Creating data tag styles

Use leader

Draws a leader line with the tag; specify the leader parameters

Leader Type

Select line, arc, or Bézier as the line type

Default Shoulder Length

Enter a default length for the leader shoulder, or enter 0 (zero) for no shoulder. After placement, you can move the shoulder control point to adjust the length. 

A green field entry indicates the tag units are page-based; black indicates world-based units.

Leader Radius

If the Leader Type is arc, enter the arc radius in page units

Marker

Includes a marker at the end of the leader; select the marker style; for details, see Marker attributes

Leader/Shoulder Class

Select an existing class, or create a new class. Select <Data Tag Class> to place the leader in the same class as the data tag object.

Horizontal Position

Specify whether to extend the shoulder left or right from the leader line; select Auto to vary the shoulder position automatically according to the tag position

Move _ with Object

Specify whether to move the entire tag or only the end of the leader line when the associated object is moved

Allow multiple attachment points

Enables the leader to attach to the tag at the nearest attachment point, defined by loci in the tag layout

Align to walls/objects

Rotates the tag to the angle of the associated object; for walls, data tags will be rotated as if they are inserted in the wall

Wall Alignment

Specify the part of a wall for aligning the tag: centerline, left or right edge, or unconstrained

Always display Edit Tag Data dialog

Displays a data entry dialog box each time the tag is placed in a drawing

Scaling

Adjusts the scale of the label:

Symmetric changes the width and height equally by the Factor specified

Asymmetric changes the width by the X Factor and the height by the Y Factor

Scale text

Adjusts the scale of the label text using the scaling factors; for asymmetric scaling, the text size is controlled by the X Factor, and the text position is controlled by both factors

X/Y Factor

Enter a factor for scaling the label (for example, enter 2 to double the label size, or enter 0.5 to reduce the label to half the original size)

Edit Tag Layout

Opens a tag editing window, to define the geometry of the tag and the text fields shown on it (see steps 7 through 9)

Base Offset on

Specify whether to offset the tag relative to the tagged object’s coordinate system or relative to the page axes.

The Tagged Object Orientation option requires Top/Plan view.

X/Y Offset

Enter the X and Y offsets from the center of the bounding box of the associated object, as projected onto the notation plane. 

A green field entry indicates the tag units are page-based; black indicates world-based units.

Leader Length

If Use Leader is selected on the Leader tab, enter the length of the default leader line.

A green field entry indicates the tag units are page-based; black indicates world-based units.

Leader Angle

If Use Leader is selected on the Leader tab, enter the angle of the default leader line

Field Label

Enter the text to display for this field in the tag layout and Edit Tag Data dialog box

Calculated field

Select this option to use data pulled from the drawing in the field, or to use automatically incrementing numbers or letters. You can include multiple data sources in the same field.

Current Tag Field Definition

Variables are placed in this field automatically by your Data Source and Data Destination selections. The definition can include multiple data sources, such as the floor the object is on, followed by an incrementing value for each object. You can manually add static text or punctuation, as well as simple arithmetic operators (which operate on numerical fields only). For example, to display the price of an appliance with a 10 percent markup from the actual price in the appliance record, you might enter something like this:

#Appliance Record#.#Price# + #Appliance Record#.#Price# * 0.1

You can also use a logical IF function in the definition, where the first result is if your comparison is true, the second if your comparison is false. For example, the statements below are both valid syntax, and they both translate as follows: if the area of a space is greater than 12, return “Yes”; otherwise, return “No.”

Yes@#Space#.#Area#>12:No

#WS_IF(('Space'.'Area'>'12'), 'Yes', 'No')#

When you include a worksheet function as in the second example, the formula syntax is the same as it would be in a worksheet, except that the formula is preceded by the characters #WS_ and followed by another # character.

Data Source

Specify the source of the data to display on the tag. Different options are available for each source.

Object Parameters: Select the Object Name and which Parameter Name to use (for example, window and window width).

Record Format: Select the Format Name and which Field Name from the record format to use (for example, plant record and light range).

IFC Entity: To display pSet values (such as Classification) regardless of the object’s IfcEntity, select AnyIfcEntity, and then select the pSet Name and Property Name to use. To display data for a specific IFC entity, select Choose new IFC Entity, and then from the Select IFC Object dialog box, select an object; the object is displayed in the IfcEntity field. Then select the pSet Name and Property Name to use.

To use one of the IFC entity’s “base” values (such as “name”), select the IFC entity name from the pSetName list.

Object Function: Select an object-specific Function (for example, area).

General Function: Select a general Function (for example, sheet number).

Incrementing Value: Select a format for the value (integer, lower-case character, upper-case character). Then click Sequence Settings to enter the Start Value, Increment, and Next Value to use.

Worksheet Function: Select an object-specific Function (for example, volume). If the function you want isn't on the list, select Additional Functions, and select the function from The Select Function dialog box.

If you select a numeric data source (for example, a "length" object parameter or a "thermal efficiency" IFC property), additional fields display for setting the Units and/or Precision to show on the tag. Select Show unit/mark to show a unit mark along with the unit value. If the Units setting is Feet & Inches (or if the setting is Document Units and the document setting is Feet & Inches), select Display units separator to include a separator between the feet and inches (as in 3'-6"). Select a Precision setting, or select the option Document length decimal precision to use the current precision in the document settings.

If the units and precision settings are different from those set for the document, the settings are added to the field definition. For example, #m_2_1# indicates the tag will use meters with precision .01.

To use the SIA standard for units, select SIA as the Units option and specify a Decimal Rounding Base. Select Always meters to display fractional meter values instead of centimeters.

Link to data source

Links the selected Data Source field to the selected Data Destination field of the object. For example, you might have a door tag with a field that extracts the Configuration setting from the door’s object parameters. You can link the field to the Operation Type field in the door’s IFC record, to automatically update the IFC record when a door is tagged.

Data Destination

Specify the destination for the extracted data. Different options are available for each destination.

Object Parameters: Select the Object Name and which Parameter Name to use (for example, window and window width).

Record Format: Select the Format Name and which Field Name from the record format to use (for example, plant record and light range).

IFC Entity: From the Select IFC Object dialog box, select an object; the object is displayed in the IfcEntity field. Select the pSet Name and Property Name to use.

Add to Definition /
Replace Current Definition

After you select the details for a data source (and an additional destination for the data, if applicable), these buttons add to or replace the variables in the Current Tag Field Definition window

User-entered field

Select this option to allow the user to enter data for the field when the tag is placed

Field Type

Select the type of data to enter in the field:

Text: Field for entry of a string of characters, such as a word or sentence

Integer: Field for entry of whole numbers (uses less memory than a Real Number field)

Boolean: A check box

Real Number: Field for entry of general numbers, or numbers of a specific format, such as fractions, dimensions, or dates; click Define to specify a format

Pop-up: List of options to select from; click Define to enter the options

Define

If the Field Type is Pop-up, opens the Edit Choices dialog box. Enter the options to display, pressing Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac) to separate each item.

If the Field Type is Real Number, opens the Number Format dialog box; select a format.

General: The default general number format

Decimal: Enter a value for the number of decimal places, and specify whether to use commas as separators

Scientific: Enter a value for the number of decimal places

Fractional: Enter the rounding value for fractions

Percentage: Enter a value for the number of decimal places. Entries are multiplied by 100 and are displayed with a percent symbol.

Dimension: Displays the current unit mark after the number (as in " for inches)

Dimension Area: Displays the current area units after the number (as in “sq ft” for square feet)

Dimension Volume: Displays the current volume units after the number (as in “cu ft” for cubic feet)

Angle: Select an accuracy setting (degrees, minutes, or seconds, or decimal numbers up to eight decimal places)

Date: Select a date format

Default

Specify a default value. You must enter a default value for Integer and Real Number type fields.