How to define a new level marker?

[Anonymous]

I come from China. I can not find the level marker type we used in Level Tool. So I have to define a new one myself.
But how? No subtype for level marker.

Anybody know?

[David Larrew]

Are you referring to the "Level Dimension Tool"?

AFAIK, it hasn't changed much since AC7.0. Right now, as it has been in the past, the dimension indicator symbols are hard-coded (not customizable ). Maybe the next version will allow new custom "Level Markers" similar to the "Section Markers" now available in AC8.*.

Or, am I not understanding your post?

[Anonymous]

You understood quite well, thanks.

I think I have to use Object Tool to insert level marker.

[Anonymous]

Wolf,

You are right that you need to make your own level dimension markers with the object tool. The good news is that you can make them better than the Level Dimensioning tool does. I made one that changes its appearance according to whether it is used in plan or section. It automatically picks up the elevation above project zero in section and it displays the z-height in plan (allowing auto slab, roof and mesh spot elevations using the gravity feature). The only limitation is that they can't be linked to other model elements so they have to be manually updated when things change.

If you like (and any others of course) I can e-mail you the part to adapt to your own needs.

[Anonymous]

Matthew,
I don't know how to use the gravity feature in my level dimension marker. Would you like to tell me about it?
My E-mail Addr. is : wolfkingforever@21cn.com
Thank you, very much.

[Anonymous]

The gravity setting is in the coordinates palette (see attached image). You can set it to slabs, roofs or meshes and it allows an obect or wall (or other 3D element) to be "dropped" to the correct elevation to sit on a roof etc. This is especially handy for placing trees etc. on a site model.

[Anonymous]

To use the gravity feature with the level dimension marker use the global variable SYMB_POS_Z as the text for the marker. This will display the height of the part as it is placed in plan. The attached jpeg shows a plan window with spot elevations "dropped" onto a site.

In elevation use SYMB_POS_Y since the elevaton window is a 2D view using x and y axes. This global will always return the height above the project zero (it is not affected by moving the origin). The jpeg also shows the same library part used in section.

[Aussie John]

Matthew- How did you get the text to display in the elevation view?

[Anonymous]

It's the smame as in plan view (Text2 statement in the 2D script) except using the SYMB_POS_Y instead of SYMB_POS_Z.

[Geoff Briggs]

Howdy gents. My search returned this old thread as the closest to my current dilemma. I’m trying to figure out the best way to place markers that will display top of wall elevations in plan. I don’t care what tool is used to generate these but would like to have them linked to specific walls. It appears that the Level Dimension tool is out since gravity does not work with walls An Object based marker cannot be associated to another element AFAIK, so that leaves the Label tool. Is this a correct assessment? If so, can someone please point me in the direction of the proper code to transfer parameters from the wall to the label. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Geoff,
It occurred to me that the height of any wall can be accessed
in the script of a window from the global "Wall_Height".
Therefor one could make a library part (subtype window(wall)) that,
when placed in any wall, would display the value of
"Wall_Height" for that wall.
I played around with the idea and it seems to work.
The only thing left to do is tweak the scripts for appearance
in 2D and, if desired, 3D. (and section/elevation for that matter)
Peter Devlin

[Geoff Briggs]

Cool idea. Let me know how it goes.

[Anonymous]

Geoff,
I thought I already did.
It works.
Peter Devlin

[Geoff Briggs]

So per Peter’s idea WALL_HEIGHT can be used by Windows, but can it be used by Labels?

[Aussie John]

you can control the position of the label using the wall_height (when used in elevations)

[Anonymous]

Geoff,
AFAIK, wall parameters are not available for labels.
You can script the window to look like a label in 2D,
make the left and right oversize in the details pane -a/2,
and put a triangle WALLHOLE above the top of the wall in the 3D script
to disable the default 3D hole in the wall.

Peter Devlin

[Geoff Briggs]

It turns out you can indeed access the wall height from within the label tool. Thanks to Ben Hruska from the Seattle ArchiCAD Users Group for pointing this out and sharing his label object with me. I modified it to pick up the level dimension setting as set in preferences and a few other things. Screen shot below.

[Geoff Briggs]

Here’s the label for anyone interested, Mac format.

[Anonymous]

Geoff,
I just tried your "Top of wall_GB.gsm" label.
I drew two walls, one at 10'-0" high, the other at 5'-0" high.
With the label tool, with your custom label, I labeled both walls.
The label displayed the height of both walls as 10'-0".
I then went to the wall tool settings and changed the default height
to 7'-0". I did not draw a wall at this new height setting.
I then I hit option + command to "rebuild and regenerate"
the plan window and now the both labels read 7'-0".
What am I doing wrong ?
How can I get your label to display the actual heights of
of different walls ?
Thank you,
Peter Devlin

[Geoff Briggs]

Peter wrote:
What am I doing wrong ?
How can I get your label to display the actual heights of
of different walls ?

Beats me, I just repeated your test in a new file and everything worked fine. Can you please send me your file. iandidesign@comcast.net Thanks.

BTW, does anyone know how to make the label tool default to a bent leader line, like in the screen shot, when labeling a wall. It always starts out straight for me.