HumbleChief

Wow, really don't understand that scale macro.

I get some really bizarre behavior and can't spend any more time right now but here's what I get when I create a text box and insert %view.name% %scale%. This is after I got 53/194 in = 1 ft. Seems to work with Rich Text hmmm. Fail again. One says 1/4" good the other says 1/8" sigh

Nice Joe. What about Floor Plan Views? They can use a Layout Label no? Perhaps no macro, but label text correct? Follow up - When I specify %view.name% no label shows up. When I choose automatic label I get the project browser name.

Thanks P.

Another question; How do you label your Layout Views; with Layout Labels? Or custom, separate Text?

Thanks for the video Scott. I think you guys might be arguing the semantics of 'one fell swoop' and actually describing the same technique. All good stuff you guys appreciate the tips and comments.

Like first stated in the OP there's many ways to skin this cat and I think Bernie has described a similar method to what I've been using for far too long. It all works and we'll each develop our own methods but there are faster ways to use templates, the SAM etc. Why would you resend an elevation when you just don't have to? Why would you re-link all, page by page when the Layout can include all the relevant text, changed when needed with Anno Sets? Really just need to re-link the plan file and detail file if you choose. What I found in my own work flow was that I was doing many similar things and I think once we get into a routine there is much, much, good to be said about that routine but I recognized I was doing things over and over that didn't need to be done over and over. For me changing one's routine is not easy, and justifying it to ourselves is even easier but for me it's time for a change and I've literally been working every day trying to catch up until recently. Now with a little breather I'm trying to be all ears (eyes) and see what I might be missing. For example I'm intrigued by Bernie's external text file technique described above and will look into it to see if makes things better faster in my work flow. May integrate Joe's macros soon but it's Monday and time to get crackin'.

It won't work without your snaps turned on.

I'm pretty sure Chief does indeed want things in the same folder and will warn if the Layout or Plan is in a different folder. The only thing that seems tricky to me is that when doing a 'Save As' for a plan it looks like that new plan name is now referenced in the Layout and even shows up in all the Layout pages as if it has been 'replaced' or 're-referenced' but that reference is only temporary and goes away when you close and re-open the file, unless you actually reference the new file name. I think Perry hit on the most important warning from Chief re: Saving As old plans and it has to do with a newer version of Chief. If you bring an older plan and save as into the new version it might cause problems. I've never seen any of those problems and personally will choose either a template or the SAM despite those warnings.

Thanks Scott, Same here, just never saw a reference to the actual transformation of the As Built into the Proposed and how that interacted within the Layout. I think the system I've described above (video too) will work fine. I finally have some free time and have a couple new jobs coming up next week and will certainly try it out. Thanks so much for your helpful videos.

Appreciate your patience and find it a bit uncomfortable posting these simple questions but am struggling a bit. Just reviewed a SAM versus template video (Scott) and noticed for the first time each method appears to only have one plan in it. For the remodels I do I almost always have two plan files. An 'as built' or 'existing' plan and a 'proposed' plan. Let's say I have a Layout template with a Plan template referenced within that Layout. (Will probably use a modified SAM eventually but for now I've got a couple templates) It's all set and ready to go. The elevations, sections, foundation, framing plan etc. are all pulled from the Plan template and sent to a Layout Page. Got a new job. I go and measure a very simple 1500 SF older home in the San Diego suburbs. Arrive home and it's time to draw the new job. I click 'New Layout' and my Layout template pops up and I 'Save As' a file in the new Smith folder and call it 'Smith 24 x 36 Layout'. I then go to the plan template file that's in the Layout double click to open it and Save As back to the Smith folder as 'As Built 1'. Now all my elevations, sections, everything is being pulled from the As Built 1 plan. Still in my Layout working on the As Built. I finish the As Built model, all is good. I 'Save As' the As Built and call it 'Smith Proposed 1. Now all the sections, elevations etc. are being pulled from 'Smith Proposed 1'. The As Built plan no longer is visible in the Layout but is still referenced. If I close the Layout now and re-open the Proposed Plan is no longer visible because I didn't change the reference from the As Built to the Proposed. A little strange but can be dealt with. So now I've completed the proposed plan everyone is happy and sending me checks. The Layout shows all of the Proposed Plan's sections, elevations etc. and it looks pretty good. But, there's no longer an As Built plan. Neither referenced nor visible in the Layout. Simple enough to open the original Smith As Built floor plan and send it to Layout but there's no references to any elevations, sections etc. That's usually OK because the proposed sections and elevation can usually suffice to show smaller additions but there have been a couple times where the As Built Elevations were a must for plan check and clarity. I haven't seen or noticed two plan sets in the SAM or template methods and just wondered how it's handled with either method? Is the As Built (existing) sent to Layout separately? After the proposed is complete? If a user wants to pull elevations, sections etc. from the as built then that seems to be a separate, independent, operation - true? Hit stop instead of pause. 2ND Vid below

I never knew there was such a thing as ANNO Sets in Layout - Sheesh - it only took a few minutes to set up each builder Anno Set now I want to set up City and County Anno Sets.

I remember this being true as well but can't see any real difference now as compared to a previous version.

I think I'm seeing the wisdom here Perry. Let's say I have a special case Anno Set I feel like setting for a unique situation. That Anno Set (plus every other unique Anno Set) persists through every plan using the SAM but using a template that Anno Set never shows up again for future plans. It might be hard to imagine but I don't really mind having a bunch of Anno Sets around and I know my way around my set up, which should be easy to imagine, quite well. It might be junk but hey it's my junk

Got to take advantage of that. Are you still the SAM Scott? Or have you switched because of Chief's warning re:SAM?

My layers etc. have built up over time for special cases and haven't cleaned them up for a while and of course you couldn't make any sense of them nor could I make any sense of yours but I hope that's not the point of this thread. Perry, Can I assume you use a 'Plan' template as well as a 'Layout' template? And I'm guessing they both live inside, and referenced to your Layout file? And every once and a while both are updated to reflect any setting layers etc. you see need changing? Which will use the SAM method but very sparingly.

Another question/observation. Once the Layout template is polished why would one use a template 'plan'? It seems like you could start with a template plan to create all your new plans from but then the best you can do is associate that plan file within the Layout file and I don't think everything, like elevations, will update because the elevations refer to the previous plan file. On the other hand if you take the plan in your Layout Template and do a Save As, then re-associate that file(s) everything updates. Am I missing something there? Can't see a reason to use a template plan and no down side to using the SAM in this case.

Worked perfectly of course. My Layout Template was probably 85% there but these last couple changes have brought it up to date.

Thanks Perry, I'll most likely use something just like that, either move them around or delete them. You also work for different builders correct? And use their logo on their Layout as well? Do you keep a separate Layout for each or turn on/off Layers in a single Layout to show their logo and information. I like that second idea, I'm going to set that up and see if it will work.

Aha...removing the number # symbol from Label Field answers the question but I think moving them to the end of the plan for later use will be more useful as they won't be in the way when moving from page to page within the Layout. Still evolving.

I do mostly remodels and am creating a new Layout template and have a couple of pages that will be used only for plans that require them i.e. second floor existing and second floor proposed pages only for, yes, plans that have a second floor. I am using the auto page numbering symbol # in the Label field of the Layout Page Information dbx and everything auto numbers fine but let's say I have a page 3 titled 'First floor existing' and a page 4 titled 'Second floor existing' but it's only a single story house. I choose to not send the Second floor existing page 4 to the Layout Table because it won't be used on this one story house but now the table jumps numbers from 3 to 5. Logical, because page 4 is not being sent to the Layout. Question. Is there a way to get the pages to stay in sequence even with a page not being sent to the Layout Table? In other words if I choose not to send page 4 I would like page 5 to be renumbered to page 4 since page 4 is not being sent to the Layout table. Is there a way to do this?

There is a difference, in theory, between using a template versus using the latest plan and editing it but those differences fade when the template needs updating. The difference is that a template can be used to create a new plan from over and over again. A template really doesn't need to be changed - ever. It can be used as the starting place for every new plan. It would be silly not to change it/update it occasionally but it doesn't have to change every time a new plan is created. Using the Save As Method the plan is updated/changed with every new plan, every time. I haven't had a template that I can use reliably because I'm constantly changing my Layers etc. and I have quite a few plans that have been in the works for weeks which contain all sorts of outdated Layers etc. I've discovered the biggest error I've been making is that I've been using a version the SAM with my plans independent of the Layout, then referencing that new plan in the Layout. Instead of opening the last Layout (or Layout template) and creating the new plan from a view port there. I think I'll experiment a little this weekend and see if I can discover a system that works better.

Again, nice to have your energy here on the forum David. I learn a little something with each of your videos.

Here's a question I have about new plans/layouts. Is it necessary/wise to begin a new Plan in the Layout so all the associations remain? I ask because I've been using an old plan to begin a new plan and then trying to associate that file within the Layout but the elevations and camera views are all a function of the previous plan so they need to be re-done, kind of defeating the purpose of using an old plan/layout to create a new one. Just drifting a little looking for some clarity.

I've never had a plan or Layout get too big from using 'save as' but the reason stated above, (even 'empty' files can get really large) was the reason given at the UGM. They showed, or told the story of a plan file with no walls, floors, roofs etc. yet was still very large and was giving the user a lot of problems. Therefore they recommended not using that method for new files. Still not getting it as a valid warning from my experience. I think for me personally I'll have to spend some during a weekend and develop a strategy that works for me, and, for now, not pay attention to Chief's warning about the Save As Method simply because I cannot make real sense of it or see any real down side to it..