Custom Square Footage Schedule

[BBP-Arch]

ACA2011

So I created a great, yet simple way to do my square footages for residential projects. The problem I'm having is between the Space, the Tag and the Schedule. See attached screen shot.

The Space I copied from the Residential Styles included w/ the software. I picked a random one and copied it and changed the name to Pool Spaces.

The Tag I found is great because it so simple...indicates the room name, the size and the area...ideal! The Tag is AEC8_Space_Tag 

The Schedule uses the Prop Set Def of the Space Name (not to be confused with the Space Style Name) for the Room Name. This is convenient because you can copy a space, tag it and then go the Properties dialog and change the Name, and the schedule will update. (Like I did in the attached screen shot).  However, in that scenario the Tag won't update. It references the Space Style Name. So to change that, you have to create a new space style....much less convenient becaue then I have to go to the Manage Tab, then the Style Manager, then Architectural Objects, then Spaces, and then copy and rename a Space....then go back to the space and change its properties to the new space style....kind of a pain.

So, what I want is to know how to get the Tag to reference the Space Name, more specifically, I want the Tag to reference the Property Set Definition: SpaceObjects; and then the Property: Name, and not reference the Space Style Name. Is that even possible? The Tag itself came out of the box. For all I know it's pre-determined to show the Space Style Name.

Thanks,

Scott

[David_W_Koch · Accepted solution]

Yes, that is possible.

1.  Select the tag in your drawing.  On the Tag contextual ribbon tab, on the General panel, select the Edit Style tool.  In the Multi-View Block Definition Properties dialog that appears, select the View Blocks tab, and then, if it is not already selected, the General Display Representation.  Make a note of the name of the View Block listed.  If this is the out-of-the-box Aec8_Space_Tag, then it is most likely Aec8_Space_Tag_P, but edit the definition to verify that is true of your tag.  Select Cancel to dismiss the dialog.

2.  Type INSERT at the Command: prompt and press ENTER.  In the Insert dialog, use the Name drop-down list to select the name of the block you noted in Step 1.  Select OK to dismiss the dialog, then follow any remaining Command: line prompts to place an instance of the block.

3.  Select the instance of the block that you placed, right click, and choose Edit Block in Place from the context menu.  Select OK to dismiss the Reference Edit dialog.

4.  The top Attribute Definition should read SPACESTYLES:STYLE, as that is the value of that definition's Tag property.  You may notice that the tag value contains the name of the Property Set Definition and Property, separated by a colon, that is displayed by that attribute in the Schedule Tag.  That is how ACA knows which property to display.  Since you want to show a different property from a different Property Set Definition, you will need to change the Tag value.  On the Properties palette, on the Design tab, under the Text category, the first property is the Tag property.  Select the value in the right column and change SPACESTYLES:STYLE to SPACEOBJECTS:NAME.  If you like, change the value of the Prompt property from Style to Name and the value of the Value property from STANDARD to ROOM.

5.  On the ribbon, on the Edit Reference panel, choose the Save Changes tool, to save the changes to the block definition.  You can delete the instance of the block now, or you can wait until after the next Steps and you are certain the changes worked.

6.  You appear to already have the SpaceObjects property set attached to your Spaces, since your Schedule Table makes use of it.  For others following along who may not have that property set attached to their Spaces, do so now.  (Selecting the Spaces and using the Add Property Sets tool on the Extended Data tab of the Properties palette is one way of doing that, if the SpaceObjects Property Set Definition is already in your drawing.  If not, use the Style Manager to copy it from one of the out-of-the-box style source files.)

7.  Type MVBLOCK at the Command: prompt, and press ENTER.  Then type U and press ENTER.  Select any instances of the Schedule Tag in your drawing file and press ENTER twice.  This will force the changes made to the view block attribute onto the existing instances.  The Schedule Tags should now show your room name, instead of the Space Style name.

If you intend to use this edited version of the tag, I highly recommend that you use the RENAME command to rename the view block to something else, such as Aec8_Room_Size_Area_Tag_P.  Then select one of the Schedule Tags and choose the Edit Style ribbon tool again.  This time, go to the General tab and change the name of the Multi-View Block Definition, perhaps to Aec8_Room_Size_Area_Tag.  While not strictly necessary, renaming the view block and the Multi-View Block will avoid future issues/heartache should you try to use your new tag in a file in which the out-of-the-box versions of either already exist.

The attached file was done in ACA 2015 (sorry!), but the instructions above will work in 2011, and doing the work yourself will help you remember it the next time you need to customize a tag.  😉

[David_W_Koch]

OK, the stupid smiley faces have messed with my post.  Where you see SPACESTYLES:STYLE above, substitute SPACESTYLES : STYLE, but strip out the spaces on either side of the colon (":").

[BBP-Arch · Accepted solution]

David this world would be a much more confusing place without you in it. Thank you for the time and detail you put into your response. It worked perfectly! I'm very grateful not only for your response to this intricate request, but the zillions of other responses you generate on a daily basis. You are a Gentleman and a Scholar!

Have a margarita on me!

Thanks!

Scott Branch, AIA