Standard Naming

The Standard Naming command controls the layer, class, and viewport names used in a project. These names can be changed to a user-defined system other than the default VWArch naming system. Standards can be mapped for office-wide use or to convert an existing file to the office standard. This command can also be used to assign specific attributes to classes in standards, and to change the names of layers, viewports/views and classes in the current standard. The command does not create new layers, classes, or viewports/views.

If classes, layers, and viewports/views have not been set up according to VWArch standards, their names may not match the example layer and class names presented here.

To set the standard naming of layers, classes, and views:

1.	Select File > Document Settings > Standard Naming.

The Standard Naming dialog box opens. Select a naming standard for the file, and choose whether auto-classing should be enabled for objects.

 

Parameter	Description
Active Standard	Select the naming standard to apply to classes, design layers, sheet layers, viewports, and saved views
Details	Opens the Standard Naming Details dialog box; to edit the names for a custom standard (User 1, User 2, and User 3), the standard must be selected as the Active Standard first
Enable Auto-classing	Turns on Auto-classing for the file and automatically places auto-classing objects into pre-assigned classes; see Automatically Created Classes. If objects were already present in the drawing when auto-classing is enabled, choose whether existing objects should be auto-classed when exiting this dialog box.

2.	Click Details to edit custom class, layer, and viewport/view names.

The Standard Naming Details dialog box opens, displaying class names on the Classes tab. Select the Design Layers tab to display design layer names, and the Sheet Layers, VP, Saved Views tab to display the names for viewports and their associated sheet layers, or for saved views.

Using the reference list, verify the mapping of standard names. Custom naming can be specified for custom active standards by entering a new name for each layer, class, or viewport/view. If desired, class attributes can also be specified for each standard or custom class name. See The Attributes Palette

 

Parameter	Description
Reference Standard	Select a reference naming standard from the list; the relevant class, layer, or viewport/view names are displayed below. Each active entry in the list is mapped to its corresponding reference list entry. User 1, User 2, and User 3 are custom standards. More custom standards can be defined (see Creating Additional Custom Standards).
Active Standard	Displays the overall naming standard currently in effect for the file (selected in the initial Standard Naming dialog box)
Reference Standard List	Lists the reference standard names for the class, design layer, viewport/sheet layer, or saved view
Active Standard List	Lists the standard name currently in effect and mapped to the reference standard for the class, design layer, or viewport/sheet layer, or saved view
Description of class/layer/view	Describes the currently selected class, layer, viewport/sheet layer, or saved view in the list
Edit Class/Layer/View Name	When a custom active standard is selected (User 1, User 2 or User 3), enter the custom name for the currently selected class, layer, or viewport/view
Class Attributes (Classes tab only)	Sets the attributes of a selected class in the Active Standard list
Lines	Select the line style class attributes
Pen Color	Choose a pen color from the color box
Line Weight	Select the line weight
Line Style	Select the line style
Fills	Select the fill style class attributes
Fill Pattern	Select the fill pattern
Fill Fore Color	Choose a fill foreground color from the color box
Fill Back Color	Choose a fill background from the color box
Use at Creation	Applies the class attributes as the classed item is created

3.	When the desired class attributes have been specified, and, for custom standards, the standard names have been established, click OK.

4.

In the Standard Naming dialog box, click OK. If custom viewports exist in the drawing, you are prompted to run the Create Standard Viewports command again to update the viewports/views with the new naming standard, and update any new class attributes. If auto-classing was selected and objects had already been placed in the drawing, select whether to auto-class those existing objects.

Creating Additional Custom Standards

A custom naming standard can be created rather than using the VWArch or AIA/NCS standard. Although three layer, class, and viewport/view standards are available from within the Standard Naming dialog box (User 1, User 2 and User 3), up to ninety-nine can be created for layers, classes, and viewport/views by editing the ClassNameStds, LayerNameStds, and ViewNameStds worksheets. See Using Worksheets

To create a custom naming standard by worksheet:

1.	In a new file, select File > Document Settings > Standard Naming.

The Standard Naming dialog box opens.

2.	Without making any changes, click OK.

Three worksheets are created in the file, and are visible in the Resource Browser: ClassNameStds, LayerNameStds, and ViewNameStds.

3.	Select one of the worksheets from the Resource Browser. From the Resources menu, select Open.

The worksheet opens for editing.

4.	Highlight column D (User 1) and from the Worksheet menu select Insert > Columns. A new column is added in front of the selected one.

New columns must be inserted after the AIA/NCS column and before the Description or Pen Color column.

5.	Enter a name in cell D1 for the new standard.

6.	Enter a new standard name for each cell below D1.

Cells left blank in the ClassNameStds worksheet will be assigned to the “None” class. Cells left blank in the LayerNameStds worksheet will be assigned to the “Layer-None” layer. Blank cells are not permitted in the ViewNameStds worksheet; if a worksheet with blank viewport/view names is attempted for use in Standard Naming, an error message is displayed.

7.	The new standard is displayed in the Standard Naming dialog box.

To use these changes in other files, either save the file as a template to be used as the basis for new drawings, or import each worksheet into the other file before running the Standard Naming command.

Coarse and Fine Custom Standards

When creating custom standard naming, naming standards may contain fewer standard names (coarser) or additional standard names (finer).

A “coarser” custom standard names two or more of the standard class, layer, or view names with the same user-defined name. Except for auto-classing, this is an irreversible process.

For example, the classes Area-Main, Area-Patterns, and Area-Spec can be combined into a single class called Areas. All objects assigned to the original three classes are reassigned to Areas.

When custom standard naming changes are complete, additional information displays to confirm any actions to be taken, such as merging changed class names to eliminate duplicates.

A “finer” standard maps a single class, layer, or view name to multiple names. Mapping is required to define the standard naming change, and the Standard Naming - Mapping dialog box opens automatically.

For example, the A-FP# layer AIA standard corresponds to two VectorWorks Architect layer standards: Mod-Floor-# and Mod-Slab-#. If switching from the AIA standard to the VWArch standard, select the A-FP# layer from the list on the left and indicate the mapping for objects currently on the A-FP# layer by selecting the mapping layer on the right.

All objects assigned to the A-FP# layer are assigned to the Mod-Floor-# layer. Unmapped layers are not created.