Mastering Autodesk Architectural Desktop

Discover the "whys" and "hows" of creating a complete set of professional-quality construction documents using features and functions contained in the newest release of Autodesk Architectural Desktop (ADT)! Written by a professional Autodesk Training Center (ATC) manager and successful national ADT applications engineer, Mastering Autodesk Architectural Desktop 3 focuses squarely on the rationale and practicality of the ADT process. Unlike other books that confront novices with a never-ending stream of seemingly discrete and unrelated commands, this book propels its readers to new skills using detailed examples and exercises that showcase the "why" as well as the "how" of using Autodesk Architectural Desktop to complete residential and commercial building design projects. The book begins by acquainting readers with the user interface and familiarizing them with the conceptual underpinnings of Autodesk Architectural Desktop software operations. Subsequent chapters enable readers to delve directly into the process of using their software to set up residential and commercial building projects, produce sections and elevations, generate schedules, design layouts, work with details, plot construction documents, and more! As a result, readers gain a first-hand understanding of the value of Autodesk Architectural Desktop as a professional design tool as well as practical knowledge of what can be and what ought to be modified. Prior experience using AutoCAD is assumed. However, no prior experience with Autodesk Architectural Desktop is required making this book perfect for today's professional architects, interior designers, facilities planners, and students.

• Preface XI
• Welcome XI
• Autocad And Architectural Desktop: What Is The Difference? XII
• What Is An Intelligent Object? XII
• Who Should Read This Book? XIII
• A note to current AutoCAD users xiii
• Features In This Edition XIV
• What you will find inside xiv
• What you won't find inside xiv
• Style Conventions XV
• Features New To Release 3 XV
• A note on Release 3.3 xvi
• How To Use This Book XVI
• Files included on the CD ROM xvi
• International Extensions XVII
• Service Packs XVIII
• We Want To Hear From You XVIII
• About The Author XVIII
• Dedication XIX
• Acknowledgements XIX
• Section I Introduction and Methodology 1
• Chapter 1 General Overview and User Interface 3
• Introduction 3
• Create A Small Building 3
• The Autodesk Architectural Desktop Today Window 12
• The Drawing Editor 14
• Menus and Toolbars 15
• The Command Line 16
• Right-Clicking 17
• Intellimouse 25
• Modeless Dialog Boxes 25
• Modal Dialog boxes 28
• Explorer-Style Dialog boxes 29
• Prerequisite Autocad Skills 30
• The Rules 30
• Tools and Entities 31
• For Autocad R14 Users 32
• Auto Snap Enhancements 33
• Polar Tracking 33
• Object Snap Tracking 33
• Summary 34
• Chapter 2 Conceptual Underpinnings of Architectural Desktop 35
• Introduction 35
• Parametric Design 36
• Display System 37
• Layers 38
• Overview and Key Features 39
• The Display System Tool Set 39
• Putting It All Together 40
• Mastering the Display Manager 41
• Object Styles 60
• Overview of Key Features 60
• Style Manager 61
• Anchors 67
• Overview of Key Features 68
• Types of Anchors 68
• Layout Tools 69
• Explore Objects with Anchors 70
• Content Library 74
• Summary 74
• Chapter 3 Work Environment Setup 75
• Introduction 75
• Creating A New Profile 76
• Install the CD Files 76
• Drawing Setup 82
• Layer Standards 86
• Set the Layer Standard 87
• Final Word on Drawing Setup 89
• Template Files 89
• Comparing templates 90
• Drawing Conclusions 99
• Summary 100
• Section II The Building Model 101
• Chapter 4 Set Up the Building Model 103
• Introduction 103
• Building A Digital Cartoon Set 104
• Considerations at the Start 104
• Part 1 Setting Up A Commercial Project 104
• Setting Up the Project 105
• Model and Sheet Files 110
• Elevations 118
• Sheet Files and the Cartoon Set 121
• Part 2 Setting Up A Residential Project 130
• Congratulations! 134
• Summary 134
• Chapter 5 Beginning a Floor Plan 135
• Introduction 135
• Adding Walls 135
• Modifying Walls 144
• Adding Doors And Windows 152
• Modifying Doors And Windows 162
• Adding Plumbing Fixtures 167
• Use the DesignCenter to Add Content 168
• Viewers 170
• Creating Wall Modifiers 174
• Finishing Touches 178
• Practice Exercise 180
• Summary 181
• Chapter 6 Core and Shell 183
• Introduction 183
• Column Grids And Structural Layout 184
• Structural Members 184
• Column Grids 189
• Column Grid Labels and Dimensions 199
• Vertical Circulation 203
• Stairs 204
• Stairs and Railings 214
• Ramps and Elevators 220
• Finishing touches 223
• Curtain Walls And Window Assemblies 224
• Adding and Modifying Curtain Walls 225
• Understanding the Curtain Wall Style 230
• Building a Custom Curtain Wall Style 239
• Additional Curtain Wall Tools 258
• Congratulations! 259
• Summary 259
• Chapter 7 Mastering Wall Cleanup 261
• Introduction 261
• What Is Wall Cleanup? 262
• Part 1 Automatic Wall Cleanup 263
• Rule 1 Use Wall Graph Display 264
• Rule 2 Set the Default Cleanup Radius to 0" 265
• Rule 3 Practice Good, Clean Drafting 266
• Rule 4 Tweak the Cleanup Radius 271
• Other Automatic Cleanup Tips 274
• Part 2 Manual Wall Cleanup (Using Wall Merge) 276
• Part 3 Wall Component Priorities 281
• Understanding Wall Component Priorities 284
• Summary 286
• Chapter 8 Advanced Floor Plan Development 287
• Introduction 287
• Wall Styles 288
• Wall Style Basics 288
• Guidelines to Successful Component Composition 298
• Demolition 315
• Demolish Existing Items 315
• Demolition Wall Style 315
• Refining Exterior Fenestration 324
• Creating a Window Style 325
• Manipulating Window Anchors 330
• Advanced Techniques With Door And Window Styles 334
• Creating a Custom Shaped Window 334
• Creating a Custom Shaped Door 339
• Manipulating Door and Window Display 341
• Adding Custom Display Blocks in Plan 344
• Adding Window Muntins 348
• Exporting Styles to other drawings 350
• Create A Custom Multi-View Block 352
• Additional Exercises 355
• Summary 356
• Chapter 9 Horizontal Surfaces 357
• Creating Roofs 357
• Working with the One-Piece Roof 358
• Working with Roof Slabs 366
• Creating Slabs 375
• Build the Roof Plan File 377
• Add the XREF to the Composite Model 381
• Creating Floors And Ceilings 382
• Generate Spaces from Existing Walls 382
• Generating Spaces with Attached Room Tags 384
• Design changes and Generating Spaces 388
• Generate Spaces from XREF Walls 388
• Summary 397
• Section III Construction Documents 399
• Chapter 10 Creating Reflected Ceiling Plans 401
• Introduction 401
• Loading The Reflected Display Configuration 402
• Working With Ceiling Grid Objects 404
• Adding Anchored Light Fixtures 418
• Attaching Mask Blocks to AEC Objects 423
• Other Ceiling Fixtures 426
• Restoring The Floor Plan 435
• Summary 436
• Chapter 11 Generating Schedules 437
• Introduction 437
• Overview And Key Features 437
• The Schedule Table Tool Set 438
• Putting It All Together 438
• Getting Ready To Use Schedule Tables 439
• Adding Schedule Components 440
• Editing Schedule Data 449
• Identifying Automatic and User-Defined Properties 449
• Style-Based Property Sets 452
• Property Set Definitions 453
• Schedule Table Styles 457
• Schedule Table Style Data Content 463
• Additional Schedule Tools 469
• Renumber Data 469
• Export Schedule Data 470
• "Out of Date" Display Control Settings 471
• Summary 473
• Chapter 12 Generating Annotation 475
• Introduction 475
• Dimensioning Adt Objects 475
• AutoCAD 2002 Note 476
• Loading an Appropriate Display Configuration 476
• Automatic Placement of AutoCAD Dimensions 477
• Using DesignCenter Dimensions 483
• Live Dimensioning with AEC Dimensions 485
• Important AEC Dimension Note 485
• Documentation Content 496
• Final Word on Documentation Content 505
• Adding Additional Annotation And Dimensions 505
• Summary 506
• Chapter 13 Generating Sections and Elevations 507
• Introduction 507
• Adding The Section/Elevation Line 508
• Creating an Interior Elevation 508
• Updating and Modifying Section/Elevations 513
• 2D Section/Elevation Styles 517
• Creating a 2D Section/Elevation Style 518
• 2D Section/Elevation Styles Design Rules 525
• Edit And Merge Linework 530
• Creating Elevations From An XREF Model 536
• Additional Exercises 538
• Summary 538
• Chapter 14 Plotting 539
• Introduction 539
• Sheet Files 540
• Layouts 541
• Page Setup 541
• Exploring Page Setup 541
• Viewports 545
• Plot Style Tables 545
• Plotting 547
• Batch Plotting 549
• Additional Exercises 553
• Summary 554
• Conclusion 555
• Appendix A Wall Cleanup Checklist 557
• Automatic Wall Cleanup 557
• Cleanup will occur with the following events 557
• Rule 1 Use Wall Graph Display 557
• Rule 2 Set the Default Cleanup Radius to 0" 557
• Rule 3 Practice Good, Clean Drafting 557
• Rule 4 Tweak the Cleanup Radius 557
• Other Considerations 557
• Manual Wall Cleanup 558
• Considerations 558
• Wall Component Priorities 558
• Considerations 558
• Appendix B Additional Schedule Tools 559
• Index