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Window / Door Schedule - best way to add more data fields to objects.


jpkna

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We are transitioning from 2D to 3D Vectorworks, and I'm working through the process of automatically creating window schedules to match our old ones that were filled in manually.  

 

There is a number of standard columns of data in the old schedules that do not have their own data field in the Window/Door object, for example Window Fire Rating, Ironmongery/Hardware information and Specification References.

 

What is the best way to create new data fields?  I have identified a few options but would love to know the recommended workflow for this:

 

1. Fill in some fields manually like before - not ideal.

2. Use the User Fields at the bottom of the Data panel - this seems a good option but I don't know if they can be renamed so is difficult for everyone in the office to remember which is which.  It is also not scaleable past 9 fields, which could very easily fill up across multiple projects.

3. Use custom records to add data - this has potential but is also not ideal as it seems it is not added to the style but just the window instance.

 

Some of these seem like a big oversight (fire rating!) and something that a lot of people will need to add to schedules, so is there a recommended way to do it?

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16 minutes ago, jpkna said:

3. Use custom records to add data - this has potential but is also not ideal as it seems it is not added to the style but just the window instance.

 

Right-click on the Window Style in the Resource Manager + select 'Attach Record...'. This adds it to the style + therefore all current + future instances.

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On 9/16/2024 at 12:29 PM, shorter said:

Recommend you do this via IFC data mapping, and create a custom pset, and a data sheet and schedule from that, along with integral attributes from the window itself.

 

This way you can also attach the same data set to a symbol of window, and schedule from both in the same way.

 

I have looked into this and it seems to work really well - I have a Window Schedule Data Sheet set up with all the fields required for the Window Schedule (some are from a record format, some are reading from the Window Style attributes).  However, by editing the data in the Data Sheet I am able to change the window attributes that are "By Style" and therefore shouldn't be able to be changed?

 

e.g. I can select a window in the model, and in the Data tab I can type a new window ID Label.  Then in the window attributes this window instance has a different ID Label to others, even though the ID Label is set to By Style.  When I change something in the window style it overwrites the new ID label and sets it back to how it was.

 

Have I set it up incorrectly or is this somehow intended behaviour?

 

I can see this actually being useful if I understood it more: we often put "As Existing" in various fields (including S.O. dimensions) in manual window schedules, and I am trying to work out a way to have that option in the automatic schedules.

Edited by jpkna
fixing grammar
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  • 2 weeks later...
On 9/24/2024 at 7:09 PM, shorter said:

Yes.,  That's to be expected

 

 

I think I didn't explain very well: I am able to edit Style parameters by editing the Datasheet in the Data tab for an individual instance.  So that one instance now has a different parameter value to other instances of the same Style, which should be impossible as it is set to By Style.

 

It is reset to the Style value if I update the Style by editing and saving (although I change nothing).

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