Troubleshooting graphics > exhaustion

[Richard Morrison]

This is mostly a rant, I guess, but I am finding myself more and more disheartened while using AC20, because it seems like there are now so many ways to manipulate the graphic display of an element, that when something doesn't "look right," figuring out the issue is taking much, much too long.

So after opening the element itself, you need to check the pens (let's see, was the element being cut or not? Maybe I need to override a pen here...), and if all that is fine, maybe it's the pen set. Or the floor plan display type? Or a cover fill not set correctly in the model, or the surface overrides? Or maybe the problem is in the model view options, or the layer intersection, or the building material priority (or the related fill, and I'm never clear how these relate in priority to the individual surface fills), or the layer group, or a setting in the renovation filters, or maybe now, the graphic overrides. All those seemed to be fine, oh, maybe it's the cut plane height, or something that the SEO is doing and you need a different wall/roof connection type. I've been using AC long enough that I'll eventually get things right, but it feels like I'm slogging through mud right now, and not being very productive.

I don't know where all this "flexibility and power" is headed in the future, but the camel's back may already be broken. Anyone else feeling this way? Any words of wisdom?

[Andy Thomson]

James Murray's Advice

Permutations and combinations of troubleshooting. Glad I've been using the same template I developed in AC10! (in AC19).

[Anonymous]

Richard wrote:
I don't know where all this "flexibility and power" is headed in the future, but the camel's back may already be broken. Anyone else feeling this way? Any words of wisdom?

I think I will repost my own sidenote I wrote on this exact issue on June 13th, 2016 in response to words of wisdom of some very respectful members of this forum simply suggesting to use AC20 overrides to fix any problems.

Side note: I think that newly-found simplicity of AC20 graphical override will leave anyone with less than stellar understanding of ARCHICAD mechanics totally bewildered by unexpected results in different locations on Project Map or View Map due to multi-layered custom override issues conflicting with each other.
People will stop learning how ARCHICAD is structured and will start overriding all options they can find, in essence, severing long-standing internal connections inherent to ARCHICAD's holistic BIM model approach.
My personal opinion is that AC20 graphical overrides will do wonders when used with caution, but will wreck havoc within a project if used with little planning.

The problem lies in lack of structured learning and understanding of how ArchiCAD is (and, most importantly, was) designed over the years. With proper training and understanding this issue seizes to become relevant.

[Anonymous]

Richard wrote:
because it seems like there are now so many ways to manipulate the graphic display of an element

Even though Graphics Override are amazing and have been very helpful for me, sometimes I think the same thing, I would say it will be good to have one place to control how things will look, or even if they will appear in the plans or will be hidden, and a second feature or option, to override the graphics of a specific element. Something like that, a little more simple.

[DGSketcher]

I'm hoping the numerous pen settings in elements and the use of pen sets will be phased out to something much simpler. Ideally we have a consistent single pen set, everything defaults to a thin black pen and then things are highlighted as needed with the G.Os. Have to agree it is a bit of a mess at the moment but I have a G.O. in place that does that initial default which saves a lot of time trying to find the right pen set and changing objects.