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KEYNOTES - Bi-directional editing from keynotes worksheet legend


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I've been struggling with finding a way to use keynotes effectively in Vectorworks - and for us, one of the most essential aspects is the ability to revise keynotes as a project proceeds through the design process.  Our office uses keynotes with a numbered prefix keyed to the CSI division format, and all keynotes have the same number throughout a project.  We only place keynotes in a sheet legend if the keynote actually appears on a sheet, and keynotes may frequently appear on many different drawings - plans, elevations, sections.

 

Attached is a sample file showing an alternate system for placing and reporting keynotes, based on a keynote record format attached to a custom symbol.  The system uses worksheets on each sheet layer to report the keynotes on that sheet, and a separate 'master' worksheet to handle global editing of keynotes.  Global editing is limited - text or reference fields may be edited, but editing the actual keynote number will break the link - the keynote number is providing the key link to the worksheet.

 

I'd love to get feedback or suggestions that would improve this system.

170527 VW 2017 test.vwx

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What I like about the built-in tool is the auto renumbering.  It does seem super glitchy though.  Sometimes duplicate notes get assigned new numbers.  Sometimes notes seem to lose their connection to their legend.  Even with all of that - it is usually worth the struggle.

 

First glance - your system is not a bad hack.  note maintenance is al little bit more laborious with your system, but I would guess it is more stable - and single notes can be on multiple legends which is a big issue with the current system.

 

I am hoping there is a notation database upgrade in the works.

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I see - you have multiple legends - same note.

Then your system works better.  It's like creating a record format database.  I like it.

 

I thought that is what the note database was supposed to do.  I remember I spent 2 hours once changing all the old text and line notes over to the callout tool - expecting to then be able to use the database to control similar spec notes across multiple details.  I was PISSED when I found out that the note - once placed is not connected to the database.  

 

 

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It's essentially a pseudo relational database, using the key note number as the relational key.  One weakness - changing the number of a keynote breaks the key pair relationship - then you have to either track down that keynote and change the key manually, or remember to re-edit the summarized data in the keynote edit worksheet.

 

We are still testing this system to use on larger projects.

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  • 1 year later...

Here is an actual file that has the worksheet, plus the symbol elements - this later version works bi-directionally.   A couple of caveats - when placing the worksheet on a drawing to act as keynotes, edit the database criteria to return keynote records from that drawing only (edit the criteria for the sheet or viewport name).  When editing keynotes - we set up a design layer in our files called "Notes Management", with a version of the keynotes worksheet set to report all values for keynote symbols.  Values in all keynote fields must be exactly the same - this is relatively easy to monitor and correct in the Notes Management layer.  To change the text of a particular keynote globally - edit the keynote in Notes Management.

17070_RES_Model_171029_Stand_Alone.vwx

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18 hours ago, Chad Hamilton HAarchs said:

When editing keynotes - we set up a design layer in our files called "Notes Management", with a version of the keynotes worksheet set to report all values for keynote symbols.

Not sure why you need this dedicated layer. It looks like the "keynotes editor" worksheet will work the same from anywhere.

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Note that the worksheets that appear on each sheet layer are set to report only keynote records on that sheet.  If you edit a keynote from the worksheet on the sheet layer, you won't be editing all the keynotes if any show up on a different sheet layer.  We find having a keynotes worksheet on a separate layer, set to report all keynote records throughout the file, is a good way to implement this.  You could do it other ways - you could put the keynotes editor worksheet on every sheet layer, or you could just open it from the resource brower.

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  • 9 months later...

I recently had to delve into an architectural drawing package and coming from the Landscape Architectural side of things I'm shocked to learn that the notes system completely fails here.  Every architect we've ever worked with has included such a CSI format notes system on each sheet.  The workaround above, though crafty and doable, is still a hack for something that is at the root of our daily work.  That Vectorworks still has not solved this glaring failure is pretty depressing.

Edited by lgoodkind
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  • 2 years later...
On 5/29/2017 at 9:57 PM, Chad Hamilton HAArchs said:

I've been struggling with finding a way to use keynotes effectively in Vectorworks - and for us, one of the most essential aspects is the ability to revise keynotes as a project proceeds through the design process.  Our office uses keynotes with a numbered prefix keyed to the CSI division format, and all keynotes have the same number throughout a project.  We only place keynotes in a sheet legend if the keynote actually appears on a sheet, and keynotes may frequently appear on many different drawings - plans, elevations, sections.

 

Attached is a sample file showing an alternate system for placing and reporting keynotes, based on a keynote record format attached to a custom symbol.  The system uses worksheets on each sheet layer to report the keynotes on that sheet, and a separate 'master' worksheet to handle global editing of keynotes.  Global editing is limited - text or reference fields may be edited, but editing the actual keynote number will break the link - the keynote number is providing the key link to the worksheet.

 

I'd love to get feedback or suggestions that would improve this system.

170527 VW 2017 test.vwx

We use the CSI MasterFormat and have a similar concerns. I'm considering switching full time from Revit where we upload one .txt file and it would populate the keynotes for placement by Element in a plan view or a detail. I can't figure out how to easily add the 2,000+ CSI line items we use when calling out materials. No way are we manually entering all the CSI keynotes. This is what my prompt is in Revit after selecting and items and placing the leader. Does anyone have an idea about how to upload a full CSI list of notes? The Excel view is my source list of items that we export as .txt for Revit. Thanks.

KEYNOTE.jpg

mf.jpg

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