1 project consisting of 3 AC Files, How to have a single schedule instead of 3 separate.

[mi_jan]

Hello all

I'm working on a project that has 3 buildings with their own separate AC File, and I output my deliverables on a fourth AC file by linking the different buildings VIA the view map.

Is there a way to link the 3 schedules to be a single schedule instead of a separate one for each building?

Thanks in advanced.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Yes. You would want to Hotlink the three buildings into a single master file (representing the site, typically in a multibuilding scenario). All of the content can be referenced and scheduled there. This differs from what you've done where you have linked drawings from the multiple files to sheets in your layout book.

Since your drawings are already set up, you could use the hotlinked file simply to generate the any global schedules, the site master plan, some 3D views of the entire project. You could TRY (make a backup copy!!) hotlinking into your existing 4th file and see if you can get all of your results from that one file...

[mi_jan]

Thanks Karl, Originally I did it the way I have it because the buildings are in considerably different grades and could not get the plans to work correctly.

I really want to look into this because it would solve a lot of slow communication issues while publishing. I will try again now that I have some more time.

[Karl Ottenstein]

mi_jan wrote:
Thanks Karl, Originally I did it the way I have it because the buildings are in considerably different grades and could not get the plans to work correctly.

You would still want to do the plans (all drawings) in the original per-building files. Cluttering up a master file with all of the additional sections, messing with story settings/cutplanes/etc to get CDs for each of multiple buildings would be crazy-making I think.

The few times I've done this, I linked the site plan and other global drawings from the master file back to each individual building - as the goal was to create a CD package for each building. I can't get my head around what it sounds like you're trying to do which is to create one global layout book that covers multiple buildings. Even a contractor would want separate documents per building, wouldn't they? Since you wanted global schedules (for a contractor to have a total for ordering things for all buildings??) - doing that in the master makes sense.

[mi_jan]

It's a sports facility, I have some Small buildings that get repeated (press boxes, baseball field dugouts, concession stands). Since they are small buildings (800sq.ft., 300 sq.ft., 2000 sq.ft.) they're all going out as a single CD package.

For DD I did a test placing a dummy wall and copying all the doors as a "Quick workaround" to have in a single list but ended up going with the separate lists. What you suggest is by far less tedious and probably quicker than my "quick workaround"

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I usually setup schedules in "master" file. It gives also an opportunity to double check consistency of data in each hotlink modules.

What you need to keep in mind is that ID's of elements adds to hotlink ID's. This is quite handy to access elements in each module instance as well as summarize them up. So definitely its more flexible to make schedules in "master" file.

Regarding Layout book. We keep it separate from the model. Espattily when documentation is over 50 drawings. You can see imidate boost in performance. W usually do one book glueing all together then it's easier to manage numbering and drawing name/schedules etc. You can always save it as on or separate documents.