BLUF - Rewrite the code for plan production which will allow dynamically updating of sheets when alignments change in view frames.
As I understand Autodesk's mentality when it comes to the design process while creating sheets (as applies to utility (water/sewer/storm projects); All the design work will be done in model space in a base design drawing. Once a design is completed and the alignment and pipe networks have been reviewed and approved (in an AutoCAD environment mind you (my boss doesn’t use AutoCAD), not on paper) users can use the plan production tools to automatically create sheets quickly and print them out to be stamped and sent out for construction.
The reality of the design process; At varies stages of the design, say 20%, 50% 80% 100%, drawings needs to be printed out and reviewed by your boss (sheets need to be already created). At which time alignments and pipe networks will shift (problem 1 for plan production tools). You then go back into the base drawing make those edits and reprint. At some point you will need to add labels and calls that reference detail sheets. Currently plan production allows to associate pipe network labels only. So lets say you used plan production to create sheets, great. Now you have to go into each sheet that was created and add required profile and miscellaneous labels and details references, great, now my sheets are all set. Oh by the way I have, say, 50 sheets. Now I submit my work to my boss, client or review agency for their comments and of course there are changes to the alignment. Great I make those changes in the base drawing, and, I now have to delete all my previously created sheets (work and work=time=money) that were created with plan production and start from scratch labeling everything all over, granted, not the pipe network labels.
This is because, when you make a change to an alignment in the base drawing the stationing changes in the view frames, the sheets do not update automatically. So basically use plan production tools if you think your design is perfect and will require no changes from conception through completion (which includes record drawings). It seems Autodesk missed the mark with this tool, hopefully it will develop in the future.
Solution;
1) Rewrite the code for plan production which will allow dynamically updating of sheets (not recreating sheets) when alignments change in view frames.
2) Create the profile views in the base drawing and then xref those profile views into the generated sheets. This will allow for much easier and stream lined annotating.
What do people think?
Jake Americus, PE
Project Engineer
