Best way to center on things between reference layers

[PMMully]

I put together this test plan to find out the best way to center an object, or more specifically a room on a second floor over a point on a floor below. Sometimes that point may be in the center, others over a place on the floor below. I did some extensive research on this forum, google, and the reference guide, and I am looking to see if I am missing anything.

 

What I found so far us by using the reference display and the control of it, I can use reference markers/points and construction lines on the floor below, which and allowed them to display to the floor above via the reference display control. All of it works fine which the exception of the construction lines that appear to be mutable on any layer, so they can be moved if you are not careful, yes, you can lock them, put them on a layer, whatever. But I also found if I allow walls-normal to show through the reference set, you can center on the room without the markers, so that is nice because you do not need the markers in that use case. 

 

But I consider the reference markers/points to be the most versatile and effective as they serve well to place points of interest anywhere that can be used to center objects on from the floors above. Plan it attached.ReferenceLayerLocationAnchors.plan

 

Am I missing any better techniques? Thanks in advance.

ReferenceLayerLocationAnchors.plan

[rgardner]

1 hour ago, PMMully said:

I put together this test plan to find out the best way to center an object, or more specifically a room on a second floor over a point on a floor below. Sometimes that point may be in the center, others over a place on the floor below. I did some extensive research on this forum, google, and the reference guide, and I am looking to see if I am missing anything.

 

What I found so far us by using the reference display and the control of it, I can use reference markers/points and construction lines on the floor below, which and allowed them to display to the floor above via the reference display control. All of it works fine which the exception of the construction lines that appear to be mutable on any layer, so they can be moved if you are not careful, yes, you can lock them, put them on a layer, whatever. But I also found if I allow walls-normal to show through the reference set, you can center on the room without the markers, so that is nice because you do not need the markers in that use case. 

 

But I consider the reference markers/points to be the most versatile and effective as they serve well to place points of interest anywhere that can be used to center objects on from the floors above. Plan it attached.ReferenceLayerLocationAnchors.plan

 

Am I missing any better techniques? Thanks in advance.

ReferenceLayerLocationAnchors.plan 3.97 MB · 1 download

Select the center tool and look at the options that pop up in the edit toolbar with that tool active.  Alternatively select the tool and hit F1 for a read about the different center modes.

[PMMully]

2 hours ago, rgardner said:

Select the center tool and look at the options that pop up in the edit toolbar with that tool active.  Alternatively select the tool and hit F1 for a read about the different center modes.

I did try the center modes alone and I could not get the center tool to focus correctly without me modifying what was accessible in the reference display, meaning I could not get the center tool to focus on what was actually in the floor below. That is what caused me to look further.

 

Still not right?

[rgardner]

2 hours ago, PMMully said:

I did try the center modes alone and I could not get the center tool to focus correctly without me modifying what was accessible in the reference display, meaning I could not get the center tool to focus on what was actually in the floor below. That is what caused me to look further.

 

Still not right?

One of the center modes allows you to click on two snap abled points and it will center between those two points.

[glennw]

There are many ways this can be done.

 

Here is one that is simple and works fairly well.

Toggle Midpoint Snaps on.

Select the marker.

Select Centre Object from the Edit toolbar.

Select Point To Point Centre form the Edit toolbar.

Snap point A to the centre of one wall.

Snap point B to the centre of the wall opposite.

Chief will generate a couple of Points.

Snap to the point in the centre of the room.

 

Easier to do than it sounds.

 

Another way is to use Snap Midpoint along with Perpendicular Extensions but that method can get a bit squirrelly.

[PMMully]

Ok, looks like I have some more learning to do. Just so I am clear, the methods you
 are suggesting @rgardner and @glennw are working with multi-floor and the reference display?

[rgardner]

46 minutes ago, PMMully said:

Ok, looks like I have some more learning to do. Just so I am clear, the methods you
 are suggesting @rgardner and @glennw are working with multi-floor and the reference display?

 

15 hours ago, rgardner said:

Select the center tool and look at the options that pop up in the edit toolbar with that tool active.  Alternatively select the tool and hit F1 for a read about the different center modes.

 

10 hours ago, rgardner said:

One of the center modes allows you to click on two snap abled points and it will center between those two points.

 

6 hours ago, glennw said:

Select Centre Object from the Edit toolbar.

Select Point To Point Centre form the Edit toolbar.

Snap point A to the centre of one wall.

Snap point B to the centre of the wall opposite.

I highly recommend Selecting the center tool and hit the F1 key and then have a read about how the different MODES of that tool are used.

[Renerabbitt]

4 hours ago, PMMully said:

Ok, looks like I have some more learning to do

 

[glennw]

8 hours ago, PMMully said:

Ok, looks like I have some more learning to do. Just so I am clear, the methods you
 are suggesting @rgardner and @glennw are working with multi-floor and the reference display?

Yes

[PMMully]

Paste-Hold-Position = ctrl-alt-v in my windows world. I use it all the time when I update multiple plan versions where something a client likes in one version should go to the other remaining versions until they make a decision, or top copy cool configurations from one plan to another if I did not make them a block or whatever. The operation is useful, but loses context between floors if things change between the floors. I think my OP using the markers was misleading, it could be any object, and I do not think my intent was clear enough.

 

I see how the mid-point snaps and the point to point center can work in a similar manner.

 

My question was originally focused on the use of reference display by design. I want to retain the positioned item as a reference until I am done with layout overall through multiple floors. There are many posts on here that show where a shower recess or sanitary trap should be placed in a slab for the plumber, and it works slick on construction docs.  So I decided to take that same concept up in floors. The item in this case would be something like an electrical chase, plumbing supply/vent, laundry chute, etc. It is a super nice feature to be able to set the reference floor, and have the items carry through that can be used for placement as you go up. ctrl-alv-v gets the copy done, but the reference is gone unless you set it up.

 

I appreciate all the inputs as I learn from them all!