Wednesday, August 21, 2013

View References

You may recall earlier post about this relatively new feature? I also mentioned how the 2014 Sample Project file uses them. Hopefully you've found them useful in your projects by now. This post is how I imagine they could expand on the concept.

It's a common situation to need to refer to common details within the context of a schedule, like this.


I think we'd need a new Type of Parameter called View Reference. We'd pick it from the list when we add a parameter to a schedule.


I imagine the schedule interface getting this addition when we click in a field that has the view reference type of parameter assigned.


My goal is to tie a detail view reference to an actual view so that such information is really connected together logically. It doesn't really matter to me if the end result looks like what I've mocked up as long as the end result is better integration of the information.

Workaround Alert!

In the meantime, one way to deal with this issue (without my wish being granted) is to use schedule keys. Start by creating a schedule key(s) for each detail type that needs a reference. It may require additional parameters. It sure would be nice if we could use Shared Parameters for them too, but that's another wish list item.

We fill out the key with all of the detail reference combinations we will have. In a door schedule we can choose each detail for each condition from those listed in the key. Not hard and a bit more reliable than typing them manually for each door. At least this way we are picking from a prepared list.


Technically if we've entered one value for each detail reference we can just pick from the previous entries without the schedule key. That's not really the problem, just one aspect of it. It's the need to update all of the detail references if something changes to the sheet numbering or detail numbering on the sheet, for every instance it's been applied to a door.

Well, may wishes come true?!!?

1 comment:

NKramer said...

Theres an app for that... Yes it costs money but it also links to view in linked files. For my $20 a year its worth it.

http://www.revolutiondesign.biz/workflow/WFfeatures.html