layers, options and madness

Discussion in 'AutoCAD' started by jojo, Aug 23, 2006.

  1. jojo

    jojo Guest

    Wow...let me ask, does anyone else have this problem
    and how the heck do you handle this.

    We have always done larger residential projects.
    Now we are getting into small track homes.

    For one project: These are the basics, and easily controlled w/ layer
    control
    1st floor plan
    2nd floor plan
    elevations
    mep
    cabinets
    framing



    then there are 6-8 options (affecting all layers)
    6 additional elevations (each requiring a plan change)

    How does one keep up with all of it?

    jojo
     
    jojo, Aug 23, 2006
    #1
  2. 6-8 is a lot of options, however, if you have to do it and you have to do it
    in one drawing I would suggest a layering protocol with prefixes and/or
    suffixes which you can control at the command line.

    mep
    mep-option1
    mep-option2....
    groundfloor
    groundfloor-option1
    groundfloor-option2...

    Then .-LAYER>>f>>*-option1>> hides option 1 entirely, and you can build this
    into a button macro. Make all the buttons you need.
    If you stack these buttons into flyouts in a custom toolbar, you are
    sailing. I have something similar on my custom toolbar page.
     
    Michael Bulatovich, Aug 23, 2006
    #2
  3. jojo

    longshot Guest

    I think I would make each option a completely different drawing file. just
    my opinion
     
    longshot, Aug 23, 2006
    #3
  4. jojo

    jojo Guest

    exactly what I'm ding...it's just getting very complicated for the guy
    drawing it.
     
    jojo, Aug 23, 2006
    #4
  5. Like I said....6-8 is a *lot* of options. Did you make him a toolbar?
     
    Michael Bulatovich, Aug 23, 2006
    #5
  6. jojo

    chris Guest

    I know I'm new here, but picture doing it 30 years ago.. & prior.
    (is this the definition of a true architect/artist(e),/visionary?)
    Seems Autocad and any software in any field is supposed to make
    us all less 'Stressed' as a human race, but it's seeming to prove to
    be the dead opposite.
    Trying
     
    chris, Aug 24, 2006
    #6
  7. Ah the good old days!

    I remember the poignant, painful howl of the draftsman who erased his way
    *through* a sepia with his electric erases as his world collapsed into a
    singularity of despair under a looming deadline ; }

    BTW, jojo, I was think that depending on the amount of information on the
    options that it might be smarter to put it all on a single option1, option2,
    etc. and fake the pens/colors if necessary. (That's my default approach.)
     
    Michael Bulatovich, Aug 24, 2006
    #7
  8. jojo

    jojo Guest

    Well, I'd like to do that, but the layer control is so complicated anyway,
    and my boss knows enough to be dangerous....

    jojo
     
    jojo, Aug 24, 2006
    #8
  9. ERASER!
     
    Michael Bulatovich, Aug 24, 2006
    #9
  10. jojo

    Bob Morrison Guest

    In a previous post Michael Bulatovich wrote...
    Ah! I remember those days too. The worst was when I leaned over a vellum
    and some ashes dropped out of my pipe (back when I still smoked). Damn
    near set the drawing and me on fire. I quit smoking at work shortly
    thereafter.

    --
    Bob Morrison, PE, SE
    R L Morrison Engineering Co
    Structural & Civil Engineering
    Poulsbo WA
    bob at rlmorrisonengr dot com
     
    Bob Morrison, Aug 24, 2006
    #10
  11. jojo

    Janice G Guest

    Do you remember the "sticky-back" approach to frequently used details?
    The guy sitting next to me trimmed a number of these "sticky-back"
    details ON HIS MYLAR DRAWING! ! ! Needless to say it was sliced to
    ribbons. Ah yes, the good old days!

    I also remember not necessarily going through the drawing, but having to
    erase a large area and no longer having any "tooth" on the drawing front
    and having to draw on the back with a grease pencil. ugh

    But for jojo's answer, duplicate layers with "Option 1 M-Sup-Diff,
    Option 2 M-Sup-Diff, etc". Had to do that on a Forest Park civil job.
    They were revamping the lakes and wanted a running water creek from lake
    to lake. I believe there were 3 phases, existing with new phase 1, then
    existing with phase 1 existing with phase 2 new, etc. Used lots of
    colors to tell layers apart.

    Good luck.
     
    Janice G, Aug 24, 2006
    #11
  12. ...and when I had to change *your* change there was no tooth on the back
    either....just clear, shiny, slippery, transparent plastic. I'd have to do
    a new sepia with the usual loss in line quality.
     
    Michael Bulatovich, Aug 25, 2006
    #12
  13. jojo

    Janice G Guest

    Yep, you are correct, those were the "good old days". My company did
    not use sepias. We just had icky drawings after awhile. I do like
    computer drafting for that very reason - changes. The drawing still
    looks good when printed. However, all the "personality" has been
    removed from the process in order to make everything look the same. In
    my case that is good, my lettering was average at best. But those who
    had beautiful lettering, really brought something special to their work.
     
    Janice G, Aug 25, 2006
    #13
  14. Amen.
     
    Michael Bulatovich, Aug 25, 2006
    #14
  15. jojo

    longshot Guest

    Yep, you are correct, those were the "good old days". My company did not
    my lettering sucked, but I can rock on the pc..... in comes the CAD jockey
    of today that grew up on video games, out goes the artist of old. :)
     
    longshot, Aug 25, 2006
    #15
  16. I like surprising people with what my drawings can tell me, and how fast I
    can make them.

    At my last job(~1997), a client and my boss where standing behind me
    discussing some possible changes to a well developed set of drawings. We
    were saying stuff like, "You could move this, slide this over here, and put
    that there...". At one point, they fell silent, and I turned around to see
    both of their faces looking kinda stunned. The boss later told me it was
    because I could draw them almost as fast as they could say them....

    Computers have been good for me too : )
    --


    MichaelB
    www.michaelbulatovich.ca

    I still admire a beautiful set of hand drafted drawings, tho.
     
    Michael Bulatovich, Aug 25, 2006
    #16
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