Scheduling Recessed Lighting

[tevansERD]

I am reaching out to the ACA community to see what the best practice is for scheduling recessed downlights. We use 3 different brands, each brand has 3 sizes 4, 5 & 6" and each has at least 2 rough-in frames and multiple trim options. I want to use 1 schedule. I started out creating a PSD, then a list definition for each brand, size, trim and rough-in options then realized that probably would not work. So would I create a list of rough-ins and incorporate the brand and size into the name and another list for the trim using a similar naming convention? Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. We will not mix brands within a drawing.

[David_W_Koch]

I am not quite certain what you are trying to do here.

Here are some assumptions.  Post back with corrections where I am wrong.

1.  You are using a style-based AEC object to model/represent the light fixtures, such as a Multi-View Blocks or Mask Blocks.

2.  You have a separate style/definition for each different fixture.  (Or are you using one style/definition with "representational" graphics to cover multiple fixtures and/or multiple fixture options?)

If you have a separate style/definition for each unique combination of fixture options, you could make a style-based Property Set Definition and set up properties for each fixture attribute you want to show in the schedule.  You could set up a List Definition for each property to assure uniformity in the property values, but since the values would be entered once for each definition and require no subsequent user editing (unless things change, of course), that may be overkill.

The downside of the previous scenario is needing a separate style/definition for each unique fixture type.  If you are not modeling in sufficient detail to show differences in trim or rough-in frame or any variations between manufacturers, you may prefer to have just three styles/definitions, one for each nominal size (4", 5" and 6").  Or if you are just using the same graphics as a symbol for all three sizes, you could get away with just one style/definition.  If one of these is the case, then you will need to move any property that is not the same for all instances to an object-based Property Set Definition.  In this case, the user would then have to fill in the values and having a List Definition for each property will assure uniformity and, if you disallow values to vary from those on the list, avoid values that are not available.  (No 8" fixtures; if all options are not available in all sizes or all manufacturers, then it would still be possible to select a combination of values that is not available.)

Post back with any corrections to my assumptions or if you have questions or need more detail.

[tevansERD]

I have a standard block for each size 4", 5" and 6". I am using an Object base PSD but can set up as Style based if needed. I have one block set up and have attached for clarity

[David_W_Koch · Accepted solution]

If you are going to use one Multi-View Block for all of the 4" fixture, one for all of the 5" fixtures and one for all of the 6" fixtures, then you will most likely want to keep your properties in an object-based Property Set.

The only thing that would be common to all would be the nominal size.  Assuming that will be a column in your Schedule Table, you may want a style-based Property Set for that.  If you consistently name the Multi-View Blocks, you might be able to use a combination of an automatic property that would get the Multi-View Block name and a formula property that would extract the numeric portion for the nominal size.  Those could both be in the object-based Property Set, since the automatic property for the name would be derived for each instance anyway.