Want automatic exterior dimensions ONLY to new windows/doors, and not to existing - for renovations and additions - is it possible?

[CARMELHILL]

For renovations and additions......

I'm sure I've overlooked something, but to speed up my design presentation floor plans I'd like to use the automatic exterior dimensions tool to add my dimensions.....but, BUT, this darn tool dimensions to every window/door, whether it's new or existing. I don't want the existing windows/doors dimensioned because it gives clients the assumption that particular window/door is being replaced with new.

 

Is there a way to set up the auto dim tool to dimension to only new windows/doors, or maybe to windows/doors that are in the window/door schedule (new windows and doors), or to items that have a label (existing windows/doors have the labels turned off).

 

Any ideas? Dimensioning is such a waste of valuable time, especially when we have a dimension tool that should be capable of this.

[TeaTime]

No way I'm aware of. The Dimension tools aren't that smart, they just look for things they're told to dimension to. So if you tell it to locate openings, it'll locate openings. period. The only things that I can think of that defy this are walls, they can be set to No Locate, for rails and such. I don't think anything else has a similar option.

 

One technique I'd probably suggest though is to use the Plan Reference for As-Built masking. You could have the As-built with all the openings as they currently are, then Save As a copy of the proposed design, delete all the existing doors and windows, place only NEW windows in the proposal plan, then reference the existing ones back into view.

They've got a video on the topic, if you're not familiar: https://www.chiefarchitect.com/videos/watch/5435/using-the-reference-display.html

[SHCanada2]

I do this type of thing a fair amount. I just autodemension and then delete the ones I dont want.

 

I also change the color of the window label of the new windows to be red, and prepend the label with **NEW 

 

 

 

 

[TeaTime]

45 minutes ago, SHCanada2 said:

I also change the color of the window label of the new windows to be red, and prepend the label with **NEW 

FWIW This can be done easily via the Reference Display as well using a special As-Built layer set and different labeling defaults in each plan.

[glennw]

Have a play with the Vertical Stacking option for the windows and see if that will do what you want.

They appear differently in plan view and they won't pick up dimensions.

They appear as usual in 3D views.

 

 

[Renerabbitt]

44 minutes ago, glennw said:

Have a play with the Vertical Stacking option for the windows and see if that will do what you want.

They appear differently in plan view and they won't pick up dimensions.

They appear as usual in 3D views.

 

 

Great idea! Doesnt solve for doors though

[TeaTime]

30 minutes ago, Renerabbitt said:

Doesnt solve for doors though

Nope, but Reference Display does. Y'all just hate that feature or what? lol

[Renerabbitt]

9 minutes ago, TeaTime said:

Nope, but Reference Display does. Y'all just hate that feature or what? lol

me? no I was literally the first person to show an as-built demonstration utilizing it in X11 Beta- I used 2 separate plans

 

[JKEdmo]

Conceptually, it seems like the option to exclude an individual object (window, door, etc.) from dimensioning would solve this, no?

 

Similar to including / excluding an object from being scheduled.

[Renerabbitt]

13 minutes ago, JKEdmo said:

Conceptually, it seems like the option to exclude an individual object (window, door, etc.) from dimensioning would solve this, no?

 

Similar to including / excluding an object from being scheduled.

Also very easy to setup defaults to draw walls on a as built layer that you turn off 

 

[TeaTime]

7 minutes ago, JKEdmo said:

Conceptually, it seems like the option to exclude an individual object (window, door, etc.) from dimensioning would solve this, no?

 

Similar to including / excluding an object from being scheduled.

Well sure but we're looking for solutions for another Chief user right now, not suggestions to the company that may or may not happen!  

 

I agree, having Locate options for all objects, not just walls, would be excellent. I may want that one object to just be excluded for reasons.

 

But in the mean time, any time I'm doing a reno plan, I always save off an As-Built plan. It's just way easier - unless we're only demoing like, A Wall.

[JKEdmo]

8 minutes ago, TeaTime said:

Well sure but we're looking for solutions for another Chief user right now, not suggestions to the company that may or may not happen!

 

touche'!

[SHCanada2]

15 hours ago, TeaTime said:

Nope, but Reference Display does. Y'all just hate that feature or what? lol

 

17 hours ago, TeaTime said:

FWIW This can be done easily via the Reference Display as well using a special As-Built layer set and different labeling defaults in each plan.

 

well now that you asked. time to delete the autodimension i do not want, 4 seconds

time to change the window label layer to red and add *NEW, 15 seconds (I already have a layer called windows, label RED)

 

time to manage two files, especially if I have to correct something, then I have to correct it in both files = headache.

 

now using layers and defaults on the same file,( as Rene shows), and/or combined with a reference layer display,  I think is a good solution. just have to invest the time to preset everything up, which is probably not that much by the looks of it

 

But I'll be the first to admit, if doing an interior reno, where walls are being torn down and new ones created the reference display between two plans is the best way to go if one wants to show both sets of walls. 

 

I tend to overuse the "revision cloud" rather than keep two plan files. call me lazy