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VW12: How do Users Manage Details in Drawings?


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I am ready to take the plunge into VW12. I have used versions 7,8,9 & 11. Looking in the manuals and doing a search on this board does not give me the answer of what is the best way to handle details?

I might have 4 to 10 sheets containing 20 details per sheet. Of course the details are of all different scales.

Ideally there should be a master library where I keep details. I would import details from this library into the drawing.

Do I make these details into symbols? Do I use viewports? I am so confused!

So how is everyone else handling this task?

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My approach would be to "workgroup reference" them from the master library directory into the detail sheet. Then use viewports in a "sheet layer." This allows you to use various scales.

No need to use symbols. Each detail would need its own unique "layer names" so that they wouldn't conflict with other details.

Another approach would be to draw all the details within the sheet itself, on separate layers at various scales, and then viewport them into a "sheet layer."

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I use a single layer or as I call it a drawing board layer at any scale with all details drawn on this and then create a viewport, then crop, then copy that viewport and shift the crop to each other detail that is required, then rescale to suite for each detail. Easy.

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Kevin,

We use both of the above methods. The library "typical" details are WGR'd in and the drawing specific details are drawn on their own layer.

A couple of points:

? We've found it best to organize the library files so there's one detail per layer. Since it's layers that get referenced using WGR, it's easier to find the needed detail. Give each layer a descriptive name.

? As the project nears completion, we "break" all the library references (make sure to check "keep data") so that future updates to the library don't change an issued drawing set from the past. Breaking the link while keeping the data is also a fast way to develop a drawing-specific detail from a typical detail.

? All of this cross referencing will require that you have a pretty standard set of Classes. We use the .sta files to hold our company standard Classes. . .and no one is allowed to create new Classes without an act of Congress!! [Wink]

Good luck,

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Thanks for the good info; very helpful. It surprises me that something so fundamental has been discussed and documented so little.

I have not used WGR, so I would not have even thought of that. I always figured it was only for multi-person firms.

What are you using for classes? Are you sticking to the VW defaults?

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Thanks David. Yes, it is not a simple answer. I have spent so much time trying to customize VW classes to my taste, that I am wondering if I should simply give in and use the defaults.

Travis, do you use one file, or multiple files for a project? My thought is to have two files. One file would only be for details. That way I could have two sets of classes. One set would only be for detailing.

Thanks in advance.

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Kevin,

We have one "master" file into which any subordinate files are WGR'd. It's common to have the main drawing in the master file, tho occasionally, in more complex projects, the main drawing may be in a separate file. Then we'd have one file for imported (generally surveryor or civil engineering) terrain/site info, another file for structural (that we're probably allowing an engineering firm to modify), and finally the library details. We never import into the main file, but rather WGR out to a file that holds the import. As I mentioned above, we'd "lock" in the library reference by breaking them, but WGRs to project-specific files are simply left as-is.

On the Class front: we have developed our own set of classes that don't resemble AIA's in the least. One fairly large set of classes is prefixed Detail (Detail-Wood-Endgrn, Detail-Conc-Rebar, etc.) because line weights and fills are often very different for detail scale than for plan scale. My comment about not allowing new classes without consent is an effort to keep class naming logical and coherent so that anyone going into a file can understand what's going on.

Be aware that whenever a layer is WGR'd in, it brings its classes with it. . .and they'll override any existing classes with the same name. I'd recommend developing one set of classes.

Hope that helps,

[ 03-13-2006, 11:45 AM: Message edited by: Travis ]

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