layer combinations into navigator

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry to ask what must be a very elementary question, but I have created layer combinations of load-bearing walls and joists to show my framing layouts for each floor, but I can't figure out how to put them into my navigator view set prior to putting it into my layout book.

[__archiben]

maas wrote:
I'm sorry to ask what must be a very elementary question, but I have created layer combinations of load-bearing walls and joists to show my framing layouts for each floor, but I can't figure out how to put them into my navigator view set prior to putting it into my layout book.

there are several methods. the rough and ready version is to simply right click on them in the project map and choose 'Save Current View...' - ensuring that the current windows view settings reflect the state of the view you wish to save.

the better solution in the long run is to open your 'Organiser' palette: have the project map open on the left and the view map open on the right - simply drag and drop from the project map to the correct place in the view map.

using the organiser gives you a clearer picture of the state and hierarchy of your saved views . . . (and in making me open my organiser to take this screenshot for you, you just helped me discover i have somehow deleted my east elevation window. doh! back to work . . !!!)

~/archiben

[Anonymous]

Thanks Ben, but I obviously did not express my problem well. Under "layer settings" I created two sets of layer combinations - one with just my 5 levels of floor plans and another for my framing layouts. The framing layouts do not appear in my navigator view set unless I have them open in my window.

When I go into plotmaker to try to import them in my layout book only the floor plans are in the navigator pallette.

Sorry if I caused you to loose your east elevation.

[Anonymous]

If I am understanding correctly, your error is that you need set your layer combo then save the view in your View Set, change layer combo, save another view etc. You don't assign the layer combination to the Project Map itself. Then you send your saved View Set view to your layout for output.

[__archiben]

maas wrote:
Thanks Ben, but I obviously did not express my problem well. Under "layer settings" I created two sets of layer combinations - one with just my 5 levels of floor plans and another for my framing layouts. The framing layouts do not appear in my navigator view set unless I have them open in my window.

uh oh! sounds like you might have a slightly bigger problem there than just view definition!

the (basic) process goes something like this:

MODEL --> VIEWPOINT --> "VIEW" --> LAYOUT --> PUBLISH

taking them one at a time, the 'model' step is pretty self explanatory: it's the virtual model you've made of your building.

assigned to this 'model' you have a series of 'viewpoints': these are your windows into the model: the storeys you've created, cameras placed, sections, elevations, details, schedules, lists, etc. they are global windows from which you can look at the model. they appear in the navigator project map.

next: depending on their type, these model 'viewpoints' can be manipulated to display the model information based on a set of filtering criteria: layer combinations, scale, model view options, dimensions, 3D settings, etc.

so each of your 5 storey viewpoints can be manipulated to show the different representations of the model you've created based on your layer combinations. in your case the two representations are: general arrangement (i assume) floor plans and framing floor plans.

for each of these separate states of the model you need to create a 'view'. it is the 'view' that remembers which model 'viewpoint' you're looking through, combined with the filtering criteria you've applied to it. in order to save a 'view', follow one of the two steps i outlined in my previous post. each of these 'views' are then saved in the view map of the navigator - not to be confused with the project map which shows the global 'viewpoints' only.

when it comes to the layout, it is the 'views' that are read from the project NOT the viewpoints. this is the important step that i think you are missing: the 'Place Drawing...' dialogue of the layout reads the available 'views' only.

i hope that this doesn't sound too confusing. the concept is far simpler in practice than it sounds - and i don't think i'd make a good teacher either, so i hope you're still with me! [edit]and whilst i was writing all of that stuart managed to sum it up in a couple of lines. doh![/edit]

Sorry if I caused you to loose your east elevation.

you didn't - i must have done it yesterday sometime. your post helped me discover that i'd lost it!

~/archiben

[Anonymous]

Thanks Stuart and Ben. I Really appreciate the help

[Anonymous]

Ben: Many, many thanks for taking the time for the longer explanation. You have really outlined the process in a way that I can understand. I use ArchiCad Start (which was all that I could afford as a retired architect). It is a great programme but the reduced price means no documentation, and ArchiCad Help does not explain the process as well as you did.

[__archiben]

maas wrote:
Ben: Many, many thanks for taking the time for the longer explanation. You have really outlined the process in a way that I can understand.

no problem - i'm glad you understood what i was rambling about.

but look: i should have done my research first. mr murray has already done the hard work for me. and as usual his explanations are clearer, concise (and not without a little caustic wit to help you get through those WTF?! moments . . .)

'navigator theory', and 'creating views'. there's much much more in there, but this should at least finish off the explanation i started . . .

~/archiben

[Anonymous]

Ben: thanks for alerting me to "On Land" it has lots of useful info.

[Anonymous]

I was just playing around with this tonight with a project I have been teamworking on...

Advice: After playing the view on the layout, with the layers and cutting plane you like, it can HELP to open up the settings for that view and setting it to NOT update automatically (sometimes this can be the default), but rather manually. This ensures if something changes in the original view, that the layout remains the same until YOU WANT to update it to reflect the current view.

Not sure if I have that correct, as I'm still playing with it, but I've gone back and forth after a few hours and found my layouts sometimes have changed,
-but with "manual update", they don't.

A big deal on team projects where people might mess something up that isn't locked.