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Project Navigator and simple projects

12 REPLIES 12
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Message 1 of 13
mikeshick
412 Views, 12 Replies

Project Navigator and simple projects

I typically have small projects: 1 & 2 story residential plans. I have used the project navigator on several projects, but have found that smaller projects are rather cumbersome to use the navigator with, especially with regard to annotation. Over the last few years, I just used layer control and put everything in one model with several layouts. Annotation goes very quickly.

Don't get me wrong, I see great value in the navigator, especially for larger/commercial projects. But it seems to be a little cumbersome for the smaller residential projects. Do others share this perspective? If not, what's your suggestion? Thanks.
Mike Shick
www.medesigns.us
12 REPLIES 12
Message 2 of 13
Anonymous
in reply to: mikeshick

We do exclusively custom residential work and we make great use of the
project navigator. I would not give it up. We never did everything in one
model and it could be that our project are more complex or larger than
yours. We typically operate in project teams of two or three and having
everything in one file would make that impossible. We also use keynotes. I
am not sure if that is relevant or not.

Robert
Thielsen Architects

wrote in message news:5611386@discussion.autodesk.com...
I typically have small projects: 1 & 2 story residential plans. I have
used the project navigator on several projects, but have found that smaller
projects are rather cumbersome to use the navigator with, especially with
regard to annotation. Over the last few years, I just used layer control
and put everything in one model with several layouts. Annotation goes very
quickly.

Don't get me wrong, I see great value in the navigator, especially for
larger/commercial projects. But it seems to be a little cumbersome for the
smaller residential projects. Do others share this perspective? If not,
what's your suggestion? Thanks.
Message 3 of 13
Anonymous
in reply to: mikeshick

Mike -

For little jobs that don't have much of a production drawing phase, I
still do just as you do: put all plan information in one model (with
layers for site, arch, mech, elec -- the works), and use multiple
layouts, all in the same file. Elevations are in a separate file with
its own layouts. Details are in a separate file with its own layouts.
Easy to understand, transmit, save to earlier versions, etc. No
visretain issues. No organizational overhead to have to keep in mind --
nothing to OBEY.

For a 40-sheet structural set that will be part of a larger bid package,
though, I play by the rules -- constructs, elements, views, sheets -- to
be sure that all the useful production-time options like detail- and
sheet-renumbering, batch plotting, etc., are readily available. I kind
of resent the organizational overhead, but can't pass up the benefits
thereof.

The only drawback to using two modes like this, I guess, comes on days
when I am working with both types of projects -- "Why didn't that
callout update? Oh, yeah, I'm working old-school this morning..."

-Bill

=============


mikeshick wrote:
> I typically have small projects: 1 & 2 story residential plans. I have used the project navigator on several projects, but have found that smaller projects are rather cumbersome to use the navigator with, especially with regard to annotation. Over the last few years, I just used layer control and put everything in one model with several layouts. Annotation goes very quickly.
>
> Don't get me wrong, I see great value in the navigator, especially for larger/commercial projects. But it seems to be a little cumbersome for the smaller residential projects. Do others share this perspective? If not, what's your suggestion? Thanks.
>
Message 4 of 13
Anonymous
in reply to: mikeshick

What is the difference between a large project and a smaller project in
regards to annotation? Same principles apply to both, just one has more then
the other. So why shouldn't you use views for annotation? Same principles
should apply no matter what size the project is in regards to using the
project nav. Unless you are just adding or removing one wall.

wrote in message news:5611386@discussion.autodesk.com...
I typically have small projects: 1 & 2 story residential plans. I have
used the project navigator on several projects, but have found that smaller
projects are rather cumbersome to use the navigator with, especially with
regard to annotation. Over the last few years, I just used layer control
and put everything in one model with several layouts. Annotation goes very
quickly.

Don't get me wrong, I see great value in the navigator, especially for
larger/commercial projects. But it seems to be a little cumbersome for the
smaller residential projects. Do others share this perspective? If not,
what's your suggestion? Thanks.
Message 5 of 13
mikeshick
in reply to: mikeshick

As Bill mentioned, the overhead created by the navigator creates a certain amount of inefficiency for certain tasks, but gives huge advantages for other tasks. When the project is small, when only one person is managing the entire project, annotation and sheet management are far more cumbersome than having a single drawing with multiple layouts.
Mike Shick
www.medesigns.us
Message 6 of 13
Anonymous
in reply to: mikeshick

On Wed, 30 May 2007 17:54:07 +0000, mikeshick <> wrote:

>I typically have small projects: 1 & 2 story residential plans. I have used the project navigator on several projects, but have found that smaller projects are rather cumbersome to use the navigator with, especially with regard to annotation. Over the last few years, I just used layer control and put everything in one model with several layouts. Annotation goes very quickly.
>
>Don't get me wrong, I see great value in the navigator, especially for larger/commercial projects. But it seems to be a little cumbersome for the smaller residential projects. Do others share this perspective? If not, what's your suggestion? Thanks.

I think PN works great no matter how small the project is. Just being able to
create drawings, link files together and organize things WITHOUT using Windows
Explorer is worth its weight in gold.

And never having to use the new improved dreaded Xref Mangler is priceless.

I never think it's more efficient to plug everything into a single file, even
when I work alone on my own personal residential house projects. When using AEC
objects, using a single file is a total and complete PIA.

I'll have one file for each floor, framing, foundation and roof plans. I'll then
xref them together into a single file for elevations and sections and make MS
Views out of each of them.

There's no "rule" that states that you have to design in the construct but only
annotate in a View. I think it makes sense, in the fact that a Construct will be
in any number of Views, and not dragging sheet-specific annotation with you as
tyou go along makes a lot of sense.

Matt
mstachoni@comcast.net
mstachoni@bhhtait.com
Message 7 of 13
Anonymous
in reply to: mikeshick

Mike,

While I agree that a single drawing scenario can be more efficient for a
one-man show, simple residential environment, I both teach and use the PN
for all sizes of projects. The main logic behind this is consistent
workflow. When you need PN for that rare project that requires it for
productivity, you don't have to change your workflow to do it.

Yes, PN can make things a little bit more complicated on the little ones,
but the big ones make up for it when you don't have to change the way you do
things!

HTH,

--
Larry Bettes
ADT, C3D (& LDT/CD)
(06, 07, & 08 with all SPs installed)
P4 - Dual Core 3.0 GHz, 3.00 GB RAM
nVidia GeForce 6800 GS AGP - 256 MB
Windows XP Pro, SP 2
Message 8 of 13
Anonymous
in reply to: mikeshick

Mike, for years I also used the 1 dwg/mnay tabs approach until I learned to
use PN. Now, no matter the size, I just automatically use
PN...................just having things more automated without thinking
about them no is common place................if I HAD to go back to the old
way, I'd be totally lost (so to speak). Having taken my current position
here now as Cad Mgr and being a PM, I still deal with individuals using the
old way, utterly refusing to learn PN even after many many classes and
individual training, and sometimes I have to stop to think about stuff,
whereas with PN I just do it. Don't give up, after a while, even a Storage
shed can be had quickly.

--
Mike Maloney
CM/PM
Basham & Lucas Design Group, Inc.
wrote in message news:5611386@discussion.autodesk.com...
I typically have small projects: 1 & 2 story residential plans. I have
used the project navigator on several projects, but have found that smaller
projects are rather cumbersome to use the navigator with, especially with
regard to annotation. Over the last few years, I just used layer control
and put everything in one model with several layouts. Annotation goes very
quickly.

Don't get me wrong, I see great value in the navigator, especially for
larger/commercial projects. But it seems to be a little cumbersome for the
smaller residential projects. Do others share this perspective? If not,
what's your suggestion? Thanks.
Message 9 of 13
dmcmichael
in reply to: mikeshick

Hi Larry:
I am currently teaching myself cad2008 and have am trying to construct my 2 story hse. The educational book I'm learning from is not clear on how to attach the second floor to the first floor. I have created my constructs in PN, yet do not know where to go from here.
Advice on this process would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Diane
Message 10 of 13
Anonymous
in reply to: mikeshick

Our projects often start as everything in one dwg file per coworker and lots of pspace tabs. We just xref in what we need, it could be another dwg or a scanned paperdrawing.

When project has developed so far that there is a demand for standards its time to put it in the project navigator. Often I use the existing mtrl as underlay and run new walls over old plans. Its so fast and easy to do so it wont matter the double work.

This may look like chaos but the benefit is that those in the project not working in aca could participate equaly and that the design phase is not restricted to guidelines of standard or media.media.
Message 11 of 13
joebrady
in reply to: mikeshick

I am having a similar problem. Using ADA 2008. I'm giving myself a crash course and designing my own house to build. I've sucsessfully designed the first floor and added a Dutch Gambrel roof. I'm stuck at extending the outer walls up to the roof and drawing my layout for the second floor. (Everything goes to the first floor) Still trying to decipher Project Navigator and Xrefs.... But as stated above, I'm a one man show and trying to do this all in one drawing.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Message 12 of 13
KathyMoffa
in reply to: mikeshick

I'm also learning ACA 2010 on my own, and both books I'm using are very good for learning how to create levels. The books are Accessing AutoCAD Architecure 2010 by William Wyatt, and Mastering AutoCAD Architecure 2010 by Paul Aubin. Wyatt's Stairs chapter is when it all began to really make sense for me.
Message 13 of 13
J.A.Mounteer
in reply to: mikeshick

Joe-

Others may have a better/ different answer than mine but here is how I would tackle your problem.

The walls that extend up to the 2nd floor from the first floor should be in a separate construct from those that exsist only on the 1st or 2nd floors. This construct should be tagged as "Spanning" both these by tagging both levels on the construct properties in PN. Then when you create your view drawing ACA will pull it in to both your first and second floor drawings.

The walls themselves should then be drawn to their 'true' story-spanning height, instead of as multiple pieces at the first and second floor heights.

One thing that's helped me work my way through these sort of problems is to remember you're putting the model together in the same fashion as the house is being built. If you need a beam pocket in a FDN wall.. you're really carving that space out of the form. That's a body modifier in ACA. The same with these spanning constructs.

That's just my .02 as someone who's only delved into ACA extensivly for the last 7 months. I'm probably missing something important there with regards to cut planes and visibility states. Hopefuly I've given some direction for you to investigate.

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