Topic Title

Okay ... I'm stumped ...

Maybe I'm just too dense, maybe the manual isn't clear, or maybe ....?

For the life of me I just don't seem to comprehend how to utilize the Xref Clip Cube. I see how I define a Clip Cube in the base Xref, I see how to define an Xref Clip Cube, but it never seems to show what I want it to show!

Can anyone give me a blow-by-blow (okay ... step-by-step!!!) account of how to utilize this?

What I want to do is this:
1) I have an overall BasePlan which has the entire building, including existing walls/doors/etc. as well as demo, as well as new.
2) I want to Xref in the BasePlan into a Demo Sheet where I will notate and/or dimension the demolition items, though I ONLY want to show the area that will be demo'd - NOT the entire building.
3) I want to Xref in the BasePlan into a Proposed Sheet, where I will notate (and turn on) the NEW walls/doors/windows/etc. and hide (or freeze) the layers to be demo'd. I ONLY want to show the area that will include the new work area - NOT the entire building.

I'm sure that this is much simpler than I am currently perceiving it, but I just don't seem to be able to make Dcad do what I want it to do. What am I missing?

TIA

Hello Alan:

This is a single file for all drawings? Okay, the first thing I'd do is make a new GTV (or two) that have the layers on that you'll want in the two self-XRef's.

Then you'll need two new layers for two self-XRef's -- and name them with whatever makes it very clear what they are being used for. Set the first new layer as Active Only, and insert a self-XRef -- turn on the option for "Open RFM", and I always use Absolute Zero so you don't have to worry if you have to redo this in the future, and when the RFM opens, select the appropriate GTV.

Now, create the X-Clip Cube by Control-Right Clicking on the XRef -- and for the demo XRef, I would use Highlighting to make the lines dashed (so they show up as the walls to be removed). Turn on the additional layers that you'll use for additional text, dims, etc. You may end up needing a second self-XRef for the walls that remain.

For the proposed plan, you'll need to reuse the XRef of the walls to remain, and then have additional layers for the new walls, plus notes and dims.

So if I understand what you want to do correctly, then you'll use both self-XRef's for the demo plan, and just one of them for the proposed plan.

Do this make it clearer? The X-CC is not used on the source -- it can only work on the XRef, itself.

Hello Alan:

This is a single file for all drawings? Okay, the first thing I'd do is make a new GTV (or two) that have the layers on that you'll want in the two self-XRef's.

Then you'll need two new layers for two self-XRef's -- and name them with whatever makes it very clear what they are being used for. Set the first new layer as Active Only, and insert a self-XRef -- turn on the option for "Open RFM", and I always use Absolute Zero so you don't have to worry if you have to redo this in the future, and when the RFM opens, select the appropriate GTV.

Now, create the X-Clip Cube by Control-Right Clicking on the XRef -- and for the demo XRef, I would use Highlighting to make the lines dashed (so they show up as the walls to be removed). Turn on the additional layers that you'll use for additional text, dims, etc. You may end up needing a second self-XRef for the walls that remain.

For the proposed plan, you'll need to reuse the XRef of the walls to remain, and then have additional layers for the new walls, plus notes and dims.

So if I understand what you want to do correctly, then you'll use both self-XRef's for the demo plan, and just one of them for the proposed plan.

Do this make it clearer? The X-CC is not used on the source -- it can only work on the XRef, itself.

Hi, Neil -

No, this isn't quite it. I don't want a self-Xref.

Let me try to restate it and make it a little clearer what I want to do.

I set up my files this way: I create a file with all plan items (walls, doors, windows, roof outlines, ceiling lines, etc.) that I can use to xref into my final plotted sheet(s). These sheets are (for example) the Floor Plan, the Foundation Plan, Roof Framing Plan, etc.

I then create my Floor Plan sheet (I call it A2.1) which has my keyed notes block as well as my key symbol for notes, one for the doors, one for the windows, etc. I then xref in the titleblock for this project. Finally I will xref in the base plan. From there I will key each note, door, window, etc. as well as do all dimensioning.

I will do this for each sheet (ie. S2.1 is the Foundation).

What I want to do for this particular project is show both the Floor Plan AND the Foundation Plan on the same sheet. However, my base plan shows not just the new addition but also the existing building. For the Floor Plan and the Foundation I only want to show 5' into the existing building (beyond the limits of this new construction).

How do I set up the clip cubes (or x-clips) to snip out/hide the portion of the existing building that I don't want to see?

I hope that this makes more sense.

Okay ... I'm stumped ...

Maybe I'm just too dense, maybe the manual isn't clear, or maybe ....?

>BIG SNIP<

I'm sure that this is much simpler than I am currently perceiving it, but I just don't seem to be able to make Dcad do what I want it to do. What am I missing?

TIA

DOH!!!

I didn't check the Z-Min/Max for the cube!!! My Xref was falling outside of the cube!! Kudos to Roger Boling for pointing it out to me!

I KNEW it was something simple ... I was trying to make it harder than it was!

I have had a lot of problems getting Clip Cubes to appear due to Z height problems. You can switch to front elevation view to see where your problem is. Resetting Z min and Z max will help.