Issue Sheet

[Assemblage]

What's the best way to create an automatically updating Issue Sheet, showing drawing names and numbers (rows) against revision numbers and dates of issue (columns)?

[JasonWD]

Yes! Why is there an issue manager and no issue sheet generator?

[Assemblage]

That was posted in Jan. I've since learnt VW can't really do an Issue Sheet. Whilst VW is a broad church and not everyone needs this functionality, this is VW ARCHITECT. Linking title blocks, revisions, and issue dates & recipients is, I would argue, basic and essential to architects. And, because it has direct legal implications for the issuing architect, it's got to be bug-free.

[RubenH]

I think this should help you:

http://kbase.vectorworks.net/questions/457/Create+a+Custom+Title+Block+and+Configure+it+to+Interact+with+the+Object+Info+Palette

[Assemblage]

This shows Title Blocks, not how to achieve an Issue Sheet. It's the revisions and issue info which is problematic:

http://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=141661&Searchpage=1&Main=29011&Words=revision&Search=true#Post141661

"The revision data is in a really had to work with format. Instead of being able to attach multiple records to the object, there is one record with multiple fields numberd sequnetially. I think it goes up to 20, but it has been a while since I worked with it.

Generally, the format makes it really hard, nearly impossible, to do anything useful with the revision data in a worksheet."

[Pat Stanford]

Since you quoted me above, I guess I can jump in here ;-)

I work in a different industry, so I don't really understand what you mean by an Issue Sheet. Can you explain a little about what it is and what you want it to look like?

It might very well be possible to set up what you want once (which would probably be a pain) and then be able to reuse it in multiple files.

The quote above was in regards to someone trying to use the database portion of a worksheet to display the issue data. Since it all has different field names, it is difficult to do this. What you want might be easier.

[Jonathan Pickup]

an Issue Sheet could also be called a Document Transmittal Form, and it is a vital thing for designers when they issue drawings. Normally it shows the job number, drawings issued, who they were issued to, how many and the date, revision and so on.

[Assemblage]

Here's a sample.

I'm looking forward to learning your magic script Pat. But I'd argue scripting and deep knowledge of the program shouldn't be needed to produce an Issue Sheet/Transmittal in VW Architect. And it should be able to report title block activity from numerous files easily: multi-user means multi-files, ie all work above one-man-band level. Comparing favourably with Autodesk and Bentley et al means delivering this kind of thing for an architect.

[Assemblage]

I stand corrected: speaking to people more widely, it seems these sheets are simply not used in the US at all. It's a regional thing, albeit UK/Australia/NZ. Hence not a central feature in VW Arch

[Pat Stanford]

I don't have time to work on it right now, but this seems like something that would be possible to do. The only data that is currently missing is who the issue was provided to.

You would probably need to create one master file and reference all the other files into that and then do the Issue from there. Actually I don't think that would work either.

Maybe this is harder than it seems. And you are on Windows so we can't even jump out to AppleScript to do the cross file stuff.

I will think about it, but don't hold your breath. ;-)

[Assemblage]

Thanks Pat. We've adopted this workflow (attached), so if we could achieve an issue/transmittal report per drawing series (ie each of the blue files) this would still be a big step forward compared to manual data entry. This would therefore not require gathering title block data from multiple files, but just the one file.

[mike m oz]

Assemblage the Australian / New Zealand version of Vw Architect can produce document transmittal notes from individual files so it is possible with some scripting and customisation by those clever enough. Fortunately for us the Australian distributor is clever enough.

[line-weight]

I'm resurrecting this 5 year old thread to see if anything's changed in the meantime. Is it still the case that it's not possible to easily generate a drawing issue sheet (except perhaps if you are in Australia)?

[Chris Brough]

I'm resurrecting this 5 year old thread to see if anything's changed in the meantime. Is it still the case that it's not possible to easily generate a drawing issue sheet (except perhaps if you are in Australia)?

I second this motion.