GDL codes

[Anonymous]

Just wondering if there is an official list of commands available for GDL, possibly from the creators of the GDL language (that's AC, right?). I'm thinking similar to the many lists that exist on the internet of all the HTML tags and their meanings. I'm aware that there are books that teach GDL, but I'm just looking for some sort of index that gives each command along with the parameters. One that would probably include all the newest commands and which version (of AC at least) they work with.

Is there such a thing or are the creators trying to keep this language a secret (which I would hope is not the case). Any and all help would be much appreciated.

[Rob]

Sergio, have you opened the AC help files? The GDL section is kinda ok... or you did not like them and this is a cry for a better source of GDL description?
(Personally, I prefer to use AC help to 'refresh' my GDL memory...)

[Vitruvius]

Sergio,

I think you'll find the online GDL help is OK for basic elements, but incomprehensible for the more complex elements.

I'd been using GDL for 6 years and then purchased David Nicholson-Cole's "GDL Cookbook 3" about two years ago. It was worth every penny in terms of elevating my understanding of GDL and it would be invaluable to those beginning GDL. It provides concise and relevant descriptions of GDL in a way that the online GDL help does not.

Cheers

[Anonymous]

Rob wrote:
...Personally, I prefer to use AC help to 'refresh' my GDL memory

Vitruvius wrote:
I think you'll find the online GDL help is OK for basic elements, but incomprehensible for the more complex elements.

I'm not quite sure of what AC help or online GDL help you're talking about. I've looked as much as I could, but no luck (maybe it's hiding right under my nose.. Could you possibly provide a link? For reference, what I am hoping is to find something similar to http://www.w3.org/ which is the standards for html. So far, I have yet to find anything which would address each and every command that GDL would have to offer, something that I would say should be provided by anybody that tries to publicize their standards.

I'd been using GDL for 6 years and then purchased David Nicholson-Cole's "GDL Cookbook 3" about two years ago. It was worth every penny in terms of elevating my understanding of GDL and it would be invaluable to those beginning GDL.

I had also heard about it but have not purchased it yet. I'd like to see what I can learn for free, and then see if it's worth investing money to get up to the next level. So far I've been using "Object Making with ArchiCAD - GDL for beginners" by David Nicholson-Cole (came with my copy of ArchiCAD). It was a wonderful primer, but I was hoping for just a bit more before I can commit to investing more resources and going all-out into GDL (purchasing books, software, ACU West lessons, etc).

[Daniel Lindahl]

Sergio wrote:
I'm not quite sure of what AC help or online GDL help you're talking about. I've looked as much as I could, but no luck (maybe it's hiding right under my nose.. Could you possibly provide a link?

Sergio

yes, it is under your nose. And in that box that came with the software (or did you get a discount for no books??) .

Go to the "Help" pull-down menu. "Archicad help" brings up the manuals. Click on the + next to "ArchCAD Help" in the left sidebar to expand the chapter headings. Chapter 6 "three dimensional shapes" in the GDL reference manual is a good place to get started.

And experiment. Open the GDL object editing alongside the manual and have the 3D view open as you enter code into the 3D script window and see what happens.

[James Murray]

In your ArchiCAD8 installation folder you need a folder called 'Documentation'.

Any pdf in that folder will show up in the help menu.

I point this out because recent installers haven't automatically created the Documentation folder. I can't remember the current behavior. It may be that it installs the docs, but calls the folder 'ArchiCAD Documentation' or something, which doesn't work in its own scheme.

At any rate: check for the documentation folder, and make sure it's called 'Documentation'. If you don't have the folder, you can create it and get the docs from the CD. You can also throw in any other PDFs you find interesting.

(You can also put URLs on the help menu by placing them in the 'WWWLinks' folder in your AC folder. Alex Schamenek won a mug once for tricking this feature into launching PM from within AC, IIRC. Weird stuff, windows only.)

Definitely get the Cookbook when version 4 is released. The GDL Manual isn't garbage, it's just a reference book and not a tutorial. Once you get the hang of it it's pretty clear.

And: I didn't get a printed GDL Manual and I assume you didn't either. PDF only.

[__archiben]

James wrote:
You can also put URLs on the help menu by placing them in the 'WWWLinks' folder in your AC folder. Alex Schamenek won a mug once for tricking this feature into launching PM from within AC, IIRC. Weird stuff, windows only.

works on a mac too james!

i also use the wwwlinks folder for the PDFs you mention. because it uses 'url' files to define the location of the file/application that its opening these help files/office standards/etc can be stored elsewhere so that future installations don't erase them . . .

. . . and if you store the 'url' files in a centrally located folder and alias/shortcut it from the wwwlinks folder you have an easily manageable, always up-to-date help menu that everybody has access to.

one thing i should mention (and probably get around to telling GS) is that the help menu doesn't seem to know what alphanumeric means: check the screen shot (i've put a space in front of the regs to keep them together). would also be nice if we could add separators . . . but now i'm way off topic and wandering into wishlist territory. . . .

~/archiben

[James Murray]

~/archiben wrote:
works on a mac too james!

So it does! Didn't before? Anyway, I never got why I should go to a menu rather than the dock. Cool trick, but just a trick, IMHO.

~/archiben wrote:
. . . and if you store the 'url' files in a centrally located folder and alias/shortcut it from the wwwlinks folder you have an easily manageable, always up-to-date help menu that everybody has access to.

This, OTOH, is a great tip. Thanks.

[Daniel Lindahl]

~/archiben wrote:
.... the help menu doesn't seem to know what alphanumeric means: check the screen shot .....~/archiben

Ben

Did you notice that your screenshot menu IS alphanumeric, but in reverse!

[__archiben]

James wrote:
So it does! Didn't before? Anyway, I never got why I should go to a menu rather than the dock. Cool trick, but just a trick, IMHO.

hence no plotmaker in my help menu

Daniel wrote:
Did you notice that your screenshot menu IS alphanumeric, but in reverse!

yeah . . . except for "Spellchecker" . . .

i ended up posting a wish . . . that matthew has added to: worth a read.