How do I create a simple top view?

[Anonymous]

(I'm hungarian and so is my version of ArchiCAD, so sorry about any translation mistakes)
I'm trying to make a simple top-down view in ArchiCAD17 (ie a 1:500 scale map, to show the environment the building is in etc), but I'm kind of stumped: I tried adding a new level above everything else, but that didn't work because objects whose home level isn't the active one don't get displayed. I know you can set it to display the object above the home level but doing that one by one to all my topmost elements is a pain in the *ss, not to mention my pen options are limited, and afaik it isn't even a real top-down view, because things that are covered by something else still show up.
I tried going into a section view, and drawing a horizontal section plane in the air, looking down. Opening this section displayed nothing. I tried the same except this time with the facade tool, but still no go.
There has to be a way to do this, can you guys help?

[Barry Kelly]

All I do is create a layer combination that shows the ground floor layers that I want to see together with a layer that contains the site information.
Then I change the plan scale to 1:500 and save it as a view in the view map.
Now it is ready to place on a layout where it will always remember the scale and layers used.


Or are you trying to get a rendered plan view in the site plan?
This has been discussed in other posts.
Can you show an example of what you want?

Barry.

[Anonymous]

This is screencap from sketchup, basically this is what I need, just a parallel projection looking down from above everything else, which takes into account the pen types I set for various elements, and knows what is covered by what. I don't need it rendered, I need a line graphic (maybe a ground shadow if possible) (I'm planning to to pretty it up by hand).
I'm sorry if it's been discussed, I did search around, but I either didn't find it or the methods discussed involved exactly the kind of hassle I'm looking to avoid.

EDIT: I have found a solution almost, with a hidden line mode, but it won't let me activate it. Why?

[Barry Kelly]

It sounds like you just want a top down view of your 3D model.
Use the 'Internal Engine' Rather than 'OpenGL' so you will just have your shaded materials.
Use the 'Axonometric' projection and right click in the 3D window to choose the '3D projection Settings' dialogue.
Here you can set the top view.

If you want the 2D information for you site plan you could try a technique similar to this ...

http://www.archicadwiki.com/HowToSuperimpose2dFloorPlanOnto3dModel

Where the site plan is saved as you DWG and don't use any cutting planes to show the 3D plan structure - you just want a top down 3D view of the entire model.

Barry.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the help! It was silly of me not to think of trying the internal engine. Though it's a shame I have to lose performance for hidden line mode, but hey, the results are the same.