Start with a drawing
file. In this example, we are considering a floor plan.
Zoom in to see the area of
interest.
Draw Attributes
The Attribute
command is used to assign information to objects in the drawing. It’s used
in coordination with the Material List command to list the quantities of
attributes placed in a drawing. For instance, you can use the Material
List command to list the types and numbers of attributes you have placed in
your drawing.
You’ll identify all
of these 3’ windows on the east wall. From the Draw menu select
Attribute. For the name write 3 – 0 win 00012 for the name and
model number. Then snap to the window by clicking it. To do it again, repeat
this command. Press F3 for repeat. Then snap to the next window. And do it
again until all these windows are identified.
For the door, repeat
the attribute command. Enter in 2-6 door 00312 then snap to
the door.
Now identify the two
ovens in the kitchen. Press F3 to repeat the attribute command. This time
type oven 31211. And click on the oven. Then repeat this and
click in the oven area again to land the attribute for the second stacked
oven.
So you get the idea of
how to assign attributes. -- But what about when you want to reuse an
attribute that wasn’t just used? Adjust the view to see the front entry
way and the closet with double doors. Select the Attribute command, and
open the list of attributes. Notice they are listed here so you can just
pick one from the list of recently used attributes. Select the 2-6 door.
Then snap to the actual door in the drawing. And do it again for the other
door. This is how you assign attributes through the entire drawing down to
as detailed as you want.
Make a Material List
To see the material
list of attributes, open the File menu and select Material List. Notice the
three doors, the four windows, and the two ovens are all listed here. You
can print this list. Or to save it, click the Save button. Click the Save
button, now. Notice this uses a .lst format. Name the file as
LIST and save to the desktop. Then exit this list.
Tip:
The
.lst file format that DesignCAD uses for material lists is a text
file, text delimited (.txt). It’s named as a .lst file so that it’s more
distinctive to you as being the actual material list.
Now go to the desktop
to see the material list. Double-click the file and select a program to open
it with. Use Notepad. Here’s the list.
Open the
Material List in Excel
Or open the material
list in Excel. From the Excel
window, click the Open button (we're using Excel version XP). Click the
Files of Type field at the bottom and select All Files. Then go to the
desktop. And double-click on the file called list. Anytime you bring text
into Excel you’ll get the Text Import Wizard. Keep delimited selected and
click Next. Because DesignCAD uses a comma to separate the fields, select
Comma as the delimiter. Then click Next. And then Finish. Here’s the list
separated into two columns.
Import the List into Instant
Estimator
The material list is
perfect for use with Instant Estimator. Open the File menu, and select the
Import From command. Then select DesignCAD Material List. Recall that the
list was saved to the desktop, so click the Desktop icon. Then double-click
on List. The material list
now appears in Instant
Estimator so you can associate a cost with each item, estimate your costs
and make your bid.
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