OD/DB features. Article 1.
OD/DB technology – to draw faster, easier and more convenient
OD/DB technology is a method which speeds up, facilitates and makes drawing process more convenient. This method of drawing organization reduces the number of necessary actions, while many actions are performed automatically and most of possible errors are eliminated technologically.
The most well-known application of OD/DB elementsin AutoCAD isthe Tool Palettes. In many cases, it is faster and more convenient to draw with Tool Palettes menu. Unfortunately, Tool Palettes implements only the first part – OD, i.e. Object Drawing and still not all of its features.
With the full implementation of OD/DB, drawing acceleration arises from the object menu, objectsassignment with object type IDs, AutoCAD variables and resources specified in the objects definition/drawing standards files.
Objects menu examples – youtube, 2:46. (Hereinafteris an example of a full-fledged OD/DB prototype program. For Yutube: quality 1080p, subtitles, subtitles linguage recommended
).
Drawing acceleration with OD/DB occurs for the following reasons:
1. Reduced number of drawing (inserting) actions for each object. The necessary commands (line, block, ellipse, etc.), drawing parameters (polar, closed, rotate, etc.) and the necessary properties (color, layer, etc.) are automatically activated. 1 to 9+ actions economy on each object.
Different objects drawingexamples with object menu–youtube, 3:29.
2. No need to waste time and efforts on remembering the propertiesto draw objects of each type, to copy sample objects from other files and matchits’ properties, to investigate descriptions in which these properties are defined, etc.
3. No need to re-invoke the insert command – one can draw specified object type any number of times with all the necessary parameters and properties.
4. No actionsare required to access necessary resources (layers, block libraries, line-types, hatches, text styles, etc.) - all the required resources are loaded automatically.
Automatic loading and restoring of necessary resources and parameters while drawing–youtube, 4:36.
5. No actionsare required to configure/reconfigure AutoCAD (define variables) – all the necessary values are set and restored automatically.
6. Reduced number of object selection actions – only one criterion is needed,just specify the type of object or class of objects in the menu.
Select by object type –youtube, 4:18.
7. Reduced number of actions for changing objects’ properties –replacement of corresponding properties isdone when entitiesare assigned with specified object type. This include the replacement of blocks, line styles, texts, hatches, multilines, dimensions, etc.
Object type replacement, assigning necessary properties –youtube, 3:54.
8. For the objects drawn with the menu, there is no need to manually check and restore the desired properties(if changed)– a tool to restore the necessary graphical properties of objects is added.
Restoring graphical properties based on object type definitions –youtube, 3:03.
In sum, this actions economy at the level of individual objects and when working in general with drawings/models gives a noticeable effect – 2x or more times acceleration.
Almostevery reason of drawing accelerationis the reason ofdrawing facilitating and convenience, at the same time.
With OD/DB, it is also easier and more convenient to draw and create drawings-models because:
1. It is easier and more convenient to quickly move to the projects with other requirements, while simultaneously working on several projects with different requirements –justload another objectsdefinition / drawing standards file. There is no need to remember the requirements for drawings, for displaying objects. Also it is convenient for the organization of drawing by many performers, with the involvement of third-party organizations –justprovide them with the definition files and sets of resource files.
2. Easier to work in AutoCAD – the number of necessary AutoCAD tools is reduced. In many cases, OD/DB acts as Design Center, Tool Palettes, DWT templates, DWS standards files and standards checks.
3. Easier to organize the work for novices and inexperienced AutoCAD users – no need to know about AutoCAD variables, drawing commands, access to resource files, etc.
4. Simplification of checks, selections, drawings/models combining, hanging-over to customers, etc., as high standardization and unification of drawing is achieved – all objects of the same type drawn with OD/DB have same properties. Inspection procedures added providerevealing of 100% of inconsistencies with the specified drawing standard.
Objects’ graphical properties checks –youtube, 2:22.
5. Easier to changedrawing standards, libraries, styles, etc. of drawings-models, if necessary –just replace objects’ properties with other ones in adefinition file, specify new resources (layers, blocks, line types, etc.) and restore/assign properties to objects by their object type IDs.
Drawing standards change–youtube, 4:03.
OD/DB technology workflow experience while simultaneous work of several dozens of users proved that users put objects menu drawing for ordinary AutoCAD commands drawing. Thus objects menu itself has shown OD/DB is worth using, since it rises drawing speed and quality.
08.24.2017
Alexander Sharov
Translation: Sergey Sheviakov
