Wishes
Post your wishes about Graphisoft products: Archicad, BIMx, BIMcloud, and DDScad.

2D Multiline Tool = Pre-Exploded Wall Tool

Karl Ottenstein
Moderator
I keep forgetting to post this wish....

When creating 2D details, the Wall Tool is extremely useful for creating a variety of elements requiring fixed parallel lines and possibly fills. Walls obviously, but also sheathing and other elements. This is a 'trick' that many old AC hats used, and was documented by Michael Sotero as part of the MSA Detailer system.

Since we now have Detail windows in AC 9, they are the obvious places to create details. (I talk about this in the new Detailer manual that I wrote and which is part of the US SE 9 download.)

But, we can only use 2D tools in a Detail or Section window. Terrence Sturm recently expressed his frustration about this:
http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=15338#15338

What I'd like is the ability to have a multiline tool that can obtain its settings from any Composite, or from a combination of border pen/fill/width just as the wall tool does. A Composite called '1/2" Gyp Board" would immediately give parallel lines 1/2" apart with whatever pens and fills were used in the composite definition.

Basically this produces the same effect as drawing with the wall tool and then exploding (ctr+=) the wall into 2D elements...other than we can't draw with the wall tool in a Detail or Section.

Cigraph's ArchiRuler has a multiline tool which is a useful alternative for the time being, but there is no way to quickly load alternative line spacings the way we can quickly change composites or wall widths with the wall tool, and we can't use Favorites with ArchiRuler.

Karl

PS I thought of just asking for a checkbox on the wall settings for '2D only' (meaning pre-exploded)... but this could be a user nightmare if people forgot to clear the checkbox and thought they were modeling walls in plan.
One of the forum moderators
AC 27 USA and earlier   •   macOS Ventura 13.6.6, MacBook Pro M2 Max 12CPU/30GPU cores, 32GB
6 REPLIES 6
Rob
Graphisoft
Graphisoft
now, this is a really essential one, which could improve 2D drafting dramatically...
::rk
Anonymous
Not applicable
Oh yes, Karl. Very old whish, Thanks for posting.

One advantage to draw with walls, is the ability to play with the reference line for thickness.
Better for details.
Karl wrote:
PS I thought of just asking for a checkbox on the wall settings for '2D only' (meaning pre-exploded)...
No, it's better if the tool just knows it's in a 2D-only window and adapts automatically. "Sure, you can draw a wall in a detail window. It won't be a model, of course, but go ahead."

Rather than a separate tool that just uses the composites, wouldn't it be better if the 2D thing actually was a wall... then you could go between windows, transparently use the dropper/syringe...

Good one.
James Murray

Archicad 25 • Rill Architects • macOS • OnLand.info
TomWaltz
Participant
I'd be happy of the walls in details acted like 3D objects placed in an elevation/section: the tool places the element into the window, and just ignores the fact that it's supposed to be 3D.

The drawing looks right and the user did not have to consider the difference.
Tom Waltz
Aussie John
Newcomer
essential there is a 2D wall tool for details.
Cheers John
John Hyland : ARINA : www.arina.biz
User ver 4 to 12 - Jumped to v22 - so many options and settings!!!
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tsturm
Newcomer
Karl wrote:
I keep forgetting to post this wish....
But, we can only use 2D tools in a Detail or Section window. Terrence Sturm recently expressed his frustration about this:
http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=15338#15338
Thanks Karl for the reference.

Came upon this topic while searching out a possible solution for dealing with the detail tool number system.

I like the idea of using the wall tool in the detail window and having the result be 2D. Heck, why not. That's how the walls read on the screen most of the time anyways. Besides, using the wall tool gives you control over changing the material thickness quickly and accurately using the eye dropper to speed things along on complicated details.

Now on to this detail tool number system.
Terrence Sturm, Architect
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