TSF1 - How to Create a Site Plan Template - Tutorial (20241122)

1Overview

2Introduction

This guide has been developed to assist users in producing a basic site plan template and will demonstrate the basics of creating the template and using the functions of the Template Studio application.

This will be done in the format of a tutorial, which can be followed along with to produce a replica output while introducing core concepts and ideas.

This guide can be followed from the beginning to create a finialised output or can be used to jump to a specific section along with the accompanying files that have been provided as a ‘jumping in’ point.

Users are expected to have a basic understanding of how OpenGround is setup and how configurations function within the scope of configuration packs.

Note that this guide has been created with the US market in mind, hence the dimensions and outputs being suited to a US output. Due to this, the US configuration pack has been used.

However, this guide can be adapted to users across the world if needed.

3Accompanying Files

Note that the following downloads are also available to help users compare the output at the end of each section, or to allow users to skip to the section that they wish to work through.

The example project used has the Project ID of SEQ-BEN-000 and can be found here;

1. SEQ-BEN-000.zip

The templates that can be used along with this guide can be found here;

1. TSF2 - Blank Template After Setup.hbt
2. TSF2 – Template After Header Setup.hbt
3. TSF2 – Template After Finalised Header.hbt
4. TSF2 – Final Template.hbt

Templates can be saved as an external file to allow them to be distributed. To load such a template file (.hbt) click the Load button and browse to the file:

Note that you will need to save the template manually to store it on the system.

4Setting up a Borehole Log Template

At the end of this tutorial, a user should be able to setup a site plan template so that it includes the relevant sections at the right dimensions and be ready to then start designing individual areas of the template.

Please note that the SEQ-BEN-000 example project is used in this tutorial. Please see this guide on how to setup this project if following along and not using other data.

4.1Starting Template Studio

Template Studio is launched from the OpenGround Launcher. Assuming that no updates are available for the application, press the Launch button next to the Template Studio application to launch the software.

4.2Selecting a Project

Template Studio works on the basis that a user will be creating a template with the use of project data, therefore it allows for a project to be selected once it has been launched. Any data that is then previewed within Template Studio will use the live project data to give a preview that is indicative of what the finished template would look like. To select the relevant project, simply find the project in the list, select it by clicking on it, then double click on it or click the Open button to advance to the next window.

4.3Creating a Template

The next window shows a list of available templates within your project. This will include templates that are stored at configuration pack level, and any that are stored at project level (these will be in orange). In this tutorial, a new template will be created. Press the Create button to proceed.

The Template Types dialogue will then appear. This dialogue allows a user to select the type of template that will be created. In this instance a Site Plan will be created. Select the Site Plan option and then select the Select button to continue.

The template has now been created. In the next step users will be shown how to configure the templates’ properties and dimensions.

4.4Template Setup

The Template Setup dialogue is the window that allows for the template dimensions to be set. Note that Template Studio primarily works in millimeters when designing templates. This is to allow for greater precision to be used for placing items on the template when using the grids. Using millimeters does not prevent US paper sizes from being used and being output to.

In this tutorial, a template will be created with the following properties;

1. Paper Size – Letter
2. Orientation – Landscape
3. Use Master Font – Not Selected
   
   i. Master fonts are used to force all fonts in a template to use the same font. Later in the tutorial, different fonts will be used so this setting should be left not enabled for this guide.
   
4. Grid Size – Small
   
   i. Grid Sizes are set as Large (4mm x 4mm), Medium (2mm x 2mm) and Small (1mm x 1mm). For the majority of templates we recommend that a small grid is used to allow for greater precision when placing items on the template.
   
5. Measurement Units – Metric
   
   i. This is the measurement units for designing the template. When logs are produced, they will use the measuring system that is setup within the configuration pack. Therefore North American users will still see their outputs in feet and inches rather than Metric, even with this item set as Metric.
   
6. Use True Font Sizes – Enabled
   
   i. This option forces all library items to use the correct True Font scaling, similar to how Microsoft Word and other applications calculate font sizes. Older templates may have this setting unchecked and some library items may appear at different sizes. For new users we recommend leaving this item enabled for all new templates.

1. Margins – 10mm each side

Once all the items are set as above. Select the OK button to close the dialogue.

4.5Saving the Template

As is the case when designing anything, it is always best practice to save the work being done at regular intervals to ensure that no work is lost. To save a template, select the Design tab on the ribbon, then select the Save option.

The Save Options dialogue will then appear. Within here, it is possible to save the template either to a local file (This will be a HBT format, the same as in the example files), or you can save the template into either the project or the configuration pack. In this tutorial, it is recommended to save into the project so that there is a copy to be loaded if needed, which does not appear in all other projects in the configuration.

4.6Editing the Look and Feel of Template Studio

At this stage, it is recommended to run to run through the TSF1 – How To Create a Borehole Log tutorial to find out how to adjust the look and feel of Template Studio if needed. This tutorial will use many of the techniques learnt in that tutorial.

4.7Merging Cells and Inserting Static Text

Note that this is the point that the example file ‘TSF2 – Blank Template After Setup.hbt’ has been created. If starting the tutorial from this point, this file can be used to start from here.

Now that the template has been created and setup in the correct dimensions, it is now possible to start adding items into the template.

In this first example, the top 12 rows of the header grid will be merged together to put a space that the title of the log will be able to go into. Select the very top left cell, click and hold, and drag the cursor all the way to the far right hand side of the grid with 12 rows selected (259mm x 12mm). The cell counter in the bottom right of the information bar can help count the cells. Once done, select the design section in the ribbon, then the Merge Option from the ribbon (or press F4) to merge the cells together.

Then double click on the Label Text item to insert this into the area that has just been merged together. This will put the Label Text in that space and new properties (on the bottom right hand side of the screen) will become available in the properties window.

By default, the text will simply say ‘Text’, this can be changed to whatever static text is needed. In this case, enter the text as ‘Site Plan’.

Press the Refresh button in the Template Preview window to see how this will appear.

The text will appear but will be small and have no extra styling applied. Firstly, select the merged area in the header grid again, then select the text font size option in the ribbon and change the value from the default of 11 to size 24 and select the options for Bold and Italic.

Next, select the option for the borders, then select the option for More Borders.

From the Format Cells window, select the Outline Option and then select OK to apply a solid border around the merged area.

Press the Refresh button in the Template Preview window to see how this will appear.

Next, repeat the above process to select the cell 0,12 and highlight, then merge an area 43mmx8mm to give another merged area at the top of the template. The header area in The Workspace should then look like this.

Merge another 43x8mm area next to this, followed by another that is 87x8mm, and then another 2 which are 43x8mm. This should make the header area look this this.

4.8Inserting a Static Logo

Note that this is the point that the example file ‘TSF2 – Template After Header Setup.hbt’ has been created. If starting the tutorial from this point, this file can be used to start from here.

A logo can be used to show a companies details on a site plan. Template Studio allows for logos to be inserted.

Select the left hand merged area, then double click on the Static Image library item. This will put a label in The Workspace Header area stating the image that will be shown. In this case, this will be the default logo labelled Logo1. If the logo has not been changed in the configuration pack, this will be the default Bentley logo. Previewing this will give the following output.

Note that there are other ways of selecting a logo in OpenGround. In this instance a simple logo using the Bentley example is used. This can be changed in the configuration pack and then the template changed to point at this logo instead. Alternatively, a project or office logo can be used that will pull the logo from the settings there instead.

4.9Inserting a Scale

A scale can be inserted to allow for users to view a site plan and find out what the current mapping scale is.

Select the next unoccupied merged area next to the logo that was just inserted and then then double click on the Sheet Counter library item. This will put a [SitePlanScale] item in the merged area. Change the font size of this merged area to size 14. Preview this and this should be the outcome.

4.10Inserting an Aligned Label Text

Library items can be aligned both vertically and horizontally to allow for data to appear in different places within a merged area.

In the 2nd to right hand side at the following location, select this location and then insert another label text as done previously.

This time, set the font size to 14 and the properties to ‘Site Plan Title : ‘. This text will be used as a label for the adjacent dynamic text that will be covered in the next part of this tutorial. Once done, select the alignment option for right hand aligned.

This will make it appear as if this item, and the next item are part of one string.

4.11Inserting a Dynamic Text Item

In OpenGround it is possible to enter a Dynamic Text Item which will preview with a default value, however can be overwritten when the Site Plan is previewed in Professional.

Select the furthest right hand side empty area and then double click on the Dynamic Text option. This will put in a [DynamicText] label in the Header area of the Workspace. Set this merged area to be left hand aligned and size 14.

In the properties window, note that a number of settings have become available. For this tutorial section, focus on the InitialValue and Key. In this example we are selecting the Initial Value to be ‘Site Plan 1’ and the Key to be ‘Site Plan Title’.

• InitialValue – Site Plan 1
• Key – Site Plan Title

This will show the ‘Site Plan 1’ by default next to the previously entered text but can be overwritten in Professional when previewing the template by selecting Parameters and then changing the value next to the ‘Site Plan Title’ value.

It is possible to put multiple different Dynamic Text items into a template if required. The Key value helps to differentiate these when previewing a template in Professional, allowing for values to changed as needed.

4.12Inserting a Data Label Text Item and using an Expression in a Data Label Text Item

Template Studio allows for users to pull data out from the current project into the site plan.

Select the center empty area and then double click on the Data Label Text option. This will put in a [DataLabelText] label in the Header area of the Workspace. Set this merged area to be center aligned and size 14.

In the properties window, note that a number of settings have become available. In this example we are selecting the Group to be Project.

Expressions are used to fully customise the output of the log templates to combine information together or in different formats. This simple example will pull out the project title and with a prefix and then combine this together into one readable string.

This time, the Expression option will be used instead of selecting a Header. The expression will query the information entered to pull out a result. Enter the following expression;

'Project Title : '+[Project.ProjectTitle]

This expression may seem complicated so lets break this down into its components;

'Project : '+[Project.ProjectTitle]

The black parts, simply the plus symbol, just joins different data together into one string.

The red parts are simply plain text. This is separated from other things by being surrounded with single quotes.

Finally, the purple part is a table and field from the database that is available within the project. In this case, this is the Easting and Northing field from the Location Details group.

4.13Formatting Multiple Areas at Once

Template Studio allows for users to update the format of multiple cells at once.

Select the right hand two merged areas containing the Site Plan Title Label Text and the Site Plan Title Dynamic Text. Select the Borders option and then More Borders.

Select the Outline option and then select OK.

Select the 3 remaining unformatted cells and then select the same Borders option, then more borders.

This time, select the option for Outline and Inside, then select OK. This will apply a border inside of each area combination and on the outside.

Previewing this template will now show the header as a finalised and formatted output.

4.14Adding a Legend

Note that this is the point that the example file ‘TSF2 – Template After Finalised Header.hbt’ has been created. If starting the tutorial from this point, this file can be used to start from here.

Template Studio allows for the insertion of an automated Legend that will show the details of what is present on the site plan when it is produced.

Select the top left cell under where the Logo1 item is and highlight an area that is 43x175mm in size and merge the area together. Then double click on the Legend Item in the Library to insert this into the merged area.

Select the merged area and then apply an outside border to the area.

The properties dialogue has updated to allow for some control over the legend area. Enter the following information:

• EntityFontSize - 10
• HeaderFontSize - 14
• HeaderText – Legend Key
• ImageHeight – 5
• ImageWidth – 5

Preview the template and the resulting Legend can be seen.

4.15Adding the Site Plan Area

Template Studio allows for an automated Site Plan mapping area to be created. This is the area that will show the mapping area that is selected when creating a Site Plan output in Professional.

Select the top left cell that is under the SitePlanScale item, then select all of the remaining cells to the bottom right cell in the template (216x175mm) then merge this area. Then double click the Plan option in the Library. The merged area will update to show the [SitePlanMainPlan] preview.

Select the merged area and then apply an outside border to the area.

Preview the template and the resulting Site Plan Area can be seen.

4.16Untitled

5Final Template Output

Note that this is the point that the example file ‘TSF2 - Final Template.hbt’ has been created. If comparing the final output with an output produced by a user, use this file.

This is the final template output when previewed within Professional.