Grid snap off grid

[sarahric]

why is this so? I have a grid, 10x10mm, and then have grid snap set at 1mm, yet I try and draw and it doesn't snap to the same 1x1 as the grid. Makes it extremely difficult to draw.
Screen shot attached

[Anonymous]

Try resetting your origin. I don't use it very often but as I recall the snap grid is relative to the user origin while the construction grid is set to the project origin. (Unless you've moved the construction grid of course.)

[sarahric]

Hi Matthew,
I have done this. put the origin point back on grid. It resets the grid on screen but not the grid snap.

Problem seems to be when an object is not on grid, and you want to put it back on grid, you grab the object with or without grid snap on and it just snaps to its own grid.
and without grid snap it doesn't the object won't drag to the grid.

Why isn't grid snap snapping to the grid display?

[Barry Kelly]

Sarahric,
Be careful that you are not getting your grids mixed up.
There are 3 grids.

The "main" and "aux" grids that can be seen on plan and can be snapped to with the 3rd of the snap buttons.
Turn the snap off, select your objects and drag from a known point, then turn the main grid snap on and it will snap that point to the main or aux grids.

Note the aux grid pushes the main grid apart - it does not sit within the main grid.
So effectively you could use it for brick construction i.e. 300mm brick, 10mm joint.

The third grid is the "snap" grid that can't be seen on plan.
It is simply a movement (or nudge) grid.
Turn the snap off, slect your object and drag from a known point, turn on the snap grid and it will move in increments of this snap grid from the point you commenced to drag from. It will not tie in with the main/aux grids unless the object was on those grids to begin with.

Basically I would forget the grids altogether.
Personally I find them a pain as you are constantly turning the grid snap on or off.
If the snap is on and your element is not on the grid you can't select it.
And if the grid is small (as in your case you are talking about 1mm) then you have to zoom in so much to discern the snap points it makes it impractical.
In 12 or so years of using Archicad I have never (or hardly) used the snapping.
I occationally have a grid in the background just to get a sense of scale but I don't snap to it.

Use your tracker with distance (or x or y) and type a figure with + or - after to move or place an item relative to a know point.
If you don't know that technique then that is for another lesson.
I won't eleaborate just know.

Barry.

[sarahric]

Hi Barry.

Thanks for the information, but I'm a little confused -"can be snapped to with the 3rd of the snap buttons."? Which 3rd button? Is this the "grid snap"

I don't bother with the "aux" grid, and I would like to not bother with the "grid snap", but I like to have the grid on screen and snap to it, which is possible but not when the object selected has started off grid.

My ArchiCAD trainer also told me not to bother with grids, but this is how I work. I don't know how many details you guys do, or if you have to deal with other peoples drawings, but here is where my problem is. I get someone else's drawing and then have to dimension it and end up with objects that are not rounded off. A builder would hate to get a drawing that says 1541mm instead of 1540mm, for example.
Change my dimensions to round up you might say, but what happens when I'm drawing a 1:2 detai? Here aswell, something is already drawn, I need to do a detail and say I need a 2mm gap either side of something, and it might measure at 2mm but the spaces don't match, one might be 1.9mm and the other 2.3mm and at 1:2 scale looks badly drawn.

I also try to draw with the tracker, but it doesn't solve all my issues.
This is my third drafting program and I find it the most difficult when it comes to squaring a drawing. Yes it would be good if I could draw from scratch, but I don't have that luxury.

It would so make sense if you could use a command that the grid snap was not set to the object, only ever to the main grid and it's divisions, or if you could make the drawing only draw to the millimeter...

[Barry Kelly]

The attached image is what I mean by the 3rd button.

If you have detail drawings that are "off grid" then the first thing would be to move them back on.
Turn off the grid snap, select your objects and drag from the point you want on grid.
Turn on the "main" grid snap (3rd button) an drag to a grid point.

Of course this assumes all other elements of you detail are drawn to sizizes and spaceings that suit the grid.
If not you will have to repaet the above for each element that is not on the grid.

You should find you can now move elements with the "snap" grid (2nd button) and they will move by the units you have set in the grid settings.
But if they are not on the main grid points then they will not snap to the main grid point.
Remeber you are using the "snap" grid and this has nothing to do with the main grid.


If I need something 2mm from another object then I just select the first element and drag it from the node I want the gap to measure to and drag it across to the element where I want to measure from - but don't let go.
Now for a horizontal distance I will type "X2+" then ENTER.
The dragged element will move 2 mm to the right and I never used the grid at all.
"X2-" ENTER will move 2mm to the left and Y instead of X will move vertically.

I hope this is helping and not just confusing you more.
Barry.