Using Label and Listing "ID"

[Conrado Dominguez]

ArchiCad provides the ability to attach an display an ID label to elements as they are drawn.
For example I can draw a wall and upon completion, a Label gets attached with the assigned ID.

However, when the ID contains a number, the program increases that number by one even
when <Project Preferences>-<Miscelaneous> <Auto ID increase> is turned off.

I am trying to use: lets say a 4" wall, saved as a Favorite, with an ID label = F1;
a 6" wall with an ID Label=F2, and get the same label attached to those wall everytime.
Instead, I get F1, F2, F3..etc the first, second and third time I use the 4" wall favorite.

Of course, I could draw the wall and copy/paste the label which in a large job is error prone.

Can I use the ID function to designate a given wall "type" (W1, W6, F2, F5....) instead of a wall occurrence ?
This may create problems with the listing or estimating abilities of the program, but I am not using those functions yet.

Any help will be appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Conrado, we use the labelling tool to label wall types automatically, however we have linked it to the composite type of the wall.
The workflow is this:
1
Make composite walls for each of your wall types (eg. WT1, WT2 etc).
2
Use the attached label (make sure it is loaded in your current library - I assume you use v11).

Next post has a screenshot of label settings as I can only add one attachment per post!

[Anonymous]

Label settings

[Conrado Dominguez]

Robert:
Your use description is exactly what I am looking forward to do.

I am using AC 11 and I am alsousing composite walls.

1. Could you explain what you mean with "linked it to the composite wall type" ?
Do you Name the composite the same as the ID ?

I could not load into any Library your "Wall Object Label11.gsm",;could you please send it again?

Thanks for your help.

[Anonymous]

Hi - sorry if I wasn't clear enough - here goes:

Unzip the file I sent (or added here again) and add to a library folder that is being loaded as part of your AC file.
Reload libraries.

This method does NOT use the ID - it returns the name of the composite used for (that) wall. So, if you name your composite, say WT1, it will display WT1 etc.
It uses labels, not to be confused with the door/window ID marker that is part of those items. Therefore you control the label display by switching the layer the label is in on or off (you do not use model view options or the like). As per typical labels you can move, rotate and even delete them etc.

Now you need to set up the parameters for the label. Open the label tool, and under "content and preview" select "wall tool". Beside that in the dialog, is a button that probably says something like "Schedule label AC". Click on this, and you should be able to select "Wall Object label 11" (if you have loaded it as per the instructions above).
Now you should get a preview of 'XxYxZ' in a box. Now go down to "Symbol label" at the bottom of the label settings dialog. In the label type setting you can choose type 1 , 2 etc - to get a different shape around the text (as per your preference). Then under content type select 'wall type'. Finally choose the layer you want the label to reside in. Then click on OK and close the dialog box.


Now lets say you have drawn a bunch of walls on plan. (Be sure these use a composite not just a fill, or the label will be blank).
Select them all and open the wall dialog.
Go down to "listing and labelling" and check the "label wall" box.
Voila, you should have your walls labelled! (If no labels appear, just check that the layer you set for the labels is visible!).

Hope this helps?!

[Conrado Dominguez]

Thanks, works like a charm.

And extended thanks to the comunity here that is allways willing to share their knowledge of AC.