Title Block & Drawing Borders Help

[jwlyon1]

I'm trying to set up a standard title block for our office. I don't want the drawing border as set in the default, but I can't figure out how to change the default drawing border preferences. I can only do it through the OIP or by double clicking on it after it's inserted. How do I change the drawing border defaults?

I have successfully created my custom title block according to the help files, and it works almost perfect: it doesn't insert a the right spot in the default drawing border, it inserts in the right spot on my customized drawing border. I can easily provide screen shots if it would be helpful.

Thanks!

[Cris with no H]

Set one DB up perfectly, then save as a red object - i.e. Create Symbol, but check the option for Convert to Plugin Object. You then use that red object form the Resource Browser as your main tool for plopping down titleblocks, rather than the default DB tool.

Cris Dopher

[jwlyon1]

Okay. That makes sense. The follow-up question then...

Can you change a symbol from a "black" to a "red" after it's been created?

And there is a disturbing piece in the help file for the red symbol, "Changes to a ?red? symbol definition affect future instances, but not existing ones" (quoted from helpfile definition for red symbol type on "Understanding Symbols" page).

Maybe I'm coming at it from the wrong paradigm (that being AutoCAD, which is usually wrong), but I use the title block symbol on each sheet, and change the symbol to update the phase and submittal date, or on the rare occasion when the client gets all wacky and changes the project name. The helpfile leads me to believe that if this symbol was a plug-in object, then would I have to re-insert each instance of a title block and re-input all the sheet specific information?

Let me know if I am being bone headed. I'm still new, but I want to understand the logic behind what I'm setting up before I crash and burn.

Thanks.

[jwlyon1]

I'm now at even more of a loss. I just tried to follow the helpfile steps to create a test red symbol, and I don't seem to have the option. Help! Screenshots attached.

First pic: The collection of bits I wanted to make into a plug-in object.

Second pic: The first dialog box in the process.

Third pic: The "options" dialog box.

Edited October 30, 2007 by jwlyon1

[Petri]

Can you change a symbol from a "black" to a "red" after it's been created?

No.

And there is a disturbing piece in the help file for the red symbol, "Changes to a ?red? symbol definition affect future instances, but not existing ones" (quoted from helpfile definition for red symbol type on "Understanding Symbols" page).

Getting complicated. When inserted, a "red" symbol becomes an instance of the parametric object (I don't think there is a direct equivalent in AutoCAD) it was created of.

The good old symbols (black) can display "linked text" from the attached data record. In AutoCAD, this might be "show attributes" or something.

Whatever has already been inserted, stays that way as comes to any dynamic items such as text. And this is how it should be!

[rsa]

Things are a little confusing - you were talking about creating a custom title block but then the thread seems change to being about creating a custom drawing border.

It was a headache but i was able to create a custom title block - and it works great now. I had to play with the drawing border settings -

here is how I did it...

Blank doc, set up sheet and standard drawing border to how you want it - I use Arch D and set the DB to Arch D (NOT fit to page)

I draw a rectangle sized to fit in the drawing border perfectly and the size I want and then create a TB symbol according to the help info (snap bottom right corner to insertion origin etc)

Use dummy text for items in the TB

Now make a custom record format for all the info

Look up help info for this

Very important to note (verify this..) start record fields with 'P_' for the info to apply to all sheets and 'S_' for the info to apply to only the sheet. also end the field name with '#' for it to be a multi line field.

follow instructions for linking text in the TB to the record format.

import into drawing

light a candle, appeal to deity of your choice and it should work.

There needs to be better documentation on this

Like I said it was a REAL headache and I had to do 2-3 versions before I got it to work right but now it works great!

-Rob

[rsa]

PS - If all that works right you can update an item and you get a option to apply the update to all sheets (if they are P_ fields)

[jwlyon1]

rsa- Thanks for the tip, I did the steps the same except for the two very important options: NOT fitting to page (when is that every really a good idea?) and building the custom block on the DB. That makes altogether too much sense.

Yes, the thread was talking about both custom drawing borders (which I would still like to figure out) as well as title blocks. Of course, I'm now confused by not being able to make a "red" symbol object.

[rsa]

me too. I don't think the red symbol is best for title blocks because like you said - once you place it and modify the info you have to go through and re-edit each one when you issue a new set or have a revision.

If you want to do TBs the red symbol way you could use the 'info editor' plug in tool to edit the TB symbols together. Or it sounds like VW2008 has global/two way work sheet editing so you could make a "schedule" of your TBs and edit them from there.

info editor

http://www.softwarecustomizationservices.com/products/info%20editor/

[jwlyon1]

That seems like a very handy plugin!

Thanks!