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Getting Started
What is the Caddex Detail Library?
The Caddex Detail Library is an AutoCAD plugin that lets your team build, share, and manage a library of reusable CAD details. Instead of digging through old drawings or keeping a folder of loose DWG files, you get a searchable, visual library right inside AutoCAD — with previews, tags, version tracking, and cloud sync across your team.
How do I access the plugin after installing it?
After installation, a Caddex tab appears on your AutoCAD ribbon. From there you can open the Detail Library palette to browse and insert details, or open the Detail Manager for full review and management. You'll also find buttons for Settings, Account, and Help. To add new details, use the Add Detail button inside the Detail Library palette or the Detail Manager dialog.
Do I need to sign in to use the plugin?
No — you can try it out without signing in. Trial mode gives you access to all features with a limit of 10 details. Once you sign in, the limit is removed and your details sync across your team.
How do I sign in?
Click the Account button on the Caddex ribbon tab, then click Sign In. A browser window opens for you to log in with your credentials. Once authenticated, AutoCAD picks up your session automatically.
What happens to my trial details when I sign in for the first time?
You'll be asked whether to keep your trial details (they'll be uploaded to your company library) or start fresh (they'll be discarded). This is a one-time choice.
Adding Details to the Library
How do I add a new detail?
You can add details from the
Add Detail button in the Detail Library palette or the Detail Manager dialog. There are four import methods:
- From Current Drawing — Select a block that's already in your open drawing.
- From File (Block) — Browse to one or more DWG files and pick specific blocks from them.
- From File (XREF) — Import an entire DWG file as an external reference.
- Batch Upload — Use an Excel spreadsheet to import and tag many details at once (Editors only).
What is auto-approve?
When adding details, you can toggle Auto-Approve on or off. When on, new details go straight into the approved library and are immediately available for everyone to insert. When off, new details are added with a "New" status and must be reviewed and approved before they appear in the library.
Can I choose how preview images are rendered?
Yes. When adding details, you can select a CTB (pen table) file to control how the preview is rendered. A standard monochrome option is always available, and your team can upload custom CTB files through Settings for more accurate representations.
Is there a limit to how many details I can add at once?
You can select up to 50 details per import. Files larger than 2 MB are flagged with a warning.
What about detail names — are there any restrictions?
Detail names are limited to 50 characters. Special characters that aren't valid in file names are replaced automatically. During import, if a detail with the same name already exists, the plugin adds a number — like "OUTLET", "OUTLET (2)", "OUTLET (3)" — similar to how Windows handles duplicate files.
Browsing & Inserting Details
What is the Detail Library palette?
The Detail Library is a dockable palette that stays open while you work. It has two tabs:
- Details tab — Shows a searchable grid of all approved details with small thumbnail icons and a search box at the top. Hover over any detail to see a larger preview along with its name, tags, and description.
- Filters tab — Contains tag filters, status filters, tag category and category group dropdowns for narrowing down what's visible in the Details tab.
How do I insert a detail into my drawing?
Select a detail in the Detail Library palette and click to insert it. You'll be prompted to pick an insertion point in your drawing. Because the palette stays open while you work, you can insert details one right after another — just click the next detail in the list and place it.
There's also an "Add All to Drawing" button at the bottom of the palette that inserts all currently visible details in sequence. It respects your active filters and search, so you can narrow the list down first, then add everything that's showing. You'll be prompted to pick an insertion point for each detail as it goes. The button shows the count of details that will be added (e.g., "Add All to Drawing (12 items)"), and you can cancel at any point to stop the remaining insertions.
Can I search and filter the library?
Yes. There are several ways to find what you need:
- Search box — Type part of a detail name to filter the list in real time.
- Tag filters — Check tag checkboxes to show only details with specific tags. Tags are color-coded for easy scanning.
- Status filters — Toggle "New" or "Pending" to see details in those states.
- Tag Categories — If your team has set up categories, you can narrow tags by category first.
- Category Groups — For large libraries, groups let you filter categories by higher-level groupings.
Can I insert a detail that hasn't been approved yet?
No. Only approved details can be inserted into drawings. Details in "New" status (never approved) or "Pending" status (edited and awaiting re-approval) cannot be inserted. This ensures only reviewed content makes it into production drawings.
The Detail Manager
What is the Detail Manager?
The Detail Manager is a full-screen dialog for reviewing, organizing, and approving details. It shows a filterable detail list on the left, metadata and tags in the center, and a large preview image on the right. This is where approvals, edits, duplications, and annotations happen.
Who can access the Detail Manager?
Users with the Editor role have full access. Viewers can browse, insert, and add new details from the Detail Library palette but cannot open the Detail Manager. Details added by Viewers won't appear in the library until an Editor approves them.
Can I edit detail names, descriptions, and tags?
Yes — just click directly on the name, description, or tag area in the Detail Manager. An inline editor appears. Changes are saved when you click away or press Enter. Press Escape to discard changes.
Note: If a detail has pending versions awaiting approval, all metadata editing is temporarily locked. A tooltip explains: "Editing disabled. Approve pending details to edit." Resolve the pending versions first, then edit freely.
Approval Workflow
Why do details need to be approved?
The approval workflow ensures quality control. When someone adds a new detail or modifies an existing one, the changes go through a review step before they become part of the official library. This prevents unreviewed content from ending up in production drawings.
What are the different detail statuses?
- New — Just added, never approved. Visible in the Detail Manager but not in the Detail Library palette.
- Approved — Reviewed and accepted. Available for everyone to insert.
- Pending — An approved detail was modified, and the changes are awaiting review. The original approved version remains available for insertion while the pending version is under review.
How do I approve a detail?
Open the Detail Manager, select the New or Pending detail version, and click the Approve button. The version number increments and the detail becomes (or remains) available in the library.
What do the version numbers mean?
- 1.0, 2.0, 3.0... — Approved versions. Each approval bumps the major version.
- 1.1, 1.2, 1.3... — Pending versions (edits awaiting approval).
- When any pending version (e.g., 1.1) is approved, the detail's version becomes 2.0.
What happens to the old version when a new one is approved?
When you approve a pending version, the previous approved version is automatically archived. The archive includes the preview image so you have a snapshot of what the detail looked like before the change. Only one archive is kept per detail (the most recent previous version), and archived versions are viewable in the Detail Manager's version history dropdown.
Can I reject a pending version?
Yes — select the pending version and click Delete. The pending changes are discarded and the current approved version, and any other pending versions remain unchanged.
Editing Details
How do I edit an existing detail?
Select the detail in the Detail Manager and click the Edit button. A confirmation dialog warns you that changes will affect all users. The detail's source DWG file opens in AutoCAD for you to modify. When you save your changes, the plugin automatically regenerates the preview images — no manual sync needed.
What happens when I modify an inserted detail in my drawing?
If Track Changes is enabled for that detail, the plugin automatically detects the modification. For blocks, detection happens when you save the drawing. For XREFs, detection happens when the XREF is reloaded in AutoCAD (e.g., via XRELOAD or after closing an in-place edit with REFCLOSE). A dialog appears asking you to describe what changed. The modified version is saved as a pending version in the library, complete with revision cloud annotations showing exactly what changed. Someone on your team then reviews and approves (or rejects) the change.
What if I make additional edits to a detail that already has a pending version?
If you continue editing a detail that already has a pending version from a previous save, the existing pending version is updated in place — the plugin overwrites it with your latest changes rather than creating a separate pending version. This keeps things clean: one pending version per user per detail, always reflecting your most recent edits.
Why does a "Detected Changes" dialog appear when I save my drawing?
When you save a drawing that contains tracked block details — or reload a tracked XREF — the plugin compares the current state against its approved baseline. If it finds differences, it shows the Detected Changes dialog so you can document what changed and why. This description becomes part of the pending version's change log, giving reviewers context about the modification.
You can click Show Preview to see a side-by-side comparison with revision clouds highlighting exactly what changed. When you're ready, click Document & Continue to save the pending version with your description.
This dialog only appears for details that have Track Changes enabled — it won't interrupt your work for untracked details.
What does "Track Changes" detect?
Track Changes monitors geometry-level changes: moved, resized, or reshaped entities, text content changes, color and linetype changes, hatch modifications, and more. It does not trigger on attribute value changes or layer property changes.
Can I turn Track Changes on or off?
Yes. Each detail has its own Track Changes checkbox in the Detail Manager. Enable it for details where you want automatic change detection; leave it off for details you don't need to monitor.
Duplicating & Creating Variants
How do I duplicate a detail?
Select a detail in the Detail Manager and click Duplicate. You can give the copy a new name, update its description and tags, and it goes straight into the approved library — no approval step needed.
There's also a Duplicate and Edit option that creates the copy and immediately opens it in the File Editor for modification.
What is a variant?
A variant is a new detail created from a pending version. If someone submits a change that you'd rather keep as a separate detail instead of replacing the original, click Create Variant. The new detail is approved immediately, and the source pending version is marked as resolved.
Annotations & Markup
Can I annotate detail previews?
Yes. In the Detail Manager, you can draw annotations directly on the preview image using three tools:
- Text — Add text notes at any position.
- Highlight — Draw colored rectangles to call attention to areas.
- Leader — Draw arrows with text labels pointing to specific features.
Annotations are saved and synced with the detail, so your whole team can see them. Details with annotations automatically get a
"Comments" system tag for easy filtering.
What happens to annotations when a pending version is approved?
Annotations are not carried forward through the approval process. When a pending version is approved, any markup on the approved detail is cleared. This is intentional — annotations are meant for review commentary, not permanent documentation. If you need to re-annotate the newly approved version, you can add fresh markup after approval.
Can I zoom into previews?
Yes — click the Zoom button in the markup toolbar, then click the preview image to zoom in. This is helpful for reviewing fine details or reading small text in the preview.
Push Updates
What is Push Updates?
Push Updates lets you update details that have already been inserted into external DWG files. When you improve a detail in your library, Push Updates can scan a folder of drawings and replace the old version of that detail with the new one — without opening each drawing manually.
How do I push updates?
- Go to Settings > Push Updates (for bulk mode) or click the Push button on a specific detail in the Detail Manager.
- Browse to a folder containing your DWG files.
- The plugin scans all DWG files and shows which ones contain outdated versions of your details.
- Select which files to update and click Push.
- A summary shows which files were successfully updated.
Note: Caution should be taken when using the bulk mode update. It uses a folder selection process so any detail in the folder, or subfolders, that originated from the detail library and is older than the current version will be updated.
Does Push Updates work for both blocks and XREFs?
Yes. For blocks, the updated block definition is imported into the target drawing. For XREFs, the updated DWG file is copied to the XREF's referenced location. The process is automatic — you just select the files and push.
How are XREFs stored when inserted into a drawing?
When you insert an XREF detail, the plugin creates a Caddex folder adjacent to your drawing file (in the same directory) and places the XREF's DWG file there. The drawing references the XREF using a relative path, which keeps things portable — if you move the drawing and its Caddex folder together, the reference stays intact. This also means the Caddex folder needs to travel with the drawing when sharing files with others (for example, via eTransmit or a shared network drive).
Tags & Organization
How do tags work?
Tags are labels you assign to details to make them easier to find. Each tag gets an automatically assigned color that stays consistent across all team members' machines. You can add or remove tags by clicking the tag area in the Detail Manager.
What are system tags?
Three tags are managed automatically by the plugin:
- New — Applied to details that haven't been approved yet.
- Pending — Applied to details with pending edits awaiting review.
- Comments — Applied to details that have annotations/markup.
You can't add or remove system tags manually — they update automatically based on the detail's state.
What are Tag Categories?
Tag Categories let you organize your tags into named groups (like "Discipline", "Phase", or "Building Type"). When categories are enabled, the filter panel shows a category dropdown that narrows the tag list, making it easier to find the right filter in large libraries. Categories are set up by Editors in Settings > Tag Categories.
What are Category Groups?
Category Groups are an additional layer of organization on top of Tag Categories. They group categories together for advanced filtering in very large libraries. For example, you might group "Electrical" and "Mechanical" categories under an "MEP" group. Set these up in Settings > Category Groups.
CTB Files & Preview Rendering
What are CTB files used for?
CTB (Color-Dependent Plot Style Table) files control how line colors and weights appear in preview images. The plugin uses them to generate print-accurate preview thumbnails, so your detail previews look like they would on paper.
How do I upload a CTB file?
Go to Settings > Manage CTB Files. Click Upload CTB, browse to your .ctb file, and optionally add a description. The CTB file becomes available as a rendering option when adding new details.
How does the plugin decide which CTB to use when re-rendering previews?
The plugin uses a three-step priority:
- Your current drawing's CTB — The plugin first checks the CTB file assigned to the drawing where the detail was inserted. This takes priority because it respects your active plot style setup.
- The detail's stored CTB — If the current drawing doesn't have a CTB assigned, the plugin falls back to the CTB file that was last used to render that specific detail (stored in the detail's metadata).
- Monochrome default — If neither of the above yields a CTB, the standard monochrome pen table is used.
This means your previews will generally match the plot style you're actively working with, which keeps things consistent with your current project setup.
What if I don't upload any CTB files?
A standard monochrome option is always available. It renders previews in black on white, which works well for most use cases.
Why isn't my detail preview centered in the preview panel?
When Caddex renders your detail, it calculates the extents of all of the content
1 in the detail so that nothing is excluded. It's possible to have hidden or orphaned AutoCAD data that lies outside the visible extents of your detail. Look for things such as orphaned hatch boundaries or text blocks that extend beyond the edge of your detail. You can use the Cleanup tool described below to help with this process, but many times it takes opening the file and using the Select All and Quick Select commands to find this hidden or orphaned data.
1 The Caddex preview excludes, by design, the following items:
- Wipeouts
- Text background masks
- Objects on the Defpoints layer
- Objects set to not plot
Why do I see revision clouds where no changes were made, or font and dimension style changes in my detail previews?
This typically happens when the Standard AutoCAD style has been edited rather than creating a company-specific style. Caddex recommends not editing the default Standard style that ships with AutoCAD for text, dimensions, multileaders, and tables. The reason is that when you copy content from one drawing to another, the Standard styles in the target file are used in place of the Standard styles from the source file. This can cause unexpected differences when collaborating with other designers or sharing drawings with third parties. When rendering your detail for the preview, Caddex copies your detail to a sideloaded database to perform the rendering. This sideloaded database already contains the Standard styles, and if you have edited the Standard styles in your detail, those edits are replaced with the default AutoCAD Standard style. The best practice is to create your own custom styles. Regardless of the preview, your CAD detail will not be modified by Caddex, except in specific situations (see the Drawing Cleanup tool below).
Drawing Cleanup
What is the Drawing Cleanup tool?
It's a batch utility under Settings > Pre-Import Drawing Cleanup that prepares DWG files before importing their blocks. It helps reduce file sizes and resolve common issues.
What cleanup operations are performed?
Always performed:
- Purge unused items (3 passes)
- Audit with auto-fix
- Reset scale list to defaults
Optional (you choose):
- Overkill — remove duplicate/overlapping geometry
- Set By Layer — reset color, linetype, and lineweight overrides
- Detach missing XREFs
- Convert STB to CTB plot styles
Cloud Sync & Collaboration
How does syncing work?
The plugin syncs your detail library with the cloud so your whole team stays up to date. Sync runs automatically in the background when you're signed in, and you can also trigger it manually with the Sync button.
Can I work offline?
Yes. All details are stored locally, so browsing and inserting works without an internet connection. Changes you make while offline are queued and synced the next time you're connected.
What happens if two people edit the same detail that was added to different projects?
Each edit creates a separate pending version. The Detail Manager shows all pending versions, and a reviewer can approve, reject, or create variants from each one independently.
What is the config lock?
When an Editor opens the Detail Manager or Settings, the plugin acquires a temporary lock to prevent conflicting changes. Other users see the interface in read-only mode with a message like "Read-only — Locked by [Name]". The lock releases automatically when the editor closes their dialog or after 10 minutes of inactivity.
In read-only mode, you can still browse details, view previews, search, filter, and add new details from the Detail Library palette — you just can't edit, approve, delete, or modify existing details and their metadata until the lock is released.
Account & Updates
How do I check for plugin updates?
Click the Account button on the Caddex ribbon tab. The Your Plugins section at the bottom shows each installed Caddex plugin with its current version. If an update is available, you'll see an amber "Update available" notice with a Download button.
You'll also see an orange dot on the Account button whenever an update is available.
How do I change my display name?
Open the Account dialog and click on your name. A dialog appears where you can enter a new display name. This name appears in change logs and lock notifications across your team.
How do I sign out?
Click the Account button, then click Sign Out. Note that after signing out, you won't be able to return to full trial mode — you'll need to sign back in to continue using the plugin.
Downloading & Exporting
Can I download all my details as DWG files?
Yes. Go to Settings > Download Details, choose a destination folder, and the plugin exports all approved details as individual DWG files.
Troubleshooting
I can't edit a detail's name, description, or tags.
If a detail has pending versions awaiting approval, metadata editing is locked. Approve or delete all pending versions first, then try again.
I can't insert a detail.
Only approved details can be inserted. If the detail is in "New" or "Pending" status, it must be approved first. Also check that you're not in read-only mode (another user may hold the config lock).
The "Add Detail" button options are all disabled.
If you're in trial mode, you may have reached the 10-detail limit. Sign in to remove the limit.
I don't see any CTB options in the rendering dropdown.
The monochrome option is always available. For additional options, an Editor needs to upload CTB files through Settings > Manage CTB Files.
My previews look wrong.
If the preview image is the wrong scale, many times this can be caused by content that extends out past the edges of the detail. These can be things such as text objects with large extents, hidden geometry, orphaned data or empty hatch patterns.
Another user has the library locked and I need to make changes.
The config lock releases automatically after 10 minutes of inactivity, or when the other user closes their Detail Manager or Settings dialog. You can still browse, search, and insert details while in read-only mode.
Sync isn't working.
Check your internet connection and try signing out and back in. If the issue persists, check for plugin updates — an older version may have compatibility issues.
I accidentally deleted a detail.
Deleted details cannot be recovered and must be re-uploaded to the library. Be sure to confirm when prompted before deleting.
My detail's revision clouds don't look right.
Revision clouds are generated automatically by comparing the modified geometry against the approved version. They highlight areas where changes were detected. After approval, the clean preview (without clouds) replaces the annotated one. While revision clouds are only ever added to a detail that changed, there can be some false positives in the revision cloud placement. Typically these are due to subtle changes in position or text or Dimension styles that may vary between the original detail and the parent project drawing.
The plugin isn't loading in AutoCAD.
Make sure you're running a supported version of AutoCAD (2025, 2026, or 2027 — 64-bit, Windows). Restart AutoCAD after installation.
Feedback & Support
How do I report a bug or request a feature?
You can submit a bug report or feature request from the plugin's Help button on the Caddex ribbon — pick "Report a Bug or Request a Feature" and a browser window opens with the form pre-filled with your plugin and AutoCAD details.
Or send feedback directly from the website: caddex.io/feedback. Tell us what happened, attach screenshots if it helps, and we'll respond within 24 hours. Keywords: bug, report, issue, problem, feedback, feature request, support.
Roles & Permissions Summary
What can each role do?
| Feature |
Trial |
Viewer |
Editor |
| Browse & search details | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Insert approved details | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Open Detail Manager | Yes | No | Yes |
| Add new details | Yes (up to 10) | Yes | Yes |
| Approve / reject details | Yes | No | Yes |
| Edit detail metadata | Yes | No | Yes |
| Batch upload | Yes | No | Yes |
| Push updates | Yes | No | Yes |
| Manage CTB files | Yes | No | Yes |
| Manage tags & categories | Yes | No | Yes |
| Cloud sync | No | Yes | Yes |