Construction Documentation Practical Everyday Tools
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These suggestions are purely driven by the day to day of working in Sketchup/Layout exclusively for architectural construction drawings. We've used this method for two years now and there are some dead simple tools that would make the process much faster.
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Match properties - ala Autocad - this alone would save a ton of time changing layers, properties, etc.
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The new layout call out tool is great to pull info from the model but what would add to it is that you have the option to pull in that info with a "tag" ala standardized door, window and wall/floor/roof tags. A standardized symbol for each and a simple 102, 103 with a bubble or whatever symbol you prefer around it, etc.
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With all of this BIM information being added in Sketchup, Layout needs to be able to pull that information into a window or door schedule without a huge amount of time required to set up the table and double check it over and over.
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If the page is set up on ARCH D, why do we have to reset the "page setup" sheet size every time we re-open the file. I realize this is because we don't have our default printer set up as Adobe PDF but why can't the file remember the last print settings?
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Dimensions - an option for the standard distance between the dimension point and where the line starts (half the time it ends up in an exterior wall if you are selecting the midpoint of an interior wall
Brett Sichello
http://www.brettsichellodesign.com -
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have you had a look at SU2016? From the info I've seen / heard it should be dead simple to match properties now.
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What is "match properties"?
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1 - Match properties is basically what the eyedropper tool does. The only difference is that it doesn't match layers between objects...
2 - Definetelly needed. Not only that but a lot of stuff like floor height, section names and section lines, areas without the leader line, roof gradients (inclinations), some way of marking a viewport with a shape and a viewport with that shape get's created for a detail viewport. Redefining the shape would redefine the new viewport and "vice versa", someway to relate a section viewport and the section. Having areas from drawing shapes in LO... etc...
3 - Yup and relate Layout with the new Sketchup Report by generating tables on Layout from SU filtered out reports.
4 - About the pring settings, they definetelly would use an overhaul... Rotate pages, print a region, print upside down, print greyscale, even print mirrored for printing transparent stickers would be good! And of course, remember settings per file.
What I do is export to pdf and print from there. (Workaround!)
5 - Optimize chained dimensions workflow...
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I guessed that, but since the tool already exists, I didn't think that was the request.
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@brettsichellodesign said:
- With all of this BIM information being added in Sketchup, Layout needs to be able to pull that information into a window or door schedule without a huge amount of time required to set up the table and double check it over and over.
I think this would be possible with the new Layout C API, if only someone can build an extension that does it...
Also, with all this BIM, I think we need a way for information added in LayOut to be synced to the Sketchup model. We annotate in LayOut, so it only makes sense for LayOut to be the place from which information is added to the model... With a Ruby API in LayOut (hopefully for 2017), this should be possible with a LayOut extension.
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A couple more thoughts and requests for Layout. I've used Sketchup/Layout professionally for almost 4 years now and could never go back to Autodesk but these couple of additions would make life much easier.
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Both metric and imperial dimensions - Autocad allowed alternate dimensions and this would be incredibly helpful rather than having to manually convert every single imperial dimension and then add the metric text afterwards. It's annoying because if that dimension changes, then you have to manually reconvert the metric dimension (that's if I remember). We still use imperial for our construction documents but for permit submissions Canadian municipalities (as well as every other country in the world other than 'Merica requires metric dimensions.)
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Layout Plugin's - we couldn't use Sketchup without plugins and Layout would be that much further along if Trimble opened up the program to private developers
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Three Steps to Update a Sketchup Reference? - I'll save my sketchup drawing easily 50 times in a day when trying to push a package out. Why is it that in Layout I have to click "Document Setup", then click the particular file, and then finally click update. One click to freedom people! Even better....don't make us have to update the file as I don't remember ever switching to paperspace and having to "update" the drawing.
Thanks!
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Brett, when you right click on a sketchup viewer you'll see an "update reference" choice. So two quick clicks and no need to access the document setup window
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@otb designworks said:
Brett, when you right click on a sketchup viewer you'll see an "update reference" choice. So two quick clicks and no need to access the document setup window
This isn't true if the viewport is on a locked layer. And the fact is that working with viewport in unlocked layers is bad for your health. So they should be locked. Rightclicking on a locked viewport allows you to do nothing with that viewport.
Also, to update all viewports in a page it shouldn't be needed to specifically right click a viewport.
When you want to update viewport rendering you can righclick on empty space, why not allow for a second line to update viewport references in a single page.
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