parametric or not

[Anonymous]

I am just starting out in AC and was led to believe that it is parametric (place a feature then edit the dimension to place it). I can't find out how to do this. Was I misled or am I missing something that it seems would be really obvious.

[Anonymous]

Parametrics refers to the fact that elements are defined by parameters (beyond just location and size), not necessarily to the relationships between elements.

In ArchiCAD the relationship between building elements and their associated dimensions is one way. Modify the element (i.e. wall, etc.) and the dimension will update, but it odes not work the other way round.

[Aaron Bourgoin]

Fishcad,

If you meant to say "select a feature and use a dimension to place it", this is possible.

In ArchiCAD this is not done with a dimension string, but rather a virtual measuring tape that consists of a temporary origin point and an orientation to the x/y axis.

Use the universal origin point or - more useful still - a temporary origin point as a reference., select an object, an insertion point (or method in the case of windows and doors), type either 'x' or 'y', enter your "dimension" and press enter. The object will be placed where you specified it to be.

[Djordje]

fishcad wrote:
I am just starting out in AC and was led to believe that it is parametric (place a feature then edit the dimension to place it). I can't find out how to do this. Was I misled or am I missing something that it seems would be really obvious.

You were not misled.

The method differs.

On th etop of the screen is the info box, where the parameters of the selected element are shown. Anything you change there will be applied to the element.

If you want to change the length of the wall, you will have to do it graphically.

[Dwight]

Buy a fellow user coffee and ask him the basics.
Got to be an ArchiCAD TALK person near Santa Clara....
Takes an hour.
You will get wized-up quicker than by asking questions with written answers - seeing is believing.

HEY!! WHO CAN HELP THIS GUY WITH THE BAD NAME??

[Aaron Bourgoin]

Dwight wrote:
Buy a fellow user coffee and ask him the basics.
Got to be an ArchiCAD TALK person near Santa Clara....
Takes an hour.

I call them the 5 basic moves.

[Dwight]

ArchiCAD Anonymous:

The Twelve Moves:

1: We admitted that we were powerless over the software and that our practices had become unmanageable.

2: Place first, then edit

3: You can do math in the co-ordinate window if you press the keys in the right order

4: take it away Aaron