Need help w the shell tool: modeling complex roof?

[Anonymous]

I am a student and i need to model a complex roof with different profile curves on each face (please see attachment.) This was really easy to model in Rhino (2 rail sweep,) but I can't seem to come close in archicad. Is it possible to create a shell with different profile curves on each face? Should i be using the mesh tool instead? Any tips will be appreciated. (ps. I watched a quite a few of the tutorials available on youtube)

Also, this is my first post, I wasn't sure if this belongs in the student section..

Thank you!

[Laszlo Nagy]

Slice the geometry into 6-8-10 parallel slices and model each band with the Ruled Shell method. The number of slices will depend on how accurate you want it to approximate the original geometry.

[David Maudlin]

Olek wrote:
Should i be using the mesh tool instead?

The Mesh tool is an alternative. If you have the x, y, z coordinates, then it is possible to generate the Mesh automatically using the Place Mesh from Surveyor's Data feature, I have posted a tutorial here: CREATING A MESH FROM A TXT FILE.

You should add a Signature to your Profile (click the Profile button near the top of this page) with your ArchiCAD version and operating system (see mine for an example) for more accurate help in this forum.

David

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your suggestions.

laszlo - I tried your suggestion, but subdividing the surface didn't produce the result I want.

David Maudlin - That looks like a great feature, however, I am pretty sure I can't export a surface in rhino as a point cloud.

I've seen complex organic geometries done in AC before.. Does anyone happen to know of any plugins with which one could export a rhino model as IFC?

[Anonymous]

David - I managed to get points info from rhino by arraying points on the surface and saving as .txt. Then i created the mesh as you suggested (from surveyors data). Creating the mesh in AC was relatively painless - i had to hide a few strange perimeter points - can't believe there is no delete mesh point option in the pet palette..)

New problem. I have my mesh "roof." I cant figure out how to trim walls to it. I can't do SEO because the mesh doesn't have thickness.. I found a "mesh to roof" goodie on the grafisoft website, but that is only for AC 14.
Should i look for a copy of AC 14?

[David Maudlin]

Olek wrote:
- can't believe there is no delete mesh point option in the pet palette..)

The way to delete a Mesh point is to drag it outside the Mesh boundary. I did a quick check of the Help files and did not see this explained, so I can understand your irritation.

Olek wrote:
I have my mesh "roof." I cant figure out how to trim walls to it. I can't do SEO because the mesh doesn't have thickness.?

Yes, elements must have thickness (not be planar) to work with SEO. One method is to give the Mesh a thickness: create a duplicate that is slightly lower, then trim the upper Mesh with the lower one (using SEO) so you have a Mesh with thickness that can be used for SEO on the walls. After this operation, put the lower Mesh on a hidden layer (deleting it will cancel the SEO). This technique has been discussed on this forum if you want to do a search.

Olek wrote:
I found a "mesh to roof" goodie on the grafisoft website, but that is only for AC 14.

In AC 15, go to Help > ArchiCAD 15 Downloads, this will take you to the web page with the Goodies that includes the Mesh to Roof Tool for AC 15.

Once you convert the Mesh to Roofs you will have to edit each individually, so which method to use depends on your desired approach. (When I added the current Mesh to Roof Add-On, I got a warning about the Add-On being older than the latest AC build, but it works.)

Please post an image of your results when you are done, it will be helpful to others with a similar problem using this approach.

David

[Barry Kelly]

David wrote:
(When I added the current Mesh to Roof Add-On, I got a warning about the Add-On being older than the latest AC build, but it works.)

I think you just need to run the latest hotfix again.
The hotfix is supposed to update all goodie add-ons if I remember correctly.
Barry.

[David Maudlin]

Barry wrote:

David wrote:
(When I added the current Mesh to Roof Add-On, I got a warning about the Add-On being older than the latest AC build, but it works.)

I think you just need to run the latest hotfix again.
The hotfix is supposed to update all goodie add-ons if I remember correctly.
Barry.

Barry:

I was mentioning this because the Add-Ons page says "These goodies are updated for work with ArchiCAD 15 R1 (build 3003)." (I think the grammar is not perfect). If the user has already updated their ArchiCAD (current build # 3267), the Add-On can be added and it will work. The user needs to first add the Add-On for the updater to update it.

David