AutoCAD

After defining the workspace geometry or completing the foundation design of a selected workspace, you can generate 3D models and 2D drawings in AutoCAD. You can use your current AutoCAD modeling and drawing settings to generate 3D models and 2D drawings to minimize modeling/drawing time in AutoCAD.

AutoCAD tab in App Settings, Project Settings and Workspace Settings display the following parameters to allow for customization:

Settings:

Export Unit: This setting is used to generate the 3D model or 2D drawing in the selected unit system. By default this unit is set to inches for English input/output units and to mm for SI input/output units.

Layer Mappings:

This setting allows mapping of AutoCAD layer names to a set of predefined strings so that footings, piers, piles, rebars are placed on the desired layers. In order to map predefined strings to the correct layers, an Excel spreadsheet containing the layer information is required. To create the Excel sheet containing your predefined layer information that you would like to use to create 3D models and 2D drawings, follow the steps below:

a. Open the AutoCAD template file that contains the layer information

b. Click on Layer Properties to display the layer information

c. Left click on the first cell under the first column and shift-click on the last cell under the last column to select the entire layer information table and press ctrl+c on the key board

d. Open Microsoft Excel and then paste in the first cell of the open spreadsheet by pressing ctrl+v on the key board

e. Save the Excel sheet using a file name say "SampleTemplate"

f. In the same sheet add a column after the last used column and name this column "Mapping"

g. In the Mapping column, add the following predefined case-sensitive strings to map the strings to the appropriate layers

i. CenterLine - To place centerlines on the layer that you normally  use to place center lines

ii. Dimensions - To place dimensions on the  layer that you normally  use to place dimensions

iii. Dimension Lines - To place dimension lines on the  layer that you normally  use to place dimension lines

iv. Dimension Text - To place dimension text on the  layer that you normally  use to place dimension text

v. Generic Text - To place generic text on the  layer that you normally  use to place generic text

vi. Anchor Bolts - To place anchor bolts on the  layer that you normally  use to place anchor bolts

vii. Footing - To place the footing on the  layer that you normally  use to place the footing

viii. Piers  - To place the footing on the  layer that you normally  use to place the piers or base plates

ix. Piles - To place the footing on the  layer that you normally  use to place the piles

x. Footing Rebars - To place the footing on the  layer that you normally  use to place the footing rebars

xi. Pier Rebars - To place the footing on the  layer that you normally  use to place the pier rebars

Note: If you do not have a layer to assign to any of the predefined strings mentioned above, the default AutoCAD layer will be used to place the object that the predefined string refers to. For eg if there isn't a specific layer assigned to place the anchor bolts, the 3D model or 2D drawing containing the anchor bolts would be placed on the default AutoCAD layer.

A  sample spreadsheet displaying the above information is displayed below. Except for the last column "Mapping", all the columns and rows are a direct copy and paste from an AutoCAD template file containing layer information. The last column "Mapping" describes the predefined strings that is used to place the appropriate object on the indicated layer name.

Template File:

Specify the AutoCAD template file that you would like to use to generate the 3D models and 2D CAD drawings. The layer information from the template file is used to generate 2D drawings and 3D models. The text height specified in the template file is also used to display text on 2D drawings.