What features would you like to see added to a future version of DataCAD?
#70851 by Mark Bell
Wed Feb 22, 2017 6:23 am
A really useful addition to help streamline design and modelling then carrying forward this information to documentation would be adding a User Defined Datum or RL which can be toggled on and displayed next to the Z-Base and Z-Height coordinate readout. To explain further; for those who design and document in 3D/2D using DataCAD's smart parametrics along with covered polylines and 3D slabs, the design and modelling generally starts at ZB=0 for convenience and ease of understanding the relative heights up the various floors of a virtual building. This works well during the design phase when you're focused on the building as a model, however, once this information is then reused in the documentation stage real RL's need to be added to define the actual floor levels relative the the survey datum point.

One option is to move the model and all data up to the RL Datum point so it becomes the new zero, but in reality this requires updating clipcubes, GTV's MSP's etc. and doesn't feel right working 500-600m in the air or whatever the RL is for the project.

A better option could be to add a User Defined Datum/RL where you set the ZBase you want the RL to reference to, then enter the RL, An example would be a site survey RL of say 576.800 and you want this referenced to ZBase=0. Identifying any entity in the design model would then display the ZB and ZH relative to ZB=0 as currently exists, as well as RL relative to the User Defined RL of 576.800. Critical RL's such as floor slabs, setdowns, stairs and landings, ramps, parapets etc. could then quickly display the actual RL at the point identified along with the usual ZB/ZH which relates more to the model. This saves having to rely on the calculator to continually add or subtract the floor-floor height difference from the Datum RL to determine that floors finished RL for the project. It also reduces the potential for human error. Essentially, all this added feature is doing is providing a quick maths calculation of: Identified RL = Datum RL + (ZH - ZB) and displaying in the readout menu.
I hope this makes sense as it would be a useful new feature.
Thanks.
#70863 by joshhuggins
Thu Feb 23, 2017 12:20 pm
Wow, yeah really good idea Mark. Only other idea that comes to mind as a work around in the mean time would be to xref your final model so you can locate as a whole to the correct spacial location.
#70865 by jimgoodman
Thu Feb 23, 2017 12:32 pm
joshhuggins wrote:Wow, yeah really good idea Mark. Only other idea that comes to mind as a work around in the mean time would be to xref your final model so you can locate as a whole to the correct spacial location.


That's what we do now. We generate the building model(s) at datum 0 and the site model based on real world elevations and then XRef them both ways.
#70869 by Mark Bell
Fri Feb 24, 2017 2:15 am
Thanks guys - we already use xrefs for the 3D site DTM, the above is more about quickly identifying an entity (covered polyline, slab, smart wall etc.) and being shown the usual Zb, Zh and the RL which can be referenced against a user-input site RL during documentation as a short step to using the calculator each time to work out heights up a building. I'm hoping there's not a lot of programming involved with this one and it can creep into a future version. When you think about it, there's a number of possibilities to use it including landscaping or golf course design where you can Identify and notate site RL's off the 3D model.

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