How to create an A! template from scratch

Stephen Deering

Hi all, I was suprised to find that it seems bricscad does not have a standard teplate file. Can someone tell me how to make an A1 template for instance? I did a search on this site but could not find it. Also could not find anything I undestood in tutorials.

Thanks!

Knut Hohenberg

Not exactly sure what you mean, but the BASEFILE variable points to the default template to use,  while the TemplatePath var points to the directory that will be listed when you create a new drawing.

To create an additional template you just have to save your drawing (e.g. with defined A1 layout) in dwt format to that folder.

Stephen Deering

Thanks but what I want is a  simple as a layout tab that is A1 in size. Like in Autocad  right click on layout tab...new tab..from template...choose A1..Done.

Have been stuffing about with this for some time......and kinda just wasting time.

Hope somone can help

Thanks

Knut Hohenberg

Now I see...
I never bothered much, but it may indeed be seen as not very convenient that the 'from template...' option just pops up a file selection dialog in the last used directory.
IMO, It should rather first pop up a dialog box which lists the layouts defined in BASEFILE, with an additional 'from file...' button that starts the file chooser if needed.
I would suggest filing a SR with a feature request.

Jason Bourhill

@Stephen,

You might take a look at this item on the Bricsys Blog - Tip: Importing Layouts.

The key element you need for this is a DWG/DWT with the paper space layout(s) on it that you want to use. You could quickly build a template from existing drawings.

Once you have that, then you can speed up through some automation

@ Knut. Good idea! The term "From Template" is ambiguous in that it means any DWG/DWT in any location. As you say it could show layouts from BASEFILE, then "from file" maybe should open by default in the folder set by TEMPLATEPATH, or have another button "from templates folder".

Regards,

Jason Bourhill

CAD Concepts

Knut Hohenberg

thinking twice, initially constraining the choice to layouts that are very likely to be already defined in the current file is not convincing either...

and thinking further, it just springs to my mind how clumsy and complicated the legacy (AutoCAD) way of dealing with settings is: many stored in the drawing (.dwt, .dwg), some in a registry/configuration file, some in a user interface description (.cui), some in linetype (.lin, .shx) and hatch (.pat) definitions, some in alias definitions (.pgp), font sustitution maps (.fmp) and lately tool palettes (.btc), plus probably lots that I forgot or am not aware of.

By contrast, this is how blender handles settings: everything is contained in a regular blender file that serves as a template and sets up the complete working environment. When opening a file, you have the choice of loading its settings or keeping your defaults - that's all.

Probably, similar things could be done with a dwt file (without breaking compatibility), so they would finally make sense to me... I bet this would substantially decrease program startup time and be loved by many users... but maybe I'm just ignorant.