CAD polyline in Material list

[peterttt]

Hello,

 

hopefully the last question for this week. I am making wiring plans, following the instruction here: https://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00934/creating-hvac-and-plumbing-runs.html

using polylines with custom line types, it is working quite good. I am at a point where I want to calculate the materials needed for the different types of wiring. The polylines does not show up in the material list since they are 2D objects and does not have Material as possible selection, which makes sense. Converting 2D poly lines to polylines solid or using straight polyline solids is quite a bit more clumsy to work with compared to regular polylines.

 

Thanks a bunch in advance.

 

Cheers,

Peter T

[glennw]

You could convert the cad lines to Molding Lines and assign a small, simple molding to them - like a cylinder.

The length of molding will report in the Material List.

[DzinEye]

Maybe you realize this already, but If you do get the molding polyline method to work, just know that whatever result you get will be very rudimentary, because it won't include wiring lengths in the Z direction.

[Chopsaw]

1 hour ago, DzinEye said:

Maybe you realize this already, but If you do get the molding polyline method to work, just know that whatever result you get will be very rudimentary, because it won't include wiring lengths in the Z direction.

 

Did you try a 3D Molding Line ?

[johnny]

4 hours ago, DzinEye said:

Maybe you realize this already, but If you do get the molding polyline method to work, just know that whatever result you get will be very rudimentary, because it won't include wiring lengths in the Z direction.

 

I'm trying to figure out what you mean, since if I reshape the polyline on the Z axis and run a material report on the object it calculates for the me the total (including Z)...?  You got me curious about this, but CA seems to calc that on my end.

 

You might mean that it doesn't automatically take that into consideration, but if you actually model the Z runs using the break tool it does work (thought also a bit of extra work).

 

____

Added: I just realized as Chopsaw mentioned i was using a 3D molding line.

[DzinEye]

8 hours ago, johnny said:

I'm trying to figure out what you mean, since if I reshape the polyline on the Z axis and run a material report on the object it calculates for the me the total (including Z)...?  You got me curious about this, but CA seems to calc that on my end.

 

You might mean that it doesn't automatically take that into consideration, but if you actually model the Z runs using the break tool it does work (thought also a bit of extra work).

Okay, sure yes, if you're actually going to model the wiring polylines in the Z direction as well, then it'll work.  I only did a quick glance at the link the OP provided and looked like a 2D drawing to me.  I can't imagine modeling every wire in 3D unless it's a small project, but have at it if it works for you.  I'd still add a healthy percentage of overage.