Create Custom Tags in Architectural Desktop, the Easy Way
By
Peter Gehring
October 7, 2005
Thanks to
the new Define Schedule Tag command (_AecDefineTag),
in Architectural Desktop 2006, the creation of custom tags has
become faster and easier. In the past it was a painful process
that yielded unsuccessful results if you neglected certain
steps. Today in ADT 2006 and ABS 2006, the process is actually
pleasant.
I usually
create custom content in a library drawing that is stored on a
network shared location because I’ll be creating a tool from it.
Since the tool will reference the drawing it was created in I
want all users to be able to access it.
My example
of this new command will be to create a tool that tags the door
width and height in the format 3680.
Before creating the tag it
is necessary to have a Property Set Definition with an automatic
property of the data I want the tag to extract from the door.
I usually add the document
pulldown menu to get to the property
set definitions command without drilling down in style manager.
You can also create a keyboard shortcut to this command which is
_AecPropertySetDefine.
You can add this new
property to an existing property set definition or create a new
one. I’m going to create a new one called
DoorObjectsSynergis.
For this type of tag I will
make the property set object based and tell it that it applies
to doors.
This tag will actually call
out two properties, the width and the height, but I’ll need to
add a formula property to concatenate them together. I’ll switch
to the definition tab and select the automatic property
lightning bolt icon and add the width. Then I’ll repeat that to
add the height.
Next I’ll select the formula
property icon.
Then in the lower left pane
I’ll double click the width property and then the height
property and give the new formula property a name,
widthheight, at the top.
The hard part is done, now
the fun begins.
In the drawing editor I’ll
launch the mtext command and type
some text (custom tag) with the text style I want. There
is a setting that we will see later on the tool property that
can set the tag to use the text style as defined in the content
or as is current in the host drawing. I’ll set the text height
to 1 inch. When inserted into a drawing the drawing setup scale
and Annotation plot size settings will scale the tag up in model
space. I’ll also set the justification to middle center
From the format
pulldown menu, I’ll access the Define
Schedule Tag command.
The command line will prompt
me to select objects for the tag; it can be text and geometry.
I’ll select the text that I typed. Then it will present a dialog
box that will let me set the name of the tag, whether the label
type is text or a property. I’ll pick the word text and
in the pulldown change it to
property. Then in the cells to the right I’ll select the
property set I want to access and the property I want the tag to
call out.
Then I’ll hit ok to exit the
dialog and I’ll follow the command prompt to select the tag
insertion point, use the insert Osnap
to pick the middle center justification point.
What I’ve just done is to
create an AutoCAD block with an Attribute and an ADT
MultiViewBlock that is using the
AutoCAD block. So right now it is just a
MultiView Block not a tag
To make it a smart tag is
easy. Do a quick save, select the text, which is now the
MVBlock and drag and drop it to a
tool palette.
To test the tag I start a
new drawing with my normal template and add a wall with some
doors. The tag tool imports the Property Set into the drawing
and annotates the door’s width and height.
If you look at the
properties of the tag tool on the palette you see you can set
the tag to use a Layer Key, the host drawing annotation style,
constrain and rotate to the door, as well as adding a leader.
Also note that it includes a path to the source drawing in which
you created the custom tag and property set.
Peter S. Gehring Director, Building & Infrastructure
Solutions Synergis Technologies, Inc.
About the Author
|
With
18 years of industry experience, Peter Gehring is
Director of Building & Infrastructure Solutions for
Synergis’ Engineering Design Solutions, an independent division of
Synergis® Technologies, Inc. — a leading Autodesk® Value Added
Reseller for Manufacturing, Infrastructure, and Building
Solutions in the Mid-Atlantic region. He is responsible for
spearheading the delivery of solutions, technical expertise, and
resources to increase customers’ productivity and profitability
in the Building & Infrastructure industry. Gehring’s
dedication and passion for learning new technologies and sharing
his knowledge with customers has made him an invaluable resource
to both Synergis and customers since joining Synergis in 2001
Peter can be reached at
peter.gehring@synergis.com |
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