What features would you like to see added to a future version of DataCAD?
#72617 by Mark Bell
Sun Nov 05, 2017 9:27 pm
Add the ability for DataCAD's HLR and Section Tool to allow the user to set one or even two depth of field distances that map entities from the HLR process to a pre-selected colour. The pen table used then allows printing at various line weights. This allows complex or even simple models to 'separate' portions of the building which are in the distance behind the main cut line or front elevation.
When using the Section Tool or HLR with DOF ticked(checked) the user would be prompted to enter a DOF distance, (in the below example 3,000 is entered), then a line colour to map the HLR entities which are 3m or beyond. This is similar to the current Section/Section Settings/Background option with the enhancement of being able to enter a distance from the cut line or elevation line prior to the pre-assigned line colour being applied. Adding a second DOF distance is useful with complex/busy models or with site models where objects beyond the building can be included but shown and mapped to a lighter pen colour. This works best where the main building has a lot of openings that show whatever's behind in the distance but is harder to separate from the end HLR output.
Simple example below-
110617d.jpg
#72618 by Mark Bell
Sun Nov 05, 2017 9:44 pm
With busy drawings important line types such as grid lines can get lost in all the information on the sheets making it harder for the contractor to clearly distinguish dimensions to grid lines from other line types, as well as users accurately dimensioning to the correct line. Add the ability for a user to pre-set the dimension arrow style to show a circle around the tick mark when a dimension snaps to a pre-selected Layer. As an example, a user would place grid lines on a 'grid layer name' then toggle the new arrow style 'circle' (dots with no fill), and select the layer 'grids'. Whenever a dimension snaps to an entity on layer 'grids' the pre-selected arrow style would then be used.
110617e.jpg
110617e.jpg (56.33 KiB) Viewed 5440 times
#72619 by Mark Bell
Sun Nov 05, 2017 9:53 pm
When using bitmaps that have a specific real-world scale to them, such as CMU/blockwork, both O2C and Sunshader currently retain the bitmap origin at zb=0. Any entities at a zb that isn't a whole unit number of the bitmap scale show out of sync with how they need to be displayed for accuracy. The example below shows the 150 slab at wZb=0 (rZb= -150) which 'eats' into the 190 block work height resulting in a 40mm slither of blockwork across the bottom coursing and another cut block coursing across the top. Being able to set the z-b for the applied bitmap or better still, have the bitmap's z-b match each entities z-b would likely help the display look correct.
110617f.jpg
110617f.jpg (100.48 KiB) Viewed 5439 times
#72620 by Mark Bell
Sun Nov 05, 2017 9:59 pm
As more xrefs and self-xrefs get added to a drawing it gets harder to quickly identify which xrefs are external and which are referenced from the drawing, including symbols saved as xrefs.
Adding tabs to the RFM, one for Xrefs and the other Self-Xrefs would allow better management of these types of files. Being able to list them by date and alphabetically (file name only, path can be ignored) would be even better.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 23 guests

About DataCAD Forum

The DataCAD Forum is a FREE online community we provide to enhance your experience with DataCAD.

We hope you'll visit often to get answers, share ideas, and interact with other DataCAD users around the world.

DataCAD

Software for Architects Since 1984