In the last installment about paper space I discussed a desire for the paper to be automatically handled, and for the documents to automatically be scaled and sized.
Using my experience at TestFit I know that generating PDFs is quite important to customers, but why stop at PDFs, when you can do a more generic paper configurator, snap a view of the model with its current view conditions (like 2D views of topo with the building being zero opacity or dashed in above geometry) and saving that view for continuous future use.
Working with UI/UX Designer Michelle Wern we hijacked the BALOS and used that for more of a sheetset generator, along with a new idea of “creating a sheet from the current view”. Since views can change their scale all over the place (in future drawing sets) it needs to be a dynamic setting.
I also thing the idea that the entire sheetset can re-evaluate its scale based upon project north and a change in current geometry (like exporting a main plan and not just one site) is controlled for.
Lastly, it is hard for me to visualize how a user might add several images easily, and continuously from pre-existing settings. Perhaps we do create 8-16 default views, present a way of viewing those on a pdf altogether or individual sheets. Since PDF is an unlimited resource, MVP of one image per sheet is okay. The other out of the box analysis that we include in app would need their own formatting systems if we upgrade PDF further. I hope our web enabled collaboration is more powerful of a central data hub, but I think we only get there if the data hub can generate all of these drawings and documents on the fly anywhere, anytime. PDF is coming for the cloud.