Set up Template

[Brett Brown]

Hi All, How does one get around the situation where you set up views and layout elevations at zero in your template. Then when you come to do projects, your zero is at say 40 metres, so all your pre set elevations, with 2D stuff already on them, is in middle of screen where you had set them, but the building is at 40 metres and way off screen. Then you have to go through and redo all your preset elevation views and layouts. Hopefully you can tell me the way around this to save all this extra work.

[Link]

Brett wrote:
...your zero is at say 40 metres....

Depends on what you mean by this. Can we safely presume by the fact that everything is moving, that you are entering this 40 metres into your story settings?

Cheers,
Link.

[Brett Brown]

Yes,Am I doing it the wrong way?

[Link]

Indeed you are, but it's a common minsconception.

These story elevations should not be considered real world elevations. Consider them merely as elevations in setting up storeys relative to project zero.

You can then set up your Options> Project Preferences> Working Units & Levels> Reference Levels to relate your project zero to real world elevations. For example you would rename one of the Reference Levels to something like Datum or Sea Level and give it a value of -40m (Relative to Project Zero).

Then, just about every tool can be set to that level rather (or in addition to) project zero. See image below. Even Elevation dimensions can be post edited to relate to these reference levels.

Unfortunately, despite multiple requests, GS has not created any story level lines that relate to the reference levels.

Cheers,
Link.

[Brett Brown]

Link wrote:

Unfortunately, despite multiple requests, GS has not created any story level lines that relate to the reference levels.

Are you saying that using reference levels you can't use the story level lines in elevations?

[Link]

You can use them alright, they just don't have autotext that relates to the reference levels. I have seen users who have made their own markers to overcome that problem.

Maybe a GDL guru here can modify the Built-in Story Marker (or similar) so that the autotext can refer to the Reference Levels? But that question will probably have to be posted on the GDL forum.

Cheers,
Link.

[Anonymous]

Link wrote:
Maybe a GDL guru here can modify the Built-in Story Marker

Like this?

It's not a modification of the GS marker (which always seems more trouble than it's worth) but rather written from scratch (well actually adapted from my level line marker).

It's rather simple since the story marker subtype is pathetically limited in functionality; most significantly it lacks any dynamic hotspots to provide individual adjustments for length and offsets. Since the markers cannot be individually adjusted there is little that can be accomplished even with manually typed parameter values.

To be honest I think that the story marker feature is an embarrassing effort to match a Revit feature (which is dramatically superior) and is nearly useless as a result.

Features:

There are parameters to select the reference elevation and to choose between decimal feet, feet & inches, and meters.

The default font is hard coded to Arial and there is a parameter to override this and use the font from the pop-up list. If anyone wants to hard code a different font name there are instructions in the master script.

There is also a parameter to adjust the marker (called "Extend marker...") that will shift the markers' positions relative to the sections' extents.

[RandyC]

Matthew , would you have an example of that Story Marker in Version 11?

[Anonymous]

RandyC wrote:
Matthew , would you have an example of that Story Marker in Version 11?

I'll see what I can do. Time's pretty tight at the moment though.

[Link]

I actually have one here that was kindly sent to me by Robert Kalocay. He created it while polishing off a nice bottle of red. It's a great part, but I'd like to see it access the same autotext available in the Dimension Text Settings, as per the image below.

With his permission, I'll be happy to upload it if anyone is interested in improving the GDL code.

Cheers,
Link.