Drawing with Multiple Floor Plan Orientations

[AVieira12]

HI! I have been googling and trying everything... here's my question:

Is there a way to change the default insertion of blocks and text? I have a floor plan that is U shaped, and am doing electrical layouts. The two wings need to be horizontal, but I don't want to (if I don't have to) have multiple files for the same single floor plan.

My steps I've used using Google:

1. DView>TWist>270 (or 0 or 180 depending on the wing)

This changes the view perfect for each the three angles I want to work on, but blocks and text are still inserted at the default 0 degrees and look rotated.

2. UCS-World

Doesn't seem to make a difference (I don't know if I use this correctly)

3. Change the direction in UNITS dialog

The objects are inserted as if it were the default 0 deg, but properties show a different angle, say, 270. Then if I change the properties to 0, it looks exactly as I want it, text and attributes and all.

Is there a way to skip the step where I have to change the rotation in properties? Is there something else I should be doing or should I just give up and make several dwgs with rotated backgrounds and matchlines (ugh)?

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> Is there a way to skip the step where I have

>> to change the rotation in properties? 

You can create a textstyle that is annotative and select "Match text orientation to layout"

Some input about annotative objects: >>>click<<<

- alfred -

[AVieira12]

Thank you! When I select this option in the style manager, it doesn't affect the blocks or new text in modelspace. Our blocks and text styles are all annotative and set per company standard. I have dynamic blocks with attributes using the same text style across the board. This option did make a difference in Paperspace though with a new viewport. I want to be able to do this automatically while I am working in the drawing in modelspace though. Blocks with attributes still come in at the "wrong" angle. 

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> When I select this option in the style manager, it doesn't

>> affect the blocks or new text in modelspace

Yes, it will only work for those text and attributes that were set to be annotative and have assigned this new text-stye.

>> Blocks with attributes still come in at the "wrong" angle.

Have these attributes assigned the new text-style?
If no please make sure they do (including command _ATTSYNC so edit's in the block defintion are transferred to the block insertions)

If yes then please upload a dwg-file with that block insertions and let us know which version of AutoCAD you are on.

- alfred -

[pendean]

You need to set PLAN to match your UCS orientation you are currently using for each side of your building, then TEXT a d DIMS and everything else will orient correctly without having to create odd special text styles that lean to one side or the other.

Try it.

[Bob_Zurunkle]

I just set up a viewport in a layout for one of my coworkers. Then I rotated it so his portion of the plan would orient horizontally/vertically. The image rotates with the viewport. My next step was to set my UCS to OB (for object) and touched one of the E-W lines so that x was east and y was north. I tested it by drawing a dimension up the left side, to make sure my text was oriented properly. Once I had my scale set and the viewport locked, I now tackled the problem of the viewport itself being at an angle. My solution was to draw a rectangle around the area I wanted him to see, and used VPCLIP to clip the boundaries of the viewport to the new rectangle.

Now he can insert blocks and dimension etc by working through the viewport. Imagine having viewport setups just for those off-angled portions of buildings, each with its own UCS!

[AVieira12]

I just updated the current text style to do so, does it only work with a NEW text style? If I create a new text style, I would have to change hundreds of blocks to use this new style. Don't want to have to do that. I had done attsync. 

I am using AutoCAD 2018 V. O.161.0.0 2018 1.2 Update, I can't post the blocks or dwgs due to company policy, unfortunately.

[AVieira12]

Hi all, seems there may not be a solution that I am looking for. I do not want to work in paperspace, I have device placements and attributes with those devices that I need to apply through model space, we have a process where all the information we put in the drwing is pulled out and we can use it for our excel spreadsheets.

My workaround is to just have 3 copies of the xref background, one for each section, xclip the 3 sections and rotate the two wings, lock the backgrounds and just work as I would normally. 

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> I just updated the current text style to do so, does

>> it only work with a NEW text style?

No, you can also change an existing text-style, but you should make sure that this text-style is only used for these objects, and not for others too.

Then it depends ... do you have text objects or attributes within blocks, this decides the next steps to go.

>> I can't post the blocks or dwgs due to company policy,

Understood, but then I can't see what you have, what you need to change to get this workflow finished.

You might create a sample-dwg with just a few objects (to get a similar situation as in your own project drawings) that you can upload and so making it possible to describe step-by-step or create a video.

- alfred -

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> I do not want to work in paperspace,

You are not working with layouts?

Well, then you can not use a lot of techniques, I'm out then.

- alfred -

[AVieira12]

We have paperspace layouts reserved for titleblocks and sheet notes, etc. All other work is done in modelspace. Is this not standard? Asking genuinely... always trying to learn. 

Our blocks and text style are annotative and adapt to the drawing scale. I will use 3 layout tabs for this drawing, say E101A, E101B, E101C... one sheet for each section/wing. What I was looking for was being able to keep the entire background in modelspace in one piece, no clipping or extra rotating, so that information can easily flow to/from each section but also can be viewed as a whole. I'm not sure I am being realistic! Just hopeful... maybe naive. 

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> We have paperspace layouts reserved for titleblocks and sheet

>> notes, etc. All other work is done in modelspace

OK, then you can follow my workflow using annotation, start with a text (in modelspace), make it annotative for your scales and assign it a style that has set the automatic layout rotation.

Then change to a layout and rotate the view ... you'll see after _REGEN the text will stay horizontal.

>> Our blocks and text style are annotative and adapt to the

>> drawing scale.

And is there any text style that has the flag for rotate parallel to paperspace set?

- alfred -

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

please find attached a dwg-file that shows you:

• text in different rotated viewport views
• blocks with attributes which are always horizontal, independent of the view rotation and block rotation.

- alfred -

[AVieira12]

Beautiful... this works perfectly. I'm having issue with our premade blocks though. I used your drawing and created a new block with text and attributes using your text style and it worked (this is the L Block)! Then I brought in one of our premade generic blocks (and removed some attributes and other info but thats all) and changed the text styles to yours, attsync... I tried redefining the block to also match orientation to layout but it keeps resetting to No... Any clue?

The new block is the hexagon with L, and premade is the square T.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

just to make sure, you want the block to be rotated parallel to paperspace-X or just one attribute within the block?

Your "L"-block rotates itself, not just attributes ... that's different to what I did with my block.

- alfred -

[AVieira12]

Yes, I am also looking for the block to orientate as well as the attributes and text associated with it, much like my L block did so as to keep the shape at 0deg no matter what..

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> block to orientate as well as the attributes

Well, sorry to say, but your blocks have dynamic content, and from what I see these types of dynamics blocks the block-definition to be set to automatically rotate to paperspace-X

This switch can't be set to "Yes" as long as you have dynamics inside the block. At least I don't get both together working, rotation to paperspace-X as well as having dynamics inside the block definition.

Sorry, - alfred -

[AVieira12]

Ah that is what I figured... Thank you for taking the time... I appreciate all your help!