Object Display - Different Plans

[Anonymous]

How do I get an object to display differently based upon it's z-elevation. An object placed on the floor (below the cutting plane) should show as solid lines on the Floor Plan and dashed in the Reflected Ceiling Plan. Objects mounted to the ceiling should be dashed on Floor Plan and solid on Reflected Ceiling Plan.

I typically have object settings displayed as a solid line on the Floor Plan; if I change settings to dashed line, the object is dashed on both plans. I have changed Display Options to both Construction and Construction RCP but no change in display. I have looked at story settings, but didn't find anything to help me.

Thanks, in advance,
Eric

[Anonymous]

You can script objects to respond to their elevation, but there is (as yet) no way to tell (within the part) whether the plan is a floor plan or RCP.

You can play around with a master GDL and global variable to accomplish this but I don't recommend it.

[Anonymous]

Seems like with all of AC's modeling ability, it would automatically identify the object's elevation and create different line types depending upon the Floor Plan cutting plane. My workaround has been to create two seperate layers - one for equipment placed on floor with solid lines and another one for equipment mounted at ceiling floor with dashed lines. Works OK, but seems rather cumbersome to be creating two layers for the same type of object based on it's elevation heights - especially when you created multiple layers for different types of objects.

Thanks,

[Anonymous]

There has been extensive discussion of this. ArchiCAD does not base the plan view on a horizontal section height. It simply shows whatever is drawn in plan, with walls and columns shown in section regardless of their height.

See:

Reflected Ceiling Mode for Plan Window

and

The New Working Environment

[Djordje]

ELL wrote:
Seems like with all of AC's modeling ability, it would automatically identify the object's elevation and create different line types depending upon the Floor Plan cutting plane.

The object can (easily?) be scripted so that, if its elevation to the current storey is more than whatever you specify, the linetype changes to dashed ot whatever you specify. So it is realy a matter of scripting the lamps, curtain rods and other stuff that belongs to the upper echelons to display properly.

Any GDL guru likes to help us out here?

[Anonymous]

The problem is that there is no way (as yet) for the library part to know whether the view is intended as a floor plan or a ceiling plan.

The sensitivity to elevation would be, for example, that a beam could tell that it is overhead in the floor plan and show as dashed, but would display with solid lines in RCP. Alternatively one might wish to have furniture show as dashed in a ceiling lighting plan. The elements would not be responding to a change in elevation but to a change in view.

[Jman]

There is method to script object to look different on different stories. Check object Downspout Complex 25 from default Archicad 25 library

You can also add script changing the plan view according to MVO Lighting and HVAC Floor Plan Symbol, or add your own MVO settings. This way you can have absolute control over object view on plan according to story and type of plan. Sounds complicated but it is not.