Autodesk Certified Professional in AutoCAD for Design and Drafting Practice Exam

What distinguishes overlay references from attach references in a drawing?

1. The overlay reference will not be visible

2. The overlay reference will plot differently

3. The attach reference is marked in red

4. Both will show the same visibility

The correct answer is: The overlay reference will not be visible

Overlay references and attach references serve different purposes in AutoCAD regarding how they are displayed and utilized within a drawing. An overlay reference is a type of external reference (Xref) that is applied in such a way that it does not carry over visibility into other drawings that may reference it. This means if you have an overlay reference in your current drawing, it will not show up if that drawing is used as an Xref in another drawing; thus, the overlay reference remains contained within its original environment. In contrast, an attached reference will be visible in any drawing that references the original drawing containing the attachment. This fundamental difference is crucial for managing complex projects where layering and visibility control are key. Regarding the other choices, an overlay reference does indeed have visibility parameters, but this visibility is limited to its original drawing. Plotting characteristics and markings in red do not specifically define the differences between these two types of references. Understanding how overlay and attach references function helps in organizing and managing drawing references efficiently in AutoCAD.