Parallel and Perpendicular in Arch 10

[jzarmin]

Hello there,

We have been using Arch 10 987 USA full now for a couple months on our MAC's in the office.

Can someone please explain step-by-step how to draw a line of a specific length (using numeric input) parallel to an existing angled object? I cannot successfully do this using either Guidelines or the old Relative Construction Methods.

Back before Arch 10, I would click at the origin of the new line, then select the Relative Construction parallel box, then click on the existing angled object, then (after relocating the cursor to the origin point) numerically input a relative R distance.

However, under Arch 10, this method no longer works because once I return the cursor to the origin point of the new line it seems to forget the parallel angle I have specified for it and instead the line is drawn perfectly horizontal as if the angle were 0. If I don't return the cursor to the origin point of the new line before inputing the relative R distance, then the resulting line length is wrong but the angle is correct.

I've been having the same trouble trying to draw new lines of specific lengths perpendicular to existing objects. Does anyone know what either I or ArchiCAD 10 is doing wrong?

thanks!

Joe
San Francisco

[Anonymous]

Sorry, Joe, got delayed in the middle of writing the last response, and you replied again in the meantime. So most of what I said was irrelevant. (No surprise there).

Your angle 0 is what I was eluding to when I said "I have a little trouble sometimes with angles, where it reads relative to guideline and i want it relative to horizontal" in my first reply.

[Link]

Joe

It doesn't matter when you invoke the parallel constraint. Before or during is fine. What matters is that you are placing your cursor back at the start of the line. There's no need to do this, in fact it looks like you've found a bug that overrides the angle to 0 if you do.

So for a start don't place your cursor back at the origin.

The more perplexing problem is why your length is incorrect? The length of a line is usually measured from the Edit Origin. That's the origin that jumps to the start of your line temporarily while you are drawing it. Do you see that? Assuming you are using relative coordinates (make sure the delta sign next to the R value in the coordiante box is indented), all distances will be measured from the start of your line.

Are you absolutely sure the angle is correct, but the distance is not? How far out is it? Are you inputting your coordinates into the Tracker or the Coordinate box?

Maybe an image will help.

Cheers,
Link.

[TomWaltz]

I'm working on a video tutorial on this, should be done in the next week or so (part of a larger "Drafting & drawing in Archicad" topic)

[jzarmin]

Hello again,
I'm really sorry- I disappeared because of a deadline. So, Link, I read your reply. I think what is happening is that before Arch 10 came out, I have used this certain sequence of commands to draw a specific-length line parallel or perpendicular to an existing reference line. Somehow, something has changed in Arch 10 that renders that sequence of commands faulty. Others must be using a different sequence of commands and thus are not encountering the problem.

In the pre-Arch 10 era, my edit origin would remain at the line origin location while I was clicking on the reference line (to obtain the desired angle). Now it appears, that the edit origin moves around when I'm moving the cursor to go click on the reference line. Thus whatever distance it is from the line origin at the time that I input the R value (using the coordinate box), gets added to the R value and thus the line length ends up incorrect. Like I said before, if I return to the line origin and then input the R value (to avoid the incorrect resulting line length) the angle defaults to 0. I hope this is description is understandable.

By the way, Peter, I haven't been using the Tracker nor have I been pressing the shift key- so that isn't the problem, but thanks.

So I must ask what specific sequence of commands others are successfully using to draw a specific-length line parallel or perpendicular to an existing reference line?

thanks

Joe

[Link]

jzarmin wrote:
Hello again,
Now it appears, that the edit origin moves around when I'm moving the cursor to go click on the reference line.

This is very alarming! Are you sure you don't have Grid Snap on? I would also suggest going to Help > Check for Updates... and making sure you are using the latest build (1010).

jzarmin wrote:
So I must ask what specific sequence of commands others are successfully using to draw a specific-length line parallel or perpendicular to an existing reference line?

If you have your Statusbar active, most of the instructions will be given to you. Window > Palettes > Statusbar.

1. Start your line*;
2. Hit the parallel relative construction method in your control box;
3. Make sure it is indented;
4. Click on the edge of another element (i.e. a line, slab, wall, etc - not an object), using the mercedes cursor**;
5. Hit R or D and then the distance then enter***

* You can start your line after hitting the parallel relative construction method too.
** Alternatively you can define your own reference vector, by selcting two points anywhere you like.
*** If you have the Tracker active and prefer polar coordinates & direct numeric input enabled in your Work Environment, you don't need to hit the R or D first, just the distance and enter.

Otherwise you can just use Guide Lines, which is probably easier in AC10 anyway. If you have guide lines active and Parallel to the active Guide Line enabled in your Work Environment, you simply need to do this:

1. Hover over the parallel edge until the instant guide line appears*;
2. Make this an active guide line by running your cursor along it until it turns bold and orange;
3. Start your line and snap it to the guide line that appears with the parallel symbol on it;
4. Enter the distance as above.

* If you don't have an edge you can place a guide line between two points bystart to draw an edge of any tool and before finishing, use the context menu to place a guide line or convert to a guide line segment.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,
Link.

[Anonymous]

Hello Joe,
I am doing what you suggest and will describe what I do.
I have both delta buttons ON for absolute and relative coordinates.
I select the line tool and draw a line of arbitrary angle and length.
Then, with the line tool still selected, using the left mouse button
I click on the parallel button.
I click on the line I have just drawn and then move the cursor
to some arbitrary position in the plan and with just the mouse
draw another line that is automatically constrained to the angle
of the first line. Pressing the shift key has no effect and
entering an "R" value and hitting enter makes the line exactly
the length entered in the "R" field.
I do exactly the same procedure for perpendicular lines.
Unlike previous versions I have to "remind" Archicad of the
angle I want by clicking on the perpendicular or parallel button,
then click on a line that is at the angle I want,
just before I draw a new line.
I hope you can get this to work.
Peter Devlin

[Djordje]

... and you have to have your Control Box on, or choose the Parallel and Perpendicular form the pulldown menu (much slower ...)

[jzarmin]

Thanks Link and Peter,

I didn't know there was a new ArchiCAD patch out there. We are using Arch 10 987. Under this version, I tried the series of steps both of you prescribed with not good results.

Unfortunately I have another deadline and my employer is worried about the time invested in upgrading before the deadline is completed. So it may take me a few days to get to upgrade to Build 1010 and see if that cures our ills!

I will post a status report at that time.
Thanks a lot for the help!

Joe

[jzarmin]

Aha!

After installing the Arch 1010 patch, I finally figured out what the problem was. In pre-10 versions of ArchiCAD I had drawn angle lines by first drawing an origin point, then specifying the angle and then inputting the R length. At the end of inputting the R lenght I always then typed the "+" key as in a relative distance. This never was a problem if my curser was no longer at the origin point of the line. However, somehow from version 10 on, the "+" key would cause the R length inputted to be measured from where on the line my curser was, not from the origin point, hence my problem I described in earlier posts.

I now realize that the "+" which wasn't a problem before but now is, was never necessary and thus I don't type it and I now get the line length I wanted while working in Arch 10.

Thanks for your help, everyone.

Joe

[Anonymous]

Joe,
Thank you for posting back.
We were all worried that you had some mysterious
unsolvable problem causing you to be unable to
control angle, length, and origin in AC 10.
I am glad you got things working and have
described how you did so for the benefit of others.
Peter Devlin