Proud Coarse Window Object

[Wokka]

Hi All,
I'd like to create a window object that sticks to a wall but is actually a proud coarse of brickwork so it sticks out like a square sill. It needs however to run the entire length of the wall, (a bit like reveal maker that I've seen advertised, but I don't think it will extrude off the wall) so I'd like to get the walls length. I know it is listed as:
WALL_LENGTH_A but how do I get my object to react to it? GDL Reference say's it is only for listing.
Any help would be great or is there a part out there I can get??
Thanks

[Aussie John]

not sure what you are doing but cant you give the frame of a window a negative offset (only doable in the settings, the info pallette wont let you)

[Wokka]

Aussie John,
I can certainly build the object OK, it's making its length the same as the wall it's inserted into that I need to work out.
I make the origin of the object the start of the wall by using X~, then I just need to make it the length of the wall. I just don't know how to apply "WALL_LENGTH_A" to make the object the right length.

Cheers

[Anonymous]

Wokka wrote:
I just don't know how to apply "WALL_LENGTH_A" to make the object the right length.

You have a chance, using the wall tool accessory, to read this value.
Some ac_params can do this, and more, but unfortunatelly they are not documented.

[Anonymous]

Olivier wrote:
Some ac_params can do this, and more, but unfortunatelly they are not documented.

Olivier,
I run across these "undocumented" issues all the time. I've seen several other threads referring to "undocumented" info. Do you have any idea how, or if, typical users can get access to this type of info???

Dan K

[Frank Beister]

It should be possible to find the WALL LENGTH by a global Parameter. See GLOBALS.

The parameters are available in most environments. But it will return just the length of construction line. Length reducing intersections are and requestable.

[Anonymous]

Dan wrote:
Olivier,
I run across these "undocumented" issues all the time. I've seen several other threads referring to "undocumented" info. Do you have any idea how, or if, typical users can get access to this type of info???

Dan,
Unfortunatelly, i don't have special info.

Take a look at this thread;
http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=7090
More than two years later, it should be time to get access to some basics!

One hand, this culture of secret exists since the beginning of AC.
Other hand, i notice real progress in documentation these last years, look at;
http://download.graphisoft.com/ftp/techsupport/documentation/developer_docs/BasicLibraryDoc/BasicLib...
and;
http://www.graphisoft.com/support/archicad/archiguide/

I suppose you already know these links.
We have to be patient for further info, but there is hope.

[Anonymous]

F. wrote:
It should be possible to find the WALL LENGTH by a global Parameter. See GLOBALS.

The parameters are available in most environments. But it will return just the length of construction line. Length reducing intersections are and requestable.

Frank,

Can you tell us more?
I can't find a simple way to achieve this with GLOBALS or request function.

ac_wall_length param can read the wall length, you just have to use and adapt the Wall Tool Accessory, not so easy.
Am i missing something?

[Frank Beister]

Sorry for my quick response. Maybe it is wrong. I remembered, that I once have got the length, but maybe it was in case on an inclined wall. In this case you can calculate it by the formula

TAN(WALL_INCL) = (W2-W1)/L or

which is described in the GLOBALs-link above. The values of W1 and W2 you find in WALL_START_THICKNESS and WALL_END_THICKNESS from AC 8.0 on.

For inclined Walls you can use:
WALL_LENGTH=(WALL_END_THICKNESS-WALL_START_THICKNESS)/TAN(WALL_INCL)

But this does not work in case of WALL_INCL=0.

Sorry again. More I can't find so far. But I have to think about this issue in the next month anyway. If I find a way, I will post it here.