In this tutorial, we'll look at all five extension tools:

• CONVERT TO 3D SOLIDS command
• EDIT TABLE CELL Enhancement
• Multi-Tag capability
• Visual Audit routine
• Generate Napkin Sketch

CONVERT TO 3D SOLIDS Command

If you're one of the many Autodesk Architectural Desktop users who are starting to use stereolithography machines (3D printers), CNC machines, laser cutters (see Figure 1), and so on to create plastic, wood, and foam models of your architectural projects, this new extension will come in handy. As you know, these machines all require an ACIS file from which to create the physical model. Although you have always been able to create ACIS solids with the AutoCAD® engine in Autodesk Architectural Desktop, you have not been able to convert intelligent AEC objects such as stairs into ACIS solids. But now you can, with the new CONVERT TO 3D SOLIDS command. And then you can physically create the whole model on one of these machines.

Figure 1: Laser cut models courtesy of Howard Models

Creating the Model

1. Start a new drawing using the Aec arch [imperial] template, and select the Model Layout.

2. Right-click in the layout screen and select Design > Stairs > Add Stair to open the Add Stair dialog box (see Figure 2).

Figure 2: Select Design > Stairs > Add Stair to open the Add Stair dialog box.

3. In this dialog box, add a Standard U-shaped stair.

4. Right-click again in the layout screen and select Design > Railings > Add Railing to open the Add Railings dialog box.

5. Add a Standard railing to the stair.

6. Change the view to SW Isometric View (see Figure 3).

Figure 3: Change the stair view to SW Isometric View.

 

Converting the Model

1. From the command line, enter ConvertTo3dSolids, and press the Enter key, or from the main menu select Desktop > Utilities > Convert to 3D Solids.

2. Select the stair and railings with a window selection, and press the Enter key.

3. Enter Y (for Yes) at the prompt "Erase selected entities?", and press the Enter key. The stair is broken down into its ACIS solid model parts.

Exporting the Model

1. Select File > Export from the main menu to open the Export Data dialog box.

2. In this dialog box, select ACIS [*.sat] from the Files of type drop-down list box (see Figure 4).

Edit table cell enhancements

This feature helps you determine where the information that displays in schedule table cells is coming from by enabling you to zoom directly to the object in question, allowing you to diagnose problems in these cells right when they occur. You can also easily attach missing property sets to the main drawing external reference files with this feature as well as add and edit property data in those attached property sets within the host drawing and/or the attached external reference files.

Creating a Schedule Table
1. Start a new drawing using the Aec arch [imperial] template, and select the Model Layout, top view.

2. Right-click in the layout screen and select Design > Walls > Add Wall to open the Add Wall dialog box.

3. Insert a 20'-long standard wall.

4. Select the wall, right-click, select Insert > Door from the context menu and insert five doors in the wall.

5. Right-click in the layout screen again, and select Documentation > Schedule Tables > Add Schedule Table to open the Add Schedule Table dialog box.

6. In this dialog box, select the Add New Objects Automatically and Automatic Update check boxes, and then click the OK button (see Figure 5).

Figure 5: The Add Schedule Table dialog box.

7. Select all the doors, and insert and drag the Schedule Table to place it (see Figure 6).

Figure 6: Placing the Schedule Table.

Correcting a Cell in a Schedule Table

1. Select the Schedule Table, right-click, and select Edit Table Cell from the context menu.

2. Move your cursor over the bottommost row of "?" in the table.

Notice that the corresponding door becomes "dashed" (see Figure 7). (If you select a cell and press the CTRL key while selecting that data, you will be automatically zoomed full screen on its associated object.)

Figure 7: The corresponding object becomes "dashed."

3. Select any cell with '?' or missing data.

The Edit Schedule Data dialog box appears allowing you to add information (see Figure 8).

Figure 8: The Edit Schedule Data dialog box.

The EDIT TABLE CELL command operates in Hover mode until you finish your selections.

Multi-Tag

With this feature, you can automatically tag multiple drawing objects in a single step, for example, all doors and windows.

1. Select Documentation > Schedule Tags > Door and Window Tags from the main menu.

2. Select the tag of choice, right-click, and select Insert from the context menu.

3. Select the leftmost door from the previous procedure, and place the tag below the door.

4. Enter M (for Multiple) from the command line and press the Enter key.

5. Select all the doors in the order that you want them tagged or use a window selection or enter all at the command line.

All the doors are automatically tagged with door tags (see Figure 9).

Figure 9: With Multi-Tag, you can automatically tags all doors and windows.
 

Visual Audit

The Visual Audit routine results in a quick display of all non-Autodesk Architectural Desktop objects in a drawing.

To enable this feature, enter Visualaudit at the command line or from the main menu, select Desktop > Utilities > Visual Audit (see Figure 10).

Figure 10: Starting the Visual Audit routine.

To use this routine:

1. Start a new drawing using the AEC arch [imperial] template, and select the Model Layout, top view.

2. From the Draw menu, place various entities such as circle, rectangle, line, ellipse, and so on in the layout.

3. From the Design menu place various intelligent AEC objects such as stair, wall, window, door, and so on in the layout.

4. At the command line enter Visualaudit or from the main menu select Desktop > Utilities > Visual Audit (see Figure 10).

All the intelligent AEC objects disappear from your screen (with the exception of text, mtext, and dimension lines), revealing only AutoCAD entities.

5. Press the Esc or Enter key, or click the mouse to return all the AEC objects to the screen.

Generate Napkin Sketch

Use this feature when you want to give a drawing a "sketched" look. A sketched object is overlaid on the original drawing. You control whether the sketch is tight, loose, or messy and the plot output scale. Keep in mind that using this feature can significantly increase drawing file size. For 3D sketches, you'll achieve the best result by first creating a hidden-line projection, and then using the Napkin Sketch feature on the results.

To enable this feature, at the command line, enter Napkin or from the main menu, select Documentation > Napkin Sketch (see Figure 11).

Figure 11: Accessing the Napkin Sketch feature.

Creating the House Perspective

1. Start a new drawing using the Aec arch [imperial] template, and select the Model Layout, top view.

2. Place two rectangles 50'x 30' and 20'x 25' (see Figure 12).

Figure 12: Place rectangles to create basis for house.

3. Trim the rectangles to look like those in Figure 13.

Figure 13: Trim the rectangles.

4. Select Design > Walls > Convert to Walls from the main menu.

5. Select all the trimmed rectangles with a window selection, and press the Enter key.

6. Enter Y (for Yes) at the command line to erase the layout geometry and press the Enter key to bring up the Wall Properties dialog box.

7. In this dialog box, select the Standard wall drop-down list and click OK.

Converting the Rectangles into Walls

1. Select the walls, right-click, and select Door from the context menu.

2. Insert doors in the walls.

3. Select the walls again, right-click, and select Window from the context menu.

4. Insert windows in the walls.

5. Right-click in the viewport and select Design > Roofs > Convert to Roof from the context menu.

6. Select all the walls with a window selection and press the Enter key.

7. Enter N (for No) at the command line when prompted "Erase layout geometry?" to open the Modify Roof dialog box.

8. In this dialog box, click OK.

You have now created the house (see Figure 14).

Figure 14: The house.

To place the building in perspective:

1. Select the Orbit tool from the Standard toolbar.

2. Place the house in Hidden Shade Mode and Perspective Projection.

Using Hidden-Line Projection

1. Select the Desktop > Utilities > Hidden Line Projection from the main menu, and select the building.

2. Enter 0,0 at the command line and press the Enter key.

3. Enter Y (for Yes) at the command line when prompted "Insert in Plan View?"

4. Return to the top view, and erase the building you first created leaving the flat Hidden Line Projection drawing.

Applying Generate Napkin Sketch

1. Enter Napkin at the command line or select Documentation > Napkin Sketch from the main menu to open the Napkin Sketch dialog box.

2. In this dialog box, select the Tight, Loose, or Messy radio button, and select an Intended Plot Scale (see Figure 15).

Figure 15: The Napkin Sketch dialog box.

3. Select the flat Hidden Line Projection drawing, and press the Enter key.

Your flat Hidden Line Projection drawing modifies to look "hand-drawn" (see Figure 16).

Figure 16: Generate Napkin Sketch creates a "hand-drawn" look.

You can adjust Napkin by lowering or raising the plot scale. And you can even take the drawing into Autodesk® Architectural Studio and paint it for a presentation (see Figure 17).

Figure 17: You can take the drawing into Autodesk Architectural Studio for painting.

Conclusion
Whether it is presentation or documentation, the tools provided with the new Productivity Presentation Extension will help you work faster and smarter. It's one more way Autodesk is making Autodesk Architectural Desktop the best software program available for architects and designers.