DBUG> Layer Prefixes NCS compliant?

[Evan H. Shu, FAIA / Shu Associates Inc. <eshu@world.std.com>]

"Morris Stafford, AIA" wrote:
> 
> What about these silly NCS layer naming rules, I can just envision some GSA
> bureaucrat auditor who says I must remove all my prefixed layer names. Evan
> are you reading this? If I have to rename my layers, to suit the NCS, it
> rendering them useless in DCAD, and even more so with PLUS. Did I miss the
> part that makes prefixing layers OK?
> 
> Please, are you out there NCS people? fix it so I can sleep at night!

Hi Morris,

I'm not sure what it is about "prefixing layers" that is keeping you up at
night -- unless you mean that haven't upgraded to DataCAD 10 which allows
layering naming up to 88 characters and can still only name your layers up to
8 characters. 

If you are using DataCAD 9 or earlier (or else just don't want to bother with
NCS format layer names), you can still be NCS compliant by resorting to the
"metadata" provision that allows you to show a one to one correspondence
between your layer names and NCS format layer names in an area outside the
drawing sheet. If you have your own standard layers names, than you can do it
once, make a symbol or put it in your default, and then forget about it.

I'm afraid that you will still need to worry about those GSA bureaucrats
messing with you in any case because while the NCS is a voluntary standard, I
believe it is mandatory for GSA work. The NCS layer standard is in essence the
same as the long debated AIA layer standard, so this is as "fixed" as it is
going to get with only minor changes from here on.

Just the messenger . . . :)

Evan Shu