Notes Manager: choice of default description

[Christiaan]

I'd prefer a re-write of the Notes Manager but, in the time being...

When creating a new Note the default is to "use the first 42 characters of the note for the description." If you don't want that default you have to uncheck it every single time you add a note.

I'd like for VW to either remember the user's last choice (my preferred option) or for their to be a preference option in the Notes Manager prefs that allows you to choose a default.

[Christiaan]

Problem still exists as of v2011

[d1solution]

Add my vote to this wish.

I currently use the notes database but it really makes me wonder at times why it remains such a poorly designed tool.

Here are my reasons (please let me know if I am missing something):

1) When placing a note you get the annoying "Cannot find the selected note in the Database." Now... come on... How could the program know the note if it has not been selected yet? Shouldn't it automatically just go to the database that you have as default? Why the annoying "ok" selection button. UMmmm Duh!!

2) If you are like me you may have hundreds of notes accumulated from different projects. Now lets say you find the note you want... but hey... it has an error. You go ahead and edit that note. You update the database. You are asked "Save databases changes" (shouldn't it be "database changes")

If you select "yes" why doesn't the database change all the other corrected notes in the file as well (more evidence of a poorly designed tool) Let's think about this logically. If you have the auto locate functionality (if you go to edit a note it searches for the original) That means there is some sort of link. SOooo... what good is the database if it doesn't go all the way? If I chose to delete a class that is in use the program know to ask what class I want the associated items to be placed in. If I chose to delete a symbol the program knows if it is used in the file as well. Soooo... what are notes? Are they not part of the file as well?

Ok, I'm done for now... BTW.... what's up with the choice of keynote bubbles? Here are the "only" choices

1 None

2 Box

3 Round Rec

4 Cloud

5 Bracket

6 ISO

Who came up with shapes 2&3 ? I have been breathing Architecture for quite some time and have never seen key notes in those shapes. I have however seen hexagons and pentagons. Why are these common shapes not part of this list. Further more why can't you just simply have a choice of any symbol for that matter. Is it really that hard or am I clearly thinking way out of the VW box?

My wishes.....

1) See Christian's above.

2) The death of the annoying additional click. (see above)

3) "Real" bidirectional database (see above)

4) Industry standard keynote bubbles with the option to use a symbol.

Thank you.

[mike m oz]

Bubble options for hexagon and vertical accent bar have been added in Vw2011. No pentagon though. The box and rounded rectangle options are probably there because other users have asked for them.

[d1solution]

Bubble options for hexagon and vertical accent bar have been added in Vw2011. No pentagon though. The box and rounded rectangle options are probably there because other users have asked for them.

What about #2 and #3?

[Assemblage]

#3 is the big one. Database notes which update everywhere like symbols is extremely important for working drawings. I must say I don't care what shape it is, but it's got to work.

[Jeffrey W Ouellette]

Christiaan,

If you read the documentation about the other workflows, you can see that by using Callouts, with the 'Placed as Keynotes' option and the Keynote Legends, users can have a great deal of control over their databases AND the display of Callouts.

[fargo3]

Further more why can't you just simply have a choice of any symbol for that matter. Is it really that hard or am I clearly thinking way out of the VW box?

I would and a Diamond shape to the list.

The system (and presumably the coding) is already in place to add such a simple bit of functionality. Why not have it function like the Drawing Border tool, where you have a file within the library and can choose from a group of symbols. If you want to change the symbols for the way you work, you just add a symbol to the file and get working.

While I am on a roll, I hate the default electrical symbols tool. Why can't I change the way those symbols show up? I understand proprietary information and all that, but really, being able to customize these things seems like such a simple thing. And something that almost everyone who uses the program is surely going to want to do at some point.

Just my two cents.

[Drake]

We are starting to fold the Notes Manager into our workflow.

I wonder if VW2011 has addressed any of the following:

- spellcheck

- a more natural way to order notes (sometimes we care what number our keynotes use)

- proper justification for keynote numbers in call outs (we find we need to adjust them for different numbers)

It appears that the hexagon option is now available (thank goodness), and it seems that formatting is much improved.

[jason schneider]

14 years and counting. What does it take to get VW developers to take a break from the high-level BIM development and focus a minute on the basics?