working methods with v11

[Anonymous]

howdy

a few more questions to follow on from my mega post of last week

any help/ advice would be greatly appreciated

thanks in advance

teamwork:
Not really used it much.... assuming that you can sign out individual detail windows, but do the layers make a difference? Ie, if an interior elevation window has the same layers as a storefront elevation window, will there be a conflict in signing each other separately?

favorites:
seems like it could be cool, but I don't really see how it can be set up and organized to be efficient and useful... or am i missing something?

layout book:
Should layout book have its own layer setting? We are currently just placing everything (titleblocks and such) on the archicad layer.

multiple element selection:
With multiple element selection using TAB, is there a way to specify which
element is chosen first? By default it appears to be the fill.

Makes more sense if it was the line, since fills can be easily selected by clicking anywhere within the fill.... anyway of changing the default behaviour?

dimension text:
in archiCAD v7 you could change the dim values in multi-dim strings to EQ - EQ very quickly..... in v9 and above, it requires you to select each dim...

Is there still no way to quickly select and change multiple dimension texts to EQ.-EQ.?

markers:
How do I permanently change the default settings for the built-in markers?
(for interior elevation, section, detail, etc.) they don't seem to be library parts.

master drawings:
I'm setting up a general master archicad file, and creating
detail/elevation/interior elevation windows where each account manager will then be able to just copy and paste job specific details into for the
account master.

For some accounts, markers will be set-up up to automatically number themselves.

for others.... when creating windows using elevation/interior elevation/section tools, the markers should just be on a dummy layer that is permanently switched off; detail markers can just be deleted, keeping them as independent viewpoints. Is this the correct way to go about it?

thanks again for all

yukioMishima

[Anonymous]

I'll try to answer a few of your questions, at least to my limited abilities...

Teamwork: I am a one person office, so I can't help you here.

Favorites: There is not much in organizational tools for favorites - you need to create a naming convention that will group your favorites together as you would like to see them. Also you can select an option which will only display favorites of the active tool. Another way to organize the favorites is to have separate favorites sets for various disciplines, i.e. civil, building, electrical...

Layout Book: you are already doing the smart thing by putting everything on the archicad layer. I know there are some wish list postings for layout layer controls. Personally, I am happy with just putting everything on the archicad layer, if I put it on the layout, I want to see it and I want it to print.

Multiple element selections: I might be wrong about this, but I think the tabbing selection order relates to the display order. However it also depends on which tool is active, if you are on the line tool, selections will go to the line first, if you are on the fill tool, selections will go to the fills first.

Dimension Text: As far as I know, you have to select each dim. text to change it. You can have selected multiple dim texts, then change them all at once though.

Markers: They are library parts, but they won't appear under the library window with the object tool. There are a couple of ways to have your settings applied quickly. Easiest is to set up a marker the way you want it, then save it as a favorite. Another way would be by creating a dummy marker that you leave off to the side - like in the visual legend idea ( a good alternative to favorites too, see http://www.aecbytes.com/tipsandtricks/2006/issue13-archicad.html ) Or if you are brave and know some GDL, you can place a marker and do the open object command, but I would make sure you save it a new file, I have done with with some success (and alit of trial & error), so you definitely don't need to be an expert, but this is probably only worth it if you want to change the graphic appearance of the marker.

Master file: I'm not sure exactly what you are going for here, but here is how I have set things up for myself. I have created a startup file with all my typical stories / elevations / sections ..... already set up with the markers already on the drawings, and hotspots indicating where it will line up on the layout sheet. For details I have a separate detail plan file, with my most of my details, when the time comes, I simply copy and paste the desired detail from the archive into the current project. This system works well for me. I don't have standard details that go into every project, but if I did, I would put those into the project startup file.

I hope that helps.

[Erich]

I am just begining to learn the program myself but, if I understand a couple of the questions correctly (big IF), then ...

You can select multiple dimension text boxes and then change them simultaneously in the settings dialogue using the custom text option. Was there some method quicker than this in previous versions? Personally, I would love to be able to double click in a dimesion text box and change the text directly but that doesn't appear to be an option.

As I explore setting up a template file with the major settings the way we want them I have found that, with nothing selected, if you double click on a tool such as dimensions, section markers, etc. you get a defaults dialogue. I have set everything up there and then saved the file as a template. Then if you start new from the template all of that information is already set. Perhaps this helps with the question regarding markers.