topic Re: index of pages in plotmaker in Modeling

index of pages in plotmaker

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Nov 2005 20:33:50 GMT

is there a way to set up a plotmaker index of pages that automatically updates and you may use from the insert autotext area. i have requests to have this on the front page of every document and it gets annoying to tye it all in. and sometimes when you type it all in the tabbing doesn't comeout right with the way it looks in the editing box so it is a pain. is there a way to set that up in the autotext?

if there is no way to set it up for this, how are you guys doing it?

Re: index of pages in plotmaker

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Nov 2005 21:10:49 GMT

jcude wrote:
is there a way to set up a plotmaker index of pages that automatically updates and you may use from the insert autotext area. i have requests to have this on the front page of every document and it gets annoying to tye it all in. and sometimes when you type it all in the tabbing doesn't comeout right with the way it looks in the editing box so it is a pain. is there a way to set that up in the autotext?

if there is no way to set it up for this, how are you guys doing it?

No, there is not an automated way to do what you are trying to achieve. Your best bet is to set up a Plotmaker Layout book template that has a preformatted textblock inserted on the cover sheet...just modify this textblock for each project.

For the type of work you do, your drawing index will probably be pretty much the same for all of your files.

Dan K

Re: index of pages in plotmaker

lagodue — Fri, 04 Nov 2005 04:46:03 GMT

I use a screen capture utility "Snag it" to copy the Drawing List from the Plotmaker Navigator window. It does not update automatically if I change the list, but better than nothin' to create a list of drawings for my cover sheet.

Re: index of pages in plotmaker

Erika Epstein — Fri, 04 Nov 2005 18:44:36 GMT

related to this, something I have always wondered about :

When using publisher to plot a set of drawings, why does it rearrange the order of the drawings? They were alphanumerically arranged in navigator. What is the rationale behind this?

Granted, I usually make pdfs.

Re: index of pages in plotmaker

__archiben — Fri, 04 Nov 2005 23:16:10 GMT

Erika wrote:
What is the rationale behind this?

i've always guessed at something to do with the order in which they're created - either as layouts or added to the publish set. it would be nice for graphisoft to come up with a little consistency when displaying their lists on screen.

have you ever tried navigating library hierarchies through the lightworks materials dialogues? or when choosing views to import from archiCAD viewsets when in plotmaker? and they've only just (v9) managed to list help menu items in the right order . . .

it's all over the show. nasty little things like that come across as kind of amateurish in my opinion . . .

~/archiben

Re: index of pages in plotmaker

Erika Epstein — Fri, 04 Nov 2005 23:30:56 GMT

~/archiben wrote:
i've always guessed at something to do with the order in which they're created - either as layouts or added to the publish set.
~/archiben

That occured to me, but then I am pretty sure the floor plan would have been first.

Re: index of pages in plotmaker

__archiben — Fri, 04 Nov 2005 23:44:14 GMT

Erika wrote:
That occured to me, but then I am pretty sure the floor plan would have been first.

were the floor plan layouts added to the publish set first though? 'tis a mystery . . . and an ugly implementation to be sure. especially for us anally retentive architects who like our corners square, our lines straight and our lists ordered

~/archiben

Re: index of pages in plotmaker

Anonymous — Mon, 07 Nov 2005 19:16:11 GMT

thanx guys

Re: index of pages in plotmaker

Anonymous — Mon, 07 Nov 2005 21:26:29 GMT

jcude wrote:
... how are you guys doing it?

What we do is use a MS Word Document and Link to the tile sheet layout.

Each Job has a separate "DRAWING LEGEND.doc" in a folder called "Plotmaker". In my Plotmaker Template of sorts (Template 9.lbk) there was a linked "doc" that after saving the "template" was deleted. this way when the Template is used to start a job layout the linked file status is "Deleted". This way I know that I have to re-link the ".doc" to the current job doc. Clear?

Re: index of pages in plotmaker

Anonymous — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 00:31:17 GMT

yes there is way to do it...but it is clumsy and tedious....here we go....after you have made your sheets....select a view (as in view set)...and then right click..."set as autotext reference"....now on that layout place text.....and type xxx...now go edit this text...but instead "inserting autotext"...go directly to the edit menu above...you will see "Insert Autotext for %S"....select "Layout Number" tab "Layout Name"....that will give you the Number and Name for your drawing list....now cut and paste to your title sheet....do this for each sheet....tomorrow when I am not so tired I will post pictures...it does work...but it's a (pardon ladies) a bytch to manipulate later....

Re: index of pages in plotmaker

Chazz — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 15:20:54 GMT

I too just go with the screen capture metheod. Takes about 5 seconds. (tip: in PM navigator set view to "tree by subsets" then open one of the master pages -this stops one of your layouts from being bold. Make sure to show Names and Numbers. Now capture just the page number and Title text of the list. Paste on your cover sheet or wherever. Faster to do than to type.

True, it does not update and is not as pretty as vector type but is so fast and easy I have I have decided to relax my graphics standards in this case. Same rationale as getting vicinity maps from Mapquest or google: it's just sooooo much faster and easier.

Re: index of pages in plotmaker

Rakela Raul — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 18:07:53 GMT

Now capture just the page number and Title text of the list. Paste on your cover sheet or wherever. Faster to do than to type.

and without screen capture soft you can also paste it inside a pmk file and then clip off what u dont wanna show....but...how do u handle the subconsultant drawings?? u need to do typing anyway

Re: index of pages in plotmaker

Chazz — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 18:23:15 GMT

Rakela wrote:
but...how do u handle the subconsultant drawings?? u need to do typing anyway

I ask them to supply it and then match the font and size with the screen capture as best as possible. I find this acceptable.

And by the way, it's much faster to do the cropping with the capture tool. No need to use a photo editor. On the OSX this is built in (Cmd shift 4). I'd guess XP is similar.

Re: index of pages in plotmaker

Levente Csanyi — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 22:02:09 GMT

Erika wrote:
When using publisher to plot a set of drawings, why does it rearrange the order of the drawings? They were alphanumerically arranged in navigator. What is the rationale behind this?

To publish faster AC rearrange documents - avoid generating a section for eg twice or more. With your (users) help we found that this is not good in all cases: plotting, printing and PDF saving, so in these cases we will not rearrange documents.

Thanks.