Rotating project true north

[Anonymous]

Lets say I start modeling my building, a box for all intents and purposes. The box is parallel to the screen. This means my north is to the top of my computer screen. What is I now decide the my box (project) need to be rotated 20deg E. ? How is this done in Archicad?

I am presuming this is something that is done in the model viewports since it is the TRUE orientation of the model.

[vistasp]

Yes Greg, the black end is north so if you want it to point downwards, drag it there or type 270 in the box below the compass.

I've always assumed this is the solar north and not the magnetic north...

To adjust for location, go to the sun dialog box that Stuart mentioned earlier and select your city & time zone. If it doesn't exist, you can add the latitude/longitude manually.

[Greg D]

Thanks vistasp. My confusion has to do with the relationship of north in the dialogue box with north in the plan window. (Why doesn't north in the dialogue box point up, like a map?)

So, is zero degrees on the compass dialogue north or east? Is north toward the right on the dialogue, but toward the top on the plan window? And, if that is true, then when I want the sun to come from due south, I set it at 180, which on the plan window is to the bottom?

Or am I completely off base?

[Dennis Lee]

If you want North to be top of your drawing (pointing up like how it should be 99% of the time), then the black end of the arrow should also be pointing up. (90 degrees). If you want your north arrow to be pointing down, your black arrow should be set to 270 degrees (point down).

[Barry Kelly]

Greg wrote:
Thanks vistasp. My confusion has to do with the relationship of north in the dialogue box with north in the plan window. (Why doesn't north in the dialogue box point up, like a map?)

So, is zero degrees on the compass dialogue north or east? Is north toward the right on the dialogue, but toward the top on the plan window? And, if that is true, then when I want the sun to come from due south, I set it at 180, which on the plan window is to the bottom?

Or am I completely off base?

It is all a bit confusing if you start thinking about the angles.
North is at 90° and East is at 0° by default.
But when you rotate the compass North will be pointing exactly in the direction you want it.
The angular co-ordinates on your plan will not alter.
90° is still up and 0° is still to the right.
It is just these will not be North or East anymore.

In the case you describe North will be to the bottom of the screen which is 270° in Archicad co-ordinate speak - exactly where you should have the north arrow pointing.

Barry.

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Does anyone have an issue with north point objects that are linked to Project North. Currently if I change project north, any north point objects linked to project north do not automatically update in the layouts. I have to manually refresh the layout for the direction of the north point to change. Any ideas?

[Barry Kelly]

Maybe you have the drawings in your layouts set to "manual" update rather than "auto" update.
Have a look in the settings for the drawings.
Barry.

[David Maudlin]

GeorgeC wrote:
Currently if I change project north, any north point objects linked to project north do not automatically update in the layouts. I have to manually refresh the layout for the direction of the north point to change. Any ideas?

Object placed directly on the layout updates immediately. Object placed in plan that is part of the placed view needs an "Update".

David

[Anonymous]

Thanks David. That fixed the issue.

[Barry Kelly]

Oddly enough all other objects placed in the plan update automatically.
Only the auto-rotation of the North point does not.
I guess this is because you are not actually opening the North point object and making a change to its settings.
However if you slightly move the North point object after changing the Project North then the layout will update automatically.
Barry.

[Mats_Knutsson]

Would like to slightly bump this. I'm not really sure what the north direction is for? I always model in x-y and rotate the views ona layout or to ifc/dwg via hotlink. I haven't figured out how to use the North Direction for renders... so I think I really don't understand how to use it!?