CAD Managers

[#1]

HI all, I need some input/opinions on the best way to manage a large block/standard details library. I am looking for how others sort/manage their libraries and how they used from within Cadd.

All input and suggestions are welcome.

Thanks in advance.

Ryan

[#2]

How are they organized/stored now for your access?
You may be able to just tweak what you have for an optimum
solution.

--
Dean Saadallah

href="http://LTisACAD.blogspot.com">http://LTisACAD.blogspot.com
--

[#3]

On Fri, 30 Jan 2009 23:50:57 +0000, RyanRoberts4500 <> wrote:

>HI all, I need some input/opinions on the best way to manage a large block/standard details library. I am looking for how others sort/manage their libraries and how they used from within Cadd. All input and suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance. Ryan

There are literally tens of ways to manage block libraries; each has their
advantages and disadvantages.

The easiest - from a managerial perspective - is simply to create a folder on
your server, and create a DWG file for each type of blocks you use. Since we are
an Architectural/Interiors firm, our block library uses drawing files for each
of the MasterSpec divisisions, e.g. my "Div05-Metals.dwg" has blocks for steel
shapes, metal studs, and so on. This is in addition to generic blocks like
Annotation, Formatting (title blocks), Entourage (for presentations) and so on.

Once these library drawings are created, you can use Design Center to insert
them into your drawings, or create Tool Palettes for each of the blocks. You can
easily create a single palette of all of the blocks in the drawing via Design
Center.

Once you create Palettes, you could then create Catalogs and Categories on your
server, copy your Palettes to the Catalogs/Categories, then iDrop them back to
user's workspaces for their access.

Besides Design Center and Tool Palettes, you are left to implementing old-skool
methods like slide libraries, pulldown menus, and VLISP code, or a combination
of all three.

I personally went from a highly customized solution of pulldown menus and VLISP
code to using Content Browser and Tool Palettes, which worked out GREAT.

Matt
matt@stachoni.com

[#4]

I agree with Matt (again)... At first I didn't like the MasterSpec divisions, thought it was way too much, confusing, and far too many places to look for a block, but after a few months of use it's ok. we do group our block in a specific drawings so it's easy to find. I've set up pull down menus to access this directory via ACAD Design Center, so if someone needs a sink, the click on the plumbing fixtures pull down menu for sinks, and the DC will open and display all the blocks in the "Sinks" dwg.

Paul Caruthers
Bessolo Design Group.

[#5]

Thanks all for repling so far I appreicate it very much. We currnetly have nothing setup or in place as we are just starting to get all this together with the new company.

We were thinking that using the Master Spec divisions would be the way to go but we were lookign for opinions and we got some.

I would like to hear from anyone that sorts the libraries differently than using the Master Spec.

Thanks again for all that responded so far.

Ryan

[#6]

You could use my boss's method. Dump everything in one directory, give the files some cryptic name and spend 4 hours looking for something.

[#7]

Another approach is to store multiple blocks in a
single DWG. This makes it easy to create tool palettes with pre-defined layer
settings for the blocks. The tool palette will use the layer the blocks are
stored on when inserted into new drawings. This makes it much easier to manage
layer standards and other types of edits when necessary.

Each block file becomes a block library for
varous disciplines or whatever other way you want to classify
them.