Callout Defaults and Options

Default Callout Properties

The default configuration for newly created callout views is defined within the Users Options. On the Display Tab in the Default Settings section is a Callouts button which opens a default callout view configuration. Edits to this control will modify the newly created callout view properties for that job. This configuration can also be saved as part of a template file.

Much like composing a photograph, the callout view defines the perspective on the job. In its simplest form, it sets the view orientation and zoom depth on the 3D objects shown in the graphics.

 

Callout Properties

Save Viewpoint

The Save Viewpoint button provides the operator the ability to redefine the saved view orientation and zoom depth used to display the features of interest. The initial view is saved when the callout is created and can be redefined at any time.

Lock Viewpoint

The Lock check box allows a user to lock the current view of the call- out so that the graphics cannot be rotated. This option also is helpful in more precisely defining the location of callouts relative to 3D objects. If you are working on monitors with different aspect ratios this option will ensure callouts are placed precisely on the viewing plane regardless of the proportions of the graphics. All other modes maintain the placement of callouts with respect to the placement on the screen.

 

Recall Working Frame

The Recall Working Frame checkbox allows the callout to set the working frame to a specified frame when the callout is activated. This can be helpful when reporting a section of the job relative to a particular coordinate frame. However, changing working frame will require a job recompute which can slow the display process.

 

Recall Visible Layers

The goal of the Recall Visible Layer option is to hide everything but the specific items you want to display when the callout is enabled. This visibility is defined as a layer which is named and saved in Layer Manager.

The idea is to have many callouts each with an independent layer or list of displayed items. So generally you will have 1 layer per callout, but you can also re-use an existing layer so the visibility does not need to be edited for all items in the job (with hundreds of objects, this can be handy) before adding a callout visibility layer. The idea is to select existing layers by name.

The Recall visible layers check box is used to turn on or off this mode.

The Add a new Layer button should build a new layer if a layer does not exist yet for the callout, saving the list of currently displayed items in the graphics when the layer is built.

The Update Current Layer button should be used to update the currently selected layer with any changes in visibility for the objects.

The Layer name field is used to identify the name of a layer to be re- called. This allows an existing layer to be referenced. But if a layer of that name does not exist it should not be applied until it is defined first.

 

Clipping Planes

Global graphical clipping planes provide a means to define a cut zone within the graphics and only display the items or objects within this zone. This can be a single plane definition or an entire cut cube or even combination of cubes as needed. These are defined from the home tab within the Display section or directly from within a Callout View. The advantage of linking them to a Callout is that activating the callout then can also activate the linked clipping definition.

 

Callout Styling

Default styling settings for each newly created callout are defined in the callout view. However each callout can be modified independently. These settings include:

 

 

 

Right-Click Callout Category Controls

Enable Scalable Callouts

An option exists within the right-click menu of the Callout category in the tree to Enable Scalable Callouts. This option makes it possible to ad- just the overall display size for all the callouts within a callout view. To do so right-click on the callout category in the tree and choose Enable Zoomable Callouts. Then within an active callout view, hover over one of the callouts and hold Ctr+Shift and use the mouse wheel to adjust the callout size as needed.

 

Right-Click View Specific Controls

Callout Anchor Point and Placement

The position of a callout can be edited by clicking on the callout and moving it while holding down the Left-mouse button. The leader line anchor point can also be adjusted on a reference object through the right-click menu option.

 

Callouts as Hyperlinks

Any callout can be set as a hyperlink. This provides the ability to add a graphic reference with a link to a pdf document for example. Or an image with the ability to run an MP.

To add a hyperlink to a callout:

  1. Right-click on the Callout and select Set Hyperlink

  1. Right-click on the reference line to Select Hyperlink Type. This defines the type of hyperlink to use and the reference to file of interest.

Once a hyperlink is set for a callout, the presence of a hyper link can be detected by hovering over the callout which will result in a tool tip display of an active link. To activate the callout’s hyperlink a user can double-click on the callout in the graphics.

Note that any reference files will need to have an extension that is associated with an application that can be used to display the file contents. For URLs, it will be necessary for MS Edge to have been installed.