Detail Marker GDL Question

[Anonymous]

[Moved from the Developer forum.]

On some of our drawings the detail marker has a white background that masks out the geometry underneath. This is handy because you can read the detail number and sheet reference easily.

The problem is that the mask doesn't show up on some projects. Looking at the "Detail Indicator NCS" object, there doesn't seem to be any switch that controls the mask. I have tried every form of Fill setting in the Display Options, but it still doesn't work.

I found the following code in the "Marker Head" object which seems to show that the circle is being drawn using the POLY2_B function with pen 91 as the background pen (variable bpn).

fpn=2
bpn=91
If gs_marker_shape_m="1" Then
...<rotation code snipped>...
poly2_b 2, mask, fpn, bpn,
0,0,901,
AC_MarkerSize/2,360,4001

Unfortunately, this doesn't actually work.

No matter waht I try, I can't get the background to show. What am I missing? I want to make this a lot easier for my team to use, but I haven't figured out how it works (or doesn't) in the first place.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Your analysis of the POLY2_B command is correct - the bpn is what determines the background colour.

There are two other things which may affect whether the background colour shows.

Firstly, there is an option in ArchiCAD which makes all fill background colours transparent. Under Options/Preferences/Miscellaneous, the top drop-down box gives you the option to make fill backgrounds either Transparent, the Drawing Background Colour, or the Element's Setting. It is the second or third of these that you need selected.

Secondly, the MASK (listed as frame_fill in the ArchiCAD help) must include the fill. It is built according to the following rules:

frame_fill = j1 + 2*j2 + 4*j3

where j1, j2, j3 can be 0 or 1.

j1 (1): contour only

j2 (2): fill only

j3 (4): close an open polygon

Then, provided that you've attended to the first option, the bpn should display as you want it.

Hope that helps.

[TDabney]

Jay - did Rowan's tip help? I tried to make the ultimate flexible detail marker a while back w/a white background as well. Even after trying to pick apart a few stock library w/background fills, it was still beyond my GDL capabilities. I'd be interested to know if you've been able to get it to fly.

Tom

[Anonymous]

TDabney wrote:
did Rowan's tip help? I'd be interested to know if you've been able to get it to fly.Tom

Well, not exactly. I had already checked the Display Options. Some combination of what Rowan wrote and a suggestion from Ed Brown finally helped me stumble onto a solution.

I edited "Marker Head.gsm" set both 'fpn' and 'bpn' to 91 -- the default ArchiCAD white. (See my first post)

Back in "Detail Indicator.gsm" I set "AC_MarkerFill" to "Solid Fill".

It works okay, the only side-effect is that you must "Use Symbol Colors" or your marker head will be completely filled in black. It may not be very elegant, but it works.

[LiHigh]

If you are using V9, Frame_Fill have changed!
I'm not sure whether this contribute to the error.

frame_fill = j1 + 2*j2 + 4*j3 + 8*j4 + 32*j6 + 64*j7
where j1, j2, j3 can be 0 or 1.
j1 (1): contour only
j2 (2): fill only
j3 (4): close an open polygon
j4 (8): local fill orientation
j6: fill is cut fill (default is drafting fill)
j7: fill is cover fill (only if j6 = 0, default is drafting fill)