I launched this topic to resolve a bit of debate around my office. I have been using DVIEW with the twist option to rotate views and viewports for years. As of late we receive drawings more frequently with the UCS rotated in the viewports and UCSFOLLOW set to 1 to match the geometry to a locked viewport. The problem with this is that every time you rotate the UCS all the coordinates will label wrong unless you can remember to set it to world before labeling. I have a strong objection to anyone rotating the UCS just to twist a viewport when DVIEW and TWIST can accomplish the same thing without ever affecting the coordinates in any way. I brought this up to one of our offending techs and was told in so many words that I was the idiot and that everyone twisted viewports with the ucs. To assume that we should all remember to set our UCS to world before labeling coordinates (as though it were as common as tying your shoes in the morning) is dead wrong. My wish is for everyone to weigh in pros and cons as to how they do it so I can convince these people to stop this Unnecessary Crap Syndrome. The UCS command has many great uses but destroying coordinate systems for the sake of twisting a view shouldn't be one of them. Agree or Disagree?
we always fix up the consultant's file before bringing in.
This is civil work, so its not like rivits or something you may bring in several times, there is a "right" spot the file should be.
Definately, you need at least two points in the consultant file, whose real location is known, its a guess otherwise.
Your process of setting up an index map of viewports is a great way to do things. Too many people do not realize that you can use the UCS to make rotated views, then restore those in a viewport. Good explanation.
internal protected virtual unsafe Human() : mostlyHarmless
I'm just here for the Shelties
A few tools to make DView easier.
Allen Jessup
Engineering Specialist / CAD Manager
A problem that has been faced since DCA through Softdesk and Land Desktop to Civil 3D is that AutoCAD was built to be a multipurpose tool. AutoCAD and Map contain commands that are not completely compatible with C3D. Or you could say Civil 3D has ways of doing things that aren't 100% compatible with AutoCAD or Map.
I know of some Map commands that are disabled in C3D because of the incompatibility. I don't know of any AutoCAD commands that are. UCS is a tool. Like many others, it can cause a lot of problems if you're not careful. We lost a lot of work in one project in LDD because a UCS was set in the middle of the project and never set back to world. Because of this I like to have us use DView whenever possible and UCS when it can't be avoided.
This isn't a condemnation of the UCS command. Just a realization that, in this office, it's better to not use it too often. Each shop has to institute it's own standards and practices. Those standards and practices should also be open to review and revision. The bottom line is that if the UCS command is to be used. There should be an office wide procedure for it's use. That way no one is caught of guard by it's use. One thing I tell anyone who is going to set a UCS is to set everything back to world before closing the drawing.
Allen
Allen Jessup
Engineering Specialist / CAD Manager
again, having tools sensitive to the UCS is a very bad thing.
My office simply could not tolerate that, too many people to herd.
This is why I belive in house tools are the way to go when possible. You can solve major problems by just fixing tools and not burdening users with more to worry about.
internal protected virtual unsafe Human() : mostlyHarmless
I'm just here for the Shelties
Oh, definitely [when you have the time to write them]. I've been writing tools that insert different text and Mtext parallel to the VTwist for years. But I don't have the time of skill to do much anymore.
Allen
Allen Jessup
Engineering Specialist / CAD Manager
I don't have enough time to avoid automation.
Problem is, my library is mostly in lisp, but i like visual studio w/ c# much better.
Each language is really good if you take some time to get libraries going so you can reuse code.
internal protected virtual unsafe Human() : mostlyHarmless
I'm just here for the Shelties