The question to the pros.

[Anonymous]

Hello everyone I recently came back to drawing in Autocad after 15 years of doing something else. Around 2008 when I was using last Autocad I was trying to get a job in London so I decided to make a little portfolio out of nothing I mean I drew few plans and elevations of my own projects that did not realise in anywhere apart from my imagination. the style of drawing I have is that if I have to make a project of the house I will start everything in 3D using solids and after will have one complete object that I will view from different sides and this is how I will make my elevations and will hang dimensions afterwards, I spend ages doing this 3D model and to work on visual sides of elevations is also impossible as the drawing is not supported by 2D visual effects commands so basically only advantage I have is to position my 3D object in perspective and make an impression that looks nice and that all. my mate who is only using 2D when drawing projects is telling me that this is nuts and that nobody is drawing Architectural projects like this wasting a vast amount of time doing 3D, partially and more than partially I understand where is he coming from when saying that. What I like to ask the pros is that what do you think about which way is right and is there any compromise between these two ways of doing the project? Is there any command in Autocad (because I haven't touch it for a long time) that will simply take a screenshot of the object drawn in 3D from any straight view for example Top view or Left or Right view and will transfer it in 2D to make it easier for a drafter to use visual effects of 2D and to present an elevation in the same way as it was drawn in 2D. Maybe my imagination is running wild when even suggesting this I would love to hear your opinions. thanks. 

[Kent1Cooper · Accepted solution]

Have you tried the FLATTEN command? [In a copy  of the drawing, just in case.]

[Anonymous]

I will definitely try thanks. ) 

[RobDraw · Accepted solution]

There are definitely other software programs that would help you generate your model immensely but you should be able to get the views that you want with vanilla AutoCAD.

Have a look at the view tab on the ribbon and go to the panel called appearance. 

[timothy_crouse · Accepted solution]

Yea that is a bit of a slow way to bring a project to life.  It would be fine for small things like say the outside skin of a device, eg a radio.  But even now there are much better ways to do 3D work.

1.  Flatshot will be your friend if you continue down the path you are on.  It is how you create 2D images from 3D objects through a viewport.  Setup the view you want then run the snapshot command, be sure to toggle the tangent lines or obstructed lines as you see fit to meet your requirement.

I am assuming you are referring to construction projects, and for that type of work, there is no beating the speed of REVIT once you have mastered the program workflow.  You are basically drawing in 3D on a 2D plane.  This gives you all the plan views you need to build along with all the cool shots you are trying to present in your current workflow.

A compromise may be to use google sketch or Adesk Fusion to create the 3D shots you want and to do the heavy lifting in ACAD.  You can create some nice overlays using this technique, eg presenting 3D facilities over google earth imagery.

If you are staying in native   ACAD I would move away from doing everything in 3D and only make the money shots in a 3D format.  It will make the performance of the drawing much faster too.  Drawings tend to get a bit laggy with numerous 3D solids.

And finally,  budget, who is going to want to pay for you to create everything in 3D solids when your co-worker can create the same drawing in much less time.  And if you are an independent contractor why would you spend your time making things your not getting paid for?  Your job would be to get paid for what makes it onto the paper.

Here is an oldie but a goldie, again if you are staying native ACAD and you have access to old tool suites look for ACAD 2014 and Robert McNeels FACADE,  That blew the doors wide open for 3D construction.  You could work just as fast if not faster.  Anyways I digress :).

Parting Wisdom would be to learn to determine what is worth your time, do you really want to waste time on things nobody will ever see?

Hope this gives you some food for thought

Best Regards

-Tim C.

[Anonymous]

Thank you, Timothy, you opened my eyes like goggle sunglasses put on the cricket player. there is lots of information and I will take everything on board. thanks again.

[Anonymous]

Thank you Rob I will check it definitely. Thanks again.