Building Sections


johnny
 Share

Recommended Posts

24 minutes ago, Chopsaw said:

I will try to post my recording of the workshop here next week when I have a few extra gigs of internet to use up.

 

Thanks to Scott for hosting and all those great questions that were answered.

Thanks Chop (as well as Scott) for helping out.  Very appreciative of your guys' time.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is the recorded Workshop Video :

 

 

My apologies for messing up my own audio again but I was asking near the end of the video for some contact information from a previous workshop and I was able to get that and may have an update for you soon.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi guys,

Sorry I missed the workshop, but thanks to Chopsaw, i just watched the video.

 

I was surprised to see that no one mentioned or used the Cross Section Lines layer.

When a cross section is generated, the cut lines are automatically placed on the Cross section Lines layer.

Try changing that layer to red in a cross section view and you will see what is happening.

These lines are dynamic, meaning they are updated with changes to the model.

By default, they are not selectable because it is a locked layer.

However, any of the cross section lines can be copied or moved to another layer and edited so that they can be used to alter the appearance of the cross section.

Once the lines are on another layer, they are safe from any auto editing or regeneration.

Well worth having a look at.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

55 minutes ago, glennw said:

Hi guys,

Sorry I missed the workshop, but thanks to Chopsaw, i just watched the video.

 

I was surprised to see that no one mentioned or used the Cross Section Lines layer.

When a cross section is generated, the cut lines are automatically placed on the Cross section Lines layer.

Try changing that layer to red in a cross section view and you will see what is happening.

These lines are dynamic, meaning they are updated with changes to the model.

By default, they are not selectable because it is a locked layer.

However, any of the cross section lines can be copied or moved to another layer and edited so that they can be used to alter the appearance of the cross section.

Once the lines are on another layer, they are safe from any auto editing or regeneration.

Well worth having a look at.

 

Thx for the input.  So I was just playing with this - how do I copy them if I can't select them?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since this workshop I was thinking more about sections and the issue between a simple, isolated back-clipped section vs a section that is designed to see the foreground items.  If you set the section to include foreground items there are so many elements in Chief that don't contain fills - so lines are crossing over each other and it reads incorrectly. 

 

A for instance is items like casing, moldings, and countertops that end up being unfilled objects.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another thing to be aware of is that opening indicators will display in a section through anything that has the ability to display opening indicators like windows, doors and cabinets.

It's not so obvious with a cabinet because the opening indicator is almost flush with the door.

It is more obvious with doors and windows.

New Image_245.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, glennw said:

Johny,

 

Unlock the layer.

 

Thank you - though an interesting other problem.  When I go to deselect viewing other layers except the cross section lines that layer becomes unused.  There is the dynamic aspect you mentioned.  Can I ask how you are getting the lines from that layer?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, glennw said:

Johnny,

Sorry, I got a bit lost with your post and don't quite follow what you mean.

Can you explain it again please.

 

Sorry....  that was confusing.

 

What I mean is that i'm looking to isolate the section cut lines on that layer, but when I set all the other layers to invisible then the dynamic aspect of the layer kicks in and so there is nothing left to cut lines through....ergo no lines.  

 

How are you isolating those lines?...or copying them?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Johnny,

You can't isolate the section lines on the Cross Section Lines layer.

They are deleted and auto regenerated when the model is changed

You need to move them to another layer.

 

Although I think I am still misunderstanding you.

Are you turning of the display of layers in the plan view or section view?

What do you want to end up with?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK Johnny,

I'm a bit slow on the uptake, but I think i know what you are talking about - finally!

Unlock the Cross Section Lines layer.

Drag a marquee around the whole cross section.

Only the cross section lines will select - not any objects.

Open the dbx and change their layer.

 

Or, if you do select an object, go back and try again with that object's layer locked, NOT hidden.

But you shouldn't need to do that.

 

And yes, if you turn off the display of the walls layer in the cross section view, they will not generate cross section lines - expected behavior and a good way to generate only the cross section lines you want to move to another layer.

 

The drag marquee for selecting section lines works the same way a drag marquee works to select all the Auto Detail polylines for editing or deletion.

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glenn,  Thanks for that.  I think Johnny will be quite happy to read that when he gets to work in the morning.  I think the manual would be worth reading if it had stuff like that in it.  Real bonus about the Auto Details. Thanks. Would have been great to have you at the Workshop.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glenn's explanation of "Section Lines" is spot on.  I set them in the Layer Set to be the line weight I want.  It's also notable that anything cut in section (Beams, Joists, Plates, Deck Boards, etc) can be connected by an arrow with a text block containing a macro to get automatic annotation.  Unfortunately, the Section Lines are only CAD Lines so they do not carry the same information but they can be edited to user defined layers and layer is an attribute that can be used to label the line.  A macro that returns the "layer" of the referenced object can be useful for annotation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I missed the meeting but I thought I would throw this out there.  I use two feed to the layout that are in exact alignments.  The front image is back clipped and the back image is not.  I can then control the ghosting effect of the distant outline of the other objects by changing the gray level.  It is fast and people seem to like the look.

dbg section.jpg

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, glennw said:

OK Johnny,

I'm a bit slow on the uptake, but I think i know what you are talking about - finally!

Unlock the Cross Section Lines layer.

Drag a marquee around the whole cross section.

Only the cross section lines will select - not any objects.

Open the dbx and change their layer.

 

Or, if you do select an object, go back and try again with that object's layer locked, NOT hidden.

But you shouldn't need to do that.

 

And yes, if you turn off the display of the walls layer in the cross section view, they will not generate cross section lines - expected behavior and a good way to generate only the cross section lines you want to move to another layer.

 

The drag marquee for selecting section lines works the same way a drag marquee works to select all the Auto Detail polylines for editing or deletion.

 

Perfect - thank you!

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