Window/Door Tag Possibilities

[KrisM]

Here is an image of a window tag I used In Revit. Both the number and size were contained in the same tag. In Archicad, I could get the size automatically but had to add the number manually. I see in Vectorworks, I can get the number automatically but haven't figured out how to get the size either manually or automatically. Any good ideas out there?

[Pat Stanford]

Data Tags can definitely do what you want, but setting them us can be a little challenging. Let's see if I can do enough in a short version of this to get you started.

Data Tags are based on a Data Tag Style. Text blocks in that Style can be defined to take the values from Record.Field values (for example the height and widths parameters of a window) and display that data instead of the default text in the Style.

 

Probably the easiest way to create a new style is to start with one that is similar to what you want.  For this example I started with the Window Di tag that already shows the Window Mark (Number), but displays it in a diamond instead of the hexagon you want.

 

Put a Window Di tag onto a Window in your drawing. With the tag selected pull down the Style menu item from the Object Info Palette (OIP) and choose Convert to Unstyled. This one tag is now all by itself and can be edited without effecting other items. Click the Edit Tag Layout button. You will see a zoomed in view of the tag similar to a symbol edit window and the pieces will be selectable. Since you will be zoomed very far in make sure you don't have Snap to Grid turned on or you will likely have a hard time getting the new text you are adding where you want it to be (like I did).

 

Zoom out enough so you have room to add the new text blocks your need. Create a text block containing the word Height. Once containing the word Width. And one containing an "x".  Arrange them so they are were you want them under the diamond. Set the alignment of the block on the left to Right so that when the length of the text displayed changes it will grow out from the center of the tag.

 

Select the Width text block and at the bottom of the OIP check the Use Dynamic Text box. Then click the Define Tag Field button. From the Define Tag Field dialog box make sure the Calculated Field radio button is checked. For this case you want the Data to be drawn from the Object Parameters. For the Object Name select Window -#Window# from the pull down menu. For the Parameter Name select Width - #Width# from the pull down menu. Click the Add to Definition button at the bottom. The Current Tag Field text box will show the "formula" that will be used to to replace the placeholder text when the tag is used. Click OK.

 

Select the Height text block and repeat the above setting the Parameter Name to Height - #Height#

 

Click the Exit Tag Layout Edit button at the top right of the screen. Your tag should now display the width and height of the window the Tag is associated with.

 

To make this format reusable we need to convert it to a Style. With the Tag selected, go to the Style pulldown in the OIP and select "New Plug-in Style from Unstyled Plug-in". To have this show up in the default content of the Tag tool, the style needs to be saved in the Data Tag Styles folder of the file. Select the location in the file you want to save the Style and click the OK button.

 

From the Data Tag Style dialog box that opens, give the Style a name in the Style text box and click OK. The tag name will now show at the Style of the tag in the OIP. You can apply this style to other tags that already exist on the drawing or your can set it as the default for the Tag tool and use it for all new tags you add to the drawing.

 

You can now choose Edit Style from the Style pulldown in the OIP and then click the Edit Tag Layout button from the Data Tag Style dialog box if you want to make changes that will effect every tag that is using this style. For instance you can select the diamond and delete it and add a hexagon. When you save the change it will change every tag using the Style.

 

If this is not clear enough, please ask again.

 

 

[KrisM]

Pat,

Thanks for your thorough explanation. I had the feeling that Data tags would be involved here. 

Sucess.

[Pat Stanford]

Great. I am glad it helped.

 

Happy New Year!