I need to beam complex P&IDs for client viewing. The drawings are in AutoCAD2012. I find it difficult to zoom and pan to the desired place. Beaming individual component P&IDs is also not an option as the client usually wants to see the enitre layout first. The entire layout, when beamed is unreadable without zooming. I was hoping for a solution similar to drilling down in databases (clubbing of data when we at the top levels and then the ability to view details when clicking on a particular cell); where only the important lines and symbols are shown at the top levels so that they can clearly be seen on beaming. Thanks a lot for your help :)

What do you mean "beam" P&IDs for viewing?  I do not recognize the term.

Hello Tasneemkaka, is it a problem of P&D design or a problem of showing a zoom on a file; are you using the paper space and viewports ? 

The client, he says, needs to see the whole layout first which means that the full P&ID is shown on the first sheet and a "blow-up" or enlarged "detail" of individual sections of the P&ID be depicted on subsequent sheets.The suggestion to use paper space layouts and viewports would seem to be the best solution in this case.

Why not plot the entire P&ID in a single viewport and then plot it to a DWF.  Make sure all the layers are included.  A DWF will give the client the ability to zoom without losing resolution and to turn layers on and off as they may need to.Autodesk Design Review is the program needed to view DWF files and it's free to download and use.Dave.

I think it might be a problem of not using layers properly. The client wants all components listed in the tender to be visible on the P&ID (when he desires to see them). I had not been using paper space and viewports. Will try doing that. Thanks a lot for your help :)

beam - project them on a screen for everyone's viewing

Now that you have used the correct terminology (project) I understand.

When you were doing this before it appears you were projecting (beaming was a new term to me too) the drawing from Model space with all panning and zooming done manually.  Or were you using custom Views?  If not, views would be another option.  Views retain layer states so you could not only quickly move from one area to another but you would be able to customize the look by having different layers on or off for each.The other option would be to simply create scaled, custom views in paper space and then move between them in a presentation.  In either case if you don't know exactly what the client wants to see, or how, you'll most likely end up panning and zooming manually anyway.Dave.

You could go "old school" and create a slide show and use a script file to automatically project the slides at a predetermined time interval.