Sheet Layer Subsets (Improved Management)

[ScottLebsack]

I would really appreciate the ability to create folders or subsets in my sheet layers. Working as Landscape Architects, generally our sheets begin with L. I find through the course of a project, I'll end up with maybe more than 10 sheets that should be L1.0 (Client Exhibits, DR Submittals, HOA submittals, CDs...)- I'm constantly having to rename/overwrite layouts that I would rather not. I try to create a file copy at milestones, but If I need to pull one out of the archive folder it's a pain. Alternately, If I could create subsets in my file for Schematic Design, Design Review Submittal, CD's etc. It would streamline the process.

 

PS being able to print only from a certain subset would be helpful as well.

[ScottLebsack]

Alternately having something other than the sheet number be the unique identifier for sheet layouts would alleviate some of this pain. I've looked at adding alternate fields to each sheet for number and abandoning VW's numbering, but I'm worried about all the tables and callouts I would have to update along the way...

[Jeff Prince]

This is a great suggestion.  I think it will take some serious thinking to make it work right for everyone and avoid making it too cumbersome, especially in regards to data for project, issuing, revision, etc.

 

In terms of managing the overall sheet count between sets within a single Vectorworks file...

The current method of "activating/deactivating the titleblock" is cumbersome because you have to enter the sheet and click on the titleblock to do it (unless I am unaware of a better way).  In a set with many sheets, this is time consuming.

 

Ideally, sheets would be members of a set and the sheets within that set would be counted towards the X of X sheets within that set only.  That would be nice.  Alternatively, if this could be managed by using different titleblocks for different sets somehow, that might be doable.  I usually use a conceptual title block for that stage that looks different than my production drawings.

 

I would actually settle for having a toggle in the navigator window that allowed me to activate the sheets I wanted to count, but that would be a bit clunky in practice and prone to error.

 

Here's what I'm doing currently when I need everything in once Vectoworks file.  It works, but not the best solution.

 

[Tom Klaber]

There are a few times where we need to have duplicate sheet numbers for different pages.  Depending on the location of the project - the filing set may need to be drawn differently than our standard construction set.  It is more convenient if those two sets can live in the same document - but we need to have a A-100 for the construction and a A-100 for the filing.  Our workaround is to name the filing AA-100 - and then put a white square over the first A on the titleblock...  Does not feel great. 

I love the idea of these sets.  So many uses - Divide by series for big files (100s, 200s, ect) - by type (Filing, Presentation, Construction)....

[Andy Broomell]

8 hours ago, Tom Klaber said:

There are a few times where we need to have duplicate sheet numbers for different pages.  Depending on the location of the project - the filing set may need to be drawn differently than our standard construction set.  It is more convenient if those two sets can live in the same document - but we need to have a A-100 for the construction and a A-100 for the filing.  Our workaround is to name the filing AA-100 - and then put a white square over the first A on the titleblock...  Does not feel great. 

 

Sometimes in these scenarios I'll add a space to the end of the Sheet #, which is nice because it doesn't print, nor does it offset the number in the title block (not sure why, but glad it doesn't). For example you could have "A-100" and "A-100 ".

[Pat Stanford]

You might find that a worksheet can help with generating "sets" or at least activating and deactivating different TBBs.  

 

If you add a custom field to the TBB Sheet Data you could use that to say what set the TBB belongs to. Or create multiple fields, one for each set so you can have the same TBB in different sets.  Edit the criteria to only show TBBs for a single set, or change the sort to be by set so they are all together for viewing/changing.

 

That attached image is of a worksheet that shows each TBB in the drawing, if it is active, and the drawing number and drawing title.

 

The formulas are entered as text in Row 1 so you can see what is happening.

 

You can select a range (even a discontinuous range), right click and choose Pick Value From List to change everything in the selection at once. If you select a range and try to use the little pull down on one of the rows it will only change that one row.

 

[ScottLebsack]

Thanks all for the work arounds, thanks @PatStanford I always forget to use worksheets to manage things like this. I had begun to add a separate sheet number to each sheet as a work around, but I didn't want to have to go into the sheet manager to update them, the worksheets might make this management task easier. Ultimately it is still a work around, but seems like it would gain me the functionality i'm after.

Appreciate the help, all. For now the space at the end may work... 

[ScottLebsack]

Thought I'd sum up the work arounds I've figured out. The set I'm working on got even more complex. I now have 3 sets of LX.X sheets; CDs, Building Permit, and Floodplain Design Review. I have been able to use the spacing trick @Andy Broomell mentioned, though I've been placing the spaces at the front of the Sheet number - this also allows me to create filters for each... if the sheet number starts with __L (two spaces and an L) then it goes in the Floodway set, and can be indexed in a worksheet easily, too. It's still inelegant, and unintuitive if somebody else has to work in the file, but suffices until something better comes along. It takes a bit to sort when it come to the initial publishing, but I can save a set there, too. It just seems like it would be easier to have sets as an integrated part of the system, and available at publishing time, too.