Drawing list

[tim.101799]

I am having a couple of problems with drawing list.

#1. Consultants drawings (MEP & Structural) - these drawings are not part of my model but I want them to appear in my drawing list. The only work around I can think of is to create dummy sheets in my project.

#2. Sorting - we have some general note sheets that we put in the front of our drawing sets. These sheets get a prefix of 'G'. The rest of our drawings get an 'A' prefix. Is there anyway to get the Revit drawing list schedule to arrange the 'G' sheets before the 'A' sheets. Currently it is alphabetically sorted.

[DaveP]

#1.) You are correct. The only way you can get the consultant's sheets in the index is to add them as sheets. A blank sheet really doesn't add much to the database, though, so it won't affect your project much.

#2.) The best way to deal with this is to add a Project (or Shared) Parameter to use for sorting. We use one called, cleverly enough "SortOrder". Then , in the View Properties for the Sheet Index, you sort first by "SortOrder", then by Sheet Number. That way you can assign all of your General sheets to 100, your Arch to 200, Electrical to 300, Mechanical to 400, etc. I like to use the 100's so that you can further sort a discipline when you get a consultant that uses screwy names.

BTW, I've often thought this would be a nice little app for someone to play with using the API. Seems like it wouldn't be that tough to read a CSV file & create sheets. I'm hoping to get into that some day, but I have to translate my Visual Basic 6 "skills" to .NET first.

[mccurdyks]

I started using a linked file for this a few projects back. We've got in house MEP that doesn't use Revit yet, so it serves as a way for them to create their own sheet index, introduces them to the product, and they can get their exports whenever they want without asking constantly.

Takes a little hand-holding, but after the first round it's worked well.

[jcdecastro]

There is something esle to consider with MEP and Civil sheets--they dont go in an alpha-numeric order.
I have set up two parameters for sheets: discipline no. and sheet type. So the sheets are grouped by descipline number and sorted by sheet type then by sheet number.
I have placed the shared parameters in the template and have also added a set of blank engineering sheets to the template as a starting point.

Discipline nos are as follows:
01 General
02 Civil
03 Architectural
04 Structural
05 Mechanical
06 Plumbing
07 Electrical
08 Fire Protection
09 Interior
10 Telecommunications
99 CA

Sheet types:
The mechanical and civil sheets need a number to be grouped by so the MD0.01 sheet would go before the M1.10.

The CA sheets are filtered out by discipline # 99.

[ford347]

I use the method Dave suggested. I have a 'Sheet Grouping Order' parameter and a discipline parameter that I use. I then sort by 'Discipline', make that hidden and make it a header, then by 'Sheet Grouping Order', hidden of course, then by sheet number.

It's always worked pretty good for me and when I do have consultant sheets I simply make the dummy's to get them in the list.

Josh

[dhurtubise]

You cant create sheet using the API unfortunately

[ford347]

You cant create sheet using the API unfortunately
That would be nice. But if you create the sheets ahead of time, then I know there are some creative approaches to arranging them, adding information to them etc. with the use of the API. Now I can't do any of this myself as I don't know programming, but I saw a very impressive presentation at the 2005 AU showing how you could get the sheet # of # into your sheet sets and it was all done throught the API. It was pretty cool. Like I said, I really don't know a thing about it but it sounds like there are some pretty impressive things you can do with it.

Josh

[Chirag Mistry]

Yes you can create sheets using API. :)
We have a setup of creating sheets from Excel/Access using API, unfortunately I am not at liberty to disclose how it's done. :(

[robert_taylor]

Quote
but I saw a very impressive presentation at the 2005 AU showing how you could get the sheet # of # into your sheet sets and it was all done through the API. It was pretty cool.

This can be done without API, I already do it and it has nothing to do with API and I don't have a clue how to use API!

It has to do with the drawing order parameter! We added the drawing order parameter to our drawing list so we could get the G(General) & C(Civil) to show up before our A (Arch) sheets. Then a new project came which wanted the Sheet # of #.

I ended up deleting the drawing order parameter from my project file and adding it to my title block file and making it a shared parameter. Then creating another shared parameter called Total Sheets within my title block. Then I loaded my TB into my project and loaded the shared parameters.

Then I added the new shared parameter "Drawing Order" to my drawing list. So when I give my drawing list the sheet order that number is linked to my sheet # of #.

The "Total Sheets" parameter is listed under Project Information so I input the number once and it updates all my sheets for total number of sheets.

Hope this helps

[Chirag Mistry]

There was a presentation in the API class last year at AU by Danny Polkinhorn where they were able to read the attributes in the CAD sheets to create sheets in revit. You might be able to check that on AU online

[jcdecastro]

The "Total Sheets" parameter is listed under Project Information so I input the number once and it updates all my sheets for total number of sheets.

Hope this helps

Robert,

Is that a calculated parameter? or do you type it in?

[robert_taylor]

revit doesn't calculate it for you, if thats what you mean.

once I renumber my drawing list I know the total and just type it in once and it updates all my sheets

[Live2Dive]

I use the method Dave suggested. I have a 'Sheet Grouping Order' parameter and a discipline parameter that I use. I then sort by 'Discipline', make that hidden and make it a header, then by 'Sheet Grouping Order', hidden of course, then by sheet number.

...

Ok, I have set up a parameter and if I set it to filter by discipline 'a', it works fine, but then if I add an additional discipline, nothing at all shows up. Am I missing something?

Also, the current project I'm working on has more then the 4 filtering options allowed. How can I filter more? We have Civil, Landscape, Architectural, Structural, Mechanical, Plumbing, Electrical and Low Voltage, all in that order.

[ford347]

Ok, I have set up a parameter and if I set it to filter by discipline 'a', it works fine, but then if I add an additional discipline, nothing at all shows up. Am I missing something?

You will want to Sort by discipline, if you filter, then you are doing exactly that, filtering out that information or any other information. So under Sorting/Grouping, sort by discipline, give it a header if you'd like, under format tab, make that parameter hidden if it will have a header and you now will have sheets in your drawing list (as long as in their instance properties they are checked to appear in drawing list) and they will be sorted by discipline.

Hope this helps.

Josh

[robert_taylor]

try setting up your disciplines with #'s in front of them, we've found this very useful in keeping our order within our sheets correct, see attached.

I've added the construction type to my list to show how easy it is then to sort by Discipline/Construction Type no matter how many disciplines you have. Then from there I sort my drawing order to keep my sheets in order under each discipline.

I normally don't do it this way but I think I will now, the const. types get it in the proper order automatically for me.

[ford347]

I like that idea. I currently have two parameters, one for discipline and one for sheet grouping order. You kill two birds with one stone this way. One would want to think about how that would read in the schedule for instance, instead of the header for discipline reading "Architectural", it would read "01-Architectural", but if you're ok with that, then you're good.

Thanks,
Josh

[Live2Dive]

Thanks for the replies. I got it to work out with two parameters. It's just what I was wanting to show.

Anyway, here's what I come up with. See below.

Thanks again!

[ITABWODI]

I read this entire thread forwards and backwards and did not see the actual steps for getting those new parameters into the drawing sheets. Maybe I'm a little slow or never had the proper training, but it took me while to figure out how you all were actually adding parameters to the drawing sheet element. So here's what I found: View Menu -> New -> Drawing List ... Add Parameter -> Shared Parameter -> Select your "Sort Order" parameter ... Then you get to the really important part: make sure you select the option to "Add to all elements in the category" at the bottom left corner of the dialog box (see the attached screen shot). Then click OK and finish making your drawing list view. Now if you select a drawing sheet in the project browser and view the element properties for it, you should see the parameter in list. If anyone knows of an easier way to add a parameter to the drawing sheet element, I'm all ears; but this was the only way I found.

Now that I know how to get these parameters added to the sheets, I can't wait to try the methods noted above to get my drawing lists looking the way I want them to look!

[Chad Smith]

#1. Consultants drawings (MEP & Structural) - these drawings are not part of my model but I want them to appear in my drawing list. The only work around I can think of is to create dummy sheets in my project.
Do you have access to their project files?
Would this work for you. Link their projects into yours and turn the visibility of their models off in all your views so only your model is still displayed. Then in your Drawing List under Fields, tick the Include elements in linked files option to bring their sheets into your drawing list. As they update their projects and send the file to you, you can then update your Drawing List.

[DaveP]

For those that are concerned about bloating your project file by adding "all those sheets":

I just added over 50 sheets to our Template, and it added less than 1K (yes, one thousand bytes) to the Template.

Sure do wish I could have just Duplicated the sheets, though. I can see where you can't Duplicate a Sheet with all of its Plans and Details, but it would nice to at least be able to create a Sheet with the same Legends on it rather than having to copy lots of Legends onto lots of Sheets. Even better, how about if you Duplicate a Sheet, you are presented with a list of Views that can't be copied and you are asked which View to substitute it with:
"1st Floor Zone 1 Finish Plan cannot be placed: Substitute with ------"
Where the ------ is a drop-down list of similar Views. Kind of like the Reference Detail list.

[ITABWODI]

Thanks for the replies. I got it to work out with two parameters. It's just what I was wanting to show.

Anyway, here's what I come up with. See below.

Thanks again!

I'm curious - are you adding additional parameters for each issue date, or is that stuff just plain text? Assuming they're parameters, do you tie them in to labels on your title blocks? Or do you use separate sheet issue dates? Thanks!

[cwilrycx.109927]

I just went through this and I am sorry if someone has already posted my suggestion. I use DRAWING RANK in order to be able to sort and filter my drawings sheet. Yes you have to manual enter sheets that aren;t even part of you set and then you rank them. Keep inm mind that you need to load the DRAWING RANK field into the schedule but all you have to do is HIDE it by right clicking to HIDE COLUMN. Worked perfect for me, and I even got to have a Discipline LAbel for each section, and push/pull as sheets were added and removed without a hitch.

[abasgall]

I like that idea. I currently have two parameters, one for discipline and one for sheet grouping order. You kill two birds with one stone this way. One would want to think about how that would read in the schedule for instance, instead of the header for discipline reading "Architectural", it would read "01-Architectural", but if you're ok with that, then you're good.

Thanks,
Josh

Hopefully someone can help me, even though this thread is a bit old...What ford posted above is the issue I am currently dealing with, because I'd like my header to only read "Architectural," so I am sorting first by "SortOrder" (to get Orientation and Code plans before Architectural) BUT all of these types need to be under the same "Architectural" heading. Currently when I group by "SortOrder" then "Discipline" I am getting a heading for each different group of "SortOrder." Anyone know a way around this?? Or is the only solution what ford mentioned before?? The number column to the right is my SortOrder column. I'm using the method others described here.

Thanks,

Amber

[gpifer]

Try this. Sort by "Discipline" first with a header. Then sort by "Sort Order" and "Sheet Number" with no header. It should look like the attached. It has been my experience that the first item you sort/group is really what groups the items.

[abasgall]

This fixes the problem I had before; but it doesn't order the drawings correctly. Grouping by discipline first orders them alphabetically. I wish there was a way to separate "grouping" and "sorting." Then I could "sort" by "sort order" but "group" by discipline so I didn't get multiple "architectural" headings. Maybe it can't be done unless I order my disciplines numerically...

[SCShell]

. Maybe it can't be done unless I order my disciplines numerically...
Hey there,
You hit the nail on the head. Number your disciplines. And, you may want to make them numbers that allow you to insert later. (Like 100, 200, 300....then, if you need to add a Kitchen Equipment "K" plan or something, you can number it 250 if you want it between the two other 200 and 300 disciplines in the set.)
Good luck
Steve

[Dwane Lindsey]

See the attached pdf...it's a combination of some threads that I've read and trying to make sense of it all. It's a rough document but should have all the main points.

[abasgall]

Thanks for the info, Dwane - this gave me the exact result I was looking for. Happy Friday!

[Dwane Lindsey]

No problem... glad it worked out for you. Happy Friday to you as well!