Can you screen back a group?

[johntbarnett]

I have a hotel project that has several identical rooms. (Even though groups are somewhat evil), I’ve set up these identical rooms as groups and so far, so good. I would like to have one typical room that I note and dimension and then screen back the other groups into the background a bit. Can this be done? Any insight is appreciated.

[ron.sanpedro]

I have a hotel project that has several identical rooms. (Even though groups are somewhat evil), I’ve set up these identical rooms as groups and so far, so good. I would like to have one typical room that I note and dimension and then screen back the other groups into the background a bit. Can this be done? Any insight is appreciated.

First off, are you using 2008? Groups are HUGELY improved in 2008. As for screening things back, we addressed this by just showing a unit plan, with no surrounding screened context. We just made a copy of a Floor Plan that contained a particular unit, changed the scale and cropped to the specific unit, annotated and dropped it on the sheet. This has been graphically our traditional approach, so we didn't angst about it.
Perhaps someone has a way to get the screen effect, but perhaps it is also worth noting another approach that has worked.

Best,
Gordon

[TroyGates]

I have done this just recently like this...

* Select group you have noted/dimensioned
* Right-click and click 'Select all instances'
* Shift-click the noted/dimensioned group to deselect it
* Right-click and select 'Override Graphics in this view' -> 'By element'
* Check the half-tone box

Unfortunately, you have to do this in each view you want them screened. But it is a fast process.

[ron.sanpedro]

I have done this just recently like this...

* Select group you have noted/dimensioned
* Right-click and click 'Select all instances'
* Shift-click the noted/dimensioned group to deselect it
* Right-click and select 'Override Graphics in this view' -> 'By element'
* Check the half-tone box

Unfortunately, you have to do this in each view you want them screened. But it is a fast process.

How cool is that! One thing I just discovered, if you add stuff to the group it will not be screened, but a quick repeat will get the job done. So doing this in limited views, and ideally after major design work is complete, makes some sense.

Gordon

[Kevin Janik]

Now that is useful! That might be good for other things in a similar way.

Kevin

[johntbarnett]

Great info. Thanks guys.

[Calvn_Swing]

(Hindsight Disclaimer: Since Groups don't have object properties, they don't have a comments field. So, you'd have to edit the group and type the text in the element's properties dialog in the Group. Worse, once set all the instances of that Group would automatically be screened, including the one you don't want screened. So then, you'd have to use the previous suggestion to un-screen the one you want to see. So, maybe not useful in this instance, but still, if you're dealing with something other than groups, this is totally the way to go...)

Yikes, you guys are scaring me with these element level graphics overrides. I'm already having nightmares about it and it isn't even a project I'm involved with...

Try this instead. Go to your Visibility Graphics settings.

1.Go to the Filters tab.
2.Click Edit/New
3.Create a New Filer and call it Unit Screening or the like
4.Check "Show categories from all disciplines"
5.Click Check All

(If your firm isn't using the comments field for anything, then you can proceed. If they are, then you need to create a new parameter using Setting > Poject Parameters and then follow steps 3,4, and 5 when making the new parameter too - make it a text parameter. Then, use the new parameter for the remaining steps)

6. For Filter Rules, select the comments parameter (or the one you created)
7. Select "Equals"
8. Type in something witty like "Screen Me" or "I'm shy" (Or not and try "Screening")
9. Click OK!

(You've now created a Filter, filters basically make a refined selection set, so the one you created is looking for any object in the whole model with the exact phrase you set in step 8 in the comments field, and selecting that object.)

1. In the VG Filters Tab, click "Add"
2. Select the filter you just created (Named in step 3).
3. Check the Halftone box (or transparent, or any other VG override you want)
4. Click OK

Now, to make magic happen, select the objects you want to screen and type the exact phrase in step 8 into the comments field. Hit OK. And Viola! Your objects are screened. The snazzy thing about this is that:

1. You can use it in any view, for any objects you want screened (repeat the last 4 steps only).
2. It's easy to manage (for us anal retentive people)
3. It gives a level of consistency that element level overrides don't
4. It's just as easy to apply to objects once you've completed the first 9 steps
5. Once you've added the text to the parameter, the filter automatically screens the correct objects in any view you apply it to.
6. You can apply the filter to other views with View Templates! (try THAT with element overrides...)
7. It teaches you about filters, which are just as cool as sliced bread (if not more)