Truss Data Info Record

[Haydenovative]

Hi Guys,

We would like the ability to have a record attached to each piece of truss, so that when we do top plans of truss lines we have the ability to turn on and off labels similar to lighting labels that can show the truss piece length, type or weight in viewports. Has anyone got any experience with creating a label and then applying that info to the symbol in a data info record or something?

[RickR]

There are many answers to this, and I use several. None of them are quite like what a Spotlight instrument can do, so much depends on your real goal.

1. Make worksheets that list the trusses rather than tagging them all. You can list any of the truss OIP record fields as well as general things like X, Y, Z coordinates. See https://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=211698#Post211698

2. Make truss symbols. See a very similar discussion: https://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=44347&Number=222982#Post222982 I haven't tried it but I suppose you could make them all Lighting Positions and get a lot of tagging functions. They have to be symbols first.

3. Make trusses fixtures (again make symbols first then convert to fixture, accessory type is best) Similar to the above but now you have all the Label Legend tools. The drawback is that you really can't get to the truss specific data (length, box, cord) but you can put in whatever you like, especially the user fields.

4. Use a Tag symbol. See where someone wanted to tag walls: https://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=45231&Number=228162#Post228162 They wouldn't be directly connected to the truss but tag symbols would give you the most graphic flexibility.

5. Make a wish list item and wait. I would love to see Label Legends for lots of other things. Truss, decking, speakers, curtains, tables/chairs, etc.

6. Make a Marionette object that does what you want all in one step. Probably not a practical answer but it has a lot of possibilities. I just made a tool for Traveler curtains that shows stacking space calculated from the specific track dimensions.

What looks good to you?

[C. Andrew Dunning]

Hayden -

Going off of what Robert suggested, here is a simple file showing simple ways embedded Classes can be used in truss Symbols to communicate different information. Invoke the different Saved Views to see what I mean.

This helpful, at all?

[Haydenovative]

You guys are all such a fantastic treasure trove of knowledge. Ive tried Andrews file and it is the best working method Ive found. I had attempted to make them visible in front views as well and had made extruded text as classes on top and sides of each truss piece. All of our truss symbols are 3D only so we can rotate them, so classes in the 2D part of a hybrid didn't work. Crazy I know right. I will have a red hot go at it and come back with my findings.

[SamIWas]

Hi Guys,

We would like the ability to have a record attached to each piece of truss, so that when we do top plans of truss lines we have the ability to turn on and off labels similar to lighting labels that can show the truss piece length, type or weight in viewports. Has anyone got any experience with creating a label and then applying that info to the symbol in a data info record or something?

I haven't been able to look at Andrew's solution yet, but are you looking to add a record to each section of truss, or to entire runs of truss?

Adding a data record to symbols with basic data is quite easy, but controlling labels on a run of truss is much more difficult.

All of my symbols have data records attached with exactly what you are stating (length, type, and weight), but it's on a per-piece basis. So, I can count the number of pieces and total weight, but not per run without more work.

[SamIWas]

By the way, here is a file with a small selection of my truss symbols, just to show how I use the records to do counts, etc.

There are also a lot of classes to show/hide detailed and simple versions of the trusses. But this is all global, but per section like you can do with lighting devices.