Hi,
> dictatorial local "I will do exactly as I like and insist you do it too"
I like that :)
I believe it is not only about setting up standards
and styles, I think it may be much more than that,
a new milestone in design process, so it is no
wonder a resistance is inevitable.
There was a time when manual (pen and paper)
drafting was turning into computer aided design.
There were believers in that new technology and
those who were skeptic at least, or firm believers
it wouldn't ever pick up.
It seems that computer aided design, as we know it,
has reached its saturation point. It became tedious
to do stuff 'manually' in CAD over and over again.
There has been a significant amount of years of
experience accumulated about how things are done,
and how they can be done more efficiently (with smart
objects and styles). And as history repeats itself
there are people who accept it immediately, who accept
it after a while, and those who will maybe never
accept it.
It would not be surprising that due to new technologies
and procedures currently available, Tool Palettes, new
Sheet Sets and tables in AutoCAD 2005, LandXML, GIS,
portable devices, more frequently heard model exchanging
as opposed to paper exchanging, etc. companies
may need to re-think they entire CAD(/GIS) setups to gain
full advantage of all.
It may end up not by setting up Styles only. And
that may take some time. Even more time than what
James suggested (3-4 weeks, BTW I admire him to
say something like that out loud. Very few would
dare say such thing, and everyone else would
scream on that as financially non justifiable).
Also, it would really be curious to find out a results
of "sampling through (autodesk's) resellers of the
median size of users within a licensed site". My
hypothesis is that companies will come to conclusion
sooner or later, that a sophisticated Cad Manager (is
PE, is skilled designer, is an understanding boss, and
even have some programming skills) will become
more of a necessity not a question of affordability.
Once Civil3D becomes alive a skilled Cad Manager
and a handful of skilled and strongly CAD oriented
designers could replace a whole army of 'regular'
designers and drafters, and thus probably justifying
their cost.
Anyway, next 2 years will be interesting.
Thanks,
--
Strah @ Langan
"Laurie Comerford" wrote in message
news:403a62ce_1@newsprd01...
> Hi,
>
> It would seem to me that there is at least a possibility that these
> dictatorial local "I will do exactly as I like and insist you do it too"
> organisations you advocate will love styles and will create their own to
> ensure consistency of output from their system.
>
> Once the style exists, provided that the style can be imported into a
> drawing, it wont matter what the drawing submitter sends them.
>
> In fact maybe all the Authority needs is to receive the LandXML file and
> then they can get any reports they need in the exact format they need.
>
> Development thoughts:
> Create a mechanism to "batch import" a "style template" to all drawings in
a
> directory.
> Create very good documentation to make it easy to learn how to create the
> "Style template"
> --
>
>
> Laurie Comerford
> CADApps
> www.cadapps.com.au
>
>
>
> "Don Reichle" wrote in message
> news:403a4f1c_1@newsprd01...
> > Well Dave, thanks for outlining most of the things that I don't care for
> > about the direction the product is taking. I've answered each one below.
> >
> > If you would do a sampling through your resellers of the median size of
> > users within a licensed site, my hypothesis is that you would find the
> > result heavily weighted in the five to ten user area. Most of those
sites
> > would not have (and maybe could not afford) a Cad Manager to handle the
> > daily tasks of maintaining the network of Styles necessary to keep all
the
> > jurisdictions happy in the region they serve.
> >
> > The opinion was raised recently regarding regional standardization of
> > drafting styles. As I said before, we are a nation of individuals, and
> > therefore value our "bubble space". In my earlier analogy the cities of
> > Eugene and Springfield in Oregon are only separated by Interstate 5, but
> you
> > would never know it by looking at the plans they want the engineers to
> > produce for their approval. To add to the mix then you throw in Lane
> County
> > and Oregon DOT. All have different standards of linetype, lineweight,
text
> > height, data necessary on plans, etc.
> >
> > I'm not sure that my hypothetical majority will embrace the thought of
> > applying the necessary maintenance of Styles as C3D evolves over its
> > lifespan.
> >
> > Here is my take on the list of issues you bring up:
> > 1. As I said most of your user base does not have a Cad Manager, or if
> they
> > do it's probably the same person that signs all the paychecks. So this
is
> > probably not something they want added to their job description.
> > 2. This would help that pill more easily be swallowed.
> > 3. Make the library site-specific instead of dwg file specific, so that
> > changes to styles would cascade throughout the office once implemented
> > without the need to open each and every dwg file where they have been
> > applied.
> > 4. Once the Styles become site-specific this issue would disappear.
> > 5. If the programmers in NH would just develop their own brand of Mtext
> > (Ctext?) that would be dynamic, ala Labels this issue would disappear.
> > 6. Instead of creating a hierarchy of Enlightened Ones, evaluate how to
> make
> > the creation and maintenance of Styles easy enough for a novice to use.
We
> > don't want to be left in ignorance once the Enlightened Ones either die
or
> > are lured away by better percs.
> > 7. Since Styles are inherently regional in nature (regions possibly as
> small
> > as 25 miles) how will Robert Steltman in Canada know anything about what
> > types of Styles I need in Santa Cruz County, CA, and therefore be able
to
> > honestly service such a broad clientele? (Just one example)
> > 8. On most dialog boxes there is an Advanced button where you hide the
> > additional flexible options.
> > --
> > Don Reichle
> > "King of Work-Arounds"
> > Ifland Engineers, Inc.
> >
> > "Dave Simeone" wrote in message
> > news:403a17d3$1_1@newsprd01...
> > > Hi all - This is a very interesting and informative trail. Note that
we
> > > definately review trails such as this to help define future product
and
> > > program requirements. Here are some things that I've gotten out of the
> > > trail...
> > >
> > > 1. The CAD Manager will (or should) have the primary responsibility
for
> > > defining the styles used in your organization.
> > > 2. We need to make the intial creation of styles easier for the CAD
> > Manager
> > > 3. We need to make it easier to add to your style libraries (add new
> > styles,
> > > copy/adjust existing styles for new submittal agencies, etc)
> > > 4. Make styles more portable (make it easier to move one or more
styles)
> > > 5. Come up with a solution to handle unique conditions. Styles can be
> > > created for what you typically encounter. However, creating a label
for
> a
> > > unique situation will take farm more effort than a simple text label.
> > > However, simple text labels don't have the same dynamic behavior, etc.
> > > 6. Need to focus on better documentation and other resources
> specifically
> > > for those who will be building these styles
> > > 7. Need to foster the growth of sharing styles and folks building
styles
> > for
> > > sale
> > > 8. We need to keep the system flexible enough to meet an incredibly
> > diverse
> > > range of needs - while making it easy and clear for easy type user!
> > >
> > > Note - there are bunch of style "feature" requirements that we are
aware
> > of
> > > and working through.
> > >
> > > Thanks for the input and feel free to add to this list.
> > > Dave S
> > >
> > > "Don Reichle" wrote in message
> > > news:40366f09$1_2@newsprd01...
> > > > It would help immensely to get a users "read" on how long it takes
to
> > set
> > > up
> > > > the different types of Styles in use for C3D. I am aware that there
> are
> > > > default Styles provided with the app, but we all have different
agency
> > > > requirements that we must meet. And no two agencies agree on how
they
> > want
> > > > to see the data represented (not even when only a freeway separates
> them
> > > > from each other).
> > > >
> > > > So could you kind folks inundate me with some ballpark numbers on
how
> > long
> > > > it takes to set up a new Style for use in production from the canned
> > ones
> > > > provided?
> > > >
> > > > Please address Points, Grading, Surfaces, Alignments; whatever is
> > > currently
> > > > a part of the app.
> > > >
> > > > I asked this same question of the Dan & Dave show today on the
> Webcast,
> > so
> > > > I'm specifically looking to see if you agree with their estimation.
> > > Checking
> > > > practice with theory, you see.
> > > >
> > > > TIA,
> > > > --
> > > > Don Reichle
> > > > "King of Work-Arounds"
> > > > Ifland Engineers, Inc.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>