Lost in paper space: should paper space be your standard?

摘要

AutoCAD Release 11 marked the debut of two momentous features: xrefs and paper space. The xreference feature had precedents in manual pin-bar drafting and in competing CAD programs such as MicroStation, but paper space appeared as a magnificent new invention and remains unique to AutoCAD. As with so many AutoCAD features, there's hardly unanimity about when and how to use them. Some offices embrace xrefs eagerly and employ them for plot sheet assembly and all manner of component re-use. Other offices, after being burned by undisciplined use of xrefs, avoid them altogether. Some offices employ paper space as standard operating procedure for all plot sheet drawings. Even in companies with users well-versed in both features, personal preferences and office customs lead to different ways of using paper space and xrefs.