Struggled with this for about 6 hours before I figured it out. Didn't find the answer here, so I thought I'd add it for the next guy.
Working with a basic xref of a plan, overlaying some code information. Someone saved the xref'd file with a new filename (which we do from time to time) so I got the typical "file contains orphaned references" message. No worry, right - just open insert -> orphaned references, and choose redefine to point to the renamed file. Tried that, but it wouldn't load the new file.
After struggling with changing filenames, saving in different verisons, etc., I realized that I had inserted the xref onto its own layer, and at some point I'd locked that layer because I kept grabbing the xref instead of the lines I was drawing on top of it. I never considered that locking the layer with the xref would keep the repath or redefine options from working. It also kept me from turning layers on and off within the xref - I'd make changes in the manager, hit apply, and it would revert to the original setting.
So, if your xfref won't change when you want it to, check whether the layer is locked before you waste 6 hours.
Working with a basic xref of a plan, overlaying some code information. Someone saved the xref'd file with a new filename (which we do from time to time) so I got the typical "file contains orphaned references" message. No worry, right - just open insert -> orphaned references, and choose redefine to point to the renamed file. Tried that, but it wouldn't load the new file.
After struggling with changing filenames, saving in different verisons, etc., I realized that I had inserted the xref onto its own layer, and at some point I'd locked that layer because I kept grabbing the xref instead of the lines I was drawing on top of it. I never considered that locking the layer with the xref would keep the repath or redefine options from working. It also kept me from turning layers on and off within the xref - I'd make changes in the manager, hit apply, and it would revert to the original setting.
So, if your xfref won't change when you want it to, check whether the layer is locked before you waste 6 hours.