Changing viewport focus on multiple layouts

Hi

I have a bunch of objects in model space. They have all been set up to be viewed on different layout sheets (one object per layout sheet). I have quite a lot of sheets.

I now need to move the objects to a different location in model space, but I don't want to have to set up all my viewports again. I know it's easy enough just to enter the VP and move around to the right place, but I'm wondering if there is a faster way to just tell the viewports to look at a different location in model space?

Cheers

Just thinking out loud, no time to check it, might redefining the origin of the drawing do it?

Probably not, but worth a shot.

Lisp is not a possibility, as I see you are using LT.

Just thinking out loud, no time to check it, might redefining the origin of the drawing do it?

 

Probably not, but worth a shot.

 

Lisp is not a possibility, as I see you are using LT.

Yes, the joys of LT. The price tag of full CAD is not justified by my desire to tinker with LISP routines (and converting text to mtext!)

I had a wee fiddle with redefining the origin, but was hoping someone would have a more... comprehensive solution I shall try some more later.

In other words you'd really like it if the viewport in your layout followed the moving of the model space objects shown in it, right? Well I'm pretty sure that isn't going to happen without some kind of lisp routine which won't do you any good but I have a possible work around.

Create a new layer and name it, for example, FRAMES. Assign a unique color to it (maybe something not being used in your drawing). Make the layer current. Now go to your layout, lock the layer your viewports are on, and (assuming you have rectangular viewports) use the Rectangle command to trace the outline of one of the viewports. Next use the CHSPACE command and when prompted to pick an object select the frame you just created. When the command terminates go into model space and note that the frame now encloses your model space objects that were displayed in the layout viewport. Now if you move the model space objects (and the frame constructed around them) your objects will be easier to locate and you can match up your layout viewport with the frame in model space.

Not possible in AutoCAD. I've seen a couple of attempts at coding this but I don't think they ever got finished.

In other words you'd really like it if the viewport in your layout followed the moving of the model space objects shown in it, right? ...

Thanks ReMark. That method would probably work quite well, but I don't think it would save me much time compared to what I usually would do. Was hoping for a shorter cut. At least it wasn't 50 sheets this time!

Have a good Christmas/holiday of choice!

Sorry, but I can't come up with anything else.

Guess I should just do it right the first time :-D

This macro should work, with a few only if's, only if the viewports are not locked, and only if using as an example that you have just moved everything in model space 7000 units to the right, then only if going to each layout and making the viewport active you run this macro, it will hopefully line up the viewports again correctly and at the same scale they were using before. Probably too late for you now but might be handy for reference.

^C^C^Czoom;c;$M=$(+,$(index,0,$(getvar,viewctr)),7000),$(index,1,$(getvar,viewctr));;

Stick it in a toolpalette macro and see how it goes

Steven-g, that works quite well. For others: it basically is the same as panning and zooming a set distance, so you have to know how far and in which direction you've moved things, and change the 7000 in the macro to suit. But once you've done that, you just enter your viewport, make sure it's unlocked and press your button and it will automatically go to the thing that was in the VP previously. I could see this being of use on reasonably big jobs. The one that prompted the question was only 10 layout sheets, but the macro would have saved a bit of time.

As you say, a bit late to be useful for this job, but good for future reference. Once I figure out a quick way to determine the distance (it always varies depending on coordinates etc), I could see this being quite handy. (assuming I don't just put the things in the right place before creating the layouts....)

Thanks for this. Have a great one!

This macro should work, with a few only if's, only if the viewports are not locked, and only if using as an example that you have just moved everything in model space 7000 units to the right, then only if going to each layout and making the viewport active you run this macro, it will hopefully line up the viewports again correctly and at the same scale they were using before. Probably too late for you now but might be handy for reference.

^C^C^Czoom;c;$M=$(+,$(index,0,$(getvar,viewctr)),7000),$(index,1,$(getvar,viewctr));;

Stick it in a toolpalette macro and see how it goes

+1 Well done, as usual steven-g.

Steven-g, that works quite well. For others: it basically is the same as panning and zooming a set distance, so you have to know how far and in which direction you've moved things, and change the 7000 in the macro to suit. But once you've done that, you just enter your viewport, make sure it's unlocked and press your button and it will automatically go to the thing that was in the VP previously.

Thanks for this. Have a great one!

Glad you could understand how it works, you can change it to adjust for the Y axis as well, I just hope it gives you a pointer to the possibilities for future situations.

Yeah, I can definitely see the possibilities. Might be a job for the New Year when everything's a bit quieter around here. Have a great one!

What about zoom c pick your new center point of object then maybe use lastpoint, if you know the viewport scale then its zoom c pickpoint scale. This will auto rescale a zoomed out view.

An example zoomed in objects zoom c "selected the mid point of a line" "then typed 4xp" this is exactly 1:250 metric, locked the viewport.

I don't know if this is any faster than what Steven-g is suggesting but what if you draw a rectangle object then use the group command, give it a name and select that rectangle?

Now you can place the rectangle over your object, go to paper space, double click the mview and run the zoom command with options "O" "G" "Group name"

The command will look for an object (in your case it is a Grouped rect. around your object) Make sure the rect. is invisible in your mview

you can even make a macro and assign it to a button and run it on any Mview you wish -

In case you have to move the object to a new location, move it with the grouped rectangle and run the macro

Just another way of doing it

As mentioned before using the pan command would be quickest and simplest solution without doing to much work.

Move the item in model space then go to the required viewport, click in it and the. and pan the same distance on the x and y co-ordinates. Viewport will have to be unlocked first. Use the pan command line short cut also to make it even quicker. This will take seconds.

I move things a defined length in model space, say a home, moved left 200 feet.

Then when I return to the paperspace viewport (and the home is not there) I double click in the unlocked viewport, type

-PAN

click anywhere in the viewport, start moving the mouse to the right (opposite of the direction moved in model space), type 200', then enter. The home I moved in model space pops exactly into place in the viewport.

That's minus PAN (-PAN)

wallmaxx don't forget the F8 making sure Ortho is on.

Another do the following

Point center of your object,

Lastpoint copy the x,y may need a F2 here

Erase L point is gone

layout with unlocked viewport

zoom c paste the x,y enter scale all done.

If you dont know the scale go into the viewport do z c and scale will appear do this 1st.