Explore the complete process of setting up a model file for dimensioning, with an emphasis on creating a title block in the model space environment that will be used in the paper space environment of a deliverable sheet file. Learn how to design a title block file, title block text file, and a drawing title file to effectively manage and organise your project drawings.
Key Insights
- The title block file, or TTLB file, is created in the model space and referenced (XREFed) into the layout paper space environment of the deliverable sheet file. This ensures consistency across all sheets, as any changes to the TTLB file will automatically update on all sheet files.
- The title block text file, or TBTX file, will be inserted into each of the deliverable sheets. It contains consistently placed information but the value of this information changes from sheet to sheet, offering flexibility in managing different elements of the project drawings.
- In addition to the title block file and the title block text file, a drawing title file is designed that goes underneath each individual drawing. This, combined with the other two elements, defines the available space for the no-plot view, managing the layout of the project drawings effectively.
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Before we begin the dimensioning on our model file, we need to plan ahead and to put our title block together. Now, I have a drawing that's already put together, and I'd like to review the components with you. You can see that this is my deliverable sheet file.
If you look at the name at the top, you can see that this is my A201 sheet file. You can see that I'm in a layout environment, that I am in the paper space environment. If I click on the model tab down here on the bottom, you can see that I have XREFed my model file in, and I've also included the no-plot view, this magenta file that's around the corner.
If you look down here at the bottom, you can see that I have our standard VDCI 8.5x11 and 11x17 layouts, but I also have another layout, VDCI 22x34, which is the layout environment in which we will be establishing our drawing file. So, this drawing file is set up for a 22x34 sheet. You can see I have a crop mark down here on the bottom left, and one up here on the top right.
You can see that I have the white border, which is null space. I have the dark gray or black border, which represents the size of my paper. I have the white dashed lines that represent the printable area within my drawing.
So, what we're going to need to do is to develop a title block in the model space environment that we will end up using in the paper space environment of our sheet file. I'm now switching over to another drawing that shows you a little bit more information. I'm going to click right up here, and you can see that it's highlighting what is my title block.
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So, my title block file, my TTLB file, is a drawing that, again, I will create in model space and XREF into the layout paper space environment of my deliverable sheet file. My title block file, the TTLB, will be XREFed because it contains standard, consistent information. The client's name is the same.
The project name is the same throughout all of the sheets. We have the revisions area that we will be submitting to the regulatory agency, and we also have the project number, who drew it, who checked the drawing, and so on and so forth. So, again, the TTLB file, the title block file, will be XREFed into all of our sheet files.
And, again, the reason we do that is if, for example, the client changes the name of the project, we change the project name on the TTLB file, and it's automatically XREFed and updated on all the sheet files. If we've taken the drawing to the regulatory agency, and we have a revision date for the revisions that have been required by the regulatory agency, we would indicate that information on the title block file, and it would also be updated throughout all the drawings in the set. So, that's the TTLB file.
We also have a TBTX file, the title block text file. The title block text file contains attributes. The title block text file will be inserted into each of the deliverable sheets.
The title block text file, because it's inserted with an attribute, contains consistently placed information, but the value of that information changes sheet to sheet. So, on one page, it might say A2.1 for the floor plan. On another sheet, it might say A2.2 for an enlarged drawing file.
So, we have the title block file, the title block text file. We also have an area down here at the lower part of the image that we're calling the drawing title file. This drawing title file would be the label that would go underneath each individual drawing.
So, between the combination of the title block file and the drawing title file, we can see the area that is available for our no-plot view. Here is another sheet where I'm breaking the sheet up differently. I have the title block file, the TTLB file.
I have the TBTX file over here, and I have two drawing area title files. So, the combination of the space needed for this drawing title and the space needed for this drawing title gives me the available space that I would need for these two viewports. And again, this is taking the sheet and breaking it up into a two-thirds viewport and into a one-thirds viewport.
Another format is where I've broken the sheet into two half-size horizontal images, where again, I have the TTBL file, the TBTX file, my drawing title for the upper image, my drawing title for the lower image, and the available space would be broken into two equally-sized horizontal viewports and also two equally-sized no-plot views. And the last image I'd like to show you is right here, where I'm breaking the drawing into two vertical sizes. So, what's happening is that I have a new drawing title area down here.
This is half as long as the drawing title one block, because you can see I will be breaking the drawing into two vertical viewports and two vertical no-plot views. So, let's begin, and this should be a whole lot of fun.
