Copying a layout and unlinking the views of the copy

[Anonymous]

When I copy a Layout (in PM3.0 R3 Dutch) and unlink the views of the copy, also the views on the original LayOut are unlinked. This is not what I want!! Is there a workaround? Is it my stupidity or am I wrong? Is it already reported as a wish/bug? Lot's of questions...Does anybody has an answer?

[Anonymous]

Copies of a drawing are treated as multiple instances of the same drawing and they share the same link status (along with all other attributes). This is actually a feature and not a bug in certain circumstances.

The solution for you is probably to create additional views in ArchiCAD to import to the new layout. I am not clear exactly what you are trying to accomplish so I can't be much more helpful.

[Anonymous]

I can tell you what he wants since we're colleagues 😉

In holland we work with documentationsets for every projectphase. So in a layoutbook we have a set called VO (for base design) with several layouts in it with plans, proposed details, sections/eleveations etc.
When this designphase is finalized, it would be a great to be able to copy the total set of layouts and being able to relink the views to for example views in a different file, or different views in the same file. This would save time in rebuilding files, specially since alignment in layouts is still tedious.

However, when I copy a layout within the same layoutbook, it's not an actual copy but more like an alias. Changing one layout affects the other, whether you relink the original or copied layout, the other instance is also relinked. So what is the point of coying layouts if they are not individual layouts?

[James Murray]

Matthew wrote:
The solution for you is probably to create additional views in ArchiCAD to import to the new layout. I am not clear exactly what you are trying to accomplish so I can't be much more helpful.

He's trying to preserve the layout 'layout' while switching out the drawings. It was extremely easy when we had separate layout files: Save as, drawing usage, link to. Now it's a pain, for example, to make sure the plans stack.

I have never had the occasion to place an identical drawing twice in a set, but I frequently miss the copy/link to function, and I wouldn't even use it as deeply as the original poster.

I don't see any reason it couldn't work both ways. A copy is a copy, unless re- or unlinked.

[Anonymous]

Now I understand (at least I'm pretty sure).

You're right James. It would be nice to have a sheet (layout) all set up with the drawings in the right places and be able to copy it and just redirect the links of the copied frames. I would like to right click on either the drawing itself or its listing in Navigator to do the relink.

This belongs in the wish list. Who wants to post it?

Regarding placing identical copies; I do this rather often to collapse a single large scale wall section to fit (with cut lines) vertically on the sheet. (I thought I remebered you doing this also.)

Regarding the VO and DO sets (Voorlopig Ontverp and Definitiev Ontverp if I recall the correct spelling). We call them SD and DD for Schematic Design & Design Development here in the states. The way most people I know handle this (including the projects I worked on in the Netherlands) is to archive (to CD-R) all files on completion of a phase and then add whatever layouts are needed in the new phase; such as the 1:5 details and additional 1:20 details needed for DO but not included in the VO set.

I have found that it is best to treat the ArchiCAD Project File and the PlotMaker Layout Book as the machinery that produces the drawings continuously throughout the project. Rather than make new files at the beginning of each new phase, I have found it better to just save the state of these files at significant milestones during the course of the work. This avoids having to relink to new files and allows work to simply proceed without interruption.

[Anonymous]

jamesm wrote:

Matthew wrote:
I don't see any reason it couldn't work both ways. A copy is a copy, unless re- or unlinked.

I agree. These copies are what we call an "instance". If you know 3DS Max then you know what I'm talking about. An instance is a copy, but any changes to ANY of the copies or the original are changed across the board to all of them. VERY useful sometimes. Wish ArchiCAD made a lot more use of this feature. But in this particular case it's rather annoying. I think there should be an option to copy a layout to create an instance or a copy.

[Anonymous]

Matthew wrote:
This belongs in the wish list. Who wants to post it?

Done.

[James Murray]

Matthew wrote:
Regarding placing identical copies; I do this rather often to collapse a single large scale wall section to fit (with cut lines) vertically on the sheet. (I thought I remebered you doing this also.)

Ah.

Right.



Also for enlarged plans. I got hung up on 'identical.'

[Anonymous]

I now this an old thread but, as I see it, the problem still remains (16 years later) .
Does anyone have a workaround?? This bugs me in every project !!

[Barry Kelly]

Carl wrote:
I now this an old thread but, as I see it, the problem still remains (16 years later) .
Does anyone have a workaround?? This bugs me in every project !!

I see in one of the earlier posts that Matthew wished to right click on a drawing and relink it.

Matthew wrote:
I would like to right click on either the drawing itself or its listing in Navigator to do the relink.

I can't remember back that far, but now you can do exactly that - select the drawing on the layout, right click and 'Link Drawing to...'.
You can also use the Drawing Manager.
Drawings can be arranged by name or by sheet (placed to) or layout number.
Then they can be selected and relinked to whatever you want - even other drawings placed in another external file.


Barry.