Why are some attribute names in italic?

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I've noticed that after updating to AC13 some attribute names (line types, material names etc...) display in italic text style. This applies to attribute manager window and separate windows for the attributes (like materials window for example). It also varies between projects.

I'm pretty sure this feature wasn't there on earlier versions. What does the italic text style on attribute name signify?

[Laszlo Nagy]

I swear I have seen this before but I don't remember exactly when.
My first thought was that this may be showing that something is missing.
Can you post a screenshot, maybe I will remember if I see it?

[Anonymous]

Ok. Here's a screenshot from a project in which all but one(!) materials were in italic. The mat. no 124 is 'normal'. Everything else is in italic.

Edit:
My first thought was also that maybe a texture or 2d-fill is missing from the material definition. As I've checked, it seems that sometimes that is true, and sometimes even if those are present, the name is in italic.

In material attributes this would seem logical, but what about line types then? I thought they had no dependencies to other definitions..?

[Arcadia]

I've noticed this too when looking at my list of materials and it seems to be pretty random and has no effect whatsoever. Sometimes all are italic, sometimes none are sometime some are.

[Bruce]

Yes, I'm curious about this too. I've looked up the online help but no luck. Can someone shed some light?

[Fabrizio Diodati]

I also realized this "strange" behavior...
Looking at your screen shot I see you have some materials coming from ArchiTerra.
What I guess (but only GS could answer in the right way) is that the materials displayed in italic are those materials created not using ArchiCAD (I mean manually creating a new Material) but using GDL definitions.
The ArchiTerra materials come from a dedicated MasterGDL object inside your library: when you load the library this object automatically creates these materials.

Friendly
Fabrizio

[Rod Jurich]

Fabrizio wrote:
/.... materials come from a dedicated MasterGDL object inside your library:
when you load the library this object automatically creates these materials.

Fabrizio, I agree. I have a number in italic. All from 3rd party parts.
Whilst you have the parts loaded you cannot delete them. If you do, they
return next time you open the file with those parts in your loaded library.

[Anonymous]

Ok. This might indeed be the case. But I sure wish there would be some definite documentation on the feature.

[Anonymous]

Whenever a fill is made in the GDL script this fill will show up in italic font. It is made with the command DEFINE FILL (page 166 of the GDL reference guide 12) in any GDL object. You can delete the attribute, but if you have loaded that particular library the GDL script it is 'programmed back'
If you unload the library and then delete the attribute, it remains deleted.

[Link]

And an official comment from Graphisoft:

The attributes in italics are those generated by GDL. This may be via a master GDL or individual objects.

Cheers,
Link.