Understanding Annosets

[Joe_Carrick]

Annosets are used to set a series of Defaults (see the pic below) which can be relative to the scale as well as the discipline (Arch, Elect, Struct, etc.)

 

1.  Current CAD Layer

........If I'm working on a Structural (Framing) Plan then I want my CAD objects to be on the Framing Layer.

2.  Dimensions Defaults

     Rich Text

     Text

     Callouts

     Markers

     Arrows

.....The above define the Sizes, Appearance and Layers for those items.

........Size and Appearance are relative to drawing scale.

........Layers are important because the relate to the discipline just like the CAD Layer does.

3.  Layer Set

........Defines what layers are displayed, locked, line types, colors, etc.

........Generally, I want the Layerset associated with the discipline to be used when I select the Annoset. 

 

If Defaults are carefully set up for various drawing scales and disciplines and Annosets are set up to automatically select them it becomes much easier to control all the various drawings needed for Construction Documents.

 

Note:  At any time, you can select a different CAD Layer, Layer Set or any of the Defaults.  In that regard, the use of Annosets doesn't restrict any of those things.  OTOH, using Annosets can and will make controlling the other things much easier.

[lbuttery]

Joe:

 

this makes sense to me

 

still not sure I understand Scott's method

 

 

Scott:

 

what are you doing beyond what Joe does ?

 

since I'm retired I'm not sure I will ever need annosets

but if I do I'd like to understand how I would need to best use them

 

Lew

[DRAWZILLA]

Lew,

 Anno-sets have been around for a while now and I just can't understand why everyone isn't using it. Anno-sets are one of Chief's  #1 "time savers" of all
time. Once set up its done and you never have to think about again.

[lbuttery]

Perry:

 

I agree, if I was still in business I would be using annosets

 

just don't see a need for them for the few personal preservation projects

I'm fooling around with

 

there is no need for condocs for these projects

 

at best we hope to display the 3D models on Google earth

for historical buildings long gone as "virtual preservation"

 

Lew

[DRAWZILLA]

Perry:

 

I agree, if I was still in business I would be using annosets

 

just don't see a need for them for the few personal preservation projects

I'm fooling around with

 

there is no need for condocs for these projects

 

at best we hope to display the 3D models on Google earth

for historical buildings long gone as "virtual preservation"

 

Lew

 

What I'm trying to say is you will benefit from just drawing using Anno-sets if you are like me and continuously changing views ,Floor, framing, foundation, roof, It a huge time saver. Different scales also. remember when we use to have to change the text, dimensions, lines, cad default, with each switch of the views---well no more.

[lbuttery]

Perry:

 

I don't do any of that manually now

so not sure how annosets could help do it auto-magically ???

 

as we model now we change layersets as needed but not scale, text, dims etc

 

Lew

[Joe_Carrick]

Joe:

 

this makes sense to me

 

still not sure I understand Scott's method

 

 

Scott:

 

what are you doing beyond what Joe does ?

 

since I'm retired I'm not sure I will ever need annosets

but if I do I'd like to understand how I would need to best use them

 

Lew

Lew,

 

Scott simply has a Layerset for every Annoset and an Annoset for almost every Layerset.  I think he's refining it down a bit now. 

 

The point of this thread is to clarify the fact that Annosets set things for both scale and discipline.  In that regard they do a wonderful job.  But it requires careful setup so that the various Defaults, CAD Layers and Layersets are coordinated.

 

1.  Having a comprehensive set of Defaults is extremely important relative to both scale and discipline.

2.  It's also important to have CAD Layers and Layersets defined for each discipline (drawing type).

3.  Only after those have been properly defined and saved can the Annosets be adequately defined.

[lbuttery]

Joe:

 

in principle I understand and agree with your method

 

Scott simply has a Layerset for every Annoset and an Annoset for almost every Layerset. 

 

this seems to be "overkill"

 

at least for my understanding of the benefit/purpose of anno-sets

 

I applaud Scott for going "above and beyond"
just not sure it is for "everyone"

 

I think most chiefers would benefit from starting with your method and then

moving towards Scotts - but only as needed

 

to leap right into Scott's method ???

 

Lew

[Dermot]

Thanks for posting this Joe. This is a pretty good overview of the active defaults and annotation sets. I would like to add some more information that might help clarify some things for people that are not as familiar with them.

 

First, annotation sets are not nearly as complicated as most people think. You don't even need to use annotation sets to use Chief. They can make your work much more efficient though which is why you will find most power users taking advantage of them.

 

Whether or not you use annotation sets, Chief will always use a variety of defaults when you are annotating your plans. These defaults are used to control things like your current CAD layer, your dimensions, text, callouts, etc., as well as your layer set which controls your current display. So even if you don't use annotation sets, you are still using the current dimension default everytime you draw a dimension line.

 

The Active Defaults dialog (shown in Joe's post above) is the best way to see what defaults you are currently using for any given view. Although all of the defaults shown in the Active Defaults dialog can also be modified in other places, the Active Defaults dialog is probably the easiest and most convenient way to see and manage all of them at once. If you need to change any of these defaults at any time, you can always do this through the Active Defaults dialog.

 

Annotation sets give you a convenient way of saving and restoring your active defaults in a named group. So rather then go into the Active Defaults dialog and select all of the defaults one at a time, you can choose an annotation set instead and select all new active defaults in one step.

 

This is how the power users are using Chief more efficiently. They first setup various defaults, layers, and layer sets for all of the things that they use frequently. They then setup annotation sets for the groups of defaults that they frequently use together. They can then use the annotation set toolbar drop-down to quickly change their defaults for the view they are working in. This setup can take a lot of work up front or it is something you can do over time as you work on your plans.

 

I would encourage people that are not already familiar with annotation sets to set them up slowly over time. If you find that you are frequently going into the Active Defaults dialog to change to a specific set of defaults, then just setup an annotation set to do this in one step instead .

 

I would also discourage anyone from trying to use someone else's annotation sets. Everyone works slightly different and depending on what defaults and layers you frequently use, your annotation sets will be specific to your needs.

[Joe_Carrick]

Joe:

 

in principle I understand and agree with your method

 

Scott simply has a Layerset for every Annoset and an Annoset for almost every Layerset. 

 

this seems to be "overkill"

 

As I said, I think Scott's refining his method down a bit.

 

IAE, I do have a Layer Set for almost every Annoset and in some cases more than one.  In addition, I have some Annosets that use the same Layerset.  I think that Scott did what he did so that he could keep track with the same names - nothing wrong with that since it make it easier for him to understand.

 

Understanding Layersets is a future thread

Understanding Reference Layersets is another future thread.

 

BTW, since you don't do ConDocs I would agree that you probably have very little use for these things.  You would probably have been better off with Sketchup or something similar.

[Joe_Carrick]

Thanks for posting this Joe. This is a pretty good overview of the active defaults and annotation sets. I would like to add some more information that might help clarify some things for people that are not as familiar with them.

Hi Dermot,

 

I was beginning to wonder where you were.  I think this is the first post  you've made in the new forum - but maybe I just missed any other posts by you.

 

IAE, it's good to see you're still with CA.

 

I agree with your observations about how annosets are used and the order of setting up Defaults and Layersets first.  Your statement that annosets are simply named SETS is an excellent way of putting it.

[lbuttery]

Joe:

 

we used to do condocs

 

no need for them now

 

even now I think Chief is the better choice for our preservation projects

 

we have many layersets then and now

 

I'm guessing that if we were to use annosets they would be set

to use the current layerset  - at least for most of them

 

Lew

[raltd9245]

Lew,

 Anno-sets have been around for a while now and I just can't understand why everyone isn't using it. Anno-sets are one of Chief's  #1 "time savers" of all

time. Once set up its done and you never have to think about again.

I'm not using them due to my unique use of Chief over the years. I'm an old Dog and it isn't easy to teach me new tricks. When I started with ART's chief architect with version 4 it was far from the product it is today. I had used VCAD for almost 10 years. Cad at that time was way faster than Chief, therefore I would do preliminaries in Chief; DFX them out, and complete the project in VCAD. I could message elevations and sections in VCAD way faster than Chief. I have reciently started to use chief more, so my learning curve is way off due to my history with Chief. Scott calls me a chromogen sometimes for my complaining. 

[raltd9245]

I hit the wrong button at published to early.  I abhor WORK-A-ROUNDS. I have trouble with, in my old mind, the way doors don't work, schedules are terrible, slabs are another thing. Construction documents are 100% better but not there yet in my mind. I hope I've not offended anyone, it is not my intent.  

[Joe_Carrick]

Annosets are not Kings! They are in essence Jacks of trades and scales.

But "from a Jack to a King" can be accomplished by using Scott's method of having 1 Annoset for 1 Layerset

[johnny]

This was a very helpful thread too.  I did learn a lot watching Scotts videos - as I think it helps to see visual reactions to someone working thru the process.

[DRAWZILLA]

This was a very helpful thread too.  I did learn a lot watching Scotts videos - as I think it helps to see visual reactions to someone working thru the process.

Exactly, that's why I love them, and you get a laugh at the same time, why you ask, b/c we have all been there, and can relate to them

[glennw]

I'm not using them due to my unique use of Chief over the years. I'm an old Dog and it isn't easy to teach me new tricks. When I started with ART's chief architect with version 4 it was far from the product it is today. I had used VCAD for almost 10 years. Cad at that time was way faster than Chief, therefore I would do preliminaries in Chief; DFX them out, and complete the project in VCAD. I could message elevations and sections in VCAD way faster than Chief. I have reciently started to use chief more, so my learning curve is way off due to my history with Chief. Scott calls me a chromogen sometimes for my complaining. 

 

Ron,

 

I too started out with VCAD, but gave it away long ago.

One of the best features of VCAD was the 2 letter sequential shortcuts.

Are you aware that you can set Chief X6 up with the same (in most cases) 2 letter shortcuts as you are using in VCAD?

They are a real time saver.

[raltd9245]

Thanks I still use VCAD for certain cad that I still find much faster.

[raltd9245]

Perry, where are the links to Scott's anno vids.

[DRAWZILLA]

Perry, where are the links to Scott's anno vids.

look at his YouTube channel. he did some new ones

[raltd9245]

look at his YouTube channel. he did some new ones

I just looked couldn't find them

[DRAWZILLA]

Ok then he has some on chieftutor.com then. look in his section.

[Joe_Carrick]

I just looked couldn't find them

Ron,

 

Check this thread:

 

https://chieftalk.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?/topic/832-i-drank-the-kool-aid-videos-by-dsh/

[dshall]

Perry, where are the links to Scott's anno vids.

I think there are some on CHIEFTUTOR (the older ones but I think they still stand the test of time),  probably some on the OLD CHIEF SITE  (if they are there,  they are newer,  not sure if they are better),  do an advanced search with key words ANNO SET VIDEOS BY DSH,  and there might be some on YOUTUBE,  don't know about that.