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Question | Answer Note | Timestamp | Keywords/Categories | Note, Reference or URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction | Reminder of Slack program, Eric reminds all of the order he answers questions and how We Transfer & Dropbox easy ways to transfer files to Eric | 0:00:00 | Slack, We Transfer, Dropbox | bobrow.com/slack |
| In respect to ZONES, how to carry our Zone Category Colors to our associated schedules and/or ultimately to our excel sheets of area calculations | Eric doesn't think schedules can color coordinate to their respective zones; Zones have colors on plans (if you chose to show them), those based on the category; in 3D you can show them; he went to Scheme Settings & added a field to look if color could be shown on the schedule, and it doesn't work | 0:05:00 | zones, Scheme Settings, coloring zones, statics|schedules | |
| Tip: double click on divider to make cell on schedule wider/narrower to fit contents | 0:10:34 | schedule | ||
| How to add summation within a schedule category for area totals on the schedule (sub-category summation) | Eric described how the schedule works, the Field/Zones header categories in Scheme Settings and the Flags; Eric moved the categories within Field/Zones, then made sure to click the sum key next to Area to be able to summate a category, so every change in one part of the header gets its own summation, and then there's a total summation for the area. However, that means the total area can't get a summation. Eric suggests exporting it to Excel to do the calculations then importing as a PDF (and updating as needed); or make a separate schedule to track those sub summations; another option is to create a new element by duplicating the schedule and using different filters. | 0:11:03 | zones, summation, Scheme Settings|Field/Zones | |
| How to work in Presentation mode to avoid conflicts with hidden layers? | Eric talked about Layer Intersection Groups: he opened up Layers & manually made a change, then drew 2 intersecting walls, and put one wall on a different layer and hid that layer to show how even if you can't see the element, it still effects the element that is visible. In the Layer Dialog box Eric changed one of those layers to a different number in the Layer Intersection Group column. (Note: the numbers don't set priorities) If you want to have layers that don't interact, put them in different Layer Intersection Groups. Eric then showed how to use Layer Combinations | 0:19:43 | zones, Zone Presentation; Layer Intersection Groups, Layer Combinations | |
| How to keep details/elements/objects from automatically trying to "clean up" (i.e.. intersecting) | The example on hand was a railing next to a curved wall, Eric showed how putting the railing on a different Layer Intersection Group kept the curved wall as it was intended and the railing right next to it so they don't interact. | 0:27:15 | Layer Intersection Group | |
| Why does Material Changing to a higher priority not correct the problem of elements trying to interact | The walls are trying to intersect because they are so close. So it's best to put them on different Layer Intersection Groups | 0:34:36 | Layer Intersection Group | |
| What is the Junction Order number? | Junction Order: (in Wall Selection Settings) relates to 3 or 4 way intersections; i.e. when 2 ext. walls are coming together and a third wall, interior, is meeting there too, you can give that int. wall a lower Junction Number, so Archicad will let the 2 ext. walls meet then will look at the third wall to see how it relates | 0:36:00 | Junction Order | |
| Can I create a layer and have it automatically show on the 3D view? | Eric: when you create a new layer, it will be off on all Layer Combinations. You then select which Layer Combinations you want to see it in; In the View Settings (from your View, in View Map) select the Layer Combination for what you want to see. If you update the Layer Combination, you update all the views that refer to it. | 0:37:00 | Layer Combinations, new layer setup | |
| Best practice: A. Use Layer Combinations in all new view settings B. When you add new layers, make sure you carefully select what Layer Combination it should be Visible in. | 0:38:18 | Layer Combinations, new layer setup | ||
| How can we use the Zones for conceptual design, presentation / using zones to place elements more quickly | Use Magic Wand to select elements and adjust them | 0:38:49 | Magic Wand | |
| Can you chose the Display Order before placing an element | No, you can't. But you can adjust the Display Order after placing it. Eric went to the Default Display Order number on Graphisoft's website to show the default order. Keyboard shortcut to move forward or back: Option Up/Down Arrow | 0:41:35 | Display Order | Graphisoft KB article on Display Order: https://bit.ly/2DRtJ86 |
| What is keyboard shortcut for Display Order | Eric draw two fills and showed how to adjust by right-clicking the object. Eric showed how to view/create keyboard shortcuts by going to Options>Work Environment tab and selecting Keyboard Shortcuts | 0:44:44 | Display Order, Keyboard Shortcuts | |
| Eric showed using the cursor arrows for moving around the screen (having nothing selected and using arrows to nudge the view) for the snap view and grid view (View>Grid&Editing Plane options>Grids & Background to set spacing when nudging) | 0:49:13 | Arrow keys, Snap Grid, Nudge | ||
| Library items disappearing | Eric drew a door, then went to Document>Model View>Model View Options (allows you to change the way your element look on plan & 3D), he showed how on the different views you may or may not see details you thought you selected. Schematic View options often do not show all the details selected. The caller said she had the proper setup so Eric went to Door Selection Settings and in Model Attributes>Door Settings & Openings>3D Detail Level, he pointed to "by MVO" (Model View Options) where you can select By MVO, Full, Simplified, Schematic or Off. | 0:52:12 | Model View, Library Items, Model View Options, MVO | |
| Why are Elements disappearing | Eric mentioned checking library parts, layer visibility, renovation options, filter & cut Elements in 3D view, and the difference between Show Selection in 3D vs Show All in 3D | 0:58:14 | missing elements, layer visibility | |
| Note: when you have a file open in Archicad, it creates a separate file next to it, a .lck file. When it exists, Archicad will say it's in use by (name) and it will give you an option to Open with Exclusive Access. If you chose that it will throw the .lck file away and you have a copy of the plan. Make sure to coordinate changes with any one else who has copies of the plan. | 1:04:11 | Open with Exclusive Access, data safety, .lck files | ||
| Note: Cadimage Add-Ons, if you don't have them you can still elect to keep the data when opening a file, but won't have the same manipulation options as someone who does have it loaded. | 1:08:16 | Cadimage | ||
| How to expose existing cut planes so you can edit ones (not create a new one) | Cutaway (Eric noted this is a term he uses and uncertain if technical Archicad term): when you select an area with the marquee tool and view that selection in 3D. Cutting Plane: something that you can add. He described cutaways and cutting planes, how to turn off and on. He right-clicked a cutaway to select Redefine Current View Settings. So when you have a view you like, either redefine a current view setting or create a new view. So, when a particular view is active, go to floor plan and marquee the area you want to see in that view, then right-click and select Show Selection/Marquee in 3D | 1:11:10 | Cutting Places, Cutaways | |
| How to change one surface separate from other ones | see time stamp 1:35:45 | 1:20:37 | Complex Profile | |
| What controls the placement of a ceiling light fixture | Set elevation in element setting | 1:21:04 | Electrical Placement | |
| Is there a default height of Switch and Duplex Placement? | No | 1:22:03 | Switch and Duplex Placement | |
| Is wiring a manual process | Yes, spline tool common to draw 2D lines. For commercial projects, running cable trays and ducting, etc., there's a Graphisoft add-on called MEP Modeler and will do more visible components to coordinate the trays on. (Caller mentioned Cadimage tool handles that fine as well) | 1:23:09 | Wiring, Spline tool, MEP Modeler | |
| How to change a DEMO element to cleanup if it ends up remaining | It's a priority issue, adjust that. Using the callers example of a wood floor, Eric brought up the Building Materials dialog box and by drag & drop adjusted the priority of the element | 1:24:05 | DEMO element change, Priority, Building Material | |
| Tip: when you have a marquee drawn on a plan, it's useful to go to 3D to view it, but you can also modify the building of anything inside the marquee if you are on an element. If you are not on any element the you can adjust just the marquee by clicking and moving it to a new position | 1:28:53 | Marquee tool | ||
| How to adjust a wall that penetrates a roof eave and goes down into the house | Need to pull back wall skins to an appropriate point. 1. Set up offset modifiers (shown by a blue edge on the highlighted edges of the selected wall) so it can be pulled up or down. Right-click and select Edit Selected Composite/Profile and add a new modifier. 2. In the model view, use the pet palette to move the skins up or down to snap it to the proper place. 3. Use Pet Palette to adjust the roof edge.3. In the Profile adjust the surface so the area below the eave has the proper surface. 4. Eric then showed how to adjust the surface of the outer skin to show the proper surface | 1:35:45 | Offset modifier, Surfaces, Wall Skins | |
| How to make top surface look like the shingle / generally change surface profiles | Check Surface Profile for overrides; surfaces have orientations and reference lines, shingles orient toward roof line. To make a shingle roof go all the way to edge, you can make the surface one element and the structure/ornament support another | 1:54:25 | Surface profile, shingles, roof, | |
| How to differentiate a clone folder from a regular folder | In view map, clone folders have a little arrow on them | 2:02:07 | Clone folder | |
| Note: roofs (and slabs), while composites, are not complex profiles | 2:04:12 | Roof | ||
| How to set the dimension tool to round off to 5 | Eric doesn’t think so, and showed how to set the Project Preferences>Dimensions make adjustments; mentioned you can manually adjust the dimension | 2:13:04 | Dimension roundoff | |
| How to configuring/create zones when Archicad can't find the enclosure | Use zone tool and option to automatically find the boundaries. If there is a gap, use the line tool to 'fill' the gap. There is an option to select Zone Boundary. That line can be on any layer and not shown, it just needs to exist, even after zone created. | 2:21:07 | Zones, zone boundary | |
| Note: a caller set up the USA tag zone, set it up for metric as it "appears to be an 'open' version", set it us in #resource-sharing on Slack | 2:29:01 | USA zone tag | ||
| How to put in a road that loops using slab tool | Eric described the mesh settings for the caller's plan, went through the elevations and story settings, and mesh point heights, model ridges. He then used the slab tool to draw the road and described how to get the road to follow the terrain using the Solid Element Operation dialog box, noting the quickness of the tool but also it's limitations. | 2:33:46 | Mesh, Road, Slab tool, Solid Element Operation | |
| How to show two line weights (existing & addition) on siding, while keeping building outline in a darker line weight | Eric noted you can't make them look very different in 3D view. In the Elevation view, he went to Options>Surfaces and changed the Element Pen weight (under Vectoral Hatching) for the addition, then went to the Graphic Override to allow the existing siding line weight to be different from the addition; another option would be to have two surfaces, one with lighter lines | 2:53:10 | line weights, Element Pen weights, Graphic Overrides | |
| How to create a custom panel that can be referenced using the railing tool. | Eric selected the custom window and changed it to a morph. The he drew a railing then opened Railing Selection Settings to modify the properties to match what the emailer created (emailer used wall & window tools). He went back to morph and saved it as a custom panel (File>Libraries and Objects>Save Selection As...>Railing Panel), so it made a copy of that morph that will go into the embedded library. He went back into the Railing Selection Settings and added the custom panel into the railing. | 3:12:58 | Custom Panel, Railing tool | question introduced at 3:12:58, but not answered until 3:19:50 (Eric spent some time opening the file and looking around to understand the plan as the question came from email, not a caller) |
| How to put a door in a niche | Eric showed how to create a niche and insert a window or door in it | 3:37:10 | Niche, Door | |
| How to add a non-uniform shape around a door/window | Eric opened the jpeg in Photoshop, cropped the shape, removed the background white to be transparent, then saved the custom shape as a .png file (jpegs only work in rectangles). Eric placed that external image into Archicad by loading into the Embedded Library. He showed how to make that image as a surface as well. | 3:49:45 | Non-uniform shape |
Coaching call indexed by Julie Z. Caliri