Managing Multiple 3D Layers

[nwfonseca]

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for managing multiple 3D design Layers? Currently all of my 3D elements are on a single design layer with pretty much everything controlled by classes. This works but it can be a bit tedious to always have to turn off a bunch of classes for a sheet layer or saved view vs. turning off a single layer. I started testing multiple design layers using the unified view, However, I ran into an issue where the saved views no longer were in the same location. I don't know if this was caused by using more than one layer, adding RW cameras or if I somehow accidentally changed the X,Y,Z origin. Any thoughts or ideas? Luckily I do most of this testing in a test file so I am not losing anything.

[Jeff Prince]

What industry are you in and what do you develop in 3D?

 

I'm a landscape architect, use multiple design layers, and mostly work in 3D.  Multiple design layers are probably one of the most useful features for me coming from an AutoCAD background.  Essentially, I create as many design layers as I need to avoid the class workflow you described and to reflect the way the work gets executed.  I think of them as classes for classes 🙂  Complicated jobs get more detailed design layers to make the work easier.  Outside consultants usually get their own references, but sometimes layers... I quarantine their work.  I generally set them all to the same scale, set elevations based on the real world, and geolocate them.  I generally set a datum for the project before I get started on anything and make sure all files and layers are referenced to it because my work is heavily tied to real world positioning generally.  I set layers up so I can quickly turn off entire portions of the work that I do not need to see while designing, on a sheet, during a phase of work, or in a rendering.   I work on projects ranging in size from very large (airports, military installations, high rises, commercial centers, and regional planning) to relatively small (residential, retail, trade show exhibits, competition gardens, etc)

Every project's needs are unique and some do not require high levels of organization, but could benefit from it.  I have found It's easier to kill an entire layer in a viewport than to remember which classes to turn off when you are in a rush.

 

Here's a typical detailed layer scheme in my case, sometimes each design layer has multiples based upon the type of project (phases, demolition, cutting up large areas, etc).  High rises and large facilities require a special approach in my case, usually a master layer for critical items like building cores/grids or site alignment features, but the basics remain the same.  I imagine people in other disciplines break up their work in similar ways.

 

Landscape-Hardscape

Landscape-Walls and Fences

Landscape-Specialty Consultant(s)

Landscape-Furnishings

Landscape-Planting

Landscape-Irrigation

Landscape-Lighting

Landscape-Space Planning/Zones

Site Model

Entourage

Landscape-Existing Features

Landscape-Existing Plant Inventory

Architecture

Civil

Survey-Drone Model

Survey-Drone Aerial

Survey-Data

GIS

x-Datum

[rDesign]

5 hours ago, nwfonseca said:

However, I ran into an issue where the saved views no longer were in the same location.

This could be caused by one (or more) of your Saved Views not having ‘Save View Orientation’ checked. It could also be caused by changing the Z elevation of a Design Layer / Story Layer after creating the Saved View.

[nwfonseca]

@jeff prince I work in museum exhibitions and our location is a single story. I definitely have use for classes as I like to be able to have control of the appearance of elements from one sheet to the next but having some of them on separate layers would definitely be useful for keeping things organized such as lighting tracks, artwork, entourage, partitions etc.

[Jeff Prince]

15 minutes ago, nwfonseca said:

@jeff prince I work in museum exhibitions and our location is a single story. I definitely have use for classes as I like to be able to have control of the appearance of elements from one sheet to the next but having some of them on separate layers would definitely be useful for keeping things organized such as lighting tracks, artwork, entourage, partitions etc.

 

I would definitely be using multiple design layers in your case then, you are basically creating interior architecture drawings by the sounds of it.  As a bonus, you could easily create nice visitor maps or fire marshal drawings of the exhibits by turning off the unneeded layers and perhaps adding some graphic layers for that purpose too all from the same file.  Lots of optional schemes are easily managed with design layers too, using the same classes so you don't have classes like option1-art, option2-art, option3-art, etc in order to control the appearance in sheets.  Instead you could have all of your art in this example on one class and then have layers to organize the various schemes.

 

I think your described issue is probably answered by rDesign.

Other things to watch for:

If your design layers are at different scales, that can be a problem.

If you create new layers after setting up your camera, they may be turned off.

 

Post that test file with the problem and maybe one of us will look at it to help you out.

[nwfonseca]

@rDesign it is good to hear that this issue has to do with moving the something and not from using layers. It seemed silly otherwise.

[nwfonseca]

On 7/14/2020 at 6:59 PM, jeff prince said:

 

I would definitely be using multiple design layers in your case then, you are basically creating interior architecture drawings by the sounds of it.  As a bonus, you could easily create nice visitor maps or fire marshal drawings of the exhibits by turning off the unneeded layers and perhaps adding some graphic layers for that purpose too all from the same file.  Lots of optional schemes are easily managed with design layers too, using the same classes so you don't have classes like option1-art, option2-art, option3-art, etc in order to control the appearance in sheets.  Instead you could have all of your art in this example on one class and then have layers to organize the various schemes.

 

I think your described issue is probably answered by rDesign.

Other things to watch for:

If your design layers are at different scales, that can be a problem.

If you create new layers after setting up your camera, they may be turned off.

 

Post that test file with the problem and maybe one of us will look at it to help you out.

I am not able to share the file unfortunately as it isn't allowed. I can share parts of files in a separate document but not an entire document. Thanks for the offer. All of the help so far has been very helpful. I managed to fix everything so that is a plus.

[Boh]

In architectural work design layers are the ‘where’ and classes are the ‘what’. Generally we put stuff ‘on’ layers and ‘in’ classes.

 

So items that need to be seen in the same sheet plan viewports will more likely be on the same design layer. Eg spouting is classed in ‘Spouting”’ class, “roofing” will be placed in a “roofing” class and both placed on the “roof” design layer.

 

Model design layers tend to be stacked vertically:

Roof

Roof frame

Ceiling

Floor

Founation

 

So for your work perhaps think through what info needs to be seen together in your plan views and create design layers based on that.