Working with the layout catalog

Tool(s): Layout Catalog

When you select the layout catalog, the user interface is divided into three windows providing a number of special tools for creating the layout.

• The overview window in the middle shows the currently selected element plan sheet.
• Using the General area in the top left window, you can select the settings for labeling dimension lines and defining symbols for formwork attributes. These settings apply to all layouts. All existing element plans are displayed in a tree structure in the Layouts area on the left.
• The Properties window on the right displays the parameters of the currently selected layout element in a palette consisting of a number of tabs.

  Tip: Enter meaningful names for element plans and layout elements. This makes it easier to find the relevant elements in the tree structure and to select element plans later in the Element Plan and Element Plan in Batch Run tools.

• You can select a layout element by clicking it in the tree structure or in the overview window in the middle. The palette in the Properties window changes with the layout element you select.
  As well as controlling how elements are displayed in the overview window using the tools in the viewport border, you can zoom in on an area in the overview window using the mouse wheel and move the window contents by pressing and holding the mouse wheel while dragging.
• Clicking with the right mouse button in the overview window opens a shortcut menu with tools you can use to customize the user interface. Right-clicking in the input area of the palette in the Properties window on the right opens a shortcut menu where you can show and hide the graphics at the top of the palette and the description at the bottom.

Overview window

The overview window is the central element of the layout catalog. A schematic view of the element plan is shown here. The rectangles of various colors represent placeholders for the individual layout elements and will be replaced by the actual shell entities, selected label styles, tables etc. later.

Orange is used for label styles, yellow for the table(s), beige for the legend(s), light blue for views and green for sections.

The rectangles representing the views and sections consist of an inner border (shown as a dashed line), which represents the enclosing min-max-box of the shell entity, and an outer border (shown as a continuous line), which represents the enclosing min-max-box of the shell entity including all dimension lines generated automatically.

When you point to an edge or corner of a rectangle displayed, the cursor changes and you can modify the dimensions of the relevant rectangle by pressing and holding down the left mouse button while dragging. This way, you can adjust the dimensions of the rectangles so that they roughly match those of the actual elements placed in the element plan later.

The small blue arrows and circles are anchors. The dashed blue lines indicate that the shell entities are to be aligned between two views or sections. The values displayed at the anchors show the offset between the elements created later. When views are aligned, the aligned rectangle assumes the dimensions of the initial rectangle in the direction of the alignment.

The numbers and colors displayed in views and sections are the same as those when defining the viewing direction.

General - dimension lines

When you click Dimension groups, …, you can define how dimension lines are labeled in the palette on the right.

Text for dimension groups

You can enter text for the individual dimension groups (e.g. OD = overall dimensions, PS = panel shape, …). If the boxes are empty, the program uses the default text.

Text for fixtures

Include mark numbers

When you have configured the program to include mark numbers in fixture labels for views and sections, the mark numbers are also included in the dimension lines generated for the fixtures. If you want to include the text for the Fixture dimension group or the name of the associated fixture index instead, do not select this option.

Dimension line index

You can enter the text (name) for the indices assigned to the fixtures. This text is displayed with the dimension line when the Include mark numbers option is not selected. In addition, you can assign a separate, fixed color to the dimension lines of a specific index.

You can add new indices to or remove existing ones from the Dimension line index dialog box by clicking in the right column of the Dimension line index line. and take you from entry to entry.

General - symbols

When you click Symbols for formwork attributes, you can define symbols for the different formwork attributes in the palette on the right.

Symbols for formwork attributes

You can define the symbols for the different formwork attributes. Enter a Name, specify the combination of formwork attributes and use File no. and Entry no. to select a symbol you created at a scale of 1:1 in Allplan and saved in the Office folder. Do this for each entry. You can define the representation of these symbols when you define the parameters for the views. The symbols cannot be displayed in sections.

You can add new entries to or remove existing ones from the Symbols for formwork attributes dialog box by clicking in the right column of the Symbols for formwork attributes line. and take you from entry to entry.

Note: You can use a separate sheet for the symbols defined.