ObjectDBX question relating to xrefs...

Sometimes, due to unforseen circumstances, I need to add additional layers
to a drawing that is referenced multiple times in a set of drawings - plans,
plot sheets, etc. :-/ Almost always, the information on that layer should
only appear in one or two of those drawings, and the referenced layer is
off/frozen in the rest.

When this happens, I end up having to take extra pains to turn off/freeze
the layer in that referenced drawing. Save it. Then one by one open all
the drawings that reference it, so that it will be added, but come in
off/frozen. Then in those drawings where I need to see it, I just turn
on/thaw it. (VISRETAIN = 1)
This works, but as the number of plans increase, the time needed to do this
increases geometrically. :-(

My question is, would using ObjectDBX be a good way to speed this process
up? I am thinking that all I need to do in this case is save the drawing
with the new layers off/frozen, as before. Then via ObjectDBX, select the
files that reference it, open them and re-save them - nothing more. Am I
correct in assuming that the files would have the new referenced layers
added (off and frozen as desired), but at blinding speed compared to the
above process? Or is this idea so far off base as to be laughable?

I'm about to set things up to attempt to do that - but I was just curious as
to if anyone knew if this would work.

Best regards,
David Kozina

 

When you access DWGs via ObjectDBX, external references are
not loaded, and I don't think you can freeze their layers that way.

I haven't look at this in 2004/2005, but do know that there is
now API functions for loading xrefs in drawings no open in the
editor, but don't know if they're loaded when using ObjectDBX.

 

Tony,
<sigh>
Could you be wrong just ONCE, please? :-/
You are indeed correct, sir - I tried it, but it didn't work, apparently for
the reasons you explained.

What are the API functions you refer to, if I might ask?

OK, then, with respects to the problem I explained in the original post -
having to go back and add some new layers (unforseen) to a drawing which is
referenced througout a project, does anyone know of a better way to update
those other project drawings quickly? As I said, in almost all of them, the
added referenced layer(s) will need to be off/frozen. ('Well, Dave, why
don't you just put the new layers in the few drawings it applies to?'
Because that's not how this particular system works - the reference drawing
in question is an "Outer Limits" 'Core Plan' that 'controls the vertical'
project elements (IOW walls/columns) and is referenced in all the rest of
the plans. It works very well, since I can see immediately if things are
out of alignment from floor to floor. Usually the layers are set at the
beginning of the project, but sometimes unforseen developments result in the
addition of a few more layers in this Core drawing - which can cause
problems downstream, if I don't take special care to set things correctly as
they are added.)

I know I could just create a script for this open->close->next... - it would
be a little quicker than doing things manually and less prone to user error,
but I was hoping for something more elegant and fast.

Anyone have any other ideas as to how such new referenced layers could be
dealt with in this manner?
This could save a lot of time whenever I end up having to do this.

Thanks,
David Kozina

 

Hi David,

I think I appreciate what you want to do, and I understand the methods you've
mentioned. That's what I would do. One question remains though. Why do you feel a
need to open all the files which reference the modified base file, soon after layers
are added to that file? Obviously all referencing files will update eventually, if
for no other reason than to open and plot.

I suspect the reason is the layer settings in the referenced file may change. For
instance, users other than yourself might save the referenced file in a state which
causes the referencing files to misbehave. Am I on the right track here?

If so, I might suggest an alternative, which I find useful. A code solution which
lets me copy xref layer settings from one file to another. Let's assume for
discussion sake you've lost control of the xref layer update process, for whatever
reason. You have a bunch of files which when opened, display the xref layers
incorrectly. Let's also assume that xref may have 500 layers and it came from an
outside source. So you are not familiar with the layer names in question.

You could fix things in one of your files given a half hour. But doing that twenty
times would take a day. Not to mention being error prone and boring.

Code solution: fix things in one referencing file. Pick the corrected xref. Gather
all its layer settings and put them in a blackboard list. Open the other 19 files. In
each one pick the xref in question and apply the list of layer settings. I'm
over-simplifying here, but let's let that pass for the moment.

I guess someone might say you can do something similar by turning visretain off in
the referencing files. Modify the source xref as needed, then turn visretain back on.
That idea doesn't work for me given the files I'm dealing with.

Or maybe I'm all wet and there's some other way...

Joe Burke

 

Code solution: fix things in one referencing file. Pick the corrected

"Open the other 19 Files" - I think that is what the OP was trying to avoid.

However, for your solution, Save the layer settings in the Xref's LayerState
Object. Then access it via ObjectDBX. That way your not having to stuff
the BB each time with, 500 was it?, layers and their states.

I use this method to propogate layer standards: One drawing containes all
Layers and their several states. Just a thought.

jb

 

James,

That sounds like it might do the trick. I'll have to investigate.

BTW, what I suggested doesn't stuff the BB each time, if I understand your meaning.
It puts the xref layer settings once, then multiple files read that data.

Regardless of the mechanism involved, my point was to suggest an alternate way of
thinking about the question David asked. In that sense, your thoughts are most
welcome.

BTW, I don't know if it's true in David's case, but in my case I'm often presented
with a situation where I cannot alter the source xref in any way.

Thanks
Joe Burke

 

Joe,
Thanks for the comments, see below...

"eventually" is the operative word here. What it means in this case is that
if the new layers are not dealt with in a timely manner (i.e. immediately),
one might fuhgetaboudit, only to later discover with chagrin 7th and 8th
story walls/columns (the newly added layers) showing up on the footing &
foundation plan...
So, in this particular case, I've got to strike while the iron is hot, so to
speak, afore I forgets.

Boring, yes.
But the necessary fix is quite simple and straightforward - yet kind of hard
to explain coding-wise.

VISRETAIN REALLY doesn't work in this case. Each framing plan references
the core plan in its own way. It's very systematic, but a different set of
core layers are displayed for each plan. The core is there, as I explained
earlier, to keep things lined up, up and down, through the building.

<sheepish grin as light goes on> Ya know, I'm such an ID10t. I already
*HAVE* a solution.
The set of routines I have to create the core plan and control the core
layers themselves will do the job just fine. (One is called LVLOFF, and
asks for a floor level - if you're in the core plan itself it will adjust
those layers - if you're in a framing plan that *references* the core plan,
it will adjust *those* referenced layers. Makes working with this "core
system" pretty easy.

It would be a relatively simple matter to create a script to open the
drawings, call the routine and make sure the offending layers are turned off
via LVLOFF. Or even just open and close them, if I turn the layers off in
the core plan first. Not that difficult.

Thanks, Joe - maybe I just needed to 'talk things out'...

Sure would've like to see an ObjectDBX solution though - that would've been
cool, since I wouldn't have to open up the drawings in the editor at all
that way.

 

Thanks for the ideas - you are correct that I was trying to avoid opening up
the other 19 files.
I'll have to examine the LayerState Object more, but I'm afraid it might be
a little more complicated than a 'one setting fits all' sort of thing, since
each drawing referencing the 'core plan' needs it's own 'view' of it. See
previous posts for (I hope) a little clearer explanation.

Best regards,
David Kozina

 

David,

I'm glad kicking it around helped somewhat.

I think there are many variations on the theme. And likewise, many possible
solutions.

Regards
Joe Burke