Series Index - Setting Up in the Real World
There is often a need to label coordinates with real world positions or positions relative to a site datum.
For straightforward projects requiring 2D setting out coordinates in X/Y or Northing/Easting simply referencing the building model(s) into a 2D setting out file at real world location and rotation then labelling the coordinates may be the ideal and simple solution.
This method works well in the case of placing coordinates relative to a site datum, the difference being that the model is referenced into the 2D setting out file relative to the Site Datum and or setting out lines/points.
For more complex situations or to meet owner/project requirements it may be necessary to use the process described in Setting Up in the Real World – GeoReferencing to relate the building model(s) to the real world.
Once the setting out plan is available for labelling, we have the MicroStation Label Point Coordinates tool and in AECOsim Building Designer (ABD) the Label Coordinate tool available.
Where labels need to show Northings and Eastings the critical first step is to get X and Y the right way round!
The MicroStation Label Point Coordinates tool is quite basic, all it's controls are exposed in the Tool Settings dialog. Be aware that once placed the coordinates are dumb text and have no persistent relationship to the point at which they were placed.
ABD's Label Coordinate tool has similar Tool Settings but also benefits from additional formatting controls in the Annotate Tool Settings dialog, see ABD help topic "Label Coordinate tool" for more detail.
Another method is to create cells that contain text fields picking up the coordinates of the cell origin. In the example below the graphics is a circle with crosshairs, the coordinates are picked up from the centre of the circle. The formatting uses the Active Settings so the label can respond to the working unit settings in the file where it is placed. (For anyone who is unaware, the working units are display properties initially set in the Design File Settings dialog. They can be changed at will see Annotation Scale and the Drawing Scale Dialog for more details.)