Renovation Mode in ACA
Renovation Mode is a feature I tend to use a lot. Renovation Mode in AutoCAD® Architecture 2018 easily identifies objects and associates them with different phases of a renovation project, allowing for clear construction drawings each and every time. With this feature, you can display existing, demolished, and new construction all in one, easy-to-read drawing. Working within one drawing and having the ability to switch between renovation plan types allows you to avoid errors that are typically caused by editing multiple drawings.
Activating Renovation Mode
The first time Renovation Mode is activated, a specific Renovation display configuration is created. Once activated, you will notice that this specific configuration is a copy of the existing display configuration with “Renovation” added as a prefix (see Figure 1).
To begin Renovation Mode, click the Manage tab of the ribbon, Style & Display panel, Renovation Mode. This brings up the First Activation of Renovation Mode dialog box that allows you to give a name to the new display configuration. Please note that it is best to maintain the default prefixes for display configurations to eliminate confusion later. Next, select the Options button to change settings using the Display, Layers and Styles, Blocks and Materials tabs. Click OK and you are now working in Renovation Mode.
Figure 1: First Activation of Renovation Mode dialog box
Working in Renovation Mode
When working in Renovation Mode and following the recommended workflow, objects are automatically assigned to Existing, Demolition, or New categories. You can assign two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) objects to different categories, easily view the drawing as a renovation plan, demolition plan, or revision plan, and view objects by category. In plan, section, and elevation views, 2D and 3D objects display according to the categories to which they are assigned. The display configurations are controlled by Renovation styles, and these can be customized in the Renovation Options dialog box. With tools on the ribbon you can end Renovation Mode, add objects to categories, and freeze and reset walls to make manual corrections to the edges. This Renovation ribbon panel is visible and available only while you are working in an active Renovation session.
Two-dimensional objects, blocks, and multi-view blocks keep their own display representation when Renovation Mode is started and are categorized as existing objects. When you delete, modify, or create new 2D objects, they display according to the applicable Renovation category. You can explicitly assign them to a category and change their display. Objects that were already categorized in an earlier Renovation phase keep their category and representation. Objects that are created new in active Renovation Mode are automatically marked as New. When an object is selected and a command such as Delete, Move, Rotate, or Copy is initiated, objects are assigned to categories and displayed based on the command. For example, pressing Delete identifies objects as Demolition, and moving a door creates both a new and a demolition door and the corresponding wall openings. Existing and New walls automatically clean up with each other, but Demolition and New objects do not interact.
Renovation Mode Settings for Objects
Design rules for New, Demolished, and Existing categories by object type are controlled by Renovation styles. You can import Renovation Styles from external catalogs or export to external catalogs in the Renovation Options dialog box. For maximum flexibility, Renovation styles for display and layer assignment can be specified independently from each other and are saved to the current drawing.
In the Renovation Options dialog box, the Display tab allows you to specify the Renovation Display Style as well as set specific design rules for objects such as walls and doors (see Figure 2). The layer tab allows you to set the Layer Assignment Style and specify a prefix or suffix to layers in lieu of changing the layer name (see Figure 3).
The Styles, Blocks and Materials tab allows you to add a prefix or suffix to style/block names to avoid naming conflicts between objects in different Renovation categories (see Figure 4). This is much quicker than having to manually rename each object! When the Duplicate Material Definitions box is checked, a copy of the material is automatically generated and assigned to the building object. The corresponding color settings will automatically display.
Figure 2: Display options
Figure 3: Layer options
Figure 4: Styles, Blocks and Materials options
Ending a Session in Renovation Mode
Once you are finished working in Renovation Mode, ending the session is simple. On the Renovation panel, click the Close Renovation Mode tool. It is important to note that if changes are made to the drawing after Renovation Mode has ended, the uncategorized objects are automatically assigned to the Existing category when you reactivate Renovation Mode.
Modifying the Renovation Display
You can change how properties of objects within specific categories are displayed in the drawing by unlocking them, changing them individually per object type, and saving them as the Renovation display style. Modifications made are saved to the current drawing. The lock icon to the left of the property signals whether this property can be changed. If the property is unlocked, any changes made to the display are reflected in the drawing.
With the Renovation drawing open in an active Renovation Mode, click Options on the Renovation panel. The Renovation Options dialog box displays. On the Display tab, select the display style to apply to the current drawing and enter a description. Renovation styles can be modified and saved, deleted, and imported from and exported to an external catalog. Now select the object type for the design rules and then select the checkbox to the left of each property value for the category you want to change. Modify the properties as desired and select Prompt for objects to update. Select the objects to modify or press Enter to select all objects. Changes to the selected properties for the specified object type are applied in the current drawing.
Continuing to Work in Renovation Mode
When Renovation Mode is reactivated in your drawing, the existing Renovation display configuration can still be used or you can create a new one. The objects that were previously categorized in an earlier Renovation phase will retain their representation and category. Any objects that do not yet have a Renovation category will be automatically categorized and displayed as Existing objects. The “Show existing, new and demolished objects” option is automatically selected by default. It is recommended that this option remain selected, as it ensures that categorized objects in your Renovation plan remain visible while switching between the Demolition, Renovation, and Revision displays.
To continue working in Renovation Mode, select the Manage Tab on the ribbon, then click the Style & Display panel and click Renovation Mode. This will display the Repeated Activation of Renovation Mode dialog box (see Figure 5). Next you will need to specify the settings in the dialog, depending on what you want to do. To begin with an existing Renovation display configuration, click the drop-down arrow next to Activate an Existing Renovation Display Configuration, select the display you wish to use and click OK. To begin with a new display configuration, select the Create a New Renovation Display Configuration Named button, enter a name for the new configuration, and click OK. Next you can change the display style or design rules of objects by clicking the Options button at the bottom left of the dialog box. Click OK when finished. Then click OK again to exit the dialog box. You are now working in Renovation Mode again.
Figure 5: Repeated activation of Renovation Mode
Activating a Demolition Plan
The display of a demolition plan shows existing construction and those objects categorized as demolished. All new objects, however, are hidden. Display settings for the demolition plan type are located in the options dialog box for Renovation Mode.
To create a demolition plan, activate Renovation Mode as previously discussed and then select the button for Demolition Plan on the Renovation panel of the ribbon. You can now select a Renovation Display Configuration to activate. The box next to “Hide all new objects” is automatically checked. If you would like for New objects to show while you are working in the drawing, click in the box to de-select the item and then click OK. You can also click the New Show/Hide button on the Renovation panel. You are now ready to begin creating a demolition plan.
Please note that yellow is automatically assigned by default to demolition objects. This can be changed in the options dialog box for Renovation Mode under the Layer tab.
Figure 6: Demolition dialog box
Activating a Revision Plan
A revision plan displays new and existing construction objects, but all demolition objects are hidden automatically. Display settings for the revision plan type are located in the options dialog box for Renovation Mode.
To create a renovation plan, activate Renovation Mode as previously discussed and then select the button for Revision Plan on the Renovation panel of the ribbon. You can now select a Revision Plan Display configuration to activate. The box next to “Hide all demolished objects”
is automatically checked. If you would like for Demolition objects to show while you are working in the drawing, click in the box to de-select the item and then click OK. You can also click the Demo Show/Hide button on the Renovation panel. You are now ready to begin creating a revision plan.
Figure 7: Revision dialog box
Manual Modifications
Sometimes walls of different renovation categories do not intersect correctly, so manual modifications become necessary. This can be done by temporarily suspending Renovation Mode. For example, you may have a plan that includes walls categorized as Demolition and walls categorized as Existing with wall edges that need to be corrected. Remember, objects categorized as New do not interact with objects categorized as Demolition. When you need to make a manual correction, you temporarily interrupt Renovation Mode by freezing the walls you want to modify and then correcting the edges. These changes are not considered part of Renovation. The option to freeze or thaw walls is only available when Renovation Mode is active.
Let’s make this a little clearer. To do a manual modification, click the Freeze Walls button on the Renovation panel of the ribbon. Next, select the walls in question and hit Enter. Renovation Mode is now temporarily suspended. Proceed with correcting the wall edges and then click Thaw Walls when finished. Renovation Mode resumes.
Renovation Styles Catalog
The Renovation styles catalog contains display and layer assignment styles. AutoCAD Architecture-based styles for objects are managed with Style Manager. By default, the Renovation styles catalog is installed in ProgramData\Autodesk\ACA <version>\enu\Styles. If the Renovation styles catalog is renamed or moved, the styles are disabled and cannot be accessed. Use the Renovation Styles Catalog Settings dialog box to specify a valid catalog.
With the Renovation drawing open in an active Renovation Mode, click Styles Catalog from the Options drop-down menu on the Renovation panel. The Renovation Styles Catalog Settings dialog box displays. Select the “Import renovation styles from catalog” checkbox for drawings to be populated with all Renovation styles in the specified catalog. Clear the “Import renovation styles from catalog”
checkbox for new drawings to include standard styles only. Browse to the location of the Renovation styles catalog you want to use. Click OK.
Conclusion
Renovation Mode is an excellent tool for those needing to show new, existing, and demolished objects in a drawing. I challenge you to open a drawing and activate Renovation Mode. Explore the possibilities for yourself. You’ll be glad you did!
