Create Label that shows only part of surface name

[psmith]

We use Codes on our drawings not the full text to denote wall types and surface materials.

I would really like to use the Archicad labelling but the only way I can see that we could do this would be to label all our surfaces and wall types by the codes - which is not very user friendly.

Does anyone know of a labell that only shows say the first 3 characters of the name.

eg: FB1 - Face brick type 1 - would just show FB
WT1 - Brick veneer wall - would only show WT1

Thanks
Pete

[Richard Morrison]

Your options depend on which version of ArchiCAD you are using. It would be helpful to add this to your signature.

[psmith]

Richard wrote:
Your options depend on which version of ArchiCAD you are using. It would be helpful to add this to your signature.

We are using archicad 20

[Erwin Edel]

You can give building materials an ID, this sounds excactly like what you are looking for. You should be able to schedule by building material ID.

[Richard Morrison]

I would look at the Categories and Properties Label 20. It has a lot of flexibility to include just about about anything. However, this does not automatically truncate text. The 3 letter ID would need to be in a different field, but the label could include the ID, the full name, or both.

[Anonymous]

I recently posted a similar request with some code that could be applied to the surface label to show before a delimeter, if one knew how.
But as I can't do that I'm using masterscrpts label everything for now. It can truncate text.
I have been told the wish to add an ID field to surfaces has gone to GS.

Ac20

[Anonymous]

Hi, one of the things I really like about AC20 is the flexibility that the new property manager, and the ability to create almost any type of property gives us.

Here is an idea on how you can achieve what you want using the property manager.

1- you make a new property, in any convenient group, or do a new one, however you want, and you will use this property to write the truncate ID you want for any element.
2- then you add the truncate ID in the wall types. (I'll save it in the favorites, I wish AC have associative favorites in case of later changes)
3- After that just use any label that will let you call to this property to be labeled in a element, in the Pic I use "Identification and Property label 20"

PD: I though that we could give an ID to the composites, I just realize you can have ID only in the materials but not the full composite, it will probably be nice to have an ID for Composites too.

[Anonymous]

The issue with that approach is the code is tied to the elements, not the surface. So you could change the surface and the code wouldn't update.
It's great for other stuff though!

[Erwin Edel]

You can have a building material for each surface, and give those ID though. Should be able to grab that ID with a label.