10 replies to this topic

[Tom McConnell]

SP 2020 help, what's new in this release, what's new in 2020 all point to 2018 stuff.. 

Trying to figure out how we are supposed to start the new "Drawing Template Configuration".

Once we do, how do we add to it, edit it and apply it to projects.

 

Is there any documentation for the process.

 

 

 

[Joseph Smith]

They told me early after the release of beta 2020 that the help screens are the last thing they work on.  So not to fear, its in the works.

[Chris Proost]

Tom, this sounds like something i have been looking for. Can you tell me where you found this new feature?

[John Pepper]

Configuration Levels

Here is a quick review configuration features and a description of some additional tools in 2020.  It isn't an exhaustive description but more of an overview.

 

In 2018 Configuration works as follows

 

System Options

 

System Options are divided into 3 parts. 

1. System Options: anything in this first part are options that apply directly system wide and take immediate effect when changed
2. Project Defaults: anything in this part are options that are used to Initialize NEW PROJECTS.
3. Drawing Options: These are the default drawing options stored in new projects.  New drawings take their values from the project level drawing options.

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Project Options are divided into 2 parts.

1. Project Options: Initialized from the level above (System Options->Project Defaults).  But changes to Project Options on the Project level apply immediately to the whole project
2. Drawing Options:  These options are the defaults for NEW DRAWINGS

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Drawing Options have one part

1. Drawing Options:  These options change the drawing directly and take immediate effect when changed.

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In 2020 we addressed two needs.

1. Have different sets preconfigured drawing options for different types of drawings
2. Allow some/all drawings to update their configurations automatically on the Project Level.

To accomplish the first we introduced Named sets of Drawing options that trickle on down from the System Level.  You can have one set configured for Floorplans, another for Site Plans and another for detail sheets.  You could also have different configuration sets for different clients. 

To accomplish the second we added the Use Project Drawing Template dropdown on the Drawing configuration level.  You pick the named configuration you wish to use, and whenever an option within that set changes (in the project), all the drawings that reference it will be changed.  At any time you can pick Use Custom Drawing Options and it will allow you to modify options on the drawing independent of other drawings in the project.

To run exactly as you did in 2018 just configure your Drawing Level -> Drawing Options to use Custom Drawing Options

 

 

 

[Tom McConnell]

Perfect 

[Tom McConnell]

OK. I have a Drawing Options - Drawing Template started.

I have the "Drawing Template Configuration" box open.

There are four options; New, Delete, Save to Project, Reset.

1.  What do each of these actually do?

 

I've made changes and now I want save (overwrite) the same Drawing Options - Drawing Template (not make a new one).

Note: If there is no way to do this we need one, otherwise there will so many templates we won't remember what each was for.

2.  What is best step by step practice?

[John Pepper]

At the system level, you can create the different config templates.

• New : Creates a new template
• Delete: Deletes it from the system (not existing projects copies though)
• Save to Project: Adds the template to the open project or overwrites it if it is already there.
• Reset: Sets the current template to have the programs default values.

 

On the Project you should see only configurations either explicitly added to the project via the "Save to Project" or Configurations that were picked on the drawing level vial the Drawing Options->Drawing Options->Use Project Template.

 

Projects get their own copies of the configurations which the drawings in said project can reference.  

I would think you would want to create your different configurations on the system level so that new projects can use them select them as you need them in the drawing options->Drawing Options->Use Project Template.

If you need to tweak changes for an individual project than change on the project level.

If you need to change a configuration for this project and all future projects, make your change on the system level and then use the Save to Project button.

[Verlin Klassen]

Is there a way to set up the configeration so that when an elevation is created it will automatically take on a configeration that I have created for elevations, or do I have to go into drawing options for each elevation and set it to the correct configeration template?

[John Pepper]

They save as custom because a lot of elevation specific layers are introduced when you save elevations. 

I would probably set up a configuration based on a saved elevation so that it has all the drawing layers.  But yes, currently you will have to manually set it to the correct configuration template after you generate the drawing.

[Verlin Klassen]

Depending on the size of the building and my plan set layout, my floor plans and elevations are not always the same scale on the plan set pages from one project to the next. Idealy I should be changing font sizes for the different scales. What is the best way to do that? Is that best accomplished with different configerations??

[Brent Hyndman]

Thanks for the question Verlin.

 

Yes, the purpose of the drawing templates is to allow you to configure for the different cases you may have. Whether that's different text sizes for different scales or different arrow styles or even different construction techniques, a new template will make it easier the next time you need to create a similar drawing.