Record Formats-Drawing Technique-Materials List

[Joe Doker]

I'm trying to draw a barn design in a way that I can extract a materials and cost estimate using the record format feature. So I have created the Posts, Beams, Braces, and Bolts as symbols, and tried to assign default record values, like name and cost, to each symbol. Then I have "built" the barn in 3-D using these symbols. But I don't know if it is working out right. Questions:

1. Am I on the right track? i.e., is this the way to do this in VW 10.5?

2. I assigned default record format values to a symbol, like a bolt. But after inserting the bolts, the various lumber's record formats had changed to the values of the bolt.

Thanks

[Robert Anderson]

Joe, this is certainly a legitimate workflow. As for the records, remember the following:

1. A record format can have default values.

2. You can assign default values to a symbol definition (this will set the record values for each instance of the symbol subsequently.) Do this by editing the symbol. While in "edit symbol" mode, deselect everything and enter the desired default values in the Data tab of the Object Info palette. (You will see *DEFAULTS* at the top of this pane.)

3. Any symbol instance, once places, can have its individual record values changed by selecting the symbol and editing the values in the Data pane of the Object Info palette.

[Joe Doker]

Thank You. I didn't know to "deselect all" while in symbol edit. I was actually selecting all and my inserted symbol instances never had a default value.

Thanks again.