Introduction

HDC offers various functions that allow user to handle grouped objects situations. This guide describes how to use different configuration options to achieve desired results on a specific example. 

To name just a few possible use cases, such grouped objects can be used to represent:

• Rental unit that contains multiple Apartments objects

• Apartments or Rental Unit that consist of multiple Spaces

• Any organizational unit that should group Spaces or other objects represented on the drawing

Configuration and usage

 To be able to use this functionality, several configuration steps must be completed. For easier understanding, this guide will operate on specific example: Rental Units that group Spaces.

HDC flexibility allows for many different ways of arranging such objects to suite user needs.

Typical structure in that case would represent Property with Buildings, Floors and Spaces. This already is a type of grouping on it's own. 

Basic functionality for directly linked objects

Let's take a look how those base objects are organized:

Open

The indicated object Rum: 1 is linked to a vector element on the drawing that we refer to as Spot. When the Viewer is in it's default Select mode, popup properties window will show metadata for this linked object.

This is direct link and we can consider this specific element to be a graphical representation of the object "Rum: 1" 

Viewing object shown on the above screen shot is possible in this specific manner thanks to concept called (no) Perspektiver. That simply means that HDC is configured to show specific objects (depending on their class) and skip others that are not relevant to our current needs. 

Having our objects and links in place, we can also create a HOPA call - a smart API call that will return an image representing our object of interest:

Result of this call would be:

Open

Creating additional links to obtain logical grouping

Lets assume we want to add Rental Units objects on Building level.

First, we need to extent our Perspective Set to include allow us to create Rental Units under Building:

Now, we can add new Rental Units under Building:

Now, when we select Rental Unit in tree view, we want to see all member rooms in a grid view.

First we have to change a Perspective Set definition that is used in a Grid View. We will use perspective set called "All" that will both show Rental Units for building, and spaces for Renatl Units.

When target classes are added, we can now group spaces under Rental Units. To do so, follow these steps:

1) From the Tree View select a number of spaces that you want to group, right click and select Copy Links

2)  Select Rental Unit in the tree view, on the top toolbar in the Grid View select Paste Links.

Remember, to select appropriate Perspective, as otherwise objects will not be shown. 

So far we have achieved the following situation: We have a main structure of building with Rooms that have their representation on the drawing.

Additionally, we have Rental Units, that contain selected Rooms. When the Room is selected in the grid view, where you can also inspect full metadata, Viewer will automatically show corresponding drawing and Room location.  This grouping is no different to grouping Rooms under Floor. We want to see entire Rental Unit marked on the drawing and we want the drawing to represent Rental Units, not individual Rooms. In order to achieve that, we need to instruct Viewer how to display Rental Units, by defining Viewer Perspective Set.

Ungrouping (unlinking) objects

Unlink operation can be used to remove specific object from a given group. In our sample case, simply select Rental Unit to reveal Room members, check Room that is no longer needed as a memeber of this Rental Unit, and select Unlink function.

When the Room is selected, Viewer will give you a visial clue on what Room is being removed. 

Viewer Perspective Set

 Viewer perspective Set is exactly the same type of set as used by other Tesslets. It will simply instruct Viewer how to show other types of objects that are not directly linked to Spots. 

As described at the beginning, it's "easy" to show Room, as it has direct links to spots on drawing. Rental Units do not have their representation on the drawing, but they contain Rooms that do have Spots linked.

In that case our Perspective Set for Viewer would simply be: Rental Unit → Room. We will create a new Perspective Set called "Viewer" and assign it to Viewer Tesselet by using Layout Manager. ((no) Oppsett)

Having all details set, now we can select Building and expect Rental Units to be listed in the Grid View. By selecting Rental Unit, we can expect Viewer to show this Rental Unit as one object:

HOPA Smart API calls for Grouped Objects

HOPA calls for grouped objects work exactly the same as for any other object. The only additional requirement is to provide perspective set ID that is needed to instruct HDC how to show this specific class of objects. 

Using Indirect Perspectives with Grouped Objects

< coming soon >

Using Presentation filters with Grouped Objects

< coming soon >