Ortho View Creation

[jheisler56]

Is there any way to effectively isolate what you want too show up in an ortho view other than the 3D Model Selection and sizing and jogging the view cube?

I've tried freezing/turning off/locking layers as well as unloading xrefs that I didn't want to see in the ortho view, all during view creation. However, when I hit the magic green OK checkmark to create the ortho view, it negates all my isolation efforts and brings everything into the ortho view.

As you know, freezing/turning off/locking layers in the ortho drawing after the ortho view has been created will leave "holes" in the drawing, so that's not really a viable option.

Surely there are ways to isolate what you want to see in an ortho view other than breaking the original model up into view size junks. I must be missing something here.

Anyone feel my pain out there?

[phwatso · Accepted solution]

You have to unload xrefs and turn off layers in the model before going into Ortho creation. Which does mean you cant just update the view after any changes but must prepare the model again first.

[jheisler56]

Yes, I was trying to do the isolating via layer freezing, etc. in the Ortho View Creation or Ortho View Edit modes and it doesn't work that way as you pointed out. Also "Isolating" entities doesn't carry over - guess that's just for working in the model.

I will create layer states to make the job of updating views a bit easier then.

Thanks for input phwatso, you got me straight on the order of accomplishing what I was trying to do in the ortho view.

[TRdesigner82]

I believe the ability to freeze/turn off layers in the ortho creation has been added to 2015.

[bencurrent]

TRdesigner82: how were you able to do this?  We still have not been able to achieve freezing individual layers for ortho views.  I'm using 2015 Product Version J.210.0.0 (Plant 3D 2015 SP2).  Would be great if this ability was added.  Up to now the only way I know of is to freeze in the individual model, then update the ortho.  Would be great if we could leave the model alone and freeze individual layers for ortho creations.

[TRdesigner82]

While in the Ortho View Editor, I just turned off and froze the layer I didn't want to see.

[bencurrent]

Hoping I'm wrong, but I'm guessing your example doesn't use XREF's. 

Just for clarity, here is an example:

I already have an ortho view set up in a drawing.  So what I am trying is:

1.) Click "Edit View" and select the viewport of my view. (Takes me to Ortho View Editor to update "Ortho View Selection 1")

2.) Type command "Layer" to bring up the Layer Properties Manager.

3.) Highlight Layer(s) I don't want to see in my view and click to turn Off and Freeze (first two columns after Name.)  **IMPORTANT NOTE - these are layers from an XREF'd equipment model.

4.) Click "OK" button in the Ortho View Editor.

The view then regenerates as always.  But for us so far the view is unchanged.  The items on the layer(s) remain.  Do you see anything I'm doing wrong? 

The only way we've ever been able to fix this is to go to the source XREF and freeze it there, but that defeats the purpose of the XREF.  Some of those layers need to show up in other drawings (from other disciplines/departments) that reference the same file.  I have yet to see this issue resolved with Plant3D, and I was hoping this 2015 version may have finally fixed it.

Thanks for your time!

[eski]

bencurrent,

I too have felt the pains when dealing with XREF's and Ortho dwgs created from Plant3D.  Lately, since 2015 allows layers to be frozen during the ortho creation, I have been copying my XREF dwgs to the project, so they can be used like other Plant3D models.  That way, during the ortho creation dwg, you can simply freeze layers in both the what was the XREF file, and any other models you will use to create the ortho.  

For instance, all our Arch/Strux/etc. models are done in REVIT.  So I have them export out an ACAD version, I then copy that file to my Plant3D project and only use it for background information.  If the model is updated in Revit, I have them export again to ACAD, but overwrite the file in my Plant3D project folders, so I can ensure I have their latest desgin.

It definitely isn't ideal, but I haven't found any other great ways to handle this besides what you currently have explained.  But as we both know, going into the XREF dwg and freezing layers can cause headaches if that file is being used elsewhere by other dwgs/models.  The coordination to pull that off is usually a nightmare for us.  

Best of luck to you, and here's to hoping they bolster up the Ortho creation customization/settings.

Eli

[CeconCraig]

I too have been struggling with this. I was able to use method outlined in the video found at the following link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=422&v=hdoX18JVhIU, however it only worked for one view on the drawing.

Update: I've noticed that so far this always works with the top view.

[thebearjed]

we have been complaining about this in the forum for years. it is very annoying and i have never seen it work correctly.