Colorbond panel fence created with editing a preset railing in Australia

[mthd]

Hi there, has anyone in Australia successfully created colorbond fencing with an edit of a preset railing ? I don’t need a high level of detail except to show the metal sheet profile in the panel settings. How do I get a colorbond panel to show up in my railing panel setting ? A standard Bunnings fence kit with inserts is what I am trying to model up. 

I do have “CI tools Coverings” installed so I might just draw a standard railing with a few edits and just clad the rail or even draw a wall and just add the colorbond profile to it ? If you have a better method please reply.

Please see the PDF below for a picture of what I am trying to model.

Thank you.

https://www.steeline.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Panel-Fencing-Installation-Guide-Stee495_Prod...

[Barry Kelly]

I stand corrected on the custom panel, thanks Ling.

I was looking in the railing to select from a custom panel - like a custom profile.

It seems when you create a custom panel it just appears as an option the same as custom door leafs.

Barry.

[mthd]

Yes that’s fine, segmented railing is not a problem if the site was sloping.

If you could somehow disconnect a stair railing and use that without the stairs, you would think that would follow an incline or that is should be scripted to do so ?

A future incline railing tool created from a stair slope maybe possible in the future and that can also have substitutable panels placed in it as well.

[Barry Kelly]

Not sure I understand.

A single railing can follow any incline already.

It doesn't have to be a stair.

In fact you can just grab (create if need be) a node on the reference line and drag it vertically in 3D or elevation.

It doesn't even have to associate to any other element.

It is just the segments will rake and not step vertically.

Barry.

[Lingwisyer]

The issue is that your custom panel will not slope with the rest of the railing without proper scripting, so you would have to model a panel for each inclination.

[mthd]

That information is all very helpful. So if I want a stepped fence, I just have to use railing in segments.

Thank you all for the help on this forum, it’s outstanding, I am glad I chose to use Archicad in Australia as its very well supported down here.

[Barry Kelly]

So the custom panel will not rake if the railing rakes and the top & bottom rails can not be horizontal if the railing rakes.

You just can't win. 🤔

Barry.

[Barry Kelly]

That is why I created my own GDL object.

Sorry I can't share being company IP.

Not sure if there are any fence objects in default library now, or they may have all been removed now the railing is there.

If you have an old version pre railing tool (20 I think), there may be some fence objects.

Or there could be some in BIMComponents if you search in the object settings.

Or maybe Param-o could help create an object without the need for GDL.

Still would be a bit of a learning curve.

That would be a good one for the current challenge.

https://community.graphisoft.com/t5/Parametric-Object-Factory/con-p/parametric-object-challenge

Barry.

[Jim Allen]

I don't think Param-o can do everything without custom gdl scripting.

It can create objects which are parametric, but they can't follow paths on plan.

You could create a single panel as a parametric param-o object, with end posts whose visibility can be toggled on and off, but then you would have to copy/array the object for every single panel and group them.

It would show in 2D and 3D and should work correctly - it would just be a pain to edit. 

If only we had a command to create parametric arrays of objects... 😉

[Jim Allen]

You can do something like this using custom balusters, where you model each complete repetitive profile unit like this:

This creates a fence like this:, which even copes with gradients.

The custom baluster profiles (just like fence panels, posts etc) do not display correctly in 2d though. This is a limitation which I've put on the wishlist.

[mthd]

Oh yeah, I searched some of the library parts before making the post but I will go back and search in earlier versions as well. 

Barry you could pass or sell your fence object on for the Australian Essential Library ? Central Innovations might be interested in it ?

I am still going to use the railing tool with a metal sheet profile appended to the panel section.

I also hope I can also use the CI Coverings tool to clad the railing panel in some way ? If I can’t I will ask CI to update their AEL.

Archicad should me much easier to use for standard items like colorbond metal fences.