topic Dropping column bases to mesh below in Modeling

Dropping column bases to mesh below

Conrado Dominguez — Thu, 25 May 2023 15:09:20 GMT

Greetings to allin this new year

I have many, many,many columns, previously set on top of of flat slab that has now changed to a mesh,with slopes going in several directions.

Dropping all the oolumns to the lowest mesh elevation and then performing a collective "substraction with downwards extrusion" will work, however,I was wondering if there is an equally collective way to have the columns selected and then "gravitate" to the mesh.

Also, what effect have the intensive use of Boolean Ops in the size of a file?

Conrado

Re: Dropping column bases to mesh below

Laszlo Nagy — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 10:26:36 GMT

Conrado wrote:
Greetings to allin this new year

I have many, many,many columns, previously set on top of of flat slab that has now changed to a mesh,with slopes going in several directions.

Dropping all the oolumns to the lowest mesh elevation and then performing a collective "substraction with downwards extrusion" will work, however,I was wondering if there is an equally collective way to have the columns selected and then "gravitate" to the mesh.

Also, what effect have the intensive use of Boolean Ops in the size of a file?

Conrado

Unfortunately, Gravity works only when placing stuff, but does not when moving/modifying it. This would make a great wish. If you make the wish I promise to vote 'essential'.

I am sure storing SEO relation and operations takes memory but I would not think it takes too much.
I really do not know the limitations of SEO as far as number of operation performed is concerned. I think cutting a couple of dozen Columns out of a Mesh should not cause any problems.

Re: Dropping column bases to mesh below

Conrado Dominguez — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:36:41 GMT

Thanks Laszlo.

I will post this as a wish. However, for a really powerfull function, it will be great if we have the columns Trim top or bottom to slabs and mesh, the same way they now trim to a roof. I allways use a flat roof instead of a slab, to take advantage of the Trim to foof function.

Conrado

Re: Dropping column bases to mesh below

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:15:42 GMT

Conrado, you can transform the mesh into a roof and then Trim to roof all the colunms! You'll need the "Mesh to roof" add-on which is a Goodie.

Re: Dropping column bases to mesh below

Conrado Dominguez — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:45:57 GMT

Conrado, you can transform the mesh into a roof and then Trim to roof all the colunms! You'll need the "Mesh to roof" add-on which is a Goodie.
_________________
Kliment Ivanov

Hmm. No Goodies folder in AC 12. I'll search my previous versions and try it.

Thanks for the tip.

Conrado

Re: Dropping column bases to mesh below

Karl Ottenstein — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:32:54 GMT

Conrado wrote:
Hmm. No Goodies folder in AC 12.

Goodies are a download for all recent versions. Go to your Help menu to find the download page.

Cheers,
karl

Re: Dropping column bases to mesh below

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:03:37 GMT

Conrado wrote:
Also, what effect have the intensive use of Boolean Ops in the size of a file?

There is no appreciable effect on file size as far as I know, but there can be significant effects on 3D performance. I have found SEOs to be pretty robust and use them quite extensively. The main things to watch for are:

1. Don't make reciprocal relationships. An example would be to intersect a roadway slab with a site model and then subtract the result from the site. Better to make a copy of the site to work as a hidden operator.

2. Don't involve parts that don't need to be in the operations. For example, subtracting light fixtures from ceiling slabs should be done room by room (one reason I really want a proper ceiling tool) rather than by selecting all the fixtures and subtracting them from all the ceilings.

In your case, unless you have thousands of columns (or hundreds of complex ones) the performance is probably not much of an issue as long as you have a fairly modern machine.

Re: Dropping column bases to mesh below

Laszlo Nagy — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:30:41 GMT

Matthew wrote:
2. Don't involve parts that don't need to be in the operations. For example, subtracting light fixtures from ceiling slabs should be done room by room (one reason I really want a proper ceiling tool) rather than by selecting all the fixtures and subtracting them from all the ceilings.

I created a wish based on this. Would be nice if the SEO relationship was created only between physically intersection light fixture-slab pair. This way the whole thing could be done in one step.

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=137905#137905

Re: Dropping column bases to mesh below

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 16:02:13 GMT

The only problem that I see with the utilization of SEO in this kind of situation is that quantities are compromised...
Or not?...

Re: Dropping column bases to mesh below

Link — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:39:16 GMT

Braza wrote:
The only problem that I see with the utilization of SEO in this kind of situation is that quantities are compromised...
Or not?...

I would say not - for columns at least. Element Information still lists the trimmed volume and a schedule can list the (net) volume.

Cheers,
Link.

Re: Dropping column bases to mesh below

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 12:47:12 GMT

Link wrote:
I would say not - for columns at least. Element Information still lists the trimmed volume and a schedule can list the (net) volume.

Great!... I guess I'll use SEO more frequently...

Re: Dropping column bases to mesh below

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:24:47 GMT

Link wrote:
Braza wrote:
The only problem that I see with the utilization of SEO in this kind of situation is that quantities are compromised...
Or not?...
I would say not - for columns at least. Element Information still lists the trimmed volume and a schedule can list the (net) volume.

Cheers,
Link.

AFAIK, SEOs are counted in volume calcs on all the basic model elements (walls, roofs, slabs etc.). Scripted parts of course are more complex.

Re: Dropping column bases to mesh below

David Shorter — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:14:27 GMT

Quants work OK mostly. I wouldn't use SEO with Meshes so the Mesh to Roof and trim the columns is a good solution.
The BIG IMHO problem with SEO's is that you have no idea whats doing what to what. Select any item and you have no idea if its being cut or is doing some cutting.
Try unknitting a SEO issue, you will find it is impossible.
SEO do not work with IFC
SEO's do not work (reliably) with hotlinks
SEO's slow the file down
Apart from that they are great

Re: Dropping column bases to mesh below

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:25:19 GMT

David wrote:
Try unknitting a SEO issue, you will find it is impossible.

I keep them simple when I need them for quantities so I can keep track of the effects, but I agree that we desperately need better SEO management. At least we can see what items are related by selecting one in 3D.

SEO do not work with IFC

I haven't had any problem with this yet though I haven't pushed it hard. There are the silly IFCopenings to be deleted though.

SEO's do not work (reliably) with hotlinks

This can be tricky for obvious reasons. With proper discipline it is manageable.

SEO's slow the file down

On my machine it takes an awful lot of SEOs before it becomes too tedious

Apart from that they are great

I love 'em despite their limitations. I would sure hate to be without them.

Re: Dropping column bases to mesh below

David Shorter — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:40:12 GMT

But Matthew, you are a very experienced user, in fact an ArchiCAD guru. You use these things sensibly, there are some that do not, some don't ask. I would always avoid them (SEO's) if possible as it is impossible to keep track of whats what.