All posts by Kapanther
Creating and Managing Legends in Autocad – A Great Simple Solution
UPDATE: Although I still recommend creating legends in model space of xref’s, this process really needs to be reviewed. As creating excess view ports in PSPACE can slow a drawing down significantly. Update should come soon.
We all create legends and keys regularly throughout our drawings. However creating them and managing them as we work proves difficult and cumbersome. I have a simple method I have been using for years that I notice regularly is not in use.
The secret is quite simple.
Place your legends in each xref!
Then simply viewport onto each in each layout as required.
If you are like many other civil drafters and create many xrefs to separate different data types, then you will find this tip exceptionally straight forward and obvious. Hell, you may already do it!
If you don’t work with xrefs in this manner then I suggest its time to change, however you can still employ the same technique.
I’ll explain some of the intricacies below.
What do you expect from legends?
I want my legends to:-
- Be dynamic and update as I change each viewports layer settings in layout space.
- Be dynamic as I make changes to layers in the xref
- Get scaling correct on hatches and linetypes.
- Be able to update legends on multiple drawings at once.
- Be able to leave some items off legends or mismatch items.
All of this is possible using this technique.
How it all works
Inside the xref you only create each component and its label for the xref in model space off to the side (I typically go right side). Like below.
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| Step 1 – Add each component to a dummy legend in your xref |
Ensure you create the legend at the scale you intend to viewport onto it with. ( i always create legends at 1:1000)
Ensure that all the objects you have on your legend are on the same layer and are the same linetype scale as your data in the xref. If you have annotative objects like hatches make sure you have added the legend scale you intend to use.
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| Step 2 – Allow space and stack straight |
If you have more xrefs that have data that needs to be on the legend. Make sure you don’t put it in the same place as your other xrefs. I xref in other drawings that have legends already and continue to make a big panel that runs up and down in model space. This makes it easier in each layout to construct my legend with viewports.
Then last of all xref in the data, if you haven’t already, and place a viewport at the scale you chose on your legend. If you want multiple items just create more viewports! Ensure you place the viewport with space to expand down and across. The legend below has legends from 3 (three) different xref’s. With the exception of the existing boreholes I have allowed room for the testing and geophysics items to move up and down accordingly.
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Step 3 – Place viewports onto each xref’s legend component.
ensure you allow space to move.
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If you change the colour on a layer in that particular drawing, the legend updates accordingly. If you have this same legend on multiple drawings and make a change in the xref, obviously it updates on all drawings. If you add a few items or so, they are all updated on each drawing and you do not need to go into the drawing.
A completely simple time saving technique that makes legends in Autocad extremely easy to create and manage. Give it a try some time!
Should I be using Google Imagery In My Drawings?
It seems to be bubbling up as a hot topic lately. A lot of companies are tightening up and saying no to using Google Earth imagery in drawings and reports.
It is quite a inconvenience for us as drafters, to not have access to this useful capability. Especially with fantastic tools like PlexEarth out there. If you havent seen it check it out here, they offer a free trial.
I believe companies may be disadvantaging themselves for no reason. Google has a online guide to provide users and companies with some basic information on when and how to use content they make available. Its briefly discussed below.
The guide
The simple to follow “content restriction” guide allows users to determine if you can use imagery for any particular purpose. If you can use imagery for the selected purpose, it imposes several small requirements that must be met when doing so, such as attributing sources and restrictions on tiling etc.
The guide can be found here.
Interpretation of the Guide
My menu selections from the guide were…
“Google Earth… Print Distribution … Professional Use”
The first statement made under the section “Using Content for Professional Documents” is…
“You may use Google Maps and Google Earth for reports, presentations, proposals, and related items professional documents. We request you still retain attribution and follow the other guidelines.”
Clearly indicating that it is possible to use Google Imagery in our reports and presentations. However the real issue here is whether we are allowed to use imagery as a background for linework and contours etc.
Restriction on using imagery as an underlay
I’m assuming the restriction is based on the section entitled “Ensuring Print Reflects Online”. The section states…
”When using Maps/Earth Content in print, any images used must reflect how they would look on online. For example, you are not allowed to make any changes (e.g. delete, blur, etc.) to our products that would make them look genuinely different. This includes, but is not limited to, adding clouds or other natural elements, altered user-interfaces, and modification that do not appear in the actual product.
However, Google offers a Styled Maps API which allows you to edit the colors of individual map components as well as toggle visibility for each component (i.e. change water to purple and make roads invisible).”
I believe what is trying to be stated here is that the imagery, as an object, should not be modified to appear as if it is genuine. In other words, we should not be fudging the image to look like it has no trees or place fake cloud cover over a tributary.
“not allowed to make changes… that are genuinely different”.
Adding linework and contours on top of Google imagery is not modifying the imagery object. Linework is not only separate from the imagery electronically as an object, but clearly on plan it is not part of the imagery. In no way does it intend to distort the imagery or make it appear as if the imagery genuinely contained the linework.
Google allows a user to import all sorts of linework and shapes as KMZ to be placed on to their imagery. Why would it suddenly be restricted going the other way?
Restriction on tiling imagery using PlexScape
Those users of PlexScape out there that are “tiling” or “stitching” images together to make high resolution photos may find themselves in trouble. The guide has a very specific clause against it.
A solution
I believe we can continue to use Google imagery legally. Although we do need to make a few changes to ensure we comply with their content use guide.
I would like to discuss this further so we can potentially remove the restriction on Google imagery use. Please leave your comments.