!Restored: Architerra

[Anonymous]

Can anyone explain what the points are in architerra. I am considering buying it. I want to be able to generate a report or list of distance and bearing from the origin or other point. This list would then be sent to our total station to use as construction staking info. Very useful! I know there are other software packages that can take select layers from a DWG and extract points for this purpose. I would much rather directly do it in AC if possible. What are the Architerra "Points"?Can I get a list of xyz data from them?

[Fabrizio Diodati]

Dear Flamer,

the points, in ArchiTerra, are the “base” from which you start to build the terrain.
They can come from DXF or TXT import, they can be manually inserted or they can be a result of a transformation of an ArchiCAD polyline into ArchiTerra contour line.
Usually, in the topographic survey scenario, the main trouble is the opposite (in respect of what you are looking for): you need to import 3D surveyed point into the ArchiCAD Plan, so you have a list of points and you want to get a 3D model.
ArchiTerra doesn’t address what you are asking for: the issue to export already placed point.
I suppose you can solve the trouble (I’m not saying it should be the best solution!) with a special point “object” (similar to that one provided with the first version of ArchiTerra, if you want you can get it by downloading ArchiTerra 1.8 from www.cigraph-store.com) that has, as component, the 3D coordinate of the insertion point then you can use the ArchiCAD listing feature to produce the list you are looking for. But, in this case, you cannot get distances… maybe you can do this with another object…

Hoping this will help you,
Friendly
Fabrizio

[Anonymous]

I'm typing this for the second time tonight! the first copy failed to post. I forgot to thank Fabrizio for the reply. Thanks. I got Architerra last week and couldn't help my self, I also ordered Archiforma today! Thanks for the great products!

[Anonymous]

I recently purchased AT. In the road longitudinal profile window it gives all dimensions in inches. Am I missing something or is this the only way?
I can't figure out why some one would want to see the dims in inches. Please and thank you.

[Fabrizio Diodati]

It follows the settings from the Option/Preferences/Calculation Units dialog box.
Change it as you prefer and rebuild & regenerate the Road Section window in order to update the dimensions.

friendly
Fabrizio

[Anonymous]

Fabrizio Diodati,
I am trying to create a site model of a subdivision. I tried creating the model using ArchiCAD's Mesh tool. Unfortunately, the resulting mesh could barely be manipulated in ArchiCAD. The only time I tried rendering it I had to leave it to render after I left work for the day so I don't know how long it takes to render. What I do know it that the model is unwieldy and too big to use for views from and to the house that we are working on.

Is ArchiTerra capable of creating terrain models that do not bog down average computers? My computer's specifications are listed below.

Another thing that I'd like to do is a very, very basic model of Maui, the Island where we are located, so that I could do views from and to the houses that we design so that we and our clients can see what the views will be from their new houses. Do you think that this is possible using ArchiTerra?

Right now I'm trying to figure out how to do this with by creating a flat plain representing the outline of the ocean and placing the house at the proper elevation and orientation. Unfortunately, this will not give us a representation of the surrounding terrain and mountains.

If ArchiTerra would not be good for this application can you recommend a software package that would be good for doing this type of large scale terrain modeling?

Thank you,
John Cassel
EcoDesignGroup
Maui, Hawaii
808-579-8197
808-281-7858

[Fabrizio Diodati]

Dear John,

it's only a matter of number of points not about large scale terrain modeling. I mean if you can describe what you need with a reasonable nomber of points you can build any kind of terrain.

About limitation: ArchiTerra isn't a stand-alone software: it's just an add-on so you have to remember that, at the end, the final "engine" will be ArchiCAD itself.
So, probably using ArchiTerra you can also build very complex terrain (the largest I calculated had 20.000 points) but then it is an ArchiCAD job represent the model in the 3D window so...

friendly
Fabrizio

[Anonymous]

Fabrizio,
I have downloaded the ArchiTerra and want to start experiementing with it tommorow. Just the road creation tool would seem to make it worth using.
Would a terrain model created with ArchiTerra be any less burdensome in ArchiCAD than a mesh created with the same amount of points?
Thank you,
John

[Fabrizio Diodati]

No at all!
There is absolutely no difference between a Mesh created by ArchiCAD and a mesh created by ArchiTerra.
Starting from the same data, you will get the same result.

[Fabrizio Diodati]

Just one difference: ArchiTerra provides you with some filtering options which could help you in simplifying the data needed to build the terrain.