topic Re: Door Marker Creation in Libraries & objects

Door Marker Creation

Anonymous — Wed, 24 May 2023 09:03:39 GMT

Hi all!

I've been trying to create a new door marker, or alter an existing one, but haven't had much luck so far. Basically, I'm looking to create a door marker that shows two lines of text (I've searched the boards, and have found some, but haven't beena able to get those to work). The first line of text should be the Door ID number, or a Door Type. The second line should be separated by a line, and that number should show the Door Hardware. I'd even settle for having a second line of custom text that will show there. Can anyone help?

Thanks!!

Re: Door Marker Creation

TomWaltz — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 16:17:20 GMT

OH great, another Virginia Tech Grad.... (we have like 6 of them....)

Let me ask: what has been wrong with what you have done? Did you want the line length to match the text length?

Here are a few general tips in the mean time:

1) Draw what you want at 1:1 scale. This will make scaling it MUCH easier.
2) Put text in that you can easily swap out in the object.
3) Some people differ with me here, but I usually avoid the new RichText in my objects, and replace it with the older TEXT2. It's much easier to deal with.

Re: Door Marker Creation

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 16:24:14 GMT

Tom,

Up to this point, I've simply been trying to copy and paste different things in the GDL editor...but I've never been much good at coding.

Are you saying that I can actually draw what I want the marker to look like, and turn that into a symbol? I'm not too familiar with creating custom markers...I've never had to do it before.

Thanks.

Re: Door Marker Creation

TomWaltz — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 16:42:04 GMT

Your case is one of the simplest to do as an object from scratch. Yes, you can draw this at 1:1 scale, and it's best if you center it on 0,0 (maybe the mid-point of the line between the two lines of text).

Be sure to make the text Center-justified so it will expand outward in both directions. Also, place Hotspots where you want to be able to have insertion points for your label.

Once you have done that, you can select the text and line, click File > GDL Objects > Save as Object.... and give it a name.

Open the Object by clicking File > GDL Objects > Open Object...

1) First thing is to make its Hotspots behave:
In the Object Editor, Click "Details." Unclick :"Hotspots on Bounding Box" and click OK. This will make only the Hotpots you placed active in the object.

2) Next, we make this into a Door Marker :
In the Object Editor, Click "Select Subtype". Browse through the tree to find: General GDL Object > Drawing Symbol > Marker > Window - Door Marker
Click on "Window - Door Marker", then click "Select"
This creates tons of parameters in your object, but you will probably not need them. We can deal with them later (or perhaps use them)

3) Next, we clean up the 2D Script (time to roll up your sleeves and get dirty):
First, let's make it scale sensitive:
In the Object Editor, Click "2D Script"
Change the line that starts "MUL2" to read:

MUL2 GLOB_SCALE, GLOB_SCALE

This will make your marker scale sensitive.

4) Now, let's make the top line format properly and read the element's ID:
You should have a sequence that looks something like this:

DEFINE STYLE{2}    "AC_STYLE_1" "Tekton Pro", 8'-1.1758",      0

PARAGRAPH		"AC_PRG_3"      1, 0'-0.0000", 0'-0.0000", 0'-0.0000", 3'-3.3701"
    PEN        164
    SET STYLE "AC_STYLE_1"
        "TEXT 1"
ENDPARAGRAPH
TEXTBLOCK		"AC_TEXTBLOCK_3" 35'-4.0122",      8, 0'-0.0000", 3'-3.3701", 3'-3.3701", 3'-3.3701", 
        "AC_PRG_3"
RICHTEXT2		0'-0.0000", 0'-0.0000", "AC_TEXTBLOCK_3"

change it to read:

DEFINE STYLE    "AC_STYLE_1" "Tekton Pro", 8'-1.1758",   5,   0
TEXT2		0,0, GLOB_ID

The critical change is to add the "5" and remove the {2} in the DEFINE STYLE line, delete the rest, and add the TEXT2 line at the end.

For neatness, I like to change the 0'-0.0000" numbers to just 0, but it's not necessary.

What these lines really do is format your text to your font, size, and justification (DEFINE STYLE) then place 2D text (TEXT2) at 0,0, and it reads the global ID from your door or window.

Want to try that and see if you want to try adding a parameter for your own custom text ? I'll talk you through, itf you want.

If you want, we can also add parameters for pen settings, fonts, etc.

Re: Door Marker Creation

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 17:52:11 GMT

Thanks, Tom!

I'll give this a go, and hopefully I'll get it to work.

Re: Door Marker Creation

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 19:04:09 GMT

Tom,

I've been able to get the shape of the marker, but that's about all I've managed to do. I made the changes to the code as you wrote, but when I placed it in a door, the marker came out quite large (when drawing it, should I be drawing it as 1 inch to 1 inch scale, and put in a 3 point font?), and the place holder text I put in was not in the area of the marker I wanted. Also, it didn't recognize the door ID number. It simply shows the place holder text I put in.

To have it read the hardware number, and show it below the Door ID, do i follow similar steps?

Re: Door Marker Creation

TomWaltz — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 19:43:01 GMT

SwissHokie wrote:
Tom,

I've been able to get the shape of the marker, but that's about all I've managed to do. I made the changes to the code as you wrote, but when I placed it in a door, the marker came out quite large (when drawing it, should I be drawing it as 1 inch to 1 inch scale, and put in a 3 point font?), and the place holder text I put in was not in the area of the marker I wanted. Also, it didn't recognize the door ID number. It simply shows the place holder text I put in.

To have it read the hardware number, and show it below the Door ID, do i follow similar steps?

If you can copy/paste your 2D script, I'll take a look at it.

Re: Door Marker Creation

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 19:46:31 GMT

I've been playing around a bit more...but haven't had much luck. Here's what i've tried so far:

!
! Name : WSA Marker.gsm
! Date : Monday, March 20, 2006
! Version : 9.00
! Written by ArchiCAD
!

MUL2 GLOB_SCALE, GLOB_SCALE
ADD2 0'-1.8592", 0'-0.6314"
PEN 3
HOTSPOT2 0'-0.0000", 0'-0.0000"
HOTSPOT2 -0'-0.1250", 0'-0.0000"
HOTSPOT2 0'-0.0000", 0'-0.1250"
HOTSPOT2 0'-0.0000", -0'-0.1250"
HOTSPOT2 0'-0.1250", 0'-0.0000"
LINE_PROPERTY 0
LINE2 -0'-0.1250", 0'-0.0000", 0'-0.1250", 0'-0.0000"
CIRCLE2 0'-0.0000", 0'-0.0000", 0'-0.1250"
DEFINE STYLE "AC_STYLE_1" "GraphMM_374 RG 523 NO", 1'-1.8889", 5, 0
TEXT2 0,0, GLOB_ID

PARAGRAPH "AC_PRG_14" 2, 0'-0.0000", 0'-0.0000", 0'-0.0000", 3'-3.3701"
"HDWRE"
ENDPARAGRAPH
TEXTBLOCK "AC_TEXTBLOCK_14" 6'-5.4675", 1, 0'-0.0000", 3'-3.3701", 3'-3.3701", 3'-3.3701",
"AC_PRG_14"
RICHTEXT2 -0'-1.8592", 0'-0.5422", "AC_TEXTBLOCK_14"

Re: Door Marker Creation

TomWaltz — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 20:19:12 GMT

oops....

TEXT2 0,0, GLOB_ID

should read

STYLE "AC_STYLE_1"
TEXT2 0,0, AC_WIDO_ID

Sorry, I slipped up that this is a "Marker" not a "Label" (requiring AC_WIDO_ID instead of GLOB_ID), and I neglected the important "Set STYLE to what we defined" command. (this is what I get for working from memory instead of the manual).

This being a "Marker" not a "Label", I should warn you now that you will have a lot of problems with rotations. I find the Label tool much more reliable.

I also think that you may need to alter the "0,0" part to move your text further up into the bubble, perhaps 0,1/16" or so (you will need to experiment, or you can check to see how far it was in your original drawing). On the quick test I did for myself, I did not have a circle enclosing my marker, just two lines of text with a line between them (more like a Zone)

Re: Door Marker Creation

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 20:46:05 GMT

GREAT!

I've managed to get two lines of text! Now, how do I tell it to insert the hardware information? Also, how do I code it so that I can move the marker position; drag it around to where I want it to be?

Is there a coding reference book?

Re: Door Marker Creation

TomWaltz — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 20:58:20 GMT

SwissHokie wrote:
Is there a coding reference book?

I'll answer the other part shortly, but there should be a PDF in your installation directory called "GDL Reference Guide".

It's a little cryptic at times, but is a reference of almost every GDL command, their syntax, and a general usage.

There is another PDF called "Object Making with Archicad" which is more basic, and teaches object making with and without GDL.

If you can find it, David Nicholson Cole's GDL Cookbook is a great reference, though it lacks a lot of more modern commands since it was written for Archicad 6.5.

Re: Door Marker Creation

TomWaltz — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 21:12:25 GMT

The second line is a little trickier because you need to retrieve a parameter from the door object itself. In order to do that, we need to know what the parameter name is.

The easiest way to do this is to select the Door Object on your floor plan, then click File > GDL Objects > Open Object....

In the GDL editor, scroll down until you find the name of the "Hardware Set" parameter (or whatever else you might want). If it's an Archicad door, it's called "gs_list_hwsetno"

We need to use a REQUEST command and request a parameter associated with another object. In this case, the syntax will be:
REQUEST ("ASSOCLP_PARVALUE", associated_parameter_name, name_or_index_of_parameter, type, flags, dim1, dim2, requested_values).

Most of these are not important to you. They

REQUEST variable have to be part of a statement, since they are not a command by themselves (and can generate error statements), so we usually set a REQUEST statement equal to some made-up parameter (I like "xx")

We also need to create a new variable to hold the value of the Hardware Set.

I like to be obvious:
HardWareText = "" ! Makes the variable a string

Lastly, we need to place your text, which we want offset below the line.

Putting it all together, we get:

HardWareText = ""
xx = REQUEST ("ASSOCLP_PARVALUE", "gs_list_hwsetno", pIndex, typeVar, flags, dim1, dim2, HardWareText)
TEXT2 0, -0.05", HardWareText

Re: Door Marker Creation

TomWaltz — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 21:18:45 GMT

To make the whole thing movable, we need to add graphic hotspots.

First of all, go back to the "Parameters". Click the "New" button twice, to make two new parameters at the bottom of the list. Rename (in the left column) the first to locX and the second to locY. Make their descriptions (which should be the blank right column) X-Offset and Y-Offset.

Now, go back to the 2D Script. At the very top of the script, add:

unID = 1

HOTSPOT2		locX, 0, 		unID, locY, 1+128 : unID = unID +1 
HOTSPOT2		locX, -1, 		unID, locY, 3: unID = unID +1 
HOTSPOT2		locX, locY, 	unID, locY, 2: unID = unID +1 

HOTSPOT2		0, locY, 		unID, locX, 1+128: unID = unID +1 
HOTSPOT2		-1, locY, 		unID, locX, 3: unID = unID +1 
HOTSPOT2		locX, locY,	unID, locX, 2: unID = unID +1

This is boiler-plate code for graphic hotspots. It will work in any object that has the parameters we just created. I keep a file of all kinds of code like that so I can re-use it whenever I need it.

The hard part is knowing to put it before the MUL2 statement, otherwise the object will multiple the distance you moved the marker by the current scale.... that would be bad....

Re: Door Marker Creation

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 21:35:28 GMT

OH SO CLOSE!

I've managed to get it all working, but I'm still unable to move the Door Marker independantly of the door. Any ideas?

Thanks for all your help!!!

Re: Door Marker Creation

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 22:01:34 GMT

For info on gdl scripting...

You can also try your local ArchiCAD user group - there are a number of us in the DC area that do some GDL... PM me for details.

Wes
ps. go Hokies!

Re: Door Marker Creation

TomWaltz — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 22:07:35 GMT

SwissHokie wrote:
OH SO CLOSE!

I've managed to get it all working, but I'm still unable to move the Door Marker independantly of the door. Any ideas?

Thanks for all your help!!!

What does it do? Do you at least have the diamond-shaped hotspot in the middle?

You might need to remove the line

HOTSPOT2 0'-0.0000", 0'-0.0000"

Re: Door Marker Creation

TomWaltz — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 22:08:50 GMT

Weston wrote:
For info on gdl scripting...

You can also try your local ArchiCAD user group - there are a number of us in the DC area that do some GDL... PM me for details.

Wes
ps. go Hokies!

For those in the Philly area, I'll be teaching this exact topic (of making your own objects and adding some script) in our next user meeting (Tuesday, March 28 at AIA HQ in Center City).

Re: Door Marker Creation

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 13:52:10 GMT

Tom,

I don't have the diamond shaped hotspot showing up. I also tried deleting the HOTSPOT2 0'-0.0000", 0'-0.0000"...but to no avail.

Re: Door Marker Creation

TomWaltz — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 14:04:21 GMT

SwissHokie wrote:
Tom,

I don't have the diamond shaped hotspot showing up. I also tried deleting the HOTSPOT2 0'-0.0000", 0'-0.0000"...but to no avail.

Do you get the "Stretch" option on the Pet Palette?

Re: Door Marker Creation

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 14:08:26 GMT

When I select a hotspot on the door itself, I get the stretch option. When I select a hotspot on the door marker, I don't have the stretch option. The hotspots show up as black dots, not as the green diamond.