwg or pdf drawings as a template underneath the 50 models. (plans, facade etc.)

So it is a lot of xref material in the same file, when I model the project.

I don't wan't the model to be to heavy. What procedure should I use for this process.?

[JaredBanks]

I would suggest doing each house (or a group of them) in separate files and then hotlink them into a master file.

For dwgs, pdfs, etc. put them on a dedicated layer and on their own story. If you have too many on the same story/view, it'll take forever for them to regenerate. Also for speed, set any dwgs, pdfs you're not actively using to 'no preview' in the info box.

[Anonymous]

JaredBanks wrote:
For dwgs, pdfs, etc. put them on a dedicated layer and on their own story.

I usually put these on worksheets, typically on the ArchiCAD layer. It does limit you to one reference at a time but this is rarely a problem for me. When I really need two reference sheets I just copy/paste one into the working view and delete when I am done.

[JaredBanks]

Matthew,

Good point. I always forget about just putting them on worksheets. I need to remember that. Much cleaner that way.

[sinceV6]

It´s even cleaner to put them in worksheets using the drawing tool (instead of using xref) or the "Place external drawing" command, as in AC15 you can now control the embedded layers visibility without them being in your project layer list!

[Anonymous]

sinceV6 wrote:
It´s even cleaner to put them in worksheets using the drawing tool (instead of using xref) or the "Place external drawing" command, as in AC15 you can now control the embedded layers visibility without them being in your project layer list!

Agreed. This is what I typically do too. Unless I need to detect/pickup individual element attributes in the DWG.