Help with the very basics

[Anonymous]

I have just installed and watched the ArchiCAD 12 tutorials. I need to create a 3D model of a house along with all the windows, doors and services for a University Portfolio.

Are there any books and help that I can get to help with the very basics and getting started, as the tutorials are all pre-loaded with configurations and favorites.

I would be very very grateful of any help given.

Thank you

NStocks

[Anonymous]

Where is attached? ( I take it you meant a attachment on this forum post ?)

I need to create 2 stories, so would I just double the height of the first story and somehow put another slab in ?

and sadly, my College tutors, well only one of then is ' qualified ' to use such software properly, and there is no chanc he would help me out... it's like getting blood from a stone asking for any sort of help from my tutors

... Can't wain until next September when I go to University.

NStocks

[Dwight]

Have you got it now?

Where are you in England?
There's got to be someone close by who can show you some Archicad tricks.

These things are so easy once seen and so long to explain.

[Anonymous]

Yeah got it now, but not sure I can see the exact boxes that you can see.

So because i need to create 2 floors, do I create the first floor first, then build up from there ?

I have looked on the internet if there is anyone who is in my area, but it hasn't come up with anything. And I live in a town on the north east of England... Lincolnshire.

... This is like Photography, there were so many different tools and I had no idea how to use them but after months of someone from America email me back and forth I soon got the hang of it... I think CAD is more complex though !

[Dwight]

You are probably out of luck finding help up there.

My colleagues at Archicad University in Nottingham say nobody in Lincolnshire would have Archicad. They tell me people there still draw with graphite sticks on sheepskins and build with dried dung.

For storeys, look into the Storey tool.

You must have missed some of the tutorials......

[Anonymous]

Ha, that sound exactly right. My college made up draw a load of perspectives on paper, they said that we need to know how to draw on paper as it will be required in the business. ( I'm on a National diploma in construction course, so they we have to learn about all sorts from surveying, building regulations to economics and health and safety. Not really relevant to the career I'm taking )

And I'm going to watch all of the tutorials again... I am already exploring, I now have 4 walls with white painted interior walls and red brickwork !

Thank you so much, will be on here regularly I would think... I have 3 weeks to get this completed

NStocks

[Dwight]

All that stuff will come in handy, even if it only gives you respect for the challenges of other professions.

For instance, they taught us sausage stuffing in architecture school. I never realized how useful that would be until i did public housing.

[Anonymous]

On the tutorials, as you may know there are favorites within each tutorial. Are these favorites just like settings of each elements, that I would change myself ?

[Dwight]

yes.

It is always a good idea to experiment a little before asking.

[Anonymous]

I am watching the tutorial again, so that I get more experience with it all. The ' zone ' tool, is this just like a outline as to where other elements will be places, and built up on, For instance, when they place a grid across the whole zone, as soon as another element is selected i.e. column, it will place a column at the intersection of the zone and grid ?

[Anonymous]

Dwight wrote:
...If you use the polygon slab option, you can draw a series of edge segments with the series:

x
enter value
y
enter value
RETURN
x
enter value
y
enter value
RETURN

until you run out of nodes.

A second RETURN closes the polygon.....

My apologies for interupting this tutorial, but isn't the above way a bit 'longwinded' for the beginner?

It's much quicker to have the tracker box and guide lines turned on generally.

- Click to start a line/wall/slab etc.
- Point the cursor in the direction you need.
- Make sure you're hovering over a guide line so it 'sticks' to it.
- Simply type a distance into the keyboard (it will appear automatically in the tracker) and hit return.

Repeat the last three as often as needed.

Hope that helps!