<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation:  WireCAD ENT Tools Manual > ENT Basics > GPS Mapping Tools > Using Your DWG Drawings as Maps > HOW TO: Create a Multistory Isometric Drawing to Display GPS Data

Prerequisites

We will need a new drawing. We will also need the floor plans for each floor one per file all aligned to the same X,Y origin.

 

Concept

We can use the different floor plans of a structure stacked one on top of another along the Z axis to display our interconnect in an isometric view.

Here we have created a new drawing called map.dwg and Externally Referenced each floor on the same X,Y origin but at a different Z axis location.

 

Pseudo Procedure

1.Create a new drawing.

2.XREF the first floor inserting it at 0,0,0.

3.XREF the next floor inserting it at 0,0,n where n is some value along the Z axis far enough away from the origin that when we rotate the drawing into isometric view the two floors do not interfere with each other.

4.Lather, rinse, repeat for each floor inserting the floor at 0,0,n*f where n is the distance along the Z axis and f is the floor number.

5.For ease of use we recommend creating a layer for each floor and assigning the floor to the layer in order to control visibility.

6.Calibrate the drawing.

 

 

Procedure

Before you start. Collect all of your floor plan files into a known location. We recommend in the same folder as the new drawing you are about to create.

1.Create a New Drawing. Name it map.dwg or some-such.

2.Make sure you are in Model space.

3.With the map.dwg drawing as the active form. Click CAD Tools > External Reference Manager (XREF). This will open the XREF Manager dialog.

4.Click the [Attach] button. This will open a file browser dialog.

5.Browse to your floor plan file and click [OK]. This will display the Insert dialog.

6.For the first floor use the default settings for all other floor enter a Z axis insertion point.  Click [OK].

 

You may need to play with this to find a number that works for the structure you are trying to show. You don't have to reinsert it every time you want to modify the Z axis. Just open the Drawing Properties tool panel and with the XREF selected in the drawing find the Insertion Point property and modify the Z Axis there.

 

7.This will load the drawing. Note that you may not see the drawing in the current view of Model space until you dismiss all dialogs and click Zoom Extents.

8.Repeat steps 4-7 until you have added all floors.

9.Calibrate the map.dwg drawing.

10.Click File > Save.

11.You are done.