AutoCAD Link

The Meridian application link for AutoCAD provides basic functionality for most of the discipline-specific editions of AutoCAD such as AutoCAD Land Desktop, AutoCAD Map 3D, and AutoCAD Architecture. Specific functionality is supported for other editions of AutoCAD such as AutoCAD Plant 3D, and AutoCAD Electrical.

Summary of Functionality

Basic link functionality includes:

Title block (attribute) data exchange
File property data exchange, including custom properties
Sheet set references
External reference file management
Redline import to AutoCAD layers

Application-specific functionality includes:

Project file management
Assembly/subassembly/part structure management

The most important of these features are title block data exchange and external reference management because they can affect the integrity of your drawings. Some features, such as external reference file management, are automatic and don't require any action on your part. Other features, such as redline import, are activated at your discretion.

Title block data exchange between AutoCAD and Meridian occurs by a link between Meridian properties and AutoCAD attributes. If your drawing title blocks (static or dynamic) use attributes for the title block text, that text can be synchronized with properties in a Meridian vault. Normal AutoCAD text cannot be linked with Meridian. Meridian can support multiple title block standards simultaneously. Title block data exchange is configured by a System Administrator as described in Configure Standard Title Block Synchronization.

External reference file (X-Ref) management by Meridian entails automatically detecting and tracking AutoCAD X-Refs regardless of where the files may reside in a vault, including local workspace. This means that Meridian can maintain the referential integrity of X-Refs as you import drawings into a vault, move them, create revisions, and even exchange drawings with other parties using briefcases. When you open a drawing in AutoCAD that has X-Refs, the AutoCAD link finds the current location of the X-Ref files in the vault and updates the locations of the X-Refs in the drawing. The link will even detect if the X-Ref files have been renamed in the vault and will resolve them correctly in AutoCAD.

The AutoCAD link automatically creates and maintains Meridian references between drawings and their X-Refs (attached, overlaid, and underlaid). These links can be used to view X-Ref drawings that might be effected by changes to a parent drawing and for other uses.

Note:

OLE objects inserted into AutoCAD drawings (for example, Excel spreadsheets) are shown by the viewer. However, references between the documents are not automatically created by the AutoCAD link. You can create references manually as described in Create References.

Together with the basic integration provided by Application Integration, any file created or used by AutoCAD can be managed in a Meridian vault. Conversely, AutoCAD commands that request a file can access Meridian vaults for document selection.

Enable Accruent Ribbon

Accruent Ribbon Display Modes

The commands for using the AutoCAD link features can be found in the Document group of the Accruent ribbon in AutoCAD. The Accruent ribbon in AutoCAD supports two display modes.

With rows as shown in the following figure.

The Accruent ribbon, where the Save & Release action has a large button, and the rest of the actions are smaller, and displayed in rows.

Or without rows as shown in the following figure.

The Accruent ribbon, where each action has a large button.

To configure the display mode:

Edit the following DWORD registry key.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Cyco\AutoManager Meridian\CurrentVersion\AutocadLink

Choose between two options:
- Set the UseRowRibbon value to 1 to show the page with rows.
- Set the UseRowRibbon value to 0 to show the page without rows.