Found a hidden feature or want to share a time-saving shortcut? Let us all know...
#32223 by Michael Olney
Thu Jan 24, 2008 8:40 pm
Here's a way of having a single symbol work for both 2D and 3D.
NOTE: This only works for DataCAD 12


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-Bring in the 2D and 3D symbols for a particular item (in the case a kitchen sink)
-Change the colors of all the entities for the 3D symbol to non-printing colors (pen number = 0). It helps to use a color that is a little harder to see on the screen to help to keep your drawing from looking too busy while you are working on it (if you use a black background, try using darker colors like color_144)
-Make sure materials are assigned to all of the 3D entities
-Make sure that the 3D entities are at the desired z-heights
-Make sure that all entities for the 2D symbol have a 0 height (for example z-base=0 and z-height=0)

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-Place the 2D and 3D symbols on top of each other
-Save the new symbol

Now you can bring in the single symbol unexploded into a drawing and have it show correctly for 2D printing as shown in the following image:
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It will also show correctly in the O2C player
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#32241 by Jon C. Hubart
Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:39 am
Another method of doing this is by using a smart door.

Turn off all of the trim/header/etc. options and set the door to use a 2D symbol of a sink and a 3D symbol of a sink. You will only see the 2D version while working/printing in 2D and the 3D version while working/printing in 3D.

It would be nice to have a new category of smart entity added for "Accessories" that only included the 2D/3D symbol options so we could have this same function without having to mix them with doors/windows.
#32252 by hlewis
Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:49 am
Jon,
How do you handle the offset difference between the 2D and 3D symbols. I have set up a couple of different 2D/3D symbols, but unless I get the placement exactly right, the 3D symbol ends up partialy in the wall. I have had better luck using the winow types, but its still not perfect.

Brian
#32257 by Jon C. Hubart
Fri Jan 25, 2008 11:27 am
hlewis wrote:Jon,
How do you handle the offset difference between the 2D and 3D symbols. I have set up a couple of different 2D/3D symbols, but unless I get the placement exactly right, the 3D symbol ends up partialy in the wall. I have had better luck using the winow types, but its still not perfect.

Brian

The insertion point of all my 2D and 3D symbols are defined by their relationship to the wall. (centerline of the unit on the wall face) I have no offset difference. Perhaps you need to redefine your symbols? Could you post an image of what you are seeing.
#32258 by Mark Toce
Fri Jan 25, 2008 11:33 am
and yet another method...

Create a new drawing and add a new layer. Name one layer 2D and the other 3D.

Insert a 2D symbol on the 2D layer and explode it. Change Z-Base and Z-Height of all entities to zero.

Insert a 3D symbol on the 3D layer and explode it. Explode all of the entities within the symbol to 3D polygons.

In the 3D Entities\Polygons menu, choose Edit then pick Hide All. Place an Area box around the 3D polygons. They will now be hidden.

Save the entire drawing as a symbol. When you insert it into your drawing, you will only see the 2D lines. When you open it in the Ojbect Viewer, you will only see the 3D polygons.

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#32261 by Jon C. Hubart
Fri Jan 25, 2008 11:47 am
The down side of the hidden polygons method is that you don't see the 3D representation if you switch to a 3D view within DataCAD. You can't see it in an iso view, HLR, etc. It only shows in O2C or Shader.
#32285 by Nick Pyner
Fri Jan 25, 2008 7:25 pm
You don't need V12 to do this sort of thing. I demonstrated a similar system at a new England Regional Meeting in 1996 - using version 6.
This was a 3D window and door system where each symbol incorporated expendable tools in order to punch proper holes in the walls. The symbols had standardised colours so that they could be distributed en masse over the relevant layers. This was done by using a big keyboard macro that used SelSets.
After that meeting, EShu suggested combining this with DCSprint. In what was surely the understatement of the millenium he said, "It will save you a step" I bought DCSprint from a dealer in Hartford but the import of what he said was not apparent till a couple of days later when I saw a demo of Brics at a BSA meeting in Boston, showing a combined 2D/3D approach. I realised that if what Evan said was true, this could sensibly be done in Datacad and I couldn't wait to get back to Australia.

DCSprint's Bundle/Unbundle allows bulk explosion of 2D/3D symbols into their respective layers. Plans, elevations and 3D model are simply grouped in GTVs or brought together to be viewed at once whereby they may be moved or stretched together. I fail to see why hlewis can have an alignment problem. That can only be slack-arsed organisation, and easily fixed.

Still in version 6.........
The exclusive layer names allows for sensible assignment of texture etc. in a renderer. I made up a package of windows and doors and sold several dozen to Australian users.

When O2C came out, the colour discipline in this system meant that the same applied. I only use it for glass in o2c myself.

When version 11 came out we got a new explode to layers facility which made DCSprint redundant. This meant that all the symbols had to be exploded in V10 and then rebuilt in V11, but nothing else changed.

I picked up a raft of Andersen Windows material from a supplier in Hartford and made up a set with plans elevations, dimension lines, model etc., for sale in the US, but never pursued it because of the constant promise of V12 seemed not to make it worthwhile.

Below is an export model for our French colleagues



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