Advance Steel custom commands-share your ideas

[acbsdesign]

Hello,

It will be nice to learn more about custom commands / combination of Autocad and Advance Steel commands improving productivity. 

To colleagues willing to share-Thank you.

Here is a tiny example:

"Hide parts with identical numbers"-used when parts are detailed using drawings styles.

^C^C_AstM5equalpartsMarkSame \;AstM4CommSelectMarkedObjects ;_AstM4SwitchReprMode off

And another one:

"Hide Similar Advance Steel Objects":

^C^C_SelectSimilar \;_AstM4SwitchReprMode off

Regards, 

Ilko Dimitrov

ACBS

[acbsdesign · Accepted solution]

These two are time savers:

"Trim / Extend to system"-select for example column, and select beam to be extended or trimmed to this column

^C^C_AstM9CommTrimExtend; s;

"Trim / Extend to line"  - trims / extends beam/column to line (not real line, just by picking two point)

^C^C_AstM9CommTrimExtend; l;

[Sebastian_Eiche · Accepted solution]

let's start with a few simple ones:

screws off: ^C^C_AstM4SelectObjectByName ASTSCREWBOLTPATTERN _AstM4SwitchReprMode off

screws solid ^C^C_AstM4SelectObjectByName ASTSCREWBOLTPATTERN _AstM4SwitchReprMode exact

to move a complete mainpart (first select, then use the command):

^C^C_AstM4CommMarkSelAdd _AstM4CommSelectMarkedObjects _AstM4CommMarkConnMeans _AstM4CommSelectMarkedObjects _AstM4CommUnmarkObjects _move

to select the mainpart:

^C^C_AstM4CommUnmarkObjects _AstM4SwitchReprMode MAINSTRUCTURE _AstM4CommSelectMarkedObjects _AstM4CommMarkConnMeans _AstM4CommSelectMarkedObjects _AstM4CommUnmarkObjects

zoom to point and create a modelbox

^C^C_plan _c _zoom _c 0,0,0 1500 _AstM11commcreateModelview

modellboxes and jointboxes off

^C^C_AstM4SelectObjectByName ASTXDIALOG _AstM4SwitchReprMode off _AstM4SelectObjectByName ASTXSTRUCTURAL _AstM4SwitchReprMode off _AstM4SelectObjectByName ASTXMODELVIEW _AstM4SwitchReprMode off

[AleckGiles · Accepted solution]

Hi,

It is not quite a combined command string but a great tip I use:-

Get a 4 button mouse (or any mouse with thumb buttons) and then use the mouse driver to set one of the thumb buttons to SHIFT. That allows you to use SHIFT+MMB to rotate the model and SHIFT+RMB for temporary snaps menu with one hand.

Windows standard tools don't let you assign Shift to a mouse button, and not all drivers do, or a generic mouse does not have its own driver. I use "X Mouse Button Control"; it is free and it works great. (Set the button to "Simulated Key {SHIFT}"). I am sure other similar tools are out there.

[acbsdesign · Accepted solution]

Sebastian, Just wandering if these are "simple ones" how the rest look like:)

The richness of a product comes from many users looking at it. 

I have a real tiny one, but is saved my tendonitis saving and closing dwgs:

In shortcut menus, right click

"Save and close"

^C^C_qsave;close

[acbsdesign]

Aleck, 

Great-thank you. I use the 3D mouse, I will give it a try. 

Couldn't get faster with the Pilot, It stays here brand new, untouched, to make me look smarter:)

I found a faster way to select and weld hidden parts using the X-Ray VS:

Regards,

Ilko Dimitrov

ACBS

[Sebastian_Eiche · Accepted solution]

isolate Mainpart( without cube)

^C^C_AstM4SwitchReprMode MAINSTRUCTURE _AstM4CommSelectMarkedObjects _IsolateObjects _AstM4CommUnmarkObjects

connection elements off (I didn't include connectors, because I used not so often)

^C^C_AstM4SelectObjectByName ASTSCREWBOLTPATTERN _AstM4SwitchReprMode off _AstM4SelectObjectByName ASTANCHOR _AstM4SwitchReprMode off _AstM4SelectObjectByName ASTWELD _AstM4SwitchReprMode off AI_DESELECT

[Drawtech]

Hi Sebastian,

Re:  isolate Mainpart( without cube)

...what do you mean "without cube" ?

Doesn’t this do the same as existing command:  AstM10ViewSelObjects_ ?

connection elements off

nice 🙂

[acbsdesign]

Zoom at assembly and create model view (without model view cube)

^C^C_AstM10QuickObjectView ASSEMBLY

[acbsdesign]

Hi,

Is there anyone who can write "Hide detailed parts" command?

-Hide detailed SP and hide detailed MP.

On a complex project, when detailing with dwg styles, sometimes (as a matter of fact MANY times) we need to go back and do minor change to a SP, and the new SP becomes same as already detailed one, one of same SP becomes different.

This is typical for bridge stiffeners connecting diaphragms. Due to the camber and slope stiffeners may have holes within 1/32" difference, and we need to keep only the SP that will be renumbered shown. Yes, we can use the model browser, and we can manipulate the precision for identical parts numbering, but it takes time.

On building projects, when dwg styles are used for detailing SP, we hide detailed SP after they are detailed to clear the model from what was detailed. If for some reason we need to do modifications/ / show the entire model, we have no other way to hide detailed parts but using the model browser. This is not always handy when having different prefix requirements for different fabricators.

It was requested in the idea station, but the idea station looks dead, 

Product manager is not showing any interest stepping up and making any comment about what can be done, what is POSSIBLE and REASONABLE and what not.

 @Gernot.Jeromin  - is it so difficult for Autodesk to show any interest of what can be done, and what not? 

[Sebastian_Eiche]

yes you're right this is the same.

I delete a part which select the screws and welds which are shown in my command but I think this is not important for the most, and then the rest which remain is the standard command 😃

[Gernot.Jeromin]

Hi,
this seems to be a small thing to add.

We will have a look at it.

Gernot

[acbsdesign]

Mama Mia, holy grail.

Finally a response. 

This is the minimum that would work:

"Hide detailed SP"

"Hide detailed MP"

"Show only SP Beams not detailed"

"Show only SP Plates not detailed" 

"Show only MP plates not detailed"

"Show only MP beams not detailed"

I am going to church tonight.

[acbsdesign]

If this is for real and it can be done-can we have it included by default in the "Part marks" ribbon panel.

Or in an entirely new ribbon panel "Detailing".

[Anonymous]

---

@AleckGiles wrote:

Hi,

It is not quite a combined command string but a great tip I use:-

Get a 4 button mouse (or any mouse with thumb buttons) and then use the mouse driver to set one of the thumb buttons to SHIFT. That allows you to use SHIFT+MMB to rotate the model and SHIFT+RMB for temporary snaps menu with one hand.

Windows standard tools don't let you assign Shift to a mouse button, and not all drivers do, or a generic mouse does not have its own driver. I use "X Mouse Button Control"; it is free and it works great. (Set the button to "Simulated Key {SHIFT}"). I am sure other similar tools are out there.

---

I use the Logitech M570 Trackball Mouse, this has two programmable buttons which can be set with the bundled Logitech software. I have one set as SHIFT and one as ENTER. Very, very handy!

[Anonymous]

---

@acbsdesign wrote:

Sebastian, Just wandering if these are "simple ones" how the rest look like:)

The richness of a product comes from many users looking at it. 

I have a real tiny one, but is saved my tendonitis saving and closing dwgs:

In shortcut menus, right click

"Save and close"

^C^C_qsave;close

---

Awesome, thank you! I'm trying this right now! Yesterday I had a small change to make to a load of drawings, this command would have been very useful!

[acbsdesign]

Yes, it is a time saver.

I am looking forward to see more ideas, may be simple steps, but when repeated on an everyday basis to have a positive impact over productivity. 

I am looking now for a solution how to place  UCS on object, and Y to be always towards top, and X always towards the right.

[FORBESWILSON6174]

In response to your post, would the following help or not. In Tekla for example, on your drawing list, which is similar to the Document Manager in AS, when you have finished a drawing, you can 'Freeze' it, which lets you know you have completed it.

From the list, you can select, Assemblies, members, plates, and highlight them in the model. 

The question is, if you had the same option is AS, but with the ability to hide or show it, would it give you the same result, if so it gives the developers an option to look at.

[acbsdesign]

This would be nice to freeze the dwgs from DM.

Also-External lists to be shown (User's external lists) in DM, updated from DM, selected and batch plotted from DM.

Now, if we change size / length  of one SP plate and one SP angle, we have to manually print the external lists one by one. 

[dave_conibear]

Hello All

some of these custom commands seem really useful..........especially this quick save and close and I would like to

be able to add this to my right click shortcut menu.......the problem is I don't know how to do it.

I've tried to follow the autodesk help file but I'm obviously not able to do.

I would appreciate if someone could spare a few moments to explain in idiot proof fashion how to do it.

many thanks

Dave