What features would you like to see added to a future version of DataCAD?
#77980 by Mark Bell
Sun May 03, 2020 8:28 pm
There's times when the same plan or section is re-used at a different print scale or for different visual styles, such as a site or floor plan then again at a smaller scale as a part plan or detail plan. Similarly with concept through to developed design drawings where initially a solid fill may be suitable but this is then represented more accurately at a smaller scale.

DataCAD already has other scale-dependent features so build on this concept to include Scale-Dependent Hatching with the ability to interchange a hatch with a fill or vice versa.

Wishlist: Allow the ability to select a hatch or fill and their corresponding scale(s) these are to be displayed, then alternative hatches or fills at other pre-selected scales. The image below shows some quick examples of a 1:50 section using fill, then the same section at 1:20 which would automatically have the fill change to the pre-selected hatch once a scale of 1:20 or smaller is displayed. Similarly, the 1:100 plan using solid fill would then automatically change when at 1:10 or smaller to pre-selected hatching. Having this feature assigned to the hatch/fills should also allow it to work automatically with smart entities as shown on the plan example below.
050420sdhatch.jpg
#78011 by Roger D
Wed May 06, 2020 10:24 am
After looking at Mark's sample, I decided to attempt to use door symbols for my smart doors, so the jambs look more realist.
Seems like the doors can only swing to the outside of the wall. Is there a setting somewhere to allow it to swing inside also? Or do I need a unique symbol for In and Out?

Seems like with symbols having a dynamic flip option, this could be added into the smart door option?
#78031 by Mark Bell
Mon May 11, 2020 6:14 am
Hi Roger,

The query you note is a current shortcoming with the way the existing smart doors and DTM operate. There's so much potential here but it requires a shuffle in the way the smart doors are created and used. The generic smart doors provide easy flexibility in inserting a door (fixed or variable width) and quickly adjusting the door opening angle on the fly. The drawbacks are these generic door types are quite basic and somewhat inflexible in how they are represented in a drawing.
The DTM supports custom door types which allow any combination to be used and inserted BUT, they are inserted as fixed (as a Symbol) so only one representation of the door symbol is placed and these lack the ability to adjust the door opening swing on the fly or change the door direction as is possible with the generic smart doors. They do have the benefit of being able to show real jambs and frames and door hardware etc. and when combined with DataCAD's scale-dependent views can automatically switch from a simple rectangle at 1:100 or larger down to the actual manufacturer profile at detail scales. This allows the parametric model to be used for documentation with the benefit of accuracy when still at the concept stage especially with tight spaces. For such a relatively small element in the overall scheme of a building they are quite complex when it comes down to producing door (and window) schedules and all the associated components that need to be addressed on drawings.
Ideally, if DataCAD were able to reorganise the DTM to allow the generic door type to include:
- custom symbols to be used for door jambs whilst retaining the existing generic door and swing currently used,
- the ability to include a symbol for the inside and outside door handles in 2D plan view - these are already in the symbol folder and can be easily applied to the generic smart door, but only in 3D, for some reason the DTM has 'forgot' to display them in 2D,
The above modifications to the existing DTM would address the problem of the whole door being a fixed symbol and unable to be readily adjusted in the same way a generic smart door can. The ability to do this is more or less in place now but would require the existing operation to be shuffled around to fit the above. Once in place, they're a real time saver.

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