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Counting Symbols in Viewports and Categorizing them


duesj

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Hello,

 

I've been searching for a way to easily count symbols and categorize them in viewports.  For instance, When doing meeting rooms, I'd like a way to create one document with 40 meeting rooms and create viewports where the Data would pop up in categories.

 

Venue:

   1 Head Table

   4 Chairs At Head Table

   1 Lectern

   350 Theater Seating

 

AV Provided:

   1 9'x16' Screen

   1 Switcher

   3 Lavs

 

In House AV

   1 Sound System

 

Etc.

 

I've been playing around with worksheets but they seem to be pretty intense, needing to go in a change formulas for each viewport, mapping them to layers/symbols, etc.  I'm looking for a better way to count these symbols (Maybe inside a viewport crop) or something like that.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

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Do you want just the data in the viewport or do you want the room to be shown and also to show the data?

 

You can probably come up with a worksheet to use as a template that will read records attached to each item that contain the information. You would also need to attach records to each of the objects to get the data into the worksheet the way you want. And you will probably need to use a Crop Object with a name in each viewport to limit what is listed in the worksheet to just what is shown in that viewport.

 

I am thinking you will need a different record format for each sub category you want in each category. Each category would then be a different Database row in the worksheet. The Venue information could be attached to the Crop object for the viewport.

 

Everything you want in the worksheet will have to have an object on the drawing.

 

You can use a single worksheet as a template and then duplicate it for each viewport. We can set the database criteria to let you enter the name of the crop object into a cell on the worksheet (you will lose the ability to use the criteria editor and will have to edit criteria manually) so that the worksheet will only show what is appropriate for that viewport.

 

If this sounds at all reasonable and you want to proceed, ask again when you need more help.

 

 

 

 

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Thanks Pat.

 

I gotta say, thanks for the push in this direction.  I've broken down some walls in my first real foray into worksheets and aside from wanting to take my aggression out on a coffee mug at times, I'm feeling good.

 

I would like to know if there's a quick way of doing one or two things:

First of all, I created a record called Meeting Room Symbols and attached it to all of my symbols.  I then quickly selected all of my symbols and assigned them to a room.

 

First question: Is there a way to make the database formula reference a cell in the worksheet so that I can put the room name at the top of the worksheet and have the sections 'Room' populate from that?  My goal is to easily see what room the the worksheet is referencing as well as have the ability to easily change it without changing it in the database formula.

 

Second Question: Is there a way to group fields together to create a phrase.  For instance, I'd like to create a phrase "9'x 16' Truss Screen with Dress Kit" from the 'Stock169' 'Dress Kit' 'Screen Support' Video screen fields

 

Screen Shot 2020-01-20 at 2.22.14 PM.png

Screen Shot 2020-01-20 at 3.21.50 PM.png

Edited by duesj
I'm dumb. Solved my first question which is deleted so my second question is my first question and my third is my second. Horse. Cart. Check. Mate. Then there was an upside-down six.
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Good work so far, worksheets will change your life.

 

Quote

First question: Is there a way to make the database formula reference a cell in the worksheet so that I can put the room name at the top of the worksheet and have the sections 'Room' populate from that?  My goal is to easily see what room the the worksheet is referencing as well as have the ability to easily change it without changing it in the database formula.

You can reference other cells with =A2 or =Value(A2)

 

Quote

Second Question: Is there a way to group fields together to create a phrase.  For instance, I'd like to create a phrase "9'x 16' Truss Screen with Dress Kit" from the 'Stock169' 'Dress Kit' 'Screen Support' Video screen fields

"Grouping fields" would be called "Summarize Items". There isn't a great way to change a name. You could do a replace string, but I don't think that's a good approach. Typically what I do on fields that I don't like the name of is copy them all over to a "User Field" record and change them there. So copy over "Stock169' 'Dress Kit" to User Field 1 and change them all to something nicer "9'x 16' Truss Screen with Dress Kit".

 

I always have to do that with lighting fixture modes since VWX pulls in the GDTF files with the stupid .lit extension. So I'll change "m1_48ch.lit" to "Mode 1 (48CH)".

 

 

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Just to expand on Steven's comments.

 

1. Yes you can use a cell value in the criteria, but you can't do it with criteria builder and you will have to edit the text representation of the criteria by hand. Edit Criteria and then click OK. The Formula Bar at the top of the worksheet will now contain the text version. Click into the formula and edit as necessary. If you were using the LOC criteria, it would look something like =LOC('My Object Name').  Edit it to be =LOC(A1). Now you can put the name of whatever object you want in cell A1 and you will get the objects within that object in the database.

 

2. I don't think you are looking for Summarize, but rather the formula =Concat.

 

image.thumb.png.f2fce7200b94c74579b1c43fb8201255.png

 

Either always add an extra space at the end of your descriptions or add ,' ',  (comma, single quote, space, single quote, comma) between each of the individual field calls. And yes I named my test record dues. 😉

 

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee
15 hours ago, stevenmorgan94 said:

 

I always have to do that with lighting fixture modes since VWX pulls in the GDTF files with the stupid .lit extension. So I'll change "m1_48ch.lit" to "Mode 1 (48CH)".

 

 

 

Just thought I should clarify that GDTF and .lit files are completely separate.

The .lit file is the internal Spotlight and Vision fixture format. Whereas GDTF is the new standardized format that is designed for any application (CAD, Console or Previs) to be able to use.

 

I fully agree that .lit should not be displaying in worksheets and reports when you displaying the fixture mode.

I will make an enhancement request to have this changed to stop the .lit displaying.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Guys, many thanks on the helpful tips.  I've enjoyed many nights with bloodshot eyes figuring this out and I have a ton of meeting rooms that have this all laid out and works great... except... I HAVE to be doing this wrong because I not only have a ton of worksheets corresponding to a ton of sheet layers corresponding to a ton of layers.  I cry for mother every time I have to make edits days/weeks later.

 

I find value in the following:
Worksheet templates within sheet boarders - Instead of a worksheet for every sheet layer, a boarder with a worksheet template.  I have a worksheet for every sheet layer. Over 40 sheet layers.  This complicates things because of my next point...

Counting symbols within a sheet layer crop/viewport - I hate to rehash this, but it's simply the shortest line between two points.  There are a ton of steps (Outside of making the formula) to counting symbols while excluding others. What I'm doing specifically includes counting symbols on specific layers which means that standard sets have to be duplicated on every sheet layer.

 

I have to think that many more people would find value in these tools, especially the event world.

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I have just ventured down this path with not much luck, I too have a drawing with some 131 sheet layers each with a different viewport on each that I am looking to place and instrument summary to summarise the number of fixtures on each viewport.  I have been playing about with the filters on the instrument summary tool but there seems to be no way to get a summary of instruments per viewport, or am i missing something? 

Screenshot 2020-02-22 at 2.32.04 PM.png

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