Lining up floor plans across layout pages

[GlobalSolar]

Is there any shortcut for lining up the floor plan across the various pages in layout view? My hope is when people "flip" through the pages (on the screen and/or on the actual blueprints), they'll be able to quickly and easily see how things line up between the floors.

Just recently I learned about the paste-in-the-same-place tool (Control-Alt-V) which has come in very handy... However, when I send each floor to layout, they end up being different "sizes" (because of the auto dimension lines; the scaling is the same) so they don't automatically line up - even when I position them in the same spot (relative to the edge of the page).

There must be an easy solution (maybe I'm just using the wrong search terms), but I've been scouring the forums and Chief manuals and cannot seem to find the answer. Thanks for any hints you may have!

[gawdzira]

There may be an easier way to do this (or a video regarding various methods coming soon). What I do is place my first plan and if I need to align something I make a cad line across the page and then use the point to point snapping tool to move the layout box accurately. If you want to send to multiple pages you can make the cad lines on page 0 to have them be in the same place for each page very easily and you won't move them accidentally.

[GlobalSolar]

Wow, very clever - I like it! Thanks!

Excellent idea to put the CAD line(s) on page zero too. Not only will I not have to worry about accidentally moving/deleting the lines while working on the layout, but I can remove them in one shot before printing. Very nice.

Do you have any hints for snapping the exterior walls to your CAD line? It seems that once I'm in the layout view, the only thing I can snap is the edge of the box (which can be a different size - or distance from the exterior wall - depending on the floor). For some reason, the plan seems to work more like a single graphics image (rather than being able to select/move/snap individual lines/walls) - even though I selected to send "entire plan/view" to layout. Even using the "edit layout" tool doesn't seem to do anything. (Maybe I'm doing something wrong.)

It will probably still work okay if I manually line up the walls to the CAD line by eye, but I'm wondering if there might be a more accurate (and/or easier) way to snap the walls to it.

Thanks again for your help!

[gawdzira]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqmJp6fgtNE

If a picture tells 1000 words than at 30 frames a second I am saving about 3270 words less this sentence by posting the link above.

[Jay M]

Point to point move tool.

[dshall]

No snapping in layout, I get it as close as possible.

[GlobalSolar]

Thanks so much, everyone! The video about the point-to-point move tool was especially helpful because I haven't been able to get that feature to work before (apparently I was using it incorrectly). You've saved me many hours of frustration, and I truly appreciate all of your help!

[HumbleChief]

No snapping in layout, I get it as close as possible.

I don't get snap points in Layout Boxes either but clearly you do in the video Alan. Is that a setting I'm missing?

[dshall]

I don't get snap points in Layout Boxes either but clearly you do in the video Alan. Is that a setting I'm missing?

The answer is............... in layout you can snap to a CAD line drawn in plan but you cannot snap to a wall or symbol etc. that is drawn in plan.

[gawdzira]

I have never noticed it before either. I think this might be something new to x4? It only seems to work with live elevations.

[HumbleChief]

The answer is............... in layout you can snap to a CAD line drawn in plan but you cannot snap to a wall or symbol etc. that is drawn in plan.

Couldn't snap to a CAD line drawn in plan but could snap to a live elevation - X3...hmmm.

[dshall]

Couldn't snap to a CAD line drawn in plan but could snap to a live elevation - X3...hmmm.

Okay Larry so I was wrong again.... I blabbed before I verified...... I have noticed what Alan has, I can select items in elevation but not floor plan, and it is not cad lines I am selecting but the model itself.

Hey Chief... fix this.... thank you.

[HumbleChief]

I learned a couple of things in this thread- thanks.

[HumbleChief]

Hey Chief... fix this.... thank you.

Yeah agreed - would be nice to snap to a lot of points in the Layout Box.

[lbuttery]

I can remove them in one shot before printing

No need to delete them from page 0

just turn off the layer they are one

you may need them if changes are made

Lew