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]

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

[Adrian.Mangan]

I also use A360  free viewer as the shared design views rarely works for me so I export to 3d dwf and upload, but yes it is a pain these expire but also @markhubrich the comments and ability to download to pdf is quite useful, I fear this whole A360 free viewer will soon be gone. I must try this other method more often thanks @acbsdesign .

[Adrian.Mangan]

I also use A360  free viewer as the shared design views rarely works for me so I export to 3d dwf and upload, but yes it is a pain these expire but also @markhubrich the comments and ability to download to pdf is quite useful, I fear this whole A360 free viewer will soon be gone. I must try this other method more often thanks @acbsdesign .

[Adrian.Mangan]

love the QR code idea, thank you

[Adrian.Mangan]

love the QR code idea, thank you

[acbsdesign]

---

@Adrian.Mangan wrote:

love the QR code idea, thank you

---

Mark started it,

I worked on it,

Mark improved it.

Teamwork, kind of, only better.

You combine users with experience with this and that in one place and this is what you get.

[acbsdesign]

---

@Adrian.Mangan wrote:

love the QR code idea, thank you

---

Mark started it,

I worked on it,

Mark improved it.

Teamwork, kind of, only better.

You combine users with experience with this and that in one place and this is what you get.

[Sebastian_Eiche · Accepted solution]

The QR Codes are very nice.

I played in the past with barcodes, these could scanned too. And because I wanted the links to have it on my bom list for drawings I show what I prepared to do for a customer. The main point was to have a PDF (maybe in some cases uploaded too), with a list of all drawings with a scanble link and and for model in the pageheader.

So what I did is: use the approval comment (if this is not used already)

• create a prototype with this token and install a barcode font type (in my screencast I used the first I found, there possibilties to shorten them--> look not so nice in my screencast, but could be changed, for example with a link shortener or another font type)
• create a drawing list, where the approval comment is shown as barcode
• now by creating a detail, it had to be uploaded --> copy the link
• add it in the document manager to detail and use the update pageheader comment
• reupload the detail (I don't show this in the screencast)
• create the list.

If you want to have the model in the list, use a ProjectUserattribute to insert there the link for the model. then it wil be shown as barcode in the pageheader too (detail and bom list)

Screencast for Barcode

not useable for all, but a few maybe want to have something like that.

[Sebastian_Eiche · Accepted solution]

The QR Codes are very nice.

I played in the past with barcodes, these could scanned too. And because I wanted the links to have it on my bom list for drawings I show what I prepared to do for a customer. The main point was to have a PDF (maybe in some cases uploaded too), with a list of all drawings with a scanble link and and for model in the pageheader.

So what I did is: use the approval comment (if this is not used already)

• create a prototype with this token and install a barcode font type (in my screencast I used the first I found, there possibilties to shorten them--> look not so nice in my screencast, but could be changed, for example with a link shortener or another font type)
• create a drawing list, where the approval comment is shown as barcode
• now by creating a detail, it had to be uploaded --> copy the link
• add it in the document manager to detail and use the update pageheader comment
• reupload the detail (I don't show this in the screencast)
• create the list.

If you want to have the model in the list, use a ProjectUserattribute to insert there the link for the model. then it wil be shown as barcode in the pageheader too (detail and bom list)

Screencast for Barcode

not useable for all, but a few maybe want to have something like that.

[acbsdesign]

Nice one @Sebastian_Eiche ,

Thank you for sharing.

[acbsdesign]

Nice one @Sebastian_Eiche ,

Thank you for sharing.

[Anonymous]

@Sebastian_Eiche 

very goog, many thanks for your screencast.

[Anonymous]

@Sebastian_Eiche 

very goog, many thanks for your screencast.

[acbsdesign]

A handy feature in AS Project Explorer, not part of the training 🙂 :

Join and Separate windows in Project Explorer 

[acbsdesign]

A handy feature in AS Project Explorer, not part of the training 🙂 :

Join and Separate windows in Project Explorer 

[Sebastian_Eiche]

question of: Who is the trainer... I told it sometimes 😉

[Sebastian_Eiche]

question of: Who is the trainer... I told it sometimes 😉

[acbsdesign]

Graitec in Montreal, ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................but it somehow worked those days.

[acbsdesign]

Graitec in Montreal, ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................but it somehow worked those days.

[acbsdesign]

"Mark connected objects in shop and select"

Since we started using it, the default command "Mark selected objects in shop" is almost no longer used.

^C^C_AstM4SwitchReprMode MAINSTRUCTURE \;_AstM4CommSelectMarkedObjects

Screencast  

Very handy to modify coating for all parts attached in shop.

Or to advance copy the entire assembly with welds included.

Attached is the bmp file we are using. 

[acbsdesign]

"Mark connected objects in shop and select"

Since we started using it, the default command "Mark selected objects in shop" is almost no longer used.

^C^C_AstM4SwitchReprMode MAINSTRUCTURE \;_AstM4CommSelectMarkedObjects

Screencast  

Very handy to modify coating for all parts attached in shop.

Or to advance copy the entire assembly with welds included.

Attached is the bmp file we are using. 

[acbsdesign]

---

@Drawtech wrote:

More drawing labels:

The default slot length in a label is the overall length.

If you want the slot length between hole centres in the label:

%BoltCount No. %Diameterøx%%script(LenTotal = %Length: LenCtrs = LenTotal-%Diameter: appendstring LenCtrs)ctrs slotted holes

---

My tiny contribution to the labeling strategies:

Labels for bolts to include coating if bolts are not plain:

%%script(Coat = "%Coating": NoCoat = "None": Compare = StrComp(Coat, NoCoat, 1): If Compare <> 0 then appendstring ""&Coat&"")

Regards,

[acbsdesign]

---

@Drawtech wrote:

More drawing labels:

The default slot length in a label is the overall length.

If you want the slot length between hole centres in the label:

%BoltCount No. %Diameterøx%%script(LenTotal = %Length: LenCtrs = LenTotal-%Diameter: appendstring LenCtrs)ctrs slotted holes

---

My tiny contribution to the labeling strategies:

Labels for bolts to include coating if bolts are not plain:

%%script(Coat = "%Coating": NoCoat = "None": Compare = StrComp(Coat, NoCoat, 1): If Compare <> 0 then appendstring ""&Coat&"")

Regards,

[acbsdesign]

I found workaround that shortens the time for creating custom connections.

Using existing custom connection, copy everything and modify the name and the features without exploding it and re-creating it:

Screencast 

No, this wasn't part of the training either, Sebastian.

[acbsdesign]

I found workaround that shortens the time for creating custom connections.

Using existing custom connection, copy everything and modify the name and the features without exploding it and re-creating it:

Screencast 

No, this wasn't part of the training either, Sebastian.

[Sebastian_Eiche]

😁 the time to create custom connection is often not given in the basic trainings. 

But nevertheless your Screencast is set to privat so we could have a look for it

[Sebastian_Eiche]

😁 the time to create custom connection is often not given in the basic trainings. 

But nevertheless your Screencast is set to privat so we could have a look for it

[acbsdesign]

sorry, it is not private now.

[acbsdesign]

sorry, it is not private now.

[Sebastian_Eiche]

Thanks, I think very helpful and good to see custom connection are used in so much cases (your list is long 😂)

I'm waiting for the day to call custom connection directly by one command like a block or something. 

There could be an own palette only for the custom connection but then we need the chance to call them maybe by their name or a key... The future will show...

[Sebastian_Eiche]

Thanks, I think very helpful and good to see custom connection are used in so much cases (your list is long 😂)

I'm waiting for the day to call custom connection directly by one command like a block or something. 

There could be an own palette only for the custom connection but then we need the chance to call them maybe by their name or a key... The future will show...

[acbsdesign]

@DumitruBerteanu  promised couple years ago at least we will be able to search connections in folders.

Currently, I have 3 folders containing 30+/- dwg files each. Total 70-90 dwg files.

In order to use a custom connection, I have to copy the dwg file first to be visible from the model and then use it.

Slow, but still working. Custom connections vary from joist seats, cap plates for columns when we have joist, moment plates, moment connections, girts seats etc, very useful.

Hopefully, Dumitru and Co will make at least folders containing connections searchable.

[acbsdesign]

@DumitruBerteanu  promised couple years ago at least we will be able to search connections in folders.

Currently, I have 3 folders containing 30+/- dwg files each. Total 70-90 dwg files.

In order to use a custom connection, I have to copy the dwg file first to be visible from the model and then use it.

Slow, but still working. Custom connections vary from joist seats, cap plates for columns when we have joist, moment plates, moment connections, girts seats etc, very useful.

Hopefully, Dumitru and Co will make at least folders containing connections searchable.

[Sebastian_Eiche]

In my opinion:

We have a dwg name and a name of the joint.. it's a kind of block...should be not such a problem but I'm not software developer so maybe there's a bit more work 😁

[Sebastian_Eiche]

In my opinion:

We have a dwg name and a name of the joint.. it's a kind of block...should be not such a problem but I'm not software developer so maybe there's a bit more work 😁

[markhubrich]

That reminds me of what I was thinking the other day. All those custom connection tools only have plate. I made a custom connection the other day for government anchors. It worked fine until the beam web changed thickness from the one in my custom connection. It works great with templates I made using the various plate functions but what about profiles?

[markhubrich]

That reminds me of what I was thinking the other day. All those custom connection tools only have plate. I made a custom connection the other day for government anchors. It worked fine until the beam web changed thickness from the one in my custom connection. It works great with templates I made using the various plate functions but what about profiles?

[acbsdesign]

We can now convert holes to bolts and AB, probably it is not a bad idea to build the custom connection with holes only in some cases.

[acbsdesign]

We can now convert holes to bolts and AB, probably it is not a bad idea to build the custom connection with holes only in some cases.

[vuk.vukanic · Accepted solution]

Here is my take on the QR code idea.

Use APPROVAL_COMMENT for the link to shared document, and FIELD in the prototype to display the QR code.

Not fool proof, but gives you the possibility to have direct link to every drawing. Took me a while, and here's how to do it:

https://autode.sk/37TFWIm

For those not using BIM360, it will give you links to muliple files in one go, correctly sorted in one go. It can also be done in Gdrive, but you will need a short code to do it. Here's the procedure https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzeyN2Fyp7Y&t=186s

[vuk.vukanic · Accepted solution]

Here is my take on the QR code idea.

Use APPROVAL_COMMENT for the link to shared document, and FIELD in the prototype to display the QR code.

Not fool proof, but gives you the possibility to have direct link to every drawing. Took me a while, and here's how to do it:

https://autode.sk/37TFWIm

For those not using BIM360, it will give you links to muliple files in one go, correctly sorted in one go. It can also be done in Gdrive, but you will need a short code to do it. Here's the procedure https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzeyN2Fyp7Y&t=186s