Looking for your opinion

[Anonymous]

Looking for your opinion

Hello everyone.
I am doing a project that is largest so far for me. It is 6 storey, 91 unit apartment building.

I did this project using “Hotlink Manager” for the actual unit walls bathrooms kitchens. And exterior walls and walls between units are placed on drawing using wall tool.

So my question is: What is the easiest way to detail these (17 different) units so even if something changes in the unit (i.e.: wall moves or bathroom changes) It will update automatically.

I tried using Detail marker but updating does not work the best plus everything is in 2D.
Also I tried using white Fill and filling everything around the unit so I can see only the unit working, but problem with that is that there is way too many layers (17 units and 17 different fills and its layers).

Does anyone have any other solutions?


Thank you
Dragan

[Scott Bulmer]

When you say 'detail', are you referring to large scale arch/struct. details, or are you referring to singling out the unit plans for individual dimensioning and annotations?

[Anonymous]

Yes I do mean singling out the unit plans for individual dimensioning and annotations

[Laura Yanoviak]

What we've done is have an individual file for each unit, which contains the interior perimeter of the unit indicated by a 2D polyline. Only interior unit elements (in other words, no exterior or common walls) are placed in these plans. We then Hotlink these files into the master model file in 2 places: within the building floor plans (where then exterior and common walls are added, along with stairs, elevators, etc.) -- and to a Story dedicated to individual unit plans (this is where the units are annotated and dimensioned). Hope this makes sense...

[Scott Bulmer]

The way we do it is to have a separate PLN file containing all unit plans, each plan standing alone. Those plans (saved as modules) are used as the modules imported into the Master building PLN. Those unit plans have the exterior walls on a special layer that can be hidden after importing as modules into the master building plan.

So, the separate unit PLN/MOD file has a dual purpose and includes; the dimensioned annotated unit plans that will be placed in your master building Layouts, as well as modules for placing into the overall master building model (with the exterior wall layer off for the units).

It works!

[Anonymous]

We go a little further and put all the unit plans on individual stories - this allows for cutting and pasting and other copying of elements between units - and allows for general set up for publishing the modules - Takes a little more time up front but is a speedier update by not having to open individual files. Also simplifies a little file management. When updates are needed just publish a revised set of modules.

In updating to 10 it would appear that exterior and demising walls are better in the main plan and the modules would contain the interior information. This does create a condition that the windows and exterior doors require placement in the elevations/plans of the main plan - but this is a better way for the exterior design to be coordinated.

Always more than one way to do something.

Lew Bishop
Jon Worden Architects
G5 Dual 2.0 - 4 GB - nVidia 6800
OS X 10.4.7 AC 10 966

[Laura Yanoviak]

We also publish to MOD prior to hotlinking into the master model file.

Hadn't thought about placing all unit plans in one file, but this was before we were comfortable with Teamwork -- good idea -- LJY.

[Anonymous]

Hi Laura,

Laura wrote:
We then Hotlink these files into the master model file in 2 places:...

I like the idea (specially because we can list elements for each unit/story), but this action duplicates the size of the main file, isn't it?

I think graphisoft should improve the hotlink manager by giving a name(like unit 1A, unit 1B... For listing the elements) and control the visibility of each instance of hotlinked modules. What do you think?

[Laura Yanoviak]

I'm not quite sure I understand you, but will attempt a response...

The files that are hotlinked are MODs and are not very large -- for an 18 story building, there may be dozens of instances of the same hotlink.

I suppose, if you wanted to, you could create a unique layer within the master model file for each unit and place the hotlinks on their respective layers, which would allow you to control the visibility of each instance...

[Anonymous]

Laura wrote:
I suppose, if you wanted to, you could create a unique layer within the master model ...

Yep... but I can't list the elements in the "master layer" which is the main problem...