Is it possible to link text to drawing numbers?

[Christiaan]

Let's say I have a drawing that's continued over two sheets and I want to add note to refer the reader from one sheet to the other. Is it possible to automate this so that if I happen to the change the sheet numbers the text on my drawings will update automatically?

 

[Itchy]

You could maybe use a worksheet with just one cell set to pull the info from the title block, you would just need to make sure the identifier that you use isn't the drawing number as that would defeat the purpose.

[Boh]

Or simply a reference marker line linked to the viewport of the continued drawing?

[Christiaan]

10 hours ago, Boh said:

Or simply a reference marker line linked to the viewport of the continued drawing?

 

Had me going there thinking I'd missed a new feature in VW. This is a suggested feature rather than an existing feature right? Great idea.

Edited October 3, 2019 by Christiaan

[Christiaan]

13 hours ago, Itchy said:

You could maybe use a worksheet with just one cell set to pull the info from the title block, you would just need to make sure the identifier that you use isn't the drawing number as that would defeat the purpose.

 

Interesting thought. I tried it by creating a database row and calling up the sheet number as attached screenshot, but:

1. Worksheets don't update automatically so you have to run recalculate each time a sheet number changes, which slightly defeats the purpose.
2. When I changed a sheet number and ran recalculate worksheets it went blank. The Criteria is (rightly) looking for the original Sheet Layer that I told it for look for and doesn't dynamically update (see second screenshot). As you point out, I need a different identifier. Now sure what to use though as that's the only unique data for that sheet. I could perhaps make the drawing title unique and use that but that's prone to be altered as well.

 

 

Edited October 3, 2019 by Christiaan

[Boh]

7 hours ago, Christiaan said:

. This is a suggested feature rather than an existing feature right? Great idea.

 

This is an extg feature. The “continued on:” is just text. The rest is a section marker in elevation mode. There are a few differerent default marker styles you can choose from so I chose one that I thought might look best, perhaps one that isn’t used much so you might not have recognised it.

After posting that I thought that maybe the VP link would be broken if the sheet no changed but I’m pretty sure it will auto update. 

[Boh]

7 hours ago, Christiaan said:

Worksheets don't update automatically so you have to run recalculate each time a sheet number changes, which slightly defeats the purpose.

 

Its good practice to run the “recalculate all worksheets” command prior to publishing. (Btw I see there is a seperate Wishlist item asking that worksheets show if they are out of date). 

 

7 hours ago, Christiaan said:

I need a different identifier. Now sure what to use though as that's the only unique data for that sheet. I could perhaps make the drawing title unique and use that but that's prone to be altered as well.

 

Is there a user field in the sheet data record unique to that sheet you could use for the worksheet to look for? If not you could creat a custom one. The field name could be “drawing continued from” or something like that.

[LarryO]

This could be a paired plugin exercise with a placement script in Vectorscript.

The plugin on one sheet would know the name of the plugin on the other sheet and vise a versa. The plugin itself could store the name/number of the sheet upon which it resides for the other to extract or the plugin could simply search for the parent of the of the other named plugin and extract the name/number from the parental sheet. When dropping one of these plugins on a sheet via a placement script, the script could automatically drop another plugin on the sister sheet that the user selects at that time.

They would need to be event enabled to update whenever printing occurs and have a manual means to trigger the plugin to be executed for other situations.

Edited October 4, 2019 by LarryO
grammar

[Christiaan]

20 hours ago, Boh said:

This is an extg feature. The “continued on:” is just text. The rest is a section marker in elevation mode. There are a few differerent default marker styles you can choose from so I chose one that I thought might look best, perhaps one that isn’t used much so you might not have recognised it.

After posting that I thought that maybe the VP link would be broken if the sheet no changed but I’m pretty sure it will auto update. 

 

Ah I see, but my viewports are not section viewports, which this feature works with.

 

20 hours ago, Boh said:

Is there a user field in the sheet data record unique to that sheet you could use for the worksheet to look for? If not you could creat a custom one. The field name could be “drawing continued from” or something like that.

 

I was wondering that myself too.

[Matt Panzer]

4 hours ago, Christiaan said:

On 10/3/2019 at 1:25 PM, Boh said:

This is an extg feature. The “continued on:” is just text. The rest is a section marker in elevation mode. There are a few differerent default marker styles you can choose from so I chose one that I thought might look best, perhaps one that isn’t used much so you might not have recognised it.

After posting that I thought that maybe the VP link would be broken if the sheet no changed but I’m pretty sure it will auto update. 

 

Ah I see, but my viewports are not section viewports, which this feature works with.

 

Use a Section-Elevation Marker (not a Section Line) and link it to the viewport via the Link to Viewport popup in the Object Info palette.

[Boh]

Yes I meant a Section Line Marker which can link to any type of viewport. 

[Itchy]

Now it would be nice if the secton line marker could also link to a drawing label, and that drawing label acted like the title block 🙂

[Christiaan]

Oh I see. The mistake I was making was to first place the marker and then try to link it. But the only option in the OIP is to create a Section Viewport (which means you can't update an existing marker either).

 

To make this work you have to link to the viewport in the Object Properties before you place it. Thanks @Boh and @Matt Panzer

 

Think I'll submit a bug/enhancement for that one.

Edited October 7, 2019 by Christiaan

[Christiaan]

Actually this doesn't work for me. The link to the sheet number isn't dynamic. It's a one off when you place the marker and can be edited in the OIP; if you change the relevant sheet number on the sheet it won't automatically updated the marker.

[Matt Panzer]

3 hours ago, Christiaan said:

Actually this doesn't work for me. The link to the sheet number isn't dynamic. It's a one off when you place the marker and can be edited in the OIP; if you change the relevant sheet number on the sheet it won't automatically updated the marker.

 

Christiaan,

This should work. I just tested and it does update. If you have a reproducible case, please file a bug or send it to me.

[Itchy]

Try the Detail-Callout Marker tool, assuming you can edit the marker symbols you should be able to get that to work. Just draw a small box then delete two of the points and it should leave you with just a line.

 

http://app-help.vectorworks.net/2019/eng/index.htm#t=VW2019_Guide%2FViewports1%2FDetail_Callouts_and_Detail-Callout_Markers.htm%23CSH_32