Sheet Index

[B. Strube]

What are others doing to integrate other outside consultants on the sheet index? In other words, we need to show the structural and mechanical sheets on our index, but these are not part of our REVIT model. Is everyone just using text, or is there some more effective way to do it?

[gregcashen]

Off the top of my head, couldn't you just create extra sheets and give them the names of the consultant's sheets, but don't put anything on them.

[christopher.zoog51272]

Off the top of my head, couldn't you just create extra sheets and give them the names of the consultant's sheets, but don't put anything on them.

that's exactly what we do.

[B. Strube]

Thanks for the input.

[jbalding48677]

Same here, we create blank sheets with the consultants info.

[Steve_Stafford]

Ditto...same...etc...

I even went so far as to put dummy sections marks or callouts on our sheets when a something produced by others was needed to be identified on our plans...

I added sheets, and then the section/callout, then dragged the section/callout to the sheet so my annotation would fill in, then I just had to make sure their detail didn't move(a little deja vue!!)

[beegee]

>I even went so far as to put dummy sections marks or callouts on our sheets when a something produced by others was needed to be identified on our plans...

I added sheets, and then the section/callout, then dragged the section/callout to the sheet so my annotation would fill in, then I just had to make sure their detail didn't move(a little deja vue!!)

We use this technique for referencing standard details and for referencing "typical" sections and call-outs in a campus when buildings are in separate files.

[David Kim]

Okay, I've added my consultants to the sheet index. How can I sort the drawings the way I would like them sorted. For example, I would like the civil drawings after my cover sheet then the architecturals. I have the list grouped by design: Civil, Architectural, Structural, Mechanical, & Electrical but if I sort by ascending, it still has architectural first.

Am I missing something? :?

Thanks

[gregcashen]

There should be a parameter called Sheet Order in the Sheet Properties. If you set T-sheets to 1, A sheets to 2, etc...then in the sheet schedule you can include this field, order ascending by this and then make the column not display.

[beegee]

David,

There isn't a standard parameter for sheet order in the drawing schedule parameters, but you can add a custom field called "sheet order", then assign all the Civils as "1", Architecturals as "2" etc., then group and sort by "Sheet Order" then Sheet number etc, then hide the sheet order parameter from displaying in the schedule.

[jbalding48677]

We have a parameter called discipline and use that to group the sheets together then they are sorted alphabetically. Our sheets are all "A" series. Additionally, for the discipline we use 0-General, 1-Architectural, 2-Structural... That way the groups are sorted numerically. It also matches the way we layout our folder structure for ACAD dwgs, but that is another story.

[David Kim]

That's what I was missing...
Thanks everyone for the advice.

[damon_louie]

Old Thread but FYI.

Here's what we do...

Damon Louie

BTW, We also use this method for our abbreviations also which is why the the "detail view" we set up refers to "abbreviations" :o)

Be good to hear some feedback about this method.....

[jamie.casile80054]

hi damon,
so am i understanding this correctly - you take the time to manually add each generic annotation to a drafting view? is there an "automated" way to get all the consultant info in?
thanks,
jamie



Old Thread but FYI.

Here's what we do...

Damon Louie

BTW, We also use this method for our abbreviations also which is why the the "detail view" we set up refers to "abbreviations" :o)

Be good to hear some feedback about this method.....

[damon_louie]

Actually, yes, we do input each of the consultants sheets into a generic annotation as seen in the detail view. Take the blank generic annotation, array as many as you need, It doesn't matter what order they go in or even how they are organized on the sheet. Data entry can be done directly on the detail view without accessing the properties dialog box. They provide the list and we input them. The schedule does the organzation or filtering for you. So far, I don't know of a way to get the consultant's sheet info automatically and be able to manipulate them on a page like a schedule.

Damon

[jamie.casile80054]

damon,

that is really interesting and creative! so, what are the advantages/disadvantages of using the annotations vs. making 'blank' sheets - which is what seems to be the general consensus?

thanks,
jamie


Actually, yes, we do input each of the consultants sheets into a generic annotation as seen in the detail view. Take the blank generic annotation, array as many as you need, It doesn't matter what order they go in or even how they are organized on the sheet. Data entry can be done directly on the detail view without accessing the properties dialog box. They provide the list and we input them. The schedule does the organzation or filtering for you. So far, I don't know of a way to get the consultant's sheet info automatically and be able to manipulate them on a page like a schedule.

Damon

[damon_louie]

Jamie,

Originally, I came up with this to schedule abbreviations and figured it would work with drawing lists also. I suppose I also did this so I didn't have to create dummy sheets! I haven't verified if this method is an advantage in reducing file size. It seemed like a better work around because the process of data entry is simpler. What do you think? Is it better than creating dummy sheets?

Damon

[guy.messick825831]

We use a linked Revit file that is populated with blank sheets, numbered and named per the consultants actual sheets. This prevents your project browser from filling up with the consultant sheets. You need to check the "Include elements in linked files" box
(see attached screenshot), easy! We also have had good results in using filters to sort the disciplines (see second screenshot).

[MikeJarosz]

One of the first API projects that has been proposed for me (once I learn the ropes) is to write an API application that reads consultant info from Excel or text and creates the list internally.

But I'm not there yet...

[dhurtubise]

Same here, works really well. At some point you will have to enter manually the information.
unless you can export a schedule from acad into excel then link that in Revit. That's an API job

[MikeJarosz]

unless you can export a schedule from acad into excel
That's the easy part. We've been doing that for years. After learning about objectDBX at AU, I rewrote the original Acad VBA routine to open sheets in objDBX. I can now dump a drawing list for 600 sheets in about 90 seconds, with complete issue history

We'll see what we can do in Revit.... Guy_R will probably do it in microseconds. (Check out the Revit API forum)

[chris.macko125036]

We use a linked Revit file that is populated with blank sheets, numbered and named per the consultants actual sheets. This prevents your project browser from filling up with the consultant sheets. You need to check the "Include elements in linked files" box
(see attached screenshot), easy! We also have had good results in using filters to sort the disciplines (see second screenshot).

We just use dummy sheets here too. I was concerned about my browser filling up with blank sheets too, but once I found out how to add sorting parameters I can just keep them all in collapsed folders by discipline. The same parameters sort the drawing list too. I don't think a blank sheet adds any significant size to the file.

[bowlingbrad]

Why not just use text? Much easier to edit, no?

Once you get into the large projects, then your drawing list is full of sheets.... :Oops: ... to manage.

With text, you can just go to the title sheet and edit the text. Maybe I'm missing something....

[dbaldacchino]

I like the dummy sheet method because I can easily have the entire list formatted in the order that is standard to our office, columns can be split easily and adjusted for everything to fit, and you're gonna type the info. somewhere anywhere, right? So we choose to rtpe it in dummy sheets that have a simple border containing ONLY what's visible in the sheet list (and a sorting parameter & a heading parameter).....the other reason is you can export the whole sheet list to a txt file and place it in your specs in one go.

[whatisrice]

It's not only silly, but even stupid that you would have to add blank sheets to add consultants to your sheet index. Am I the only one who thinks that? Why on earth are we locked out from manually editing and adding to the sheet index?

[nsinha73]

We use "NOTE BLOCKS"
We created a Generic Annotation then Placed in it a Drafting View.
Then We use //View/New/NoteBlock to create a Schedule, Filter them and place it on the Sheet in a Tabular Form
Works Great for Us, 'cause it looks exactly like Sheet Index and similar controls

I Don't know if this needs a tutorial, but if anyone wants I can write it

Thanks

[dbaldacchino]

Whatever works best is fine....we're just talking about techniques here. Yes, creating a sheet is a bit silly, but you're typing the info one way or another. If you don't care about seeing the sheets, you can a) sort your project browser to exclude those sheets or b) create a "sheet list" file that will contain the dummy sheets and link it to your main project (which is what we do). Then all sheets in a project exist in one continuous sheet list that can be exported with a few clicks.

Any other techniques that work for someone's particular condition are just as acceptable :D

[ChristopherL]

We just use dummy sheets here too. I was concerned about my browser filling up with blank sheets too, but once I found out how to add sorting parameters I can just keep them all in collapsed folders by discipline. The same parameters sort the drawing list too. I don't think a blank sheet adds any significant size to the file.
Linking a fake revit model populated with sheets from our consultants works really well. However, the level datums from the linked project show up in section and elevation. Is there a way to globally hide a linked model, or am I doing something wrong?

[dbaldacchino]

Easy...create a workset and uncheck the "Visible by default in all views" option while creating it. Now whatever you place on that workset will not be visible anywhere, unless you specifically turn the workset visibility on in a particular view. This is one of the few cases where using worksets to control visibility is recommended, and is the only way to achieve this very efficiently.

[luigi]

I don't know if others feel the way you do, but I don't...the index looks at the sheets you have..if you can manually change it, then it isn't looking at the documents for its data...you can create a seperate list of items that looks at other information...hmm...like a "key schedule" that way you can add the data you want that has nothing to do with the actual index of sheets...but the list to be drawn by the database of actual sheets...well, I wouldn't want anything different...like I said, I like it the way it is, but maybe there are some others that feel the way you do.


It's not only silly, but even stupid that you would have to add blank sheets to add consultants to your sheet index. Am I the only one who thinks that? Why on earth are we locked out from manually editing and adding to the sheet index?