Elevation Views to Layout - Render type

[Chrisb222]

41 minutes ago, Kbird1 said:

Thanks for the Info David , I'll have to play with Shadows and changing the Colours , may just have to remember to take a few Colour Views before changing stuff and add them as Images instead.

 

You can get grayscale (or color) vector views in Layout without changing the model by checking Plot Lines, color fill unchecked, and then check "Use Edge Line Defaults" and "Use Pattern Line Defaults" in the Send to Layout DBX. You can also use shadows with this technique.

 

This will preserve your color settings for other Vector views, AND give you some limited control over pattern end edge lines' thickness and color, independent of the model.

[Kbird1]

20 minutes ago, Chrisb222 said:

 

You can get grayscale vector views in Layout without changing the model by checking Plot Lines, color fill unchecked, and then check "Use Edge Line Defaults" and "Use Pattern Line Defaults" in the Send to Layout DBX. You can also use shadows with this technique.

 

This will preserve your color settings for other Vector views, AND give you some limited control over pattern end edge lines' thickness and color, independent of the model.

 

Thanks for the Info Chris , I'll have to play around with both ideas , and see what I like best as having a "pretty" set of Condocs to look at on the Computer may not work so well OnSite where dark crisp lines maybe better especially when you need to Scale stuff off.

 

M.

 

[DavidJames]

35 minutes ago, Chrisb222 said:

 

You can get grayscale (or color) vector views in Layout without changing the model by checking Plot Lines, color fill unchecked, and then check "Use Edge Line Defaults" and "Use Pattern Line Defaults" in the Send to Layout DBX. You can also use shadows with this technique.

 

This will preserve your color settings for other Vector views, AND give you some limited control over pattern end edge lines' thickness and color, independent of the model.

The only thing with this option is that I prefer to have a color fill (gray) for the glass in the windows & doors. Unless I'm mistaken, this option doesn't allow that and the glass will just appear as white. 

[Chrisb222]

3 minutes ago, Kbird1 said:

Thanks for the Info Chris , I'll have to play around with both ideas , and see what I like best as having a "pretty" set of Condocs to look at on the Computer may not work so well OnSite where dark crisp lines maybe better especially when you need to Scale stuff off.

 

M.

 

I use this method as a quick easy way to make pattern lines gray, keeping the edge lines black, and apply global line weights to both. All without changing the colors in the model. Shadows work too but I usually don't show them on CDs. With this method I can get close to what James does and still have colors in my 3-D vector views, which I like.

 

Everything looks dark, crisp and clean on printed CDs, I only use gray for the pattern lines.

 

I asked James about his method killing colors in other vector views because I didn't want that. The advantage to his method is it gives you much more control over line colors and weights of individual objects. As you can see in his pic, he also has a gray fill on his foundation walls, gray fills in window panes. My method won't allow that. I was thinking about going to that system but I don't want to lose colors in the model, or have two models of the same project.

[Chrisb222]

3 minutes ago, DavidJames said:

The only thing with this option is that I prefer to have a color fill (gray) for the glass in the windows & doors. Unless I'm mistaken, this option doesn't allow that and the glass will just appear as white. 

 

Correct. It seems that, for now the choices are one model that retains its colors in Vector views but can have limited edge and pattern line colors and weights in Layout, or a grayscale model in vector views with full control over the Layout view, or two models.

 

Pick yer poison! 

[Kbird1]

7 minutes ago, DavidJames said:

The only thing with this option is that I prefer to have a color fill (gray) for the glass in the windows & doors. Unless I'm mistaken, this option doesn't allow that and the glass will just appear as white. 

 

How are you "applying the grey" to the Windows ? manually ? 

 

does changing the Pattern Colour to Grey for STD Glass and using Opaque Windows in Vector View not Work with this technique?

 

I assumed the foundation grey Fill was a semi transparent Grey CAD box.

 

 

[DavidJames]

I'm just using the "Adjust Material Definition" tool, clicking on the glass of one window, changing the material color to gray and then changing the shading contrast to 0. 

This will effectively change all glass to inherit the gray fill. 

 

[Kbird1]

9 minutes ago, DavidJames said:

I'm just using the "Adjust Material Definition" tool, clicking on the glass of one window, changing the material color to gray and then changing the shading contrast to 0. 

This will effectively change all glass to inherit the gray fill. 

 

 

Yep that would change it for the Whole Plan or anywhere Standard Glass was used , so I think my Idea above would work then , as it could also be set in the Plan defaults as the Default Glass even in a Template Plan file too once save to your Library.  just need Opaque Windows ON in Vector Views then.

 

Or maybe I am missing something?

 

M.

[DavidJames]

4 minutes ago, Kbird1 said:

 

Yep that would change it for the Whole Plan or anywhere Standard Glass was used , so I think my Idea above would work then , as it could also be set in the Plan defaults as the Default Glass even in a Template Plan file too once save to your Library.  just need Opaque Windows ON in Vector Views then.

 

Or maybe I am missing something?

 

M.

Yes, I believe that this would work  

[Chrisb222]

18 hours ago, Chrisb222 said:

You can get grayscale (or color) vector views in Layout without changing the model by checking Plot Lines, color fill unchecked, and then check "Use Edge Line Defaults" and "Use Pattern Line Defaults" in the Send to Layout DBX. You can also use shadows with this technique.

 

This will preserve your color settings for other Vector views, AND give you some limited control over pattern end edge lines' thickness and color, independent of the model.

 

I want to elaborate on this technique a little in case someone wants to use it. The descriptions in this thread are a little vague.

 

When you send a vector view to layout and choose Plot Lines, you get the option to check "Use Edge Line Defaults" and "Use Pattern Line Defaults." These are only available for vector views > plot lines.

 

Chief has these unchecked by default, and actually discourages using them. Help says they're only there for legacy files. I don't know why they're discouraged because I find them very useful.

 

When sending the view to layout, these check boxes only allow you to specify the line weight. But once in layout you can select the view, click Open Object, and there control the thickness and also the color of the lines.

 

By default, when these are unchecked Chief will use the line, color, and fill information in the plan file's Layer settings and the model's Material Definitions to create the layout view. You can get a lot more control using these methods, but it might change your model in ways you don't want, and it can take time to set up.

 

Finally, if you don't check these boxes when sending the view, you won't have this control in the layout page. To get the control you have to check the boxes when sending the view. The boxes can be checked after sending, in the layout, but they won't do anything. You will however still be able to switch to Live View whether you check them or not.

 

The defaults above make quick work of having simple control of edge and pattern lines in Layout vector views.

[Rpadge]

23 hours ago, joey_martin said:

B/W plot lines with my patterns aet to a gray that I like. Gives me the look I like.

 

Thats the look I am trying to get Joey, I can't seem to figure out how to get the patterns to show as a light gray.

 

[Rpadge]

This has been a useful post. I think I figured out my problem, under Preferences : Appreance : Color Off has to be set to Grayscale.

[Kbird1]

1 hour ago, Chrisb222 said:

I want to elaborate on this technique a little in case someone wants to use it. The descriptions in this thread are a little vague.

 

Thanks for that info Chris , much appreciated , I had not noticed the ability to change line Colours this way , so good to know.

 

M.

[CJSpud]

David ... or anyone:

 

If I want to use shadows on my elevations, is there a setting somewhere where I can change the color of the shadows from a darker gray color to a lighter one?  I thought there was a place to do that but haven't been able to locate it.  I'd like to try using shadows but with a shadow lighter than what you are showing in your elevation example.  Thanks.

[Kbird1]

6 minutes ago, CJSpud said:

David ... or anyone:

 

If I want to use shadows on my elevations, is there a setting somewhere where I can change the color of the shadows from a darker gray color to a lighter one?  I thought there was a place to do that but haven't been able to locate it.  I'd like to try using shadows but with a shadow lighter than what you are showing in your elevation example.  Thanks.

 

Try the Shading % in the Vector View Techniques DBX , i think default is 50% but I use 30% normally if using Shadows....

 

M.

[DavidJames]

[CJSpud]

Thanks ... you both nailed it.  That works.

[CJSpud]

Another question:  What line weights are you using for the edge lines and the pattern lines?  I am using 35 and 10 right now.  Just curious what others like to use.

[Chrisb222]

6 minutes ago, CJSpud said:

Another question:  What line weights are you using for the edge lines and the pattern lines?  I am using 35 and 10 right now.  Just curious what others like to use.

 

Personally I use 30 and 10, with 75% brightness on patterns.

[DavidJames]

35 for windows, doors & trim. 

120 for terrain.

10 for everything else. 

[CJSpud]

Is the brightness you are talking about the emissive setting for individual materials setting? 

[Chrisb222]

3 minutes ago, CJSpud said:

Is the brightness you are talking about the emissive setting for individual materials setting? 

 

If you're asking me, I was talking about the pattern line color I use, set in the Layout Box Spec DBX using the Edge and Pattern Line Defaults method I described. On a Mac it gives Grayscale as a percentage of brightness.

 

 

Those Edge and Pattern line defaults are global settings, by the way. Everything in that layout view will respect those settings.

 

David's response directly above yours is using a different method, and he has more control over individual objects.

[CJSpud]

Thanks .... for my PC I just go to the color chart and pick the shade of gray I want.

[CJSpud]

Thanks David.

[robdyck]

On 1/31/2019 at 8:03 AM, Rpadge said:

 

Thats the look I am trying to get Joey, I can't seem to figure out how to get the patterns to show as a light gray.

 

Robert, it didn't look like anyone got back to you on this, but typically you'd control this using the material definition. In elevation view, just use the 'rainbow' tool (Adjust Material Definition) and there you'll be able to find the pattern color and line weight options.