Multiply without Multiplying?

[Anonymous]

This might be a school boy question but;

I use multiply to say, space an object equidistant between two points i.e. something like putting a light in the centre of a corridor. However, is there a way I can do this without duplicating? I don't know if that's a good enough explanation of what I'm trying to achieve?...

So typically, I get my light, drag it to one edge of the the corridor, 'multiply' > 'distribute -1', and drag to other side of corridor. Ta-da, one light in the centre of the space. However, I've done 2 potentially unnecessary things, 1) Dragged a light to edge of room, 2) had to delete that light after.

I'm on a quest to work more efficiently! Help appreciated.

[Eduardo Rolon]

Basically draw a guide line between the limits and use that to place the object. The command is under View-> Guide Line Options -> Create Guideline Segment

[David Maudlin]

Daniel:

Try this:
1. Select light you want in Object Settings
2. Select Half under Special Snap Points (in Control palette)
3. Activate Special Snap Constraint (I have the shortcut "d" assigned, it is also in the Control palette with the Relative Construction Methods, 6th option)
4. Click on opposite corners of the corridor
5. The light is placed at the mid point

David

[Anonymous]

These are both good methods thank-you. I did used to use guide line segment; However I think I started working without guidelines some time ago because they were often more hindrance than help (leaping up all over the screen when not wanted).

The special snap point method; it doesn't seem to be possible to do it with non-objects? Is that right?

Thanks again.

[Laszlo Nagy]

Hm, when was that some time ago?
Maybe before AC15, because in AC15 the behaviour of Guide Lines was changed.
They don't leap up everywhere on your screen anymore. When you find an edge, an orange dot appears and if you click it a Guide Line will be placed along that edge. So the whole way they work has been optimized. You might want to take another look at them now.
Here is a video about them from Eric Bobrow:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E99TsG6jJ1E

[Anonymous]

Hi Laszlo, it could well have been!

I have just been experimenting with guide lines after my last post, and I definitely need to make them integral to the way I work in ArchiCAD. Just watching video now. Thanks for the help, as is often the case, it's down to a lack of knowledge by the user rather than ArchiCAD error!

[sinceV6]

What David Maudlin said. Use Special Snap Constraint. IT IS what you are trying to do... just instructions missed the drag operation step:

1. Select your light/object/group/etc.
2. Ctrl+D or move/drag: start a drag operation.
3. THEN select and activate Special Snap Constraint (in extended Control Palette), you can use half, divisions, percent, distance.
4. Follow instructions on status bar.

Like David, I also have shortcut "d" assigned to it. Great time-saver. Check it out.

[Anonymous]

laszlonagy wrote:
So the whole way they work has been optimized.

I would beg the differ. I would rather deal with pre-14 guide lines than use post-15 ones. In 14 and before, I never once used the create guileline segment command. Sure there was the problem of extraneous lines on screen but for the most basic following the edge guide lines, I find the new guide lines to be cumbersome and it's both easier and faster just to create guide line segments instead of trying to make guide lines onscreen. Not only that, but I am sooooooo sick of that orange dot appearing under my pointer or over hotspots.

[Eduardo Rolon]

zeropointreference wrote:
… Not only that, but I am sooooooo sick of that orange dot appearing under my pointer or over hotspots.

+1

[David Maudlin]

sinceV6 wrote:
What David Maudlin said. Use Special Snap Constraint. IT IS what you are trying to do... just instructions missed the drag operation step:...

The Drag step is needed for elements that are already placed and need to be moved. Certain elements with an anchor point (Objects, Columns, Hotspots) can be placed directly using this method, no need to place then Drag into position.

David