topic Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes in Modeling

AC12 curtain wall tool notes

R Muller — Thu, 25 May 2023 15:52:15 GMT

I have been experimenting with the curtain wall tool. I am posting some of my observations here in the hopes that other ArchiCAD'ers will have additional observations, better ways to do things, etc.

1. Mullion frames are vertical and transom frames are horizontal by default. However, individual frames can be edited to be any type of frame. Thus, you can use the three frame types to have three different frame profiles that are easy to choose. I am using “boundary” to represent my biggest frame, “mullion” for the next largest, “transom” for the most common small frame.

2. Custom frame profiles all have the same name, so it’s harder to apply a specific custom profile in multiple locations if you have several custom profiles. I find that the eye-dropper tool does work to transfer attributes from one frame to another.

3. Boundary frames can be used anywhere on the interior of the grid, as well as on the boundary. They will always be centered on an interior grid line, even if they are set to be inside or outside the grid on the boundary.

4. Other types of frames can be used on the boundary, by selecting and modifying a boundary frame. They will keep the same “inside” or “outside” alignment you set in the system level settings. There appears to be no way to have some boundary frames centered while others are inside or outside.

5. An invisible frame can’t be selected in order to turn it back into some other type of frame. One way to get the frame back is to select another frame, then drag a copy to the location of the invisible frame.

6. The same trick doesn’t work for deleted panels. Unlike frames, panels can’t be dragged or copied. Once a panel is deleted, the only way I have found to get it back (other than “undo”) is to delete the frame between the missing panel and an adjacent panel, and then put the frame back by dragging a copy of some other frame.

7. If your curtain wall sits op top of a slab, and you need to put a door in the wall that extends to the slab, you need to be sure that the boundary frames are inside the grid. Otherwise, the bottom of the door won’t go down to the slab.

Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes

kevin b — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:07:55 GMT

I have been able to select invisible frames and change them back. At first I couldn't but now I seem to be selecting in the right spot.

I have noticed that selecting things is a bit buggy. Sometimes I can select things (panels, frames) easily, sometimes I have to really work to make a selection.

Another bug I have been having is the system dialog box, when editing, sometimes becomes very long, way way off the side of my monitor, so that you can't see the preview or the OK button.

I have also crashed it several times in the past three days, whereas AC11 hasn't crashed in months. And it always seems to be while editing a curtain wall.

Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes

Sam Wheatley — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:07:02 GMT

I just received AC12. I am not yet familiar with the curtan wall tool. I do residential architecture and see no use as of yet for the curtan wall tool in my practice. Is it possible that this tool could be used to do repetitive items like handrails, fences, etc. with more flexabilty then the tools we currently have? If you have rails and fences on an incline would the curtain wall tool work?

Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes

kevin b — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:21:15 GMT

YEs, exactly, according to the marketing people anyway.

Someone in my office saw a demo of it (maybe at AIA 2008) and they built an entire house using it. Walls and roofs with framing, railings, fences, supposedly anything repetitive like that. It seems like a very powerful tool, just takes some getting used to (I hope).

Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes

gkovacsp — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:45:02 GMT

R wrote:
5. An invisible frame can’t be selected in order to turn it back into some other type of frame. One way to get the frame back is to select another frame, then drag a copy to the location of the invisible frame.

Inviible frames can be selected as well.
Try to switch off panels from the CW Edit Palette and hover over the centerline of the invisible frame.
Of course if you Delete a frame, then that can't be selected, because that is not there any more. In this case use the Frame tool and draw the required Frame with two clicks.

R wrote:
6. The same trick doesn’t work for deleted panels. Unlike frames, panels can’t be dragged or copied. Once a panel is deleted, the only way I have found to get it back (other than “undo”) is to delete the frame between the missing panel and an adjacent panel, and then put the frame back by dragging a copy of some other frame.

If a panel is deleted, then use the panel tool and click inside the empty panel cell to place a panel.

Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes

Dennis Lee — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 20:50:54 GMT

I am trying to make a simple storefront door with a sidelight using the curtainwall tool.

First, I cannot delete the boundary frame at the bottom of the door. Is the correct way to make it an "invisible" frame?

Second, my door does not go all the way down to the ground level. How do I make it go down?

Third, I cannot find a solid door option using the cw door object. What can I do?

The storefront objects maybe better suited for simple storefronts... aren't they?

Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes

gkovacsp — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:28:42 GMT

Dennis wrote:
First, I cannot delete the boundary frame at the bottom of the door. Is the correct way to make it an "invisible" frame?

Frames on the CW Boundary can't be deleted, because then nothing would stop the panels from infinity. But you can select the Frame you don't want to see the Frame, the select it and set its TYPE to invisible. This means the frame is there (so it stops the panel), but generally it is invisible. But if you hover over the centerline you can select it and change its type again.

Dennis wrote:
Second, my door does not go all the way down to the ground level. How do I make it go down?

I would use the Boundary position - Inside (CW Settings -> System settings -> Element Placement).

Dennis wrote:
Third, I cannot find a solid door option using the cw door object. What can I do?

I can't check it wight now, but as the last resollt create a solid custom panel and use it in the panel door panel

Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes

kevin b — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:41:28 GMT

gkovacsp wrote:

Dennis wrote:
Third, I cannot find a solid door option using the cw door object. What can I do?
I can't check it wight now, but as the last resollt create a solid custom panel and use it in the panel door panel

You could make the "glass" material the same as the "sash" material and then adjust the glass offset to make it flush with the sash.

Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:05:28 GMT

1.- Is there a way to fix the mullions at the corners of a curtain wall? in AC11 there was the option (in the curtain wall object or the storefront) to set the angle you want to cut the mullion(frame) ,in order to connect with another curtain wall in a corner.
2.- I couldn't get the butt-glazed option work for the mullions at corners.
3.- Is there a way to use the already existing door leafs, in the AC12 lib,within the curtain wall?

Thanks in advance..

Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes

gkovacsp — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:07:52 GMT

mpoulis wrote:
1.- Is there a way to fix the mullions at the corners of a curtain wall? in AC11 there was the option (in the curtain wall object or the storefront) to set the angle you want to cut the mullion(frame) ,in order to connect with another curtain wall in a corner.

if they are separate CW's , then you can use the Create Common Frame command from Design->Curtain Wall menu.
If they are part of the same CW, then they are always in mitered position.

mpoulis wrote:
2.- I couldn't get the butt-glazed option work for the mullions at corners.

It should work. What is the problem you are facing?

mpoulis wrote:
3.- Is there a way to use the already existing door leafs, in the AC12 lib,within the curtain wall?

If the door leafs were created via the Create Custom Component processs, then select "Custom" leaf and pick the one from the list. The two doors are fully compatible.

Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:19:10 GMT

I can't seem to create a door in one of the panels. When I look up what to do in my manual, it shows that there should be several door choices. But mine shows none. Do I need to load something or what?

Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes

gkovacsp — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 21:03:49 GMT

fessel28 wrote:
I can't seem to create a door in one of the panels. When I look up what to do in my manual, it shows that there should be several door choices. But mine shows none. Do I need to load something or what?

Default ArchiCAD 12 Library should be fine.
Select the Curtain Wall and push the Edit (in 3D) button on top of it.
Select the panel with the arrow tool and try to find the Panel Type dropdown.

Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 07:25:38 GMT

i have this kind of bug.
archicad 12 int

in curtain wall setings sometimes (mostly times) i have next problem

I have to big window of dialog. I cant resize it and i have to move 5 time to the right to see ok button

this is when i press system settings in 3d window or in floor plan

Is anyone have this kind of problem ???

Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 07:26:32 GMT

Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 07:27:40 GMT

Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes

Ted Taylor — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:22:44 GMT

NeckoFromSarajevo wrote:
i have this kind of bug.
archicad 12 int

in curtain wall setings sometimes (mostly times) i have next problem

I have to big window of dialog. I cant resize it and i have to move 5 time to the right to see ok button

this is when i press system settings in 3d window or in floor plan

Is anyone have this kind of problem ???

Same problem on my Mac & with USA version.

Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes

kevin b — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:04:16 GMT

We have same problem.

Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:20:23 GMT

How can I get a simple square corner like this one. I've used 2 separate curtain walls and created a common frame, and then changed the element to 4". My problem is that it doesn't line up to both CW's.

Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:34:56 GMT

I got it to work by creating the common frame and then moving the CW down so that it lines up. It works but.....

The other way to do this I suppose is to make it all one wall and use a slab in the shape of a square in the corner and extend it to the top of the CW to cover up the mitered corner.

Re: AC12 curtain wall tool notes

R Muller — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:42:52 GMT

Has anybody figured out how to reverse a door swing, so it hinges on the right rather than the left?

Has anybody tried making a custom door panel for a frameless door?