Topic Title

I routinely work out of the office and email plans in to the office to be plotted. Am I correct in assuming that if I have xrefs in my drawing, I should email the xref files as well? Also, do I need to make sure that we are all using the same file structure so that the xref path will be correct?

And just on the off chance that there is an easier way : I am using xrefs to get my engineers structural layers onto my original drawing file. They use autocad and we have had alot of trouble with dimensions and text going all wacky after I import it all back into DataCad. So, I am importing the drawing into a new DataCad file when it is back from engineering, then using xrefs to put in the structural data I need on my original drawing, leaving my original dimensioning and text like I had it.
Is there an easier way to do this?

If you are sending DataCAD files into the office and they contain XREF's then most definitely send the XREF's. Otherwise they won't be in the drawings they open. On file structure if you can't match the file structure keep your XREF's in the same folder. DataCAD looks to the path and if it can't find the file it looks to the current folder.

You could send PDF's of the plots to avoid all of the above.

What you are doing with the structural DWG sounds fine to me.

Hope this helps.

...Am I correct in assuming that if I have xrefs in my drawing, I should email the xref files as well?

Of course. If you have referenced files, they must be taken together.

Also, do I need to make sure that we are all using the same file structure so that the xref path will be correct?

In this point DataCAD has a 'smart' feature. If you put the [referenced] files in the same folder where it is the [main] file, DC will identify them and will show them all right at your partner's computer.

...leaving my original dimensioning and text like I had it. Is there an easier way to do this?

One of my primary Wish items is to create a "Change/ To My Style" for dimensions. This is actually caused by this troubles for handling dimensions that comes from DWG files.
I consider your 'temporary' solution very smart. Despite it can't be used for all cases, it is very useful in this situation. Congratulations.

Thanks,
Miguel