Since no one mentioned it in this thread, I'd like to clarify that the reason you need the second "-" in the U.S. is because with Imperial units, the system is waiting to see if you're going to continue the data entry with inches. For example "X 10-6-" would move the cursor 10 feet 6 inches to the left, while "X 10-0-" moves it 10 feet 0 inches to the left, and "X 10--" is a shortcut to also move it 10 feet (0 inches implied) to the left.
I used to recommend and teach the "X 10+" or "X 10--" method. However, I have found that this method is often confusing to new users, as they may find it hard to think of left vs. right and up vs. down in terms of + and -. I find it easier to teach gestural methods (i.e. "that way" or "this way") that involve the mouse pointing in the direction you want to go.
One can do this with the Coordinate palette for drawing a wall, or dragging an element, using the "R" key. I used to teach:
1. Start by clicking the first point of your element or where you're dragging an element from
2. Gesture in the direction you want
3. Use the shift key to lock in the angle
4. Type R, then the distance, then Enter
I found this to be the simplest way for new users to draw or drag to the desired distance.
I like Gil's approach to placing doors and windows, since is very easy to understand, although it takes a few more clicks than an advanced user would need. To reiterate, in that method, you simply place the new element in the corner (or right next to an adjacent window) then select and drag it in the direction you want, telling it how far it needs to go. It's very natural.
The past few years, I prefer the Tracker over the Coordinates palette. Obviously Graphisoft feels that the Tracker is an improvement over the Coordinates palette since by default since ArchiCAD 10, they have the Tracker show and the Coordinates palette hidden. With the Tracker, if you gesture with the mouse in the direction you want to go, you usually don't need to type the X, Y or R keys, which fits in to my effort to simplify the process for new users.
I have been experimenting with using temporary Guidelines, and think that they can be a great way to have the best of all these options and ideas. Here is what I have tried, and it seems to work very nicely, with a minimum number of clicks (to satisfy expert users), yet is very easy to understand:
1. Activate the tool you need (e.g. Window, Door, etc.) - this won't work if you're in the Arrow tool
2. Use the Create Guideline Segment command (either from the pull-down in the Guideline button menu, or by typing Shift-`, which is a very easy keyboard shortcut)
3. Click on the wall corner or known starting point (this could be the edge of an existing window, for example) to start the Guideline, then gesture in the direction you want to go (left or right or up or down, or simply along the edge of the wall) and type the distance offset you need (this will go straight into the Tracker as a distance or radius measurement) and hit Enter
4. This will draw the temporary Guideline, and leave the cursor sitting at the endpoint
5. Hit Enter again and your Window, Door or other element start point is entered at the right location
6. The Guideline disappears automatically after the operation is completed
It reads a bit more complicated than it is in practice. The short version:
1. Type Shift-`
2. Click the corner or startpoint
3. Gesture in the direction you need with the mouse
4. Type the distance offset
5. Hit Enter twice
I hope this is clear enough, and perhaps may be helpful to Hagith and others as a very quick and efficient AND easy to understand method of placing elements.
Eric
P.S. As a side note, coordinate input requires displaying either the old Coordinates palette or the Tracker (or both) - typing X, Y, R or A without either of these showing is ignored, and you can't type in a distance. I've found some users migrating from older versions of ArchiCAD turn off the Tracker because it's getting in the way, but don't have the Coordinates palette showing, then they complain that they can't get things placed precisely any more.
