AutoCAD Architecture: Creating Multi-view Blocks using the “Hidden Line Projection” Tool

By David Cruze,
AEC Solutions Engineer
Hagerman & Company
Knoxville, TN
 

Hidden Line Projections create a 2D graphic from a 3D view of one or more objects in your drawing. The 2D graphic that you create is a flattened representation of the objects in the current 3D view, with hidden background lines. Use the Hidden Line Projection command to create quick 2D elevations and sections.

When you create hidden line projections, the 3D objects that you select are copied and collected into an unnamed (also called anonymous) 2D block. The unnamed block can be placed in your drawing in the current 3D view, or placed parallel to the XY plane to be viewed in plan view. You can edit or explode the inserted block and redefine the block for other uses.

The following example will show you how to create a multi-view block using the Hidden Line Projection tool once you have a 3 dimensional model of the object. For this example, we will start with a 3D model of a desk.

Figure 1

Step 1
Figure 1 shows a 3d model of a desk. There are 3 main principles we want to pay close attention to when creating multi-view blocks. They are:

1. Make sure you are in the World UCS when creating view blocks

2. Follow a logical naming convention for your view blocks

3. Insertion points MUST be thought out and planned

You will now change the UCS to World, then define the model block as Desk-30x60-Model, choose all geometry as well as the points with the select objects button, and select the blue point (shown) as the insertion point for the block.

(Note – Adding points on the defpoints layer allows for multiple insertion points for multi-view blocks when inserting them into drawings. You can cycle between the insertion points by hitting the CTRL key.)

Step 2
Change to the Front view and change the UCS to World and start the Hidden Line Project tool (found under the Document pull down menu) shown in Figure 2. Then, select the 3D model of the desk, press ENTER and then specify an insertion point for the unnamed block. You will then be prompted to insert the block in plan view, yes or no, choose No to insert the block in the current view.

Once you have created your view blocks using the Hidden Line Project tool, you will need to explode the unnamed blocks and redefine them following your naming convention and by specifying proper insertion points for each.

Figure 2


Step 3
Follow step 2 for each additional view, Top, Right, Left and Back. Once you have created each view block, position them in alignment with the 3D model block so the insertion points will align properly when changing views after a Multi-view block has been inserted.

You must be sure that you are in the World UCS before redefining the unnamed blocks. The illustration in Figure 3 shows each view block in alignment with the 3D model block and the blue grips depict the proper placement for the insertion point of each.

Figure 3

Step 4
Once you have created all required view blocks with proper naming and insertion points, you will then create a new Multi-view Block style definition.

Open the Style Manager, expand the Multi-Purpose Objects and Multi-view Blocks, Right Click on Multi-view Blocks and choose New from the menu. Name the MVBlock Style – Desk 30x60 (shown in Figure 4).

Figure 4

In the view window, the View Blocks Tab on the right will be displayed. You now add the view blocks you want associated with the various display representations and view directions by selecting each representation and clicking on the Add… button. Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 show examples of different vies blocks assigned to particular view directions for the Plan Display Representation. Click Apply and Ok to exit the Style Manager.

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8 (Other represents isometric views and all other non preset default views)

Figure 9

Figure 10