Using X-Ref's Properly

[verge]

Personally I am a big fan of and use x-ref's when ever I can.
Unfortunately, we have no set system for using them throughout the office, some people use them & some don't. Recently we worked on a project which had 4 different people on the job at the same time looking after Architectural, Civil & Structural Details let me just say it wasn't a pretty picture....with numerous discrepancies appearing on dwgs because of bad communication & more so NOT USING X_REF'S.

Now I have been given the task of setting a procedure for using X-ref's and presenting this to the office. My problem is as follows........Generally we receive Planning dwgs from Architects (multiple plans & elevations on one dwg) and need to input the Building Regulations Compliance(Working Drawings) & Structural Data. So Far So Good.

Next Step...I set up Structural Dwg and insert X-ref (Architects Dwg) and Working department do same. Any changes made by either department i.e Wall locations, resized windows are changed automatically. Very Good.

My Question, finally, is how can I show loadbearing walls as a dashed line on Structural Dwgs but remain as solid line on Working dwgs.

And I'm interested to know how other offices save the base x-ref file, i.e rename architects or use directly architects dwgs.

Thanks A Million
Verge

[joeself]

you would have to have the load bearing walls on a different layer than the other walls. then after the arch plans are xreffed in you can change the layer settings in the structural drawings. set visretain to 1, to keep the layer settings.

we always strip down the arch plan and rename to our standard. but the building plans are complete and rarely change. if you are getting wall changes often from the arch I would keep the name the same and just set the layer properties in each set of drawings.

[cprettyman]

Verge,

Oen of the things we have found important in dealing with drawings we recieve from outside the office is to have a very clear distinction between the record copies and the use copies. When drawings are recieved from a consultant, they are saved in one place, and then the latest, but ony the latest, version is copied to another folder. The copy becomes our "Use Copy" and any changes that have to be made are made to that copy. When a new version is recieved, we repeat the process - we save it in the reord copies folder, and then copy it to the current folder, and delete the previous use copy. If we need to revert to an earlier version, we simply delete the use copy, and opy the version we need back into that folder.

[ttriest]

Are we talking 'vanilla' CAD or ADT?

[Anonymous]

okay - here's a one solution


say the architect's drawing is X10-A-FLOOR (xref - 10th floor plan)
xref that as an overlay into the structural xref for that floor.

then when you attached the structural xref into the sheet set-up - you can
attach the archie cref as well. this allows you to plan with layers
differently on the working drawing versus the sheet.

if you don't use sheets - here's a weird way

copy the file and rename it X10-A-FLOOR WORKING. put it on a layer called
working.
put the original archie xref on a layer called SHEET for example.

now delete the WORKING copy and repath it to archie. now you have two xrefs
with differnt layer names coming from the one source. to plot a working
copy have SHEET froxen in the veiwport. play with the layers as you want.
once this is set up you only have to replace X10-A-FLOOR when the archie
makes a plan change.

--
Princess Jamie,

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage.
- Anais Nin

wrote in message news:4940092@discussion.autodesk.com...
Personally I am a big fan of and use x-ref's when ever I can.
Unfortunately, we have no set system for using them throughout the office,
some people use them & some don't. Recently we worked on a project which had
4 different people on the job at the same time looking after Architectural,
Civil & Structural Details let me just say it wasn't a pretty
picture....with numerous discrepancies appearing on dwgs because of bad
communication & more so NOT USING X_REF'S.

Now I have been given the task of setting a procedure for using X-ref's and
presenting this to the office. My problem is as follows........Generally we
receive Planning dwgs from Architects (multiple plans & elevations on one
dwg) and need to input the Building Regulations Compliance(Working Drawings)
& Structural Data. So Far So Good.

Next Step...I set up Structural Dwg and insert X-ref (Architects Dwg) and
Working department do same. Any changes made by either department i.e Wall
locations, resized windows are changed automatically. Very Good.

My Question, finally, is how can I show loadbearing walls as a dashed line
on Structural Dwgs but remain as solid line on Working dwgs.

And I'm interested to know how other offices save the base x-ref file, i.e
rename architects or use directly architects dwgs.

Thanks A Million
Verge

[verge]

Cad 2K6!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[verge]

Thanks c.prettyman

That's more or less what I had in mind.

[verge]

Thanks for reply joeself
We don't strip down Arch's plans because it too time consuming and generally something changes mid-project.

RE layer settings if I freeze a layer on the x-reffed dwg will it
change on the original archs, if not, I can then draw in new loadbearing walls or insert new xreff with just loadbearing walls ( I think that could get messy)

[verge]

Thanks PJ, youv'e a great imagination

We don't use SSM at the mo but hopefully that will change soon, so youv'e given me some food for thought on that one.

Trying the other way would give some of old hound dogs here a heart attack,mmmmmmm, now thats food for thought.

[cprettyman]

You can freeze, turn off, change color or linetype, etc in your file without affecting the attached file. By default, in curernt releases, the variable VISRETAIN is set to 1 (on), so those settings will be retained in your file.

You will have to watch for bad drafting on the part of the people sending you drawings. One lazy, or overworked drafter at their end who cuts corners - sets a color explicitly rather than bylayer, or who puts data on the wrong layer will screw you up, and you will have to fix it. ( I used to work with a woman who drew everyting on layer 0, and then match propped it to somethign existing that was the right color, but it was frequently on the worng layer, it just had the right color) Message was edited by: c.prettyman