Explore how to manipulate model files in design software, including dimensioning and layering for various elements. This process dives into the intricacies of linear dimensions, editing properties, inserting symbols, and efficiently using commands to create an accurate and detailed model.
Key Insights
- The article provides a step-by-step guide on how to insert linear dimensions, manipulate outline visibility, and change text properties in a model file.
- It explains how to use drafting symbols, specifically for roof slopes, by inserting blocks and specifying roof slope values. The choice of symbol (with an arrow on the right or left) is determined by the relative position of the text.
- The author also highlights the use of commands like 'burst' which allow for symbol manipulation while preserving layer and attribute values. This is demonstrated through the adjustment of a roof slope symbol.
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Let's return to our model file. So I'm going to open my 301 floor plan. I'm going to make my dimensions, my roof dimensions, my current layer.
I'm going to zoom into this area. What I'm going to do is to put some information right here. So I'm going to use a linear dimension.
Now, here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to show you if I were to say from the end of here, nearest to the building. And if I were to go on and place my dimension string there, do you see how it's covering up my line type for the outline? Not really a good thing.
So what I'm going to do is to keep the dimension and I will pull with ortho on. I'm pulling my grip down so that I'm able to see the outline of the building. I'm now going to change the text, click on it, right button, go to properties.
I will let my text override be left right caret space TYP period space overhang. And I will hit ENTER. I'm going to choose the grip.
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I will pull it here. I'm going to take my running ortho off. Hit escape a couple of times.
Close the interface. Draw a polyline from here to here. I'm doing my loop.
Pick on the polyline, right button, polyline, edit, go down the spline, hit escape, control S to save. And I want to add my three inch tippahoo gutter. So again, linear dimension, nearest from the overhang.
I'm just going to say perpendicular to the gutter. Place it here. Zoom in.
Pick on the dimension string, right button, choose properties. My text override will be left right caret space typical TYP space gutter. Enter to lock it in.
I'm just going to pull the grip and pull it over, escape, escape, control S to save. So I've now gotten these dimensions done. And when I look around the drawing, those are pretty much the only remaining dimensions we have on the drawing.
What I'm going to do next is to start bringing in our roof slopes. So let's spend a second and look at our roof slopes. I'm going to go control O to open.
And the roof slopes are drafting symbols. So they're grouped here with the 0 1 0 9 0 information. So I have 0 1 0 9 0 B 11 left and right.
I'm going to select both and go open. The difference between the two drawings is where the arrow is. If the arrow is on the right relative to the text, it's the symbol with the R. If it is on the left relative to the text, it's the symbol with the L for left.
And again, you can see that the geometry was drawn on layer 0. I'm going to type close and type close for this drawing. Now, my current drawing, which is the plan model file, has me on my A roofs dimensions layer. What I'm going to do for right now is I'm going to be using the A Anno Sims 96 layer.
So A Annotation Sims will be our current layer. And what I'm going to do first is to insert the symbol. So I'm going to say insert, block insert.
I'm going to go to browse. I'm going to choose my 0 1 0 9 0 B 11 right drawing. This again is a drafting symbol, and this drawing will be at eighth inch.
And so this drawing will have a scale factor of 96. I will say specify insertion point on screen and go okay. I will pop it in right here.
Look at the prompt. It's asking me for the roof slope. I will type in 5 colon 12 and go okay.
Now I'm showing a 5 and 12 roof slope there. If you look here, you can see that the slope arrow will be pointing up. The text will be above and to the left, so we can use this same symbol.
So I will go to home tab and copy the symbol from here to here, escape, pick on it, go to the grip, right button, rotate. I'm going to put ortho on F8, escape. And now I'm going to move the symbol so it's out of the way of this line right here.
I have the need to use my left symbol over here. So I'm going to go insert, block insert, go to browse. I will choose my B11 left symbol, pop in at a scale factor of 96, go okay, pop it in right here.
Look at the prompt. 5 colon 12 is the value and go okay. Control S to save.
I'm now going to copy these symbols around. I'm going to copy this symbol, arbitrary base point. I'm making sure I have my ortho off and my running O snap off.
I will copy that symbol right there. Hit escape, space bar to repeat this symbol, arbitrary base point down to here. Copy this symbol from here to here, pick on it, go to the grip, right button, rotate, ortho on F8, escape, move the symbol from here, ortho off to there, escape, copy the symbol from here down to here and also to here.
Copy this symbol from here to here, escape, copy this symbol from there to there, escape, control S to save, zoom extents, look at the drawing, make sure I have all of my roof slopes on there so all of my roof panels are covered. If I'd like, I can copy, I typed in CP for copy, this symbol over to here and escape, control S to save. Now let me show you something though.
Do you see how this symbol is too long? If I were to explode this symbol, do you see what it does? It changes it back to layer 0 and it shows me the attribute tag. Okay, so I do not want to do that. That's using the explode command.
There is another command that is called burst. What burst will do is it will essentially explode the symbol but instead of revealing the attribute tag, it will display the attribute values. So I'm going to type burst, B-U-R-S-T, enter and I will choose the symbol and you can see what it's done is it's burst it but it has also kept it on the symbol's 96 layers.
I can now choose the vertical line, pick on the grip, put ortho on, drag my hand up, hit escape and then move, M enter for move, and I can move this symbol up ever so slightly with ortho on, control S, zoom extends, and save the file. We've now gotten all of our dimensioning done. We have our vents on.
We have our roof slopes. What we're going to come back and do next will be our keynoting.
