topic Re: Complex Profile Question in Modeling

Complex Profile Question

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 10:21:41 GMT

I've made a 2x10 framing member with the CP tool. I've broken the rectangle into 4 triangular pieces so I can get the "X" in the middle of the rectangle. Problem is, when I cut a section and if it happens to be in the middle of the framing member, I get an unwanted line in the middle of the member. This line is there, I believe, because it's the point where the 4 triangles come together. Is there a way to do this to not show the line? I found a 2x framing member in the stock libraries, but it does the same thing when cut through, also I don't like it because you can't set the lineweight of the "X" different from the outer edges. What have others done here?

Re: Complex Profile Question

Anonymous — Thu, 06 May 2010 13:00:17 GMT

Showing line through member

Re: Complex Profile Question

Erika Epstein — Thu, 06 May 2010 16:02:57 GMT

Interesting dilemma.
I would move the section so it doesn't cut through one of the members that is parallel to the line of the section.

Re: Complex Profile Question

Anonymous — Thu, 06 May 2010 17:42:26 GMT

Nobody else has dealt with this? I would think this has happened to others and they have a workaround?

Re: Complex Profile Question

Erika Epstein — Thu, 06 May 2010 20:20:01 GMT

What you have done runs counter to convention. The convention is to NOT cut your section lengthwise through a beam, or wall etc.

If you insist on keeping your section where it is, then you could put a fill over the beam.

Re: Complex Profile Question

Arcadia — Mon, 10 May 2010 00:54:30 GMT

Seems to be a lot of trouble to go to when all you need to do is add 2 lines to your section view. How long does that take?

Re: Complex Profile Question

Anonymous — Mon, 10 May 2010 12:11:15 GMT

Arcadia wrote:
Seems to be a lot of trouble to go to when all you need to do is add 2 lines to your section view. How long does that take?

The whole idea of going 3D is to eliminate drawing lines. I thought someone would have figured out a way to do this. I guess I was incorrect...

Re: Complex Profile Question

Arcadia — Mon, 10 May 2010 20:21:49 GMT

The whole idea of going 3D is to eliminate drawing lines.

This is true of course but only within reason. When it takes longer and is more complicated to model something that may appear only in one or 2 small places in the entire set of drawings then there is nothing wrong with drawing a couple of lines. I think you will find most users actually do a fair bit of linework when it comes to detailing and sections as the time involved is less than modelling everything and you have more control over the appearnce of important details. Hence why the cadimagetools rapid detailer is so good - makes doing 2D line and fill details much faster than working with native lines and fills. Even has an object for timber members that has 'cross' drawn on it that you can stretch over a beam in your section or detail view. Check it out at cadimagetools.com

Re: Complex Profile Question

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:28:23 GMT

I'm looking into this same issue - how to show the 'X' of a cut wood plate in a complex profile wall section.

The more I read about it - it's probably easier to just draw two lines in section view than split into four fills and rename each one so it won't clean up with each other. That's a complicated and not much of a worthy work-around in my opinion. That brings me to ask - has anyone posted a wish to have complex profile lines to show in a section?

I'm not much of a programmer but how much trouble would it be to program it where lines placed on the Construction layer would be programmed to show in sections or wherever outside of C.P., and lines placed on the Drafting layer continue to serve the same purpose?

If no one has posted a similar wish, I'd be glad to post it and continue this discussion from that thread.

Thanks!

Re: Complex Profile Question

JaredBanks — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 17:17:10 GMT

Steve,

I incorporate 2x framing in a lot of my complex profiles. To deal with this issue, I ascribe to Erika's opinion, don't cut through the beam like you are. If it's unavoidable, then mask. It if happens in a lot of places, don't include the X on that particular profile.

I guess another more complex option would be to switch the 'X' to a pen that can be turned to white in some sections, but then have 2 complex profiles 1 for e-w joists/beams (x = pen 210) and one for n-s joists/beams (x = pen 211). Then have 2 pen sets. On for e-w sections (one pen white, the other colored) and one for n-s sections (white/colored reversed). It'd be cumbersome, but all 3D.

As for the fills that make up the X. I use 3 (1 for top & bottom, 1 for the left side, 1 for the right side). That way you can put 2 joists/beams next to each other and they won't merge. No need to separate out the top and bottom.

Re: Complex Profile Question

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:01:15 GMT

Yes, I agree it is probably easier to draw 2D lines atop the part. It's just frustrating to have to do that with such an expensive, complex program...

Re: Complex Profile Question

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 17:01:51 GMT

Hi guys,

I followed your discussion and decide to create an object for it. You can download it here.

It does have the feature of the cross and you can turn it on or off.
Unfortunately in the length the cross still appears, but you can turn it off. I don't think there is a way to get the cross off in a lengthwise section automatically.
Let me know what you think.

Re: Complex Profile Question

Brett Brown — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:13:35 GMT

Hi Master Script,

Only problem with it is when you put them side by side they merge. Even the great Objective does this, so if you could fix this problem like Jared has mentioned it would be great.

Also another problem with Objective, and it looks like yours has the same problem, is you can't pick up the edges with the mercedes curser. A major disappointment in Objective. Hopefully you can fix this as well.

Re: Complex Profile Question

JaredBanks — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:21:32 GMT

Brett,

All of those issues are handled with the complex profile. If you add hotspots to the 4 corners in the complex profile, then they'll all have nodes in section/elevation.

Re: Complex Profile Question

Brett Brown — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:29:59 GMT

Hi Jared, When I first tried the complex profile, the main problem with it was it would merge in plan when you butted them. So never used them again. From your post its easy to do the sides with different fills but how have you got around the tops merging? Objective a least doesn't merge in plan, which brings up the question. Why does it merge in section and not in plan?

Re: Complex Profile Question

JaredBanks — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:42:10 GMT

If I understand your question...

Not merging in plan is a little tricky but doable. If I remember correctly (just closed ArchiCAD for the dayshift, so I can't double check). Assuming you're using the beam tool, if you use the adjust tool to bring the beam to the edge of the one it meets (perpendicular), the reference lines won't meet and the beams won't merge. But this can get tricky, especially if you later fiddle with the beams sometimes shift and merge their reference lines.

Another option to handle this is with layers. If you have a primary and a secondary layer (say joists vs. beams) then you can control the merging with intersection groups (which is what I do when it matters).

Re: Complex Profile Question

Brett Brown — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 22:22:08 GMT

You understand correctly, My continually point with this program is why on earth can't we have probably the most used material (wooden timber) just be used without all these bloody work arounds to get a stick of timber behave like it does in reality. 9 times out of 10 it's quicker to just do it in do 2D. And GS call this a BIM program?

Re: Complex Profile Question

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 23:44:58 GMT

Brett wrote:
...why on earth can't we have probably the most used material (wooden timber) just be used without all these bloody work arounds to get a stick of timber behave like it does in reality. ...

I have never cut through a piece of timber to reveal an X on the cut face.

Joking aside, you would think it was possible to have an X "fill" work in a similar way to the insulation fill fitting to the skin thickness*, or shape of a beam / joist etc.

* a feature I have not yet experienced for myself being stuck on AC11

Re: Complex Profile Question

Brett Brown — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:01:16 GMT

Good point Stuart, would be great, but also if they could fix all the other problems associated with each type, because it seems they all have individual downfalls, or better still, make timber it's own object that has none of the problems the others have.

Re: Complex Profile Question

Brett Brown — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:05:31 GMT

Hi Master Script, Another little addition/option would be the angle on ends goes from side to side not side to centre.