Josie B Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 Hi, I was wondering if someone can help. I am trying to auto-coordinate the Sheet Number on my Drawing Label when I create a Viewport Detail. You can Auto-Coordinate the Drawing Number, but when I include the sheet number to the Drawing Label it gives me the page the number of where the Detail Viewport is drawn and Not where it is coming from. For example: If I create a Viewport Detail on page A4.02 and that detail # is 1 going on page A5.01 the Drawing Label reads 1/5.01 on page A5.01, but I would like the drawing label on page A5.01 to read 1/A4.02, so this way the person reading the drawings knows where the detail s is coming from. Unfortunately, it does not seem like the sheet number can be auto-coordinated. I hope this make sense. Thanks everyone for your help. Quote Link to comment
Chad Hamilton HAArchs Posted July 3, 2017 Share Posted July 3, 2017 Sorry, but this sounds like a bad idea - normally we read drawings from more general to more specific, so details are keyed on more general drawings and are given drawing and sheet numbers letting us know where to find the detail. It's possible, even likely, that a detail will apply at many locations in a set of drawings - a window sill detail, for example. Trying to key a detail back to where it applies would often result in a number of back keys being necessary. Providing a reference back to a location earlier in the drawings probably doubles the coordination work in keying the details, without providing any important benefit. Quote Link to comment
AlanW Posted July 3, 2017 Share Posted July 3, 2017 (edited) @Josie BSound like you are wanting 2 Way referencing which is common on large projects like 50 sheets of details. Without the 2 way referencing you are guessing unless you have drawn the details. You can see the plan and go to the sheet where the detail is on and if you are on a detail sheet you can see where the detail comes from. As I understand that is not an option yet, although it has been requested previously. (Stand Corrected) Maybe Jonathon Pickup has a solution with one of his tricks. Edited July 3, 2017 by Alan Woodwell Quote Link to comment
Jonathan Pickup Posted July 3, 2017 Share Posted July 3, 2017 Chad, this is known here as back referencing. I know that we tend to read the drawings from the general to the specific, but many contractors read them back to front and want to know where the details come from. I wasn't a fan of back referencing until recently when I had to pick up a job from someone else and I realized how important they are. Since we can link a Section-Elevation callout or a Detail Maker callout to a viewport, why can't we link it back the other way. I an getting reports from local users that drawings without back referencing are being rejected for building consents. Alan, sorry, I wish I had a trick, other than manually putting the information in. Quote Link to comment
AlanW Posted July 3, 2017 Share Posted July 3, 2017 (edited) Back referencing was an easy process when I was detailing up an office tower or stadium manually drawing by hand, it was all about co-ordination and that's what a detailed draftsman did, no large project was without it. Especially if you were looking at 50 A1 detail sheets. Edited July 3, 2017 by Alan Woodwell Quote Link to comment
BG Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Would love this to be an option, although when a detail is referenced from multiple locations, you would have to have the option of choosing one back reference? We used to always back reference our details until we started using linked details. Quote Link to comment
Jonathan Pickup Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 you would have to have a choice, otherwise its just unworkable. Quote Link to comment
AlanW Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 When drawing pencil on velum we often we would add a few sheet number references back at the bottom of the bubble. (now that's going back) but it was very effective and contractors were happy. Would be good to have this as a VW feature. Quote Link to comment
bcd Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Such references & back references could/should also be hyperlinks 1 Quote Link to comment
rgcn Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 I am finding on more and more projects, that contractors and subs wish that details would show where they originate. The back referencing would be a very beneficial option for both the people working on the file and the people building the project. The more information you can provide to the team, the more efficient the project will go. Rob 1 Quote Link to comment
AlanW Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Not sure why this option is not in VW as in my 45 years in the architectural profession mainly as a construction draftsman this type of referencing was a given and a must. For those who have never worked on a set of drawings over 30 sheets you might wonder what the purpose but it saves a lot of phone calls from the contractor and just makes reading a set of drawings more efficient. Should add this to the wish list. I feel it has been there before. Quote Link to comment
mike m oz Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 Alan, this has previously been discussion and the answer is that they don't do two way referencing in the USA. They rely on the builder seeing the detail referencing on the plans, elevations, sections, etc. and going to the detail that is being referred to. There is some sense in that. Especially when a detail applies to multiple locations within the project. Quote Link to comment
AlanW Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 Do you think if they saw the light they might change??? or is the dog too old? Quote Link to comment
mike m oz Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 I doubt it will change. Quote Link to comment
BG Posted August 29, 2017 Share Posted August 29, 2017 Is there any update on whether back referencing is going to be added in 2018? We were requested recently by a Council processing one of our Building Consents to include back references on all details. This took considerable time and of course, they are all manually added, so no automatic coordination. This doesn't seem like a major to implement. Thanks 1 Quote Link to comment
Jeremy Best Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 (edited) Time to stoke this fire… I reckon good will still goes a long way because we are still [stuck] being human. To this end I assert that we can improve Vectorworks presence and regard in the world by supporting not just users of the software but those who must work with its output. i.e. Builders or construction managers or council workers etc who must work with plans produced in Vectorworks. Imagine what effort could be saved, what ease could be enabled and what good will could be conveyed if back referencing was made available for those at the end of the line who would benefit from well-designed documentation facilities in Vectorworks. Conversely, imagine what resentment might exist in the industry towards Vectorworks if it is the only software producing documentation without these benefits. (I've read all major competitors have this facility). I think the potential benefits of back-referencing to anyone producing or using architectural documentation are obvious. And even those in the USA who are used to the absence of this facility would surely be pleasantly surprised by the ease offered by back-referencing if implemented. After all, going beyond what is expected is what creates excellent user and customer experiences. I've been told 50% of an architect's time is spent on documentation. Surely any feature that can significantly assist with hastening documentation is a no-brainer worth implementing, let alone the ensuing benefits to all who use the documentation thereafter. Edited January 23, 2019 by Jeremy Best 1 Quote Link to comment
BG Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 It would also be really good, when any viewport is linked to another viewport/sheet, when creating a PDF set of drawings, it automatically creates a link, so you can just click on the drawing title label it and it takes you to that viewport/sheet. 2 Quote Link to comment
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