topic Re: ArchiCAD layer? What for? in Project data & BIM

ArchiCAD layer? What for?

Anonymous — Tue, 30 May 2023 10:53:41 GMT

I've been happily working in ArchiCAD for over 10 years. Today, a few objects unexpectedly showed up on a floor plan print, and I quickly saw that someone had made revisions to another sheet, but accidentally put a few elements on the ArchiCAD layer, thus contaminating each plan.

It occurred to me that a) this has been an ongoing nuisance over the years; and b) I don't know what the ArchiCAD layer is for.

Can someone help me feel better about this? Is there a smart way to put it to use?

In our office, the general rule is that nothing goes on the ArchiCAD layer. The rule would be easy to implement if I could turn it off. Even easier if it wasn't there. (An additional frustration is that the layer dialog suggests I can lock or make invisible the ArchiCAD layer. I can't do that, can I?).

Re: ArchiCAD layer? What for?

Anonymous — Fri, 16 May 2008 16:30:51 GMT

hello,

the devil's advocate would say "there is a programming C# trick behind"
cheers
Jean-Luc

PS:

I found somewhere

Additional Points
- The layer entitled ‘ArchiCAD Layer’ is a default layer and can’t be deleted or
turned off. It is suggested you keep this in mind when drawing.

Re: ArchiCAD layer? What for?

Anonymous — Fri, 16 May 2008 17:14:02 GMT

I tend to put anything on the master drawings (titleblock, logos etc) on the ArchiCAD layer, so I can guarantee it doesn't get turned off.

I also sometimes use it to put elements on temporarily when copying and pasting to avoid layer contamination.

It is also the only layer that gets left if you delete all the others (for whatever reason!) as all elements need to be associated with some kind of layer.

Re: ArchiCAD layer? What for?

Anonymous — Fri, 16 May 2008 19:06:33 GMT

in addition to be always visible, it can't be locked

Re: ArchiCAD layer? What for?

David Larrew — Fri, 16 May 2008 21:19:18 GMT

But if you are planning to use Teamwork stay away from using the ArchiCAD Layer because you cannot add this into your Workspace. This means you will not be able to edit anything on this layer unless you have "Exclusive Access".

Re: ArchiCAD layer? What for?

TomWaltz — Fri, 16 May 2008 22:35:44 GMT

I tend to place viewports on layouts on it and draw all my details or 2D information for sections/elevations on the Archicad layer.

In Teamwork, all of the above are shared view-by-view, so it does not hurt to have them on the Archicad layer like it would on a plan.

Re: ArchiCAD layer? What for?

Anonymous — Wed, 21 May 2008 13:43:23 GMT

So, it seems like putting titleblock info, which you would never want to be invisible is a good candidate for ArchiCAD layer. But that is relevant only from v10 and later.

I'm suprised the responses are so vague and uninspired. I was sure I didn't get something that made the ArchiCAD layer somehow critical to the ArchiCAD experience. All those years, and Graphisoft didn't have a clear recommendation for its use? Just a niggly little thing to make sure there was always a layer present? Seems odd.

Thanks for weighing in, everyone.