UPDATE: Although I still recommend creating legends in model space of xref’s, this process really needs to be reviewed. As creating excess view ports in PSPACE can slow a drawing down significantly. Update should come soon.

We all create legends and keys regularly throughout our drawings. However creating them and managing them as we work proves difficult and cumbersome. I have a simple method I have been using for years that I notice regularly is not in use.

The secret is quite simple.

Place your legends in each xref! 


Then simply viewport onto each in each layout as required.

If you are like many other civil drafters and create many xrefs to separate different data types, then you will find this tip exceptionally straight forward and obvious. Hell, you may already do it!

If you don’t work with xrefs in this manner then I suggest its time to change, however you can still employ the same technique.

I’ll explain some of the intricacies below.

What do you expect from legends?

I want my legends to:-

• Be dynamic and update as I change each viewports layer settings in layout space.
• Be dynamic as I make changes to layers in the xref
• Get scaling correct on hatches and linetypes.
• Be able to update legends on multiple drawings at once.
• Be able to leave some items off legends or mismatch items.

All of this is possible using this technique.

How it all works

Inside the xref you only create each component and its label for the xref in model space off to the side (I typically go right side). Like below.

Step 1 – Add each component to a dummy legend in your xref

Ensure you create the legend at the scale you intend to viewport onto it with. ( i always create legends at 1:1000)

Ensure that all the objects you have on your legend are on the same layer and are the same linetype scale as your data in the xref. If you have annotative objects like hatches make sure you have added the legend scale you intend to use.

Step 2 – Allow space and stack straight

If you have more xrefs that have data that needs to be on the legend. Make sure you don’t put it in the same place as your other xrefs. I xref in other drawings that have legends already and continue to make a big panel that runs up and down in model space. This makes it easier in each layout to construct my legend with viewports.

Then last of all xref in the data, if you haven’t already, and place a viewport at the scale you chose on your legend. If you want multiple items just create more viewports! Ensure you place the viewport with space to expand down and across. The legend below has legends from 3 (three) different xref’s. With the exception of the existing boreholes I have allowed room for the testing and geophysics items to move up and down accordingly.

Step 3 – Place viewports onto each xref’s legend component. ensure you allow space to move.

If you change the colour on a layer in that particular drawing, the legend updates accordingly. If you have this same legend on multiple drawings and make a change in the xref, obviously it updates on all drawings. If you add a few items or so, they are all updated on each drawing and you do not need to go into the drawing.

A completely simple time saving technique that makes legends in Autocad extremely easy to create and manage. Give it a try some time!