Best practice for annotation

[Anonymous]

What is the best practice for annotation in Archicad please?

Primarily how should I be adding text and dimensions, on worksheets, floor plans, elevations etc. Text the same or on layouts?

Is it best practice (I'd assume so) to have one set of dimensions for different scales of the same drawing? What is the best way to control visibility of the dimensions and text on the layout i.e. if I'd like a dimension showing for a 1:20 drawing but not a 1:50 drawing?

Are there any particular sources that I can look at for the best practices when it comes to layouts and how to structure my project?

Very new to Archicad but I want to make sure I'm heading in the right direction

[Laura Yanoviak]

thompsonmp wrote:
Primarily how should I be adding text and dimensions, on worksheets, floor plans, elevations etc. Text the same or on layouts?

Annotate in the Views.

thompsonmp wrote:
Is it best practice (I'd assume so) to have one set of dimensions for different scales of the same drawing? What is the best way to control visibility of the dimensions and text on the layout i.e. if I'd like a dimension showing for a 1:20 drawing but not a 1:50 drawing?

Layers.

thompsonmp wrote:
Are there any particular sources that I can look at for the best practices when it comes to layouts and how to structure my project?

I started with Project Framework which is a very good book, but out of print and out of date. What do people use these days? Good question.

[DGSketcher]

thompsonmp wrote:
Are there any particular sources that I can look at for the best practices when it comes to layouts and how to structure my project?

The UKI template is a pretty good start but for me every project brings a different set of challenges which means it sometimes has too many view options and sometimes not enough. Best advice is get on and use it, learn what works for you and adapt as necessary to suit your business. The software is a tool not your master, but it can be your best workmate if used right. If you have enough type repeat work you might even get to the point of creating your own template.

[Johann_P]

We're having this debate in our office today, and it seems a question asked before.

What would be the best practice for annotations (not dimension) just written notes.

I have been creating a "text layer" for each scale and putting all the text, dimensions, linked sections markers, etc.
My colleague creates the same "text layers" associated with scale for dimensions, but he prefers to put notations on the layout and not in the view map.

What would be the thoughts on these two workflows?
Are there better ways to manage this?

[DGSketcher]

Notation on Layout is not generally a good practice, it leads to disconnected information and you loose the benefit of tapping into associative information buried in the 3D elements. Notes on Layouts should be reserved for warnings e.g. "Draft for discussion only" or temporary messages like markups e.g. "What is happening here?"

Layers for notes on views I tend to break down into General and then strategies or trades e.g. plumbing, electrical etc, depends how big the job is. Very rarely do I need different scale layers but that's not to so say you shouldn't do it if the notation requires it.

[Barry Kelly]

I would annotate everything in the Archicad model (views).

Use different layers for different scales at the text/dimensions will need to be in a different position and usually they would be different anyway as the amount of information at each scale will probably change.

I would not annotate anything in the layouts.

Layouts do not have layer combinations.

The entire layout book uses the layers you set.

So change layers on on layout and you have changed the layers on all the other layouts too.

Unless you put all annotation in the Archicad layer - that is the only one you can't turn off.

Barry.