Opening doesn't show in some wall types

[CFS_Mike]

I have a funny issue with placing an opening in a wall. In plan view, the opening will only show in certain wall structures. If I use a standard "background fill" for an existing wall and place a new opening in it, it will not show up in plan (but it shows in 3D). But if, I change the wall to a standard "50%", then the opening shows up. I have checked my cut planes and it is set correctly. I have developed the work around to only use certain structures of walls, but I'd really like to know why an opening won't appear in certain walls. Thanks!

[MJScheltema]

So, you've already started a process of elimination. Check the following in order:

1. Model view in particular view. Check through the door and window settings.
2. Renovation filter and elements renovation settings.
3. Graphic override (this shouldn't be it, but check in anyway).
4. Pick up the properties of the door, delete it and place it again. Does it have the same issue?

[CFS_Mike]

It's not the opening itself, it's the wall type. I have checked through your list and we found nothing that helps the issue. I can get the opening to show up if I have the wall a certain type of structure in use, but some will not show an opening. These are the standard Archicad building materials and composites.

[MJScheltema]

Sorry for the late reply, Mike. 

Did you try deleting the wall and replacing it?

Sometimes, when I get a glitch that is inexplicable, I delete the element and replace it (ensuring renovation and dimensions are in mind). Then I save the file, close it, and open it.

[CFS_Mike]

No, I tried that as well. I'm working on a different project and the opening only cuts the finish and not the core. I guess it's just one of those Archicad glitches that shows up every now and then.

[CFS_Mike]

I think I accidentally discovered the reason. I changed the background fill pen on the building material I am using for the wall composite to background fill and now the opening shows up. Hopefully this will fix it going forward.

[max_min]

You mentioned you’re using “standard Archicad building materials and composites”, but in your screenshot, I see Building Materials with names like "2x Wood Frame 348719600". When you see materials with a long number appended like that, it usually means they originated as Cut Fills in a version prior to Archicad 17, and were automatically converted when Building Materials were introduced in Archicad 17.

If you’re still dragging these legacy materials forward, it likely means your template has been migrated year after year, which can lead to the accumulation of legacy code and behaviors. This can cause unexpected issues with newer tools. In this case like the Opening Tool, which was introduced in Archicad 23. So based on the evidence I see here, at a minimum your template (or at least the project shown in your screenshot) was created seven versions before the opening tool was introduced, and 12 versions before the current version of Archicad.

The general recommendation I've always heard is to rebuild your template from scratch every couple of versions, or at the very least, when major architectural changes to the software occur; like the introduction of Building Materials.

Not to say your concern isn’t valid; it’s definitely possible there’s something buggy. But I use the Opening Tool extensively across all wall types and haven’t run into the issue you’re describing. I’d suggest investing a bit of time in rebuilding your template in the near future. It can go a long way in preventing compatibility issues with newer features and also gives you an opportunity to purge out unused items.