Ch. 8: Annotating Designs


MicroStation Basics for Building Designers - Chapter 8: Annotating Designs

This video series contains exercises that use methods to embellish a set of architectural plans. You will use tried and true annotation tools found from previous generations of MicroStation that have remained through the latest generation, the MicroStation CONNECT Edition. With the MicroStation CONNECT Edition, it continues to build upon an already broad and extensive portfolio of annotation tools.

https://youtu.be/4Afkya-dxiE

Part 1 Annotation Scale

The annotation scale is an optional scale factor that can be applied to text elements (and to several other elements). Learn how applying the annotation scale will ensure that, when the scaled print is created, annotations are at the correct physical size.

https://youtu.be/mr8iFsuhkxo

https://youtu.be/dl8r9hSouj0

Part 2 Placing Text with Different Text Styles

The easiest way to define the appearance of text is by using predefined text styles. Text elements placed with a text style are automatically updated if the text style is modified. In this video, you will place text quickly and correctly to label features.

Part 3 Edit Text

Once text is placed into a design, often it is the case that you will need to come back and make some sort of edits to that existing text. This can range anywhere from adding text, removing text, or fixing misspellings to changing the properties of text. In this video, you will use the Find/Replace utility to quickly fix a text error in a detail.

https://youtu.be/d2W0Zmxs8bw

When a text string is selected for editing, it appears in the text editor. In addition to changing the text content, you can also change the text style and a variety of text attributes.

https://youtu.be/96CDQuyWbJA

Part 4 Changing Text

Once the changes have been made, enter a data point in the view to update the text in the design. In this video, you will fix a note on a detail that was placed incorrectly.

Part 5 Place Note

When using the Place Note tool you can place lines of text with a leader line and arrow, or a callout without a leader. In this video you will use the place note method to label the building features Wall Types and equipment.

https://youtu.be/R0fjrRUcvDA

https://youtu.be/ITGTfhhluQM

Part 6 Multi-Leadered Notes

When placing notes, it is possible to draw multiple leaders from the same text by holding the Ctrl key while placing data points. In this video, you will callout two walls that are the same Wall Types.

Part 7 Place Callout and Place Note with Item Data

When using the Place Note tool you can place lines of text with a leader line and arrow, or a callout without a leader. In this video you will use the Place Note tool and Place Callout to identify kitchen equipment that was previously attached with Item Types. The item data will be used to label those fixtures.

https://youtu.be/Gnywkv-MeZ0

MicroStation has many dimensioning tools. In addition, a variety of dimension attributes defines the appearance of dimensions. The easiest way to set these dimension attributes is by using predefined dimension styles.

https://youtu.be/-SAtFXfF5JA

Part 8 Place Linear Dimensions

Dimension elements placed with a dimension style are automatically updated if the dimension style is changed.

Which tools the Dimension Element tool offers depends on the type of element you select. If you select a linear element, the tool presents itself with linear options. However, if you select a radial element such as an arc or circle, the tool will present itself with radial options within the tool settings window.

Part 9 Element Dimensioning

In this video, you will dimension both linear and curved features throughout the building.

https://youtu.be/FA0VuNXZtMo

When placing dimensions, you may need to come back and modify or edit the dimension in one way or another to further embellish the design. It is possible to edit the dimension text of existing dimensions, or to change its appearance by applying another dimension style.

https://youtu.be/q_BiGa6oyIY

Part 10 Modifying Dimensions

You can even modify the geometry of a dimension element, by moving the dimension line or text, or by adding, moving, or removing extension lines.

Part 11 Changing Dimensions

Styles provide a great way to control a named set of properties for a certain element type. When a property requires a change, the change is performed in the host file that contains that style. Once saved, those changes are propagated to the files and globally update the elements.

https://youtu.be/-KC7m3z_9M0

https://youtu.be/jL_WrwEvH9E

Part 12 Hatching

Hatching can be a great way to embellish a design. In this video, you will use the Hatch Area tool to create the appearance of sectioned graphics in some curtain wall details.

Part 13 Pattern Area

Patterning can be a great way to embellish a design. In this video, you will use the Pattern Area tool to create a concrete stippling pattern for the Curtain Wall detail.

https://youtu.be/t5g9vJ6twGs

You can place tables in MicroStation using the Place Table tool. The options that you have range from placing an empty table, placing a table from a report definition, and placing a table using the data in an excel workbook or .csv file.

https://youtu.be/pV078SeaFGQ

Part 14 Placing a Table from Excel

Once placed, you can perform formatting operations on a table. If you ever have worked with Microsoft Excel, then your experience will be very similar to working with tables in the MicroStation CONNECT Edition.

A Report Definition is a way to extract and present data from a DGN file in tabular format. This data can range anything from MicroStation elements such as a length of a line or area of a shape, to Item Types (non-graphical, business data). With regards to the Explorer, you can create a report definition of the sheet index and place as a table. In addition, when you perform an Advanced search or Criteria search in Explorer, you can save the search result as a report definition.

Part 15 Placing a Table from a Report Definition

In this video, you will build a report based off the Item Type data attached to the kitchen equipment. Once the report is generated, you will then place that report as a table.

https://youtu.be/370oLzN1cO4

Challenge Exercises are designed to further solidify those same workflows and procedures that were covered during the lessons. However, these Challenge Exercises are not meant to be a step-by-step, directed, "click here" exercise. Rather, they begin with a small amount of guidance and a general understanding of the outcome.

https://youtu.be/cudlWZzLU1Y

Challenge Exercise for Annotating Designs

This allows you to take charge of your own learning. We guide less, you explore more. It lets you test yourself, to see what you have learned and mastered.

Parent topic: Building Designers