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Modeling
About Archicad's design tools, element connections, modeling concepts, etc.

Composite Walls

Anonymous
Not applicable
Hello ArchiCAD Users,
I am a new ArchiCAD user as of 2 weeks ago. I am trying to create a composite wall and save it as an object. Can you do this? I was thinking if I save it as an object I would then insert the object and just change the parameters. I had drawn a 2x6 wall with double top plates and a sill plate. I also put 1/2 skins on both sides. I selected all the pieces to the wall and tried to save it in the favorites tab as an object. It only will save one part of the wall.
Thanks for your help
2 REPLIES 2
Anonymous
Not applicable
Sounds like a job for Complex Profiles

http://www.archicadwiki.com/Creative%20Uses%20of%20Complex%20Profiles

Also see point 6 of this article for an example
http://www.aecbytes.com/tipsandtricks/2011/issue56-archicad.html
NCornia
Graphisoft
Graphisoft
lturcotte,

Tambi is correct about using complex profiles for what you need. It sounds like you may need a bit more education on the processes and terminology of ArchiCAD.

To save a wall as an Object would remove most of the flexibility of the wall unless you were to program the object yourself with GDL to have more flexibility but this is no simple feat, especially if you are 2 weeks new to ArchiCAD.

Just a point of semantics: An "Object" is a tool unto itself. A "Favorite" is a saved configuration of an object. If you save a Favorite, it is simply saving a configuration of a wall, not a new wall tool. I understand what you meant but I am a stickler for correct terminology as it helps with communication.

A "Composite" is basically a number of skins that can be defined to represent the make-up of a wall, slab or roof. A composite can only be applied along a single axis, so the composite layers will follow the vertical axis of a wall from top to bottom without variation in shape, width, materials, etc. These are great for simple wall construction but top plates and sill plates cannot be included into the composite itself, they would have to be modeled separately if a composite wall were used.

A Complex Profile allows you to create wall (roof and column also) components in any shape and orientation. It is a silhouette of the structure that is stretched across the run of the wall.


Here are links to Graphisoft's training guides:
http://www.graphisoft.com/products/acse2011/ITG/
http://www.graphisoft.com/education/training_guides/


HTH
Nicholas Cornia
Technical Support Team - GRAPHISOFT North America
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