AMEP Display configurations & set

Hi,

I am slowly learning Autocad MEP but I am having a lot of trouble getting mvparts to display properly.

 

When building new mv parts I make one block that is 3D model of the a/c unit and I make another block as 2D plan view of the unit. for both of these blocks I want the main part of unit to be a thicker line (magenta) and the details of the unit (fans, spigots, clearances ETC.) to be a thinner line (white, grey).

I draw everything on layer 0 and manually change the lines to look the way I want.

I.e. body of unit is layer 0 and all properties are bylayer. unit details are layer 0 but I manually change the line colour & type.

then i put it all through the content builder.

 

when I insert the unit into a drawing the model view looks the way I want it to, but in the plan view all lines are magenta.

 

I feel like I am going around in circles with the display manager. When I make the block should I be putting the linework on dedicated layers??

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Once a block is converted to an MvPart, all the manual overrides will be lost. Especially if you're using color overrides in a CTB file. I'm assuming you're using the default CTB that AutoCAD MEP uses? It would be best for now.

 

Since you're starting to get acquainted with AutoCAD MEP, my best suggestion to you is to place these "fine details" aside and just learn the fundamentals for now. I have been there (albeit many years ago) back when AutoCAD MEP was still Autodesk Building Systems. I tried, very painfully I might add, to get certain blocks and other items to mimic exactly how my company already had them in place. I finally realized I was doing no good. Once I lifted the mindset of attempting to make AutoCAD MEP act like AutoCAD, that's when I really grasped it and made great strides with it.

 

And forget "layers". AutoCAD MEP utilizes "styles". Granted, Layers are still apart of AutoCAD but the internal workings of certain objects are not layer specific.

 

So my ultimate point is this: I see that you're trying to go down a road that many people do when first opening up AutoCAD MEP. Just place equipment, run duct/pipe, and spend time getting the fundamentals down (for now). The rest will follow.

 

I would look into getting this book. It's very good at giving you real world tutoring and examples of how to use AutoCAD MEP:

http://www.amazon.com/Aubin-Academy-Master-AutoCAD-Compatible/dp/1479338974/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1392732548&sr=1-2&keywords=autocad+mep

 

Also, I can't "not" give you this advice, but have you also considered Revit MEP? The reason I say that is because Revit is where it's at, and most certainly where it's going in the industry. I'd hate to see you invest the next several months and/or years just to have to eventually pick up Revit. Might as well learn both while you can.

 

Hope this helps!

 

- Tannar

Once you have inserted the mvpart into your drawing you can use the objectgraphicsedit command to change the plan view graphics. Just select your part and redraw the graphics. If you have your block handy you can insert it in place of the graphics that are there.

Once you have inserted the mvpart into your drawing you can use the objectgraphicsedit command to change the plan view graphics. Just select your part and redraw the graphics. If you have your block handy you can insert it in place of the graphics that are there.

Wow I had no idea about that command. Works great!! Exactly what the original poster was after.

 

Thanks again for the backup Keith.

Your Welcome. I don't frequent here as often as i should. I just have to many things going on.

 

Its pretty handy. I am contemplating writing an add on in C# that will automatically add the block for you. I pretty much understand how to do it but not sure if the need is really there.

I am using a ctb file, I was wondering why the 3D model block keeps its layer overrides but the 2D block doesn't?

I have found the object graphics editor and thats how I have been doing it, I just though it might be something I was doing when making the mvpart.

 

Tannar- we have bought the building design suite so Revit is coming up next my boss just wants to use AMEP as a stepping stone. I have had a look at Revit once or twice, bit overwhelming at the moment but we'll get there eventually.

 

Thank you both for your help and time.

I would highly encourage Revit. It's where everything is going. AutoCAD MEP is not a stepping stone, it's probably more of a handicap, since it takes years to get truly efficient with it. Just would be a love of wasted investment since Revit has already got a firm grip on the market.

 

Just my $0.02 is all, it would take you and your company contacting a local professional to really discuss it further. Just trying to give you all the options. Been in your shoes many years ago and Revit is definitely where it's at.

Thanks Tannar I'll take your 2 cents. The government is starting to produce architectural drawings with revit but not mechanical drawings yet. There might be a few engineering firms working with it, but as far as I'm aware no contractors yet.

Thanks Tannar I'll take your 2 cents. The government is starting to produce architectural drawings with revit but not mechanical drawings yet. There might be a few engineering firms working with it, but as far as I'm aware no contractors yet.

Lots of contractors use it here in the Texas area, including me. But that's the whole point: why not go ahead and use it as a contractor? Then you're not behind the curve, you're ahead of it. It's a better platform, AND general contractors will love you for it. It could be a great selling point for you and your company with the BIM push.

 

Point is, everything's going Revit. Might as well jump on early.

 

I'd be happy to consult with you and your company if further discussion over the phone is warranted. Just contact me on here and we can go from there. I come from the field, and from mechanical HVAC and piping so I know the trade very well.

 

-Tannar

Hi Tannar, Thanks for your offer I will let my boss know. He will probably like to speak to you sometime, but we are in Australia so over the phone is probably no the best option.

Thank you for your advice, you have actually helped me out quite a few times, I prefer to try and find where someone else has already asked the question than ask it again myself, so I have found your responses on forums all over the place.

-Fiona

Hi Tanner,

 

I am curious as to how big of a shop those contractors that are using Revit in Texas have. How are the sheetmetal contractors downloading their models directly to a coil line or a plasma cutter?

Revit is not being used for fabrication, but primarily for VDC (Virtual Design and Construction) during the pre-construction BIM collaboration phase. The ability of WAN collaboration with Revit Server is the integral part that general contractors in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area have now adopted very regularly.

 

There are some who are trying the new Sysque PAC Revit add-on. Don't know how it's doing for their duct fabrication shops but could try and find out more info the next BIM job I'm on, which should be in the next couple of weeks. Same company that does CADDuct so I'm assuming working pretty good.

I have seen the Sysque at the AHR show this year in New York. In its present state it is unusable. During the demo it crashed several times and was very slow.

 

Until Revit has the ability to do fabrication most mechanical contractors will not touch the program. Everything that I have heard points towards 2016 as the release when they will start to have this ability working.

I have seen the Sysque at the AHR show this year in New York. In its present state it is unusable. During the demo it crashed several times and was very slow.

Gotcha. That's good to know actually - my boss and I went out for some drinks last night was brought up this topic about Sysque. My exact words were "it sounds too good to be true". We're about to use Sysque trial with a contractor to see how it works. We are skeptical about Sysque's advertisement of "native Revit families".

 

Until Revit has the ability to do fabrication most mechanical contractors will not touch the program. Everything that I have heard points towards 2016 as the release when they will start to have this ability working.

We have worked with contractors that use and send their HVAC BIM designs directly to the fabrication shop. Brant is one company that does this very well and it works good for them, but most contractors in this area don't want to incur the huge cost of overhead, so most are using their BIM models to send to the shop for old school fabrication. And the fact that AutoCAD and BIM simply do not go together at all, so Revit it is. It's being pushed on the contractor from the engineers and general contractors in Texas, and it's giving a mixed bag of emotions since contractors are stubborn and reluctant to changes in industries anyways.

I would highly encourage Revit. It's where everything is going. AutoCAD MEP is not a stepping stone, it's probably more of a handicap, since it takes years to get truly efficient with it. Just would be a love of wasted investment since Revit has already got a firm grip on the market.

 

Just my $0.02 is all, it would take you and your company contacting a local professional to really discuss it further. Just trying to give you all the options. Been in your shoes many years ago and Revit is definitely where it's at.

As a fire alarm designer I have yet to come across a firm that is using REVIT. For years I have used vanilla cad to do my design. Now I work for a company the uses MEP which I use but not the MEP part. Now I'm trying to teach myself MEP and I found out that MEP has nothing to offer the low voltage side of things. I need to be able to calculate loads, voltage drops, a lot of the similar things that the high voltage guys do. I fear that when I do have to go to REVIT we will have to spend a bunch of money for a program that will limited for what I need to use it for. Already I have spent a bunch of time trying to get MEP to work the way I need it, I'm getting there but slowly.

As a fire alarm designer I have yet to come across a firm that is using REVIT. For years I have used vanilla cad to do my design. Now I work for a company the uses MEP which I use but not the MEP part. Now I'm trying to teach myself MEP and I found out that MEP has nothing to offer the low voltage side of things. I need to be able to calculate loads, voltage drops, a lot of the similar things that the high voltage guys do. I fear that when I do have to go to REVIT we will have to spend a bunch of money for a program that will limited for what I need to use it for. Already I have spent a bunch of time trying to get MEP to work the way I need it, I'm getting there but slowly.

I use Revit all the time to calculate voltage drop, loads, etc. Revit and AutoCAD MEP comes as a package deal so not understanding the comment regarding "bunch of money" part.

 

Have you reviewed Revit's Electrical Calculations? More info here: http://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2015/ENU/Revit-Model/files/GUID-4D409AA2-15F9-4851-B17B-42BFCF575B0D.htm

 

See if maybe that info can be of use to you.

I've seen this before a while back. But what REVIT and MEP does not do is provide the information I need to give to fire marshals because the products I use have different values. I haven't dived into REVIT but MEP is all high voltage the devices that come with MEP are just graphical with not data attached to them. I still have to calculate load and voltage drops from external programs and import the results as PDF's. As long as I maintain the saved paths this is fine plus I'm not working on a network. There are programs designed just for fire alarm and maybe in the long run it would benefit me to look into purchasing one but then I wouldn't be any wiser than I am now. I need to learn MEP and REVIT but it would help if Autodesk would consider adding content for low voltage and maybe even a system just for fire alarm.

"Technically" this is not high voltage, but medium voltage. And you can define the Voltages in Revit so you can deal with low voltage information, although the calculations themselves might not suit your direct needs.

 

But yeah, fire alarm exists in Revit but it doesn't have every bell and whistle you'd need. Learning AutoCAD MEP and Revit would still benefit you though, just don't worry about calculations. Model the things you want to model and keep doing manual calcs.

I completely agree with you, learning how to use the product is the most important thing. I just wish Autodesk include specific systems for some low voltage disciplines that you can customize just like the electrical systems.

I just wish Autodesk include specific systems for some low voltage disciplines that you can customize just like the electrical systems.

Well, to be honest, Autodesk has more important things to worry about. They can't possibly satisfy ALL trades involved. So that's when you look for plugins or 3rd party apps. And Revit is still a new platform, and the MEP items barely got to a point of real usability. Version 2011 was the first complete "Revit MEP" release.