One line visible on all stories...how?

[Anonymous]

well...?

[__archiben]

make it an object?

that's about the best option (unfortunately) if you want to change something once and have it reflect automatically everywhere else...

...until a degree of uniformity is introduced into the tools. (it's in the wishlist somewhere)

if you have a complex line drawing you want to show across all stories, save it as a dwg and x-ref (or module if you prefer that route )

~/archiben

[Djordje]

mathome wrote:
well...?

Why?

If what Ben guesses is true (you want a complex line drawing visible on all stories) save it as an object (better than XReffing) and show on all stories.

[__archiben]

Djordje wrote:
If what Ben guesses is true (you want a complex line drawing visible on all stories) save it as an object (better than XReffing) and show on all stories.

. . . . unless you want/need to snap to the lines, measure from them, dimension to them . . . and then you're going to have to hotspot the hell out of the object 2D data!

a note about dimensioning to x-refs: BE CAREFUL. x-refs are merged into the project rather then truly referenced. whenever they are updated the information is replaced: associative dimensioning to any of the original elements will be lost.

~/archiben

[Anonymous]

I want a 2D reference grid system of lines and dimensions to show on all stories. I can, as you suggested Djordje, make an object, but then I loose most of the snap possibilities. And As you mention, Ben, I can add hotspots but I loose the possibility to snap/trim/extend to lines.
I guess I would like a somewhat extended function of the section tool...

I'll go for copying the grid system on every story for now.

Mats

[__archiben]

mats

we do use dwg's and x-ref them for the grid systems.

in this way we can also use the same grid file to exchange with autocad consultants for them to x-ref into their drawings.

this is a process that then works both ways: if a consultant then has to modify the grid as a consequence of their design, they send the revised grid file back (to everyone) and we simply reload it to pick up the changes.

works well IMHO.

~/archiben

[Anonymous]

One workaround for the grid would be to make a special grid story and make it the ghost story to all the others. The drawback of course is that the grid is then unavailable when the ghost story is used for another purpose.

[Djordje]

mathome wrote:
I want a 2D reference grid system of lines and dimensions to show on all stories. I can, as you suggested Djordje, make an object, but then I loose most of the snap possibilities. And As you mention, Ben, I can add hotspots but I loose the possibility to snap/trim/extend to lines.
I guess I would like a somewhat extended function of the section tool...

I'll go for copying the grid system on every story for now.

Mats

There is already a Structural grid layer anyway So use it - as you need it for reference, lock that layer in all your layer combos, after you paste the grid on all the stories. If you use the Structural grid tool, it will do it for you.

[SeaGeoff]

Another method is to use PM. Create a view containing only the grids, dimens, etc. It could be a layer combo from the floor plan, or an independent set of objects from a detail window. Once in PM the drawing can be placed repeatedly. Use some hot spots for alignment. Nice in that it can be updated in a single place. Works well for legends and general notes too.

[__archiben]

Djordje wrote:
There is already a Structural grid layer anyway So use it - as you need it for reference, lock that layer in all your layer combos, after you paste the grid on all the stories. If you use the Structural grid tool, it will do it for you.

i still think that x-ref'ing is your best bet here!

1. the structural grid tool is not flexible enough for even the simplest 'non-standard' grid.
2. pasting your grid onto all stories means that if you have a change on one floor you are into manually editing all of the other floors.
3. an x-ref'd DWG file means that you can easily share your grid with consultants and YOU define the 0,0 origin from them to work.
4. the x-ref needs to be placed as many times as you have stories, but updated only ONCE.
5. when graphisoft sort out true x-ref management you will not be able to edit the grid from within your project file, thus protecting the most essential setting out from accidental editing.
6. archiCAD 8.1 has no problem opening up the file as a DWG for editing and replacing the file.

geoff - i'm not sure that i understand your plotmaker idea: to get the grid into plotmaker and be able to use it in archiCAD as a reference, it needs to be placed IN archiCAD anyway? i do agree that once there it is ideal for using as a location key in plotmaker (when you have to split sheets over a large floor plan) by saving a viewset of the grid at a scale of 1:2000 or something . . .

~/archiben