topic Re: Basic GDL in Libraries & objects

Basic GDL

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:46:28 GMT

Hello,

I am working on learning some basic GDL skills and had a question. I would like to edit the existing IE Marker to look more like our office specific markers. The triangular marker that comes with Archicad is close but I would like to stretch the bottom corners of the triangle to flatten it out a bit. see attached. I've been able to get in and play around with the object but can't seem to find a way to stretch it. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance

Re: Basic GDL

TomWaltz — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 21:24:39 GMT

Without looking, Id guess you're looking for a Poly2 statement to modify.

What have you tried so far?

Re: Basic GDL

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:00:36 GMT

Thanks for the reply Tom. At this point I have opened up the object and played around with all the settings under parameters. I'm able to get the colors and text the way I need but cant find any properties to stretch the symbol. Also I've looked at the Master Script but really not sure about it.

I'm just getting into GDL so excuse the lack of knowledge here.

Re: Basic GDL

Erich — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:53:35 GMT

jorgec,

Open the marker, then open the macro "Section-Elevation Marker Macro"

In the 2D script look for the following:

if GS_Type70 = 2 then
fillFrame = 5 + 2 * gs_backfill ! 5 / 7
fillType = gs_backfill_type
fillPen = gs_backfill_pen_fg
fillBackPen = gs_backfill_pen_bg
endif
if GS_Type70 = 3 then
fillFrame = 7
fillType = AC_MarkerFill
fillPen = SYMB_VIEW_PEN
fillBackPen = -1
endif

fill fillType

poly2_b 3, fillFrame, fillPen, fillBackPen,
-AC_MarkerSize * 0.5, 0, 1,
AC_MarkerSize * 0.5, 0, 1,
0, AC_MarkerSize, 1
add2 -AC_MarkerSize * 0.8, 0
endif if GS_Type70 = 2 or GS_Type70 = 3 then ! triangles

As Tom suggested you want to edit the poly2_b{3} statement. Without trying it, it looks like you merely need ot change the multiplier for the AC_MarekerSize variable. You will not find anything to do this in the parameter settings.

HTH

Re: Basic GDL

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 01:57:17 GMT

I was just trying the same thing the other day. Are you talking about the "Section-Elevation Marker Macro" the master script calls? How do you open it?

Re: Basic GDL

Erich — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:27:00 GMT

dmn,

To open the macro, select the part, then open it:

File > Libraries and Objects > Open Object

Look in the Master Script for the text "Section-Elevation Marker Macro" and select it (without the quotes). Then, with the text selected go to the File menu and open the object again - the same steps as above but this time the text is selected rather than an object in the .pln. This action will open the macro.

Beware that you only make changes to a copy of the part rather than the original. That way if you mess it up you still have the original to go back to. Also, any future library update will not overwrite your changes.

HTH

Re: Basic GDL

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 03:30:19 GMT

Erich,

Thanks, I will try it first thing tomorrow morning. I will let you know if I get it.

Thanks for the help.

Re: Basic GDL

Erich — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 04:22:47 GMT

jorgec,

I think I identified the correct section of the code, but I did not test it. You should be able to check yourself by commenting out the section and seeing what happens.

Good luck.

Re: Basic GDL

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:37:43 GMT

Erich, this is what I found. doesn;t match yours exactly but it's close. Is this correct? I tried what you suggested but I can't seem to get the changes to take affect.

if GS_Type70 = 2 or GS_Type70 = 3 then ! triangles
if GS_Type70 = 2 then
fillFrame = 5 + 2 * gs_backfill ! 5 / 7
fillType = gs_backfill_type
fillPen = gs_backfill_pen_fg
fillBackPen = gs_backfill_pen_bg
endif
if GS_Type70 = 3 then
fillFrame = 7
fillType = AC_MarkerFill
fillPen = SYMB_VIEW_PEN
fillBackPen = -1
endif

fill fillType

poly2_b 3, fillFrame, fillPen, fillBackPen,
-AC_MarkerSize * 0.5, 1, 1,
AC_MarkerSize * 0.5, 1, 1,
0, AC_MarkerSize, 1
add2 -AC_MarkerSize * 0.8, 0
endif

Re: Basic GDL

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 19:02:32 GMT

Erich,

After I make the changes I am not able to load the new object. When I go to the Interior Elevation tool and try to search for another marker the ones I've saved do not show up.

I must be doing something wrong but can't pinpoint it.

Thanks for all your help.

Re: Basic GDL

Erich — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:53:04 GMT

jorgec,

You will need to save the macro as a separate file as well as the file for the marker that you initially opened. In that newly saved version of the initial file, you will need to change the call to refer to your altered macro.

Re: Basic GDL

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:59:09 GMT

Erich,

It worked . I just need to fudge with it a little bit to make it perfect.

Thanks for all the help.

Re: Basic GDL

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:39:56 GMT

I got it too. It confused me at first, but then I realized "AC_Markersize" is the paramater you use to define the scale of the marker, so you just change the multipliers to change the size.

While you're in there, you can look for the line "Separator " "" (the one with space between the qoutes) and insert a /. This will give you "DrgID/LayID"

Re: Basic GDL

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:43:21 GMT

Nice, I will try that. I am now looking to see if I can place the text below the marker rather than next to it. For some reason when I place the marker the symbol does not point in the right direction.

I'm getting there though.

Re: Basic GDL

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:00:23 GMT

For me it was at line 188, and you want the one after the else statement.

Re: Basic GDL

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:08:43 GMT

that worked. now I just need to resolve the location of the text and how to get it to place properly.

Re: Basic GDL

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:28:35 GMT

You don't need to. Go ahead and place it in the drawing and use the hotpoints to move it to the appropriate location (centered on the bottom of the marker). Now eyedrop it. Now whatever the orientation, the text will always appear in that location when you draw a new marker.

Re: Basic GDL

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:23:07 GMT

Thanks. that will work.