ArchLand00028.pngCreating Additional Custom Standards

A custom naming standard can be created rather than using the VWArch or AIA/NCS standard. Although three layer, class, and viewport/view standards are available from within the Standard Naming dialog box (User 1, User 2 and User 3), up to ninety-nine can be created for layers, classes, and viewport/views by editing the ClassNameStds, LayerNameStds, and ViewNameStds worksheets. See Concept: Worksheet Overview.

To create a custom naming standard by worksheet:

  1. In a new file, select File > Document Settings > Standard Naming.

    2. The Standard Naming dialog box opens.

  2. Without making any changes, click OK.

    3. Three worksheets are created in the file, and are visible in the Resource Manager: ClassNameStds, LayerNameStds, and ViewNameStds.

  3. From the Resource Manager, right-click one of the worksheets and select Open from the context menu.

    4. The worksheet opens for editing.

  4. Highlight column D (User 1) and from the Worksheet menu select Insert > Columns. A new column is added in front of the selected one.

    5. New columns must be inserted after the AIA/NCS column and before the Description or Pen Color column.

  5. Enter a name in cell D1 for the new standard.

  6. Enter a new standard name for each cell below D1.

    7. Cells left blank in the ClassNameStds worksheet will be assigned to the “None” class. Cells left blank in the LayerNameStds worksheet will be assigned to the “Layer-None” layer. Blank cells are not permitted in the ViewNameStds worksheet; if a worksheet with blank viewport/view names is attempted for use in Standard Naming, an error message is displayed.

  7. The new standard is displayed in the Standard Naming dialog box.

To use these changes in other files, either save the file as a template to be used as the basis for new drawings, or import each worksheet into the other file before running the Standard Naming command.

Coarse and Fine Custom Standards

When creating custom standard naming, naming standards may contain fewer standard names (coarser) or additional standard names (finer).

A “coarser” custom standard names two or more of the standard class, layer, or view names with the same user-defined name. Except for auto-classing, this is an irreversible process.

For example, the classes Area-Main, Area-Patterns, and Area-Spec can be combined into a single class called Areas. All objects assigned to the original three classes are reassigned to Areas.

When custom standard naming changes are complete, additional information displays to confirm any actions to be taken, such as merging changed class names to eliminate duplicates.

A “finer” standard maps a single class, layer, or view name to multiple names. Mapping is required to define the standard naming change, and the Standard Naming - Mapping dialog box opens automatically.

For example, an A-FP# layer AIA standard corresponds to two layer standards in the Vectorworks Architect product: Mod-Floor-# and Mod-Slab-#. If switching from the AIA standard to the VWArch standard, select the A-FP# layer from the list on the left and indicate the mapping for objects currently on the A-FP# layer by selecting the mapping layer on the right.

All objects assigned to the A-FP# layer are assigned to the Mod-Floor-# layer. Unmapped layers are not created.

 

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