common info in version11

[Rosebud Studios]

Where do I put information that is common to all sheets to be printed, in VWA.v11?

This is all the info that used to be on the sheet common layer in previous versions.

Ed

[CipesDesign]

I'm not sure what others are doing, but I've (re)created my TITLE block (which used to be in it's very own layer) as a SYMBOL in 1:1 scale so that it fits on to a SHEET LAYER.

Peter Cipes

Residential Designer

Ashland, Oregon

[Rosebud Studios]

Thanks Peter, I'll consider that . I created a layer for my Title block and than made a viewport for it.

Either way it seems that I will have to then paste/place the Title block onto every SHEET LAYER. Maybe setting up WORKGROUPS of the sheets in a MASTER FILE will save me from setting up for every project.

Ed Rose

Residential Designer

The Sea Ranch, California

[Ray Libby]

If you are using saved views (formerly saved sheets) the sheet layer will use the same visibility as the saved view when accessed while in that saved view. I only use one sheet layer and make a viewport out of my title block and a viewport of the main drawing on each saved view. I can have as many saved views as I want and the sheet layer will show the same data as my saved view. It also makes it easy to set up with my existing stucture, I just duplicate the viewports and change the class to be visible in my next saved view. I'm not sure if this would work with the drawing structure you use. If this isn't clear let me know and I'll post an example.

Ray

[Kevin]

I have searched the manual and cannot find anything that directly addresses this. I would love the hear from Katie to see what the "official NNA method" is.

[propstuff]

You might want to look at PanzerCad's Viewport pack

PanzerCAD

cheers,

N.

[Robert Anderson]

Since sheet layers (where viewports reside) are "active only" at all times, titleblocks that have common information should be symbols. Then if you want to change the common information, just change it in the symbol definition. I don't think that NNA has espoused an "official method", but this is the one that makes the most sense and is most straightforward.

BTW, VWA has always relied on one titleblock symbol per sheet, so this is really nothing new.

[Robert Anderson]

Setup handles title blocks now the way it did before-- by putting a title block on each sheet layer.

[jnr]

So is the sheet-common layer, in a scripted set(VA assistant), gone in V 11? How does the setup assitant now handle title blocks?

[CipesDesign]

Hi Robert, I was out of town for a couple days so I'm re-entering this thread a little late, but... I guess I'm probably a hold-out from by-gone days, but in previous versions my (custom) title block existed as its very own layer which was very convenient as the entire layer could be visible yet not prone to silly little errors, like accidentally moving the whole thing. I have no big problem with the concept of using a symbol for the title, except for the following: because it is by nessecity in THE active layer, it is always possible to select it (the symbol) accidentally. I have removed the solid fill from it, which helps a bit, and sometimes find it necessary to lock it to prevent unwanted moves and changes. I would love it more if SHEET LAYERS were either re-named (maybe just called 'sheets', which is what they actually are) or behaved more like other layers (eg, have the ability to exist in a matrix of layers & classes). All in all, I am learning to use the new system and liking it a lot. Just thought I'd add my two cents. Thanks for listening!

Peter Cipes

[Kristen]

In previous versions of VW, our office saved one file with the title block for all drawings, then workgroup referenced that file to all other drawing files.

Is there any way to make this setup work in VW11 using Sheet layers? I'm just familiarizing myself with this new version, and it looks like it's impossible to reference a Sheet layer?

Kristen

[Robert Anderson]

Kristen, you can no longer do this. Make your title block a symbol at 1:1 and put an instance of it on each Sheet layer. Lock the instance if you're afraid of moving it.

[bclydeb]

I think what Robert is hinting at is that VectorWorks has title block symbols in the Plug-Ins folder. These are linked to a built in set of sheet management tools and are used by VW when you are doing a setup from teh file menu setup commands. I like the VWA setup tools and have modified the VWA title blocks set in the Plug-Ins file to suit my fancy, taking care not to upset the data fields for placing project information into the title blocks. I have merely moved them around a little to suit my fancy.

Some advantages to using the VWA sheet setup system is that you have revision tracking management tools which create a revison record chain. Plus it is somewhat easier to create consistant title block informatin across an entire set of drawings.

In the past I have also used my own title block symbol with the various text fields linked to my own record database which gave me similar, but customized features, to the VectorWorks built in title block system.

For really simple two-three sheet projects, I prefer to make a custom layer to hold the title block symbol at 1:1. I then overlay title information and such to fill in the blanks. This becomes a standard layer, always turned on for all sheets.

Under V11 I think I would try to place this title block symbol on a design layer and turn it on in a locked viewport in the Sheets setup. Then I may be able to make any necessary viewports . Just an idea.

Back to the tilte block symbol concept. Having a symbol makes a consistantly standard basic title block easy to use as a resource across your whole office or individual practice sepctrum of projects.