slab transparency issues

[Ivan Myers]

I'm sure its been addressed here but I cant seem to find it.
I cant seem to get my slab transparency correct in plan view. The lower slab is shown by a dashed line and is not blocked by the slab above. Where is the transparency setting?

[Barry Kelly]

In the settings for the slab go to the 'Floor plan and section, settings and you can turn a cover fill on.
Choose the fill type and pen colours that you want.

However in the plan you may have to use the 'Bring forward' & 'Send backward' options (display order) as the slabs are not automatically arranged by their heights - the slab drawn last will be on top no matter its height.

Barry.

[Ivan Myers]

Wow thanks that was so easy, I'm kicking myself.
Thanks for the help!

[KeesW]

So why aren't the slabs arranged automatically by their height?

Archicad has some clumsy features which are never improved. Surely the above should be a default feature. Better still, slab edges of lower slabs obscured by higher ones should be shown with a hidden line. Can't be too difficult - Archicad knows what the levels are and what is obscured by what. AC couldn't create 3D's without this information!

[Ivan Myers]

In the screen shot I posted above the lower slab (on basement level) was shown with a dashed line. I don't understand the ability to "bring to front" a slab drawn below a wall or any other object. A drafting line sure. but it doesn't make sense. At one point I had the slab on the ground floor showing above the walls, but in 3D it looked normal. Also how do we adjust the dashed line type for the slab below everything? And what if I wanted to show a slab projection at the lowest level as a solid line? Do we have to just overdraw with detail lines?

I'm sure there is a trick. I only got into this problem messing around trying to set up my own project template.

Thanks
Ivan

[Barry Kelly]

What you have to remember about the 2D plan view is it is a symbolic view of the model and not a true 3D top view.
So unlike the 3D view or sections and elevations you are not seeing elements in their true space but simply 2D line representations of them.
They do have a default hierarchy in plan - slabs below walls, then beams roofs, lines, text - but don't quote me on that order.
Display order can be used to alter their hierarchy.

Also there is a setting (Options > Project Preferences maybe - I don't have Archicad running at the moment) where you can set the line type for elements above and below.
Them tell the element to display on the home storey and one storey above or below - and the line type will automatically change depending what storey you are on.

Also you can set the Floor Plan Display option of the element and set the uncut and overhead line types in the element.
Then depending on the position of the element above or below the Floor Plan Cutting Plane the line type will alter.
Quite a few options but sometimes it is easier / better / necessary to 'fake' it with 2D lines.

Barry.

[David Maudlin]

Barry wrote:
Also there is a setting (Options > Project Preferences maybe - I don't have Archicad running at the moment) where you can set the line type for elements above and below.

Project Preferences > Legacy.

David

[Ivan Myers]

Thanks again to the experts for dealing with amateur questions! I didn't realize Plan views were symbolic only.

[Barry Kelly]

Ivan wrote:
I didn't realize Plan views were symbolic only.

Some of the tools are moving to be true 3D top view in plan.
Like the roof tool - there is a legacy option in project preferences again that can switch between 2D symbolic or true 3D projected view.
The same for skylights.
The morph tool and shell tool are true 3D top view no matter what setting you change.

Eventually all tools may be changed to true view but we will have to wait and see.

Barry.

[KeesW]

I also didn't realise that plans were symbolic only. Hope they all change soon.