What Is Refedit in AutoCAD?

by

Refedit is a powerful tool in AutoCAD that allows users to edit external references (Xrefs) within their drawing files. With Refedit, you can make modifications to Xrefs directly without the need to open the referenced file separately. This not only saves time but also improves workflow efficiency.

How to Access Refedit

To access Refedit, you can use either of the following methods:

  • From the Ribbon: Click on the “Refedit” button located in the “Modify” panel of the “Home” tab.
  • From the Command Line: Type “REFEDIT” and press Enter.

Using Refedit

Once you have accessed Refedit, follow these steps:

  1. Select Objects: Choose the objects you want to modify within the Xref by clicking on them. A blue boundary will appear around the selected objects.
  2. Edit Objects: You can now modify the selected objects using various AutoCAD commands such as move, rotate, scale, etc. The changes will be applied directly to the Xref within your current drawing file.
  3. Exit Refedit: Once you have finished making modifications, exit Refedit mode by clicking on the “OK” button in the prompt or by typing “RE” and pressing Enter in the command line.

Things to Remember

While using Refedit, keep these important points in mind:

  • Nested Xrefs: You cannot use Refedit on nested Xrefs. If an Xref contains another Xref, you will need to edit the inner Xref separately.
  • Isolate Objects: Refedit allows you to isolate the selected objects, hiding everything else in your drawing temporarily.

    This can be useful when working with complex Xrefs.

  • Save Changes: Any modifications made using Refedit are saved directly to the Xref file itself. Therefore, it’s crucial to have proper file permissions and ensure you have a backup of the original Xref.

In Conclusion

Refedit is a valuable tool in AutoCAD that simplifies the editing process for external references. By allowing direct modifications within the current drawing file, it enhances productivity and streamlines workflows. Remember to use Refedit wisely and always make backups of your files before making any changes.

Now that you know what Refedit is and how to use it, you can confidently incorporate this feature into your AutoCAD projects and take advantage of its time-saving capabilities.