Length of Rafters

[Steve Jepson]

Lazlo,

I need the length on the slope of my rafters to show up in my Framing Schedule.

Is there any option in the Calculation fields to do this?
I didn't find any fields in the calculation setup that will give you the actual length of a rafter or inclined beam. Is there one?

It seems like an easy piece of information to include in the objects properties.

How do you do tweak the GDL script for the object to show actual length instead of length on the run.

The other function that I would like is for the program to summarize the combinations of all lengths into units of 2' multiples starting with 8'. Its the number of 12', 14', 16' ect... that I need to know, as well as the individual lengths, and total of all lengths combined.

Surely one of you GDL gurus can make and add-on to do that. It would be a very valuable tool.

[Steve Jepson]

This is what my Interactive Schedules to look like.

I select the components by layer (studs, plates, rafters, etc...) I like using the Interactive schedules because it lets me tweak the objects in the schedule and it will update my model.

The problem with using the interactive schedule is that I couldn't find a field to select that would give me the rafter length I want.

What I need figure out is how to create a new "field" to select for use with the interactive schedules I like to use.

[Steve Jepson]

Where can i find info about how to creat custom parameters for the interactive schedules ?

[Laszlo Nagy]

Step 1:

You can list any of the additional parameters of a Library Object.

Open the Rafter 2_1.gsm file and create a new parameter called L.
Add the following line to the Parameter Script:

PARAMETERS L=(A+O)/COS(P)

What this will do is based on the values of parameters A, O and P, it will set the value of parameter L. See attached image.

[Laszlo Nagy]

Step 2:

Create the Rafter List IS Setting.

[Laszlo Nagy]

Step 3:

Now, in the Fields Tab Page, click the Additional Parameters button, and in the upcoming subdialog, find the Rafter 2_1 object in the list of objects within Object Library 9.lib.
Select only the Length Type parameters from the Show Parameter Types field on the right of this subdialog.
Check the name (description) of the L parameter you created in the Rafter 2_1 object (Slope length of rafter in my case)
Click OK.
The parameter will appear in the Parameters to List field.

[Laszlo Nagy]

Step 4:

You can now list this parameter.
In the attached image you can see the list I created. Just for comparison, I listed the length (A) parameter as well (which is the horizontal length of the rafter). Its value is negative it is shorter than the eaves overhang, positive, if longer.
I hope that will do it.

Of course, if you want the lengths rounded up to the nearest available timber size, you have to do it in the Parameter Script so when you set the value of L with the PARAMETERS command, it has the value you want to see listed.

[Steve Jepson]

WOW!

[Laszlo Nagy]

So you made it work, I assume

[Steve Jepson]

Almost, I know it will work great.
I am still setitng up my test.
I will post the results latter.

Thank you very much for your great help.

[Steve Jepson]

one more glitch... I was able to tweak the Rafter2_1 to include the "Slope length of rafter" but when I try to select Additional Parameters for listing the new dimension type is not available because it is still looking at the old library part. How do I get the tweaked library part into the ArhciCAD library? When I save the changes it puts the new part in a different library and I cant make it save to the main ArchCAD library or select objects from different libraries.