Layer combinations in PLOTMAKER

[Anonymous]

I have a 8.1 ArchiCad Project that is a floorplan with several layer combinations. I want to import this project to two different layouts in a layout book. I want to use one layer combination on one layout to print certain layers, and another layer combination on the other layout to print other layers, but not the first. I have the layers I want to view in each layout set up as layer combinations, however in Plotmaker if I select the combinatin I want to view the OK button is not active so I cannot change the layer combinations. Why is this? The User Guide says I should be able to turn layers on and off (show and hide) in Plotmaker, but the OK button is never active unless I select All Layers, but yet when I do and select my layer combo, nothing changes, the layer combo does not take effect.

[Barry Kelly]

Steve wrote:
I have a 8.1 ArchiCad Project ..... the layer combo does not take effect.

Let me see if I can help with my first post to Archictalk.

Go to OPTIONS > PREFERENCES > DRAWING ATTRIBUTES.

Untick the "Layers" box and you should find you can now change layer combinations.

Otherwise it seems the layes can only be changed from the source file.

I hope this does the job.

[Djordje]

Steve wrote:
I have a 8.1 ArchiCad Project that is a floorplan with several layer combinations. I want to import this project to two different layouts in a layout book. I want to use one layer combination on one layout to print certain layers, and another layer combination on the other layout to print other layers, but not the first. I have the layers I want to view in each layout set up as layer combinations, however in Plotmaker if I select the combinatin I want to view the OK button is not active so I cannot change the layer combinations. Why is this? The User Guide says I should be able to turn layers on and off (show and hide) in Plotmaker, but the OK button is never active unless I select All Layers, but yet when I do and select my layer combo, nothing changes, the layer combo does not take effect.

Steve,

Save the VIEWS with your layer combos active. Then place the views in PlotMaker, linking directly from the layout book(s). Changing the layer combos in PlotMaker is possible, but it is MUCH better to control the whole thing in ArchiCAD.

HTH,

[Anonymous]

Thank you Djorde, I think you have the idea of what I want to do. I will assume you are talking about publishing when you say to save the VIEW. What format should I save it as? I have tried module, however Plotmaker will not import or open a module. It would seem that if I use any other format such as dwg, then if I make any changes to my project I will have to go through the process of resaving the views, and then in Plotmaker updating the drawings. What I like about importing the model rather than I view is that a change is easily updated from the Plotmaker Navigator. I understand what you mean about controlling all from ArchiCad, but you said viewing or hiding layers is possible in Plotmaker, which seems would be the easiest for me at this point for what I want to do. How would I be able to do this?

So far, being new to Plotmaker, I am loving the results with auto text in being able to print an entire layout book and have all the page numbers and dates change automatically. I like how if I just add a new layout, the page numbers will update for wherever I drag the layout in the Navigator. We are mostly using two dimensional drawings, so we are not utilizing the virtual building on most of our projects, but we do some. If I can just figure out how to make the layer sets work in Plotmaker!

If I am missing something or going down the wrong path, please feel free to say so!

[Anonymous]

Thank you Barry, I'll give it a shot!

Thank you Barry, that did the trick. What I was missing was that when I close and save my project, I have to leave the layers I want to show or hide shown. This means I have to leave my layers all active, but that does what I want.

Thank you Djorde, I'll work on learning to use VIEWS more in the near future! ArchiCad is like a world of new discoveries every day!!

[Eduardo Rolon]

The easy procedure is to save views. This is not a function of publish. When you set the publish from the navigator panel, there is another icon in the middle that you will use for the views. The procedure is simple:

1)drag the floorplan/elev/sect/detail from the navigator to the view. You can drag the same element more than once.
2) For each element that you drag the view will save the layerset, viewset, scale and zoom that you have active. If you want to update a view with a different set of parameters then you choose them and right click to redefine the view.
3)The name you assign to each view is what PM will read as a title for the drawing. You can change it from double clicking the name using the redefine option
4) In PM then you link to the saved AC file and insert the views in your layout. The advantage here is that you don't have to do the extra publish step and you don't have extra pmk's that you have to track of.

IMO the sooner you take the time to learn how to use the views, the sooner you will get the easiest productivity increase in using AC and PM

[Djordje]

Steve wrote:
I will assume you are talking about publishing when you say to save the VIEW.

Welcome, Steve.

ejrolon already explained the procedure to you - and I will add some more. Key factors:

1. Layer combination
2. Display options
3. Scale
4. Zoom

1. and 2. can be saved to named combos. So you go to a storey (plan), set you layer combo and display options, scale and zoom, presto you have a drawing for direct linking to PlotMaker. Publishing in the ArchiCAD 8.x and newer generation is reseved for producing DWGs or using the Reviewer. Some diehard fans still use PMKs - I am perfectly happy without them.

Don't forget: if you are doing one type of projects, where you have more or less the same framework whose contents changes, you would be well advised to analyze the template systems already provided with ArchiCAD (MaxATS for example) as well as more popular ones like Eric Batte's -www.getstandardized.com

Using ArchiCAD since 4.55, I can safely say that only 8.x and PlotMaker 3.x brought REAL ease of creating construction documentation directly from the ArchiCAD file.

As for Autotext - try using the section marker that has Plotmaker sheet number. In ArchiCAD it looks like PmAShNo. Place the plan with it in PlotMaker, move around from layout to layout ... who said coordination?

Do attend a user group meeting or a seminar near you - it will repay itself tenfold!