dimension points to only to perpendicular walls

[Anonymous]

Is there a way to control the dimension tool so that it only snaps to the end of the control line of the walls that are perpendicular to the dimension string and not the end points of the walls that are parallel to the dimension string? I need this for snapping to the intersection the ends of two walls. To facilitate future changes I want to only snap to the wall that is perpendicular to the dimension string.
I think that there was a post on this subject but I cannot find it.
Mahalo,
John

[Anonymous]

Our practice normally provide dimensions to finished surfaces, but today I've had to show dimensions to the structural core, so was glad to find this thread.

However, I've found it incredibly difficult. Although I've been careful to assign 'core', 'finish' and 'other' within the composite wall, and checked the box for 'core only' in the dimension dialogue, it seems as if the core is dimensioned only if you select the whole wall. If you try to snap on a wall junction, it always wants to pick the finished surface. In some instances I've been forced to place a hotspot by eye in order to try and get an accurate dimension.

Is this normal?

[Anonymous]

So?

Would I be better converting my model to Autocad and dimensioning there?

[Erika Epstein]

Keith,
Stay in Archicad.

When you are dimensioning core only, in addition to setting dimension to Dimension Core Only, set your MVO to display Core Only. Then you will see the end point of each core.

[Anonymous]

Aha!

I didn't know this option existed (Partial Structure Display). This is the answer. Many, many thanks.

[Barry Kelly]

Erika wrote:
When you are dimensioning core only, in addition to setting dimension to Dimension Core Only, set your MVO to display Core Only. Then you will see the end point of each core.

But be carefull. When you change your partial display option again the dimensions will disappear. They will only show in the partial display option that they were created in - a bit like turning layers on and off.

Keith,
I think the idea of the dimension core only feature is so that you can just click on the side of the wall to dimension the core - no need to go to the ends.
If you want just one side of the core then select the side, you will get the 2 circle crosshair symbols halfway along the length of the wall.
Then just click on one of these to turn it off.

If you want to dimension at the end or junction of the walls you will have to zoom in hard enough to see aal the available end points because they will all be active - not just the core endpoints.
Is this a bug or a feature? I guess it depends on how you want to look at it.
I see it as a feature. I can dimension just the core by clicking on the sides of the wall but if I want individual skins I can zoom into the ends.

Barry.

[Anonymous]

Barry wrote:
But be carefull. When you change your partial display option again the dimensions will disappear. They will only show in the partial display option that they were created in - a bit like turning layers on and off.

.. as I discovered! This seems to defeat the object. Not much point in being able to dimension to the core, if you can't see the dims in the general view!

Barry wrote:
Is this a bug or a feature?

A rather useless feature, I'd have thought. How much better if you could snap on any of the intersections, just as you would when the 'dimension to core' option is off. (The option does say 'dimension only the core') And then simply turn the 'core' option back on if you needed to.

I'm still reeling from this experience which is both incredibly time-consuming and inaccurate, and wondering whether in future I should explode walls to lines just to be able to dimension quickly and accurately by ensuring I've snapped on the correct junction!

[Erika Epstein]

Keith wrote:
.. as I discovered! This seems to defeat the object. Not much point in being able to dimension to the core, if you can't see the dims in the general view!

I'm still reeling from this experience which is both incredibly time-consuming and inaccurate, and wondering whether in future I should explode walls to lines just to be able to dimension quickly and accurately by ensuring I've snapped on the correct junction!

Not sure what you find inaccurate but if you explode all your 3D elements you are creating many more areas for possible error.

It is very quick to click on the wall and then delete one of the dimension nodes, on each wall and ACCURATE. Changing your MVO to core only just to see where the live dimensioning nodes are should help you to quickly find an end of core node when all skins are visible if that is what you prefer.

Perhaps you should sit with another AC user in Glasgow to get some training?

[Anonymous]

Erika -

I think maybe we have different perceptions of the term "quick"!

If you're dimensioning a complex layout, dimensioning the finished surfaces, you can very quickly move around the model, snapping on all the various intersections. That's quick and easy.

If, however, you need to dimension to the core, this facility no longer exists, and you have instead to pick up the end point of a wall, or a point somewhere in its length and delete the nodes you didn't want, plus zoom in to check that you haven't picked a finishes-junction by mistake, then it's a whole different ball-game. Okay, it's do-able, but not so easy.

My complaint is that dimensioning in 'core-only' mode should be just as easy and quick as in the normal mode. And how tantalising that the 'Partial Structure Display - Core only' mode very nearly does it! Wouldn't it be a simple enough matter to retain the dimensioning carried out in this mode? Why on earth make them disappear in "full model display"? If you wanted this to happen you could put them on a separate layer. This must be a mistake, surely. Perhaps the programmers should go for training!

[Gerald Hoffman]

If, however, you need to dimension to the core, this facility no longer exists

Keith,
AFAIK this is not the case. I dimension to the core all the time. If the composite wall have the correct core elements that you want to dimension you just need to pick the wall edge when dimensioning and it will put a dimension to the core element. You just have to make sure you do not select nodes.

Cheers,

[Barry Kelly]

I can see where Keith is coming from.
In his example he wants to just dimension the end points of the core of the vertical wall.
So he either need to zoom in to the ends for accuracy or click on the sides of the two horizontal walls and then delete a node from the outside edge of each of those walls.
It could be expected that because the dimensioning is set to "core only" that it defaults to the end of the core at junctions rather than the finish nodes.
It seems that it doesen't do this - maybe it should with the option to zoom in and pick the finish end point if needed.

The partial structure display isn't really a tool for being able to dimension just the cores.
As it says it is a display so that different versions of the plan can be displayed - with out finishes for small scale plans with dimensions to just the cores and with finishes for large scal room plans and details with dimensions includeing the finishes.
Some will see this as a feature, others as a hassle and I suspect many would think it not necessary or not even know it is there.

Personally I don't model walls with finishes (yes there are good and bad points about this).
Never did when I was manually drafting so why would I now on a computor.
Except of course for large scale details and then these are usually a 2D line drawing so it really doesn't matter what wall composite I use.

Barry.