Automatic Dimensions Grabbing in Plan but not Section

[Lexi Szymo]

Hello, 

Our design & construction documentation team has found that dimensioning in sections has become very tedious as we have to manually select each core face on each wall (we use complex profiles for the majority of our walls), and in plan it will select them without issues. The dimension tool will grab our composite walls/slabs etc. in section without issue. Not sure if this has anything to deal with our profile setup (snip of that included below) themselves, but it used to work previously (same complex profiles) with relatively no other issues. Link to video of the issue is included below.

While this issue causes for a minor inefficiency in production by having to manually select each point, the bigger issue is that the dimensions previously would be associated and move with the wall, whereas now the way we have to select them, they seem to not be linked to anything and remain in the same point on the view when the wall moves.

Section Dimensioning Issue 

[Lexi Szymo]

 

[Mahmoud Qenawi]

Hi @Lexi Szymo , you are right it works only in plan but in section I found it can only snap to outer faces of the complex profile and after placing the whole dimension line you can move dimension points manually to the desired core, don’t worry it’s associative dimension.

[Lexi Szymo]

Hello @Mahmoud Qenawi 

Thank you for your response!

I was not able to get it to grab on the outer faces even in section. We had previously been able to snap to the wall (outer or core face), and we are not certain when it stopped working for us, but now it will not seem to grab the wall at all when trying to select it using the dimension tool. It will only work for the composite walls/slabs it seems.

I don't believe that we had adjusted/changed our wall profile at all, but I just wondered if something had gotten lost in translation as we migrated/transitioned to the latest version(s)/updates of Archicad and therefore that is why it no longer will snap to the wall at all?

[Mahmoud Qenawi]

@Lexi Szymo , I found a way to get your desired dimension by hotspots, I made a video but couldn’t upload cuz size, the main point is to add two hotspots at the two edges of the core in the profile editor then the cursor will attach to it when dimensioning and become associative, but I think you should send this issue ( Cores in complex profiled walls can’t be dimensioned in section as associative dimensions) as a bug or a wish to GS via the community depends on the sequence of the tool enhancements.

[Lexi Szymo]

Is there a way to submit it as such? I am relatively new to using this forum, so I am not sure how to send something like you are describing above.

[Mahmoud Qenawi]

@Barry Kelly , pls can you help us raise this issue to the community to be a bug or a wish?, I don’t know how to accomplish this task.

[Barry Kelly]

I am not sure I understand the issue.

I can snap dimensions to skins and/or outer faces or reference lines of walls in section, just the same as I can in plan.

And they are 'live' so if I move a wall the dimensions update.

I am using AC25, but I am pretty sure it would be the same in older versions.

If it is not then that won't change now.

Barry.

[Mahmoud Qenawi]

Are they composite walls or complex profiled ones? I couldn’t achieve these automatic dimensions for complex profiled walls even @Lexi Szymo couldn’t also that case led me to advise her to add two hotspots at the edges of the core in the complex profile editor to get job done which led to put it as a bug or a wish, if all this not true pls advise.

[Barry Kelly]

Sorry, I missed the complex profile bit.

I guess it is because a complex profile can be any shape, not just skins of walls.

As you can see in this image, a complex profile wall can include footings, eaves lining and wall plates.

And they can be stretchy in all sorts of directions with modifiers.

So I assume that is why the dimensions can not lock onto them.

Add hotspots to the profile as you have discovered (although they do not move with modifiers as you stretch - but will move with the wall if you drag it).

But why you can snap dimensions to them in plan still is a mystery to me.

It seems to have something to do with the Floor Plan Cutting Plane height.

You can always make a wish for this feature in the Get Together > Wishes Forum.

Please add a link back to this post in the wish for clarity.

And ideally post a link to the wish in this post so it can easily be found.

Barry.