Hardscape Design

Note: The following catalog of content covered in this webinar is time stamped to allow you to follow along or skip to sections of the video that are relevant to your questions. You can also search for content on this page using the FIND command in your browser (CTRL + F in Windows, Command + F in Mac OS.)

• Intro/TOC
• Understanding Reference Notes (RefNotes)
• Organization Methods
• Adding Hardscape Items to Your Project
• Placing Hardscape Items in Your Design
• Schedule Options
• Spot Elevations

0:00 – 3:49: Intro/TOC

3:50 – 6:11: Understanding Reference Notes (RefNotes)

RefNotes provide a way to help keep site items organized in one location. (3:50)

Notation RefNotes (4:05)

Notation RefNotes can include:

• Single items
• Custom features
• General notes you want seen in the schedule but no quantity

Amenity RefNotes (4:33)

Amenity RefNotes can include:

• Site furniture
• Structures
• Play equipment
• Items to quantify

Length RefNotes (5:00)

Length RefNotes can include:

• Curbing
• Rails
• Fences
• Walls
• Wire

Area/Volume RefNotes (5:38)

Area/Volume RefNotes can include:

• Mulch
• Decomposed granite
• Pavers
• Concrete
• Gravel
• Pathways
• Rock beds

6:12 – 10:49: Organization Methods

Division options (6:26):

• Basic numbered note (6:35)
• CSI Division organized notes (6:47)
• One- or two-letter identifier (7:35)

RefNote organization is managed through each of your Preference Sets. (8:00)

CSI divisions, user fields, subdivisions, and field values (8:10)

Example of a RefNote in a schedule (10:04)

10:50 – 47:02: Adding Hardscape Items to Your Project

The importance of Xrefing your different plans into one main drawing (11:20)

Closing an area using the Boundary command (13:00)

Creating a conceptual plan (14:10)

Filling in hardscape areas using our Site Color tool (14:10)

Using Site Color to create a conceptual hardscape plan (15:20)

Applying color to blocks (18:45)

Excluding interior areas from a color or hatch by using the M key (23:50)

Adding RefNotes to a project (25:40)

The RefNote Manager (25:40)

Filtering for one RefNote type (26:00)

Filtering for one RefNote division (26:40)

Adding a Notation RefNote (27:50)

Adding an Amenity RefNote (29:00)

Adding a Length RefNote (30:18)

Setting a layer for a Length RefNote (31:00)

Assigning a detail to a RefNote (31:43)

Using the MCOPY command to bring an item from an Xref into the main drawing and assign it to a Length RefNote (32:35)

Converting a polyline into a linear object using our Railing tool (33:58)

Calling out a RefNote (34:48)

Calling out a RefNote from an Xref layer (37:36)

Question: Is it possible to edit the RefNote numbers? (38:22)

Answer: Absolutely. You can edit any RefNote and change its number and any other information. RefNotes are automatically assigned to the next available number within the division you assign to them. You can change the division and the number, and the callout for that RefNote will update automatically.

Adding an Area/Volume RefNote (40:05)

47:03 – 53:49: Placing Hardscape Items in Your Design

Using our Match Properties tool to replace a color or hatch in a concept plan with a RefNote (i.e., a smart object) (47:03)

Calling out RefNotes using our Site Callout tool (44:30)

The callouts will automatically recognize the RefNotes on the fly as you place them.

Turning a generic plan into a “smart” plan with Land F/X objects using our Edit Object tool (46:38)

Using our Highlight tool to highlight all instances of a RefNote block in a drawing (47:50)

Using our Verify Callouts tool to error check site callouts, making sure everything is called out correctly (48:47)

Using the Copy along Polyline tool to place a line of Amenity RefNote blocks along a polyline (49:38)

We’ve re-engineered this tool to offset the copied blocks from the polyline at the exact distance at which the original block was placed.

53:50 – 56:15: Schedule Options

Running a RefNotes Schedule by division  (54:14)

Placing a schedule, including quantities, costs, and symbols (54:44)

You can choose to include as many or as few of the available schedule options in your schedule.

Using our Color Render tool to create a color plan (55:30)

56:16 – end: Spot Elevations

Placing a Spot Elevation callout (56:18)

Callout style options (56:55)

Placing a Spot Elevation callout in relation to an existing one to mark a slope (Continue from Last option) (57:12)

Question: How would I apply color to stepping stones and other blocks? (59:20)

Answer: You can customize the source blocks using our Site Color tool. You can also add color to any block in a single drawing using Site Color.

Don’t have the Site Color tool on your ribbon? Follow our steps to download the latest ribbon. (1:01:00)