topic Re: AC29 USA Library: How to enforce Tool Defaults (background fill / pens) without using Favorites in Libraries & objects

AC29 USA Library: How to enforce Tool Defaults (background fill / pens) without using Favorites

Reihnerhouse — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 13:11:57 GMT

Hi everyone,
I’m using ArchiCAD 29 USA and I’m trying to standardize true Tool Defaults without relying on Favorites.

What I want

When my team places a Door, it should come in with our preferred settings by default (2D appearance, background fills, pens, etc.)—just by selecting the Door tool and placing it.

Problem

In AC29 USA Library, some Door default settings don’t match what we need. The biggest issue is the 2D background fill behavior: the background fill option is not pre-selected the way we expect, so doors place with an incorrect 2D look unless we manually change settings (or use Favorites). I’m also seeing inconsistencies with some pen numbers / fill pens defaulting to values we don’t want.

Questions

What’s the best practice in AC29 USA to enforce Door defaults (background fill / pens / 2D display) without using Favorites?
Should this be solved purely with Tool Defaults + Template? If yes, what are the key steps to make the settings reliably “stick”?
Is modifying Library Parts / GDL ever the correct approach for this?

Thanks in advance for any guidance or workflows that have worked for you.

Operating system used: Windows

Re: AC29 USA Library: How to enforce Tool Defaults (background fill / pens) without using Favorites

Ricardo Lopez — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 20:44:22 GMT

Hi @Reihnerhouse

I'm not an expert at all, but I guess you are looking for the Mapping Value Table, available for the Global Library through .json files. (+ info )

Watch this VIDEO >> https://youtu.be/fCodvdmbWuk?si=UfQbe5Ay4-jbEPgp

Anyway, due to my limited skills I'd prefer the save and load favorites method.

Re: AC29 USA Library: How to enforce Tool Defaults (background fill / pens) without using Favorites

Reihnerhouse — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 21:07:58 GMT

Ricardo,
Thank you very much for sharing this video. This is exactly what i was looking for :). You are the best!

Re: AC29 USA Library: How to enforce Tool Defaults (background fill / pens) without using Favorites

JeffH — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 21:18:41 GMT

wouldn't be the exact reason you would want to develop and use favorites for?

I'm unsure why you would want to avoid using them.

Re: AC29 USA Library: How to enforce Tool Defaults (background fill / pens) without using Favorites

Reihnerhouse — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 16:32:41 GMT

Hey Jeff — thanks for jumping into this thread.

I’m starting a new template because the Archicad 29 libraries behave differently, and I want a clean, “fresh start” template. The issue I’m running into is that some object default settings (doors/windows) aren’t matching what previous versions used to ship with. (USA VERSION)

Example: in the Door/Window Floor Plan & Section settings, the Background Fill / pen selection isn’t defaulting to the expected “window background” option anymore — it’s defaulting to a different pen/value (e.g., pen 19 / a number-based pen set). In older versions, these defaults consistently came in the way we expected, but in AC29 they don’t.

Right now, the only workaround I’ve found is editing the object’s default parameter mapping (so the defaults load the way we want in a new template). If there’s a better practice—like a template-level method, a recommended workflow for setting global defaults without relying on Favorites, or a library-side approach—could you share ?

Re: AC29 USA Library: How to enforce Tool Defaults (background fill / pens) without using Favorites

JeffH — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:36:35 GMT

I am in the process of getting our 29 template up and running.

I have rebuilt all of our favorites to act correctly...and continue to stress to our office, to use favorites, then adjust from there as needed, so pens/fills all behave correctly.

I did not attempt the mapping approach, I simply opened up a version of AC27, and a version of 29, and rebuilt the favorites one by one.

I have also leaned towards updating the favorites, rather than the GDL of the issue parts.

Re: AC29 USA Library: How to enforce Tool Defaults (background fill / pens) without using Favorites

Barry Kelly — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:41:11 GMT

@Reihnerhouse ,

You are starting a new template.

Did you start it from a USA template or have you made it up yourself?

I think the default template that comes with Archicad might be an INT version and so may have different attributes than those you are used to in the USA version.

I am not sure what ships with the USA language version installation.

But I see there is a USA template that you can download....

https://www.graphisoft.com/resources-and-support/downloads/?section=cross-border-cooperation&localization=USA

In fact there are 2 templates for 29 - I have no idea what the difference is.

The USA template will already have a mapping table for the USA attributes.

With any other file (so long as it has the attributes you are used to), you will need to load the USA mapping table so that the library objects use the correct attributes by default.

You can still set up favourites for particular settings.

You can export a mapping table from your template and then edit the JSON file,so each object is set to use exactly the attributes that you want.

But it is a very manual process to do that and not at all pleasant to do.

I guess what I am trying to say is, the USA template should already be set to use the global libraries with the correct attributes.

For any other file, you need to make sure it has the correct USA attributes that you are used to, and then apply the USA mapping table so the objects use the correct attributes.

Barry.