Graphisoft MEP Designer: Quick-start guide for new users

Andrea Polgar · ‎2025-10-02

MEP Designer is designed to provide MEP engineers with an easy-to-use, BIM-native solution that ensures seamless coordination and collaboration with architects working in Archicad.

This quick-start guide walks you through the basics of creating, editing, and documenting ducts, pipes, and cable trays in MEP Designer—summarized on a single page for new users with no prior Archicad experience.

Interface

Palette	Why it matters	Pro tip
Toolbox	Pick a tool: MEP Route, Equipment, Dimension, or Editing tool. Active until you change it.	Double-click a tool to open its Settings instantly.
Info Box	Shows live parameters for the active tool/selection.	Fine-tune size, elevation, or system here instead of opening dialogs.
Navigator	One tree for all of the project's Stories, 3D, Sections, Schedules, Views, Layouts, Publishing.	Drag a View onto a Layout to create drawings in seconds.

View & navigation basics

Zoom Controls

Mouse wheel: Scroll up to zoom in, down to zoom out
Fit in Window: Ctrl/Cmd + ' (apostrophe) or double-click mouse wheel
Zoom to Selection: Select elements and use Fit in Window

Pan (Move View)

Mouse wheel: Click and hold the mouse wheel, then move mouse to pan
Alternative: Use scroll bars or arrow keys

3D Orbit (3D Views only)

Basic Orbit: Click and hold mouse wheel + Shift, then move mouse

Navigator

Each story/elevation/section etc. in the project is listed in the Navigator’s Project Map
To create new stories, go to Design > Story Settings
To create sections/elevations, find viewpoint tools in the toolbox

MEP Route creation

MEP Routing allows you to create connected systems of ducts, pipes, or cable carriers with continuous mouse clicks, similar to drawing polylines -but resulting in 3D MEP elements.

Select Duct, Pipe, or Cable Route tool in the Toolbox with one click
In Settings: Pick the MEP System, Nominal Size, elevation, and shape
Click to start routing, then click for each change of direction, Esc to finish or double-click

Sloped Route creation

MEP Designer lets you adjust pipe slopes easily without breaking connections. Slopes are set in the Tracker, shown graphically, and inherited by new segments, while vertical pipes remain unchanged.

Activate MEP Routing Tool (typically Pipe Route)
Begin modeling
Press Tab to activate Input Tracker
Enter slope percentage in the slope field
Use context menu to set slope direction:
- Up: Route slopes upward in direction of placement
- Down: Route slopes downward in direction of placement
Press Enter to apply settings and continue modeling

Model with precision

Tracker: The Tracker appears near your cursor during element creation or editing and provides precise control over dimensions and positioning.
- Press Tab: Navigate between Tracker fields or activate input
- Direct Input: Type precise values directly into any field
- Hold Shift: Lock drawing direction for straight lines
Guide Lines: Place guide lines in 2D or 3D for reference and alignment
Snap References: Cursor snaps to specific points, like nodes and mid-points of edges (Appears automatically)

Connect MEP Equipment to Routes

Configure Equipment connections:
- Open Equipment Settings: Double-click MEP element or use Ctrl/Cmd + T
- Navigate to Connections Tab in Equipment Settings: Review all available connection points
- Define parameters for each connection
Position elements in proximity to each other
Initiate connection using a route tool
Navigate connection options: At the point of connection, use Up/Down arrow keys to cycle through suggested geometries
Confirm selection: Press Enter or left-click to accept

Selection methods

To edit or delete elements, you must select them first. Use the Arrow Tool to choose elements by clicking or drawing a selection box, working in both 2D and 3D. Use the Marquee Tool to define an area - even across multiple stories- to select all elements within it.

Single Element Selection

Click on any element to select it
Selected elements are displayed with highlighted hotspots and editing handles

Multiple Element Selection

Shift + Click: Add elements to selection
Select All Similar: Activate a tool in the Toolbox, press Cmd/Ctrl + A

Deselection Methods

Single Element: Press Esc or click on empty space
From Multiple Selection: Shift + Click the element again
Deselect All: Press Esc or click empty space

💡 Selection Tip: Use Shift + Click to temporarily activate the Arrow tool while another tool is active. This allows you to quickly select and modify elements without changing tools.

Edit - Discover the Pet Palette

The Pet Palette is a context-sensitive toolbar that appears during element creation or editing. It provides quick access to relevant commands without navigating through menus.

Appears automatically during element interaction
Content changes based on:
- Selected element type
- Part of element (node, edge, surface)
- Active window (2D vs 3D)
- Current operation

Edit individual parts

For editing individual parts of the MEP Route (nodes, segments), use the "Edit Mode", available in both 2D and 3D .

Select Route Element: Click on any part of the route
Activate Edit Mode: Click the 'Edit' button that appears
Modify Components:
- Segments: Adjust length, diameter, materials
- Nodes: Reposition connection points, change angles
- Junctions: Modify branch configurations
Exit Edit Mode: Press Esc or click 'Exit' button

The Navigator workflow

The Navigator serves as the central hub for organizing and navigating your MEP project. Its tree structure reflects the project’s logical organization, making it easy to move between different parts of your work.

Any new stories, sections, or elevations are automatically listed under the Project Map. Filtered versions of these can be saved as Views—for example, while the Project Map only allows a single ground floor, multiple variations can be stored - each with with different settings - in the View Map. These Views can then be placed onto Layouts in the Layout Book and published in various file formats in the Publisher.

Tab	What you store	Typical action
Project Map	Raw viewpoints: Stories, Sections, Elevations, 3D, Schedules.	Create or open model views.
View Map	Saved views with Layer Combo, Scale, MVO, Graphic Overrides.	Organize working & print views.
Layout Book	Sheets that hold drawing views.	Assemble drawing sets.
Publisher Sets	Output batches (PDF, DWG, BIMx).	Issue deliverables with one click.

Layers & Layer Combinations

Layers are used to separate elements logically. Each tool has a default layer assignment: when you place an element using that tool, the new element is automatically placed on the corresponding layer.

An element can only belong to a single layer.

Layer Combinations are named sets of layers with varying statuses. Use these combinations to hide or lock layers that you don’t need to see or edit in a view.

Each view is saved with a particular Layer Combination.

To open the Layers dialog, do one of the following:

Shortcut: Ctrl+L
Layer Settings icon in the Quick Options bar
Options > Element Attributes > Layers

Other useful tools