Reference Files

Include Other Drawings
PowerCADD allows you to combine multiple drawings into a single master drawing--a concept known as 'Reference Files'. Any PowerCADD drawing can be 'referenced', and you can place references in any drawing, including multiple references of the same drawing.

When a drawing is added as a reference, it does not increase the size of the master drawing file, rather it reloads the referenced drawing from the original as needed. References allow you to work with other drawings without permanently adding them to the master drawing.

The biggest advantage to using references is having the most current information without having to duplicate efforts and the redrawing process. With references, you can update your master drawing automatically.

A master drawing can be composed of many referenced drawings. When a referenced drawing is modified, the master drawing is easily updated.

To see how this works in actual practice, let's take a look at how Landscape Architect Michael Spencer uses reference files in a land plan.

The Title Block
There are a huge number of drawings for this project, and Michael has a single title block drawing that he will use in all of the drawings.

The title block drawing, including close-in views of the title block.

There only needs to be one title block drawing, and if Michael changes something in this title block drawing, then all of the other drawings that use this will change automatically.

The Master Land Plan
This is a large development.

Here is the master land plan, and we're going to be interested in
'Section 12', the area bounded with the flashing red rectangle above.

And here's a close-up view of 'Section 12'

Michael is constantly fiddling with the master land plan.

A Typical Planting Drawing
Now there are many different drawings for the overall project.

Here's a planting drawing for Section 12, which includes
both the title block and a portion of the master land plan.

This drawing combines the title block, the master land plan, and whatever Michael wants to draw in this particular drawing. And the beauty of reference files is that any change in the master land plan or the title block will automatically update in any other drawing that references it.

Reference Files and Groups of Designers
Reference files allows multiple designers to work on the same design, so one designer can be in charge of the floor plan for a large commercial building, and when he changes something, all of the other designers working on the same office will be able to see the changes immediately.

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