Multiple Houses with one plan file?

[ACADuser]

I have to produce 6 plans with addresses on all sheets. There are 3 elevation variations that change the front & side elevation views.
I was hoping to have one PLAN file & maybe 6 LAYOUT files. The idea is to one base plan that all modifications would happen & update all houses.
Wish there was a way to maintain only one LAYOUT file also.

Need to address the 3 elevations in the plan file.

Anyone come up with a good strategy for this situation?

[chief58]

If I am reading you correctly I would do the first plan save that one, then save the second one to a different name make those changes, and save the one that is easiest to change making the third plan in a different name, from there you can send each elevation to the one layout sheet with the different names that you have chosen

[ACADuser]

Hoping to avoid multiple PLAN files.

[stephanswim]

Transform/Replicate & move the plan 6 times, then change the individual walls in each plan as needed to alter the elevations, then send them to layout, cropping each image as needed.

 

You can arrange the plans any way you like: all side by side or 2 columns X 3 rows, or 3 columns X 2 rows. Done

[Chopsaw]

Stephan,   Sounds like a great solution but I am curious as to what type of computer system you are running that would allow you to be able to do that with Chief.  I am not so sure my system would handle it unless I was extremely careful with the included items in the plan and materials used.  Assuming Alan's system performance would be quite similar to mine.

[johnny]

4 hours ago, ACADuser said:

I have to produce 6 plans with addresses on all sheets. There are 3 elevation variations that change the front & side elevation views.
I was hoping to have one PLAN file & maybe 6 LAYOUT files. The idea is to one base plan that all modifications would happen & update all houses.
Wish there was a way to maintain only one LAYOUT file also.

Need to address the 3 elevations in the plan file.

Anyone come up with a good strategy for this situation?

 

There are so many reasons why you don't want to have a single plan file with all homes contained therein.  I also don't see any efficiency gains by that approach.  Meaning, since you have to update all 3 plans within the file (different elevations), then how does this save any time over independent plan files but 1 Layout file?

 

There is actually a huge benefit by having different plan files.  If there is a change to the plan that needs to be updated across the other 3 elevation versions, you can simply copy/paste into place the changes.  If they were in the same plan file that wouldn't work.

 

I do this type of work all the time, and its actually fairly efficient keeping separate plan files and 1 Layout file.

[stephanswim]

Chop saw, I never actually did this with as many as 6 different plans, but did something like this with 2 alternate plans, using a system presumably less robust than yours. I think I was using X7 or X8 at the time. So I really don't know if it would work with 6 plans. I do know that it would involve a lot of scrolling around to navigate among all the houses, and I would probably get lost! I agree with Johnny that it seems to make more sense to use different plan files, and it isn't real clear why ACADuser needs to have just a single plan file.  Always get something out of your posts, Chopsaw - thanks

[ACADuser]

Thanks for the valuable opinion's.

These are very small houses, one story with a one car garage & no back porch.
As I said there are 3 elevations now. There may be a need for a reversed plan as well.
I think I could manage 3 houses of this size in a plan and maybe 6 would not be too hard on performance.
The elevation changes are varied porch column types & Gable vs a Hip roof and minor embellishment's.
I prefer one base model so I only deal with one electrical, plumbing & framing plan. Well maybe 2 framing plans.
With a single (primary) plan I could make changes to doors, interior walls, cabinets & switches without the "paste in place" into other plans.
There always seems to be clean up. With 6 plans it is tedious work but manageable.

I was thinking of 3 or 4 houses in one plan file & only one of them would be fully flushed out inside.
Using that one as the floor plan, foundation, plumbing & electrical layouts.
The reverse plan may require another complete house. The exterior elevations could be shell houses with no interior.
As for the Layout file, I have made 6 cover sheets in a "Cover sheet Layout File" and another layout for the regular plan sheets.
This worked OK on my 12 unit Townhouse project. But I would like the address to change on the shared layout sheets.

Thanks again for the ideas.

[lbuttery]

My personal preference would be a separate plan for each building

then make a symbol of each building and save in the library

 

then have a master plan where all the buildings are added - if needed

 

one layout can access all the separate building plans

 

Lew

[BrownTiger]

1) You can have more than one layout associated with a plan.

 

2) If only issue is with an address, it could be handled with the same layout, creating 6 different template pages each having different address.

 

2a) Other option is read address using a macro. Have 6 files address1.txt, address2.txt, etc. and the address.txt read by macro. Make a copy and rename for ex address3.txt into address.txt that is read by a macro prior to the opening of the layout.

 

2b) Other option my preference would be 3 plan files and one layout, store the address in a CAD detail and send it to the layout. Switch reference when needed. This will ensure that condocs are the same.

[glennw]

19 hours ago, stephanswim said:

So I really don't know if it would work with 6 plans. I do know that it would involve a lot of scrolling around to navigate among all the houses, and I would probably get lost!

 

This is a perfect example of when Plan Views tool could help.

And don't forget the Aerial View tool as well.

[joey_martin]

The problem will be, and it will happen, is that the builder asks you to reverse plan #2 in your string of 6. The effort to change that one floor plan, and the effects...if any..it will have on the other 5. Better off with a base plan, and then make your 5 copies (variations) and collect them all on one layout.

[ACADuser]

Yea, one plan file has other issues too, like managing TABLES for door, windows & others.

One PLAN file is doable but the reversed plan would mean 2 complete interiors.

When I say complete interiors, I mean with interior walls but not furniture & decorating items.

 

[chief58]

Alan seems like you have a very intense project there you might just have to bit the bullet and draw your first plan to what one would be and save the rest of them to a different name and make the revisons for each as seen fit