Using Fields in Xrefs

[mcoffman]

Hi all,

I have a field question for you. My company has their title blocks set up as an xref for each job. All static information (ie. job address, customer, etc.) are in the xref and all dynamic information (sheet title, drawing number) are a separate block inserted into each layout. Here's my question. I want to use the sheet number field option from the sheet set to be able to put the sheet x of x information into the title block. Would it work to put the field in the xref or would it be best to put it into the block we insert on each layout? If a field is in an xref, will it pick up the information from the host drawing?

On a related note, is there a sheet set field that shows the total number of drawings in the set? Currently I have that number as an attribute in the xrefed title block that is manually set at the end of the project. It would be nice to have it update automatically as sheets are added to the sheet set.

Thanks a bunch!
MC

[Opie]

I believe you will need to have the field placed within a block that is inserted into your drawing and not placed within your XREFed title block.

On your side note, you could create a custom property in your sheet set to hold the total number of sheets. You would then be able to update the property and it update all the sheets in the set that contain a field with that property.

HTH ;)

[mcoffman]

That's kinda what I was thinking about xrefs but I wanted to check in first.

As for the custom properties in sheet sets, could you point me in the right direction to learn about doing that? Most of my sheet set experience has been trial and error with a lot of work in the help system.

Thanks,
MC

[Opie]

That's kinda what I was thinking about xrefs but I wanted to check in first.

As for the custom properties in sheet sets, could you point me in the right direction to learn about doing that? Most of my sheet set experience has been trial and error with a lot of work in the help system.

Thanks,
MC
Within the Sheet List "tree", right-click on the name of the Sheet Set. You should see a right-click menu pop-up. Within this menu you should see several items. At, or near, the bottom of this menu you should see Properties. Clicking on Properties will open the dialog box. Within this dialog box you can Edit Custom Properties... This will allow to add and delete custom properties for this Sheet Set only. To add custom properties to additional Sheet Sets, you would need to do this to each one individually.

HTH

[Hammer.John.J]

I believe you will need to have the field placed within a block that is inserted into your drawing and not placed within your XREFed title block.

On your side note, you could create a custom property in your sheet set to hold the total number of sheets. You would then be able to update the property and it update all the sheets in the set that contain a field with that property.

HTH ;)
opie can you explain that a little bit i am not clear where to make the custom property that will equate to the place holder, or what the place holder would be?

[Chris.N]

Hi all,

I have a field question for you. My company has their title blocks set up as an xref for each job. All static information (ie. job address, customer, etc.) are in the xref and all dynamic information (sheet title, drawing number) are a separate block inserted into each layout. Here's my question. I want to use the sheet number field option from the sheet set to be able to put the sheet x of x information into the title block. Would it work to put the field in the xref or would it be best to put it into the block we insert on each layout? If a field is in an xref, will it pick up the information from the host drawing?

On a related note, is there a sheet set field that shows the total number of drawings in the set? Currently I have that number as an attribute in the xrefed title block that is manually set at the end of the project. It would be nice to have it update automatically as sheets are added to the sheet set.

Thanks a bunch!
MCyour 'xref' method is exactly what we did, and to compound that, we were still plotting in model space... :shock:
have you checked out the ATP archive? I think there are (used to be?) some SSM courses, or help to get all your information into a block that updates according to SSM properties. ours is a block with the fields in attributes, and works like a dream compared to the 'old ways'. I'm even getting the guys to make their own custom fields in the SSM properties dialog, and the ways to change the field link without modifications to the original border.

I have no idea how i got it to work almost 2 years ago, as i did the T&E method myself.....

[Hammer.John.J]

yeah i just read that, i just explode the block and use fields instead of attributes, i don't see the point in attributes if everything is a field anyways right?

i just set custom sheet fields for per sheet items and custom sheet SET items for per project items.

[Chris.N]

yeah i just read that, i just explode the block and use fields instead of attributes, i don't see the point in attributes if everything is a field anyways right?

i just set custom sheet fields for per sheet items and custom sheet SET items for per project items.attributes allows you to keep the border a block and minimizes the ability of fellow drafters mucking up a good thing, then complaining about it when it doesn't work is harder to do, too.... (usually)

[LT.Seabee]

I'm new at the field thing and need to find out what i'm diong wrong. I have a block that contains my sheet no, etc that we insert into each sheet drawing. I've added a field that shows the plotstyle table. However, it does not update to show the variable for each sheet. I've checked the FIELDEVAL variable and it is set to 31. So what is wrong?

Thanks in advance!
Harvey Lusk
Project Architect
Humphreys & Partners
www.humphreys.com

[H.Hunter]

Ok, so I"m not sure how much you guys that are asking the questions knwo, but I'll explain my findings. We also use a combination of Xref and insert block title borders in my company. I recently experimented with transferring to Sheet Sets which is nothing but fields.

Go visit This thread for some links and things that should be helpful for fields with Sheet Sets. (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=41953)

To answer the more specific questions:

1) An X of X in a titleblock would be best suited with the "of X" as straight text in the xref part since this is static. The first X can only be field-automated via Sheet Sets either with a default sheet number or a custom field. I have not yet had time to figure out the difference between actual fields and placeholder fields and how the placeholders work. Maybe someone can post some info.

Field CAN be placed in xrefs, but have to be inserted as attributes, not just text. Otherwise they will not update. I think using fields as attributes starts in 2006, but don't qoute me on that. 2005 might be able to do it.

2)There is currently no total number of sheets field value for the SSM. I think there's a wish out on it. But since it's really a static number, a field is probably overkill. Which is another point I found out: don't overkill your setup with 1,000,000 fields when 10 will do. Anything that is always static for any project should be straight text. The problem you'll run into is having to reconfigure your field mapping for every new peoject you start to make sure it's linking to the correct sheet set value. Unless I just haven't figured out how to do it properly yet....

3) To answer Harvey's question: I'm not entirely sure. We use ctb's instead of stb's so I can't really say. If you attach a sample, I can look at it for you.

[Hammer.John.J]

if you're going to make your tblock have attributes, you might as well just make the tblock use custom fields and link to a ssm so that you don't need the block or the xref. At that point, the only thing you would xref would be the lines.... lol, making the need for a block or the xref of a layout moot.

I made a dst tblock with costum fields for our 24x36" drawings, made a corresponding example dst.template and now we just use that as a tool for large jobs, and the standard borders and text/mtext for small stuff.

the trick is to eliminate the xref'ing and blocking of borders and go straight to lines/fields and use ssm. which i have now finally succombed to.

just make sure you setup a company dst and dst layout/tblock