Section Viewports should use "A-A" convention, not "A"

[Christiaan]

The architectural drafting convention for naming full sections is "A-A" not "A".

 

The naming of Section Viewports needs to take account of this somehow, while also allowing us to use just "A" for a partial section and whatever else we choose if it's an elevation.

 

Edit 2019: I've posted this to the JIRA with the following text:

Quote

There are two types of section naming in drafting convention:

1. Full Section
2. Partial Section

In the first instance such a Section would be titled "Section A-A" and the Section Line Instance should have one A at each end.

In the second instance such as Section would be titled "Partial Section A" or "Section A" and the Section Line Instance should have one A at one end.

 

Edited December 17, 2019 by Christiaan

[Dieter @ DWorks]

We name them A-A' or A-B. So when they change it, also provide the ability to use two different texts.

[Christiaan]

Dieter, do you mean you end up with "A-A" at each end of your section marker? If that's the case then drafting convention would dictate that your section is actually called "A-A A-A"

[Dieter @ DWorks]

Dieter, do you mean you end up with "A-A" at each end of your section marker? If that's the case then drafting convention would dictate that your section is actually called "A-A A-A"

Well, we normally name them AA' or A-A' in our convention. The ' sign is because we then know the direction to where the section looks. But as you already found out, , We can't have different text on each side of the section line. Therefore I just ended up naming them 'Section AA'' as a whole and so at each end of the section line will be 'Section AA'', but the section viewport will have also that same name and so will the drawing label. I know the conventions say something else, but I don't mind anymore because it's also clear the way it is now.

[Christiaan]

Yeah I agree that clarity is the important thing but sometimes plans can get quite congested so we'd prefer not to have "Section A-A" at each end of our section markers.

It's also a matter of principle. We shouldn't let our software dictate how our drawings look/work, especially when it comes to industry conventions and standards.

[Dieter @ DWorks]

It's also a matter of principle. We shouldn't let our software dictate how our drawings look/work, especially when it comes to industry conventions and standards.

I agree.

[Christiaan]

This problem still exists as of v2014.

[PVA - Jim]

Yeah, this needs to be user-customizable.

Submitting now.

[Christiaan]

Thanks Jim!

[Christiaan]

Bumping this seven year old wish for some upvote love.

[RussU]

How bizarre.... someone had a "quite word of advice" with me yesterday afternoon about this very subject.

[BG]

Wonder why things like this seemingly simple update take so long to implement?  We had to change our section naming convention to suit VW. Not ideal.

[Christiaan]

22 hours ago, BG said:

Wonder why things like this seemingly simple update take so long to implement?  We had to change our section naming convention to suit VW. Not ideal.

 

There's definitely a disconnect sometimes between what we as architects and customers see as small but important changes and what the development team see as important enough to divert resources from something else. Maybe if more of us had followed up on Jim's last message we might of tipped the balance?

Edited December 18, 2019 by Christiaan

[leecalisti]

I'm not sure I'm following, but I use the convention AA for sections, but I agree with the legacy of A-A. I just type it in.

[Christiaan]

@leecalisti in drafting convention the DD-A402 and AA-A400 section markers in your screenshot would instead be D-A402 and A-A400. It's only the Section drawing itself that would then be called A-A and D-D. And if they're only part sections (i.e. they don't have another marker on the other side of your plan), then they're part sections, in which case the Sections would be called A and D.

[leecalisti]

@Christiaan Got it, agreed.

[Christiaan]

Now we just need Vectorworks to agree 😉

 

[Jim Smith]

Back in the pencil & velum days I used an "A-A" convention for sections. Nowadays we just treat a section like any other detail.

For example: 1-303, 2-303 etc. and show a section cut line. I know it adds another line on a document but I take your point about user choice. 

[Christiaan]

It occurred to me today that this wish has been partially granted by way of the new Drawing Label and Drawing Label Styles.

 

You can number a Section Viewport as 'A' and then create a drawing label that simply duplicates the A with a hyphen in between, giving you A-A.

 

This doesn't fix the problem at a data level but it at least allows us to label our drawings correctly and still use Automatic Drawing Coordination.