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In an ideal world, a CAD standard would be just what the name implies: a single set of rules and procedures for documenting and conveying building design information regardless of the software used to create it or the medium in which it is viewed. But in the real world, there are multiple, overlapping standards, each of which addresses a different set of issues regarding the organization and appearance of CAD files and the sharing of information with non-CAD applications. The question has been asked time and time again, "Why isn't there a single CAD layering standard?". The British Standard, BS1192 pt 5 has been in existence for a long while, and has to a certain extent provided a framework in which companies have been able to classify their layering systems in an understandable format. Unfortunately for many CAD managers, BS1192 pt 5 has only provided a framework, not a detailed standard, which has meant misunderstanding, incomprehension and way too much work to implement a meaningful system. Normally companies using AutoCAD will allow any sensible naming convention but insist on specific descriptions.
Following is Best Practice standards for producing working drawings using both applications.
AUTOCAD
Firstly we will go through the steps of setting up a template file which will include all of your settings. Once this is saved your entire CAD standards will load with the template upon starting a new drawing.
Once the Select template dialogue box opens choose the acadiso.dwt file, and select open.
This acadiso.dwt template file creates an associated ctb (plot-style table) file, using the metric *iso standard *ISO - For International Standards Organization. The organization that sets international standards in all fields except electrical and electronics.
LAYERS This is the first standard that you need to understand about AutoCAD is the technique of using layers to divide up the drawing and display
Layers are the equivalent of the overlays used in paper-based drafting. Layers are the primary organizational tool in AutoCAD: you use them to group information by function and to enforce linetype, color, and other standards.
By creating layers, you can associate similar types of objects by assigning them to the same layer. For example, you can put construction lines, text, dimensions, and title blocks on separate layers. You can then control
Whether objects on a layer are visible in any viewports Whether and how objects are plotted What color is assigned to all objects on a layer What default linetype and lineweight are assigned to all objects on a layer Whether objects on a layer can be modified
Every drawing includes a layer named 0. Layer 0 cannot be deleted or renamed. It has two purposes:
Ensure that every drawing includes at least one layer Provide a special layer that relates to controlling colors in blocks
Note It is recommended that you create several new layers with which to organize your drawing rather than create your entire drawing on layer 0.
Choose a suitable location and file name, in my example I have named the file Acad_new, and saved my file as *.dwt format file in the cad standards folder that I have created.
This Template description dialogue box, is simply that a description of the associated template. You can use the default description or add you own custom content.
This is where all our consequent template saves will be stored as we modify the file.
Now the template has a location and is saved we need to point the qnew toolbar to open in our revised default template location.
To do this you will need to do the following Open the tools, options dialogue box. Select the Files tab, expand the Template Settings , select the None tag under the Default Template File name for QNEW. Select Browse on the top right side of dialogue box.
Browse to the template saved earlier in the exercise and select open
You will notice that the path to your template file now appears where the none tag used to be.
Now every time you select QNew your template will the default file to open.
Note, if you select File, New as shown this will open the default AutoCAD directory with all the original install templates.
This is the reason why you save your template in a different location; if you need to start again from scratch there is always a unmodified template stored in the default install directory.
In the plot styles dialogue box select the Add-A-Plot Style Table Wizard and open
In the Add Plot StyleTable dialogue box select the next tab.
Select the Start from scratch option and select the next tab.
Select the Color-Dependent Plot Style Table and select the next tab.
Choose a file name. For this project I have chosen the name Acad_new.
The Plot Style Table Editor Acad_new.ctb dialogue box shown is where we start building the color dependent plot styles and layer associations. Essentially we are building a set of layers that contain different portions of the building elements within each layer. These layers are displayed with a text definition and a colour.
The drawing information in a layer will be displayed on the screen in the layers color and will print in black ink in the pen size associated to that color.
Repeat this process of selecting colors and associating lineweights (pen widths). Consideration should be taken at this step to analyze how you want your drawings to be represented; as your next step is to build a layering system to associate colors (pen widths) to your drawing contents. Typical lineweights: Grey Number 8 Magenta White Yellow Red Cyan Blue Green =6 =7 =2 =1 =4 =5 =3 = <0.18 (preferred) = <0.18 = 0.25 = 0.35 = 0.5 = 0.70 (preferred) = 0.70 = 1.00
The T_DWG_SUPPORT layer is where all the text is entered on a specific lineweight (color/penwidth). The T_TITLE_BLOCK, TXT_TITLE_BLOCK and VIEWPORTS layers are for paperspace and printed which is described later.
Once you have sufficient layers to contain and represent your drawing it is time to set up your plot preferences. Select File, Plot Ensure that our plot style that we created and saved earlier is selected under the Plot style table (pen assignments) This will print all our layers and there associated colors (pen weights) as determined earlier. Select the appropriate plot device under the Plotter configuration and select the OK tab. This will send a print but for the sakes of your template it is worth printing an empty print or take advantage of this to test your layer/lineweight settings.
Now that we have the basics set up we should save the template.
You can save over and update your previous template file, or create a new template at this stage. As you open and update your template it would be prudent to regularly save back to your template directory as illustrated here.
Now that we have basic layers and Layer Assignments (pen weights) setup we need to setup a presentation space to print our 1:1 AutoCAD model using different paper sizes and scales.
To start setting this up you need to select one of the layout tabs or the model/paper button at the bottom of the screen.
Once you have selected either method to open the Layout 1 tab you are prompted with the Page Setup Layout 1 dialogue box.
Select an appropriate plotter and Plot style table as we did in the plot setup. Select the Layout Settings tab and rename the Layout name. This will change the name of Layout1 to (whatever you choose) I chose gnd_flr_plan for ground floor plan. Note: This changes once you select OK and exit the Page Setup dialogue box. Choose a paper size, for this example I used ISO a3 Ensure Plot area, Layout and Plot scale, 1:1 is selected.
Select OK, hence exiting the page Setup dialogue box. Select the Layer Properties Manager and select the VIEWPORT layer we created earlier
Ensure that the VIEWPORT layer is selected and that this layer is set to no-plotting.
Select Current to make the selected layer the place where new geometry is created until a new layer is selected. Select OK to exit the Layer Properties Manager
Select View, Viewports, 1 Viewport. You will then select (click and hold left mouse button) and drag a rectangle shape within the dashed lines (the dashed lines represent the printable area) to create a shape which you will see your model 1:1 space through.
Select (left mouse button) the original black rectangle and push the delete button on the keyboard Select the MODEL button so that it changes to PAPER.
Press enter on the keyboard Type extents press enter on the keyboard.
Your paperspace viewport should show whatever is drawn in your modelspace at 1:1 on your screen in a zoom extents (zoom to fit not to scale) fashion. In my case I had drawn a few simple shapes as shown below.
What about scale? To print of a scaled drawing of our model we need to zoom to a scale so that the paperspace displays a scaled representation of the 1:1 model on an a3 page. NOTE: The paperspace size sheet size was decided in the previous Page setup stage. To scale the modelspace view on the paperspace type in zoom while the model button is still selected.
Press enter on your keyboard Type 1/ (whatever scale you want) xp For example: a scale of 1:10 Type 1/10xp and press enter on your keyboard
Select the model tab so it changes back to paper My geometry only moved slightly as it was already close to 1:10 scale when I zoomed extents earlier. Now that I have scaled and gone back to paperspace I know have a scaled 1:10 image of my modelspace geometry on an a3 sheet ready for print.
Alternatively delete all the geometry and save this as a template file as discussed earlier to have predetermined sheets in your template when it loads. You could set up many paperspace layouts and multiple viewports on each layer and save back to your generic template so that you do not have to repeat this process in future projects.