Reference Notes

 

Watch the video.

 

Reference Notes refer to notations or objects within a drawing, and provide a convenient system for organizing, placing, and displaying schedules of the notes quickly. Automating the notation system for a project provides many advantages:

§	Information that is repeated throughout a drawing and throughout a set of drawings are organized for quick placement.

§	Consistency in repeated information to reduce errors and omissions.

§	Lengthy notations can be added to a drawing and still take up minimal space.

§	Automation greatly speeds up the process of notation entry.

§	Changes can be made at any time and be instantly reflected throughout the project.

§	Any Reference Notes can have details associated with it, with all of the advantages of the automatic detail reference within Land F/X.

§	Lengths, Areas, and Volumes will automatically be tabulated for the Reference Note if one of these options is selected.

§	An Object, such as a bench, can be selected to graphically represent the Reference Note, with a total for the drawing of that object automatically tabulated and placed into the Reference Note Schedule.

§	Electrical symbols for power and lighting can be incorporated into the Reference Note system.

 

Adding Reference Notes to a Project

 

 

Reference Notes dialog box.

 

The first step is to select the type of entity you are referring a notation to. There are five types of notes at the top of the dialog box where you can select these:

§	Note: This will allow you to place a numeric symbol referring to a text notation.

§	Length: This will allow you to refer to a item of lineal quantity, such as header board, fencing, railing, etc.

§	Area: This will allow you to refer to an area and have the area calculation automatically placed into the Reference Note Schedule.

§	Volume: This will allow you to refer to an area with a defined thickness (for a volume), and have the volume calculation automatically placed into the Reference Note Schedule.

§	Object: This will allow you to select an object, such as a table or bench, from the Land F/X Material Objects symbol library, give notations to the object, and automatically indicate the quantity of these objects in the Reference Note Schedule.

§	Electrical: A quick method to relate notations to electrical power or lighting symbols.

 

Add a Note

With the Note radio button selected at the top of the dialog box, select the New button at the bottom.

 

“Add” a Reference Note dialog box.

 

Step 1: Select a type of leader that is to be used in referencing the new note. The new note will remember the leader type that is associated with it.

Leader type options for Reference Notes.

 

The leader type of a box with an “X” in it means no leader, and then notation will be entered into the drawing with no leader connection.

 

Step 2: At the “Notes:” box, enter the text for the note. There are 250 characters available for each of these notes.

F Remember: The notes you add will automatically be numbered in the order you added them – if you wish to override this with a number of your choosing, you are welcome to edit the Number. Note that due to data consistency across multiple drawings, you can only edit the number when you first create the note, not after it has been placed.

 

Step 3: As an option, select the “Division:” to group the new note by division. This is useful when a large variety of Reference Notes are used on a project. You can select from some of the applicable CSI divisions, or a single character code appropriate for grouping items on the schedule. Future versions will allow customizing the division list.

 

Division listing at the Reference Notes.

F Remember: If you wish, you can have two types of Reference Notes within the same drawing. This would be “plain” Reference Notes (referenced with a two digit number without a Division Grouping), and notes with a Division grouping. The “plain” notes will be listed first in the Reference Note Schedule, followed by the notes that are grouped by Division.

 

Step 4: As an option, select the “Set Detail” button to go to the project’s Detail Manager. This will allow you to associate a detail to the note, and thus add that detail to the project’s Detail Manager. When the detail is placed into one of the project’s drawings, its related detail number and sheet number will automatically be referred to within the Reference Note Schedule by a column to the right of the Reference Note in question.

F Remember:

§	You can select “Set Detail” and associate a detail at any time – you don’t have to associate a detail right when you first create the note.

§

As the detail number and sheet number will be placed just to the right of the Reference Note it applies to, a good way to deal with detail reference within a note is to simply indicate “see detail.” at the end of the note. Then associate a detail and later, when you actually place the detail within the drawing set, that detail number and sheet number reference will automatically be correctly indicated.

 

Add Length Note

With the Length radio button selected at the top of the dialog box, select the New button at the bottom.

 

Enter the applicable Notes for the item, and optionally select a Division to group it in. You may also specify a cost per foot if you wish, as well as specifying a detail. You can select the layer to have it linked to now, or you may use the Place button in the Reference Notes screen to allow you to select any object on the desired layer.

 

Add Area Note

With the Area radio button selected at the top of the dialog box, select the New button at the bottom.

 

Step 1: Draw areas to be defined with closed polyline. If you wish this linetype to show up on the final product, ensure that it is on the appropriate layer.

 

Step 2: You will first be taken to the Site Hatch pattern library. This is to select the hatch pattern type that will be used to represent the area of this note. If no hatch pattern is necessary, simply select the first pattern of “None”.

 

Site Hatch pattern library to select a hatch type to represent the “Area” of the note.

 

Step 3: After selecting a pattern (in this example, one of the “Sand” patterns), the notation dialog box will appear.

 

”Add” an Area Reference Note dialog box.

 

Step 4: Select the type of leader that will apply to this area when you insert a note.

 

Step 5: Enter the text for the notation that describes this area.

 

Step 6: As an option, select a “Division” to group the notations.

 

Step 7: If desired, enter a unit cost for the area. This information will apply if you decide the option to send the Reference Note Schedule to a spread sheet format.

 

Step 8: As an option, associate a detail with the area note.

 

Step 9: The hatch pattern “Symbol” will have been set with Step 2 above. Selecting a “Linetype” will change the polyline you created in Step 1 to that defined here. The linetypes listed are simply linetypes that have been added to layers within AutoCAD.

 

Linetype drop down listing.

F Remember: If you do not want the polyline border to be of any linetype, or to show up on the drawing, select “Non-Plot” as the linetype. When you select the polyline border, the border line layer will automatically be changed to “L-NPLT”, and the layer will be indicated with plotting turned off.

 

Add Volume Note

With the Volume radio button selected at the top of the dialog box, select the New button at the bottom.

 

Step 1: Draw areas to be defined with closed polyline. If you wish this linetype to show up on the final product, ensure that it is on the appropriate layer.

 

Step 2: You will first be taken to the Site Hatch pattern library. This is to select the hatch pattern type that will be used to represent the area of this note. If no hatch pattern is necessary, simply select the first pattern of “None”.

 

Site Hatch pattern library to select a hatch type to represent the “Area” of the note.

 

Step 3: After selecting a pattern (in this example, a “Cross Hatch” pattern), the notation dialog box will appear.

 

”Add” an Area Reference Note dialog box.

 

Step 4: Select the type of leader that will apply to this area when you insert a note.

 

Step 5: Enter the text for the notation that describes this area.

 

Step 6: As an option, select a “Division” to group the notations.

 

Step 7: In order to determine the volume of the object, enter the depth of the item in inches.

 

Step 8: If desired, enter a unit cost for the volume, in sq. yds. This information will apply if you decide the option to send the Reference Note Schedule to a spread sheet format.

 

Step 9: As an option, associate a detail with the volume note.

 

Step 10: The hatch pattern “Symbol” will have been set with Step 2 above. Selecting a “Linetype” will change the polyline you created in Step 1 to that defined here. The linetypes listed are simply linetypes that have been added to layers within AutoCAD.

 

Linetype drop down listing.

F Remember: If you do not want the polyline border to be of any linetype, or to show up on the drawing, select “Non-Plot” as the linetype. When you select the polyline border, the border line layer will automatically be changed to “L-NPLT”, and the layer will be indicated with plotting turned off.

 

Add Object Note

With the Object radio button selected at the top of the dialog box, select the New button at the bottom.

 

Step 1: When you select New, the Land F/X Material Objects library dialog box will appear. Materials Objects are graphics of physical material objects, with the intention of being inserted at full scale into Model Space. These graphics are considered to be “real life” objects (such as benches or tables) and not diagrammatic or symbolic in nature (such as a callout).

 

Material Objects dialog box.

 

Step 2: Select an object you want a Reference Note attached to, such as a table in Site Furniture, then Seating-Tables.

 

The Material Objects library of “Site Furniture”, and then “Seating-Tables”.

 

Step 3: Highlight an object, such as one of the tables, and click OK. The notation dialog box will appear.

 

“Add” an Object Note dialog box.

 

Step 4: Select the type of leader that will apply to this object when you insert a note.

 

Step 5: Enter the text for the notation that describes this object. Notice that the Notes: box has the name of the object’s drawing filled in as the default text, which will then be changed as required by the user.

 

Step 6: As an option, select a “Division” to group the notations.

 

Step 7: If desired, enter a unit cost for the object. This information will apply if you decide the option to send the Reference Note Schedule to a spread sheet format.

 

Step 8: As an option, associate a detail with the object.

 

Add Electrical Note

With the Electrical radio button selected at the top of the dialog box, select the New button at the bottom.

 

Step 1: When you select New, the Electrical symbols library, from within the Land F/X Discipline Graphics library, will appear. The Electrical symbols are represented by a Lighting Symbols Library, and a Power Symbols Library. Select the light or power item and click OK.

 

Electrical Lighting symbol library.

Electrical Power symbol library.

 

Step 2: Highlight an electrical fixture and click OK. The notation dialog box will appear.

 

“Add” an Electrical object dialog box.

 

Step 3: Enter the text for the notation that describes this electrical fixture. Notice that the Notes: box has the name of the object’s drawing filled in as the default text, which will then be changed as required by the user.

 

Step 4: If desired, enter a unit cost for the object. This information will apply if you decide the option to send the Reference Note Schedule to a spread sheet format.

 

Step 5: As an option, associate a detail with the object.

F Remember: The Electrical symbols will be displayed in the Reference Note Schedule with thumbnail images of the symbols, and will not need a “note” callout.

 

Editing and Deleting a Reference Note

 

After entering a note you may edit it at any time by selecting the Edit button.

 

When you attempt to delete a note, if it has not been placed into any drawing, it will simply ask you to confirm the deletion. If the note has ever been placed, it will inform you that the note has been placed, and confirm that you wish to do so. This is to inform you that it is possible the note has been placed onto other drawings for this project, and thus you may not want to delete it.

 

Placing Reference Notes

 

When you place the note in Model Space (the preferred method), ensure that the Land F/X scale is set correctly, refer to Set the Drawing Scale.

 

Select Reference Notes, then click on the appropriate radio button for notes relating to:

§

Note

§

Length

§

Area

§

Volume

§

Object

§	Electrical

 

Place Note

As an example, you have several Reference Notes entered for Notes, both as a “plain” Reference Note and notes associated with CSI sections.

 

Reference Notes listed with the category “Note” radio button selected.

 

Highlight the appropriate note, such as the note number 1, “2x4 recycled plastic mow strip, see detail.”, and click Place. The Command Line will indicate “Arrow point.” Click where you want the leader arrow point to occur, then place the callout.

 

After clicking on the arrow point location, as you move the cross hairs pointer you will see a preview of the callout box. Click again for the end of the leader line.

Move the cross hairs pointer to the right (or left) and the preview will indicate the callout.

When the callout is where you want it, click to indicate where you want it, and it will be filled in with the appropriate Reference Note number.

 

Highlight a note that has a CSI Section associated with it, such as 02-01, “Demo and grind roots to 12” below surface of existing tree.” Click on Place to place in the same manner as the note above.

 

Placing a note with a CSI Section associated with it.

F Remember:

§	The Reference Notes you develop for a project are in that project’s database. Any other drawing that you open and associate with the project will have all of the Reference Notes available for use.

§	On any drawing for the project, use as many or as few of the Reference Notes as you wish. When you place the Reference Note Schedule on the drawing sheet, it will only indicate those that were used on that particular drawing.

 

Place Length Note

Placing a Length note is unique in that is is assuming that you have already drawn any relevant lines, polylines, arcs, etc. on an appropriate layer and linetype. As such, it will ask you to select an object, and then will associate that note with the selected layer (even if the layer is in an Xref). You can later edit this layer setting by manually editing the note, or selecting Place again to associate it with a different layer.

 

Place Area or Volume Note

After selecting Reference Notes, click on the Area or Volume radio button to view the notes that apply to that category.

 

Reference Notes listed with the category “Area” radio button selected.

 

Highlight a note, such as the first note “Area to receive a 3” thick layer of walk-on bark mulch. See specs.” Click on Place. A pic box will appear to select a closed polyline around the area you wish to apply the note to.

 

After selecting a note for Area or Volume, use the pic box to select a closed polyline defining the area in question.

The polyline is clicked, and the hatch pattern selected to represent the area when the note was created is applied to the area. In this case the linetype selected to represent this area was a Non-plot line, so the polyline border automatically changed to this type of line.

 

Place an Object Note

After selecting Reference Notes, click on the Object radio button to view the notes that apply to that category.

 

Reference Notes listed with the category “Object” radio button selected.

 

Highlight the note to place and click on Place. That object -- in this example, a bench -- will preview at the cross hairs. Place as many as you wish.

 

Placing an object into the drawing, in this case a bench.

F Remember: The object is placed, but no “note” callout is placed at this time. You will need to insert a note for one or more of these objects with the Reference Notes Callouts. This allows you to place a number of the objects, but place note callouts only to specific ones, as you will not necessarily want to label each and every one. The Reference Notes Schedule will total the quantity for you.

 

Reference Note Callout

 

 

Watch the video.

 

Reference Note objects, of Length, Area, Volume, and Objects, can be called out at any time with the Ref Note Callout. Simply select the item, and then the system will prompt the same as if you were inserting a general reference note, with arrow point, leader end-point, and callout location. As for most items the callout is what appears in the schedule, you will need to call out at least one of each object in the drawing. Note that you can place Reference Note objects into the Site Base, and call them out and generate a schedule, even though they exist in the Xref.

 

Reference Notes Schedule

 

After placing the desired Reference Notes, go to the sheet Layout in Paper Space and place the Reference Notes Schedule for that sheet.

 

 

Watch the video.

 

Upon selecting the Reference Note Schedule function, a dialog box will ask for the schedule options.

 

Reference Note Schedule dialog box options.

 

Selecting Spreadsheet File as a destination will instantly export the schedule to Excel. The Entire Palette option will run the schedule on all reference note items in the project, regardless of what has been placed into the current drawing. You can select which categories of reference note objects to include on the schedule, and if you want their code or symbol to appear.

 

If you have multiple work areas defined in your drawing, you will then be prompted to select one or all to run the schedule on.

 

The drawing will go back to Paper Space and the command line will ask:

 

Upper left corner:

 

Select the upper left corner where you want the Reference Note Schedule to appear.

 

F Remember:

§	Only the notes you have placed into the drawing will show up in the Schedule.

§	If you used Work Areas in your site base, you can select one of those to list the Reference Notes only in that area.

§	The number a Reference Note is associated with will always stay with that note throughout the project.

§	The Northing/Easting option will list the values from any Northing/Easting callouts, placed from that Discipline Graphics callout.