In Need of Viewport Help

[farmboypeter]

putting together a drawing of a 3 story building with 3d mechanical systems on ech floor how do I set my viewports in layout or paper space to only show an individual floor. normally I would build 3 drawings and then stack them as xrefs in a 3d BIM model for coordination. I want to start them off the gate as 1 drawing.

Please help if you can.

[Organic]

This is a common situation that occurs in all disciplines. Those who have poor drawing management would just use three models (with at least 2 of them not on real coordinates) and then have a viewport referencing model 1, the ground flood. Then another viewport referencing model 2, the first floor etc etc.

 

The better way to manage it however is to have one single model on which everything is on true coordinates. To make this work well, you need to have good layer management. In viewports you control which layers are visible (via viewport freezing the layers you don’t want to be visible in a particular viewport). So if you have a viewport where you wants to see only the ground flood plumbing and not the plumbing of the first and second floors, then the plumbing for each flood needs to be on its own layer. Given you have a three story building I would suggest you use a layer naming convention like LVL1_PROPOSED_PIPE, LVL2_PROPOSED_PIPE etc.

 

To see how to use viewport layer freezing, see http://docs.autodesk.com/ACD/2010/ENU/AutoCAD%202010%20User%20Documentation/index.html?url=WS1a9193826455f5ffa23ce210c4a30acaf-74e5.htm,topicNumber=d0e35151

[Dadgad]

Welcome to CADTutor.

 

Adding to Organic's suggestions, you might want to create LAYER FILTERS, which enables you to quickly change between different

visibility configurations without the need to click into each viewport and viewport freeze layers one at a time.

Additionally Layer Filter configurations can be saved and reused, should there be a need.

You might later want to add such filters to your default personalized .dwt (template).

[farmboypeter]

Thank you for the advice! That was the way I was heading. I was hoping that there was some possibility of a visibility setting that I could set a viewport to show items in a certain range of elevation in the z axis. all my layers pull from autodesk fabrication services and there are about 40 tags to edit for the different equipment, ductwork and piping items, with 8 services per floor I'm looking at a lot of layer editing.

Thank you again

[SLW210]

Are you using AutoCAD MEP? I thought AutoCAD MEP had special tools for this.

[RobDraw]

It should, otherwise it would be pretty useless without all that unnecessary layer management. Different layers for each floor? Sounds old school to me.

[farmboypeter]

yes I am using MEP but I am not using the tool pallets. I am running Autodesk fabrication for ductwork and piping. I can not find a way to do this.

thanks

[SLW210]

You need help with MEP then, not AutoCAD.

[RobDraw]

Then this thread should be moved over to the MEP forum.

[SLW210]

Then this thread should be moved over to the MEP forum.

 

Already moved to MEP forum.

[farmboypeter]

found it Navigator.

thank you

[tzframpton]

found it Navigator.

thank you

My apologies for not seeing this earlier, I'm usually good at catching things posted in the MEP forum. Yes, you'll want to get familiar with the Project Navigator, and start using Constructs. Each level should be it's own Construct. You can then use Views to "build" whatever Constructs that create your Levels that you need. The Project Navigator automatically builds Constructs for you and pieces it all together - just by selecting which one you need.

 

Holler back if you need more assistance.

 

*EDIT*

Here's a link to Mastering AutoCAD MEP by Paul Aubin. It's a little dated as it's for version 2010 but it still all applies about 99%, and it's not the full book - but it's free, and searchable. You can use this as a great reference to get you started or reference AutoCAD MEP specific items, but purchasing the updated book is well worth the money:

http://books.google.com/books?id=3zYUlx8Vrl8C&printsec=frontcover&dq=AutoCAD+MEP&hl=en&sa=X&ei=GC9fUsTqGoTy2QW_xIGgCg&ved=0CEgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

[farmboypeter]

My apologies for not seeing this earlier, I'm usually good at catching things posted in the MEP forum. Yes, you'll want to get familiar with the Project Navigator, and start using Constructs. Each level should be it's own Construct. You can then use Views to "build" whatever Constructs that create your Levels that you need. The Project Navigator automatically builds Constructs for you and pieces it all together - just by selecting which one you need.

 

Holler back if you need more assistance.

 

*EDIT*

Here's a link to Mastering AutoCAD MEP by Paul Aubin. It's a little dated as it's for version 2010 but it still all applies about 99%, and it's not the full book - but it's free, and searchable. You can use this as a great reference to get you started or reference AutoCAD MEP specific items, but purchasing the updated book is well worth the money:

http://books.google.com/books?id=3zYUlx8Vrl8C&printsec=frontcover&dq=AutoCAD+MEP&hl=en&sa=X&ei=GC9fUsTqGoTy2QW_xIGgCg&ved=0CEgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

The Project Navigator is terrific. It's tough working for a small company and not learning anything from Mentors. Thank you the E-book is very helpful.

thanks again.

[tzframpton]

It's tough working for a small company and not learning anything from Mentors.

Been there, done that. I know exactly how you feel.

 

Thank you the E-book is very helpful.

See if you can get an approval to actually purchase the book on Amazon.com - it's really an awesome book and is worth every penny. Even if it's something you purchase yourself, it's only like $40 or something. Edited October 18, 2013 by tzframpton

[farmboypeter]

Been there, done that. I know exactly how you feel.

 

See if you can get an approval to actually purchase the book on Amazon.com - it's really an awesome book and is worth every penny. Even if it's something you purchase yourself, it's only like $40 or something.

 

I have already ordered it.

thank you

[Ski_Me]

I don't have this problem because I never work on anything with more than 1 floor. Buildings with floors stacked on top of one another, really silly if you ask me.

[RobDraw]

Are you suggesting that buildings with multiple floors should not have the floors stacked or are you joking?

[Organic]

Are you suggesting that buildings with multiple floors should not have the floors stacked or are you joking?

 

I think he was serious. Which is scary as I've seen final architectural plans issued for construction for a large shopping centre where the lift shafts weren't even vertical between floors etc...

[Ski_Me]

Are you suggesting that buildings with multiple floors should not have the floors stacked or are you joking?

I'm kidding I never liked working on multistoried buildings for the very reason mentioned here. Fortunately my customer base cannot afford buildings with more than 1 floor so problem eliminated.

[Ski_Me]

I think he was serious. Which is scary as I've seen final architectural plans issued for construction for a large shopping centre where the lift shafts weren't even vertical between floors etc...

This is why hoistways are built as a separate structure within the main frame work of the building they are going in. Ever been on a job site when a elevator was being installed? They use a independent contractor to build the hoistway then build the structure around the hoistway. But this is typical for 2 to 6 story buildings taller buildings use a different system.