What are some practical CAD practices that I could use with the several "Data Field" Text Tools?
All advice will be appreciated!
Thanks!
It might be argued that data fields are old fashioned and their functionality has long been replaced with text fields and tags, or just plain old ordinary text. In any case, a few examples I've encountered over the years include:
- Add them to "equipment" cells for quick and consistent label placement. Here you might choose to use the Fill in Single Data Field tool. This was probably the single most common use of EDFs.
- Put them in title blocks and legends and use the Auto Fill In Data Fields tool to rapid-fill them. This worked especially well for those users who memorized the placement order, since this particular tool finds and highlights empty fields in the order they were placed.
- Use them for tables and charts where you need a series of numbers. (1,2,3,4....) . Then use the Copy and Increment Data Field tool. You can use this tool for cells that contain numerical data fields as well. Handy for labelling things with incrementing numerical labels. (Room numbers, part numbers etc.)
Those are just a few off the top of my head. No doubt others will have ideas as well.
They also work well in the middle of a large note or set of notes for Sheet Numbers (i.e. See Sheet ?) or other items that may change. It is quicker to edit an Enter Data Field than go thru the entire note in the Text Editor dialog to make changes. Just another opinion/option.
I Hope this Helps!
Data Fields have traditionally been used as place holders for text in cells. Maybe manhole info or curve data that you come back an fill in later.
MH#__
___ Inv. ___ ___.__
As Inga said Autofill works quite well. The main advantage being you can type and move to the next field without your hands ever having to leave the keyboard. If done right it can be a big time saver.
Copy is useful for something like copying a door number from a bubble into a door schedule.
Thank you all!
In addition to what DavidG described, I believe their original use was in cells. Previous to V8 and using the Word Processor there wasn't a way to edit text in cells unless you dropped the cell. Data Fields placed in cells allowed you to edit text in cells without dropping them. But you had to carefully place the data fields with knowledge of the number of characters needed and their justification. Not that easy to set up but could be done.