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Do we have any material available to us which discusses the methods and 'best practices' for workgroup referencing? I have used this technique with mixed results and would like to be able to proceed with confidence on new project which will require a concerted team effort. PS - Search does yield responses to the query, unfortunately 2000 of them have almost nothing to do with the subject and the manual is completely disinterested in conveying information regarding a clear discussion of the practice and how it might be best used. Thanks for your help.

Thanks.

Thanks for that clarification, dspearman.

Well, thanks for responding, Jonathan. I was puzzled by your recommendations. I think I understand that you are assuming that notes, markers, labels will all be on the sheet layer and won't show if the design layer is exported. But what if the sheet layer has drawings from several design layers? And regarding drawing labels, title blocks, graphic scale, and other labels that would be common to all drawings, are you recommending that all of those things show on the design layers? And about the classes - why do you assume they're set incorrectly? I do have both of your books; Essential and Architect, and given some variation for individual style, my classes seem to be set up reasonably. Would you mind expanding a bit? Thanks.

Sounds great, what about those agencies that require the use of AutoCad, any problem with AutoCad proficiency demonstrations (as some RFQ's specifically state) or have you found the DXF/DWG translations to be sufficient? You might not be able to address this directly but I would appreciate any anecdotal material along these lines. Thanks.

Have been preparing to submit proposals for government work and would like to know how we're (VW that is) doing meeting conversion and submission requirements for government agency work?

I'm working in VW 2008 and am not able to export a dwg or dxf which does not show the turned off classes - in this case all of the notes, markers, labels. Have tried all export settings in all versions of AutoCad and including, Invisible classes are: not exported. Any guesses what might be going on?

Chad: I figured out that it's the Navigator palette that yields the VP when the name of the VP is dbl clicked, not the Organizer palette - thanks, a big help. Regarding #3, I have been doing interior elevations and have taken your advice and drawn a fresh section line when in doubt. But this does bring me to more difficult subject. Since I am not able to model this building with complete accuracy, I have been depending a "convert copy to line" of the section VP to clean up the image and complete the difficult little intersection details. The problem is once the VP is converted to line you are no longer in the original architectural scale. This is a problem in any event but a real killer when trying to finish something like a complicated stair. How do you handle this?

Thanks, Chad. Point one is well taken. #2 doesn't work. When I double click on the VP name I get the Properties Pallet. That function may be an upgrade to 2009. #3 I take it then, the section line must be reinserted in the VP to regenerate a section. In this case I'm moving the VP section in a stair in order to show both flights. I am finding that moving the section line from one flight to the other does not alter the viewport section. Seems like this should work even in 2008.

I've lost my section VP and when looking at the Organizer window find that it is impossible to see if the location of the image is indicated. How does one correlate the VP's listed on the Organizer to locations of VP images? How do I regenerate viewports that have been deleted? How is a section viewport moved and regenerated? Thanks.

Thanks for responding, Pat. #1 is resolved. I used the same sheet layer for my large scale VP detail requested by a consultant which caused the problem. I had to hunt down the duplicates by removing all links I could find, hence I'm working on Saturday. I found that cropped VP's don't eliminate the information which is not visible. From your comments I see that it would be better to segregate all duplicate VP's to their own layer. #2 YES, the field header had somehow, did I do that?, been changed to reference "finish schedule" and when changed back to finishRECORD the schedule shows the proper data. #3 I realize that I altered the record format after linking door symbols to it. Those additional column categories/fields are missing from the report. I have, brutally, unlinked all doors and am reestablishing links to the edited record format - what would be a better way to edit the record format after the fact? I really do appreciate your efforts, Pat.

If record bearing symbol is placed on the annotations layer of a viewport and a large scale detail is created, the record bearing symbol copies are seen as a new object thus producing unwanted and false tallies in the report. How is this to be avoided? Also, I've got a report which can no longer read the data of a finish schedule. The spread sheet sees enough to produce an array but all cells have '0's in them. How do I reestablish the connection between data and the report? Finally, I have a third schedule (report) that does not list several categories of the data base format? Any help is appreciated.

Wouldn't you also like to mention the kind of elevation. Exterior elevations are easily shown by projecting the model, looking at it from front, back and side and rendering in hidden line. But interior elevations can only be constructed from a closed model with the section viewport tool, then rendered in hidden line. And yes, once you get into CD's a convert to line elevation is often the only way to show the image you want since modeling fine detail is both crude and time consuming.

Hello J - A search of help yields: "convert old notes" and "reconcile notes" neither seems to be right. Could I get another clue, please?

I see that general notes have provided in the Library. How do we access them?

I've preparing to do my schedules for finish, door, windows, etc. and seem to be a little rusty regarding reports. I've begun to put Room Name Simple designations on the annotations layer, prepared a Record Format showing areas of finish, attached the format to each of the rooms names, filled in the field values, and requested a report for my finish schedule - the report is blank, no data appears in the field cells. I then drew a rectangle, attached the record, filled in the field data and requested a report - same thing, no data. I also anticipate that I will not be able to place the door and window reports on the annotations layer but will have to work on the design layer but prepare the report on the sheet annotations layer - is this a problem? Theoretically shouldn't all noting, dimensions, reports and text be placed on the annotations layer? Follow up - I now see that within the data base row of the report we have the choice to edit criteria to include objects in viewports, when selected my finish schedule fills.

Thanks, Guys. Much better.

Thanks again Pat. Well, I don't know what to say about the data display - it seems that no matter what the setting I get four fields of info. Secondary x and y positions are not offered. Regarding the page position comment made earlier, I realize that I have been working to clean up sheets and have been going back and forth between the sheet and the design layer. I find that when going back to the sheet the view zooms down to some small point just off of the origin, from which I have to zoom out and find the object just edited. After awhile this does get a little old. I don't suppose there's anyway to orient to the area of work and switch back and forth, design layer to sheet?

Thanks, Pat - so how does one open the six field data bar? The 'G' reset has no effect in the four field data bar once the object is selected and dragged until the object is released. In an unrelated vein - do we have a reflected ceiling plan tool or recommended technique? Thanks, V.

Thanks Pat and Benson, I have to watch myself a little more carefully to diagnose the problem with screen position. I see that if I am switching between sheets position is constant unless scale changes but I'll try to reproduce original problem and get back to you. Regarding setting the datum, I am unable to set Datum if the object is selected and moved before trying to reset. Seems that this was possible previously without releasing the object and clearing record, then reselecting with new 0,0 Datum - am I wrong about this?

Anybody have a sense how to scroll through sheets and remain in the same position? I have Center on Objects After Change preference checked assuming I would then be able to correlate changes on other levels but my page position seems to bounce willy nilly following some mysterious command. Comments? Second comment, the smart cursor used to allow us to clear the position record (not sure of the proper term here) by double clicking on 'G' and establish a new 0,0 position, doesn't seem to work particularly well now, any clues what might have changed? Thanks for your thoughts.

Much better, thanks, guys.

WOW! Yes, Mike the split tool does slice the nurb but it also slices the entire building, it turns any wall it intersects with into a solid section thereby losing it's wall character and doors and windows disappear. I haven't checked your Dado attachment just yet but will, in the mean time do you have any less destructive tricks up your sleeve? Thanks. I've taken a look at your .pdfs and see that you were able to cut the nurb without destroying the wall. I'll reread your suggestions and try again. Thanks.

I am trying to show a stucco panel on an exterior wall. Have used the Extract tool to produce a NURBS plane which has windows nicely cut out but I don't seem to be able to trim the panel to the exact shape I need. Have tried to manipulate reshape handles, trim tools, clipping - nothing works. Any suggestions?

I'm working with wood casework and find that when viewed in plan the extruded objects become transparent but if rendered show as solid - any suggestions as to how to show as solid in all conditions?