How to make nested reference files update symbology and colour?

Question

I am using V8i SS4. 
 I have a problem where if I update the looks of a reference file, eg linestyle, colours, the nested reference file it is in does not update automatically. I'd need to detach and reattach the file. 
 At my previous company I had a drafter (with 30 years of experience) who changed a setting to make it happen automatically, but I didn't really retain that knowledge. 
 Anyone has any idea what he did?

Lorys · Accepted Answer

I rechecked my notes YUAN 
 This variable needs to be added to workspace config or user config for new data to be seen if you added new data to a file in a nest after the nest was built and attached to a drawing 
 MS_REF_NEWLEVELDISPLAY=1 
 After changes made in your nested file return to your model space drawing can you see your changes, is the ref manager symb orides set to always or never or variable? 
 swap to the sheet model have the changes come thru? zoom in and then fit view .. no changes 
 Detach model nested xref from sheet, then use the undo to reattach the nest still no joy 
 Go to default model space detach nest and reattach nest ( not undo) , save settings change to sheet model should now have changes 
 Also I do not recommend using 1 nested file for all occasions and just turn in on or off levels and refs as changes will drive you mad.. 
 It is better to create custom xrefs for each type of drawing you need and use some sort of naming convention to help interpret it and also under the logical column in the ref manager spell it out ie Pavement Nest, Drainage Nest etc 
 I hope that helps guys... 
 But I still maintain Bentley should publish a proper wiki for CE and V8i on how to get this to work after you made changes to a nested depth 2 xref in the sheet model and display the updated changes ie changes to colour overrides or colour not by level and differs to the dgnlib colour etc for that level name...

Lorys · Answer

no real work around for sheet models as its nesting a nested file with ptv... but what seems to work is in the sheet model detach the ref model space nest and then undo command to undo the detach seems to force a refresh of the nested file... this has worked for us a couple times .... well anecdotally from my junior drafter no direct evidence by me I've not worked on PTV hands on for quite some time but have been training others in PTV standards presentation and microstation drafting... 
 If this fixes ptv nested files renested in sheets let everyone here know it worked ok.. 
 I don't remember the setting I changed but I do remember you couldn't do change in the active file through overrides... only through the original nest could overrides or changes to the nest be made.. however new information always shows ie new levels...

Lorys · Answer

It doesn't work if anything its the cause of our woes, when a ref file is nested 2 deep or more by being attached to a sheet model via the files model space and we use dgn libs to maintain colours two things happen seem to happen mstn wants to keep the display as it was created in the nest and according to the dgnlib.. now if you later change your mind and what to change symbology it refuses to let that change thru to the sheet space... and the update levels just reverts everything back to the dgn lib values so no help there, but if you go to the nest and change symbology overrides it seems to work or detach ref from the nest and reattach ref to the nest takes on the new overrides symbology despite the dgn lib... 
 I don't think the program was intended to work this way and with the addon of sheet models to the dgn format then nesting depth has caused us a problem... then in the ref manager there is also the confusing setting for level overrides >always> never>variable which also comes into play but has nothing to with the via attribute symbology overrides, its to do with if you change things in the ref file will it be reflected in the active file.. again its gets F'ed up with nesting and sheets... Bentley should publish a better documentation Wiki on how this all works and how to use it especially when you want to change its appearance even with dgnlibs and sheet models inplay.. no matter if its CE or V8i its still not properly understood by most of us... but the deattach changed refs reattach does work although extra work..