topic Re: Level dimension to sea level in Documentation

Level dimension to sea level

Anonymous — Mon, 22 May 2023 22:02:58 GMT

Can I get the Level dimension tool to display elevations based on my defined sea level or my 2nd reference level
When I edit the elevation of a point on a mesh, I can choose to what it is measured to, but how do I control what my dimension is referencing?

Re: Level dimension to sea level

Andy Thomson — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 22:53:59 GMT

http://www.archicad.ca/?p=13

Does that help? Use gravity on (for mesh or for slabs, you have to tell it which), and switch the little toggle to your defined reference level before dropping your markers. They are associative to slabs, but not to meshes if warped, only if elevated (I think). We use ref levels to get elevation/section level markers to read correctly as well as on plans.

Re: Level dimension to sea level

Link — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 00:13:21 GMT

andyro wrote:
http://www.archicad.ca/?p=13

Does that help? Use gravity on (for mesh or for slabs, you have to tell it which), and switch the little toggle to your defined reference level before dropping your markers. They are associative to slabs, but not to meshes if warped, only if elevated (I think). We use ref levels to get elevation/section level markers to read correctly as well as on plans.

Andy, are you saying that by changing the Z Value in the Coordinate box first, the gravitated level dimension will refer to the reference levels as you place it in plan?

I have never found this to be the case. I have always resorted to selecting just the text part of the level dimension and editing it's setting to refer to the appropriate reference level. And alt-clicking such a level dim or using favorites still doesn't remember the reference level setting.

I'd be keen to get more specific instructions from you, if you are indeed achieving this before placement.

Cheers,
Link.

Re: Level dimension to sea level

__archiben — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 00:38:45 GMT

Link wrote:
Andy, are you saying that by changing the Z Value in the Coordinate box first, the gravitated level dimension will refer to the reference levels as you place it in plan?

doens't work for me either. the level dimension tool has no offset/dimension origin the section linear level dimension tool does . . .

i'm also interested in this, from your website andy...

Now, go to a section window, select the level dimension tool, and make sure instead of project zero, your dimensions are set to be relative to ’sea-level’ or whatever you called your reference level (in this case it is called ‘average grade’), and throw a dimension or two on your structure. NOTE: ’sea-level’ will show up on every marker. If you don’t want this, start your string, and ctrl-click the rest of the markers along the string - these will arrive without the name, just the value.

i often never want that bloody suffix text, so this tip is going to be a real help! thanks!

ben

Re: Level dimension to sea level

Andy Thomson — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 04:11:31 GMT

You had me worried, yes, it still works. Sea level reference level must be set first (by renaming), usually a plus or minus dimension from your project zero, select 'sea level in the 'Z coordinate' drop down, and then select gravity for the mesh, and place any level marker - the marker I selected was nothing fancy, just the first one that came up. Just tried it. See plan view on mesh below.

Re: Level dimension to sea level

Andy Thomson — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 04:20:09 GMT

One more screenshot - for those who don't know about this teensy weensy drop down arrow....and mesh gravity to left...

Re: Level dimension to sea level

__archiben — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 04:33:27 GMT

uhhhh. nope.

this is using the level dimension tool in the floor plan window right?

i have a surveyor's RL and sea level set as negative offsets in my file. switched the 'z' reference level and turned on gravity to mesh. nothing happens except it referencing from project zero . . .

ben

Re: Level dimension to sea level

Link — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 04:35:20 GMT

Do you have the miracle version of ArchiCAD?

Still doesn't work here. Would you mind posting a small mod file?

Cheers,
Link.

Re: Level dimension to sea level

__archiben — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 04:39:42 GMT

are you sure your project zero isn't at the 'correct' height relative to sea level to begin with, andy?!

ben

Re: Level dimension to sea level

Link — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 04:57:42 GMT

~/archiben wrote:
are you sure your project zero isn't at the 'correct' height relative to sea level to begin with, andy?!

ben

I wasn't going to say it!!

He deserves much more credit than that........

Cheers,
Link.

Re: Level dimension to sea level

Andy Thomson — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 04:59:13 GMT

Here is a mod file - elevate it. I am curious to know what this is hanging up on, yes, absolutely these are regular old level markers, dropped onto a mesh. I even elevated the mesh, yes, they remain dynamically linked to the mesh, values change as they oughtta...

Re: Level dimension to sea level

Andy Thomson — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 05:01:07 GMT

You switch your red marker thingy here? What result are you getting? Just project zero, weird.......

Re: Level dimension to sea level

Link — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 05:09:53 GMT

andyro wrote:
You switch your red marker thingy here? What result are you getting? Just project zero, weird.......

This shouldn't make a difference - but who knows what magic your waeving up there mate. You mod file still doesn't yield any different results for me. Come to think of it, a PLN is probably more appropriate to capture the project settings.

Would you mind?

Cheers,
Link.

Re: Level dimension to sea level

__archiben — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 05:18:57 GMT

andyro wrote:
You switch your red marker thingy here? What result are you getting? Just project zero, weird.......

do you mean that you switch the red thing to 'sea level' before you place the marker?

either way, i still can't get it to work. which archicad and build are you using?!

Re: Level dimension to sea level

__archiben — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 05:24:48 GMT

well. i got your mod working . . . but only after changing my working units to feet and fractional inches.

doesn't work with metric. bug i guess. want to do the honours link? i owe you a few

Re: Level dimension to sea level

Andy Thomson — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 05:27:43 GMT

1010 on a mactel, 17" powerbook. I opened the MOD after quitting and restarting archicad, it worked for me This is vexing. Any marker I place on the mesh, or slab, at whatever level gives the desired result.

There's no magic here, just something to figure out. Hmmm. This is a US installation, not international, but that shouldn't make a difference.
BTW, it absolutely should work with metric. We need both dims here, metric for public projects and Imperial for the Imperialists...😉

Re: Level dimension to sea level

__archiben — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 05:28:44 GMT

ok. this is getting weirder. switching everything back to millimetres and my level dim settings back to metres, it all works now!

i swear it did not work before! and i haven't played with the red toggle thing either . . .

how are you doing link?

Re: Level dimension to sea level

Link — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 05:30:05 GMT

I'm not so easily convinced (on either issue! ). Still doesn't work for me.

Cheers,
Link.

Re: Level dimension to sea level

Andy Thomson — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 05:37:41 GMT

I am flabbergasted that it still isn't working for you! This shouldn't be an article of faith! It's a standard practice in our office, and became so useful for veryfing civil's work, we ended up making accurate meshes just for this purpose alone, then the practice migrated to doing level dimensions to top of slab for roof and parking levels. I don't know what else I can say.

Re: Level dimension to sea level

__archiben — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 05:38:07 GMT

Link wrote:
I'm not so easily convinced (on either issue! ). Still doesn't work for me.

uh oh. you're absolutely right. i just can't read metric measurements correctly . . .

back to square one . . .

ben