SSM Untold: Accessing saved views from the AutoCAD Sheet Set Manager

Edwin Prakoso

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Accessing saved views from the sheet set manager pallette.

The AutoCAD Sheet Set Manager is probably is an overlooked feature in AutoCAD. I listed that there are 7 benefits of AutoCAD Sheet Sets that you can get by using it.

Like many other AutoCAD features, you can use it for other purpose as well. If you use AutoCAD saved views, then you will like this one. You can use it to open saved views in your drawing files.

About Saved Views

If you often to view a specific location in your drawing, you can save it to a saved view. You don’t need to zoom and pan repeatedly to see it. The great thing about saved view is it also save your layer visibility and visual styles.

If you are not familiar with creating a saved view, you can read how to create it here.

You can access the saved views from View tab> Views panel.

The AutoCAD saved Views panel

So why would we use AutoCAD Sheet Set Manager to open the views?The advantage of using Sheet Set Manager (SSM) is, you can access saved views in other drawing file. Even if you haven’t opened it yet.

In views panel, you can only see saved views in current drawing.

Let’s see how we can use SSM to access saved views.

Creating Sheet Set

To use SSM, you have to open a Sheet Set. The good thing about this is, you can create different Sheet Set for different project. It allows you to quickly find a saved view that only relates to a particular project.

Before it confuse you, let’s try to create a Sheet Set.

In AutoCAD, type SSM then press enter. In Sheet Set Manager, click the down arrow next to Open…

Choose New Sheet Set…

Creating a new AutoCAD sheet set

You will see a wizard to create this Sheet Set.

In the first page, choose An Example Sheet Set then click Next.

Create a sheet set from an existing sheet set

In the second page, choose New Sheet Set then click Next.

Creating a new – blank sheet set

Fill the Sheet Set name, description and the file location in third page.

Click Next.

naming your AutoCAD sheet set

Adding Location

In this post, we only use AutoCAD Sheet Set Manager to access our saved views. So let’s not worry about all other settings. We will only add file locations.

On Sheet Set Manager, click Model Views tab. In the palette, double click Add New Location…

Adding a location for model files in the AutoCAD Sheet set manager

Browse to the folder where you save your drawings then click open.

You may want to create separate Sheet Set for each projects. So in this Sheet Set, just add the folder of a project. You only need to add the main folder location. All sub folders will be added under the main folder.

A list of model space locations in the AutoCAd sheet set manager browser

Now expand the folders and expand your drawing. If your drawing has saved views, you will see them in the Sheet Set Manager.

Browsing for save model space views in the AutoCAD sheet set manager

Double click the view that you want to see. If the saved view is in the current drawing, it will zoom and center the view.

If the file is not opened yet, AutoCAD will open it for you. Then show you the view.

I found this is a useful way to find a drawing quickly. We often have many drawings in a single DWG file, and forget in which DWG file we saved it.

So – What do you think? How will YOU use this Sheet set manager tip?

Edwin Prakoso

I work as an Application Engineer in Jakarta, Indonesia. I’ve been using AutoCAD since R14 and Revit since Revit Building 9. I occasionally write for AUGIWorld magazine and also active in Autodesk discussion forum.
I’m certified as Revit Architecture 2014 and AutoCAD 2014 certified professional.

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