Monday 11 November 2013

What is Autocad Architecture

AutoCAD Architecture (abbreviated as ACA) is a version of Autodesk's flagship product, AutoCAD, with tools and functions specially suited to architectural work.

Architectural objects have a relationship to one another and interact with each other intelligently. For example, a window has a relationship to the wall that contains it. If you move or delete the wall, the window reacts accordingly. Objects can be represented in both 2D and 3D.

In addition, intelligent architectural objects maintain dynamic links with construction documents and specifications, resulting in more accurate project deliverables. When someone deletes or modifies a door, for example, the door schedule can be automatically updated. Spaces and areas update automatically when certain elements are changed, calculations such as square footage are always up to date.

[1]AutoCAD Architecture uses the DWG file format but an object enabler [2] is needed to access, display, and manipulate object data in applications different from AutoCAD Architecture.

AutoCAD Architecture was formerly known as AutoCAD Architectural Desktop (often abbreviated ADT) but Autodesk changed its name for the 2008 edition. The change was made to better match the names of Autodesk's other discipline-specific packages, such as AutoCAD Electrical and AutoCAD Mechanical.

Autocad Architecture Features


 
 Door justification enhancement
 Easily place doors and windows.


Block swap
Change block instances easily.











Set to layer zero
Move unused layers with a single click.











Display order by layer
Order layers and preview changes.








Escarpment block
Update graphics with slope change.





Annotation and unit scaling
Scale tags, text, and objects.









Project information file backup
Backup system restores corrupted files.










Command line search—architecture styles
Add styles in the command line.










Automated property set definitions
Define property sets for easier quantity takeoffs.






Sections and elevations
Generate directly from your floor plan.





Walls, doors, and windows
Mimic real-world behavior and construction.





Architectural drawing creation and annotation
Annotate drawings more quickly.




Streamlined user interface
Get easy access to tools and commands.





Integrated rendering
Create full-color 3D renderings.








Wall dimensioning
Dimension to your own standards.





Scheduling
Create custom schedule styles.






Space tagging and documentation
Tag every room in your drawing.




Room documentation
Apply multiple finishes to a surface.







Architectural renovation
Speed the design and production of renovations.





Door Enhancement.


















•     Industry Foundation Class (IFC) support
        Supports buildingSMART certification.









AutoCAD Architecture helpful hints:















Q1. The tool palette is very important in AutoCAD Architecture since it is required to
draw some typed of objects easily. If it gets turned off by accident, how can I turn it back
on?
A1. Home tab> Tools >Design Tools.

Q2. How can I insert 3D furniture blocks or other 2D/3D "content" into your drawing?
A2. Insert tab>Content Browser>Design Center.

Q3. How do I set the size of text or dimensions?
A3. Use Annotative notes and dimensions styles. They will be set properly for the scale
of your model space or layouts and change size if you change the scale. Note that in
AutoCAD Architecture model space has a scale. If you have multiple viewports with
different scales where you want some but not all notes and dimensions to show, turn off
the annotative light bulb near the bottom of the screen. Only notes and dimensions
created at that viewport scale will be visible. If you want the same note or dimension to
show up in more than one viewport, click on the note or dimension>right
click>Add/Delete Scale…>the "Annotative Object Scale" dialogue box will
appear>select the scales you want it to appear in. The annotation icon with the lightning
bolt next to it: if off when you change scales of a viewport the notes and dimensions
already drawn for that scale will disappear, if it is turned on it will add the new scale to
the list of scales and display them in the viewport.

To edit a dimension style, Home tab>Annotation panel>drop down the arrow to the right
of the word Annotation>select the icon for Dimension with the paintbrush. This will open
up the Dimension style manager>click Modify.

Q4. How do I put notes into the drawing?
A4. There are two types of notes, "General Notes" and "Callout Notes" that point to an
object on the drawing.

For General Notes, select Home tab>Annotation panel>Text.

For Callout Notes, use a "Multleader" Home tab>Annotation panel>Multileader (the icon
with the arrow and a circle at the end). If you snap a Multileader arrowhead to a point on
an object, when the object is moved, the arrowhead moves with it.

To edit a Multileader style, Home tab>Annotation panel>drop down the arrow to the
right of the word Annotation>select the icon for Multileader with the paintbrush. This will
open up the Multileader style manager>click Modify.

Q5. How can I use textures in my drawing?
A5.
Step 1: right click in Command Prompt area and select "Options." Select Files tab. Plus
out "Texture Maps Search path" and change the path for finding textures to the following values:
C:\Program Data\Autodesk\ACA 2010\enu\Textures\
C:\Program Data\Autodesk\ACA 2010\enu\Textures\bump
C:\Program Data\Autodesk\ACA 2010\enu\Textures\cutout\

Step 2: select materials to be used in the project: Render tab>Materials
panel>Materials: the "Available Materials in Drawing" Palette will appear.

Step 3: turn on materials and textures: Render tab>Materials panel>Materials/textures
on

To apply the material to an AutoCAD Architecture wall, right click the wall to edit> Edit
Wall Style>from the list of components that appears, select the component you want to
place the texture on>select the Edit Material icon on the right of the dialogue
box>Check the "Style Override" on the Medium Detail Display Representation>Select
the Other tab>under the Surface Rendering Render Material pull-down and select the
material that you want to apply to the component. Note that the material must have
been loaded first in step 2 above or it will not appear in the available material list.


Q6. How do I put a surface hatch on a wall
A6. Follow these steps:
1. Under the Manage Tab, open Style Manager
2. Plus the Architectural Objects line and right-click on Wall Styles
3. Click New
4. Type a name for the new wall style, like "Brick Wall"
5. Select the Materials Tab
6. Select the Component and click on the "Add New Material" icon on the right side
of the dialogue box
7. Give it a name, like "Brick"
8. Click the "Edit Material" icon on the right side of the dialogue box
9. Check the Style Override Box on the "General Medium Detail" Display
Representation
10. Select the Hatching Tab
11. Select the pattern on the Surface Hatch and select "Predefined" type
12. Click on the button "Browse" to browse for a hatch pattern
13. Select the AR-BRSTD (this is a standard architectural brick) hatch pattern, Click
OK, OK
14. Change the Scale/Spacing number to 1 (it is set to 24 by default)
15. Select the Layer/Color/Linetype Tab
16. Make the Surface Hatch Display Component visible by turning the lightbulb on.
17. Click OK, OK, OK

Now draw the wall to see the results

1. Go to a 3D view 2. Pick the Home Tab and select Wall
3. On the Properties Palette, select the name of the style you just made - that will
become the current wall style
4. Pick 2 points to draw the wall then <RET>

Q7. How can I put a glazed lite in a door?
A7. I'm glad you asked. Here's how:

1. Change the front UCS, that is, make the current UCS parallel with elevation of a wall.
2. Go to a 3D view so you can see your drawing in 3D
3. Draw a rectangle polyline from any arbitrary location 3' x 7' (use the REC command)
4. Offset that rectangle polyline toward its interior 6"
5. Right click both polylines and select "Convert to"> "Profile Definition"
6. Select the outermost polyline
7. Type A to add a ring
8. Select the innermost polyline
9. Select an insertion point (usually the lower left corner)
10. Type N then type a name for the profile, like "profile1"
11. Select OK
12. Select a plain door style without a lite in it to which you want to add a lite, or create a
new door style to which you want to add a lite.
13. Right click on the door in the drawing and select Edit Door Style
14. Select the Design Rules tab
15. Under the Shape area, click on the Use Profile radio button and pull down the list of
profiles. Your new profile1 will be listed. Select it.
16. The profile will be added to the door in the shape proportions which you created
when you drew the rectangle. It will be sized to fit the door. Glass will be placed
automatically within the profile. Now you can add muntins using the Muntins tab and
turn off the glass to be able to see through. If you add muntins, they are view specific,
that is, if you add them in the Model view, they will not show up in plan or elevation
view, so if you want them to show up in elevation, also, you will need to switch to
elevation display in the edit door display properties dialogue, check the override box
after elevation and stipulate how many vertical and horizontal muntins you want.