You are on page 1of 54

AECOsim Building Designer

Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation (metric)
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

V8i SELECTseries 3

Bentley Institute Course Guide


Company: Mott-MacDonald
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

TRN019880-1/0001
Trademark Notice

Bentley and the B Bentley logo are either registered or unregistered trademarks or
service marks of Bentley Systems, Incorporated. All other marks are the property of their
respective owners.

AccuDraw, MDL, MicroStation, and SmartLine are registered trademarks; PopSet and
Raster Manager are trademarks.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

AutoCAD is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc.

Copyright Notice

Copyright 2012, Bentley Systems, Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.


Company: Mott-MacDonald
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 2 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Table of Contents
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating


Design Documentation _______________________________ 5
Module Overview _____________________________________ 5
Module Prerequisites _______________________________ 5
Module Objectives _________________________________ 5
Create Floor Plan ______________________________________ 6
Floor Plan by Floor Set ______________________________ 12
Company: Mott-MacDonald

Creating a Building Section ______________________________ 13


Hypermodeling _______________________________________ 18
Building Dynamic View Resymbolization ___________________ 22
Families and Parts _____________________________________ 22
Parts View ________________________________________ 23
DataGroup System_____________________________________ 24
DataGroup Schedules and Reports_____________________ 25
Working with Drawing Rules in Building Dynamic Views _______ 30
Drawing Rules _____________________________________ 31
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

Creating New Rules ____________________________________ 36


Attribute Labels _______________________________________ 41
DataGroup Annotation Cells _____________________________ 47
Choosing the Default DataGroup Annotation Cells ________ 47
Managing the DataGroup Annotation Cells ______________ 50

Sep-12 3 AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 4 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
AECOsim Building Designer
Mechanical - Creating Design
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

Documentation

Module Overview
Company: Mott-MacDonald

When you organize your BIM project data into a series of individual design models
that represent various regions and systems in the building, you create a scenario
that is ready to generate drawings for the project. Your first step will be to bring
all of the 3D data together into a common model. This model will be called a
Master Model and will be an empty 3D model which references the 3D design
models.
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

Module Prerequisites
A thorough understanding of using 3D models
Attendance at AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical Fundamental courses,
or experience in working with Bentley Building software

Module Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to:
Compose the 3D Model: Creating a master model composition of drawings.
Create Views (2D): Creating the section, detail or plan views in the project.
Drawing Composition: Creating sheets that represent finished work ready for
publication.
Use Drawing Rules: Creating Rules and managing the Annotation functionality.

Sep-12 5 AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Create Floor Plan

Create Floor Plan


The Create Floor Plan tool is uses to create Dynamic View Floor plans.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

The Create Floor Plan tool reads floor definitions from AECOsim Building Designer
Company: Mott-MacDonald

Floor Manager, the IFC i-model, and from named ACS definitions and shapes.

Floor plans are created based on user defined settings and Floor Manager floor
definitions. Designers can use single floor definitions or floor definition sets to
create floor plans. Shapes that define an area within the model can also be used
to create floor plans.

Floor plan properties include Building and Floor definitions, story and level data,
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

floor elevations and distances between floors.

The Create Plan tool settings window changes to accommodate the method of
floor plan creation.

The methods for creating floor plans are:


Floor Plan User Defined
Floor Plan By Floor (defined by the settings in the floor manager)

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 6 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Create Floor Plan

Floor Plan By Floor Set (defined by the settings in the floor manager)
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

Controls are also available in the tool settings window to set the View Range and
to manipulate Clip Volumes.
Company: Mott-MacDonald

Exercise: Create a floor plan


1 Create a new file: M_LoRise.dgn.
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

2 Attach the Reference file _M_Master-LoRiseScheme.dgn. (Live Nesting On


/ Depth 3)
3 Set the following settings in the Create Plan Menu:

Note: Each AECOsim Building Designer application has its own Discipline-
specific Drawing Seeds. Drawing Seeds available will be determined by
which Disciplines are loaded.

Sep-12 7 AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Create Floor Plan

The View Range will set the height of the cut plane, forward and back
view range. Setting this to 3 will cut 3m above the first floor (just above
the Top of Duct.
The Model Range will capture the entire model and set the cut plane at
the Floor level. In practice, this should always be set to Drawing Template,
which will read the Floor Manager settings and place the cut a set distance
off the floor.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

4 Make sure Create Drawing is selected. Click in the view and the Create
Drawing dialog will open. Set the following to match the image:
Company: Mott-MacDonald
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

Note: If you have Create Drawing Model and Create Sheet Model checked,
Building Designer will create a drawing and automatically place it on a
sheet using the Seed Model defined. The check box next to Filename
will allow you to create the Drawing or Sheet as a separate file, instead
of being embedded in the active file.
5 Verify that Markers are turned on in the View Attributes: Open the View
Attributes Dialog and turn on 'Markers'. Markers are a new feature to
Building Designer that will allow you apply a saved view associated with a

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 8 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Create Floor Plan

clip volume, toggle the clip volume on/off, attach a callout symbol, display
sheet annotations, and place the view on a Drawing or Sheet.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald

The marker symbols represent Building Views and their location in the master
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

model. Marker Symbols represent the following types of Building Views:

6 Locate the Floor Plan Marker in your view and hover your cursor over it:

Sep-12 9 AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Create Floor Plan

The first icon from the left will apply the saved view associated with the
marker.

Click: Notice how the view rotates to a top view and applies the saved
view with clip volume.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

Hint: You can turn this option off by clicking the pull down arrow next to the icon and
deselecting the camera option.
The second icon will toggle the clip volume associated with the saved
view.
Company: Mott-MacDonald

Click: Clip Volume turns on/off. You can make adjustments to the cut plane
height and clip boundary.
The third icon will add the appropriate callout symbol to the view.
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

Click: A callout will appear indicating the floor plan location, along with
the Drawing Identifier and Sheet Name. These will automatically populate
once the drawing has been placed on a sheet.

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 10 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Create Floor Plan

The fourth icon will attach annotations from the drawing to the view.

The last icon will allow you to place the saved view on a drawing or sheet
(in this exercise this has already been done).
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

7 Select Open Target and the drawing associated with the marker will open.

Hint: The pull down will indicate all locations in which the drawing is used
Company: Mott-MacDonald

(drawings, sheets, etc.). The open folder will allow you to navigate
directly to those files.
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

Sep-12 11AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Create Floor Plan

Floor Plan by Floor Set


Another option is Create Floor Plan by Floor Sets. This tool creates multiple
Dynamic Building View floor plans using Floor Manager definitions.

All current floor definitions (as defined by the Floor Manager) are displayed in the
Floor Selector list box. Check the boxes next to the floors you want to create plans
from and click next, paying attention to the drawing seed you have selected.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 12 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Creating a Building Section

Creating a Building Section


The Place Section Callout functionality has been enhanced for AECOsim Building
Designer to create dynamic view section views. You can directly place a section
callout on a drawing or sheet without selecting any reference. The section callout
searches for its first intersecting reference and creates a section view in that
referenced model.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

When you create a section callout selecting the Create Drawing check box, the
Create Drawing dialog opens. Selecting the Create Drawing Model and Create
Sheet Model check boxes in the Create Drawing dialog creates a section view
which is placed in a drawing model and the drawing model is in turn attached in a
sheet model. The section callout is placed on the sheet but the section view is
part of the design composition model.
Company: Mott-MacDonald

Exercise: Creating Building Section


1 From the Drawing Composition Tasks, select the Place Section Callout tool.

2 We are going to draw a section through the east/west of the building. This
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

is done by defining the left and right boundary for the section marker
(which is used to define the section location) as well as the forward view
distance (represented by the dashed line).
3 Use the Struct - Framing Section Seed for the drawing seed and set height
as From Model. Create Drawing should be checked.

Sep-12 13AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Creating a Building Section

4 Click to define the left boundary of the Section Marker. Click a second time
to define the right boundary. Click a third time to define the forward
distance for the section.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

5 In the Create Drawing dialog, set the following to match the image:

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 14 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Creating a Building Section

The building section you have just created will open.


Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

Adjusting the Section


1 Since building sections use clip volumes to define the cut plane and
boundary, you can make adjustments to the boundary by adjusting the
section marker from the Master Model. You can quickly open the Master
Model from the Mini Toolbar. To do this hover over the highlighted Marker
associated with the drawing and select the Open Design Model.

Sep-12 15AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Creating a Building Section

2 The Composition Model will open. Select the marker and the clip boundry
will appear. You can now adjust the boundry.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

3 We will now return to the Section Drawing, which we can do using the
mini toolbar.

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 16 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Creating a Building Section

4 You can now add dimensions, annotation and extra detail to this drawing
using the Drafting and Annotation Tasks.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald

Note: If you are using the delivered Text Styles, you will want to turn off the
Annotation Scale Lock from the Place Note dialog.
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

Hint: For project teams, it is recommended that drawings be generated as


separate DGN files so that multiple designers can work on the drawings
simultaneously without locking the master model.

Sep-12 17AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Hypermodeling

Hypermodeling
Hypermodeling presents interrelated design information for interaction directly
within the spatial context of the 3D model, including:
Solids & Surfaces
Drawings
Specifications
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

Images
Videos
Documents
Reports
Web content
Company: Mott-MacDonald

Project information is immersed into the model, integrating drawings and details
in 3D context. Errors can be avoided and project teams can clearly understand
designs with hypermodels that allow them to see all of the applicable project
information within the context of the information model. Hypermodeling resolves
the potential ambiguity of 2D drawings alone and the inherent incompleteness of
3D models as they typically exist.
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

Similarly, these drawings, schedules, and reports, which include the required level
of detail, are separate from each other and from the model and are still multiple
representations that must be examined in separate places.

Exercise: Examine The Hypermodel


1 Open __Master-LoRiseScheme.dgn.
2 Locate the various Markers that appear on the model. You may need to
rotate the view to isometric.

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 18 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Hypermodeling

3 The marker symbols represent Building Views and their location in the
master model. Marker Symbols represent the following types of Building
Views:
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

4 Mouse over a Section View Marker so that the mini-toolbar appears.


Company: Mott-MacDonald

Chose the Sheet model from the pull down. Click Apply Section.

5 You will see the annotation graphics from the sheet view superimposed
into the 3D view in the correct model location.
6 You can chose to add additional information to objects in the model to
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

further clarify details. Chose Add Link To Element from the Drawing
Composition task.

7 The Link can be to a file, Keyin command, or URL. This can be useful if you
have specifications

Sep-12 19AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Hypermodeling

Hint: You can rotate this view and see how the section would appear in 3D. This gives
a user additional information about the section in the context of the 3D model.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald

8 You can also navigate directly to the drawing or sheet that this Building
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

View is placed on by hovering over the drawing title and using the mini
toolbar.

Attaching a hypermodel link to an object


You can attach additional information, such as schedules, cut sheets or
manufacturer catalogs, to objects in the model.
Locate a window on the building. Hover over it to that it is highlighted and
right press.

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 20 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Hypermodeling

The Activate option will allow you to activate the model with the window you
are adding the link to.

Hint: The Activate option will show you every model that the object exists in,
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

including references. The last model in the list will always be the model where
the object was created.
Open the Drawing Composition Task menu and locate the Add Link tool.
Company: Mott-MacDonald

A link can be to a File, Key in or URL. Choose From File and use the
magnifying glass to browse your computer or network drive. Locate any file
you would like to create a link to and click Open.
Select the link from the Tree and click OK.
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

You can now select the window in your model and a link will be added to it.
Objects with links attached to them will display a hypermodel link symbol
when you hover over them. You can open the link from the right press menu.

Sep-12 21AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Building Dynamic View Resymbolization

Building Dynamic View Resymbolization


AECOsim Building Designer allows the user to dynamically resymbolize
components in the model so that their appearance is appropriate for 2D
drawings. Building Designer employs a system of resymbolization rules which are
used in conjunction with Family and Part System. This determines the appearance
of components like walls, slabs, structural members, duct, and pipe.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

Separate symbologies can be defined for the Forward view, Back view, Cut, and
the 3D Building model.

Families and Parts


Company: Mott-MacDonald

Building Dynamic View resymbolization is managed by two utilities. The Family


and Part System, and Drawing Rules.

With the Family and Part System, separate symbologies can be defined for the
Forward view, Back view, Cut, and the 3D Building model. The Dataset Explorer is
used to create and management families and parts.

Family and Parts are contained within the Dataset and are used to define the
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

graphical representation of elements; they can be regarded as the CAD standards


of the application.
A Family is a description for a main heading of elements
A Part is a collection of elements within the Family

Predefined Datasets containing Family and Parts can be downloaded from the
Bentley web site for the specific region of the world.

Family and Parts are accessed from the main menu bar:
Building Designer> Family and Parts
For each application a view is shown below

Note: Bentley Electrical does not use the concept of Family and Parts.

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 22 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Families and Parts

Example of Mechanical Family and Parts:


Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

Parts View
Company: Mott-MacDonald

When a Part is selected, the Part View selections are available for all information
about how the geometry will be represented.

Parts View: Definition

The Definition selection controls how the element will be represented in the 3D
model and extractions including the level, color, style weight and dimensions.
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

Parts View: Drawing Symbology

The Drawing Symbology selection controls how the element is represented in the
drawing and how it will react with other elements of the same type; this is known
as unification.

Parts View: Cut Patterns

The Cut Patterns selection relates to how the element will be hatched in the
drawing.

Parts View: Centerline Symbology

The Centerline Symbology selection allows for a centerline to be shown on the


element not only using the standard line styles, but also custom line styles. For
example, a custom line style could be created to represent timber studs, or for fire
rated walls.

Sep-12 23AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
DataGroup System

Parts View: Rendering Properties

The Rendering Properties selection defines parts to have rendering properties at


time of placement.

Note: More in depth coverage of Families and Parts will be covered in the AECOsim
Building Designer Mechanical - Advanced User Customization class.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

DataGroup System
The DataGroup System is designed to manage both application and user-defined
building objects and instance data for modeling, drawings, and scheduling. In a
sense, all of the non-graphical information associated with 3D objects placed in
Company: Mott-MacDonald

your models.

This system has the ability to add custom information and to apply user-definable
attributes to virtually any element in a 2D/3D file. The DataGroup System
manages all of this data for schedule and reporting exporting.
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 24 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
DataGroup System

DataGroup System Concept

Design teams often approach modeling work with a set of familiar placement
tools to construct models and complete designs. A Design team may use an
assortment of doors, windows, and space planning tools; a plant team may use a
mixture of pipe, vessel, and stair commands; and a structural team may use
several beam, column, and footing tools.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

Design teams from every discipline need a system which enables them to assign
data to models based on their needs. Catalogs allow them to organize items in
separate categories.
Data is assigned to items.
Item data is formatted by templates called DataGroup Definitions
(schema). Multiple DataGroups can be used to define the data
attached to an item, usually system data and user-defined data.
Company: Mott-MacDonald

Items are organized in catalogs.

An AECOsim Building Designer Dataset is an integral group of folders containing


building system libraries and settings and are designed to be modified according
to your needs.

In AECOsim Building Designer, some catalogs are linked to placement tools. For
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

example, the Place Door tool automatically looks for definitions in the Door
catalog.

DataGroup Schedules and Reports


The DataGroup system is designed to manage application and user defined
building data for modeling, drawing and scheduling.

In the Interface two sets of tools are used with the DataGroup system.
DataGroup Definition Editor
DataGroup Catalog Editor

Sep-12 25AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
DataGroup System

DataGroup Definition Editor

The DataGroup Definition Editor is a standalone application delivered with the


application software. This administration tool is used to create, modify and
format DataGroup definitions. DataGroup Definitions contain a list of and the
type of attributes attached to an item. The DataGroup Definition Editor can be
accessed from the Building Designer Pull Down.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald

As this tool is for administration and not within the scope of this course, the
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

DataGroup definitions used in the exercises within this module will come from
previously formatted definitions.

DataGroup Explorer

The tools within the DataGroup System tool box are used to manage DataGroup
catalog types, items, instances, properties, values and definitions. The DataGroup

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 26 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
DataGroup System

Explorer allows you to view the DataGroup properties of all objects placed in the
model.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

You also have the ability to query existing catalog item data, create new
DataGroup reports from existing DataGroup catalog types, and manage reports
for new DataGroup catalog definitions, catalog items and catalog instances within
existing reports.
Company: Mott-MacDonald
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

You also have the ability to edit data in DataGroup Explorer. For instance, you
could add a door ID number to the doors. To do this, select the item in DataGroup
Explorer and right click and chose Edit.

Sep-12 27AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
DataGroup System

Note: Edit will only be available if the chosen object resides in the active file.
Elements that are referenced cannot be edited in this manner.

When you chose to edit an item, you will have the ability to modify any
DataGroup values for that object, just as you would if you used the Universal
Modify tool to edit them.

You can also select multiple items from the DataGroup Explorer and add data to
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

them at one time. This is useful if you needed to add a typical frame finish
material to all of the doors on a floor of your building.

AECOsim Building Designer is delivered with preconfigured schedules that makes


it easy to generate common reports on a project. These schedules are listed under
each DataGroup Category.
Company: Mott-MacDonald
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 28 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
DataGroup System

You can quickly export the schedule to a spreadsheet for further formatting or
attach it to a sheet. Select the schedule in the left panel and chose Data > Export.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald

This will export the data to the chosen format and open the appropriate
application.
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

Note: You also have the ability to create custom schedules which are
formatted to match your company standards. This will be covered in the
AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Advanced User
Customization class.

Sep-12 29AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Working with Drawing Rules in Building Dynamic Views

Working with Drawing Rules in Building Dynamic Views


In Mechanical Building Dynamic Views, Mechanical Drawing Rules are used to
automate the placement of labels on ductwork and piping and for
resymbolization. Resymbolization alters the appearance of the 2D graphics which
make up drawing extractions. The appearance of add on graphics such as flow
indicator cells, device cells and center lines can also be resymbolized by drawing
rules. Single line representations of drawing output are determined by rules.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

In this drawing, Mechanical drawing rules are being used to place labels on
ductwork and to represent the ductwork as single line.

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 30 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Working with Drawing Rules in Building Dynamic Views

Drawing Rules
The Drawing Rules system is integrated into the Dynamic View system, where
each dynamic view can be stored with its own drawing rules. Once a dynamic view
is created, the drawing rules are exposed on the Building Panel in the View
Attributes dialog.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald

The Mechanical tab contains several settings for managing Mechanical drawing
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

rules as they apply to Building dynamic views. The Mechanical tab also contains a
toolbar with several important tools.

1 Attach New Rule Enables designers to attach predefined rules to the


Building dynamic view. This tool opens the Drawing Rules (primary) dialog,
where designers can select predefined drawing rules, and create new
drawing rule definitions.
2 Copy Rule Adds a copy of the selected rule to the Building dynamic view.
This tool opens the Drawing Rules (primary) dialog where designers can
change the rule or its criteria.
3 Edit Rule Opens the Drawing Rules (primary) dialog with the selected
rule highlighted. This enables designers to change the rule definition, or
the rule criteria used to apply the rule.
4 Detach Rule Removes the selected rule from the Building dynamic view.
Detaching a rule does not delete the rule definition.

Sep-12 31AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Working with Drawing Rules in Building Dynamic Views

Rule Sequence Tools The order in which rules are applied is important. Once an
object meets the criteria and the rule is processed, the object is not evaluated by
any other rules.
5 Move First Moves the rule to the top of the list. It is the first rule applied.
6 Move Up Moves the rule up one position toward the top of the list.
7 Move Down Moves the rule down one position toward the bottom of
the list.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

8 Move Last Moves the rule to the bottom of the list. It is the last rule
applied

Rules that are applied to the Building dynamic view are listed in the Mechanical
tab rules list. The rule names and the criteria are displayed. There is a check box
by each rule in the Active column. This turns the rule on and off. Only rules that
are checked are actually applied to the Building dynamic view. Rules that are
Company: Mott-MacDonald

unchecked are not applied but are available should the designer need them. This
leverages the dynamic nature of dynamic views.
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

Turning On/Off Drawing Rules


1 Using Project Explorer, open the drawing M-HVAC FLOOR 1 that we
created earlier.
2 From the Drawing Composition Task, chose Set Reference Presentation.

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 32 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Working with Drawing Rules in Building Dynamic Views

3 Select the referenced view and accept with a data point. This will allow
you to make modifications to the way the Building View is displayed.

4 The Reference Presentation window will open. This will look similar to the
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

View Attributes window, except that it is controlling the attributes of the


referenced saved view. Understanding this concept is fundamental to
using Building Views successfully.
Company: Mott-MacDonald
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

Sep-12 33AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Working with Drawing Rules in Building Dynamic Views

5 Click the Mechanical tab so that the available drawing rules are displayed.
Turn off the rule for Duct: Supply New - Double.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald

6 Click OK. Notice that the Supply Duct Tags have disappeared.

Automated Drawing Rules can be a time saver when labeling objects in your
models, however it is unlikely that the DataGroup Annotation will be placed
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

exactly where you want it. There will likely be a time where an annotation might
be covering another object in the drawing, necessitating moving it.
To move an annotation cell, simply select it and use the move tool. Moving
annotations maintains their relationship to the object they are linked to, so
that any updates to the object will update the annotation tag automatically.

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 34 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Working with Drawing Rules in Building Dynamic Views

Hiding Annotations
You can also chose to hide an individual annotation tag so that it does not
appear on the drawing.
To hide an Annotation Tag, first select it then right press on the tag and
chose Hide Annotation.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

To make the annotation reappear, first select the component that is


linked to the annotation (Duct, Diffuser etc.) then right press and
chose Show Annotation.
Company: Mott-MacDonald
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

Sep-12 35AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Creating New Rules

Creating New Rules


The Drawing Rules dialog is opened from the Mechanical tab in the Building View
Settings of the Reference Presentation dialog by selecting Attach New Rule or by
selecting a current rule and then selecting the Edit Rule tool. There is a Drawing
Rules Definition dialog that is opened from the Drawing Rules dialog, and it is
used to complete the actual creating, copying, and editing of drawing rules.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

The Apply Drawing Rules dialog is divided into two portions. The upper portion
deals with Criteria, and the lower portion manages the rules. When assigning a
drawing rule to a view, you need to define the criteria and select the rule. When
the Add to View button is selected, the rule and criteria populate in the
Mechanical tab Drawing Rules list box and the rule is available for use in the
Building dynamic view.

Currently, there are seven types of criteria that can be used in a Mechanical
Drawing Rule. They are All, Building Elements (DataGroup), Part and Family,
Criteria Set, Results of Saved Query, Selection Set, and Grouped Criteria Set.

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 36 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Creating New Rules
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

All - Applies drawing rule to all Mechanical Building Designer components


Building Elements - Building Elements criteria relies on the building element
defined within the rule. For example, if a rule focuses on ducts, setting the
criteria to Building Element applies the rule against all ducts.
Part and Family - Use Family and Part list boxes to select part definitions for
which the drawing rule will be applied.
Company: Mott-MacDonald

Criteria Set - Use the list box to select a Criteria set, and the browse button to
select a Criteria file for which the rule will be assigned.
Criteria Set criteria utilizes the Select by Attributes utility. This option can be
used to generate criteria based on the DataGroup system, DataGroup
attributes, and Building properties (including the family and part).
If you select this option, the Criteria Name and Criteria File options become
available. If the criteria is created and saved using Select by Attributes, you
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

can select it by browsing to the criteria file and select the criteria name from
the drop down list.
Results of Saved Query - Use the browse button to select an EC Query xml file
from available files for which the rule will be assigned. Query files have
predefined grouped criteria saved in them.
Selection Set - Use selection set to apply the drawing rule selectively to
number of components in the current model.
Selected element IDs - Displays element ID for components which will have
the drawing rule applied.
Grouped Criteria Set - Use the list box to select a grouped Criteria, and the
browse button to select a Grouped Criteria file for which the rule will be
assigned.
If you select this option, the Grouped Criteria and Criteria File options become
available. If the criteria is created and saved using Select by Attributes, you
can select it by browsing to the criteria file and select the criteria name from
the drop down list.

Sep-12 37AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Creating New Rules

Note: Criteria sets are created with the Select by Attributes tool. Criteria sets are
stored in resource files that have a .RSC file extension.

The lower portion of the Drawing Rules dialog enables users to manage these
rules.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

The Create New, Copy Rule and Edit Rule tools open the Drawing Rules Definition
dialog.

The Drawing Rules dialog for Mechanical contains Name and Description fields
and two tabs: Symbology and Attribute Labels.
Company: Mott-MacDonald
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

The following summarizes the settings in the Drawing Rules Definition dialog.
Rule Name (required) - Sets the rule name displayed in the Drawing Rules
dialog; and in the Building panel Architecture tab.
Description (optional) - Sets a brief description for the rule function.

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 38 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Creating New Rules

Symbology tab - When the Singleline Graphics switch is turned on, the Singleline
Symbology group of controls are available. Single line drawings are generated by
resymbolizing center line elements stored in each Mechanical Building Designer
component as a 2D Plan Symbol.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald

Display End Caps - When on, disconnected connections are resymbolized as


closed or capped. When off, disconnected connections are resymbolized to
appear open or uncapped. End caps appear as short lines in single line mode.
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

Level - Sets the level for visible lines.


Color - Sets the color for single lines.
Style - Sets the line style for single lines.
Weight - Sets the line weight for single lines.
Flexible - Sets appearance of resymbolized flex to familiar styles.
Batten - Flex resymbolized with a batten line style between
connections
Singleline - Flex appearance remains as extracted, but resymbolized
according to symbology settings
Accordion - Flex resymbolized using a zigzag pattern. Use Width and
Height settings to set accordion dimensions.
When Flexible is set to Accordion, use Height and Width settings to define
accordion attributes.
Arc - Flex resymbolized with an arc between connections. Use
Direction and Arc Height settings to set arc characteristics.

Sep-12 39AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Creating New Rules

Available Direction settings are Right and Left. Arc Height sets distance
of arc's highest point relative to a straight line between connections.

When the Singleline Graphics checkbox is off, the Doubleline Symbology side of
the tab activates. Double line drawings are generated by resymbolizing graphical
elements stored in each Mechanical Building Designer component as a 2D Plan
Symbol corresponding to the six standard view orientations (top, bottom, front,
back, left and right).
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

Graphics Type - A double line rule can contain multiple sets of symbology
definitions, each resymbolizing a different graphics type. Turn on Symbology
check box to activate symbology settings for each graphics type. When off,
symbology reverts to the basic part definition settings.
Graphics type settings for double line are:
Edge - Activates symbology settings for visible sides and edges.
Company: Mott-MacDonald

Centerline - Activates symbology settings for center lines.


Insulation - Activates symbology settings for insulation.
Lining - Activates symbology settings for lining.
Symbol - Activates symbology settings for air flow symbol.
Apply Symbology - When on, symbology settings for all graphics types
become available for manipulation.
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

Level - Sets the level for double lines.


Color - Sets the color for double lines.
Style - Sets the line style for double lines.
Weight - Sets the line weight for double lines.
Plan Symbol - When on, activates the browse button that allows setting a cell
as plan symbol in the model via Cell Picker dialog.
Library - Displays the name of the selected cell library.
Cell Name - Displays the name of the selected cell.
Scale - Sets the scale factor to the cell being used as plan symbol.

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 40 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Attribute Labels

Attribute Labels
The Drawing Rules Attribute Labels tab contains controls for manipulating
Mechanical Building Designer label symbology. Component information about
part/family, dimension/diameter, insulation/lining, status, material, pressure class
and airflow can be attached to resymbolized graphics.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald

The Attributes list shows available Member Attributes describing Mechanical


DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

Building Designer components.


Display for Selected Attribute - When on, the selected attribute's settings
become active. The member attribute will now be identified with an asterisk.
Position - Controls position of label relative to resymbolized Mechanical
Building Designer component.
% of member length - Enter a percentage to locate the label along the length
axis of the resymbolized component. Value is calculated from the start point
(end 1) of the component.
Distance from end 1 - Enter a numeric value to locate the label along the
length axis of the resymbolized component. Value is calculated from the start
point (end 1) of the component.
Distance from end 2 - Enter a numeric value to locate the label along the
length axis of the resymbolized component. Value is calculated from the end
point (end 2) of the component.
Label Offset - Controls label's center line offset distance by selecting a
direction and entering a value.
Above - Places label above resymbolized component.

Sep-12 41AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Attribute Labels

Below - Places label below resymbolized component.


x Text Height - Enter numeric value to set label offset for placement above or
below resymbolized component.

The Text Parameters section is where you can control the appearance of text used
in labels.
Text style - Select an available text style from list box. Use Text Styles tool to
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

load or create styles.


Height - Enter a numeric value for label text height.
Width - Enter a numeric value for label text width.
Font - Select an available font from list box.
Justification - Sets justification of text used in Mechanical Building Designer
label. This justification setting is independent of the label offsets.
Company: Mott-MacDonald

The Symbology section is where you can control the symbology of text used in
labels.
Level - Sets the level for labels.
Color - Sets the color for labels.
Weight - Sets the line weight for labels.
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

Format - The Format text entry field allows user defined notes to be added
when label is created. There are no restrictions to what can be typed in this
field. The drawing rule generated attribute label is parenthesized by the
expression < %VALUE% >. Two part dimension labels are separated
< %VALUE% x %VALUE% >. The format also supports %SHAPE% keyword.
When required pre-pending or appending the string with %SHAPE% will add
the shape symbol to the resulting string. Rectangular ducts don't have a
symbol.

Exercise: Create and apply a new Duct Annotation Rule


1 Open the drawing file M-HVAC Floor 1. This file was created in a previous
exercise.
2 In the Drawing Composition task list, choose the Reference Presentation
tool.

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 42 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Attribute Labels

3 Select anywhere on the HVAC plan reference and left click to accept the
command. The Reference Display dialog opens.

We will create a rule to show the top elevation of the ductwork.


Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

4 In the Building section of the Reference Presentation dialog, click on the


Mechanical tab.
Company: Mott-MacDonald
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

5 Click on the Attach New Rule button (the green plus sign) to open the
Drawing Rules dialog.

Sep-12 43AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Attribute Labels

6 In the Drawing Rules dialog, click on Add New Rule to open the Drawing
Rules Definition dialog.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald

7 In the Drawing Rules Definition dialog, complete the information as shown


below:
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

Rule Name: Duct: Supply New - Elevation


Description: Top of Duct Label

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 44 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Attribute Labels

Attribute Labels tab:


Select Top
Toggle On Display Attribute for Selected Attribute
Position: 50% Along Length
Above 0.5 x Text Height
Text Parameters
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

Text Style: None


Height: 152
Width: 152
Font: Arial
Justification: Center Bottom
Company: Mott-MacDonald

Symbology
Level: M-ANNO-TEXT
Color: 0
Weight: 0
Format
%VALUE%
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

8 Click OK to close the Drawing Rules Definition dialog.


9 In the Drawing Rules dialog, select the Duct: Supply New - Elevation rule
we just created.
10 Set the Criteria to:
Based On: Part and Family
Family: Duct
Part: Supply New

Sep-12 45AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Attribute Labels

11 Click the Add to View button.


Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald

12 Click Close to close the Drawing Rules dialog.


13 In the Mechanical tab of the Reference Presentation dialog, you will now
see the Duct: Supply New - Elevation Rule in the Rule list. Turn the switch
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

on for the rule.


14 Click OK at the bottom of the dialog and wait while the dynamic view
recalculates. The supply-new ductwork will be labeled with the top of duct
elevation and should now be shown at each Supply-New duct.

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 46 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
DataGroup Annotation Cells

DataGroup Annotation Cells


The Annotate Tool Settings dialog is used to modify the symbology (color, style,
weight) and change the level of an annotation symbol graphic, or to substitute a
different cell for an annotation graphic.

Choosing the Default DataGroup Annotation Cells


Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

Open the annotate tool settings dialog through the Building Designer menu:
Company: Mott-MacDonald
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

Once open, you can expand the DataGroup Annotation section in the list on the
left of the dialog by clicking on the + icon. A list of the current DataGroup Catalogs
will open.

Sep-12 47AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
DataGroup Annotation Cells

When you select one of the DataGroup catalogs, the settings for the default
annotation cell will display in the panel on the right. The settings control the
appearance of the DataGroup Annotation cells that are placed with the
DataGroup Annotation tool or with Mechanical dynamic view rules.

The settings panel has four lines for each DataGroup catalog: Main Callout,
Leader, Terminator and Text.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

The Main Callout line allows you to select the annotation cell and to choose
Company: Mott-MacDonald

whether to use the cell's symbology settings, by level symbology, the active
symbology settings or individual overrides for level, color, style and weight.
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 48 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
DataGroup Annotation Cells

These cells are stored together in one cell library.


Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald

Hint: The small black arrow at the upper right of the cell list will open/close the
preview window for the cells.

The Leader and Terminator settings allow you to specify a leader and terminator
that can be placed as you are placing the annotation with the DataGroup
Annotation tool.

The Text settings allow you to specify the symbology and font of the text that is
present in the annotation cell.
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

The settings that you set in the Annotate Tool Settings tool are stored in an xml
file called annotationoverides.xml. This file is stored in the project dataset by
default so that everyone working on the project will have consistent annotation
settings.

Sep-12 49AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
DataGroup Annotation Cells

Exercise: Overriding the appearance of a DataGroup Annotation Cell


1 Open the drawing M-HVAC Floor1.
2 Open the Annotate Tool Settings tool through the Building Designer
menu.
3 Expand the DataGroup Annotation in the list on the left side of the dialog.
4 Select RectangularDuct from the list.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

5 Review the settings.


6 Click OK to apply any changes and close the dialog.

Managing the DataGroup Annotation Cells


DataGroup annotation cells are used to provide annotation on drawings that is
Company: Mott-MacDonald

based on the information stored on elements in the model. The type of


information available to be placed with the cell varies depending on the catalog
selected and the type of information that is defined in that catalog. The Manage
DataGroup Annotation Cells tool is used to create and modify DataGroup
Annotation cells.

The Manage DataGroup Annotation Cells tool is accessible through the Building
Designer menu.
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 50 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
DataGroup Annotation Cells

When selected it will open the cell library that contains the DataGroup
Annotation cells and also open the Manage DataGroup Annotation Cells dialog.
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald

The icons in the toolbar at the top of the dialog will allow you to create a new
annotation cell, copy an existing annotation cell, view the model properties for
the current cell, delete the current cell and set the origin of the current cell.
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

In the Cell Properties section of the dialog, the current library and the current
Annotation cell name and description are listed. To change to a different
Annotation cell, use the pull-down at Current Annotation Cell to select a different
cell.

The bottom left portion of the dialog has a pull-down that lists the available
DataGroup Catalogs to which the cell can be associated. Each cell can only be
associated with a single catalog. Once a piece of text that is linked to DataGroup
Information has been placed in the cell, the annotation cell type cannot be
changed.

Sep-12 51AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
DataGroup Annotation Cells
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

The DataGroup Information section of the dialog lists the available types of data
in the selected catalog that can be reported on through an annotation cell. To
place a piece of text in your cell that is linked to DataGroup information:
Select the type of information you want to place from the list.
Select the format of the text that you which to place
Company: Mott-MacDonald
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

The format options will vary depending on the type of data selected. Options are:
Int - Integer
String - A Text String
MU-SU - A dimension display in master units - sub units with no labels
MU Label SU Label - A dimension display with the master units, the master
unit label, the sub units and then the sub unit label. i.e. 2m30cm
MU Label-SU Label - A dimension display with the master units, the master
unit label, a dash then the sub units and the sub unit label. i.e. 2m30cm
MU - The dimension in master units only
SU - The dimension in sub units only
Double - A number with decimal places

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 52 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
DataGroup Annotation Cells

DD MM SS - An angle in degrees, minutes and seconds


DD.DDDD - An angle in degrees
Area Preferences - An area dimension based on the user preference for display
of areas
Custom - A vba project, module and procedure that can process the raw
DataGroup data. The value in the DataGroup property is fed to the macro as a
key-in argument, processed by the macro and then fed back to the annotation
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013

cell. The Advanced Space Label is an example of this type of annotation.


Select the Length of the text string you want to have in your cell.

Note: If your data exceeds this length then the cell will replace it with a series
of hash tags when the annotation cell is placed: ##### If your data is
empty, then the text will be replaced with a series of underlines: _____
Company: Mott-MacDonald

If your data type is a number with decimal places, then choose the
number of decimal places to display with the accuracy pull down.
Click on Place Text to place the place holder text string in your cell. The
text will be formatted with your active text settings. You can modify
any property of the text after you place it.

You can include any geometry that you need to complete your annotation cell. As
with any other cell, the global origin (the location of the ACS Triad) will be the
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

placement origin of your annotation cell. Since annotation cells are scaled per the
annotation scale of the drawing, you should draw your annotation cell at the size
you would like it to appear when printed.

Sep-12 53AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design


Documentation
Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated
DataGroup Annotation Cells
Class Date: 13-Nov-2013
Company: Mott-MacDonald
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for Student Use is Permitted

AECOsim Building Designer Mechanical - Creating Design Documentation 54 Sep-12


Copyright 2012 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

You might also like