Recipe Specifications

We would like to be able to designate the layers ADT 2005 uses for different structural detail components. The ADT 2005 documentation suggests that this information is kept in the Recipe Specifications (search ADT help for Recipe Specifications) but when I viewed the XML for several structural items I didn't see anything about layer keys.

Can anyone tell me where to find the Recipe Specifications for structural materials that do identify the layer keys? (Or if I am barking up the wrong tree?)

Are these new detail components or ootb ones?

I've found through the fun of trying to set up ADT to work for our structural dept that it seemed like it was going to be a big pain to do much of anything along these lines.
I've just been using our base acad blocks, that we already have set up. I did have to create a new template for .stb plotting. So I took our old template, converted it, assigned the pen styles to each layer. When I start my individual details, I insert the template from a tool bar. I have all my structural blocks (from base acad) on fly-out buttons on a tool bar.

If you already have something that works, I'd try to just use it for the time being.
The structural world of drafting is changing to fast to keep up with all the new software that's coming out (like Revit Structural and others).

I spent about the last 5 months working on 2 projects in ADT and creating content. Last week I was told that we are most likely going to a differnt software platform.

Attached are two screen shots of layer key styles that will aid in the placement of OOTB detail components and structural objects.

Thanks for your replies so far but perhaps you should have looked up "Recipe Specifications" in your ADT 2005 Help before you responded. We know about the AIA standards and eventually we may adopt them for new projects, but before we do we want to see if there is an easy way to configure ADT to use our current layer standards.

It looks as if the RecipeSpecs hold some promise. Maybe we just need to add some XML code. I hope someone else here on the Forum has some more intimate knowledge of the subject and can share his/her experience.

Sorry, I should have stated that "it might be easier to remap the Layer Keys to the layers and properties which would satisfy your needs. If you try to recode the XML files, you might miss a layer assignment -- some of the code is quite intense.

You could the Layer Key Style by starting with a drawing that had no extra layers. As you bring in the components, note what layer they were placed on, and backtrack it through the Layer Key Style.

Do you have a current Layer Key Style that you are trying to utilize? If so, I see why you are trying to recode the Detail Components. You might try Notepad, it might be able to edit the XML files. I think I read somewhere on the list that they downloaded a free XML editor -- it is worth a shot.

And, if you do not have a current Layer Key Style, and you WANT to use your CURRENT layer standard, I believe that it would be best to remap the Layer Keys in the AIA 256 Layer Key Style -- using the above method.

-------------If someone sees some incorrect information, please steer me in the right direction.