What do we want in Plotmaker 4?

[tsturm]

1) Active Hot Linking to outside sources----
I want the ability to link details and sections created in other PLN or PLP files to section markers and detail holders in plan or section drawings.

I want linking like that of GO Live or InDesign. You create a series of reference marks in the plan file. Then you can link drawings created elsewhere to that reference, then Plotmaker connects the two and fills in the appropiate informtion.

2) Picture Holders---
The new colored vectoral image is nice. I however liked the bitmapped version from PM2 which allowed for fast panning around of the drawings with no wait for double screen redraws. OK, you can keep the feature around for those who want to see all the color. But for the rest of us not using 6 Ghz machines make the default the bitmapped like that of PM2.

3) Multiline Auto Labels----
I want to have Autotext which can be bound to a text wrap box. I want to be able to enter First Floor Plan and General Notes without having my text run beyond my label box. I want it to read

First Floor
Plan and
General Notes

4) Layout Names----
I want to be able to name my drawing using more than 31 characters. If I am stuck to 31 characters then don't let me enter more than that and drop them off when I close the file.

Everyone else jump in here. I am sure there are more.

[TomWaltz]

5) More than one level of Undo
6) Autosave
7) Teamwork-like sharing

[Anonymous]

Here is my list:

► Paths to all imported projects & files should be relative. Absolute pathing requires completely relinking all imported views whenever the project is moved to a different server or project folder.
► The editing tools should be comparable to those available in ArchiCAD. I have had to edit Master Layouts to change things, and tools like Resize, Multiply, Trim, etc are very necessary.
► Construction tools such as the special snap points, the parallel, and the perpendicular should be available.
► Make it so we can pan while we are dragging drawing view(s) around.
► More custom fields in the Book Info. A dozen or so would be nice.
► Eliminate cursor mode problem with resizing or moving drawings. Check mark doesn’t appear until you zoom or pan once.
► Put some sort of indicator next to the preferences that are layout book specific so we can tell what is stored locally, and what is stored in the layout book. See graphic below.
► Make OLE workright. I hate breaking Word documents into one-page chunks. Same with Excel.

[Jon Oxman]

The ability to place PDF files in PlotMaker Layout Books. This would be extremely useful!

One example: as an alternative to working with non- ArchiCAD CAD files from others this would allow an alternate, easier workflow. PDFs are a universal file type that should not be ignored by PlotMaker.

[Eduardo Rolon]

autotext tool to create layout index from the layout navigator and have the page number as part of it.
all tools to work like AC

[Geoff Briggs]

I agree with everything posted here but I want to comment on Terrence‘s #1 wish. I have no problem with seeing that wish granted. Indeed I hope we all enjoy the power to live link almost any type of document into PM—text, spreadsheets, images, PDFs, SketchUp, OtherCad, everything.

But this functionality is as much needed in ArchiCAD as PlotMaker, perhaps more so. As collaboration increases we will be sharing and publishing the AC model more, the PM Layout Book less. The need to link all the diverse project resources together will only become more pronounced as time goes on. Maybe it’s better to do this in ArchiCAD, at least in certain circumstances. To enable larger projects and larger teams Graphisoft will need to strengthen existing collaboration tools like Hotlinking and Teamwork. What we’re talking about here is XREFing. Expanded support for other file types is a logical extension with two way editing the next evolutionary step.

Overall, what I’m advocating is expanding ArchiCAD’s role as project information database and improving it’s ability to do so using a distributed file structure as well as the more typical single file. At the same time PlotMaker would be tuned specifically for printing and plotting. The latter being a much simpler and somewhat static goal, I think it reasonable to expect a near perfect application.

[tsturm]

TomWaltz wrote:
7) Teamwork-like sharing

Very necessary due to the number of sheets being added to PM. Now that all the pages are done from one PM layout book, one needs to share access to the book. One person cannot work on the all the time.

Perhaps this could be elimated if a better linking mechanism could be implimented.

The idea of linking details and sections from AC to PM is a real time saver. Then time gets lost yelling around for the person who has the only PM layout open just so you can get a page printed. If a Teamwork version of PM or a cross linked version were issued then more people could work on more files with better coordination and less errors due to coordination of drawing numbers and locations.

good suggestion Tom

[tsturm]

10) An option for choosing 30" roll sizes for Roll fed machines.

[Anonymous]

11) A mechanism for spacing imported views to fit a grid instead of stacking them on top of each other...

so I can import 12 details on a 24x36 sheet and have themspace themselves out on the page. this has always been a pain, and I would consider it a GREAT new feature.

of course, one should always have the option to NOT spread out the imports...

[Anonymous]

2) Picture Holders---
The new colored vectoral image is nice. I however liked the bitmapped version from PM2 which allowed for fast panning around of the drawings with no wait for double screen redraws. OK, you can keep the feature around for those who want to see all the color. But for the rest of us not using 6 Ghz machines make the default the bitmapped like that of PM2.

fwiw, this option can be set for each placed drawing (selcect a drawing/cmd-T/frame and output color section/preview on layout pulldown menu). what we do need, however is...

12) A setting underpreferences/drawing attributes that sets the default preview method that PM4 places an imported drawing with.

[Aussie John]

1)revision number option (visible in the navigator along with name and number)
2)publish with options of including drawing number/ revision/subset in file name and in pref defined order.
3)Maybe include other auto text items in publish names but 1& 2 definately

[tsturm]

Weston wrote:

12) A setting underpreferences/drawing attributes that sets the default preview method that PM4 places an imported drawing with.

Speaking of Preference Items

13) Setting to get Title Label to show as Black Lines and Auto update to resized drawing. I get tired of going to the drawing settings for each drawing on my page just to get the Title to snap to the corner versus floating around on the page.

14) A Publish button on the window versus getting it from the Menu Bar.

15) Being able to setup a Publish set for Plotting. There currently seems to be the settings to get it done, but how is it done?

16) Being able to Publish to PDF.

17) Being able to set the display settings of pages separately. Vectoral versus Bitmap. Some of our drawings look there best when printed using Bitmap. They also queue up faster. Then there are some that must be printed using Vector due to the fills of brick or paving. This could also be done on a drawing to drawing basis.

[tsturm]

I like the idea of place drawing by grid settings.

I must agree that importing 12 drawings is a mess right now. What happened to the method which was used in PM2.1? Where they all come in stuck to the mouse. All you had to do was click to place a drawing and the next drawing would be attached to the mouse and ready for placing.

Why did they take this away? OK. so it was not that efficient to knowing what drawing of the 12 imported were attached at that moment but it was sooo much easier than the mess we get today.

How about an Auto snap feature? Where drawings can snap to the edges of others when they are placed. Like the palettes of Photoshop and the edge of your screen. Would this be like guidelines acting as aligning tools versus just being lines on the sheets?

I think that someone already suggested an Align command.

[Ben Odonnell]

TomWaltz wrote:
7) Teamwork-like sharing

Nice point Tom. If Plotmaker is going to remain an external program, I belive this wish should be made a reality very soon.

Cheers.
Ben

[Djordje]

tsturm wrote:
Speaking of Preference Items

13) Setting to get Title Label to show as Black Lines and Auto update to resized drawing. I get tired of going to the drawing settings for each drawing on my page just to get the Title to snap to the corner versus floating around on the page.

Goto Drawing usage, select all the relevant placed drawings, open Settings, click on Keep original position in the Title section

tsturm wrote:
14) A Publish button on the window versus getting it from the Menu Bar.

You on Mac? It is there in the Toolbar.

tsturm wrote:
15) Being able to setup a Publish set for Plotting. There currently seems to be the settings to get it done, but how is it done?

Set the Set Publishing properties to Plot, specify Plot settings.

tsturm wrote:
16) Being able to Publish to PDF.

Set the Publishing properties to Print, choose PDF printer. Or just Print to a PDF device, much easier.

tsturm wrote:
17) Being able to set the display settings of pages separately. Vectoral versus Bitmap. Some of our drawings look there best when printed using Bitmap. They also queue up faster. Then there are some that must be printed using Vector due to the fills of brick or paving. This could also be done on a drawing to drawing basis.

Specify the fill display options in ArchiCAD while defining the view, and then in PlotMaker Display options choose Keep original settings.

[tsturm]

Djordje wrote:

tsturm wrote:
Speaking of Preference Items

13) Setting to get Title Label to show as Black Lines and Auto update to resized drawing. I get tired of going to the drawing settings for each drawing on my page just to get the Title to snap to the corner versus floating around on the page.

Goto Drawing usage, select all the relevant placed drawings, open Settings, click on Keep original position in the Title section

I did not say that it could not be done. It is just annoying to have to open the settings box to make the change. Why couldn't there be a preference for this option was the point I was trying to make.

Djordje wrote:

tsturm wrote:
14) A Publish button on the window versus getting it from the Menu Bar.

You on Mac? It is there in the Toolbar.

Why yes I am. I take it by that response, you being on the PC have this button in your tool bar !!! Not sure why you got it and I didn't. Was there a slip in development of the Mac or the PC version??


thanks for the help on the other items. Makes life a little easier for now.

[Djordje]

tsturm wrote:
I did not say that it could not be done. It is just annoying to have to open the settings box to make the change. Why couldn't there be a preference for this option was the point I was trying to make.

Yes, it should be on by default. First thing I do ...

Djordje wrote:

tsturm wrote:
14) A Publish button on the window versus getting it from the Menu Bar.

You on Mac? It is there in the Toolbar.

Why yes I am. I take it by that response, you being on the PC have this button in your tool bar !!! Not sure why you got it and I didn't. Was there a slip in development of the Mac or the PC version??

AFAIK Macs do not have the toolbar by design? See attached.

[Anonymous]

Key strokes that are the same as Archicad.

The ability to lock a view port(s) (if that is what they are called)so you cannot accidentally move them if you have several on a sheet.

Publisher that enables you to change the settings for multiple printer layouts all at the same time (not one at a time), and no using navigator instead is not an option, I want to be able to 'print' sets using saved settings like you can when setting up 'plots'.

Pretty much every thing else is fine.

Thanks,

Roolio

[Anonymous]

18) Global "link to" in the drawing usage dialogue box, able to select two or more imported drawings and change then from one view set (sketch drawings) to another view set (working drawings) instead of only being able to change one at time.

Brendon

[Anonymous]

Essential:
1) There is no need to do all of the above
2) Give the possibility of GDL in PM
3) Give the possibility to write ToolType Addons

if it's not possible in nearest future, give pls the tool to create \
20) table of contents
21) to place one text file in many pages (like in PageMaker) that's because not only graphic is included in project, but many books of text