Chapter1Drawings,LayersAndPolylines

Chapter 1
1.1

Drawings, Layers and Polylines

Drawings and Layers

QS receives drawings prepared by draftmen from different consultants at different stages of the project. As it is, the drawings already contain many objects drawn on different
layers showing different parts of the project.
We as QS do not need to redraw the whole building again. On the other hand we just have to trace over the cad drawings for the purpose of obtaining quantities from the
drawings.
In Bricscad you can obtain the area and perimeter by selected objects or a sequence of points. Therefore it is essential for the QS to create polylines on the drawings that
you want the area and perimeter to be calculated.
To create polylines on the drawings, the QS must create their own layers as layers are the primary organizational tool used in drawing. You use layers to group information by
function and to enforce linetype, Color and other standards. Layers are the equivalent of the overlays used in paper-based drafting.
By creating layers, you can associate similar types of objects by assigning them to the same layer. For example, you can put beams, slabs and rebar on separate layers. You
can then control whether the objects on a layer are visible or dimmed.
Every drawing includes a layer named 0. Layer 0 cannot be deleted or renamed. It has two purposes:
Ensure that every drawing includes at least one layer
Provide a special layer that relates to controlling colors in blocks

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1.2

Create and Naame Layers

You can createe and name a new laayer for each elemeent (such as beam, slab, wall, floor finisshes etc) and assignn common propertiees to each layer.
By organizing oobjects into layers, you
y can control the visibility and objectt properties of a largge number of objectts separately for eacch layer and make changes
c
quickly.
Note: The num
mber of layers that you
y can create in a drawing and the nuumber of objects thaat you can create onn each layer are praactically unlimited.
To create a neew layer
1.

Open a Cad drawing

2.

Selectt "Layers
from
m Entity Properties toolbar
This ddisplays the Layers section
s
of the Draw
wing Explorer dialog box

3.

Selectt New
from D
Drawing Explorer
A layeer name, such as NeewLayer1, is automatically added to thee layer list

4.

Enter a new layer name by

b typing over the hhighlighted layer nam
me
A layeer name can includee up to 255 characteers (double-byte or aalphanumeric) : lettters, numbers, spacces and several special characters. Layyer names cannot innclude
the folllowing characters: < > / \ : ; ? * | =
In manny cases, the layer names you choose should correspondd with the trades that you are going to measure.
m
The Laayers sorts layers alphabetically
a
by name Therefore you sshould use commonn prefixes to name layers,
l
e.g. zFF forr Floor Finishes layeer, zBeam for Beam
m layer
etc.

5.

Set thee layer created currrent by clicking in thhe empty cell betweeen row number andd the layer name. A blue marble-liked object is shown in the
t empty box like this
t
When you create new enttities, they are draw
wn on the current layyer. To draw new enntities on a differentt layer, you must firsst make that layer thhe current layer. Onnly

one laayer can be currennt at a time

6.

(Optioonal) Click in the Deescription column annd enter text

7.

Click C
Close

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at top right hand corner to save and close

Chapter1Drawings,LayersAndPolylines

1.3

Drawing Polylines
A polyline is a connected sequence of segments created as a single object. You can create straight line segments, arc segments, or a combination of the two.
Polylines are ideal for applications including the following:

Beam

Wall

Floor, Ceiling and Wall Finishes

Fencing

Drainage
Polylines can be created with several commands including PLINE, RECTANG, POLYGON and BOUNDARY. All of these commands result in a polyline object type.
PLINE
RECTANG
POLYGON
BOUNDARY

Creates a 2D polyline.
Creates a rectangular polyline.
Creates an equilateral closed polyline.
Creates a region or a polyline from an enclosed area.

After you create a polyline, you can edit it using grips or PEDIT. You can use EXPLODE to convert polylines to individual line and arc segments.
PEDIT
EXPLODE

Edits polylines
Breaks a compound object into its component objects and convert polylines to individual lines and arc segments

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1.4

Examples
The following ssection shows you how
h to draw polylinees for floor finishes aand rc beams
A. Drawing closed polylines forr floor finishes
1.
2.
3.

Open draw
wing
Create a nnew layer and namee the layer zFF
Set layer zzFF as current layeer

4.

Click Closse

5.

Select thee colour you want too use to draw the poolyline from

6.
7.

at top right hand corner too save and close

Entity

Properties tooolbar

Select Polyline
from D
Draw toolbar
Specify thhe first point of the polyline
p
Startt drawing polyline by
b tracing the internaal walls of the room
Wheen drawing polyline you need to be ablle to control the draawing so that you are
a able to drop the point at the correcct position. This cann be achieved by zooom in
and out of the drawing by
b rolling the centerr wheel of mouse foorward and backwarrd and pan around the
t drawing by holdi
ding down the centerr wheel of mouse
8. Specify thhe second point of thhe polyline and thirdd point and so on
Wheen drawing the polylline, you should droop a point at the begginning and endpoinnt of an opening (e..g. door or window). This is very usefull when you use the same
polylline (in exploded forrm) for wall finishess as they can be useed for deductions off openings.
9. Specify thhe endpoint of the firrst polyline
10. Enter c at command promppt and press ENTER
R to close the polylinne
To sstart a new polyline at
a the endpoint of thhe last polyline draw
wn, start the PLINE command again annd press ENTER at the Specify Start Pooint prompt.

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i. Create a N
New Layer
wing Explorer dialog box
b
Select "LLayers from Entity Properties toolbar - This displays the Layers section of the Draw

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Select N
New from Layers

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A layer nname, such as NewLaayer1 is automaticallly added to the layer list

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Enter a nnew layer name (e.g. zFF) by typing over thhe highlighted layer name

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Set the laayer zFF current by clicking in the empty cell between row num
mber and the layer naame

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Click Cloose to save and close Layers

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ii. Drawing P
Polyline for Floor Fin
nishes
Select coolor from Entity Propeerties toolbar

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Select P
Polyline from Draw ttoolbar

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Zoom in to the start point and specify the first point of the polyline

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Specify the second point of the polyline and third pooint and so on

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Drop a point at the left hand eedge of a door

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Drop a point at the right hand edge of a door

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Drop a point at the left hand eedge of a window

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Drop a point at the right hand edge of a window

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Specify the endpoint of the firsst polyline. Enter c at command line and press ENTER to closee the polyline

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Completedd polyline

R at the Specify Start Point

P
prompt.
To start a nnew polyline at the enndpoint of the last polyyline drawn, start the PLINE command agaain and press ENTER

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B.

Drawing oopen polylines forr rc beams

1. Open drawing
2. Createe a new layer and name
n
the layer zBeaam
3. Set layyer zBeam as curreent layer
4. Click C
Close

at top right hand corner to save and close

5. Selectt the color you wantt to use to draw the polyline from

Entity Propertiess toolbar

6. Selectt Polyline
from
m Draw toolbar
7. Speciffy the first point of thhe polyline
Start ddrawing polyline in the
t middle of the beeam
When drawing polyline yoou need to be able to control the drawiing so that you are able to drop the poiint at the correct poosition. This can be achieved by zoom in
i and
out off the drawing by rolliing the center wheeel of mouse forwardd and backward and pan around the draawing by holding doown the center wheeel of mouse
8. Speciffy the endpoint of thhe first polyline segm
ment
9. Press Enter to end the poolyline
To staart a new polyline att the start point of annother beam, start tthe PLINE commannd again and press ENTER
E
at the Speccify Start Point prom
mpt.

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i. Create a N
New Layer
wing Explorer dialog box
b
Select "LLayers from Entity Properties toolbar - This displays the Layers section of the Draw

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Select N
New from Layers

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A layer nname, such as New

wLayer1 is automaatically added to thee layer list

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Enter a nnew layer name (e.g. zBeam) by typing oveer the highlighted layeer name

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Set the laayer zBeam current by clicking in the emppty cell between row number and the layerr name

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Click Cloose to save and close Layers

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ii. Drawing ppolyline

Select coolour from Entity Propperties toolbar

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Select P
Polyline from Draw ttoolbar

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Zoom in to the start point and specify the first point of the polyline

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Specify the endpoint of the poolyline and press ENTTER to end the polyline

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Press EN
NTER at command prrompt to start a new polyline. Zoom in to the start point of anotheer beam and specify the
t first point of the poolyline

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Specify the endpoint of the poolyline and press ENTTER to end the polyline

R
Repeat the polyline drrawing process and press ENTER to end thhe process

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