Alaskan_Son

If I am understanding correctly, it sounds like what you're after is maintaining page sequence between multiple layouts...Layout #1 has pages 1-60, Layout #2 has pages 61-100, etc. If this is correct, I would be curious as to why you're using separate layouts in the first place. Is there some reason you can't just include it all in a single layout? If my assumption is incorrect, can you perhaps clarify what you're trying to do? Maybe Glenn's guess is correct?

Okay. I just didn't read anything in Glenn's post suggesting that the point be included within the block. And I was actually envisioning a situation similar to what Rashid brought up where the desired insertion point is not associated with any of the lines in the block therefore you have nothing to snap to. You are correct that place point has some benefits, but you can use a point marker (or any other snappable item for that matter) for the same thing without including it in the block if you either place it after the the block is created or deselect it before reblocking, and it has the added benefit of easier relocation if the desired insertion point isn't related to any particular point within the block. To be clear about one thing... When you use Place Point like in Chief's video, the only unique thing that's happening is that the temporary point marker isn't being selected and included in the block (because its not possible)...nothing more than that. That's the reason you can still snap to it. Deselect the point marker before blocking (or just don't select it in the first place) and you have the exact same thing.

Thanks for taking the time to make a video Glenn. For all intents and purposes, entering coordinates isn't exactly the same thing as being able to drag a point marker around and snap it to things (or things to it). Anyway, still appreciate you taking the time. One quick note though for anyone who doesn't realize it. You don't need to actually add anything at all to your block to change the insertion point. All you have to do is click on any location where you want the insertion point to be. It's really that easy. Of course it helps if you have something to work with to originally set the point, but the insertion point can really be anywhere at all...even in blank space.

If you were to post the plan we could stop guessing and you'd probably have an answer within minutes.

In addition to Perry's suggestion, you can also consider using a text box with an arrow along with the blank line type...or, you could also manually move the automatically created labels over into your table. I'm not a macro master so there might be other macro methods as well but those are a couple that come to mind. Room finish shedule is probably a better idea though.

I fully understand how to use templates and do use them from time to time. I just choose not to. I really don't find it all that difficult or time consuming to start from scratch for much of what I do. Contrary to what some of you dedicated full house plan guys think, there are a lot of benefits to not using a template. Anyway Larry, you are the one having an issue and I was just suggesting that perhaps you need to relink individual views rather than the entire layout. It was just a thought.

Just select the view and then click on the little Relink tool in the edit toolbar. Not at my computer but if I remember correctly it looks like a couple of zeros overlapping each other.

I'm not sure I follow everything you guys are doing but it sounds overly complicated. The way I operate I usually find it faster and easier to create new layouts from scratch for the majority of what I do; however, when I do use a layout template I simply relink the as-built views to my as built plan, relink the demo views to my demo plan, and relink the proposed views to my proposed plan. Easy peasy. Are you perhaps trying to relink the entire layout instead of the individual boxes?

I don't think Glenn was suggesting the point be added to the block. It's just a good tool to help situate/locate your new insertion point. It's especially useful when your insertion point is outside your block or at some other location where you have nothing to snap to. In other words, the point is just used as a tool and then deleted. The problem with using Place Point instead of a Point Marker is that you can't select and move the Temporary Point to help properly position it like you can with a regular Point Marker.

Ya, I can see the added difficulty created by having to align the tapered column using a part that has no snaps. I had to leave the office and head to the job so I don't have time right now, but I'll try to make a quick video later. In the meantime... You are correct that a guide of some sort is basically necessary. Technically all you really need is to know the distance between the center of your column and the top outside edge of that taper and you can simply offset by hitting tab while dragging but I would personally probably use a guide as well. You could also use point to point move in a couple elevation views but that would also require stealing some snap points from a CAD Detail From View. Here is the method I would probably recommend that should work for even a complicated layout with a lot of jogs and offsets: 1. Figure out your offset dimension (4" in your case if I remember correctly). 2. Create a room polyline using your balcony/deck/porch/exterior room. 3. Hold down C and resize the polyline using one of the corner edit handles. Resize to make It smaller by the size of your offset. 4. Select your column and use Multiple Copy to drag out however many columns you want for any particular edge. 5. Group select your columns and Make Parallel/Perpendicular to the desired edge of the polyline you previously created. 6. Click Align/Distribute Along Line. Click the desired polyline edge and align centers and distribute centers to end points. NOTE: You could also manually place the corner posts, place copies between them and simply use the normal Align/Distribute tool. The whole thing should be pretty stinkin' quick. It could be even easier if it weren't for the offset issue you have to contend with. There are other methods as well, but I think that one might be the easiest and most flexible.

Can you guys not just use "working" layer sets? You can have any various layers turned on in those sets but turned off in the sets you send to layout. This way you don't have to worry about deleting anything if you don't want to.

C'mon Rich, stop beating around the bush. Tell us what you really think : )

In addition to checking the 3D warehouse try the bonus library titled "Image CAD Blocks" or better yet maybe..."3D Plants". You can also do a quick search of CAD trees and I'd venture to guess you'll find a bunch of online sources. I'm thinking the 3D Plants bonus catalog might be your best bet. In VECTOR VIEWS they look nicely generic and "sketchy" and work for both plan and elevation views...worth a look anyway. If the face counts start to cause you problems you can always create a CAD Detail from View and just steal (cut and paste) the 2D CAD for any given view(s).

No plan from either of you guys...Joe?...Ben?

Have you ever thought about simply TRYING it? I'm personally a little partial to the trace method, however CAD to Walls seems to work fine for me. I don't care for it, but it seems to do what it was made for.

Can you post that plan with a description of what you're trying to do? I'm relatively certain there's a 10 second method you're probably overlooking.

You should have no problem at all referencing several different plan files in a single layout. Many of us do it all the time.

Any chance you could attach at least a stripped down version of the plan Joe? I for one have never had that issue. Even when there is an alignment issue I never even get the message you're referring to.

...or you can just use the Material Painter.

For starters, read this... https://chieftalk.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?/topic/4095-guidelines-for-posting-on-the-suggestions-forum/ And try visiting here... https://support.chiefarchitect.com/home

Just to add a quick note here. You can control text for a lot of things via layer settings. A few that specifically come to mind... -CAD Lengths and Angles -Labels -Callouts -Any other dimension or text set to "Use Layer For Text Style"

You can skip steps 1 and 2 and you could potentially skip steps 4 and 5 as well. You could simply change the text style to an existing text style in whatever layer you're drawing on (Current CAD Layer).

Chopper, You don't actually have to go into your default settings at all. That Current CAD layer is simply showing whatever you have Current CAD Layer set to so all you really have to do is go directly to the desired layer and change it there. In other words, as soon as you change Current CAD Layer, those settings will change in your default settings.

I just got back to my computer. William beat me to it...sort of. Yes, those are controlled via your layer settings. To clarify though, you don't necessarily need to place them on a specific layer. That layer just needs to have the desired text defaults in the particular Layer SET that you are using. The same layer can have a different text style in each and every layer set if you want it to (i.e. you can switch layer sets and your text size can change with it).

Not at my computer but try Default Settings>CAD>General CAD.