topic Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones in Libraries & objects

Writing information into 2000+ zones

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:56:17 GMT

I am currently modeling a 2200 room hospital, for coordination and management puposes.

Having all the architectural drawings in 2D, we are trying to write into the zone stamps the finishes information (floor, ceiling, walls, skirtings, etc.)

This has to be done manually, zone by zone, on the floor plan, with the drawings as ghost stories.

The obvious way to do it is selecting a zone, ctrl+T, inputting the correct letters to the variables (I am using the DCA Zone Identifier stamp, but this applies to any other stamp), and moving to the next zone.

for 2000+ zones, this is mind boggling.

Would there be any other way to do this input? No schedules, because the info is in plan view, and each room has a different combination, with no clear logical assignments.

Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:40:12 GMT

I guess some zones will have the same settings, why don't you use the pipet?

Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:30:01 GMT

Thats a no go.
I could hunt down similar zones on the material combination (floor, wall, ceiling, soffit...), height, name, ID and zone categorie.

But then they have different zone numbers, or just one of the above is not equal, so it could help a bit, bt not significantly.

My wish would be inputting zone data via the zone stamp.

Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones

Anonymous — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:47:25 GMT

My English is not perfect so sorry if I misunderstood you. Is it relevant for you to use Interactive Schedule? I think it is the easiest way to edit zone settings.

Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones

Anonymous — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:24:58 GMT

Miguel,

I'm not sure if this will help you or not, (You probably know this already!) but you can select only a few select zones on plan, then right-click on the zone schedule in the navigator and select 'List Floor plan Selection only'.

If you made sure you only selected the zones you knew had the same finishes, it might simplify your task. You could even try creating a separate schedule to edit each individual parameter, then you you could use 'show uniform items as a single entry' to change them all at once. Any zones accidently selected with a different setting for that parameter would be displayed separately and not be edited. This is a major advantage over just using the settings dialog (ctrl+T) to edit multiple zones!

Hope it helps - good luck!

Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones

Anonymous — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:16:16 GMT

Thank you for your help.

In fact, this is a very heavy model, and there are many variations for the finishes. For the same floor type I have maybe 6 types of different walls, and 6 more ceilings, skirting, etc.

So selecting the few that have exactly the same combination on a 15000 square feet floor plan is no easy task.

Schedules is not the ideal solution either, for the same reasons.

As I said, the best thing would be to input the data directly into the zone stamp.

Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones

Erika Epstein — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:44:06 GMT

Have you looked at OPS (Onuma Planning System)?
That allows you to bring in zone information.

Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones

Anonymous — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:59:25 GMT

Yes, Zonematic also does that and is much less expensive:
http://www.mad.fi/mad/englishzonematic.html

But in this case, the zones are already created, and I want to add information to them. From what I know from the OPS, it does not do that, does it?

And even if it does, using it would be like using a Howitzer to shoot a rabbit. And as expensive...
😉

Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones

Erika Epstein — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:18:06 GMT

You can export the zones from AC to OPS add the info and then bring it back to AC.

As to cost, I'm not sure what there rates are, I just use it as our BIMstorm team won a free studio.

Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones

Ralph Wessel — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:00:11 GMT

Krippahl wrote:
I am currently modeling a 2200 room hospital, for coordination and management puposes.
Having all the architectural drawings in 2D, we are trying to write into the zone stamps the finishes information (floor, ceiling, walls, skirtings, etc.)

Take a look at Codebook - it might help you manage this and other aspects of the design.

Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones

Anonymous — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:42:25 GMT

If you set the right parameters for the interactive schedule, you can directly change the data in the zone stamp. It worked for me. Well, I did not have 2000 zones...

Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 08:51:42 GMT

Erika
Last time I checked, it was A LOT

Ralph
Looks great, a bit like ArchiFM.
But it is also an expensive solution for solving just this problem.

Marie
I can change parameters in the schedule, but that is not the solution, as the information is drawn on a Xrefed DWG plan view.

I want to be able to do the changes in the floor plan window, without opening the schedule.

When working with a 2000+ zones schedule, things tend to slow down on the variables input.

I could of course select just a few zones, open the schedule, introduce the changes, close the schedule, select a few more zones, opens the schedule...

But when you are dealing with so many elements, theses workarounds get very expensive, time wise.

My hope was that there would be a magical way you could input the data directly into a zone stamp on the floor plan, as you do with the text tool.

Wish list, I guess...

Still, thanks for all the help.

Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones

KeesW — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 11:34:57 GMT

Codebook looks terrific!
Is cost really an issue with a 2200 room hospital commission?
Surely the time saved and accuracy of the information will more than pay for such a product?
Or is the cost really astronomical?

Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones

Anonymous — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 18:47:46 GMT

Kees

One year subscription is 3300 Euros.

If the software allows me to input the room data in some minus 10 hours, that would mean 330 € per hour rate (not counting the time I'll need to learn it).

And after one year I loose the software, because it is on one of those subscription themes.

It is not expensive taking into account the hospital as a whole (My job is modeling for construction, not designing), but is is very expensive just to save some 10 hours work.

Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones

Erika Epstein — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 18:50:28 GMT

dRofus is another hospital data base. They are in Norway and are used in many countries. We used them very successfully and in two BIMstorms last fall. We were all impressed by their work and how easy it made all of ours including that of our cost estimator.

http://www.drofus.no/

Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones

KeesW — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 22:33:16 GMT

Miguel

That is too expensive for 10 hour's work!

A bit like CAD where the first plan version could sometimes be done as quickly by hand as by computer. However, CAD earns its keep when the information has to be edited. Maybe your database is the same - how much time to alter it after its been done? We in AUS are not as efficient and sometimes have changes after the intial designs are completed.

Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones

Anonymous — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:03:05 GMT

KeesW

You are right, changes are the only constant in construction

But on this job, we are modeling a hospital for the GC, and construction is allready under way, so the changes will be on the detail level (no new floors, wings, or hardly even rooms).

I am struggling with the input of the whole data, but am not so worried with minor changes along the way. Changing a couple of room finishes is one thing, inputting the same finishes into 2200 rooms another.

Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones

Anonymous — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 11:54:06 GMT

Hi Miguel,

Assuming you are using one zone stamp to all zones on your project... I guess it could be done by a little GDL hacking inside the zone stamp object.

But of course I must be missing something... If you could give me more details I could give it a shot.

HTH.

Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones

Anonymous — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 12:13:08 GMT

Hello Braza

That would be a powerful object:

A Stamp that would allow data input in the plan window.

You think that is possible?

Re: Writing information into 2000+ zones

Anonymous — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:25:38 GMT

Krippahl wrote:
Hello Braza

That would be a powerful object:

A Stamp that would allow data input in the plan window.

You think that is possible?

This would depend on GS granting my long standing wish for "hottext" in GDL (like the hotspot and hotline which allow direct user input). This is one of those little things with HUGE implications.

Add to this a "hotpoly" function and the ability to include these in autoscripts and we would be inches away from visual GDL.