Classes - Workflow

[Kizza]

I must be wearing out my welcome on this board :blush:

I have tried to find the answer myself to this - it's more of a workflow question, a seasoned VW pro would be the right person to ask I think.

I have set up my template classes based on Christiaan's office standard (thanks Christiaan for posting).

See attachment on how my classes look presently.

What I've come to realise with my class list is that it becomes very cumbersome to navigate through so many classes. So I want to revert to auto classing - whereby only the object/s in the file show their classes in the navigation window.

So I've made the appropriate change to the template file (see attachment)

If I want to use Christiaan's office standards I would need to either:

* "map" all the default classes to my new class standard

* or, change the default class of the symbol/object in the appropriate Library file to my class standard.

So my question to VW pro's is:

1)

Do you have a set standard class list in your template file, or do you auto class?

2)

If auto class, do you use the standard VW classes or do you have your own class standard.

3)

If you auto class using your own classes, how do you manage it? Do you remap VW defaults or do you re-class the objects and symbols?

I hope you get the gist of what I'm trying to get at. Any suggestions on how to improve my class workflow would be much appreciated.

I just want to get this right from the beginning - I also don't want to unlearn any bad habits later on

Edited October 9, 2011 by Kizza

[Dieter @ DWorks]

One thing I can say is this:

You only have to set the settings of pio's once when you save them as symbols in your library. That way, the classes for those will be always correct.

We don't use auto classing and have our own set of classes we import when creating a new file. 90% of the contect we create in drawings comes from our libraries and so they are in their correct classes.

Is there something particular you want to achieve?

[Kizza]

Is there something particular you want to achieve?

My goal is to use my custom class standard and to:

* Not have all classes load on file opening (as per my previous screenshot)

* My Classes are used only when objects and symbols are inserted into the document - navigation palette is only populated with classes that are used.

hope that makes sense

[Dieter @ DWorks]

Is there something particular you want to achieve?

My goal is to use my custom class standard and to:

* Not have all classes load on file opening (as per my previous screenshot)

* My Classes are used only when objects and symbols are inserted into the document - navigation palette is only populated with classes that are used.

hope that makes sense

Ok, but how do you handle viewports then? When you insert symbols from your library in the file, and this brings new classes with it, then those classes will be turned off in all viewports. I think it's easier to load all your classes in the document once it's created. There is really no benefit from lazy loading with classes.

For your library: have all your classes in your classes standard file. Make a symbol with all classes in it. This you can do with my free tool: DListClasses.

Then in your library files, reference to this symbol so that when you change classes, these will automaticly be updated in all your library files.

[Pete (STZ)]

It is easiest to have all the classes in the template file.... We generally use the standard vectorworks ones with a few additions and substractions....

We have two templates.... a blank one and one with full classes - when we add a new class we import the class from a standard file.

The template files and the standards files are located on the network.. so any refinements we make are easily updated for all new files created.

The key with classes is to be able to judge how to have enough to be able to manage your drawing information but not too much that it causes a headache.

I have found the standard vectorworks ones a good start.

(And we do have autoclassing turned on - and like DWorks every symbol in our library is set to the appropriate class - everything to make it easier so you don't have to think about applying classes)

[Kizza]

Tried the utility..I can't copy Dworks to right side, won't allow me to do so.

[Dieter @ DWorks]

Tried the utility..I can't copy Dworks to right side, won't allow me to do so.

You have to expand the DWorks label, then you'll see the commands that you can drag and drop to the right in the menu of your chose.