'Template', 'Placeable' checkboxes

[Ignacio Azpiazu]

I just went nuts for a few minutes reloading libraries until I realised that I was working on an object in which I had not checked (had unchecked?) the 'Placeable' checkbox at the top right. So now I know that if that is unchecked, it will not show when you browse/use Find in your library looking for a library part.

I guess you would leave it unchecked for macros, but is that all there is to it? And what about the 'Template'? What is the point of that?

[Anonymous]

Ignacio wrote:
I guess you would leave it unchecked for macros, but is that all there is to it?

As far as I know.

And what about the 'Template'? What is the point of that?

I'm not sure. It doesn't seem to make any difference. The "Template" parts seems to open & save just like any other, and I don't see any "New from Template" option.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Ignacio wrote:
I guess you would leave it unchecked for macros, but is that all there is to it? And what about the 'Template'? What is the point of that?

These options are very powerful, as they let you create new 'subtype' objects in the object hierarchy!

Yes, the placeable checkbox would be cleared for macros ... but also for anything else that should not appear in the object browser. (Those objects can still exist in the project though! But, a user cannot see them in the browser to create more of them. If you select the object, you can view and change the parameters.)

If you check "template", and assign an appropriate location in the subtype hierarchy too (click the Subtype button), then the object name will appear in the subtype hierarchy for the creation of future objects based on this one. All parameters that have been created for this object will be created automatically in any objects that have this one specified for subtype.

Since only parameters are copied into a subtyped object, not behavior (scripts), a 'pure' subtype object (one that has nothing to place) is created by defining all of the parameters that objects like it should have, and checking the 'template' box, but clearing the 'placeable' box.

Creating your own subtype in this way is an excellent way to proceed if you are about to create a number of related objects that should all have some common parameters. Note that you can create subtypes of subtypes, etc.... just as Graphisoft has in the standard library.

Karl

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the explanation Karl. I just discovered the subtype creation effect today. How do you make subtypes of subtypes?

This does look very cool!

[Karl Ottenstein]

Matthew wrote:
How do you make subtypes of subtypes?

The parent subtype is the one chosen via the Subtypes button for the new object. All of the parent params become part of your new objects params (in blue, to indicate they are 'inherited') and will be passed on, with your new params (in black) to any 'children' that you create based on the new subtype.

So, if you create ML Symbol as a new non-placeable template object with some parameters common to all 2D symbols you create, and then create another pure template object ML Survey Syms that has parameters common to all survey related symbols that you create, and make ML Survey Syms be 'of' subtype "ML Symbol', then the common ML Symbol params appear in ML Survey Syms.

Finally, when you create a 'real' object, say ML Survey Pin, of type ML Survey Syms (placeable), it will receive all of the parameters defined in ML Symbol and ML Survey Syms.

🙂

Karl

[Anonymous]

Thanks Karl.

I kinda suspected it was something like that (right after I posted the question). It's great to see it so clearly spelled out.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Thanks, Matthew. Actually, to add one more piece to the puzzle. These unplaceable 'pure' subtype objects can actually be macro-like. For example, there might be a parameter script to process the parameters. So, the subtype object can be CALLed in the parameter script of the child to invoke that script. Etc.

Karl