topic Edit 2d-symbol of created object in GDL

Edit 2d-symbol of created object

Anonymous — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 11:05:36 GMT

Hi!

I'm trying to create my own library object based on a morph cube. It's just a very simple object that should be a displayed as a cube in 3D and elevation but in plan I want it to show as a lamp symbol.

How do I edit the symbol visible in plan?

Re: Edit 2d-symbol of created object

matjashka — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 14:39:50 GMT

kruskakli, welcome to the forums.

Each object in ArchiCAD has two separate types of plan view -- one is a 2D script, and the other is a 2D symbol, which is used if 2D script is missing (in a simple case, but they can be used together).

To edit either of them, you first have to open your GDL object for editing (place it on your plan, select it and File > Libraries and Objects > Open Object.
In your case, you may delete the 2D script completely, then click the 2D Symbol button for editing and draw your symbol at correct size and orientation, using fills, lines and circles.

One thing to keep in mind: origin. Your 2D symbol position must match the position of the content generated by 3D script (by default, the lower left corner of bounding box).

If you need something more advanced, please ask.

Re: Edit 2d-symbol of created object

Anonymous — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 13:25:03 GMT

Thanks a lot! It worked perfectly!

Re: Edit 2d-symbol of created object

matjashka — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 14:01:51 GMT

You're welcome.
Once you get comfortable with creating objects, you may want to learn how to make them work better for you:

1) create and save your 3D parts in a way that the object's insertion point is located at 0,0,0 and then commenting out the ADD* commands that are automatically inserted by ArchiCAD (ADD commands move things in x,y,z)
2) add hotspots in 2D script and/or 2D symbol for more custom snap points than the bounding box
3) using the fragment2 command in 2D script to take advantage of the 16 layers that are built into each 2D symbol, so you can turn them on and off to get different looks from the same object.

The fun part of 2D symbols is that you can edit them just like you normally draft in ArchiCAD

Re: Edit 2d-symbol of created object

Anonymous — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 18:23:31 GMT

Hello,

thanks a lot for your help.

Could you help me to edit the 2D Symbol so that the symbol doesn't scale if I edit the element's dimensions?

Re: Edit 2d-symbol of created object

matjashka — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 18:57:13 GMT

Open the object for editing. Under Details, click the Compatibility Options button and make sure "Store fixed values" is checked and also "Fit size to 2D Symbol".

EDIT: Actually, I'd be careful with the "fit size" option if your 2D symbol is different than 3D. It's best to only use it if all you need is a 2D symbol. I'm not sure which one is your case. One useful thing I do is hiding A, B and ZZYZX for the object so that it's obvious that the size is not supposed to be changed.

Re: Edit 2d-symbol of created object

ananas — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 14:04:36 GMT

Hello everyone!

I am joining the existing topic regarding editing 2d objects. I use Archicad 23 and followed this tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXvseqFBcH4 and changed the 2d Symbol as in the tutorial. I don't see the lines in 2D after saving the object though.

Does anyone know why?

Thank you for your help

Re: Edit 2d-symbol of created object

Barry Kelly — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 01:00:47 GMT

There was a time when that used to work.

I think something has changed over time.

When you open your script and delete all of the 2D script, add the following command.

FRAGMENT2 1, 0

This will force it to show what is drawn in layer 1 of the 2D symbol.

There are actually 16 layers that you can draw in (just press CTRL+L when in the 2D symbol editor window and you will see the layer list).

With a little more GDL coding you cans actually create an object that can have up to 16 different 2D views - ideal for plants.

But then we start diving the depths of GDL coding.

Barry.

Re: Edit 2d-symbol of created object

ananas — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 07:58:55 GMT

Thank you, that works!! 🙂 Do you maybe also know how to change it in 2D elevation/side view? Because when I change and I click on side 2D view, I see the same as in the floorplan

Re: Edit 2d-symbol of created object

Lingwisyer — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 08:34:42 GMT

You would need to draw your side view on another layer, then add a conditional statement to check what view you are in as to which layer gets shown by your fragment command. Though I am not sure how GLOB_VIEW_TYPE works with symbols placed directly in a view generated from 3D...

Re: Edit 2d-symbol of created object

ananas — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 21:17:55 GMT

Hi, thank you for answering, but I didn't manage to make it work.

But does this maybe works in Archicad 25? if yes, then I wouldn´t waste too much time more in the 23 version, since I plan to update it soon 🙂

Re: Edit 2d-symbol of created object

Barry Kelly — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 00:57:33 GMT

It will be the same in any version.

As I mentioned before, there are 16 layers for your own 2D displays.

Switching between them will require some GDL coding.

It could be as simple as adding a parameter asking the user to choose between plan and elevation.

Then if plan show fragment layer 1 , if elevation show fragment layer 2.

Or as Ling suggested, it could be automated by GLOB_VIEW_TYPE.

Then when you place it in plan it will show fragment layer 1 and when used in elevation or section it will use fragment layer 2.

It can get more complicated than that as you may want multiple (different) plan and/or elevation symbols.

I think I would just use option 1.

You may find some tree/shrub 2D objects already set up this way in the default library as an example.

Or as a third option - which is the simplest, just create separate objects for your plan and elevation views.

Use the same FRAGMENT2 command looking for layer 1.

Then when you are in the plan, you place a plan object.

When in elevation/section you place the elevation object.

No GDL coding required except for the FRAGMENT2 command.

Barry.

Re: Edit 2d-symbol of created object

ananas — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 03:55:29 GMT

Thank you for your explanation!

Re: Edit 2d-symbol of created object

Dinh Ngoc Danh — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 13:08:12 GMT

sir, can you share a tutorial video about this? i try a lot but it doesn't work, thank you very much

Re: Edit 2d-symbol of created object

Barry Kelly — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 01:31:37 GMT

I can do it in just one picture.

In your '2D Symbol' you can draw or add images in 16 layers (CTRL+L is the shortcut to turn layers on/off.

Then in the 2D script you use 'FRAGMENT2, layer, 0' to use a particular layer.

Simple IF statements can control what you want the user to show.

Barry.

Re: Edit 2d-symbol of created object

ananas — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 10:49:52 GMT

Hi Barry!

Thank you very much for your answer!

I tried, but it didn´t work out. Do you maybe have time to check, where did I do a mistake?

Thank you, thank you!

Re: Edit 2d-symbol of created object

Barry Kelly — Sun, 18 Dec 2022 05:59:40 GMT

From the video, it appears that you did not complete the 2D script properly.

Barry.

Re: Edit 2d-symbol of created object

ananas — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 16:21:02 GMT

Hi Barry,

Thank you. but I actually still get the same error. I get a positive message when I check the script but an error, when i save the object.

I think it wouldn´t hurt if I check the manual about GDL coding myself a bit 🙂

Re: Edit 2d-symbol of created object

Barry Kelly — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 02:55:31 GMT

It looks like you have spelt ENDIF incorrectly.

Barry.

Re: Edit 2d-symbol of created object

Chris Pooley — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 05:04:21 GMT

Hi Barry,

How does this work? Do you create parameters to change between the fragments? If so, what parameter type do you create? I have tried the Boolean and I keep getting script errors, when I use the text type the object disappears.

Or do you use another method to change between the layers of the object when using it in the plan? e.g. edit each object placed and then save as a new object? So you can only have 1 instance of the object place per project?

Thank you,