topic Re: editing story levels in Modeling

editing story levels

Anonymous — Sat, 26 May 2007 01:31:06 GMT

Hi folks,
Just wondering how I can change the story level without adjusting the actual heights of whats on that level. So, in section I just want to move the story level line but keep the walls at the height they are at. Is it possible to do this without resetting the heights of all elements of that level?
One other thing. Is it possible to ghost more than one level. I have a building that is cascading down a slope with three levels but would like to show all three levels in the one plan as they are not on top of each other.

Thanks.
Luke

Re: editing story levels

Dwight — Sat, 26 May 2007 02:21:03 GMT

Situations this complex are better managed with clever layer combinations than story controls.

You might make a separate story for the roof elements.....

Re: editing story levels

Anonymous — Sat, 26 May 2007 05:42:58 GMT

Thanks Dwight,
Yeah thats what ive ended up doing. Any idea on the changing story level height without moving the elements that are on it?
Thanks.
Luke.

Re: editing story levels

Dwight — Sat, 26 May 2007 05:47:50 GMT

No. But the workaround would be to group everthing residing on a story so that you could adjust the "Z" in one go after changing story height...

Re: editing story levels

Anonymous — Sat, 26 May 2007 05:57:23 GMT

Thanks Dwight. The logical solution.
I did try selecting the elements and setting them to a reference level
instead of the story level before resetting the story level. That seemed to work but havnt used reference levels before so dont know what the repercutions of that are. The help menu would resolve that one i guess. : )
Luke.

Re: editing story levels

Djordje — Sat, 26 May 2007 10:45:00 GMT

Always think of a storey as a plan.

What would you show on one plan? All three levels, right? Then, let them all be at the same storey, and move them up and down as needed.

Then the stories above.

ALWAYS have a separate storey for the roof, foundations, site plan.

Re: editing story levels

Anonymous — Sat, 26 May 2007 13:34:55 GMT

Thanks Djordje,
In retrospect that makes sence. Thanks again.
Luke.

Re: editing story levels

KeesW — Sat, 26 May 2007 13:36:38 GMT

I think that the idea of storeys is more complicated than it seems when one is dealing with split levels. I've got a job to an existing building with multiple split levels, varying by about 1.4 - 1.7 m. Having decded to use only two main storeys for floors (plus storeys for roof and footings as recommended), I struck a snag with cutting planes. These are related to storeys, not slab levels. Whist it was set correctly for the main level, it missed the walls on a split level and doors in those walls disappeared. I had to adjust the cutting plane to compensate.

Should cutting planes be linked to slab levels, rather than storeys?

Re: editing story levels

Anonymous — Sat, 26 May 2007 14:12:13 GMT

Split levels will always be a bit difficult (they were in the manual days too). The Floor Plan Cut Plane makes them more so now though since it is at at one uniform height. Workarounds for now:

1. Don't use automatic walls and openings. Thus no FPCP issues, ie. do it the old way.

2. Use multiple views with different FPCP settings and piece them together in the layout. I'm not sure this is worth the trouble just for the automatic walls and openings.

There is a wish (which GS is aware of) to be able to stagger the FPCP similar to the sections.

Re: editing story levels

Anonymous — Sun, 27 May 2007 19:43:31 GMT

Djordje wrote:
.....ALWAYS have a separate storey for the roof, foundations, site plan.

Why site plan? I thought every one is sing 1st floor & Site at one story with proper layer set up?
Thaks,
Joseph

Re: editing story levels

Aussie John — Sun, 27 May 2007 22:37:28 GMT

Split levels can be handled to a degree with the reference levels (in prefs). Cant remember exactly but you are limited to 2 or 3 reference levels.

Re: editing story levels

Anonymous — Wed, 30 May 2007 15:43:21 GMT

Djordje wrote:
Always think of a storey as a plan.

What would you show on one plan? All three levels, right? Then, let them all be at the same storey, and move them up and down as needed.

Mostly this is how I think of modeling my multilevel plans. I have started to use the "Show Story Levels in this Section" and setting it to Display & Output. Previously I would use a Library part in the sections that would report the Z value and I would drag them into place. With the new Show Story Levels in this Section, I have found it complex to have to ad a Story for every floor level "step" that I have in a complex residence with many split levels. I have mostly just stuck with a base 1st, 2nd & 3rd Story and shifted the Stepped portions appropriately. Only the base 1st, 2nd & 3rd storys will be shown using the Show Story Levels in this Section so I have to add that "stepped" Story Finish Floor heights using the Library part I mentioned. The reference markers are not the same, and that is a bit bothersome, but this is the way I have decided to go. Other way seems to have to insert many different stories.

Djordje wrote:
ALWAYS have a separate storey for the roof, foundations, site plan.

I agree on the Foundation (& Pony) and Site (mine is called Datum Story), but I have never had a Roof Story. And if using Modules & SEO it is easiest to have the roofs on the upper most wall story. Maybe I can be convinced to change my methods, but I have had no problems not having a separate story for my Roofs. Also some like to have a separate story for each the Floor cavity, which I believe is a mistake as well.

Re: editing story levels

Anonymous — Wed, 30 May 2007 15:44:51 GMT

Aussie wrote:
Split levels can be handled to a degree with the reference levels (in prefs). Cant remember exactly but you are limited to 2 or 3 reference levels.

I have always wanted to figure out reference level and the uses. Now may be the time.

Re: editing story levels

Anonymous — Wed, 30 May 2007 20:53:22 GMT

Hi,
really would like to know what is the advantage of having a separate SITE plan story. I use the STS Template (by Eric Bates) and it uses the 1st floor and site are combined in one story, any thoughts?
Thanks,
Joseph

Re: editing story levels

Link — Thu, 31 May 2007 00:36:55 GMT

Joseph wrote:
Hi,
really would like to know what is the advantage of having a separate SITE plan story. I use the STS Template (by Eric Bates) and it uses the 1st floor and site are combined in one story, any thoughts?
Thanks,
Joseph

The beauty of this is that you can use layers to show your floor plan on the site plan, as they are all contained in one story. This is the method I recommend, along with a separate roof story. Speaking of roofs, I have had clients who want to show their roofs on the site plan, so they keep all their site plan information on their roof story. Strange but it works for them, and doesn't take too long to get used to. For me - about 2.7 seconds. I think many people take stories far too literally.

Until we can print/plot or ghost stories (now called References), placing your site info on your ground floor story is typically the best way to go.

I agree that reference levels could be used as an aid to determining heights and elevations of elements, but it should be made aware that it doesn't place elements on different stories.

Cheers,
Link.

Re: editing story levels

KeesW — Thu, 31 May 2007 12:37:39 GMT

Should stories show real levels, or relative levels? I have been in the habit of calling my main level 0.00, or 100.000 and having other levels, including site levels relative to this. Then, Graphisoft Australia convinced me to use real levels.

It is much harder!

Numbers are peculiar and of course not rounded, and to 3 decimal places (metric). Extremely hard to remember and relate to. I think that I might go back to my bad, but easier, way.

Maybe I too should consider using AC's relative levels?

Re: editing story levels

Anonymous — Thu, 31 May 2007 13:05:38 GMT

KeesW wrote:
...Then, Graphisoft Australia convinced me to use real levels.

It is much harder!

Do you mean elevations relative to sea level? I have had one project where this was preferable (too many levels in too many buildings with no "main" level) but it was still a pain. Now with the new (since AC7?) reference levels I just set one of them to sea level and set project zero to the main floor and have it both ways.

Re: editing story levels

Laura Yanoviak — Thu, 31 May 2007 14:22:49 GMT

Matthew wrote:
Now with the new (since AC7?) reference levels I just set one of them to sea level and set project zero to the main floor and have it both ways.

This is what we do -- works great.