class visibility version 12

[jnr]

What controls class visibility on sheets? Organization palette doesn't hold class visibility except when switching between sheets. If you switch to a saved view, then back to a sheet, class visibility is lost. What am I doing wrong?

[C. Andrew Dunning]

jnr -

Try using Saved Views and Sheets together. The Sheet Layer by itself doesn't store any visibilities - just like a Design Layer doesn't.

[David Ormsby]

The class visibility is saved in each viewport, rather than the sheet layer. Look under the visibilities tab/viewports to see what classes are set to visible.

[Travis]

The "global" class settings, when viewing a sheet, also have affect things. For example, if the General class was "turned on" for a specific Viewport while at the same time set to Invisible from the Navigation Pallet. . .you would be able to see objects in the General class in the Viewport, but would not be able to select them (in Annotations) NOR would you have any smart cues with reference to the General objects.

I generally have all Classes turned on in the Saved View that accesses Sheet Layers and then control visibility via the Viewport OIP as David points out.

Good luck,

[jnr]

Thanks guys. Dave-got the viewport thing. I had been lead to believe that sheet layers now dedicated like paper space in ACAD, would relieve us of, and consolidate saved views (left for perspectives and design layers), vastly cleaning up in a large document set, the inefficency of a gagillion saved views and the legacy of previous versions. This is not the case I guess. Cleaning this up in future versions would be a step in the right direction.

Travis: thanks for the tip. Might help.

[C. Andrew Dunning]

But...

Using your approach, you'll end up w. lots of Sheet Layers instead of lots of Saved Views. It would be a wash. If you were to use both, you could end up with a single Sheet Layer, simply changing visibilities using Saved Views and different View Ports. It really does work quite nicely...

[jnr]

OK so I'm a Minicad fossil (7). After 8 thru 11, I'm still trying to wrap my head around maximizing the efficencies of 12. My only other frame of reference is Autocad (aka autosuc) or ink on mylar...

To make it worse I'm converting a 46 sheet architectural set created in 8 and carried thru 11. Sheet by sheet setting up viewports and abandoning old sheet layers. Its a pain however since the project will be around for another 18 months and 11 wasn't, in this case, that much better than 10, the benifits of 12 outweigh the expense and effort. Converted files don't like 64 bit processors though. My beef is graphical and habitual. Learning to use the navigator instead of that irritating tiny little icon at the bottom of the window is taking some time to get used to.

I like your idea, however I think since I script my sets using standard architectural title blocks, I'm still going to have 46 sheet layers and 46 saved views unless you have some other trick.

[C. Andrew Dunning]

In thinking about this particular project, I'd take a look at Panzer's ViewPort Pack @ http://www.panzercad.com/. One of the commands he's created is "Create ViewPorts from Views." This might help you - and, might let you put things on a single sheet.

Because I don't use any of the architectural title blocks I can't speak as to how that would work.

If you're at all interested, I have a Template file posted at http://www.landrudesign.com/Downloads_Main.htm. I haven't updated it yet to 12 from 11.5, but you'll get the gist of at least one approach. In essence, a single title block symbol lives on one Sheet Layer (chosen based on paper size). The symbol's text is controlled via class visibilities and Saved Views. All of the drawing elements are placed using ViewPorts - the visibilities of which are also controlled w. classes and Saved Views.

This works well for me. You might find something there that is useful - even if only to get your own ideas flowing...

[jnr]

Thanks Andrew. Wish I had known about Matt's nifty little script earlier...

I'll take a look at your set up as well.