managing cad details in layout


Lighthouse
 Share

Recommended Posts

Summary of question- What is the best way to send many CAD details to layout so that the layout page does not slow down and become difficult to navigate?

 

I'm curious how other people hand this.  I import sections into CAD details and then add details in CAD.  I have a single CAD detail called "sections" that has all the building sections, so I can line them up, cut and paste similar components, etc.  So this ends up being a pretty dense CAD detail because it has a lot of sections in it.  I then send blow-ups of the sections to a detail page(s) on the layout.  I do this by zooming into a part of the CAD detail and send current screen to layout at 1 1/2" scale.  I then crop it on layout to the exact size using the layout border box.  In this way I have a "live" view of the CAD detail, so if I make any changes in the CAD detail they will automatically update to the layout.

 

The problem is my layout page is now very slow to navigate.  I think this is because it has many views of the same, very large CAD detail on it.  I've essentially created many little windows of the same large drawing on the layout.     I know I could create each of the details in its own CAD detail, instead of one large one, but I like having them all on the same CAD detail page for reference.  Is there a better way to do this? 

 

thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Joe_Carrick said:

I use individual CAD Details sent to layout from CAD Detail Windows in my "Detail Plans".  Since these details are not "Full Sections" there's no noticeable "slow down" of the Layout.

Joe, if they are individual CAD details, how are they linked to the sections?  Are these "generic" details that you keep in a file for all projects, or are they specific to a project?  I have found that it doesn't make sense to draw a detail independent of the section where it lives, because I want to make sure that the sections  are identical to the details.  If I develop a detail independent of the section, and then I change the section, I may forget to update the detail.  How do you handle that?  Also, I found that if the details live in the sections they are easier to find, as in CAD details I have to find them by name.  If I have 40 or 50 details, it's hard to give them distinct names (I guess you could put a callout in the section and just give it the callout name).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These are more generic than not.  If I need a new detail for a specific project I will either create a new one from scratch or copy/modify and existing detail.  I use Chief's OOB "CAD Block Template" as the basis for each of my "Detail Plans" and as I create and modify details I add them the "Named CAD Detail Windows".

I have a set of these "Detail Plans" for different types of details.  The "1st Floor Plan" is where I create and modify details which I then copy to CAD Detail Windows.

 

I don't rely on Sections very much as the basis of Details and I don't rely on them being "live".  IMO Chief basically creates accurate Sections - but not 100% correct.  I prefer to create the Details myself.

 

For full Wall Sections I do use portions of Live Camera Section views. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share