If you are experiencing Location properties not reading the correct property when working through external references, you may want to see if the problem is similar to one I recently experienced.
A project in my office was being done in ACA 2010, and was not using the Drawing Management (Project Browser/Project Navigator) feature. Space objects were placed in the main "model" file, and had the company standard Property Set attached which includes two Text-type Manual properties for the room name (for two separate lines, set up before attributes in the view block of a Multi-View Block tag could wrap text), a formula property to concatenate those two Manual properties, for use in Schedule Tables and a Manual room number property. The Property Set was an older version, which also has three "residual" properties from the out-of-the-box property set, a Project property for Level, an Integer-type Manual property for the room number "Increment" and a formula property to concatenate the Level and Increment properties. A separate Property Set was also attached to the Spaces to hold a project-specific Text-type Manual property to hold the "room code".
In order to allow additional staff to work simultaneously, the equipment for the project was placed in several different "equipment" files, which were then externally referenced into the main model file. The main model file was also externally referenced into the equipment files, so that the equipment could be located. The equipment had a Property Set that included three Location properties: one for the concatenated formula property for the room name, one for the room number and one for the room code.
There were a number of issues with the state of the files at the time I was consulted. Once I got the needed Property Sets attached, I found that the room code Location property read the information correctly, but the room name and room number properties were displaying *No Project* for a value. I double checked to make certain that the correct properties were being referenced, and that these did not make use of the Project property. All appeared to be set up correctly.
I finally discovered what the problem was (even if I do not understand why it was a problem) - the equipment drawings had our current version of the Property Set for room names and numbers, which no longer have the "residual" Project-based properties. For some reason, the fact that this was different from the version of the Property Set in the main model file caused ACA to become "confused" (no, that is not a technical term) and resulted in ACA grabbing the wrong property values from the main model. I discovered this when I added two more Location properties, referencing the two Manual properties that make up the room name. The Location property referencing the first line property also displayed *No Project*, but the Location property referencing the second line property was displaying the value of the first line property! At that point, I discovered that the Property Set in the equipment drawings was different from the one in the main model file. I did not want to take a chance on losing all of the values for the room names and numbers in the main model file, so I copied the version in that file to the equipment file, and, just like that, the Location properties started referencing the right properties.
So, if you are seeing a Location property in one file referencing the wrong property from a Space in an externally referenced file, one thing to check is whether the Property Set that has the Space property being referenced is identical in both files.
As part of my diagnostics, I opened the ACA 2010 files in both ACA 2011 and Release Candidate Beta 2012, and the problem occurred in those versions, also.
April 09, 2011
April 03, 2011
AutoCAD 2012 New Feature - AutoComplete
Another new AutoCAD® 2012 feature that I found useful is AutoComplete, which assists you when typing a command or system variable at the Command: prompt. This will be especially useful to ACA users, who, if you are like me, find typing some of the rather long ACA command names tedious at best and difficult to remember at worst. I know many have set up command aliases for many commonly used command in their ACAD.pgp file, but I find myself typing in most ACA commands sufficiently infrequently that it never seemed worth taking the bother to set up and remember command aliases but often enough to now find AutoComplete useful.
AutoComplete offers several options, which can be configured to your liking by either typing AUTOCOMPLETE at the Command: prompt
or by right-clicking in the Command: line window and choosing the AutoComplete flyout on the context menu.
In the headers below, the command line option is given first, followed by the context menu flyout menu choice.
Append/Auto-Append
With the Append option enabled, command and system variable names will be automatically completed, right on the Command: line, as you type. If there are multiple commands that fit what you have typed so far, the first one alphabetically will be completed. The command line option is a Yes/No question; choosing the item on the context menu will toggle the check mark on (= "Yes") or off (= "No").
List/Suggestion List
This option determines whether a popup list of commands that start with the characters typed so far will appear. You can then choose the command you want from the list, or continue to type additional characters to reduce the number of commands on the list (or until the command you want is appended, if you have that option turned on). The command line option is a Yes/No question; choosing the item on the context menu will toggle the check mark on (= "Yes") or off (= "No").
Icon/Display Icons
Use this option to determine whether the icon associated with a command is displayed in front of it on the popup list. The command line option is a Yes/No question; choosing the item on the context menu will toggle the check mark on (= "Yes") or off (= "No").
System variables/Display System Variables
Enable this option to include System Variables in the Append and List options; disable it to exclude them. The command line option is a Yes/No question; choosing the item on the context menu will toggle the check mark on (= "Yes") or off (= "No").
Delay/Delay Time
The delay time, entered in seconds, determines how long AutoCAD waits before allowing the Append and List features to be applied, when enabled.
ON
Choosing the ON option will allow the AutoComplete features that have been enabled to be active. Note that if both Append and List are set to "No" (unchecked in the context menu), then using the ON option has no actual effect. But if you previously used the OFF option (see below) to disable the AutoComplete feature when the Append, List or both were set to "Yes", then the "ON" command option will enable AutoComplete with the features that were previously set to "Yes".
OFF
The OFF option disables the AutoComplete function without changing the status of any of the command options. You can later use the ON option to enable the AutoComplete function with the same settings you had prior to using the OFF option.
The ON and OFF options are not available in the right-click context menu. You can turn both the Append and List options off in the context menu to effectively disable the AutoComplete feature, but if you later want both options on, you would have to turn both back on individually.
To disable the feature while preserving your settings, use the OFF option of the AutoComplete command at the Command: line.
If you hover over one of the commands in the popup list and ToolTips are enabled and the command has a ToolTip, the ToolTip will display.
If you load custom LISP routines that define commands, these will also be available in the AutoComplete feature. In the image below, the SELALL command is a custom command I have defined, and after typing "SEL" at the Command: line, the popup list shows the SELALL command and the balance of the SELALL command has been appended, since it is first alphabetically on the list. The SELBLK command is also a LISP-defined custom command.
AutoComplete offers several options, which can be configured to your liking by either typing AUTOCOMPLETE at the Command: prompt
or by right-clicking in the Command: line window and choosing the AutoComplete flyout on the context menu.
In the headers below, the command line option is given first, followed by the context menu flyout menu choice.Append/Auto-Append
With the Append option enabled, command and system variable names will be automatically completed, right on the Command: line, as you type. If there are multiple commands that fit what you have typed so far, the first one alphabetically will be completed. The command line option is a Yes/No question; choosing the item on the context menu will toggle the check mark on (= "Yes") or off (= "No").
List/Suggestion List
This option determines whether a popup list of commands that start with the characters typed so far will appear. You can then choose the command you want from the list, or continue to type additional characters to reduce the number of commands on the list (or until the command you want is appended, if you have that option turned on). The command line option is a Yes/No question; choosing the item on the context menu will toggle the check mark on (= "Yes") or off (= "No").
Icon/Display Icons
Use this option to determine whether the icon associated with a command is displayed in front of it on the popup list. The command line option is a Yes/No question; choosing the item on the context menu will toggle the check mark on (= "Yes") or off (= "No").
System variables/Display System Variables
Enable this option to include System Variables in the Append and List options; disable it to exclude them. The command line option is a Yes/No question; choosing the item on the context menu will toggle the check mark on (= "Yes") or off (= "No").
Delay/Delay Time
The delay time, entered in seconds, determines how long AutoCAD waits before allowing the Append and List features to be applied, when enabled.
ON
Choosing the ON option will allow the AutoComplete features that have been enabled to be active. Note that if both Append and List are set to "No" (unchecked in the context menu), then using the ON option has no actual effect. But if you previously used the OFF option (see below) to disable the AutoComplete feature when the Append, List or both were set to "Yes", then the "ON" command option will enable AutoComplete with the features that were previously set to "Yes".
OFF
The OFF option disables the AutoComplete function without changing the status of any of the command options. You can later use the ON option to enable the AutoComplete function with the same settings you had prior to using the OFF option.
The ON and OFF options are not available in the right-click context menu. You can turn both the Append and List options off in the context menu to effectively disable the AutoComplete feature, but if you later want both options on, you would have to turn both back on individually.
To disable the feature while preserving your settings, use the OFF option of the AutoComplete command at the Command: line.If you hover over one of the commands in the popup list and ToolTips are enabled and the command has a ToolTip, the ToolTip will display.
If you load custom LISP routines that define commands, these will also be available in the AutoComplete feature. In the image below, the SELALL command is a custom command I have defined, and after typing "SEL" at the Command: line, the popup list shows the SELALL command and the balance of the SELALL command has been appended, since it is first alphabetically on the list. The SELBLK command is also a LISP-defined custom command.
March 30, 2011
AutoCAD 2012 New Feature - In-Canvas View Controls
The In-Canvas View Control is a new feature added to AutoCAD® 2012, so it is also available in ACA 2012. When combined with the tools on the Navigation Bar and the ViewCube, you really do not need to tear off the View panel from the Home ribbon tab anymore.
Appearing at the top left corner of the drawing area on the Model "tab" (TILEMODE 1) and consuming a minimum of screen real estate, there are three text strings enclosed in square brackets; a left click on one of the strings gives access to popup menus related to that particular view control. The first string - either a "-" (one viewport displayed) or a "+" (multiple viewports displayed - allows you to control the visibility of the ViewCube, SteeringWheels and Navigation Bar as well as access to Viewport configurations, including any custom configurations you may have created.
You can also temporarily maximize the currently active viewport and then restore the previous viewport configuration using this first menu.
The second string allows you to quickly select a Model View to restore, either preset or custom, as well as access to the View Manager. The name of the current View direction or Model Space View (if current) is displayed in the second string, for easy reference while you work.
The third string displays the name of the current Visual Style, and the menu allows you to set a different Visual Style current (predefined or custom) or to open the Visual Styles Manager.
The VPCONTROL System Variable controls the display of the In-Canvas View Controls. Set it to Off (0) to hide the controls. Set it to On (1) to display the controls. It is stored in the registry, so the setting will hold for all drawings.
With TILEMODE set to 0, you will not see the View Controls unless you maximize a viewport on a Layout "tab".
Appearing at the top left corner of the drawing area on the Model "tab" (TILEMODE 1) and consuming a minimum of screen real estate, there are three text strings enclosed in square brackets; a left click on one of the strings gives access to popup menus related to that particular view control. The first string - either a "-" (one viewport displayed) or a "+" (multiple viewports displayed - allows you to control the visibility of the ViewCube, SteeringWheels and Navigation Bar as well as access to Viewport configurations, including any custom configurations you may have created.
You can also temporarily maximize the currently active viewport and then restore the previous viewport configuration using this first menu.The second string allows you to quickly select a Model View to restore, either preset or custom, as well as access to the View Manager. The name of the current View direction or Model Space View (if current) is displayed in the second string, for easy reference while you work.
The third string displays the name of the current Visual Style, and the menu allows you to set a different Visual Style current (predefined or custom) or to open the Visual Styles Manager.
The VPCONTROL System Variable controls the display of the In-Canvas View Controls. Set it to Off (0) to hide the controls. Set it to On (1) to display the controls. It is stored in the registry, so the setting will hold for all drawings.
With TILEMODE set to 0, you will not see the View Controls unless you maximize a viewport on a Layout "tab".
March 26, 2011
ACA 2012 Enhanced Feature - Column Grids
Two improvements to the Column Grid feature have been added in the 2012 release.
Automatic Labeling of Custom Column Grids
With the linework you wish to convert to a custom Column Grid drawn, on the Home ribbon tab, on the Build panel, select the arrow icon at the right side of the Enhanced Custom Grid split button and choose the Custom Grid Convert tool.
(As always, click on an image to see a full-size version. Use the Back button in your Browser to return here.) Following the Command: line prompts, select the linework to be converted. The next prompt asks you to specify the label extension distance. Accept the default value, enter a new value or type "N" (No labels command option) if you do not want to add labels automatically at this time. Type "Y" to erase the selected linework or "N" to keep it, and press ENTER to end the command.
The custom grid will be created, and labels will be added at the ends of the grid lines, if you did not choose the No labels command option. Notice, however, that the labels all have "-" as a default value.
Note: If you did choose the No labels option when creating the Column Grid, you can add labels to it by selecting it and, on the Column Grid contextual ribbon tab, on the Label panel, choosing the Add Labels tool.
With the new, default-labeled custom Column Grid selected, on the Column Grid contextual ribbon tab, on the Label panel, choose the Edit Labels tool.
You can now pick a single grid line or a series of grid lines that are to be sequentially numbered, starting with the one to receive the lowest value. When you are done selecting, press ENTER and then enter the value for the first (lowest) grid line and press ENTER to change those values.
The prompt will repeat, so you can pick a second grid line or series of grid lines, starting with the lowest value, and label those as well. When you are done labeling grid lines, press ENTER to end the AecCustomColumnGridLabelEdit command.
The value you enter for the label can be alphabetic or numeric; either will be incremented when you select a series of grid lines. You can also enter something like "1.1" and choose a series of grid lines and get "1.1", "1.2", 1.3", etc. You can use the Edit Labels tool at any time in the future to edit the values of a single grid line or a series of grid lines.
Labels are automatically added to both ends of each grid line. You can ERASE any labels you do not want to keep.
Enhanced Custom Grids
You can now use an existing regular Column Grid or Enhanced Custom Grid as the starting point for a new Enhanced Custom Grid. On the Home ribbon tab, on the Build panel, choose the Enhanced Custom Grid tool.
In the Column Grid dialog, click on the Set From button,
and then choose the desired Column Grid. The parameters of the selected grid will populate the Column Grid dialog as a starting point for your new Enhanced Custom Grid. A non-enhanced custom Column Grid (created from linework) can not be selected as the "Set From" object.
Automatic Labeling of Custom Column Grids
With the linework you wish to convert to a custom Column Grid drawn, on the Home ribbon tab, on the Build panel, select the arrow icon at the right side of the Enhanced Custom Grid split button and choose the Custom Grid Convert tool.
(As always, click on an image to see a full-size version. Use the Back button in your Browser to return here.) Following the Command: line prompts, select the linework to be converted. The next prompt asks you to specify the label extension distance. Accept the default value, enter a new value or type "N" (No labels command option) if you do not want to add labels automatically at this time. Type "Y" to erase the selected linework or "N" to keep it, and press ENTER to end the command.
The custom grid will be created, and labels will be added at the ends of the grid lines, if you did not choose the No labels command option. Notice, however, that the labels all have "-" as a default value.
Note: If you did choose the No labels option when creating the Column Grid, you can add labels to it by selecting it and, on the Column Grid contextual ribbon tab, on the Label panel, choosing the Add Labels tool.With the new, default-labeled custom Column Grid selected, on the Column Grid contextual ribbon tab, on the Label panel, choose the Edit Labels tool.
You can now pick a single grid line or a series of grid lines that are to be sequentially numbered, starting with the one to receive the lowest value. When you are done selecting, press ENTER and then enter the value for the first (lowest) grid line and press ENTER to change those values.The prompt will repeat, so you can pick a second grid line or series of grid lines, starting with the lowest value, and label those as well. When you are done labeling grid lines, press ENTER to end the AecCustomColumnGridLabelEdit command.
The value you enter for the label can be alphabetic or numeric; either will be incremented when you select a series of grid lines. You can also enter something like "1.1" and choose a series of grid lines and get "1.1", "1.2", 1.3", etc. You can use the Edit Labels tool at any time in the future to edit the values of a single grid line or a series of grid lines.
Labels are automatically added to both ends of each grid line. You can ERASE any labels you do not want to keep.
Enhanced Custom Grids
You can now use an existing regular Column Grid or Enhanced Custom Grid as the starting point for a new Enhanced Custom Grid. On the Home ribbon tab, on the Build panel, choose the Enhanced Custom Grid tool.
In the Column Grid dialog, click on the Set From button,
and then choose the desired Column Grid. The parameters of the selected grid will populate the Column Grid dialog as a starting point for your new Enhanced Custom Grid. A non-enhanced custom Column Grid (created from linework) can not be selected as the "Set From" object.
March 22, 2011
ACA 2012 New Feature - Corner Windows
One of the new features added to AutoCAD® Architecture 2012 is one for creating corner windows. An easy way to do so has been on the wishlist for some time, and now it is here. Corner Windows make use of "regular" ACA Window Styles, which now feature some added properties on the Dimensions tab in the Frame area.
As you can see in the image above, you have the option of specifying butt glazing at the corner. If this toggle is unchecked, you will get a frame at the corner, and you can specify the exposed inside width of the frame (dimension "K"). Window Styles from previous releases will default to having the Butt Glazing at Corner toggle checked (K - Width of 0). The out-of-the-box "regular" Window Styles also have the Butt Glazing at Corner toggle checked. While there is no reason to create a separate Window Style with "Corner Butt Glazing" in the name, the out-of-the-box content includes a "Corner Butt Glazing - Picture" Window Style that is used by the Tool palette tool of the same name.
Corner Windows are placed using a new command, WINDOWCORNERADD. You can create your own Corner Window Tool palette tool by copying one of the out-of-the-box tools and modifying the properties to use your desired style. In addition to the out-of-the-box style-specific tools on the Corner Windows palette in the Design Tool Catalog (under Doors and Windows),
you can find a generic Corner Window tool in the Stock Tool Catalog, under Architectural Object Tools. You can also invoke the WINDOWCORNERADD command on the Home ribbon tab, on the Build panel, by clicking the down arrow icon at the right side of the Window split button and choosing the Corner Window tool.
Corner Windows must be placed by selecting a Wall; they can not be inserted as free-standing objects, like "regular" Windows. The Wall selected must also be intersected by another Wall, and both must clean up to form an "L" corner; the angle need not be 90 degrees. "T" or "X" intersections will not work. Curved Walls are also not currently supported. If you try to place a Corner Window and nothing happens when you select a Wall, check the Command: line for helpful messages such as "No valid wall intersection found for selected wall." to help you figure out why the Corner Window is not being placed.
After selecting the first Wall, a preview of the Corner Window will appear on screen. If there are valid corners at each end, you can move your cursor closer to the desired end to have the preview appear at the correct end. When adding a Corner Window, you will find that instead of being able to edit the usual Width property (Dimension A, which is still there, but not editable), you now have two new properties, Width 1 (Dimension E) and Width 2 (Dimension F), which allow you to control the width of each leg of the Corner Window. Width 1 applies to the leg within the selected Wall, Width 2 applies to the other Wall. The Width property will display the sum of the Width 1 and Width2 values.
In the image above, the horizontal Wall was selected, and the dynamic dimension for Width 1 is initially active. You can set the widths using the dynamic dimensions or by editing the properties on the Design tab of the Properties palette. Use the Opening measure property to choose whether the specified Width 1 and Width 2 values are measured to the Outside of opening, Center of opening or Inside of opening.
Standard Sizes remain the same as before - when placing a Corner Window, the width dimension specified is used for both legs.
Corner Windows can be tagged and scheduled just like "regular" Windows". The Width automatic property source will show both widths, separated by " x ".
Corner Windows can be grip edited similar to "regular" Windows, with some Corner-Window-specific changes. The arrow-shaped Flip grip located at the jamb will swap the Width 1 and Width 2 legs. This does not just swap the width values, but actually moves the Width 1 leg to the other Wall, as if it had been selected first.
The square Location grip offers a different first option. Instead of "Move along" Wall, which makes no sense for a Corner Window, it offers "Specify wall corner", which allows you to move the Corner Window to any other valid "L" corner Wall intersection, even one involving two different Walls.
Cautions
Corner Windows should not be used in projects where any other team members are not on the 2012 release. While ACA 2012 uses the AutoCAD® 2010 file format and ACA 2010 and 2011 will be able to open the file, neither of those releases will support the proper display of Corner Windows and you will get a "regular" Window, with the width equal to the sum of the center of opening values of Width 1 and Width 2, anchored to the Width 1 Wall at the time it was saved in 2012 and hanging over the end of the Wall, as seen in the image below.
Schedules created in 2012 with Corner Windows will also show undesired results when opened in 2010 or 2011. (The Width column will show like a formula property with an error, displaying the entire formula used to calculate the Width value.) In limited testing, it appears that opening/editing/saving in 2011 and reopening in 2012 causes no harm, but you will want to test that in your own environment and with the sorts of edting you expect to do before relying on it being safe.The openings created by Corner Windows are not taken into consideration when using the Offset or Center options when placing other opening objects (Doors, Windows, Openings, Door/Window Assemblies) in a Wall that has a Corner Window. This is not the behavior I expected, so you will want to keep that in mind.
Any type of Window Style can be used as a Corner Window, but it may not be appropriate for all types. For example, you can set up a butt-glazed Glider Peak Corner Window, but that does not mean you should (nor does it mean it could be built).
February 19, 2011
Adding Show Desktop Tool to Quick Launch Toolbar (Windows XP Professional x64 Edition)
I just got a new 64-bit computer at work, and the first thing I "missed" was the "Show Desktop" tool in the Quick Launch toolbar. My computer desktop tends to accumulate quite a few Windows as the day goes on, and I make frequent use of that tool. While there are alternative methods for invoking the command ("Microsoft key"+D or right clicking on the Taskbar and choosing "Show the Desktop" from the context menu, I kept finding myself trying to click on the familiar tool that was no longer there.
At home, I added it back in by copying the file from my 32-bit laptop. I found this knowlege-base article on the Microsoft site, which explains how to create a file to run the "Show the Desktop" command from a Quick Launch toolbar tool.
There is a "Fix it for me" button, but I chose to do it manually, which is really quite easy. Start a Notepad file and paste the given text into it.
Note: The above works when running Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, assuming that you have the Quick Launch toolbar displayed on the Taskbar. It should work on Vista as well. Apparently, Windows 7 has a button on the far right side of the Taskbar that performs this function, but you can not move its position; in order to use the above, you would have to add the Quick Launch toolbar to the Taskbar, as it is not available by default.
At home, I added it back in by copying the file from my 32-bit laptop. I found this knowlege-base article on the Microsoft site, which explains how to create a file to run the "Show the Desktop" command from a Quick Launch toolbar tool.
There is a "Fix it for me" button, but I chose to do it manually, which is really quite easy. Start a Notepad file and paste the given text into it.
[Shell]
Command=2
IconFile=explorer.exe,3
[Taskbar]
Command=ToggleDesktopSave the file to your Desktop (or some other location, if you prefer), using the name Show desktop.scf and then drag that file onto the Quick Launch toolbar. The old, familiar icon is back and ready for action.Note: The above works when running Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, assuming that you have the Quick Launch toolbar displayed on the Taskbar. It should work on Vista as well. Apparently, Windows 7 has a button on the far right side of the Taskbar that performs this function, but you can not move its position; in order to use the above, you would have to add the Quick Launch toolbar to the Taskbar, as it is not available by default.
February 05, 2011
Complete Uninstallation of Autodesk Products
If you ever find yourself needed to uninstall an Autodesk product and want to be certain that you have completely removed the product so that you can have a clean reinstallaion, you can find instructions for doing just that in this Knowledge Base article.
January 19, 2011
ACA Section Tail Scaling
Here is a heads up to anyone who may be placing Section Marks with "tails" in Model Space from a Layout through a Viewport. The AecCallout command has an apparent defect in the way it creates the anonymous block for the tail. It works fine when placing the Section Mark from the "Model tab" (when "Model" or TILEMODE 1, rather than a "Layout" or TILEMODE 0 is current). It also works correctly when in a Layout and working through a Viewport when the scale of the Viewport is the same as the scale set for "Model".
But if the Viewport's scale is not the same as the "Model" scale, then the anonymous block that gets created is improperly sized. The correct annotation scale (matching that of the Viewport) is applied to the tail block, but the improper size of the block definition results in the final block displaying the same size as one placed through a Viewport that has the same scale as "Model".
To avoid this problem, you can do one of the following:
The block at the other end of the Section Mark, displaying the Section Number and, possibly, the Sheet Number, does not suffer from this defect.
But if the Viewport's scale is not the same as the "Model" scale, then the anonymous block that gets created is improperly sized. The correct annotation scale (matching that of the Viewport) is applied to the tail block, but the improper size of the block definition results in the final block displaying the same size as one placed through a Viewport that has the same scale as "Model".
To avoid this problem, you can do one of the following:
- Place all callouts from the "Model tab" (TILEMODE 1), setting the desired drawing scale prior to placement.
- Remember to switch to "Model"/TILEMODE 1 and set the drawing scale to match that of the Viewport and then switch back to the Layout.
- Place the callout in the Viewport and then, after placement, change X-scale factor of the block to get it to be the right size [Viewport scale factor/Model scale factor]. The anonymous block created has uniform scaling, so the change to the X-scale factor will be applied to the Y- and Z-scale factors as well.
The block at the other end of the Section Mark, displaying the Section Number and, possibly, the Sheet Number, does not suffer from this defect.
January 10, 2011
Old AUGI Forums Restored
The pre-December 2010 AUGI Forums are back on line and ready to receive new posts, at http://forums.augi.com/. This is being described as a "beta", as there are still additional changes to be make to incorporate previous customizations into the more recent version of vBulletin that is now being used (where such customizations are deemed worthy of keeping, of course).
At this time, if you log into the main AUGI site and choose the Forums link, you will need to click on the http://forums.augi.com/ link to get to the new forums. The old ExpressionEngine forums are now read only, but can be viewed (separately) for reference. At some point in the future, those posts are to be merged into the vBulletin forums.
The archived AUGI Training Program (ATP) classes are also available again. You can navigate to the archived course material download pages from the Education link on the main AUGI site.
If you experience problems logging in to the site or accessing the old forums, try logging out of the site and deleting your AUGI cookies. When you then log in again, new cookies should be generated that will get you in to both sites.
At this time, if you log into the main AUGI site and choose the Forums link, you will need to click on the http://forums.augi.com/ link to get to the new forums. The old ExpressionEngine forums are now read only, but can be viewed (separately) for reference. At some point in the future, those posts are to be merged into the vBulletin forums.
The archived AUGI Training Program (ATP) classes are also available again. You can navigate to the archived course material download pages from the Education link on the main AUGI site.
If you experience problems logging in to the site or accessing the old forums, try logging out of the site and deleting your AUGI cookies. When you then log in again, new cookies should be generated that will get you in to both sites.
January 05, 2011
Revisions and Dependent Views in Revit
I came across an issue related to my previous post on Revision Clouds and Dependent Views in Revit® Architecture. The floors on my project are shown in three sectors on three separate sheets at 1/4" = 1'-0", and I had a relatively small change to make within a single room in the middle or "B" sector that happened to be right next to the match line separating it from Sector "C" on my project. Due to the floor geometry, the match line is neither straight nor parallel to the dependent view cropping boundary, and at the revised area, a good deal of the room in which the change was made appears on the Sector "C" sheet as well.
I had made the change, clouded it and reissued the Sector "B" sheet without giving any thought to the Sector "C" sheet. Some time later, I opened the Sector "C" sheet and was checking to see if the revisions on it agreed with the plot in my half-size set and was surprised to find that an additional revision was listed. I quickly determined that the revision was for the change that I had documented in Sector "B" and that the reason it showed up was because the revision cloud, as I had drawn it, ended up being entirely within the annotation crop boundary for the dependent view shown on the Sector "C" sheet. That annotation crop boundary was a substantial distance beyond the model crop boundary, at what I believe was the initial default location.
Since the revision was generated by the revision cloud, there was no way to manually remove it from the list of revisions on the Sector "C" sheet. In order to remove the revision from the Sector "C" sheet, I edited the annotation crop boundary, dragging it as tight to the model crop boundary as possible, and then modified the revision cloud so that part of it extended beyond the annotation crop boundary. As noted in the previous post, once the revision cloud was not entirely within the Sector "C" annotation crop boundary, it no longer showed up in the Sector "C" dependent view and the revision no longer showed on the Sector "C" sheet, and I was good to go.
Modifying the annotation crop boundary caused a few annotation objects that had previously showed on the Sector "C" sheet to disappear, but these were all beyond the match line and still show on the Sector "B" sheet. I will need to remember to edit the annotation crop boundaries that are beyond a match line from the default location on future projects, and to keep in mind where those annotation crop boundaries are when placing future revision clouds in the vicinity of match lines.
I had made the change, clouded it and reissued the Sector "B" sheet without giving any thought to the Sector "C" sheet. Some time later, I opened the Sector "C" sheet and was checking to see if the revisions on it agreed with the plot in my half-size set and was surprised to find that an additional revision was listed. I quickly determined that the revision was for the change that I had documented in Sector "B" and that the reason it showed up was because the revision cloud, as I had drawn it, ended up being entirely within the annotation crop boundary for the dependent view shown on the Sector "C" sheet. That annotation crop boundary was a substantial distance beyond the model crop boundary, at what I believe was the initial default location.
Since the revision was generated by the revision cloud, there was no way to manually remove it from the list of revisions on the Sector "C" sheet. In order to remove the revision from the Sector "C" sheet, I edited the annotation crop boundary, dragging it as tight to the model crop boundary as possible, and then modified the revision cloud so that part of it extended beyond the annotation crop boundary. As noted in the previous post, once the revision cloud was not entirely within the Sector "C" annotation crop boundary, it no longer showed up in the Sector "C" dependent view and the revision no longer showed on the Sector "C" sheet, and I was good to go.
Modifying the annotation crop boundary caused a few annotation objects that had previously showed on the Sector "C" sheet to disappear, but these were all beyond the match line and still show on the Sector "B" sheet. I will need to remember to edit the annotation crop boundaries that are beyond a match line from the default location on future projects, and to keep in mind where those annotation crop boundaries are when placing future revision clouds in the vicinity of match lines.
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