topic Re: Schedules and Formulas in Collaboration with other software

Schedules and Formulas

Thomas Allan Palmer — Tue, 28 May 2019 03:59:16 GMT

Hi,

I understand that from AC22 on you can use formulas. I can easily make schedules that add totals but would like to be able to subtract areas and produce percentages. Typically for project data. Below is a sample of what kind of schedule I would like to create:

I would like to create a schedule that:
Title: "Project Data"

Site Area (zone) sq. ft.
Building Area (zone) sq. ft.
Site Coverage (Building Area / Site Area as a %)
Open Area (Site Area - Building area) sq. ft., %
Calculates Gross Floor Area (zone) sq. ft., by storey, total
Net Floor Area (gross floor area minus exclusions) (zone) sq. ft., by storey, total
Floor Area Ratio (net floor area / site area) sq. ft.
Units By Type (based on zones), by storey, total
Density (units per acre)

same as above using m2 listed next to the sq. ft. numbers

Re: Schedules and Formulas

Christophe Fortineau — Tue, 28 May 2019 07:21:32 GMT

The AC22 default template file already has many examples of formulas on which you can base yourself
What's your question ?

Re: Schedules and Formulas

Barry Kelly — Tue, 28 May 2019 07:48:14 GMT

Schedules themselves still do not have any calculations other than simple totals.

You can use Expressions (formulae) in Properties, and these properties can be associated to elements (including zones).
And you can schedule these properties.

However, the properties can only relate to one element.
By that I mean they can not see the values of other elements.
So you can not do calculations for site/building ratios that compare one zone to another - unless you manually input the site area into the building zone properties and then do a calculation.
The building zone has no idea what the site zone properties are.

I hope that makes a little sense.

Barry.

Re: Schedules and Formulas

Christophe Fortineau — Tue, 28 May 2019 08:12:10 GMT

Barry wrote:
I hope that makes a little sense.

I don't understand the question and now even less your answer Barry
Could you illustrate your words ?

Re: Schedules and Formulas

Barry Kelly — Tue, 28 May 2019 08:48:05 GMT

Christophe wrote:
Could you illustrate your words ?

Let me try.

If you want to find the ratio of building zones to the overall site zone (area), you can not do this directly.
The building zones have no idea what the site zone area is nor do they know what the other building zone areas are.
Likewise the site zone does not know what the areas of the building zones are.

You can add a property to the building zones where you can 'manually' input the site zone area.
Then you can calculate the ratio and you will have the ratio of one building zone to the site area.
For multiple building zones you can total the ratio in the schedule.
However for every building zone you will have to manually adjust the site area - which hopefully will not actually change.
But my point is that it is not a fully automatic process.
The zones (nor their properties) do not actually 'talk' to each other.

You can do all sorts of clever calculations with properties, such as rounding the length of a timber beam, or calculating the number of bricks in a wall.
But these are all calculated on a single element and then simply totalled in the schedule.

Is that any clearer?

Back to Thomas' original question.
Yes you could calculate some of those things (with or without properties), but it won't be fully automatic.

Barry.

Re: Schedules and Formulas

Thomas Allan Palmer — Tue, 28 May 2019 15:51:17 GMT

Thanks for the feedback.

Looks like using excel is still the best option.

I'm attached some simple spread sheets that would be nice to produce inside ArchiCAD

Re: Schedules and Formulas

Barry Kelly — Wed, 29 May 2019 01:35:31 GMT

The ratios can be done but will not be 'live'.
You will need to add a property to each zone (that can be automatic) that contains the value of the site area.
That value can be a default but can not be changed universally for all zones if needed - that must be done manually in each zone.

The SQM - SQF can be done with expressions in the properties.
Create a new property that converts the units you are working in to the other unit.
You can then schedule bot the default area (SQM) and also the other property area (SQF).
This will be live as the area is contained within the zone itself and it does not need to rely on any other zones.

These aren't examples of you specific requirements, but are examples of what can be done..

https://helpcenter.graphisoft.com/user-guide/76728/

Barry.

Re: Schedules and Formulas

Thomas Allan Palmer — Wed, 29 May 2019 14:03:37 GMT

Thanks Barry.
I'll give the m2 to sq. ft. a try.

Re: Schedules and Formulas

Anonymous — Wed, 29 May 2019 14:07:28 GMT

From my curiosity, I have tried to test this solution by storing the sum of area in the property. You can calculate the ratio for on apt and then add a percentage. However, since it's the expression you cant sum it up in schedule... even if I left it as number value.... proc num column on attachment.

Re: Schedules and Formulas

Barry Kelly — Thu, 30 May 2019 01:11:45 GMT

kzaremba wrote:
However, since it's the expression you cant sum it up in schedule... even if I left it as number value.... proc num column on attachment.

'proc num' column has totalled correctly.

Barry.

Re: Schedules and Formulas

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 08:01:55 GMT

Barry wrote:

kzaremba wrote:
However, since it's the expression you cant sum it up in schedule... even if I left it as number value.... proc num column on attachment.
'proc num' column has totalled correctly.

Barry.

Sure Sum did but I meant value in the cell. The proc num shows the only ratio between single apartment to the overall area - so quite useless. I'd expected to sum hole type of apartments. (if you sum up cells in this column you get 29,28).

Re: Schedules and Formulas

Barry Kelly — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 08:34:37 GMT

You have multiple elements with the same 'proc num' result.
Because they are not unique, they show the same figure but the total is correct.

(1 x 5.44) + (6 x 9.67) + (2 x 5.90) +(3 x 8.27) = 100.07

In the scheme settings try turning on the 'flag' icon next to the 'proc num' field.
You should then see sub totals - I hope.

NOTE: this does not work for area, length, width fields, as these do sum as you are wanting them to (which I think is wrong).
But your field is not a true area, length or width so it should work.

Barry.