New constraint angle not stored

[alexliz24]

Hi all, I've got this project which is not the straight-forward-perpendicular-plan, but rather it follows two different cartesian systems (i.e. there is an acute angle in the plan, with wall directions parallel and perpendicular to the two sides of that angle).

Trouble is, I can't seem to be able to use the mouse constraint to, say, draw a wall parallel to one of the sides of the building, then carry on drawing more walls parallel/perpendicular to that same side. I've looked into the Mouse Constraints & Methods dialog in Work Environment, and the 'Fixed angle' doesn't get updated after I've selected a new constraint. Is this a bug in AC12?

Many thanks.

[alexliz24]

Hi Norbert, thanks for the post!

Do I take it you are connected to GS? Or are you merely expressing a wish similar to mine?

[Anonymous]

No I'm not connected , but native Hungarian.

Yes , I think it was handy in old versions to be able to pre-set the guide angles , but at the same time there are so many alternatives to work around different issues , that we ask ourselves , whether we are just too comfortable and spoiled to find them - don't take it personal , I think all of us are the same sometimes - or we really need that extra tool.Further to this , I think ArchiCAD is trying to provide "limitless" solutions ( in your case any number of descartes coord.s in a project ) , whereas the "old school" was limited ,so has been opted out ( if you had to pre-set those guidelines for 10 different angles , you certainly would start getting confused) This is my opinion , probably GS has a different one.

[alexliz24]

OK, here's my take:

GS had provided us with a functionality which was time-tested and proven. It worked well.

At some point they introduced the Guide Lines principle, which also is useful and is getting to time-tested status as we speak. BUT...

Guide Lines should _not_ replace the Custom Angle. The Custom Angle was a valuable acceleration and productivity tool: it enabled us to do things that Guide Lines are not much good for (I don't think you or anyone else will disagree that Guide Lines are not best suited when you only have a preset direction vector to which you want to enter repetitively parallel or perpendicular elements; Guide Lines take time to form, and you need time to find the reference object, and all this is a time overhead for _every_ element for which you need them).

So, bottom line, for me, is: If the Graphisoft programmers stepped into a code quicksand patch, whereby they entered an area which was too complex for resolution prior to v12 release, that's fine (although not pleasant).

But let them establish this as a hickup; they must work towards resolving it; not just state that they are now replacing the Mouse Constraint method with the Guide Lines.

Our hard-earned money and product loyalty deserves much better than this.

[Anonymous]

I totally agree with you, Alex! I miss Custom angle very much! Actually I fear the moment when I'll have to work on an non-orthogonal plan with two different angles!

Guide lines are a very poor replacement to an elegant and simple method which had proved itself over the years! I don't use guidelines at all because they are clumsy and time consuming to adjust. I am sad Graphisoft decided to follow the Autocad way with guidelines instead of preserving its method, which was unique in the CAD world as far as I know.

Next - expect F8 instead of Shift!

[alexliz24]

Hmm, I wonder if I should start a poll and submit it on the GS wish-list...

[Anonymous]

No, don't bother! I started a poll it exactly after the function was removed and it had almost no responce!

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=13795&highlight=angle

[alexliz24]

Your poll now has received 10 votes, 8 of which rank the issue as Essential! I think we need to spread the word!

I can't stress enough how astonished I am at the ease with which Graphisoft decide to remove functionality. I wonder if they're losing their touch with the real world of architects. It really is beyond me.

'nuff said. Bring it back, GS!

[Anonymous]

Fair comment , I agree, the functionality was great.

The only thing we need to remember , that we should stress the benefits of the new versions , too. I personally don't support the idea of highlighting mistakes only and not having mention about the "astonishing" achievements(tracing tools ,documentation , collaboration etc.) that makes ArchiCAD an outstanding professional tool for Architects.Let's not get carried away , we all make mistakes.

Despite of this I will vote essential.

[alexliz24]

@Norbert:

I am not blasting ArchiCAD, not even Graphisoft. They're a great group of people. Having said that, they have done away with a functionality against all practical sense (from an end-user's perspective, just like you agree).

I wouldn't be seen dead in front of a computer running AutoCAD; but I must voice in the strongest way the need for features such as this one to come back into the ArchiCAD GUI asap.

Like I stated above, if they had some difficulty implementing it in time for v12 hitting the shelves, at least let them bring it back through an update patch, even _before_ v13 is due.

Guide Lines cannot replace the Custom Angle sticking to the last vector selection.