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Can autocad automatically create detail views?


ammobake

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Usually what I do is this.

 

1. draw a circle around the area I want to show the detail of.

2. draw a larger circle for the detail view.

3. Convert the larger circle to a viewport.

4. locate the viewport over the area I want to show in the detail and scale the viewport to the standard scale i want.

5. draw a line to connect the 2 circles.

6. label the detail view how I want and add all applicable dimensions and callouts in paper space over the detailed content.

 

I always make sure that the smaller circle signifying the detailed area of the layout is directly proportional to the larger one and how it lines up with the rest of the drawing (so that it looks pretty).

 

But this is more or less a manual way of setting up a simple detail view.

 

Is there any way autocad can automatically create a detail view like the one I use so that I don't have to do it all manually each time? I've searched in the autocad help menu but there isn't anything coming up under "detail", "detail view", or "drawing detail". I don't think there is but I thought i would ask. Thanks!

 

-ChriS

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Is there any way autocad can automatically create a detail view like the one I use so that I don't have to do it all manually each time?

 

 

Autodesk Inventor

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Autodesk Inventor

 

What's so funny?

 

Need detail.

Stop work.

Call authorized reseller.

Get price quote.

Go see boss.

Try to convince boss to spend $$$$ for Inventor.

Boss laughs then asks, "In this economy? What are you, nuts?"

Try again.

Boss snickers.

Try yet a third time.

Boss's ears start spouting steam. Face turns red.

Smile meeky. Shrugs. "Well?"

Boss's reply: "Get back to work or pack up your stuff."

One last try. "Can I get another $$$$ for training and the time off as well?"

Boss points at door. "OUT!"

One very last attempt. "Is that a definite no?"

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Anyone else notice that ammobake's avatar looks like the face of a mouse? (I'm not picking on you Chris)

 

Actually, I've got a lisp program that does essentially what you want but it does not create a circular viewport, just scaled objects in model space. I can share it if you like, however it might require a support file that I use.

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If you don't want to purchase Autodesk Inventor, Autocad Mechanical has a nice detail command...all automatic! Its ONLY money!

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The new AutoCAD Mechanical 2010 has a new Automatic detail feature. It works very smoothly and easily. It might be cheaper than upgrading fully to Inventor ;)

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Well the OP is using 2010 and I don't think he is likely to purchase new software just to create details of an area.

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Anyone else notice that ammobake's avatar looks like the face of a mouse? (I'm not picking on you Chris)

 

Actually, I've got a lisp program that does essentially what you want but it does not create a circular viewport, just scaled objects in model space. I can share it if you like, however it might require a support file that I use.

 

Awesome! I should put some antlers on it for good measure.

 

I'm hoping to not get involved with scripts, code, and LISP in general. But I'll think about it!

 

-ChriS

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Well the OP is using 2010 and I don't think he is likely to purchase new software just to create details of an area.

 

You are precisely right.

 

Inventor wouldn't be the ideal program for my company's needs anyway.

 

It would be like using solidworks to make a set of architectural design drawings from scratch. You could do it, you wouldn't have to create your own detail views, but it's not worth the money or the time it would take to do it. Saving time in one area only is only beneficial if you don't end up having to spend that time in another area.

 

We usually get as-builts from the government in DWG 2010 format.. So we have to use Autocad 2010 just to be in sync with the government's format. Whenever a new version comes out, they have it like the first day. For that reason, I always have to stay ahead of the pack as far as keeping Autocad updated and current so we're always both on the same page. That's why we use Autocad 2010.

 

But still.. For the price it costs to get an autodesk subscription.. I shouldn't have to create my own detail views.:lol:

At least, that's just my opinion.

 

-ChriS

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I think Revit can do something on that end.

 

Revit isn't ideal for our needs either, though. BIM is probably the way of the future but it is not the way of the present. And everything we get from the government and vice versa is all in good old DWG format (Usually in 2D unless I submit something to them in 3D).

 

I was just at a seminar last November in which the Army Corps of Engineers was saying that BIM was the next big thing and how they were going to require ANYONE doing business with them to use BIM format by January, 2009 (Either with Bentley or Autodesk Revit). I have no idea if the USACE has stuck with that deadline. From what I hear that has been happening for years and it always gets changed.

 

My company doesn't really get involved with Corps work, anyway. And I can thank my boss for that 10 times over.. Especially since they use Millimeters and Meters instead of inches and feet (Silly stuff like that). What a nightmare!

 

The Seminar I was at was basically Autodesk and Bentley using USACE as a marketing ploy. After the seminar they had booths set up.. You could walk by the bentley one.. Walk by the Autodesk one.. And they even had representatives of each company there to talk about how their product is better than the other's. That's all well and good. But the only USACE representative at the seminar couldn't even answer half of the questions presented.. And it was supposed to be a USACE seminar focusing on BIM, the new January 2009 deadline and how they'd pull it off. It really wasn't like that. You could tell there was alot of uncertainty and questions. And my guess is, there still is.

 

Revit would only be good for my needs if I could still use the government's as-builts from the most recent version of autocad (which they still use). When I say "government" I don't mean USACE. I work on a military installation where all the drawings are kept in a vault for all facilities and infrastructure on the base. And even then, I wouldn't create a BIM model of a building just to do design drawings for a room renovation or bathroom remodel. And since the government doesn't have anything in BIM format anyway, We're stuck both using autocad 2010 at this point as having Revit or Bentley would defeat the purpose of having it.

 

-ChriS

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Nothing automatic in AutoCAD.

 

This is what I have done before. It looks pretty similar to what you are doing.

http://cadpanacea.com/node/10

 

I think we may have even automated this with lisp.

 

I think steps 1 - 5 can be simplified with the CHSPACE command.

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Its the detail stuff exacty what the annotative text is for?

havent explored it in depth yet but from my understanding would it be perfect for what you are looking for

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Well, I'm not so much looking for a way to make sure the text is uniform. I can overcome that by putting all of the multileaders and text in paperspace if need be and everything can be the same size and orientation.

 

I did experiment with annotative text for a while but started having wierd problems. Standard text and mleaders seem to work fine for our needs though.

 

My real question involves detail views, themselves. Not necessarily the callouts. Anything that is automatically created is still going to need you to manually do callouts.

Solidworks works like this. It will create the detail views for you automatically (and there are a few different options) but you still have to add all the callouts and text you want. Solidworks doesn't know whether or not you want to call something a 2x4 steel stud or 2" hat channel. You still have to do all that manually.

 

But having a similar way of creating various kinds of detail views in autocad would save alot of time.

 

-ChriS

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Wow.. If Revit and Mechanical 2010 both have it, I wonder why they wouldn't add the automatic detail view feature with Autocad 2010. It just seems odd to me. Especially since autocad is the "big cahuna" of them all.

 

-ChriS

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Solidworks works like this... ...But having a similar way of creating various kinds of detail views in autocad would save alot of time.

-ChriS

 

You are comparing apples to oranges. Autodesk Inventor is the equivalent of SolidWorks (with similar price tag).

 

Why would Autodesk add all the bells and whistles to base product when they can sell a vertical at a premium price comparable to the competition?

 

I would like for my Vibe to be a Vette too.

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