Project documentation is a time consuming process, yet it is necessary, so it is useful to know a few tricks to make it a lot easier, faster and smoother. It’s simple when your view fits on a single sheet and you don’t need to think about its’ exact position on a sheet, but that isn’t always the case.
So what is the best way to split and place one view on two or more sheets?
First of all, make multiple copies of a view that are dependent on the primary view, which you want to place on a few sheets. For example, I will make two dependent copies of a plan view, because I want to place it on two sheets. As a result, dependent views will be grouped under the primary view.
Now, I can go to the primary view, make sure that “Show Crop Region” is enabled and customize crop regions for each dependent view. Crop regions of dependent views appear in dashed lines. I will also make them to overlap a bit.
I will also place a Matchline where the view is split. You can find it in View – Sheet Composition. You can customize the appearance of Matchlines by editing the line weight, color and pattern in the Object Styles dialog.
Finally, place the dependent views on separate sheets.
What if you want to make it smoothly merge, when the printed sheets (architectural posters), are put side by side?
In this case, I’ll make my dependent views’ crop regions to align instead of overlapping, hence I won’t use a Matchline.
Make sure that crop regions share the same height/width (depending on how you are going to place them on sheets) by viewing Crop Size.
Then, in your sheet view, enable Guide Grid in View -> Sheet Composition. You can create a custom grid or use the default one. Move the dependent views on desired positions on sheets according to Guide Grid lines. It is easy and convenient because Crop Region lines and Guide Grid lines snap.
As a result, dependent views merge, when put side by side.
This is especially useful for architectural as well as other posters, when you have to make a consonant composition of many views that should align or stretch through a few posters.
