Symbol Count

[djobbins]

Hey,

 

Is there a tool or function I can use to calculate how many instances of a given symbol I have in a drawing? or even better in a given area.  Basically the same idea as the instrument key in Spotlight, but to work with all types of symbols (speakers, truss symbols, etc).

 

Thanks

[Andy Broomell]

Start with Tools<Reports<Create Report.

List all: Symbols.

Click "Add All >>" button

Check the summarize button.

Click OK.

 

 

This will at least get you started, though further work with record formats and/or other criteria would be necessary to break down the worksheet further. Have you worked with worksheets before?

[djobbins]

Nope, I've never really dug into worksheets outside of creating channel hookups etc from lighting reports, but those are all pretty automated.  Is it possible to have them update in real time as I make changes?

[markdd]

If the symbols you want to count have Light Info records attached, then you can use the Instrument Key tool and set up some criteria with the Filter button. With that, you can choose which Position, Layer/s, Classes they need to be on or you can create the criteria yourself with the fourth tab which basically offers you the choices that creating a worksheet would do. Its really useful and a reliable way of sorting fixtures. I often have several instrument summaries on the go with different criteria set up.

[Pat Stanford]

1 hour ago, djobbins said:

 Is it possible to have them update in real time as I make changes?

Unfortunately, to see updated information in worksheets you have to manually Recalculate them. No automatic recalc.

[djobbins]

Hey,

 

Going back to this.  i had it working great right after I posted this question, but in VW2018 it doesn't seem to work the same way.  Is there something I'm missing?

 

Thanks!

[Joe Golden The Other One]

Reports changed a bit in 2018.  Here is a report you can import.  It does not search inside of PIO's.

Symbol Count.vwx

[Andy Broomell]

I actually recently wanted to create a symbol count worksheet in 2018, and it seemed to be exponentially more difficult than it was in 2017.

 

Could someone explain the most efficient steps to take in 2018 to get the exact same result as the steps I outlined above for 2017? (Not importing a worksheet but creating one).

[markdd]

Run the Create Report command 

 

Fill in the dialogue box like so:

 

That should give you a list of all the symbols in the drawing with the quantities.

[Andy Broomell]

Beautiful - Thank you @markdd!!

[djobbins]

Hey guys,

 

Returning to this topic from a while back.  I have my symbol counting worksheets up and running, but it can't seem to handle lighting instruments in.  If I drop a light in as just a symbol it will come up fine in the worksheet, but if I drop in a lighting instrument it doesn't.  It works fine if I use the inventory spreadsheet that the "create reports" tool makes, but I can't get it to work within mine.  Any thoughts?

 

Dan

[Pat Stanford]

Lighting Instruments are PIOs, not Symbols.

 

You should be able to edit the criteria to include both Symbols and Lighting Instruments as the type of objects to count in the Criteria Builder.

[djobbins]

Hey Pat,

 

Right now I have it set as: =('Lighting Device'.'Inst Type'), which I just copy and pasted from the SL Inventory Worksheet (where it works fine).  Am I missing something else?

 

Dan