Title block template

These templates will allow you to add a new sheet size to a drawing almost instantly, as opposed to creating layout sheets from scratch each time you need them. You most likely won't need to include a sheet for every possible layout size in every one your drawings. However, you will absolutely want to have the ability to bring in each commonly used layout size, along with the correct title block, in case you need it.

Landscape architects typically plot on byinch or A1 sheets, and the majority of your plotting may very well be in this size. However, different disciplines and different stages of the design process will all but inevitably require you to plot at a different size.

For example, engineers and architects often work in byinch or A0 in order to show a larger area or greater detail on a plotted page. If you ever work with people in these disciplines which is highly likely , you'll need the ability to plot in this size — and more importantly, maintain the correct scale of your drawing. Then, later in the design process, you might need to do a change order for a portion of your plan. In this case, it wouldn't make sense to provide a revised version of the entire drawing.

Instead, you'd generally provide a printout of just the portion of the plan that required the change order. This is where the by A3 and 8. Different situations will require different layout sizes.

When those situations arise, you'll be happy you have a template for each of the layout sizes. You'll bring in that template, update the title block, and be ready to go. Open a new drawing using your blank drawing template in the appropriate units , and select one of the Layout tabs.

Right-click the same Layout tab. Then select Page Setup Manager from the menu that opens. Select a Paper size for the layout.

We'll create a byinch layout in this example. Select a Plot style table , such as LFX. We recommend checking the first four of the five boxes beneath Plot options. You've now created your layout template for the size you selected. Save this file as a DWT, and include the sheet size in the file name. It's now time to bring in the title block template for the same layout size as the layout template you've just created. Each of your layout sizes will need to include a title block that provides information such as firm name, client and project name, date, and sheet title.

You'll create your title block template right in the layout drawing you've just created. At this point, you can either draw your title block into your layout template or bring in an existing one. If you have a standard title block your office already uses, you can copy and paste it into this layout drawing.

Select all elements of the title block you'd like to bring over. With these items selected, right-click and select Clipboard from the menu that opens. These templates include already-created title blocks, which you're free to use.

We offer four templates, depending on the units you plan to use:. If one of these templates meets your needs, or at least comes close, you can use it as your template.

Click the title block to select it, then drag the pick points at the corners until the title block is the size you want. If your title block doesn't fit within the layout page borders the white dotted lines shown above , it will not plot properly.

When creating your title block, we recommend drawing two small intersecting lines on a non-plot layer in one of the corners see the image to the right. These lines will provide a point you can snap to when placing the title block in a sheet, ensuring that you are placing it in the correct location each time.

You now have a choice as to how you will create your title block template — and consequently, how you will bring it into drawings in the future. You'll then bring it in as an External Reference Xref when you need to place it in a sheet. This method takes a little bit more time than the Save Block method see Option 2 below , but it will save you a lot of time in the future. The Command line will prompt you to Select Objects. Select the entire title block. Zoom in to the bottom right corner of the selected title block, and deselect all information that will vary frequently on different sheets where you place your title block.

This includes:. To deselect these items, hold down the Shift key while clicking them. Click the " We recommend saving it within the same file system where you normally save your CAD drawings. Your layout template will now contain only the information you deselected, allowing you to change it on your sheet template for each drawing.

Save your layout template again. Now, when you Xref your layout template into a drawing, any changes you make to the information pictured above will be effected on all sheets in that drawing.

You can also use Architectural Metric if you so wish. If you want to work on your own drawing, go over to the Model Tab by clicking the Model tab at the bottom left corner of the screen. Click and drag to create a Viewport. Having done that, you should see something like Figure 8. Pan and Zoom your Model as necessary.

For fields to work, certain properties have to be pre-established, such as your name. There is a whole host of options in there. In the bottom left corner of your Title Block, you will notice 4 grey dashes. The 4 dashes will be replaced with your name. To rectify this, double-click the date. A new Tab called Text Editor will open in the Ribbon.

Click on the Field icon in the Insert panel to open the Field Window. Under Field n ames, click SystemVariable. Next click date from the options showing in the middle column and finally select the date format that you would like from the right-hand column.

Finally, click OK. To remove that highlight it and hit backspace key to delete it. Leave the text dialogue. You may have to use the REA command for the new date to show, but from now on, anytime you run the REA command, that Date field we have created will update to show the correct date.

You will notice the Date on the bottom right of the Title Block is just 4 dashes. Double-clicking on that will cause a window called the Enhanced Attribute Editor to appear. Double-click the two blocks circled in red in Figure 15 and the Field Window will open again.

Now you can insert the date field using the same technique as we used above. For the Scale Field to update, we have to designate a Viewport Scale.

The Field window will open up, but it will look a little different this time. Click the icon circled in red in Figure 17 , and then click the border of the Viewport.

Now there are options under P r operty. You will notice the grey boxes that highlight fields. For multipage plans, we would use sheet set manager for page numbers. However, since we are only dealing with one sheet we will insert the Sheet Number manually. NB: The next few instructions need to be followed very carefully to avoid the numbers looking very strange. Next, double-click the borderline where it is circled in Figure 20 below.

Be as precise as you can. The click needs to be on the right edge of the borderline. The box shown in Figure 21 will appear. You can alter the Sheet Number. You can also alter other variables here as well if you would like.

Figure Remember the Custom Tab we talked about in the beginning of the tutorial? Open up the Drawing Properties window, click the Custom tab, click Add , and type as shown in Figure Above those 2 fields, there is a Field with the File Name of the drawing. For this example, we want this to show the Drawing Number instead. All you have to do is double-click that text, erase it, type Drawing No. Select the options in the Field window that are shown in Figure 24 , click OK, and then leave the text dialogue box.

You might be thinking that typing in fields manually is faster than using fields. It is in the very short-term, however, as time passes things like the room area, scale, date etc will all change. There we have it, a good introduction to Creating Title blocks with Fields. If you have questions related to this article let me know in the comments below. Hi Ben, I created my template with custom properties and then added the related fields on to my title block and saved it as a template.