topic Re: a Fill that Behaves like a Line in Documentation

a Fill that Behaves like a Line

Aaron Bourgoin — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 14:17:46 GMT

I am looking to find an object fill motif that will simulate the behaviour of a line laid over a wall. I would like to create a Graphic Override to create Compliance Plans that show the fire Ratings of Assemblies. We’ve been drawing polylines over the walls to show their different required Fire Resistance Ratings, but this requires an additional layer and another set of graphic elements to manage.

I can’t use colour alone because our drawings are printed in Greyscale.

Attached is an illustration of what I’m trying to achieve.

Is it possible to create a fill motif that does this?

Re: a Fill that Behaves like a Line

Steve Jepson — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 21:44:41 GMT

I need something like this too. Sometimes I can get buy with a wall .001" tall. and a transparent background with a fill pattern. However, I can't always draw the kind of wide line I would like to make this way.

I have even made some special surfaces for the wall but I still don't have the solution I would like.

Re: a Fill that Behaves like a Line

Barry Kelly — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 00:52:08 GMT

Just thinking out loud here - I haven't tried this.

If your composite wall (won't work for simple walls) had a skin separator line in the centre then you could apply a symbolic line for the pattern you want to that separator line.
The question is can you then set up a graphic override to change just that centre skin separator?

Barry.

Re: a Fill that Behaves like a Line

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 04:47:01 GMT

I have had previously had success using the same method as Barry suggested but did not have a graphic override as I am happy for the fire rating to show on all plans

Scott

Re: a Fill that Behaves like a Line

Aaron Bourgoin — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 12:10:19 GMT

I'm happy and grateful for the responses so far, but most of the walls that are rated have either a stud track or are made of concrete and masonry so they don't have a skin line that I could use.

I will try an experiment and split a masonry block in two (judo chop!) to see if that would work.

The question about symbol fills and motifs remains, though. The "fit to skin" option is a great thing, but the switch to turn it on reside solely at theBuilding Materials dialog box. We need to be able to activate it elsewhere in the program.

If anyone else has suggestions, they're all welcome. I think we could do a lot of things with fills and Gas if we could solve this.

Re: a Fill that Behaves like a Line

squall_tmo — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 17:40:55 GMT

I hope I understood your question, anyway once you use Barry's Method (composite on a wall) you Just need to explode that wall in the current view (Edit>Modify>Explode into the current view), because if I don't go wrong it is the only way to place a fill with radial deformation!

Re: a Fill that Behaves like a Line

Aaron Bourgoin — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 20:22:36 GMT

Looking to give this post a bump. I'm still trying to create Symbol Fills that behave like lines that I can apply to Composite walls by means of a Graphic Override. The first post in this thread still holds. Even after 3.5 years. LOL.

Re: a Fill that Behaves like a Line

Podolsky — Sun, 11 Jul 2021 12:52:31 GMT

The solution in this thread:

https://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=73963&start=10

Re: a Fill that Behaves like a Line

Barry Kelly — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 10:32:34 GMT

There seems to be a few posts tackling this problem / linking to this post at the moment.
So I will add what I think could be a solution here.
Apologies if it has been discussed or disregarded in another post.

If what you are looking to do is add a specific line type to the center of a wall, why not create a wall accessory object that will do this.
It will work for both straight and curved walls.
It will have its own layer so you can turn it on and off easily enough.
If the walls have some sort of fire rating description in their name or ID (or maybe a property), it might be possible to automate the line type as well based on that.
If not you could manually choose the line type in the accessory object settings.

Of course you will have to create the accessory object - I am not aware of one floating around out there - but there might be.

Barry.

Re: a Fill that Behaves like a Line

Podolsky — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 10:51:09 GMT

Barry,
The problem with creating 2D symbol from wall accessory is obvious - it cannot read property defined in the wall. That means you need to set fire-rated value for the symbol itself (and separately for the wall).That is already sucks - it terms of automation of the workflow. Also with wall accessory you cannot select all walls at one and with one click place wall accessories there - you need to go through each wall and - click-click-click... And at the end - wall accessory is optional function of ArchiCAD - with additional download. If some user don't have it - he must download, close ArchiCAD, install and open ArchiCAD again. Why to do that if you can use label - that solves most of these problems? By the way, seems I've found some 'hack' how to get label following wall curvature, that will work at least in default options. Just need to concentrate and write a formula.

Have you tried the label I uploaded? Script is short, use of it is very simple and it really works and gives exactly what needed.

Re: a Fill that Behaves like a Line

Barry Kelly — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 12:25:14 GMT

Podolsky wrote:
it cannot read property defined in the wall.

Not even with ... n = REQUEST ("Properties_Of_Parent", propertyType, parentProperties)

Podolsky wrote:
That means you need to set fire-rated value for the symbol itself (and separately for the wall).That is already sucks - it terms of automation of the workflow.

That is why I suggested that the fore rating may be built into the wall name or ID.
The rating could be searched for and the correct line type set.

Podolsky wrote:
Also with wall accessory you cannot select all walls at one and with one click place wall accessories there - you need to go through each wall and - click-click-click...

Of course you can select more than one wall.
With the accessory you traditionally choose which side of the wall you want the accessory on.
In this case it doesn't matter, as no matter which side you choose, you want the line to offset half the width of the wall.

Podolsky wrote:
And at the end - wall accessory is optional function of ArchiCAD - with additional download. If some user don't have it - he must download, close ArchiCAD, install and open ArchiCAD again.

True, but you only have to do it once and you then have the benefit of all the accessory add-ons.

Podolsky wrote:
Have you tried the label I uploaded? Script is short, use of it is very simple and it really works and gives exactly what needed.

Just had a quick look at it.
Obviously you have to set up the properties and the line types if you don't have those.
And you have to force a re-build if you modify the wall?
Other labels (text) update automatically.
I guess it is something to do with using the geometry of the wall?
An interesting use of a label.

I have no idea if my suggestion of the accessory works or not as I haven't tried it.
Just trying to throw some ideas out there.

Barry.

Re: a Fill that Behaves like a Line

Podolsky — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 14:05:33 GMT

Request won't work. Because wall accessory is not parent element of the wall. Label and openings are parent, but accessory is just an object, controlled and attached to the wall via Add-on.
I tested wall accessory - it actually works if I'm selecting all walls and apply to them accessory - after it requires one click only.
But the issue with how to pass fire rating value to the accessory - still a problem. I don't think it's a good idea to use special ID for fire rated walls. ID is just an ID, when fire-rating is separate parameter.
Type (name of the wall) also doesn't work - what to do if I choose non-composite wall?
And by the way - wall accessory will not able to read non of these - ID of the wall or name of structure. It only receives information about wall geometry, material (surface), pen colours and contour line types. It even cannot get information about wall skins and building material.

My verdict to wall accessories - it's such an old Add-on (20 years already!), that it really require major review and update. It just does not support many features appeared in past 20 years.