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AEC Newsletter archive:
Geoffrey Moore Langdon
CADENCE AEC Tech News # 41 (January 4, 2001)
AEC Tech News 1/1/01
In This Issue:
Objects, Objects, Objects
CADD Symbol Libraries
GDL Object Adapter for AutoCAD
ObjectsOnline
CADBlocks
CheapTricks
CADD Symbol Libraries
The biggest production drawing advantage of CADD over hand techniques is
made with ... (circle the one that is most true)
A. Symbols and nested symbols
B. Layers
C. Copy/Paste
D. Macros/Mini-Programs
E. 3D CADD models
F. The ability to draw lines faster
G. Xrefs - external reference files
H. Drafting aids - grids, obj.snaps
For those of you who did not immediately answer A to this question asked
of my students in the 1980s (and which later found its way into the
CADENCE Top Gun quiz), you need to review your knowledge about CADD
concepts covered long ago in "CADD and the Small Firm."
Though regular readers of this column know that I stress the importance of
all of the above concepts, nothing beats the speed and accuracy of simply
popping in a whole piece of a project instantly--whether 2D, 3D, hybrid,
or smart/parametric--as a symbol. Additionally, a symbol, since it is a
referenced and databased phantom, offers the possibility of being
automatically replaced/updated, can be databased into schedules or cost
analysis by representing physically built "objects" (or furniture), makes
drawings more efficient (smaller file size = faster), can add attributes
(cost, material, designer, room number), and, in the case of smart or
parametric objects, can be modifiable into a myriad of alternatives. In
fact, architectural CADD, once you get past the critical wall, slab, and
roof entities, is essentially based entirely on symbol objects.
The concept of symbols in CADD goes by many names--symbol, block, object,
cell, RI/repeated Item, GDL object--but the idea of plunking in a predrawn
(or modeled) component from a library is a critical productivity tool,
especially now that it has been expanded into more powerful forms, such as
smart symbol, parametric, module, macro, hybrid 2D/3D object, and
component assembly.
I regularly visit design offices that "build" rather than "draw" entire
custom building section details in seconds--not by modifying some previous
detail, but by efficiently popping in the relevant construction pieces
from well-organized symbol libraries. The offices that have such systems
in place have an enormously valuable asset they virtually never share with
other offices. I have gotten frantic phone calls from designers who moved
to new design offices and are devastated to find an office that has no
such resource, and draws and copies work line by line. Many CADD users try
to create custom symbols, but feel that they simply don't have the time to
take that extra step to make a symbol, or have found that, once created,
they simply cannot find it--eventually they stop using symbols altogether.
Indeed, the key to having all this work is in having a symbol library that
is quickly and easily negotiated. So having the library organized in a
logical but fast way, which everyone in the office knows and uses, is
critical. Another tip is that, despite my affinity for redundancy, you
should keep all the custom office symbols in only one place on the office
network (just back it up religiously). That way, the usual routine is that
a person will first look in that library, if it is not there, only then
will they draw it (or model it), and save it to the office library. That
way, the next person who needs a particular element that is common to a
number of drawings in a project doesn't find out that he or she just
redrew the same thing someone else already had done.
Fortunately, a number of design offices now sell their libraries of
symbols on CDs and online. Additionally, many building product
manufacturers (and furniture makers) are providing their whole inventories
in CADD form, usually free to designers. Particularly valuable are hybrid
symbols, where the 3D model is on one layer and the 2D plan and elevation
depictions are on another layer.
A notable difference between architectural CADD software and basic CAD
software is that they all now come with libraries of symbols to start you
off. Thus a major value of "upgrading" from AutoCAD2000i to Autodesk
ArchitecturalDesktop3, for instance, is in acquiring the wonderful Design
Content Manager symbol library of thousands of furniture pieces and
building components.
Virtually all of these libraries are organized in the same CSI format that
the big green Sweets Catalog books use. Thus, the hope is that everyone in
the office will become intimately familiar with this organizational
system, or, in case they are not sure where, say, wall sconce lights would
be, they can glance over at the green bookshelf. Hopefully, the CADD
library also includes a search tool. If not, though, and the CADD symbol
files are separate and logically named, you can always run the Windows or
Mac system "find" command in another window.
Sometimes a particular project may involve a whole host of unique symbols
(for instance, medical office furniture, or a particularly coordinated set
of unique light fixtures, furniture, and columns for a special
restaurant). A firm would not want to bog down the whole office CADD
library with such custom work, so it keeps it all in another project
folder. Keeping track of all this is another job for your OfficeWeb. (See
CADENCE AEC Tech News #34.)
The dream is that someday it will be commonplace to be working on
designing a project, become aware of the need to select a specific item
(such as an executive desk or hanging light fixture), jump to the relevant
manufacturer's website, review and select what is needed, and drag and
drop that item right into the CADD model (where it would automatically add
the right specs section, update costs, and more).
This is what Autodesk has in mind for iDrop, DataCAD for o2C, Graphisoft
with its GDL Object Initiative, and many other efforts. Thousands of
people are frantically recreating all these inventories into a CADD form
more useful than books of paper. Even our favorite-- Architectural Graphic
Standards--now comes as a book and CD ROM set from Amazon.com for $202.
GDL Object Adapter for AutoCAD
An exciting announcement from Graphisoft discloses that it has developed a
symbol object browser for AutoCAD that allows a designer to dynamically
view and easily modify the parameters of GDL objects just as you do now
with ArchiCAD. This not only makes the entire ObjectsOnline resource (see
CADENCE AEC Tech News #31) available to AutoCAD users, but also makes GDL
a more attractive vehicle for manufacturers symbol libraries, as
Graphisoft planned (see CADENCE AEC Tech News #39).
CheapTricksWare
Another great example of how online symbol libraries should be marketed is
the CheapTricksWare resource, where architects sell 2D and 3D DataCAD
symbol libraries (usually $5 per library) on a commission basis, resulting
in a lucrative win-win between those with spare time and those with
approaching deadlines.
CADeasy Blocks
The numerous architectural CADeasy Blocks libraries also sell at similar
nominal prices and offer a great Java-based web viewer so you can see
exactly what you are getting in their 2D and 3D AutoCAD symbols.
CADBlocks
Thomas Register publishes hundreds of thousands of AutoCAD symbols on CD.
Design professionals may even qualify to receive these libraries on CD for
free.
Links
Since there are dozens of online sources for symbols, and literally
thousands of companies with symbol libraries for sale or distribution on
CD, any listing is fraught with the "why weren't we listed" danger. Thus I
will refer you to yet another resource, where I and a cadre of others
volunteer our time to keep track of these symbol libraries on an ongoing
basis for the Boston Society of Architects Committee on Design Software at
http://www.architecturalcadd.com/bsa/symbollibraries.htm. If you want to
add your favorite library to the list, click on the ADD button there.
Some lists of CADD Symbol Libraries:
AEC InfoCenter = http://www.aecinfo.com
ARCAT = http://www.arcat.com
Architosh = http://www.architosh.com
BSA List of CADD Symbol Libraries = http://www.architecturalcadd.com/bsa/symbollibraries.htm
CAD Spec = http://www.cadspec.com
ReSources = http://www.resources.com
Tenlinks.com = http://www.tenlinks.com/
Ultimate3DLinks = http://www.3dlinks.com
(Also see the websites of your CADD software developer)
Sample of CADD Symbol Libraries:
Architectural Graphic Standards = http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0471391867/architecturalcad
CAD Technology Corp. = http://www.cadtechcorp.com
CADalog = http://www.cadalog.com
CADBlocks = http://www.thomasregister.com/af/cadtitles17
CADeasy Blocks = http://www.cadeasy.com/celibs/arch2d3d.htm
CADsymbols Library CS01, = http://www.CADsymbols.com
CheapTricksWare = http://world.std.com/~eshu/links.htm
ChiefSymbols = http://www.ChiefSymbols.com
Hermann Miller Furniture = http://www.hermannmiller.com
iDrop = http://idrop.autodesk.com
MasterLibrary = http://www.langelaan.com/masterlibrary
Moulding symbols = http://www.homestead.com/blasio/dctpla.html
Mycad Library = http://www.mycadlibrary.com.au
ObjectsOnline = http://www.objectsonline.com
PIRS On-Line = http://biz.rtd.com/insa/files
SmartParts (Dimensions Design Group) = www.ddgi.com
Steelcase Furniture = http://www.steelcase.com
Sweets catalog on line = http://www.sweets.com
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About Geoffrey Moore Langdon, AIA
Prof. Langdon is a registered architect and is the principal of Architectural CADD Consultants, a firm that specializes in helping architectural firms with computing and CADD. He has taught Design, Solar Energy, and Architectural CADD at a number of colleges in the Boston area. He is the author of Architectural CADD: A Resource Guide to Design and Production Software Appropriate for Architects, a guest speaker at many AIA events, and the founder and organizer of the Designers 3D CAD Shootout competition. contact him at aectechnews@architecturalcadd.com, or through his website: http://www.architecturalcadd.com
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