Detail Markers and Externally Linked Drawings

[kevin b]

Am I missing something or is this not possible? We have several ArchiCAD files which have our office standard details in them. I can import them fine into layouts in AC10, titles are all good, etc. But where we have detail markers placed in drawings in the file that are supposed to refer to these externally linked details, there is no way to link them to where the drawings are in the layout book, although it seems like you should be able to. We are using Standard detail marker 10, in the dialog box if you click refer to drawing and browse there is nothing there because it only shows where internal details are placed on layouts and since the markers are lknked to an "empty detail" which isn't placed we seem to be out of luck. It just doesn't make sense that you have this refer to drawing section and import external details but not be able to refer to them.

[TomWaltz]

No, detail markers can only point to details in the same file as the marker referring to it.

[Scott Bulmer]

See workaround:
http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=9097

[kevin b]

Yes, we have been using a simialr work around in AC9, it just seems to me that with all of the updating to the way the layout book works and the fact that you can not only link the marker to a detail in the file but also, separately tell it to get the info to fill the marker from drawing xyz, that you should be able to tell it to get that info from any drawing in the layout book, regardless of whether it is internally or externally linked. In fact it seems kind of redundant to tell the marker that it is linked to detail 123 and have to tell it to read the info from placed drawing 123 as well. It seems like the only time you would really need to specifiy the drawing is when it is NOT linked to an internal detail.

Thanks for the replies though.

[Scott Bulmer]

Hey Kevin,
You're preachin' to the choir! Maybe in release 10.1

[Anonymous]

I'm thinking that one could create a detail marker with a gdl script that refers to the autotext generated by the "Set As Autotext Reference" ID...

Anyone have any suggestions?

[TomWaltz]

siteline wrote:
I'm thinking that one could create a detail marker with a gdl script that refers to the autotext generated by the "Set As Autotext Reference" ID...

Anyone have any suggestions?

It would be a good idea if you had a way of retrieving the ID number of the view after it was placed on the sheet.

[Potato Farmer]

Indeed a major disappointment to those of us (hi Tom) seeking a truly universal referencing system. For the time being I think a better workaround than the Phantom Detail is a semi-smart (or semi-stupid) marker made by manually placing autotext (referencing your detail) onto a marker that matches your typical detail marker. I've been meaning to make a GDL object that matches my preferred markers (detail, wall section, etc.) to take advantage of scale sensitivity, stretchability, etc. but so far have just scaled ones I drafted.

[Anonymous]

Just another gripe to add to the list:

This marker can face only one direction with its head up. I don't get what the point of the "mirror marker" button is for, since it inverts the text (its upside down and the dwg and sht #s reverse positions) as well as the direction.

Oh, and on the subject of badly programmed markers that we (or somebody) paid lots of money for, how about the Detail Indicator NCS 10 that when you tell it you want a circle, you get an oval until you get the marker size and marker head width the same.

But really, why can't the detail marker link( or refer) to any drawing that you have placed on a layout?

I will admit though, I like when the marker tell me on the plan what layout it refers to. Begrudging praise...

[vfrontiers]

I agree completely with the notion that we should be able to reference any placed item in the set....

In addition, I have one GDL request that I can't figure out...

In my DETAIL system, I have 300-400 standard details all with a unique number. This number becomes the Detail Number in the PROJECT MAP (eg. FMG234) but when placed into the set, it gets a SHEET genereted number (eg. 32)...

Is there a way to have the GDL display the DETAIL Number (FMG234) as well as the Sheet Generated Number? Must be just another autotext thingie, eh? Can't seem to find it.