Using PM 9.0 for all referencing

[Robert Fuchs]

i have been trying to use PM to reference all our details. i have found so really crazy workarounds to get this to work but i was wondering if anyone out there could tell me how they go about doing construction documents and using PM to reference all their details? one problem i am having is, i use the section tool to cut my building section. then i use the detail tool in the building section for my wall section. the problem comes when i want to do a 1 1/2" detail of the eave or head, jamb and sill of windows & doors.
i can't do a detail within a detail. which would be really nice to do. or at least be able to link the detail to a section/elevation or saved view in AC.
i dont want to have to manually reference any of my drawings. what we have come up with is to copy the building section in the section window. this way i have two in the window. one to link the wall section and the other to use for linking the 1 1/2" details. so every time i update my building section i copy the changes down for the 1 1/2" details also. I have
the same problem with millwork. i use the section/elevation tool to get me elevation but then i can't use the section tool to cut my millwork sections so i can't have them automatically linked in PM. i can cut he sections from
the floor plan but then i have to manually link the section tool in the elevations. I gues my question is. Is there a way to have a project with all my details automatically referenced in Plotmaker? if not, then why not? isn't that what the referencing tool is used for? can anyone shed some light on this for me? i am starting classes for the employee's here monday on how to use AC 9.0 & PM 9.0 but i don't even know how to get it to work myself. i would appreciate any help or examples anyone could give me.

Thanks,

[Andy Thomson]

I am on the same quest. We are using a single family residence to develop a new office standard. We are doing pretty well vis-a-vis sections, elevations, interior elevations all autoreferencing in PM (and the PDF links the pages via the markers, very cool), but now I am investigating the smartest way to do details, and am finding a hodge podge of answers when I had hoped to find a 'Method'.

Keep in touch, and I'll let you know what I find or vice-versa please...

A.

[Anonymous]

Robert wrote:
i can't do a detail within a detail.

We found a work-around, but it isn't pretty. Plus, it's top secret -- I should make you sign a waiver. Just kidding.

Since you can't use the detail tool in another detail, you must generate the wall section with a section marker on the floor plan, then you can place a detail marker on it for the 1 1/2" detail. But the wall section isn't tied to the building section, so you still need to have the detail marker on the building section for numbering purposes.

The solution is to do both. This isn't easy, so print out the attached PDF and refer to it as you read the following instructions.

In ArchiCAD...

1 - Create the building section using a Section Marker on the floor plan.

2 - Put a Detail Marker on the buiding section. Ignore or erase the graphics generated by this Detail Marker.

3 - Put a "Proxy Section Marker" on the floor plan that will generate the wall section. We put the Proxy marker on a layer that will never get printed.

4 - Put a Detail Marker on the proxy section graphics around the jamb (or whatever).

5 - Now, make Views of each of 4 windows you created: the building section, the detail on the building section, the proxy section, and the detail on the proxy section.

In PlotMaker...

6 - Insert the building section and the 1 1/2" detail in the usual fashion.

7 - The trick is done with the other two views -- the proxy section and the detail callout from the building section. You want to use the graphics generated by the proxy section, but you want to use the numbering controlled by the detail marker.

Place the graphics from the proxy section on a layout, but don't apply a title. Now place the detail marker on the same layout, but make sure the graphics for it aren't showing. You can either crop them out, or delete them from the original. Finally, place these two next to each other and group them. The graphics will be "live" because they come from a section (the proxy), and the numbering will be "live" because it comes from a detail marker on the building section.

Got it? I know it's bizarre, but once you figure it out, it's only a 5-minute operation, and it works.

[Dennis Lee]

Thank you for sharing your top secret, Jay It just made my day (night). I think I can still work this method in AC10, but is this still the best method? Has there been any improvements in AC10 that makes this workaround out of date? just checking...

In any case, thanks again!