Project data & BIM
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Layer setup

Anonymous
Not applicable
I am fairly new at using ArchiCAD and have never had to set up the layers, because they have always been done for me. I am now at a company where the previous drafter set up the layers and view sets, he no longer works here, so I would like to do some 'house-cleaning'. I would appreciate help/advise on how to get a minimal amount of layers into a project (we currently have around 250).
I am also wondering if once I set up layers, can they be saved under a generalized catagory (ex. put all floor specific layers under a heading called floor)?
2 REPLIES 2
Anonymous
Not applicable
jen-eye wrote:
I am also wondering if once I set up layers, can they be saved under a generalized catagory (ex. put all floor specific layers under a heading called floor)?

Hello

To sort out my layers by category, I generally uses a prefix in each name of layers.
Then 2 way
1— 2 or 3 numbers
2— 2 letters —by example FL for floor, CE for Ceiling, etc.
then my layer called "Floors" become "FL-Floors"

You can also use extension of the name that allow two ways of sort out by name of layers —the same of actually— or by name of extension…

HTH
Erika Epstein
Booster
Another approach is modeling versus annotating layers.

Modeling layers are ones like floor, wall, ceiling, roof, cabinet, trim etc. These can use extensions to further define which parts of the 3D model one is seeing e.g. .int (interior), .ext(exterior) hide in 2d.int, etc.

It doesn't matter which tool one uses to create the 3D part:a slab for a flat floor or a roof for a sloped floor. What is important is that it is a floor either inside or outside.

Annotating layers are sorted by which type of drawing they will be placed on.
notes.rcp ( text on a reflected ceiling plan), label. flr (name of a room or area on a floor plan) or dim.site (dimensions on a site plan) . It doesn't matter which tool text, label or lines that make up that note, what is important is which type of drawing that they will appear on. Similarly it doesn't matter which dimensioning tool you use, what is important is that it is a dimension and on the site plan.
Erika
Architect, Consultant
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"Implementing Successful Building Information Modeling"