topic Re: Very raw newbie; stadium design using stairs? in Modeling

Twelve Tricks of ArchiCAD

Dwight — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 11:53:53 GMT

Karl wrote:

A quick P.S.
Karl

Making the move from drafting to three dee means being mindful of the "bridging" techniques that reduce drudgery and repetitiveness. Using the magic wand for all of its capacity is the main one becuse it can unify and transform complex resultant shapes that take a long time to draw one node at a time.

Perhaps it is time for us to make the Twelve Tricks of ArchiCAD Anonymous. Nominations???

Foe example:

1: Magic Wand the heck out of things.

2: Place first, then edit.

3: "Mirror, Mirror on the Menu, who's the flip-a-copiest in the coordinate system?" [which sister said that?]

4: ???????

Your turn.

Re: Very raw newbie; stadium design using stairs?

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Mar 2004 04:00:45 GMT

Dwight wrote:
Karl wrote:

A quick P.S.
Karl
Making the move from drafting to three dee means being mindful of the "bridging" techniques that reduce drudgery and repetitiveness. Using the magic wand for all of its capacity is the main one becuse it can unify and transform complex resultant shapes that take a long time to draw one node at a time.

Perhaps it is time for us to make the Twelve Tricks of ArchiCAD Anonymous. Nominations???

Foe example:

1: Magic Wand the heck out of things.

2: Place first, then edit.

3: "Mirror, Mirror on the Menu, who's the flip-a-copiest in the coordinate system?" [which sister said that?]

4: ???????

Your turn.

4. CONSTRAIN with shift, alt/option X/Y/R/A etc... PLUMB, LEVEL & SQUARE.

5. PRECISE Numeric entry. Type the dimensions you want. If you don't know, type something reasonable (like typing 8' instead of stretching something to 7'-11 37/64"). ACCURACY, ACCURACY, ACCURACY.

6. STANDARDIZE!!!!! Name and number everything sensibly (and consistently); stories, sections, details, files, folders, layers, fills, materials. Layers, pens & library parts; pick what you want and stick with it.

7. It's not real, you don't have to save it. I.E. It is often faster to throw things out and redraw them than to adjust stuff that's almost right.

8. Work within your limits but keep pushing the envelope. There is always more to do than time to do it and the model can always be more detailed. Completely detailed models are the ideal ("Model the building and annotate the views." - Matthew Lohden circa 1997) but there always comes a time when you have to stop and get the drawings out. (Schedule backwards from the deadline to avoid sleepless nights and big Maalox bills.)

9. Block out the drawings early; no matter how crude. Set up the layout book and all the links. This allows instant snapshots of the progress of the work (for when the boss says "Print everything you've got so we can go over it this afternoon.") as well as greatly relieving stress as deadline approaches. You can feel comfortable that printing is a push button process without worries of missing layers, improper pens and other embarrassing mistakes. This also provides the best sense of the scope of work and what remains to be done.

Next?....

Re: Very raw newbie; stadium design using stairs?

Jacek — Thu, 04 Mar 2004 17:03:47 GMT

Newbie or not,
your advice is worth posting on the wall, which is what I just did!
Organize, organize, organize...

Re: Very raw newbie; stadium design using stairs?

Djordje — Thu, 04 Mar 2004 17:54:37 GMT

Dwight wrote:
Perhaps it is time for us to make the Twelve Tricks of ArchiCAD Anonymous. Nominations???

10. Think building, not drawing, and always around the corner or laterally

11. Use Special snap points

12. Use the tools as building blocks for not so obvious

13. Hang out with older guys/girls

Re: Very raw newbie; stadium design using stairs?

Dave Jochum — Thu, 04 Mar 2004 18:12:22 GMT

This is all GREAT stuff, but would be much more accessible in the Tips & Tricks dept., wouldn't it Djordje?

Re: Very raw newbie; stadium design using stairs?

Djordje — Thu, 04 Mar 2004 18:40:35 GMT

Dave wrote:
This is all GREAT stuff, but would be much more accessible in the Tips & Tricks dept., wouldn't it Djordje?

Not really ... it belongs here. The newbies should be exposed to some evangelism; the virtual building concept (FYI - Geoffrey Moore Langdon denounces BIM as a term and states that Virtual Building is the right name for what we are doing, the "only" problem being it is a TM of Graphisoft) has to be grasped. ArchiCAD as a representation of the Virtual Building thinking is much more than a software.

Tips&Tricks are showcasing techniques and solutions, like Messrs Ottenstein and Ellis for example (winners of Tip of the year contests) repeatedly do (not to forget other contributors, one of which is seriously breathing down my neck re the number of posts 😉)

Therefore, let's keep this thread here, so that new users may read it and I sincerely hope not take it for a hype, that they epeienced once too often otherwise.

Re: Very raw newbie; stadium design using stairs?

James Murray — Thu, 04 Mar 2004 18:56:42 GMT

14. If you don't know how to model it, try to model it like they would build it in real life. You might have to compromise, but it's a start.

15. Keep track of your stuff. Use pens to differentiate parts of the model. (Eg, counters are always purple. Roofs are always blue.) Use favorites. Option-click. Watch the info box as you select from a pile. Stay organized, and you can handle a model of great complexity.

16. Marquee, marquee, marquee. For limiting the 3D window, for find & selecting, for stretching.

17. Use the QuickLayers palette. I keep mine in the middle of the screen.

And:

1a. Use the magic wand in conjunction with the pet palette Add & Subtract.

8a. Seek out the limits of the program. Try everything. Wish.

Re: Very raw newbie; stadium design using stairs?

Dave Jochum — Thu, 04 Mar 2004 19:18:16 GMT

Djordje wrote:
Dave wrote:
This is all GREAT stuff, but would be much more accessible in the Tips & Tricks dept., wouldn't it Djordje?
Not really ... it belongs here. The newbies should be exposed to some evangelism

That's a good point--what prompted my comment was really the subject line which has nothing to do with these concepts. Maybe a new subject post, "12 Tricks of ArchiCad Anonymous" pointing to this thread? Many times a question will come up that I know has been discussed, but is often part of a thread that evolved far from the original topic. Being able to visibly search the subject lines directly is often more efficient than using the search form. It also allows one to peruse the forums, be intrigued by a topic, and learn things they didn't know they didn't know.

Re: Very raw newbie; stadium design using stairs?

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Mar 2004 21:05:10 GMT

as a newbie myself and the orginator of this post, I would agree that having a useful heading would be excellent for such a topic... because while i'm trying to absorb all these tips (despite not understanding all of them due to my lack of experience), if I were to come to this forum without this being my original thread I would be unlikely to look for tips of the trade under a thread such as this and would be much more likely to simply do a search.

Re: Very raw newbie; stadium design using stairs?

Djordje — Fri, 05 Mar 2004 06:33:45 GMT

Dave wrote:
Maybe a new subject post, "12 Tricks of ArchiCad Anonymous" pointing to this thread? Many times a question will come up that I know has been discussed, but is often part of a thread that evolved far from the original topic. Being able to visibly search the subject lines directly is often more efficient than using the search form. It also allows one to peruse the forums, be intrigued by a topic, and learn things they didn't know they didn't know.

Granted

Re: Twelve Tricks of ArchiCAD

Jefferson — Sun, 21 Mar 2004 14:50:27 GMT

May I suggest "HEY!!, NEW GUY! OVER HERE!! Sit down, pay attention, and learn from my experience. You can thank me later."

Seriously this is all great stuff. Like most skills and trades, it is all about the tricks.

Re: Twelve Tricks of ArchiCAD

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Mar 2004 05:21:58 GMT

Here are some of my suggestions for newbies..

* Dont build the same or similar kitchens (applies to any room really) every time... Make it once, save it as a MOD file and hotlink it into your project.. Then if you want to change it, break the link and make the changes. Just remember "If you have to do it more than once, there must be a smarter way".

* Save your favourite parts. If you set up a wall that you will use all the time, save it as a favourite, give it a good name to save yourself time.

* Get to know your objects.. Take some time out to see everything there is to see in the object library. There might be things in there that will save you time and effort.

* Dont forget to check for duplicates when you are done (there is a check for duplicates addon in the goodies folder).

* For newbies, set your selection dot colour to red... It makes them easier to see. (options/preferences/misc)

* Save your files in a logical place. Make a folder for each project and have a subfolder for plans, plotmaker files, library parts, PDF files and archives. (sounds obvious but a lot of people dont do it).

* Make sure that "Make backup copy" is enabled in Options/Preferences/Data Safety

Uhm... thats all I can think of right now...

Re: Twelve Tricks of ArchiCAD

Anonymous — Sun, 28 Mar 2004 11:07:29 GMT

Matthew Lohden wrote Tip Number 5:

"PRECISE Numeric entry. Type the dimensions you want. If you don't know, type something reasonable (like typing 8' instead of stretching something to 7'-11 37/64"). ACCURACY, ACCURACY, ACCURACY."

Where do you make these numeric entries (for example, for the length of a wall)?

Re: Twelve Tricks of ArchiCAD

Aussie John — Sun, 28 Mar 2004 11:52:47 GMT

Bob wrote:
Matthew Lohden wrote Tip Number 5:

Where do you make these numeric entries (for example, for the length of a wall)?

select the wall then click on the end of it. It should now stretch, but keep the mouse on the end of the wall and read the R value n the info box. press r on the keyboard and you can then edit the length. ( if metric) type a length press "+" to add that to the length or just enter to make the wall that length.

Re: Twelve Tricks of ArchiCAD

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Apr 2004 09:25:23 GMT

John,
THANKS SINCERELY for taking the time to explain!
Bob

Re: Twelve Tricks of ArchiCAD

Eduardo Rolon — Thu, 08 Apr 2004 18:53:56 GMT

When working on a project think how it is going to be built not how you are going to draw it, it will help you work faster.
Use ghost story to see what is going on bellow or above the story you are working on.
Remember that the tools can be used for other things, example:
the slab tool = to horizontal element (it is good for counters and shelves)
roof tool = inclined plane ( good for parking ramps)

Also you can copy/paste between stories, so that all continuous structural elements align.

If viewing an elevation/section a line does not clear between elements it is probably due to either a different fill, material or the objects are not aligned.

Re: Twelve Tricks of ArchiCAD

__archiben — Fri, 09 Apr 2004 09:47:08 GMT

ejrolon wrote:
When working on a project think how it is going to be built not how you are going to draw it

and that one simple line there just about sums it up. now just try getting the people from flatland to understand it . . . or my colleagues for that matter.

~/archiben

Re: Twelve Tricks of ArchiCAD

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Apr 2004 02:55:52 GMT

I often select all the windows or walls for mass settings changing ( like materials) and i use the polygonal pet palette for perimetral contours
wall enclosed or open polygons

But the building architectural quality itself is THE major problem, archicad is only a tool.When the building is clear and beautiful even the drawnings
methods are more inspired.
The different buildings need different approach in the documentation process