Maybe I need to explain a little better what the problem at hand is. Let's go from the top, shall we?
I have my main Pen Set, using which I do most of the bulk of my design/editing or the project. Things look good on-screen, with elements shown in different colors and pen thicknesses, all to my liking. I have even bothered to structure my Saved Views, so if I want to work on a particular plan, instead of first going to such and such a floor, then making sure the right layers are switched on, then making sure the plan scale is right, then also checking that the view options are appropriate (so that I see doors and windows, for instance, with or without their dimension details), all I have to do is double click on a View in the Navigator.
Now, consider this, if you would: I have been working like I describe above on the architectural plans, and then I need to edit my mechanical/services drawings, which comprise a set of special layers carrying all services elements, together with just a few basic layers of architectural interest (i.e. walls and columns only). Only, for clarity's sake, I need all the non-mechanical elements (i.e. walls and columns) to appear in a very pale shade of gray, so that the mechanical/services elements stand out. After all, this is the services drawings I'm working on, isn't it?
So, while still looking at my architectural Saved View, I double click on a services drawing's Saved View in the Navigator. Layers are switched on and off, according to the Saved View's settings. The scale, if different to the architectural plans' scale, is duly adjusted. View options kick in and make all doors and windows look just like plain holes in the walls, because this is all I want to see in the mechanical and services drawings. All is ready for me to carry on with my work. Or, is it?
No, it's not; I still have to go to the Document menu, chose Pen Sets... and then select the particular Pen Set which will show everything but the mechanical/services elements in pale gray.
The same will have to take place when I switch back to the architectural set again.
Bottom line: if the Pen Sets were saved
together
with the Saved Views, I wouldn't have to keep going to menus and changing Pen Set settings all the time. The Saved Views would take care of that for the life of the project. Of course, there would be the added benefit of this not having to be setup for the Layouts, either, so that would be one more automation for me.
I can't help but notice that a few of the people who have posted above feel strongly about being able to manipulate the Pen Set settings when putting together a Layout; this, they seem to declare, offers them a great deal of flexibility. There is nothing against this, and I certainly do not posit that such flexibility be taken away from the user. If you don't want to plot the Layout using the Pen Set which had been saved with the Saved View when that was created, all you have to do is go into the specific drawing's Settings, into the Properties pane, and for 'Pen Set:' select a different one. I hate to state the obvious, but... this is what all these people who post here
are already doing!
Eduardo Rolón (
ejrolon) says: "
...If I am printing a Layout then I want to check my Documents and there the Pens Sets are important....
" ;
Aussie John declares: "
When in CAD view i want to see the colours of the pens so I can relate to them. Then print out without the colours.
" So they could continue working like they are; to them
nothing
will change. But to the user who wants to have this peace of mind and consistency while editing and designing within the main ArchiCAD framework, the suggested implementation will mean a great deal.
PS I feel I cannot explain any further my view on this matter. If you still don't see my point, I rest my case. Peace, guys!
Alex Zachopoulos
MacBook Pro 17" 2.4GHz, MacOS X 10.5.6, ArchiCAD 11 & 12, WinXP, Vista (well, not really Vista...)