AutoCAD

How to Refresh Drawing in AutoCAD?

Understanding the Refresh Process in AutoCAD

AutoCAD provides users with functionalities that can help keep their drawings and layouts updated, which is essential for maintaining project accuracy and efficiency. This guide elaborates on how to refresh different components within AutoCAD, ensuring your drawings reflect the most current changes.

How to Refresh a Viewport in AutoCAD

To ensure that your viewport displays the most recent changes in your drawing, follow these steps:

  1. Access the Layout Tab: Navigate to the Layout tab found at the bottom of your AutoCAD window.

  2. Find the Update Option: Look for the Update panel located in the ribbon section. Click on it to reveal additional options.

  3. Refresh the View: From the Update View drop-down menu, select the ‘Update View’ option. You will then need to click on the specific drawing view you wish to refresh. Confirm your selection by pressing the ENTER key on your keyboard.

By performing these actions, your viewport will refresh, reflecting any new modifications made to your model.

Steps to Refresh a Linetype in AutoCAD

If you notice that a linetype is not appearing correctly or has not been updated after making changes, you can ensure it displays correctly by following these steps:

  1. Open Linetype Management: Access the Linetypes dialog box, typically found under the properties or settings menu.

  2. Select Linetypes to Reload: In the Linetypes – Reload Linetypes dialog that appears, select “Reload all selected linetypes” to ensure all changes are applied.

  3. Execute the REGEN Command: In the command line, type ‘REGENALL’ or simply ‘REA’, and press the ENTER key. This refresh will make your lines appear as intended in your drawing.

How to Use the Restore Command in AutoCAD

To recover a drawing that may contain errors or issues, utilize the Restore command:

  1. Access the Command Line: Type ‘RECOVER’ into the command line at the bottom of your AutoCAD workspace, then press ENTER.

  2. Select Your File: A dialog box will appear prompting you to choose the affected DWG, DWT, or DWS file. Locate the file you want to recover.

  3. Confirm and Open: Click on the ‘Open’ button. AutoCAD will attempt to repair any errors found in the drawing file and open it with the least amount of data loss.

How to Refresh Internal Components in AutoCAD 2025

If you want to refresh the internal components such as layers or external references (Xrefs), the following steps will assist you:

  1. Reload Layers: Right-click on the layer you wish to refresh in the Layer Properties Manager. Click the ‘Reload Layer’ option to ensure it updates to the latest state.

  2. Refresh Xrefs: If you are working with external references, right-click the Xref in the Xref Manager, and select ‘Reload’. This will update any changes made to the external file without unloading it.

  3. Adjust System Variables: Occasionally, the display issues can be related to system variable settings. Check and adjust the ‘LTSCALE’ and ‘VIEWRES’ system variables to ensure they are set appropriately for your drawing scale.

FAQ

  1. Why isn’t my drawing updating after the refresh?
    If your drawing isn’t updating, check whether the view has been properly refreshed. Ensure you have selected the correct viewport or elements to update and confirm that there are no underlying errors in the drawing itself.

  2. What does the REGEN command do?
    The REGEN command regenerates the current view and recalculates the display of all objects in the drawing. This should be used anytime you notice that items are not displaying as they should because of missing or incorrect updates.

  3. How can I save time when working with multiple viewports?
    Use the “Update Selected Viewports” option from the View menu to refresh multiple viewports simultaneously, which can save valuable time compared to refreshing each viewport individually.

About the author

Wei Zhang

Wei Zhang

Wei Zhang is a renowned figure in the CAD (Computer-Aided Design) industry in Canada, with over 30 years of experience spanning his native China and Canada. As the founder of a CAD training center, Wei has been instrumental in shaping the skills of hundreds of technicians and engineers in technical drawing and CAD software applications. He is a certified developer with Autodesk, demonstrating his deep expertise and commitment to staying at the forefront of CAD technology. Wei’s passion for education and technology has not only made him a respected educator but also a key player in advancing CAD methodologies in various engineering sectors. His contributions have significantly impacted the way CAD is taught and applied in the professional world, bridging the gap between traditional drafting techniques and modern digital solutions.