Get the right tool for the job! I am almost exclusively using SU now BUT if my work depended on reliable file exchange and there were long term work prospects for the right money I could be pursuaded to change CAD package.

I and my insurer's wouldn't be comfortable exchanging data where there may be doubts about the accuracy of the interpreted file which is exactly how Autodesk would like to keep it. You used to be able to provide a data file with a 2D PDF which could be used as a disclaimer; that doesn't really work with 3D data.

The way I do it is to set the axes so the red axis is set to your required "horizontal", right click on one of the axes lines and then select "Align View". The model should then position on screen to the red/green plane. Zoom to where you want and save as a new scene for import to LO.

As Frederik says you can import via SU but once in LO if you view it in Vector mode you can then explode it to work on in LO.

I wish there was some way to manage the text aspect but there doesn't seem to be a logical path at this time between the SU model & LO text overlay workflow.

TIP: I recently tried to import a surveyors dwg file with curved polylines in it. SU imported as straight lines between survey points! I converted to dxf and the file came in as per the surveyors issued drawing.

Wish I was as organised!

You do raise some interesting points on the scrapbook dropper issue. Hopefully someone influential is reading this and can appreciate that each drawing element e.g. text, rectangle, line picked from the toolbar should retain its own layer, colour and linetypes and not scramble the selection each time you pick something with the dropper.

If you export the data to a CSV file then as Jeff has indicated Exel can do a lot of the processing & filtering for you by importing the data to a workbook with a data worksheet which is then analysed in subsequent worksheets.

Unfortunately if you aren't familiar with Exel the learning curve is quite steep and the old computer phrase "Garbage in = Garbage out" comes to mind.

I like the presentation Dave and potentially support the feature request provided it doen't make LO any messier to use. For me the manual version doesn't have the right R.O.I. to justify the effort. My priority in this area would be to sort out co-ordination of element styles (and layers) which are corrupted by copying the style of a different element e.g. if I sample a text style it will also modify the style for lines.

Hi Ben, the UK Building Regulations never get any simpler and unless you are fully familiar with the latest construction requirements I would save a lot of your time and keep things as simple as possible so that your architect can pick up the basics and then make it comply. Nick's basic method will work well for you, but I would avoid getting bogged down in construction detail if someone else is going to handle the building regulations application and compliance. As a rough guide work on the basis of the external envelope being 300 thick for walls, roof & ground floor. Your size and orientation of windows will also have an impact on the final solution.

Matt:
That sounds like you are changing your scene's camera position when updating scenes. If you do, the insert point in layout changes to follow what you did in SU. Try to set things up so that you can get back to the same camera position before updating.

Following Dave's alternative's post and to add to my Doh moment I just spotted that the arrow head options includes two straight lines at the bottom of the list, these allow a line to be drawn between two fixed points which can then be extended or shortened from the original pick points using these alternatives.

Layout just keeps getting better...

And I nearly replied "No!"

Well spotted Dave, for me that's a Doh.

I use show on multiple pages for my borders & titles e.g. company name, project description and they are then locked. The layers above showing on a single page are then used for drawing numbers, viewports & descriptions etc. It's quite a simple but effective system once you understand it.

Don't know what would have caused it as LO does strange things at times. It works but has its frustrations. Under Trimble's stewardship hopefully SU 2013 will clean up a lot of these problems but it is still a young program that has lacked development.

Regarding...

a. In layout create a seperate layer for your dimensions and put it at the top of the list. Now set that as your current layer, move your dims to it and they will now visually sit on top of the rest of the drawing. That is how you set priority to display objects.

b. Could be a number of things e.g. do you still have autoscale set and are you sure you are connecting with end points in the model?

Windoze File extensions: An SU file has the extension .SKP the backup version becomes .SKB and I can readily hide the backups so I don't open them accidentally. In LO the extension is .layout(!) but the back up becomes "Backup of [FILENAME].layout". Is there some way to change the extension so I can keep the files hidden but readily available without cluttering up my layout folder or manually moving them?

.LBK would be a good option to adopt!

BIM is an undefined acronym. Its boundaries are so ill defined I'm surprised people are still trying to put it in a box. It is an impossible concept for all but the most meticulous and open funded projects. The reality is we (of an architectural persuasion) are just seeking tools to make the construction process easier. The prospect of being able to create data and pass it around to other software users and expect them to be able to interrogate the data in a meaningful way other than for basic shapes is not going to happen due to basic commercial posturing. If Trimble want to take SU down the BIM route it should recognise these challanges and offer, (as some have mentioned above) the ability to make realistic interrogations that can be output in a useful way. That shouldn't be a major challenge as the basic scheduling tool is there in the "Report Generator". What needs to be improved is the accessibility and accuracy of that data to give 2D/3D Perimeter / Area / volumes and improvements to the list presentation. I am far from convinced that there is anything to be gained from adding data tags beyond the already present component decription as in the majority of cases it will be a complete waste of time for real world construction projects.

IMHO.

@mike lucey said:

.... I wonder is anyone having this problem with metric dimensioning?

Yes I get this in metric Mike. It seems to occur mostly when I copy an existing scene in LO to a new page or location. It can be quite a small offset but visually it is wrong and I find I start to question the accuracy of my dimensions.

Good luck with your development Stan. The 2012 UK weather has me asking similar questions regarding extreme weather survival; you may be on to something.

The biggest challenge will be selecting the right shell material for the four elemental extremes of wind, rain, heat & cold e.g. concrete may be good for high winds but it generally doesn't float unless well sealed and it doesn't offer much insulation for the "Day After Tomorrow" scenario.

The new version awailable notice takes you to the download site. Download the right version for your system and then on PC run the downloaded file as an "administrator".

SU needs to be closed to be able to do the update.

Just downloaded the update. Interesting if these downloads are full installers that the windows V8 download has shrunk from 64Mb on first release down to the latest 49Mb for the M5 release. Makes me wonder how much and what type of fat Google put in there?