0% found this document useful (0 votes)
7 views

Working With Advanced Drafting Tools

The document is a tutorial for using the Advanced Drafting module in Trimble Business Center, which provides tools for creating plan sets and sheet sets for drafting. It explains the difference between model space and paper space, and guides users through importing predefined templates, customizing sheets, and utilizing dynaviews for dynamic representations of model data. The tutorial includes step-by-step workflows for creating custom plan sheets and managing drafting elements effectively.

Uploaded by

Jason Chew
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
7 views

Working With Advanced Drafting Tools

The document is a tutorial for using the Advanced Drafting module in Trimble Business Center, which provides tools for creating plan sets and sheet sets for drafting. It explains the difference between model space and paper space, and guides users through importing predefined templates, customizing sheets, and utilizing dynaviews for dynamic representations of model data. The tutorial includes step-by-step workflows for creating custom plan sheets and managing drafting elements effectively.

Uploaded by

Jason Chew
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 33

Trimble Business Center

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools

www.trimble.com

© 2020, Trimble Inc. All rights reserved. Trimble and the Globe & Triangle logo are trademarks of Trimble Inc. registered in the United States and in other
countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
About this tutorial

About this tutorial


The Advanced Drafting module provides a collection of drafting tools that enable you to
prepare a plan set that includes one or more sheet sets, each of which includes one or
more similar types of printable/plottable sheets. Each sheet can display a plan view
(included in a dynaview) or a cross-section and/or profile for an alignment-based
surface/corridor. Sheets can also include an assortment of drawing elements, such as
borders and other linework, labels and other types of text, CAD blocks, dynaviews, and
more.
Although you can create plan sets and sheet sets "from scratch," for this tutorial you will
take advantage of the predefined plan set templates installed with TBC. Each available
predefined template includes a plan set and one or more sheet sets. After importing a
plan set template into your project, you will customize the included sheet sets as
necessary to create printable sheets designed to meet your specific needs. Next, you
will print the sheets to a PDF file. Finally, you will export all of your template settings in
a Project Link file (.vcl) that can be stored and re-opened for other projects with similar
drafting needs.
A word about model space and paper space:
When preparing drafting deliverables, you are really working in two different spaces.
 Model space - This is the 3D virtual space (defined by a Cartesian coordinate system)
in which you create (or import) representations of objects to create a model. Model
space is a 1:1 scale representation of the real world. It uses X and Y units (feet and
meters), which you can see on the Status Bar or in the Coordinates scroll. Most of
the views in the program depict different perspectives of model space: Plan View,
3D View, Cross-section View, Profile View, 3D Drive View, Surface Slicer View, and
Walk-Through.
 Paper space - To prepare 2D representations of model space for printing or
plotting, you work in paper space. Paper space is a 2D representation of model
space that you generate for the purpose of printing or plotting. In paper space, the
1:1 scale represents the scale at which the objects will be printed, not their real-
world scale. Paper space uses sheet-based X and Y units (inches or millimeters,
which you can see on the Status Bar or in the Coordinates scroll) at a scale relative
to the real-world scale used in model space. You can create objects in paper space
that you only want to print, such as title blocks, north arrows, grids, and labels.
Once you have prepared your model, you can view it in a couple of paper space
views: Sheet Views (for plan sets, sheet sets, and sheets) and in the Sheet Set Editor,
as described in this tutorial.

Note: If you need additional help at any time you are using the software, press F1 to
display the online help.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 2


Open the project and import drafting templates

Open the project and import drafting templates


For this tutorial, you will use the project file Working with Advanced Drafting Tools.vce.
This project contains a surface and alignment used to create a new road corridor.

Note: The downloaded WorkingwithAdvancedDraftingTools folder contains this PDF file


and the Working with Advanced Drafting Tools.vce project file.

1. In TBC, select File > Open.


2. In the Open File dialog, browse to ..\WorkingwithAdvancedDraftingTools\Working
with Advanced Drafting Tools.vce and click Open.
The project opens in the Trimble Business Center window.

The project file is read-only. You can perform the tutorial steps without saving the
project file. However, if you are interrupted while performing the tutorial, you can
save it with a new name by selecting File > Save Project As. Then, you can re-open
the project to continue the tutorial at a later time.
You are now ready to import predefined drafting templates into your project.
3. In the Trimble Business Center ribbon, select Drafting > Sheets > Drafting
Templates.
The Explorer window displays showing all of the available drafting templates that
have been installed with TBC. They are typically differentiated by units, paper size,
and grid layout (for cross-section sheet sets).

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 3


Open the project and import drafting templates

4. In the Explorer window, select the Feet - Arch D (24x36)- Plan and Profile.vcl
template file and drag it onto the Plan View tab in TBC.

This template defaults to feet units for model space and scaling and produces Arch
size D (24 inches by 36 inches) printouts. The plan set includes sheet set templates
for cross-section views, plan views, and combined plan and profile views.
The VCL plan set is imported into the project and displayed in Project Explorer
nested beneath the Plan Sets node.
Nested beneath the Feet - Arch D (24x36)- 1 column - Inset Grid plan set node are
the following sheet set nodes:
 The Cross sections 24x36 sheet set allows you to create sheets for cross-
sections along an alignment-based surface/corridor. You will work with this type
of sheet set in "Workflow 2. Create a cross-section sheet set" later in this
tutorial.
 The Plan and profile 24x36 sheet set allows you to create sheets for a combined
plan view and profile view of an alignment-based surface/corridor. You will
work with this type of sheet set in "Workflow 3. Create a plan and profile sheet
set" later in this tutorial.
 The Plan sheets 24x36 sheet set allows you to create individual unique sheets,
such as a title page or a sheet with objects from the plan view presented in one
or more dynaviews. This is the sheet set you will work with first in "Workflow 1.
Create a custom plan sheet set."
 The Plan view grid 24x36 sheet set is similar to the Plan sheets 24x36 sheet set.
You will not work with this sheet set in the tutorial.

Notes on creating plan and sheet sets "from scratch":


If you select not to use imported plan and sheet set templates, TBC allows you to create
from scratch four types of sheet sets:

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 4


Workflow 1: Create a custom plan sheet set

 Cross-section - This sheet set displays cross-sections at stations along an alignment-


based surface/corridor on one or more auto-generated sheets (including cross-
sections of multiple designated surfaces) and the cross-section grid and labeling.
 Custom - This sheet set displays customizable CAD objects and plan views (via
dynaviews). In many cases, the geometry of the alignment and the corridor width is
such that two strips of plan views can easily be placed on one sheet. You may,
therefore, create either single or double plan sheets. You can create a miscellaneous
sheet at any location within the plan set, which could include the contents of the
master sheet and the appropriate title block information, sheet number, and
drawing ID. You can then draw within these sheets, or insert dynaviews as
necessary.
 Plan Grid - This sheet set displays a grid of plan sheets (via dynaviews) with a
selected grid style. This type of sheets set requires a previously defined grid style
and dynaview boundary collection.
 Profile - This sheet set displays the geometry and elevations of a vertical alignment.
On profile sheets, you can also opt to show the corresponding plan view of the
alignment-based surface/corridor.

Workflow 1: Create a custom plan sheet set


In this workflow, you will create a custom plan sheet set using the imported Plan sheets
24x36 template.

Step 1. Format the plan sheets set template


1. In the Project Explorer, expand the Plan Sets nodes, right-click Plan sheets 24x36
and select New Sheet View.
A new Sheet View tab displays. As you can see, by default the sheet template
includes several rectangles and some text blocks. These elements will be included
on any custom sheet you build in the sheet set.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 5


Workflow 1: Create a custom plan sheet set

Although you can make any changes to the imported template you want (for
example, add lines or rectangles, add text, insert CAD blocks, and so on), for this
tutorial you will just make some minor text changes. Remember, any changes you
make here will be displayed on all custom sheets added to the sheet set.

Note: If, after creating a custom sheet in the sheet set, you make any changes to
any sheet template objects in any of the custom sheets (for example, the company
name), those changes are also implemented on the sheet template and any other
custom sheets in the sheet set.

The first thing you will do is add a company name to the template.
2. In the TBC ribbon, select Drafting > Text > Text to display the Create Text command
pane.
3. In the Text style drop-down list, select Arial Black 0.30.
4. In the Rotation field, enter 0º.
5. In the Text field, enter Tutorial Company.
6. In the sheet view, zoom in on the rectangles located on the right side of the sheet.
7. Click in the Text insertion point field and then click to locate the text on the sheet as
shown here.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 6


Workflow 1: Create a custom plan sheet set

8. In the Create Text command pane, click the Close button.


Next, you will add two custom sheets to the sheet set, each of which will be based on
the newly modified sheet set template.

Step 2. Add a custom title sheet to the sheet set


1. In the Project Explorer, right-click Plan sheets 24x36 and select Create Custom
Sheet to display the Create Custom Sheet command pane.

2. In the New sheet name field, enter Title and click OK.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 7


Workflow 1: Create a custom plan sheet set

3. In the Project Explorer, right-click Title and select New Sheet View.

4. In the TBC ribbon, select Drafting > Text > Text to display the Create Text command
pane.
5. In the Text style drop-down list, select Arial Black 0.70.
6. In the Height field, enter 1.5.
7. In the Text field, enter Tutorial Sheet Set.
8. Click in the Text insertion point field and then click to insert the text into the middle
of the sheet view as shown here.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 8


Workflow 1: Create a custom plan sheet set

9. In the Create Text command pane, click the Close button.


Next, you will add a sheet that captures data from the Plan View in a dynaview.

Step 3. Add a custom plan sheet to the sheet set using


dynaviews
One way to present a portion of your Plan View in a sheet view is to display it in a
dynaview. A dynaview (dynamic view) is a portal that exists in paper space, but shows
whatever objects are within a frame in your model (Plan View). The advantage of using
dynaviews is that they provide a dynamic view of the model (not a copy), saving
memory and preventing transposition errors. When you move or change the size or
shape of a dynaview's frame, the contents of the dynaview changes in response. When
the model is revised, the images on the sheets within dynaviews that "watch" that data
are updated when you run the Refresh command. You can create a different dynaview
for each sheet, assign a different plot scale to each dynaview, create several dynaviews
for a single sheet, or place a single dynaview on several sheets.
In this step, you will create a new custom sheet, add several dynaviews to the sheet,
and add some additional visual aids.

Step 3a. Create the custom sheet

1. In the Project Explorer, right-click Plan sheets 24x36 and select Create Custom
Sheet.
2. In the Create Custom Sheet command pane, enter Plan View Insets in the New
sheet name field and click OK.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 9


Workflow 1: Create a custom plan sheet set

3. In the Project Explorer, right-click Plan View Insets and select New Sheet View.
Next, you will capture a dynaview of the data displayed in the Plan View to insert into
this new sheet.

Step 3b. Create and insert the first dynaview

Before you can create a dynaview, you must use the Create Rectangle command to
create a border or frame to define the area in the Plan View to be included in the
dynaview. Note, however, that you do not want the frame to be displayed on the sheet
where the dynaview is inserted.
1. In the TBC ribbon, select Drafting > Dynaviews > Linestring > Rectangle to display
the Create Rectangle command pane.

There is no need to enter a name for the new rectangle. However, you will locate it
on a new layer that can be hidden after you use to insert the dynaview.
2. To add the rectangle to a new layer, do the following:
a. In the Layer drop-down list, select <<New Layer>>.
b. In the Layer Manager dialog, type Dynaview Frame for the new layer name and
click Close.

The new layer name displays in the Layer drop-down list.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 10


Workflow 1: Create a custom plan sheet set

3. Click in the Corner one field. Then, in the Plan View, click once above and to the left
of the corridor. Then drag your mouse to the lower right corner as shown here and
click to specify the second corner for the rectangle. (Leave a little extra space in the
rectangle beneath the corridor. You will be inserting another dynaview in this space
in the sheet view.)

You can now use the new rectangle to frame your first dynaview. To make it easier,
you will select to display both the Plan View and the new sheet you are creating
simultaneously.
4. Right-click the tab header displayed for the Plan View Insets sheet and select New
Horizontal Tab Group.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 11


Workflow 1: Create a custom plan sheet set

Both tabs are now displayed.

5. In the TBC ribbon, select Drafting > Dynaviews > Create Dynaview to display the
Create Dynaview command pane.

6. In the Name field, enter Dynaview 1.


7. Click in the Frame field and select the newly created rectangle in the Plan View.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 12


Workflow 1: Create a custom plan sheet set

8. In the Scale field, enter 80. In the Rotation field, ensure the rotation is 0°00'00".
Additional notes on scaling:
In some drafting commands, you will need to specify the paper space scale at which
you want to print a sheet. Typically, this is 100 feet/inch or 1 m/mm. The default
plot scale is defined in Project Settings > View > Plan View.
 Ground (model space) is the distance measurement unit type used in the
project model (feet or meters), which can optionally be employed in specifying
the height of a text object, as opposed to specifying a drawing scale dependent
text height in sheet units.
 Sheet (paper space) is the distance measurement unit type used when the data
in a project is plotted (inches or millimeters). Sheet units are calculated by
dividing the ground units by the plot scale (ground units measurement / plot
scale = sheet units measurement). Sheet units are used to adjust text and other
graphic so they plot more legibly. Sheet units are also known as paper units.
 Plot scale is the factor used to convert from ground units to sheet units (ground
units / plot scale = sheet units).
For sheet scaling (paper space), the sheet, sheet set, and plan set used in the
Drafting Module are all scaled 1:1. For example, if you draw a rectangle 8.5" x 11" in
a sheet view and you print it 1:1, it will print 8.5" x 11". For scaling in a dynaview,
there is a relationship between the real world and paper. For example, if the
selected scale is 20, 20’ in the real world would equal 1" on paper.
9. Click in the Location field and then click to select a location for the new dynaview on
the Plan View Insets sheet.

If necessary, you could increase or decrease the Scale value to make the dynaview
fit correctly on the sheet. But theres is no need to do so for this project.
10. Click the Create button.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 13


Workflow 1: Create a custom plan sheet set

11. To hide the layer on which the frame is displayed, do the following:
a. In the TBC ribbon, select Home > View > View Filter Manager.
b. In the View Filter Manager, uncheck the check box for the newly created
Dynaview Frame.

The frame no longer displays in the Plan View or Sheet View.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 14


Workflow 1: Create a custom plan sheet set

You will now insert a second dynaview on the new sheet that provides a close-up of a
section of the corridor.

Step 3c. Create and insert the second dynaview

1. Do the following to create a new rectangle:


a. Select Drafting > Dynaviews > Linestring > Rectangle to display the Create
Rectangle command pane.
b. In the Layer drop-down list, select the default layer 0.
For this dynaview, you want to display the frame in the sheet view. So there is
no need to select to create the rectangle on a new layer that can be hidden
later. That is why you are selecting layer 0.
c. In the Plan View, draw a rectangle around the center section of the corridor as
shown here. (Do not draw the rectangle any larger than shown here.)
d. Click the Close button.

2. In the Create Dynaview command pane, do the following:


a. Name the second new dynaview Dynaview 2.
b. Click in the Frame field and then select the newly created rectangle in the Plan
View.
c. Change the Scale to 40.
d. Change the Rotation to 30º.
e. Click in the Location field and insert the second dynaview on the sheet as shown
here.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 15


Workflow 1: Create a custom plan sheet set

If the dynaview is too large (for example, larger than shown here), press Ctrl + Z to
undo the dynaview. Then change the scale to a higher number (for example, 50).
3. Click the Create button.

Next, you will add two drafting elements to the sheet: a North arrow and a scale bar.

Step 3d. Insert additional drafting elements

Before adding drafting elements, you'll need to have a better view of the sheet.
1. Right-click the Plan View Insets tab header and select Move To Previous Tab Group.
The first thing you will add is a North arrow icon, which you will import as a CAD
block.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 16


Workflow 1: Create a custom plan sheet set

2. In the TBC ribbon, select Drafting > Blocks > Import Blocks to display the Import
Blocks command pane.
3. In the Files list, check the North Arrows check box. Then click the Import button.

The Insert Block command pane displays.


4. In the Block drop-down list, select NA4. Then, in each of the three Scale fields,
enter 0.3.
5. Click in the Location 1 field and then click to the right of the inset dynaview on the
sheet, near the center of the white space (as shown below).
6. Click the Insert button.

7. To add the same icon to the second dynaview, repeat this procedure using a Scale
of 0.15 and a Rotation of 30º (to match the rotation of the dynaview). You can
position the icon anywhere on the second dynaview. Then, click the Insert button.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 17


Workflow 1: Create a custom plan sheet set

8. Click the Close button.


Next, you will add a scale bar to the first dynaview (Dynaview 1). But before you do,
you will need to reshow the frame for the dynaview so you can select it.
9. In the View Filter Manager, check the Dynaview Frame check box in the Layers list
to display the rectangle frame for the first dynaview (Dynaview 1).
10. In the TBC ribbon, select Drafting > Drafting Elements > Create Scale Bar to display
the Create Scale Bar command pane.

11. In the Create Scale Bar command pane, do the following:


a. In the Scale bar type drop-down list, select Alternating Scale bar.
b. Ensure that the Scale Mode: Target dynaview option is selected.
This will ensure the scale bar is based on the scaling in the selected dynaview.
c. Click in the Dynaview Selection field and select the rectangle frame surrounding
the first dynaview.
d. In the Bar: Height field, ensure 0.20 is entered.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 18


Workflow 2. Create a cross-section sheet set

e. In the Number of left divisions drop-down list, select 3 divisions.


f. In the Number of right divisions drop-down list, select 2 divisions.
Do not make any other changes.
g. Click in the Location field and then click on the sheet in the location where you
want to place the scale bar.
12. In the View Filter Manager, uncheck the Dynaview Frame check box in the Layers
list. (

13. Close all tabs except for the Plan View tab. Also, close any command panes that
remain open.
This completes Workflow 1.

Workflow 2. Create a cross-section sheet set


In this workflow, you will create a cross-section sheet set using the imported Cross
sections 24x36 template. This template allows you to create one or more sheets
showing each cross-section along an alignment-based surface/corridor.
1. In the Project Explorer, right-click Cross sections 24x36 and select Edit.
2. In the Select a Corridor message window, click OK.
The Edit Sheet Set tab displays, allowing you to define the template for the sheets
you will create automatically for the sheet set later in this procedure.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 19


Workflow 2. Create a cross-section sheet set

1 = The Preview pane displays a preview of the sheet view for the selected stations,
showing how the configured sheet settings affect the view. By default, a cross-
section of the first station in the corridor (10+00.00) is displayed at the top of the
sheet, followed by a cross-section for each subsequent station. The height of each
cross-section determines how many stations are displayed on each sheet. The
selected template includes several rectangles located on the right side of the sheet
for inserting various metadata, including a company name and sheet number. For
this tutorial, you will not make any changes in this area.
2 = The Station field and slider control allow you to select the station whose cross-
section you want to preview.
3 = The Explorer pane allows you select the type of sheet settings you want to view
and/or edit.
4 = The Settings pane allows you view and edit settings.
Note that the default grid labels are difficult to see due to their light color. You will
start by making these labels more visible.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 20


Workflow 2. Create a cross-section sheet set

3. To change the color of the grid labels:


a. In the Explorer pane, select Sheet Settings > Grid and Axes > Offset Label
Settings.
b. In the Settings pane, change the Color to Blue.
c. Make the same change in Sheet Settings > Grid and Axes > Elevation Label
Settings.

Next, you will change the size and color of the section labels.

4. To change the size and color of the section labels:


a. In the Explorer pane, select Sheet Settings > Cross-section Labels > Section
Label.
b. In the Settings pane, change the Text style to Arial Black 0.50 in and change the
Color to Brown.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 21


Workflow 2. Create a cross-section sheet set

For this tutorial, you do not need to make additional changes to the settings.
However, you are encouraged to use the Explorer pane to explore the settings
available. For example, note that the Sheet Settings > Cross-section Locations
settings allow you to select the stations and/or intervals to include in the sheet set.

Also, be sure to use the Station slider control to see how each of the station cross
section sheets displays.
You are now ready to build the sheet set based on the specified template settings
and station intervals.
5. In the Project Explorer, right click the Cross sections 24x36 node and select Build
Sheets.
Eight separate sheets are automatically created to display all of the station cross-
sections.

6. To view one of the newly created cross-section sheets, right click it in the Project
Explorer and select New Sheet View.
Note that some sheets include more station cross-sections than others. This is due
to the varying heights of the cross-section views.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 22


Workflow 2. Create a cross-section sheet set

You can use the View drop-down list located at the bottom of the tab to easily view
any of the other sheets in the Cross sections 24x36 sheet set and the Plan sheets
24x36 sheet set.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 23


Workflow 3. Create a plan and profile sheet set

This completes Workflow 2.

Workflow 3. Create a plan and profile sheet set


In this workflow, you will use the imported Plan and profile 24x36 template to create a
plan-and-profile sheet set, which provides a combined plan view and profile view of an
alignment-based surface/corridor.
1. In the Project Explorer, right-click Plan and profile 24x36 and select Edit.

2. In the Select a Corridor message window, click OK.


The Edit Sheet Set tab displays.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 24


Workflow 3. Create a plan and profile sheet set

1 = The Preview pane displays a preview of the sheet view, which includes a
dynaview of the Plan View showing stations 10+00.00 through 26+00.00 and a
profile view aligned and scaled horizontally with the Plan View. The selected
template includes several rectangles located on the right side of the sheet for
inserting various metadata, including a company name and sheet number. For this
tutorial, you will not make any changes in this area.
2 = The Station field and slider control allow you to preview each sheet to be
created in the sheet set.
3 = The Explorer pane allows you select the type of sheet settings you want to view
and/or edit.
4 = The Settings pane allows you view and edit settings.
3. To make the grid labels used in the profile view more readable, do the following:
a. In the Explorer pane, select Sheet Settings > Grid and Axes > Station Label
Settings.
b. In the Settings pane, change the Color from By Layer to Blue.
c. Make the same change in Sheet Settings > Grid and Axes > Elevation Label
Settings.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 25


Workflow 3. Create a plan and profile sheet set

4. To insert a North arrow in the sheet view, in the Explorer pane, select Sheet
Settings > Plan and make the following changes in the Settings pane:
 North arrow block: NA4
 North arrow block origin: Top RIght
 North arrow scale: 0.20
 North arrow block location: -2.50 in, -2.50 in (This specifies to locate the arrow
2.5 inches to the left and below the corner of the Plan View. Be sure to include
the minus sign.)
Note that the North arrow is correctly oriented based on the orientation in the
dynaview.

You will not be making additional changes for this tutorial; however, feel free to
view other settings.
You are now ready to create the sheets for the sheet set.
5. In the Project Explorer, right-click the Plan and profile 24x36 node and select Build
Sheets.
Two new sheets are displayed nested beneath the Plan and profile 24x36 node.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 26


Workflow 3. Create a plan and profile sheet set

In addition, two new dynaviews are displayed in the Plan View, one for each of the
new sheets.

6. In the Project Explorer, right-click Sheet 1 [10+00.00] and select New Sheet View.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 27


Delete unused block definitions from the project

This completes Workflow 3. You are now ready to clean up your project by removing
unused imported blocks.

Delete unused block definitions from the project


To clean up your project file, you can delete unreferenced (unused and un-nested) block
definitions from your project. A block definition cannot be deleted if either of the
following are true:
 An instance of the block (block reference) has been inserted into your sheets.
 The block definition is nested in, or referenced by, another block definition; it is
a child of a parent block.
1. In the TBC ribbon, select Drafting > Blocks > Purge Blocks.

Note that North Arrows block group is checked since this is the only group you
imported. The member blocks of this group are displayed as read-only.
2. Click Apply.
The member blocks of the North Arrows block group are all checked to be deleted,
except for the NA4 block, which is used in a sheet view and cannot be deleted.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 28


Print sheets

3. Click Apply again.


All of the blocks except NA4 are removed from your project.
4. Click Close.
You are now ready to print your sheets.

Print sheets
You can print one or more sheets in each of your plan sets to any of the printing or
plotting devices supported by Windows. Or, you can print to PDF, as you will do in this
tutorial.
1. In the Project Explorer, right-click the Feet - Arch D (24x36)- 1 Column - Inset Grid
plan set node and select Print Plan Set to display the Print Plan Set command pane.

Note that you can select which sheets you want to print. For this tutorial, leave
them all selected.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 29


Export your drafting settings as a Project Link (.vcl) file

Instead of printing to a printer or plotter, you will print to a PDF file.


2. Check the Print to PDF check box.
3. Click OK.
The Creating PDF Document dialog displays showing the progress of printing. When
complete, the newly created PDF file is displayed in a Reader window. The PDF file is
stored in the project folder.

Export your drafting settings as a Project Link (.vcl) file


You can export your paper space objects and plan and sheet set settings to a Project
Link (.vcl) file to use as a sheet plotting template. But first you need to deselect or
dereference all of the model space ("real-world") objects in the project; otherwise, the
selected and referenced objects will be part of the VCL template. Layers and text styles
will still be referenced, which is okay.
1. To select and delete all of the model space objects in your project, do the following:
a. Click the Plan View tab to make it the active view.
b. In the View Filter Manager, select All.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 30


Export your drafting settings as a Project Link (.vcl) file

c. Press Ctrl+A to select all of the objects in the Plan View. Then right-click on the
Plan View and select Delete to delete them.
d. In the Project Explorer, use Ctrl + click to select the following items:
 All of the sheets in the Cross-section 24x36 sheet set (Do not delete the
Cross-section 24x36 sheet set node.)
 Both of the sheets in the Plan and profile 24x36 sheet set (Do not delete the
Plan and profile 24x36 sheet set node.)
 Both of the sheets in the Plan sheets 24x36 sheet set (Do not delete the
Plan sheets 24x36 sheet set node.)
 The two Imported Files: Plotter fonts in inches.vcl and corridor.vcl
e. Right-click and select Delete.
Your Project Explorer should look like this:

2. In the Project Explorer, right-click Cross-sections 24x36 and select Properties. In


the Properties pane, verify that the Corridor box says <None>. Repeat for Plan and
profile 24x36.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 31


Export your drafting settings as a Project Link (.vcl) file

3. In the TBC ribbon, select Home > Data Exchange > Export.
4. In the Export dialog, click the Construction tab and select VCL Project Link exporter
in the File Format list.
5. Click in the Data box. Then, use Ctrl + click to select the following nodes in the
Project Explorer:
 Cross-sections 24x36
 Plan and profile 24x36
 Plan sheets 24x36
This will effectively select the sheet settings and any paper space objects they
include (for example, sheet border, title block, North arrow, and so on).
6. Optionally, change the VCL file name and folder path in the Data box.
By default, the file is named the same as the project and it is stored in the project
folder.

7. Click Export.
When you start a new project in which you want to use the same drafting settings
and layout, import the VCL file and save your project.
This completes the tutorial.

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 32


Export your drafting settings as a Project Link (.vcl) file

Working with Advanced Drafting Tools 33

You might also like