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Thread: Sheet Set Manager

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    Default Sheet Set Manager

    I have copied a sheet set and done the standard purges and added imported two sheets. I understand that you have to have one sheet open to change or modify any sheet manager data. I have one open and then when I do the Rename & Renumber command all of the rename options are grayed out. any ideas at what the issue is?

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    Default Re: Sheet Set Manager

    Quote Originally Posted by tim_newsome View Post
    I have copied a sheet set and done the standard purges and added imported two sheets. I understand that you have to have one sheet open to change or modify any sheet manager data. I have one open and then when I do the Rename & Renumber command all of the rename options are grayed out. any ideas at what the issue is?
    I'm not an expert on SSM, but I do know that when you copy an existing sheet set (.dst) and try to add/remove sheets, it gets weird and you run in to problems.
    The best thing to do is "create a new SSM" using an existing one as a go by (using "an example sheet set") and that way you won't have any associated drawings from the previous set.
    You can use the one you like as the example.

    We have templates for this with the template files (.dwt) living in a directory that don't move and get updated as needed.

    HTH

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    Default Re: Sheet Set Manager

    There is some sort of coexistance between dwgs and the dst files. You can delete a dst then open a dwg that belonged to that set and it will rewrite the deleted dst. If you move a dst the dwg will rewrite it in the old location. So, copying one is not a good idea.

    If you want all the values and parameters of an existing dst simply start the process for making a new one and select to start it from one that already exists. It will read all the values and parameters but not the sheets. Better solution, save a template dst to use every time that has all the info you want for your sheet sets.

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    Administrator rkmcswain's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sheet Set Manager

    I always copied the .DST file, to start a new project, and never had any issues.

    Now granted, my projects were very similar in that about 1/2 the sheets were the same (same name, relative location to the .dst file), so those didn't change. I just copied the .DWG files along with the .DST file.
    For the sheets that were going to be different, I removed those sheets from the Sheet Set and then added the new ones.

    Creating an empty sheet set and reusing it each time, as @MMccall suggested is a good idea also. I was essentially doing the same thing, except that my "template" had sheets in it.
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    Default Re: Sheet Set Manager

    Quote Originally Posted by rkmcswain View Post
    I always copied the .DST file, to start a new project, and never had any issues.

    Now granted, my projects were very similar in that about 1/2 the sheets were the same (same name, relative location to the .dst file), so those didn't change. I just copied the .DWG files along with the .DST file.
    For the sheets that were going to be different, I removed those sheets from the Sheet Set and then added the new ones.

    Creating an empty sheet set and reusing it each time, as @MMccall suggested is a good idea also. I was essentially doing the same thing, except that my "template" had sheets in it.
    1+

    My only difference is that this firm's file naming convention includes the project number in the file names, so I still have to manually remove/add the sheets... I'd really like to get them to allow non-project specific file names for exactly that time savings.

    It would also help with XREF names - I currently use a LISP to strip the project name from the XREF, which helps with making Layer States transferable between projects, etc., but even that requires updating the file name in the XREF's path.


    Did you have to convince your firm to do this (use non-project specific file names), or was that their existing process when you joined the firm, RK? If the former, any key points that appealed to their change of heart?


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    Default Re: Sheet Set Manager

    The project specific part is the folder name.

    Example: (abbreviated set of drawings)
    \\server\share\projects\087340101\CoverSheet.dwg
    \\server\share\projects\087340101\ConstNotes.dwg
    \\server\share\projects\087340101\PP-OakDrive.dwg
    \\server\share\projects\087340101\PP-PineStreet.dwg
    \\server\share\projects\087340101\PP-HackberryLane.dwg
    \\server\share\projects\087340101\PP-AshDrive.dwg
    \\server\share\projects\087340101\Details1.dwg
    \\server\share\projects\087340101\Details2.dwg
    \\server\share\projects\087340101\Details3.dwg
    \\server\share\projects\087340101\Details4.dwg

    So in this case, all of the sheets except the ones whose name begins with "PP" get copied with the .dst file.
    Almost all of the project specific data on these copied sheets exist as fields in the drawing, tied to data in the SS. So I just edit the properties of the SS, and those sheets are done.

    What are the arguments for putting the project name/number in the filename?
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    Default Re: Sheet Set Manager

    Quote Originally Posted by rkmcswain View Post
    The project specific part is the folder name.

    <snip>

    So in this case, all of the sheets except the ones whose name begins with "PP" get copied with the .dst file.
    Almost all of the project specific data on these copied sheets exist as fields in the drawing, tied to data in the SS. So I just edit the properties of the SS, and those sheets are done.
    That makes sense to me, and what I'm interested in implementing here - if for nothing else but to make copying a sheet from one project to another (with relative path XREFs) 'work' without having to rename XREF paths, and to make Layer States capable of same (without manual Ctrl+H text edit to .LAS) - now reading that SSM associated sheets can come along as well (I didn't know that), just gives me one more reason to want this.

    Quote Originally Posted by rkmcswain View Post
    What are the arguments for putting the project name/number in the filename?
    That's the way they've been doing it for 30 years, and their allergic to change? Haha

    There have been some staff changes recently, and this will be something I revisit moving forward.


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    Default Re: Sheet Set Manager

    At my prior firm I was able to use non-project specific file naming as I had full control of the CAD and IT department. I really liked it. So simple. Easily high jack a plan from a prior project and transplant it into you current one. Template dwgs were pre-xreffed to generically named files with a local path. The project file structure built itself as files became available in the local folder.

    The new firm with an existing IT department wants it all project specific naming. I adapted my pre-xreffing dwgs in my template drawings by editing their names to be generic. Those generic names get passed on the the layer names, which then make all the xref layer naming generic from project to project. Now when I start I just need to fix one xref path.

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    Default Re: Sheet Set Manager

    Quote Originally Posted by MMccall View Post
    The new firm with an existing IT department wants it all project specific naming. I adapted my pre-xreffing dwgs in my template drawings by editing their names to be generic. Those generic names get passed on the the layer names, which then make all the xref layer naming generic from project to project. Now when I start I just need to fix one xref path.
    This is what I do as well, but it's a bit more complicated than that given Civil 3D DREFs (Data References)... You can setup 'dummy' Surfaces populated with empty Point Groups (to be filled with imported points), but you cannot setup 'dummy' DREFs within the Sheet drawings without issues, so we're still left to do much of this manually (we're not fans of PPT output, and our sets are only 10-50 sheets, depending on the project). Grrr


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    Default Re: Sheet Set Manager

    Yup, I have the dummy surfaces waiting for info to define them. I have dummy pipe networks as well (sanitary sewer & storm drainage), referencing those dummy surfaces. Its like a project ghost town.

    I've done 3 or 4 projects with data links. It didn't feel like it added anything to the project except something else to manage and a source for something to go wrong. We're not a big company. Most projects fall in that same 10-50 sheet area. Mostly the same things, residential and commercial development plans. The only 'data' I need from one dwg to the next is the existing surface. I export is as an XLM, import it into the design drawing and paste it into a waiting Ex Surface with no defined display components. (I just need the data, visual comes via xref) The pasting of it allow me to spec it for pre-existing objects and insulates them from a surface update/re-import as they don't ref the imported surface directly.
    Last edited by MMccall; 2017-08-01 at 05:29 PM.

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