AutoCAD 2014 - Copy Groups Between Drawings

by Justin Doughty

I recently picked up a useful tip regarding the use of AutoCAD groups, while testing some different workflows.

If you were to copy groups to clipboard and paste into a new drawing, using any of the various methods in AutoCAD, the grouped elements will enter the new drawing ungrouped.

Some people may argue that this is where blocks should be used, however some people use groups to collect blocks together in various configurations to speed up workflow.

The workaround found for this is to bind in the drawing with the groups, using the following method.

Attached the drawing with groups into the drawing that needs them, via the External Reference Manager (XREF command)

Then once attached, right click and Bind the drawing, using the Insert option:

Finally explode the Bind once in your drawing, and your groups return. It is noted however that any previous naming of those groups is removed. Renaming groups should be a lot quicker than regrouping all of your previous elements.