Missing Materials

[Anonymous]

I decided to "slim-down" my existing Template file by deleting many of the materials and fills that I will not use on a regular basis. One of the Materials (my number 22) "Surface-Ceramics, glazed" was deleted. This seems to be a default material for many of the bathroom objects in 8.1. Since I have no Material 22 in my template. I have used the Attribute manager to "overwrite" this Material from a default (att) file. I also "put-back" Materials 18 & 23, which seem to be called out.

Actually I just now (through what I call attribute Manager 'gymnastics') through deleting and overwriting and appending. Changed my old material number 150 "Porcelain 01" to material number 22. Somewhat of a pain.

Question: Without going through all of the Objects, what materials can I assume are used often and I should not delete. and or is there a way to easily change say material number 235 to 24?

[Link]

You're playing with fire by deleting materials Jay. Many of the ArchiCAD library parts use many different default materials. Not to mention library parts from other sources.

I have trimmed templates down to the bare bones, but strongly recommend not touching materials. You'll be living life in uncertainty! I would advise leaving them there and instead pushing your materials to the front of the list for easy access, by inserting a space at the front of their names. All of this has been discussed a lot lately. Check out this tip for switching out materials:

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=1804

If you want to return your materials to the new and reset defaults, open up another copy of ArchiCAD and do a New & Reset. Use Attribute Manager to Overwrite the materials, then close the New & Reset before you close your first copy of ArchiCAD, to avoid the settings returning to their defaults. I actually keep a New & Reset pln file saved away solely for this purpose.

Good luck.

Cheers,
Link.

[Anonymous]

Link wrote:
I actually keep a New & Reset pln file saved away solely for this purpose.

Is this the same as opening a New & Reset, go to Attribute Manager and appending ALL to a new attribute file (att). and saving the att file as New&Reset81.att. ? Or does having the pln come in handy in other instances?

[Anonymous]

Link wrote:
Check out this tip for switching out materials:

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=1804

This is a bit cleaner than I had been doing it. You are an expert!

I think though in Step Seven that you meant to say "Select the original Material ArchiLink 1" not 2.

And Yes, having a copy of the pdf would be nice, if you do not mind.

[Link]

Nope.

It is the same as opening a New & Reset, going to Attribute Manager and *overwriting* ALL to a new attribute file (att). Big difference!

I like to keep a New & Reset pln handy to copy around for testing.

Cheers,
Link.

[Anonymous]

Sorry I did not mean to overwrite all in my template. I was talking about creating a attribute "reference" att file (like your "reference New& Reset pln) for purposes on appending from.

So I quess my question is, is having a att file for copying around and testing the same as having a pln?

[Link]

Sorry I did not mean to overwrite all in my template. I was talking about creating a attribute "reference" att file (like your "reference New& Reset pln) for purposes on appending from.

Yeah - I get ya! Saving an aat file from a New & Reset needs Overwriting, not Appending.

So I quess my question is, is having a att file for copying around and testing the same as having a pln?

Yes - it's even a little smaller than a pln.

I think though in Step Seven that you meant to say "Select the original Material ArchiLink 1" not 2.

And Yes, having a copy of the pdf would be nice, if you do not mind.

You're right - I'll correct it and email it off to you.

Cheers,
Link.

[Anonymous]

Link, Thanks for the PDF.

And yes you are correct that the file size for the att is only smaller by 60kb . So no real advantage to saving a "reference" Att file compared to a pln. at least as far as size goes.

[Anonymous]

I have "reloaded" all of the default materials. I am in agreement that many objects reference these materials so then are better left alone.

One thing that I noticed though is that the AC7 material 14 (at least was on my set up) is Wood Pine with empty fill 3D hatch pattern and the AC81 Material 14 is "Wd-Flooring Strip" with a plank flooring 3d Hatch pattern. Material 15 is now "Wd-Pine" with empty fill.

Why the switch?