forum.datacad.com

It would be so nice to have a plot scale stamp that could read the current plot scale. Also if this stamp was inserted via a symbol or xref that had been enlarged, if the stamp would enlarge along with it. I know this would have problems if the enlargement product did not match a defined scale value. Maybe this would be a good point to allow us to define any number of scales instead of just limited to 18 we have now. This way we could have all of scale values we need, without having to go into setting to change definitions. Then we could have two stamps for plot scales. One for the actual value, and one that would show the string name for a value listed in the scales menu. If the scale value is not listed in the scale list, just the actual value could show.

Stamps could be something like:
@plotscalevalue
@plotscalename

And I guess you MSP'ers could use it too

Hi Josh,

V12 will have a scaling feature for symbols -- I believe it is like Text Scale. We will also see the entire symbol, not just the extents box.

joshhuggins wrote:It would be so nice to have a plot scale stamp that could read the current plot scale.

Great idea Joshua. Even better if you could place it on a multi-scale plotting 'Detail'. Instead of placing a "typed" label on each detail, would be great to have an automaticaly updated stamp.

Great thing to scramble the ideas of the Team of Bits&Bytes.

Thanks,
Miguel

Miguel Palaoro wrote:Even better if you could place it on a multi-scale plotting 'Detail'. Instead of placing a "typed" label on each detail

That's exactly what was wanting to use it for.

Here's a wish for a Cali friend

Better xref highlighting. This is definitely one of those that should be higher up the wishlist IMHO, as it really can be a time and resource saver. It would allow us to not have to use tons of extra xrefs to get desired effect and line weights where we need them.

P.S. - Highlighting is spelled wrong in the Referance Manager

DONE FOR VERSION 12!

I like the idea Josh, but I would like to take it a step further. I would like to be able to select multiple copies of the same xref and apply the GTV and/or hightlighting to all of them at once. For instance, I may have file A xreffed into a drawing 15 times. 5 of them may need one GTV and hightlighting, 5 a different GTV and no hightlighting and the other 5 have yet a different GTV and/or hightlighting.

Symbol Layer Mapping Wish
This would help make symbols with a good layer structure be easier to incorporate into our drawings without adding a bunch of steps of inserting the symbols with their layers, moving things to the appropriate drawing layers and then deleting those extra layers. I think this one is pretty important especially seeing some of the next features coming w/ v.12.



Edit: I guess if we were have this, it would also make sense to have a Map Color toggle so when we insert a symbol we can do the color change at the insertion time instead of having to run the macro. For example all of our Andersen Window elevations are colored for use in our elevations in the foreground. It would be nice to be able to toggle A Map Color button and be able to reassign the colors so we can recolor them for use in the background (beyond) shown in a halftone.

Edit#2: Would probably need a new layer button too.

It would be nice if the Copy, Rect. / Circ. Array had a "Previous" option that would use the last used settings and number values.

We have Datacad drawings spanning 20+ years. Back when linetypes were dependent on the dcadwin.lin file we would run into issues where linetypes would show up wrong because the difference in the dcadwin.lin files over time. Our fav was a grass linetype that showed up randomly as a clay tile. Now since v.11 we have had the great ability to create our own custom linetypes and escaped the hindrances of the dcadwin.lin file. Which has been really great, but one thing that is not really great is updating all of our old files with the new desired linetypes & spacings. So my wish would be that there could be a translation file like our DXF/DWG import where we could set peramiters and have it convert all of the drawings data. I know that currently we can simply use the change tool with mask, but with the v.12 Search and Replace tool now in the works I think having a way to save these mask settings and be albe to recall/reuse them easily and to preform multiple replacements at once would be very handy. The more smart entities, symbols with attributes we get the more important I can see it will be to be able to keep things upto date with changing standards, codes and just drawing practices in general. It "seems" the technology is pretty much in place and now expanding the UI a bit and allowing saved settings would be the next step I think. But I'm just a knuckle head wishing out loud again.

Similar to the above wish, it would be nice if we could pick more than one Linetype in the mask tool like we can with the Entities & Colors. We don't use Weights here but maybe that should have multiple options for users who do use it? Might be harder for that because of the custom nature of line weights I'd guess.

I wish when we opened a symbol for editing, that there was an snappable indicator of the insertion point so we can make sure to redefine the symbol by that point as it originally had.

Hi Josh,

The insertion point is always at the Absolute Zero point in the Symbol Editor. So, if you change to an absolute input mode, then you can always "snap" to it -- but you should not need to?

When you save it, it keeps the same insertion point; and if you want to move the insertion point, you instead move the entities in relation to the AZ point.

Josh Huggins wrote:

I wish when we opened a symbol for editing, that there was an snappable indicator of the insertion point so we can make sure to redefine the symbol by that point as it originally had.

I often set a snapping point at the insertion point of a symbol so I can return to it. If I know I am inserting a symbol that doesn't have one, then I will place one at a point in a blank space and insert the symbol there, even possibly saving the snap point with the redefined version.

While we are in a wishlist about symbols:

I occasionally run into symbols that need to be exploded and redefined but do not realize that the instance I am working with is either mirrored, enlarged, or both and it is often difficult to determine the original scale or orientation.

Since we don't have layered instances of symbols, yet, I have come up with a method of exploding my hotel guestroom baths so they will be layered so I can use a layered base for a reflected ceiling plan and screen out doors, fixtures, etc. I will save a version of the base plan with an EXP suffix and then turn off the layers that would be contained in the symbol except for the walls layer. I then pass along the plan picking each guestroom bath (by entity) to be exploded and when it explodes, most of the layers turn off indicating a successful layered explosion.

The most efficient thing would be to select the entire plan by area for explosion, but doing so explodes all symbols no matter their level of nesting. For example, I want to explode the bath to layers that contain the fixtures on one layer, the doors on another but I would rather not explode the fixtures to their constituent entities.

A big help here would be to set the level of nesting to which we want to explode when doing so by area. In this case, one level would be appropriate, anything more would be excessive.

Neil Blanchard wrote:Hi Josh,

The insertion point is always at the Absolute Zero point in the Symbol Editor. So, if you change to an absolute input mode, then you can always "snap" to it -- but you should not need to?

When you save it, it keeps the same insertion point; and if you want to move the insertion point, you instead move the entities in relation to the AZ point.

I've been doing redefines without saving, so I need to pick the insertion point when redefining. But I'm glad you remembered about it being at Absolute Zero, that will work. And thanks Dick, I had thought about putting in snap points, but wanted to avoid having to manage a random entity that's usually kind of just floating around by itself on these symbols. I think the Absolute Zero will work pretty good for us.

It would be nice to get a Match option in the Change, Dim menu.