Help for a new User

[Anonymous]

Hi, I would like to introduce myself. I have started working at a new job and they use Archicad. I have been using CAD software for about 20 years now and have just come from being the office CAD manager of an office using Revit.

I have now been using Archicad for a few months now and I am still having trouble wrapping my head around methodology as well as some features and was wondering if anyone could help me.

I really do not want this to become a Revit vs Archicad discussion as to which is better -so no hijacking my thread please.

I will be comparing to Revit because that is the software I have been using for the last 4 years.

Anyway here we go:

Plan orientation:
How do you manage different orientation of the plan on different pages. For example site plan should be oriented to true north, this would also be for sun diagrams etc. But for the floor plan quite often the plan is oriented orthangonally to a site boundary or the way the walls run.
Or if you are managing a large site with different buildings that do not run orthagonally to eachother, they would be rotated to align with the page.

Globally setting up object types:
How do you setup a object type (windows, door, slab, wall etc) so that you can globally change it. for example I am doing an office building that has some external windows with louvres. half way down the track we want to change them to be awning sash windows. In Revit you would choose the window type, redefine it and it will automatically change all the windows in the project of that type. How do I do this in Archicad - the same goes for wall types etc?

Dimensions
Can you round millimeter dimensions to the nearest 5mm? Who dimensions to a 1mm tolerance?

Can you redefine the basepoint for one dimension in a dimension string or so you have to erase the whole string and start again?

Text
Is there a quickway to edit text? Currently it is a 3 click process - pick the text, right click - "select and activate" then pick the text. Considering this is probably the most used tool it adds a lot of extra "clicks"

I have also been asked to set up Archicad in the office to some standards and will need some direction on that if possible. - Is the key to object management in setting a hundreds of "favorites" - foe example, wall existing double brick - wall proposed double brick etc?

That's all I will ask at the moment, I have these and many more questions in the future, 😃 but if any one can help me with these initial ones I would be very grateful.

- Gus

[Karl Ottenstein]

[Message delayed a day or two due to forum problem...]

Guzilla wrote:
Globally setting up object types:
How do you setup a object type (windows, door, slab, wall etc) so that you can globally change it. for example I am doing an office building that has some external windows with louvres. half way down the track we want to change them to be awning sash windows. In Revit you would choose the window type, redefine it and it will automatically change all the windows in the project of that type. How do I do this in Archicad - the same goes for wall types etc?

Your title does not match your question ... your question is about switching placed windows from one type to another. To do that, view in 3D and use Find & Select to select the desired windows as Simon says, then open the Window Settings dialog, find the thumbnail image of the type of window you want to switch to and inject (syringe tool - cmd-option / ctrl-alt) into that thumbnail. For most windows, that will transfer the sizes and any material assignments, yet change the type of window.

Dimensions
an you redefine the basepoint for one dimension in a dimension string or so you have to erase the whole string and start again?

See the help. Mouse down on the dimension chain intersection. The element dimensioned will temporarily highlight. When you let go, the single point and leader will be highlighted. Press delete. To add a new point in the chain, select the chain itself (the line - not a point), then cmd-click / ctrl-click on a hotspot to be dimensioned.

Cheers,
Karl

[Anonymous]

Erika wrote: “If you have dimensional errors that are not seen because you set the display to 1/2" for example, then you will come also see dimension strings not adding up.”
True enough for sure.
I was not trying to imply that being accurate to a necessary level was irrelevant.

As Braza said in “work with metal structures every fraction of mm counts...”

That definitely makes tons of sense. Relative it is.

All I do is residential remodel-addition-renovations and only twice have I had to deal with a steel “moment” frame (except pre-made Hardy shear frames) so the adjusting to discovered site conditions (once const is underway) generally rules, with the exception of
critical things, like, but not limited to;
Set backs, egress, certain critical measurement needs like hall and stair widths, head clearances, “guard rail and riser heights, equip needs etc.
Unless there are specific customer requirements, the on site fact that a general room is plus or minus and inch or two usually would not matter.
Besides an existing wall being often times out ½” from top to bottom, the room your taking off from or attaching too is out of square by ¼” or more and then on top of that;
The floor height your adding to is off by ½” or more just in the say, 12’ width of that room! Now try to draw that up.
But after all this slop I speak of , just for the record, I do try to be accurate as much as is relatively reasonable when designing these renovations and try to build within a 1/16”.
So not all that bad I say.
Some will disagree.
Stay tuned, and….
Happy Trails!

[Anonymous]

I feel that because of CAD people think that because you are able to dimension to the nearest mm you should. How did we deal with it in the days of pen and paper?

When it is said that the rounded dimension strings will not add up - of course they won't. That is why (in my experience at least) you never have a full string of closed dimensions. If you have a wall with ins and outs, you have an overall dimension, critical sub dimensions, then a tolerance dimension - usually noted as verify on site. The builder will not be setting out to 15003mm. Building still has tolerence and the dimensioning of it should account for that.

Anyway as noted before, as this software is used for many different diciplines should it not therefore have the option of rounding?

I also apologise as I am using version 11, perhaps this has been changed in 12?

Thank you all for your very interesting input though. And thanks Karl for the tips, exactly what I was looking for!
However I looked at the find and select and sems not to have enough criterion to define the window selection. (we use cadimage windows)
For example - I have placed in the job single pane louvre windows of various dimensions. How do I choose them all, if I say want to change them to be Awning sash? Is there a way to use the eyedropper to pick up all of a windows properties then, whittle away the ones you don't want?

Sorry - if you can point me to documentation it would help. I have looked and not really found what I am looking for. Hence why I have come on the forum.

[Anonymous]

Hi Guzilla
You might consider putting a unique pen or other parameter that you have made that is specific to your favorite(s).
Then you could dial in to those specific objects with more precision I believe.
However, someone may prove me wrong.
Stay tuned.