Add object to beam and columns' segments

[Anonymous]

Hi all,
Since AC 23 add segments for beam and cloumn,I wonder Why we can't add object to this segments
I mean that avalible for railing and stairs part and curtain wall panel.
I understand if they add this. that will limit the ability of controlling like ability of curve the beam ( like taper with curved beam now) but we can model any beam or column and when we need to modify this column only the part without object can be modifed .
only add option like ( save object as beam \column segment)
.....
maybe it is not essential, but will give very great detailed beam and column

[Laszlo Nagy]

Yes, that would be great. It would enable us to model practically any kind of Column or Beam geometry.
Essential, in my opinion.

[Barry Kelly]

With some patience and a lot of individual complex profiles, you can make just about any column/beam that you want.

This one was in a demo file from Central Innovation that I replicated.
Multiple layers of complex profiles.
The complex profile that makes up the bolts on the sides even have modifiers to adjust the bolt size.
The profile is actually only half the bolt height placed and then placed again but mirrored (swapped) to form the full bolt head.

So I think the images in the original post could be done without any added objects.
Not saying that that might not be a useful option still.

Barry.

[Anonymous]

Barry wrote:


So I think the images in the original post could be done without any added objects.
Not saying that that might not be a useful option still.

Barry.

Hello Barry,
No I don't think that .
the first Image the red part has handle,which is vertical object it is very hard to do with profile .
the second image ( I had taken a photo of it )the top part of column has taper shape but starts with circle and ends with rectangle and this impossible to do with column tool and it very hard to be done in archicad even if you use morph ...
and what about classical and historical column ?
since Railing tools has revolve option from profile , and object and sweep (for nose of stair ) I think and least the revole and object for segment should be is both column and beam .
and I think Graphisoft knows that (even in their exsample and tutorial ) the tools some time used to creat something else because morph tools dose not have (sweep from profile, revolve from profile ,refrence line and loft ) so we use beam and column to make any thing we think we might change its profile (windows casing for instance)
and that another big wish I think Graphisoft is working on with new windows /door tool .

[Minh Nguyen]

Hi All,

Thank you very much for creating this poll, and for those of you who voted to express their opinion.

I am happy to say we took notice of this wish and I have added it into our WishList database (please refer to it in the future as Wish #12627). Hopefully, our Product Management team will adopt this one in the future.

Thank you all once more, and I wish you a great day!

Best regards,
Minh

P/s: Barry, that's an awesome profile! I myself couldn't think that we can even model such a thing with ARCHICAD alone! Guess I need to update my modeling skill

[Barry Kelly]

I had a few minutes spare so here is my attempt of one of the columns.
The handle can't be round but hexagonal or octagonal is possible.

Barry.

[Anonymous]

Great job Barry!
Could you post the column settings with all segments and Complex Profiles involved?

[Anonymous]

Barry wrote:
I had a few minutes spare so here is my attempt of one of the columns.
The handle can't be round but hexagonal or octagonal is possible.

Barry.

thank you Barry that is great

[Barry Kelly]

Braza wrote:
Could you post the column settings with all segments and Complex Profiles involved?

One better, here is a MOD file that you can merge into your file.
Do it in a blank file (not a real job) as it will contaminate with my attributes (materials, layers, etc)

The surface materials will probably make no sense as this was done in my custom template and you won't have the texture files.
Ignore the size - it it quite large - I was just messing around.

For the horizontal handle you will see that it is just a complex profile with a modifier allowing the side of the handle to be adjusted.
In the column 2 segments of this profile are added and are set to be tapered.
In 3D you can then modify the top edge of the top handle segment and the bottom edge of the bottom handle segment to form a hexagon shape (if you want to do it properly you will need to draw it in 2D to work out the correct sizes).


Barry.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Barry.
The only three down sides I see are:
1. The complexity of the solution (Number of nodes and CPs);
2. The possible decrease of performance compared to a dumb 3d object;
3. You are limited to horizontal geometry along the column axis.
But anyway is a very good example of the versatility of the tool.

[Barry Kelly]

1). Yes, I guess it can get a bit involved, but at least it gives users a non-GDL solution.
2). Not sure if there is any performance hit, I haven’t noticed one, but I have not used segmented columns and beams intensively.
3). Not quite sure what you mean here. For columns, the vertical can be adjusted with the segment height and the horizontal can be adjusted with the taper widths and modifiers in the complex profiles.

Barry.

[Anonymous]

Barry Kelly wrote:
3). Not quite sure what you mean here. For columns, the vertical can be adjusted with the segment height and the horizontal can be adjusted with the taper widths and modifiers in the complex profiles.

I meant if one need to for example: Make the horizontal hexagonal bar tilted with the horizontal.

[Barry Kelly]

Braza wrote:
I meant if one need to for example: Make the horizontal hexagonal bar tilted with the horizontal.

No, that can't be done.
Something like that would need to be modelled separately.
Even in this example I think I would model the horizontal handle as a separate beam.

Barry.

[Anonymous]

Barry wrote:

Braza wrote:
I meant if one need to for example: Make the horizontal hexagonal bar tilted with the horizontal.

No, that can't be done.
Something like that would need to be modelled separately.
Even in this example I think I would model the horizontal handle as a separate beam.

Barry.

So I think it is still a good wish. Especially with unordinary or classic column. In my opinion, the main problem is when you add a gdl as a segment you will lose most of options of column .

[James B]

For a local demo here, I made a few other examples of what can be done with the Modifiers and Segmented Columns. You can slant geometry if you use a Modifier to move edges between top/bottom of a segment. But I'd agree that using a small Beam (which can now be round) in the example above would be simpler.

[Anonymous]

Thanks James. Really nice examples!
This new column/beam features look very promising.
Could you tell us if there is any significant decrease of AC performance due to extensive use of this capability?

[James Murray]

Biggest possible improvement to complex elements.

[James B]

Braza wrote:
Could you tell us if there is any significant decrease of AC performance due to extensive use of this capability?

You’re welcome, I’m only aware that more complex geometry results in more polygons so keep that in mind. Also, if the geometry is too complex, then the projected 2D appearance can be slow - which is a reason we don’t project all elements. Symbolic 2D is inherently much faster to draw than getting the 2D from the 3D.

[David Shorter]

if you change the post section the a % rather than a fixed dim then the height of the post can be changed for each placement. See attached

[Achille Pavlidis]

Is there a way to have a beam ending like the one attached?