Copying an element to a number of stories at the same time

[Anonymous]

Hi all.

I am trying to copy a slab from the first story to 64 levels of residential high-rise. Is there a way to do this all at once? I have noticed that the story settings allows you to copy elements to a single story, I am not able to copy elements to multiple story in a single operation.

Any suggestions?
thanks
Habi

[David Maudlin]

Habi:

If the stories are the same height, you can accomplish this in the 3D window by selecting the slab and using the Multiply command.

HTH

David

[Anonymous]

I believe you can accomplish this in the story settings dialog box - sort of. You can copy ALL slabs that exist on the first floor to the other stories using the copy from and paste to controls in the story settings dialog box. Maybe this is faster, but it is still a lot of steps since you will need to create a "paste to story" for each of the 64 levels.

[Chazz]

Copying in the 3d Window will not assign the slabs to new stories, just new heights. However I would not recommend copying any slab 60-odd times. Make a module and copy that. This makes the inevitable editing MUCH easier in future. In fact, you should really model the entire story (as much as is common to all floors) and make a module of that. It will be much faster overall, even if you have to place each instance of the module manually.

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys for your suggestions. Though weren't applicable in my case I learned something new = )

I have a tapering tower, which means that may floor slabs sets back as the tower rises. I just went a head and put the time to draw each of the slabs and make sure that it is setting right.

Chazz I am new to AC. Is a module equivalent to a block in AutoCad?

thanks Again guys
Habi

[Chazz]

To the extent that I understand "blocks" in A-Cad, yes they are comparable.

However, even if the floor area of each story is decreasing there will still be a bunch of commonality between floors (mechanical cores, elevator shafts, stairwells, structural columns, etc). and these things should be treated as modules. Modules have some complex concepts and a lot of power. A thorough reading of the manual in this area will be essential.

My hat is off to you. A 60 story building is not really the place most folks start in with Archicad. Conceptually, such a structure is perhaps no more complicated than a high-end house but the management and set up of the file typically requires more thought and care. What you are really trying to do is to set up a really good graphical database that can withstand the inevitable design changes with as much elegance and grace as possible. Modules are a big part ofd that stratagy. Good luck.

[TomWaltz]

habiatuq wrote:
Thanks guys for your suggestions. Though weren't applicable in my case I learned something new = )

I have a tapering tower, which means that may floor slabs sets back as the tower rises. I just went a head and put the time to draw each of the slabs and make sure that it is setting right.

Chazz I am new to AC. Is a module equivalent to a block in AutoCad?

thanks Again guys
Habi

A module is closer to an XREF since it has a layer structure and references an external file.

[Chazz]

TomWaltz wrote:
A module is closer to an XREF since.....

See? This is why I should keep my mouth shut concerning A-Cad (most things actually but A-cad in particular).

Right. A block is more like an object in AC and an X-ref is more like a Module. Lines are still pretty much the same all over though, methinks.