Drawing Lists

[david.delcher]

How are people handling consultant drawing lists within REVIT? We have our own created with all of our REVIT sheets however our consultant sheets are obvioulsy not in our file so they don't schedule.
Can they be added to an existing drawing list?

[davidcobi]

We just manually type consultant drawing lists in a text box that is formatted to look like the Architectural Drawing list revit generates.

[hdjohnson]

I usually just do "dummy" sheets so that they will be added to the drawing list.

[rodneyf]

I do exactly what hdjohnson does yes it takes a little time but in the long run it is time well spent.

[Mr Spot]

I do exactly what hdjohnson does yes it takes a little time but in the long run it is time well spent.
I've always opted against this method as it creates a larger file size that just placing text... And as its not being worked on in the file it hardly seems worth having be automated.

[cphubb]

We also add the dummy sheets. Typing is typing either Way, and if you setup your numbering right Revit will choose the next number in the list for you

i.e. A2.1 - A2.2 etc.

Then just rename the sheets in the schedule group them by discipline order by an index and you schedule is really quick and easy. When the consultant drops out a sheet take out of the list and put it back later.

[brd]

I've tried both of these methods on the last two projects I've worked on. They both work perfectly fine. I do like the "dummy sheets" idea better though. This way, they appear on the cover sheets with the proper format and I don't have to worry or spend the time formatting them myself. When I used text on the cover sheet, every time the drawing list grew, it was a pain the butt to the highlight every single sheet name and move it down an exact dimension. Dummy sheets are just more convenient for me.

[david.delcher]

For those of you who use the dummy sheet technique....
How many sheets are in your projects?
Typically I will have between 150-200 consultant sheets in a set so creating dummy sheets is not a simple task.

[cphubb]

For those of you who use the dummy sheet technique....
How many sheets are in your projects?
Typically I will have between 150-200 consultant sheets in a set so creating dummy sheets is not a simple task.
Is typing the text a simple task?

[Steve_Stafford]

For dummy sheet fans...put them in a separate project file. Link this empty project into your main project and include the linked file in the drawing list. This way you don't have to endure them in your project browser.

Don't do this if you intend to reference details that are part of their docs by putting dummy detail placeholders on any of the dummy sheets. Or include just those sheets in the host project leaving them out of the empty linked project.

For dummy sheet fans, the API allows a savy programmer to make a routine to create sheets and views now. How much will we pay one of our API guru's to make us a routine to to build these dummy sheets from external data or a series of Q&A info gathering??? :smile:

Are you listening Guy? Danny?

[david.delcher]

Typing isn't a simple task in relation to creating dummy sheets. However I can create a drawing list in excel rather easily. This is how we do it for our AutoCAD projects. I believe that REVIT does not allow excel file imports which seems a bit odd.
I would like to see the ability within REVIT to add lines to a schedule so we don't have to draw a look-a-like schedule for the non REVIT sheets.

The dummy sheet idea sounds like more work since we would have to put the new sheets in as opposed to receiving an excel file from our consultants to add to our list.

[SCShell]

Hey there,
For the sheet index, I have always just used the dummy sheet method. Only, I do One Sheet only for each discipline. (C1-4, S1-12, M1-8, P1-4, E1-14 etc.) They are mearly place holders and I have parameters set up in my titleblock family so that my index can be sorted by a hidden "discipline" fieild which I fill in on the sheet's parameters.
Hope this helps
Steve

[sbrown]

I usually ask our consultants to send me their drawing list in an excel spread sheet, then I copy paste that text into revit. I'm hoping someone will create an api that will transfer data between schedules and excel and back.

[david.metcalf]

For those with Revit Structure and Revit Systems can the models be linked to the Architects Model and some how populate the sheets to the index? Then after plotting the links can be unloaded?

[robert.manna]

For those with Revit Structure and Revit Systems can the models be linked to the Architects Model and some how populate the sheets to the index? Then after plotting the links can be unloaded?
As of version RB8 you could schedule accross linked files. So architects should be able to schedule sheets from linked in Systems & Structural Models.

-R

[robert.manna]

I usually ask our consultants to send me their drawing list in an excel spread sheet, then I copy paste that text into revit. I'm hoping someone will create an api that will transfer data between schedules and excel and back.
To heck with the API, the least the factory could is allow us to link OLE objects. I mean really, I can do that in Microstation, and I'm pretty sure you can do it ACAD too. Beyond that, yeah it would very sweet to be able populate/re-populate/modify schedules based on excel files or CSV files set-up to match (most likely just exported from Revit, fooled around with, then round trip it).

-R

[david.metcalf]

Of Course!

(Smacking head)

[sleimgruber06]

I've always opted against this method as it creates a larger file size that just placing text... And as its not being worked on in the file it hardly seems worth having be automated.

ACTUALLY, IT DOES NOT! and I repeat, Does not cause the file size to increase because of these "Dummy" sheets. We've tested this because our current file size is over 220mb and what we did was create 100 dummy sheets and checked the file size before and after and it DID NOT increase it. I've created dummy sheets in the project, as well as created a NEW PROJECT with dummy sheets in it, followed by linking over the Drawing Sheet Schedules....

HTH,

[sleimgruber06]

... I can do that in Microstation, and I'm pretty sure you can do it ACAD too...

You're first problem is trying to compare Microstation, AutoBad and Revit... Revit is fairly new, just place your request on the wishlist, I'm more than certain that others feel the same way as you do...

[Mr Spot]

ACTUALLY, IT DOES NOT! and I repeat, Does not cause the file size to increase because of these "Dummy" sheets. We've tested this because our current file size is over 220mb and what we did was create 100 dummy sheets and checked the file size before and after and it DID NOT increase it. I've created dummy sheets in the project, as well as created a NEW PROJECT with dummy sheets in it, followed by linking over the Drawing Sheet Schedules....

HTH,
Really that's interesting. I did this back in version 5.0 where i had to strip a file down. I deleted all the model elements and purged the file and the size only changed slightly. When i started deleting views and sheets the file size started to make the biggest difference.

Maybe things have changed since then.

[sleimgruber06]

Really that's interesting. I did this back in version 5.0 where i had to strip a file down. I deleted all the model elements and purged the file and the size only changed slightly. When i started deleting views and sheets the file size started to make the biggest difference.

Maybe things have changed since then.

We performed this test in V9, currently we are in V9.1, but that was the outcome... I'm trying to figure out why we would have different results other than the different file versions...

[Mr Spot]

Well don't suppose it really matters. The factory are always working on reducing file size that may have helped along the way.

Looks like dummy sheets are the way to go.

[sleimgruber06]

Well don't suppose it really matters. The factory are always working on reducing file size that may have helped along the way.

Looks like dummy sheets are the way to go.

Yup! I'd say so...

[david_peterson]

As of version RB8 you could schedule accross linked files. So architects should be able to schedule sheets from linked in Systems & Structural Models.

-RRobert, Any suggestions on where to look for the "How To"? Or can you give me a quick over view? Is this in the help file?
Thanks in advance.

[robert.manna]

Robert, Any suggestions on where to look for the "How To"? Or can you give me a quick over view? Is this in the help file?
Thanks in advance.
When you create a schedule in the hosting model, in the intial dialog box where you pick what headings you want to schedule, new calculated values, etc, order.. there is a check box lower left for scheduling linked models.



-R

[david_peterson]

When you create a schedule in the hosting model, in the intial dialog box where you pick what headings you want to schedule, new calculated values, etc, order.. there is a check box lower left for scheduling linked models.



-RThanks Robert. If I was to have my consultant create a workset with nothing but the sheets on it, and unload everything else, would this not help reduce the file size and such? I guess my slight problem here is that I have a 150mb Arch model with 60mb stuctural file and I'd like to leave the struct file linked in. Or is it just a better idea to unload the file until I need to print?
Thanks again.

[robert.manna]

Thanks Robert. If I was to have my consultant create a workset with nothing but the sheets on it, and unload everything else, would this not help reduce the file size and such? I guess my slight problem here is that I have a 150mb Arch model with 60mb stuctural file and I'd like to leave the struct file linked in. Or is it just a better idea to unload the file until I need to print?
Thanks again.
Sheets are view objects, and therefore are each their own workset, so if you un-load all the user created worksets you still see the sheets. But I thought you couldn't control worksets of linked models (maybe I'm just two versions behind....), anyone else out there got a thought...?

-R