ADT2006 - MVIEWBLOCK Best Practices?

[CADMama]

Isn't there a Best Practices doc out there somewhere about creating MVIEW blocks?
Can someone help me out here?
CADMama

[Steve_Bennett]

Hard to say since mvblocks cover so much ground. What type of mvblock are you working with? Annotation or design?

[CADMama]

Good point dear,

I have a customer that does furniture design and they need to make mvblocks for inserting into their drawings. So they need to make the model and then at least three views of it to work in the plan and elev drawings.

Is there a good way to take an intricate model and make the hidden line views? That is just one aspect of it.
Then is there anything that tells you how to build the blocks - what view to be in - how to deternine the insertion point - anything else that you can think of about this???

They will be doing quite a bit with curves and cylinder objects for some things.

What happened to the hidden line command that was in ADT?

OK - that is enough for now.
CADMama

[Steve_Bennett]

Good point dear,

I have a customer that does furniture design and they need to make mvblocks for inserting into their drawings. So they need to make the model and then at least three views of it to work in the plan and elev drawings.

Is there a good way to take an intricate model and make the hidden line views? That is just one aspect of it.
Then is there anything that tells you how to build the blocks - what view to be in - how to deternine the insertion point - anything else that you can think of about this???

They will be doing quite a bit with curves and cylinder objects for some things.

What happened to the hidden line command that was in ADT?

OK - that is enough for now.
CADMamaLook in the content browser, Stock Tool catalog, Helper Tools, and you will find the hidden line projection tool.

The linework needs to be oriented in Model Space so that it matches what view it will be in. ie: for the block for the left view, you need to be viewing the left orthographic view and make the linework in that view and create the block in that view.

[CADMama]

OK - So I get the idea of the hidden line tool - I understand the idea of being in the correct view to project the hidden lines.

NOW - once you have projected all the views do you make all the blocks in the WCS?

I mean that I can get the idea of the blocks and I can put together a mview block - which view shows up in top, bottom, etc....

I am having trouble with the orientation aspect of the creation for some reason.

(It has only been about 4 years since I created one of these - sorry.)

D

[Steve_Bennett]

OK - So I get the idea of the hidden line tool - I understand the idea of being in the correct view to project the hidden lines.

NOW - once you have projected all the views do you make all the blocks in the WCS?

I mean that I can get the idea of the blocks and I can put together a mview block - which view shows up in top, bottom, etc....

I am having trouble with the orientation aspect of the creation for some reason.

(It has only been about 4 years since I created one of these - sorry.)

DCreate the blocks in their respective UCS. Top view for the block representing the top, left view for the left side, etc. At least this is what sticks in my mind. Try it and see how it turns out.

[Marv Muston]

Good morning.

Donnia,

Have you tried Paul Aubins book yet? (I figure that you probably have but I thought I'd ask anyway) :)
I have found it to be very helpful. The MVB section is pretty good also.

Marv

[tatriest]

Try David's site:

http://architects-desktop.blogspot.com/

Terry

[CADMama]

Thanks to all - I have Aubin's book - of course it is sitting on my dresser at my house right now.
Steve's info was a great start on things actually.
The web site post just here is wonderful and answer the insertion point question I had.

You guys rock.
It helps me "sell" the idea of AUGI when I can show someone how I can get their questions answers so quickly and effeciently.

Donnia

[joeswantek]

Create the blocks in their respective UCS. Top view for the block representing the top, left view for the left side, etc. At least this is what sticks in my mind. Try it and see how it turns out.
That's the way I do them, and make sure you give the blocks names that correspond with the views, such as BLOCK_LEFT, or BLOCK_TOP. That makes it easier to remember which one is which when you're setting up your MVBlock definitions.

[dkoch]

Isn't there a Best Practices doc out there somewhere about creating MVIEW blocks?
Can someone help me out here?
CADMama
Perhaps this blog article (http://architects-desktop.blogspot.com/2006/10/multi-view-block-creation.html) will shed some light on the overall process. It assumes you can create the graphics for the various blocks, and focuses on how to assemble them into a Multi-View Block. The key is that each block has to have its graphics drawn on the appropriate 3D plane [World XY, XZ or YZ] - and you can temporarily change the UCS to facilitate that - but you MUST create the block definitions with the UCS set to World.

[Chuckyd67]

That's the way I do them, and make sure you give the blocks names that correspond with the views, such as BLOCK_LEFT, or BLOCK_TOP. That makes it easier to remember which one is which when you're setting up your MVBlock definitions.

It's a little more complicated than that. Every view of every block must be unique. For example, if you insert an MVB of a sofa with view names set to block left, block right, etc., then insert a chair with the same names for the views, then you will see the sofa, not the chair. The MVB collects its views from blocks already in the drawing.

[joeswantek]

It's a little more complicated than that. Every view of every block must be unique. For example, if you insert an MVB of a sofa with view names set to block left, block right, etc., then insert a chair with the same names for the views, then you will see the sofa, not the chair. The MVB collects its views from blocks already in the drawing.
I thought that went without saying, as the same holds true for the regular blocks, thus using the block name and view (BLOCK NAME_VIEW) makes it even more unique. Not that difficult....

[bruce.jones542083]

Have you already investigated SOLVIEW and SOLDRAW to solve your problem?

Bruce Jones

[Steve_Bennett]

Have you already investigated SOLVIEW and SOLDRAW to solve your problem?

Bruce JonesThose commands are for base vanilla autocad. MVB's are for ADT/ABS only.

[bob3567]

here is a video I made for my office to go over if they get lost on making a mviewblock.

[ray.205827]

So that's how revit "families" worked their way into Autocad then. Sure is fun having to know both, and having to remember how to use Quickpen and dive back into cad_duct again after two years away. Fortunately or otherwise, I'm the only cad guy in my location. I'll just delegate that to myself then.......

[neje]

Couple of extra tricks I've found useful.

You can give your elevation blocks a face to block what's behind rather than just lines.
So for e.g. a toilet elevation block would block out tiling behind. For this you can use a number of devices such as aecPolygons, Regions, Solid (2D) but I have found a simple solid hatch is the most dependable.
aecPolygons have the complication of a style (which would be helpful or not - but requires consistency and maintenance)
Regions are only one sided
Solids mmm not used them but can they only be square?
I use a almost white 255,255,254 hatch with plot style standard (STB) so it would work in any setup.

I also sometimes double up a (toilet) elevation so that no matter where a section is made it will still show the (toilet) elevation.

I just did a washing machine and fridge today. I want a 3D model for rendering but only dashed lines in elevation as it's not part of the building contracts. So I used a 3D model for model views and constructed a box mesh with lines and gave colour 54. Rather than construct top, side views I use the same box for all. It's 1m x 1m and can be sized for what ever size you require in properties pallete (Model was also squashed to 1x1m). Colour 54 in my elevation styles using rules is interpreted as swing lines (as in doors and awning windows) and automates as a dash. Because the elevations use a open box not a solid, you get dashed lines and see tiles behind - nothing is blocked.

If your object is square it might be quicker , more efficient to use a model for all views rather than construct for each view.

Use intelligent insert points. i.e. Toilet at back centre for easy snappng to centre of wall. Sink - 50mm in front for easy snapping to centre front edge of bench. Don't forget to set your front view of sink 50mm back from insert point especially if you have shown bowl. You may want it to show in sections but you want it hiidden by cabinet in front elevation.

IMHO the OOTB content was set up wrong and confusing. Front view is actually side etc. I rebelled and draw my blocks as I look at them. Front is bottom of screen and this works with the tick boxes in your MVB definitions so you are not ticking Front for a side view.

Interpret that all for ways you would use it, HIH's and good luck.