Organizing architectural details

[Ken]

How are some of you organizing your detail library?

Example 1

One file contains one detail. Everything is organized by folder in your OS. Each detail is a set of two items: the VW drawing and a screen snapshot of it. Glancing at the snapshot preview becomes convenient without having to open the file or even launching VW.

Example 2

"Category files" such as "foundation details" and "roof details." Each file contains an unlimited number of layers. Each layer contains just one detail. Only 2D objects are used. Classes are not used. Groups within groups wrap sub-assemblies then wrap dimensions and notes. Workgroup referencing and viewports bring them into print sheets.

Example 3

Forget the library. All details are custom. Cut close-up crops of a live section. Add detail plug-in objects and notes as appropriate inside the viewport. Design changes may require re-drawing of some or all details.

Other approaches?

[Taproot]

How about saving details as symbols. These can be categorized in files by their typology or simply named with prefixes and placed in a master file. The symbol pallete makes previews a snap. Objects 'convert to group' when inserted into a drawing for easy editing.

In the above scenario, classes aren't used, layers are used for differing scales.

[Travis]

We use Example 2 for all our typical details with the addition that we create a Sheet(s) that shows all the details in a file. A .pdf of the file's detail sheet is kept in the same folder for quick reference, if needed.

We use Matthew's method for all typical components that get used repeatedly in various drawings: knee braces, windows, doors, ad infinitum.

[Ken]

Yes! As symbols they have good previews from their thumbnail images.

Any drawbacks?

I suppose populating a print sheet with various scaled details becomes juggling several layer scales, which means you can't use a sheet layer with a standard Architect border and titleblock.

[michael john williams]

Are you using viewports in your details?

Obviously the vps are a detailed view of the larger file and so have to be unique and custom details for each file / project.

This is what we are doing at the moment and it avoids drawing the project again for the details and helps when the project is revised. Anyway we find that details always have to be changed and customed to each project. You need to add a lot of detail in seperate classes that are turned on in the detailed vp and off in the general arrangemet drgs.

Not sure if it is the best approach though.

[Ken]

It seems the trick in getting highly organized and easy-to-preview details is the naming of each and every detail. Do you find that to be true?

What are your strategies in that regard?

[Ken]

If I'm not mistaken, the "symbol" approach seems to negate the use of viewports, which relies on sheet layers.

[digitalcarbon]

have your details as symbols but clean. no dims or text. then use these to build your building section. then vp building section to get details. my drawings contain only plans, elevations, building section. once my building sections are done then i check it w/ my plan and elev for errors. elevations are drawn over my sections. my elevations also have symbols. i only draw once and then use symbols. i avoid all 3d work for construction drawings

since my details are symbols, my building sections go together fast.

[Robert Anderson]

Ken, you can use 2D symbols in your viewport notations, no problem.

[Ken]

Yes I know, Robert. We were talking about turning entire architectural detail drawings into symbols so that they can be easily previewed and imported for placement in the drawing -- a correct-scaled detail won't fit on 1:1 sheet layers. I also know they can be placed in a design layer first, then VP and cropped in the sheet layer, but might as well just add a title block design layer and print them as a saved view! No need for VP or a sheet layer (for the detail sheet) if using the "symbol" approach!

Unless there are some other reasons to do so?

[P Retondo]

Ken, I have found that the key to detail archiving is to associate a list of keywords with each detail, in such a way that the detail database can be queried on multiple terms (e.g., "shingles" & "foundation"). Then they don't need to be categorized, sorted, grouped with similar details - always a head-scratcher to come up with a rational organization of things.

There's an AutoCAD third party utility called ALB that does this for AutoCAD. Its major drawback is that you have to create the keyword list from scratch - it won't load all the text in the detail notes, for example. That would be the ideal system!

[Robert Anderson]

Ken, you were missing my point. Try this to organize a sheet layer using detail symbols:

1. Create an empty design layer. Call it "blank" or "DO NOT PUT ANYTHING HERE" or somesuch.

2. Create a sheet layer for multiple scaled details.

3. Import some symbol detail you want to use. (This of course presumes you have a library of symbol details all drawn to scale).

4. For each detail you want to on the sheet layer, do the following:

4.1. Create a viewport with only the blank layer visible;

4.2. Double click the viewport to edit it;

4.3. Choose "notation" in the Edit Viewport dialog;

4.4. In the viewport annotation, insert your detail symbol. Dimension and annotate as you see fit;

4.5. Exit back to the sheet layer. You're done.

4.6. Change the scale of the detail at any time.

What's the problem with this workflow (other than the strangeness of an empty layer)?

[Ken]

Yes, Robert! Thank you for the extended explanation. Apparently a blank layer is not even needed. I think I now have a thorough "best" system to explain to students and customers (and, of course, for my own projects).

Here's a summary. Further suggestions are welcomed.

- Detail library to be comprised of one or more drawing files. They can be "Foundation Details," "Roof Details," etc.

- Each file to have several layers, at different scales, to act as "editing space" when modifying or creating alternate details. No need to use classes. Use with or without dimensions and notes per user preference.

- Each detail drawing is then converted to a symbol and named with a string of keywords to allow for remote archival search (Find Resource on Disk...).

- To bring details into a project drawing, create an empty viewport for each detail, set at appropriate scale, without reference to any layer. Place instance of imported symbol inside the viewport as annotation.

The challenge then becomes getting a consistent font size due to viewport scale adjustments (include a scale bar in each detail?) -- versus maintaining all details sans dimensions and notes (extra time well spent?).

[michael john williams]

Just wish NNA would add components to live sections to complete the picture of what you see in plan, you can also see in section and it could make details easier.