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Editable height of mesh

Anonymous
Not applicable
Why the tool for height adjustment (3D Stretch Height) for the mesh is not working? It simply adjust the mesh elevation but not the Z values. It is very essential when you work with sloped terrains.
For example, when you import and create mesh from Google add-in, it always create mesh with center point in center of the terrain and elevate mesh to the desired height. So if you have mesh with level difference of 20hm on center altitude of 50m you will get the mesh with data:
-elevation 50m
-thickness 10m
-bottom -10hm
and it won't be solid until you change thickness to 20m minimum.
There is no way to change Z-value of the points respectively, if you try it with Heigh tool you only change elevation of mesh. That is problem with Archi Terra add-on, cause it got crazy when try to draw any object (try the wall) passing from minus point to plus point and contra. Also retaining wall doesn't work below zero point.
It should be very easy to implement height adjustment for the meshes. Just need to pass thru the Z-array and recalculate value for desired height.
I'm not sure how it works in version 12 but my remarks are for versions 9 and 11
15 REPLIES 15
Thomas Holm
Booster
Dragan wrote:
...and it won't be solid until you change thickness to 20m minimum.
There is no way to change Z-value of the points respectively, if you try it with Heigh tool you only change elevation of mesh. That is problem with Archi Terra add-on....
I'm not sure if I understand you correctly. However, I have no problems adjusting height (z-position) of either a complete Archicad standard mesh, or of its individual nodes, using Archicad standard tools (pet palette).

However, when I had had Architerra installed, I got numerous problems if I tried to modify Architerra-created meshes with Archicad's standard tools. If you're an Architerra user, you should use Architerra only to modify Architerra-created meshes.
AC4.1-AC26SWE; MacOS13.5.1; MP5,1+MBP16,1
Anonymous
Not applicable
Thanks for the reply. Maybe I didn't express myself clearly.
In 2D window you can adjust Z-value for any point with Z-height tool (Mesh point Height) in absolute value from Zero level or reference point, but if you check in 'Apply to all' that will flat even complete mesh or only selected ridge to new value.
In 3D window, there are three standard tools: 'Elevate', 'Elevate Mesh Point' and 'Stretch Height'. First two work as expected but I'm complaining with the third one which is doing the same thing as Elevate tool. Try to export mesh object before and after "changing" the height with Stretch tool and you will see that only difference is elevation value (h value in MASS) and that Z-value of all the points is the same. So when you create mesh, no mather which way, you are stoned with creation Z-values and there is no way to change it except one by one. You can export the mesh in any format you want, and manualy adjust z-height but there is no way to import that object again as regular mesh.
This is not conected with Architerra, only with mesh implementation in AC. I just mentioned Architerra because that add-on has lot of problems and all of them are conected with mesh height value and elevation value. It is very important that mesh points z-values are positive, meaning that all the mesh points are at least heights from the lowest point z-value of the mesh.
Thomas Holm
Booster
I'm still not sure I understand the problem.

- I think (I can't test at the moment) that my mesh editing works the same in 2D plan and the 3D window. I haven't seen the issues you mention.

- I also know there are issues with Architerra, but the constraint that all z-values have to be positive, that is be located not below the bottom surface of the mesh, is a limitation of Archicad's standard mesh. It is a solid 3D entity (you can choose to display it otherwise, see the help files) where the bottom surface is a flat plane . There is a GDL object called Mesh3D in this forum's object depository you might find useful to get around this limitation.

- To get better help you should include your AC version and hardware platform and O/S in you signature.

- Also, I think you should detail the export/import procedure you're using. There are different issues with import from Google that vary with AC versions, you can search the forum for that. And some other import procedures only allow import as complete 3D objects, which are non-editable unless you're willing to dive into GDL scripts.
AC4.1-AC26SWE; MacOS13.5.1; MP5,1+MBP16,1
Anonymous
Not applicable
What I was trying to say is that the 'Stretch Height' tool is not actualy changing Z-value of mesh points as expected, then just play arround with 'Elevation', 'Mesh Height', and 'Relative Mesh Height'.

For AC it is completelly irelevant cause it recalculate Z-values with every redraw internaly and shows you accurate Z-values, but it is very important for most of Add-ons because they can't approach to all the data necessary for recalculations.
Here is actual example:

Exported terrain/mesh before height change:

Properties:
A	61.2309001147
B	110.7232338862
ZZYZX	30.20300674782

3D script:
mulx	A/61.2309001147
muly	B/110.7232338862
mulz	ZZYZX/30.20300674782
add     23.06002637192, 27.68080846121, 13.2238436898
body    -1
model solid
resol       36
    addz               5
    mass	 "LS-Grass Green", "LS-Earth", "LS-Earth",
                32,     93,     21,          -15, 
            38.17087374278, -27.68080846121, -12.06940269391,     15, 
            38.17087374278, -13.84040422544, -10.16132979842,     13, 
            38.17087374278, 1.033666185979E-008, -6.261257302278,     13, 
            38.17087374278, 13.84040424611, -3.585722246453,     13, 
            38.17087374278, 27.65755486279, -0.8128156450423,     13, 
            38.17087374278, 27.68080848188, -1.04698137561,     13, 
            38.17087374278, 41.52121271765, 1.365209804546,     13, 
            38.17087374278, 55.36161695342, 3.660084674067,     13, 
            38.17087374278, 69.2020211892,  5.846001653,     13, 
            38.17087374278, 83.04242542497, 13.74015427248,     15, 
            22.8631487141, 83.04242542497, 12.63193233422,     13, 
            7.555423685427, 83.04242542497, 15.14256049167,     13 etc... 

Height changed by -1.7256 with 'Stretch Height' tool

Exported terrain/mesh after height change:

Properties:
A	61.2309001147
B	110.7232338862
ZZYZX	30.20300674782

3D script:
mulx	A/61.2309001147
muly	B/110.7232338862
mulz	ZZYZX/30.20300674782
add     23.06002637192, 27.68080846121, 13.2238436898
body    -1
model solid
resol       36
    addz    3.284408079443
    mass	 "LS-Grass Green", "LS-Earth", "LS-Earth",
                32,     93,     21, -13.28440807944, 
            38.17087374278, -27.68080846121, -12.06940269391,     15, 
            38.17087374278, -13.84040422544, -10.16132979842,     13, 
            38.17087374278, 1.033666185979E-008, -6.261257302278,     13, 
            38.17087374278, 13.84040424611, -3.585722246453,     13, 
            38.17087374278, 27.65755486279, -0.8128156450423,     13, 
            38.17087374278, 27.68080848188, -1.04698137561,     13, 
            38.17087374278, 41.52121271765, 1.365209804546,     13, 
            38.17087374278, 55.36161695342, 3.660084674067,     13, 
            38.17087374278, 69.2020211892,  5.846001653,     13, 
            38.17087374278, 83.04242542497, 13.74015427248,     15, 
            22.8631487141, 83.04242542497, 12.63193233422,     13, 
            7.555423685427, 83.04242542497, 15.14256049167,     13, 
Meshes were exported with AC standard tool 'Save selection as'. It was expected that the Z-values in mass were changed/reduced by 1.7256, but changes were only in relative movement and h-value of mesh, witch actually means only changes of b, t, Elevation and Mesh Height of the object.

For my point of view, it was expected to reduce Z-values, and remain Elevation, Mesh Height the same as before.

Can you catch my meaning now
Anonymous
Not applicable
Is there any programer or programer-skilled person that can tell me how I can reduce original Z-heights of mesh in complete.

-Do I need to pass to AC 12? - does it work in that version?
-Do I need to upgrade this AC (11 Build 970)? - I didn't find anything in updates until Build 1259 that
would interfere with this problem
-Do I need to give up this forum and find help somewere else?

I just want that 'Switch Height Tool' works what for is designed to. I don't want to elevate complete mesh, just want to change it heights so I can eliminate negative Z-values from it.

Operation is very simple and fast:

Soubroutine SvitchHeight()
  ! user wants to change height - clicked on mesh point - selected 'Switch Height' tool
	Pick up deltaZ
	foreach z-value in MeshPoints Z-values
		corect Z-value for deltaZ
	next
    ! don't change Elevation or Mesh Height
end
! redraw changed object
It can't be done through GDL, but only on low level because GDL can't see point values as up to my knowledge
Thomas Holm
Booster
Dragan wrote:
...Can you catch my meaning now
Yes, thank you. Now I finally understand that you want to move the upper (or lower) surface of the mesh, relative to the other, so the overall thickness increases - what a Stretch Height tool should do.

And now that I've tested it, thats exactly what it does:
1 - select mesh
2 - click mesh tool (main palette)
3 - click stretch height in the pet palette
4 - drag a node on the upper or lower surface.

The attached picture (also called How to bury a building) shows it during drag (left) and the result (right). It is not identical to Elevate.
AFAIK, works exactly as advertised. So I vote Not needed.
Hope this helps!
Bild 11.png
AC4.1-AC26SWE; MacOS13.5.1; MP5,1+MBP16,1
Anonymous
Not applicable
Thomas wrote:
Yes, thank you. Now I finally understand that you want to move the upper (or lower) surface of the mesh, relative to the other, so the overall thickness increases - what a Stretch Height tool should do.
Sorry, but I still think that You missing my point
And now that I've tested it, thats exactly what it does:
1 - select mesh
2 - click mesh tool (main palette)
3 - click stretch height in the pet palette
4 - drag a node on the upper or lower surface.
That is exactly what I did in my last example. You can see the result in exported mesh.
Tip: You can do it much easier just to retype the value of t: on Info Box, but please look a bit closer.

If You turn on Z display (Show Z in tracker) and mark any node on that mesh in 3D window - read the Z-value, then go to 2D window and mark the same node and read Z-value: they are not same. The Z-value you are reading in 2D window is what you get when export the mesh into object, and Z-value in 3D window is AC representation as combination of ZZYZX , Elevation and Mesh Height

Excuse me on my poor English, I must admit that Stretch Height means exactly what you showed me, but then I would like to have another tool to adjust Z-values of complete mesh for certain value.
You can vote on the forum how to call it on English, Australian, American etc. but allow me to change Z-values with that tool.
Or just please advice me how to adjust Z-heights. It is easy after exporting in object, but the problem is that I can't return that object back and convert it into regular mesh.

I still vote YES for the new tool
Thomas Holm
Booster
OK you're right that what I'm doing as I stretch height is change the distance ("base thickness") between the mesh's Reference Plane and the bottom surface, that is I increase (or decrease) the thickness below this plane. It seems to refuse to let me make it less than zero though, it resets when I try to do that.

I'm not convinced this is a problem, though. It changes when I elevate one node to below the reference plane too - I can make that zero, which perhaps suggests a workaround for you?

The tracker readouts don't say much to me - they show the same in 2D and 3D here, I guess because I'm using different tracker origins than you do.

Another workaround you might try, to get the GDL object mesh back to a regular after editing, might be to export the object to DWG and then re-import it with the settings shown in the picture checked in the DWG translator settings file. I have not been able to test this, but it might work! Perhaps you need to make some change on the Autocad side though, I can't help with that.

(These settings are sparsely documented, but the shown Translator settings should suggest a way to import a 3D dwg polygon mesh directly into an Archicad mesh without going through the import as object routine . If somebody has tested this, I'd really appreciate a posting in the Data Exchange part of this forum!)
AC4.1-AC26SWE; MacOS13.5.1; MP5,1+MBP16,1
rocorona
Booster
I can see it, and try to explain in some other clear way.

Place a Mesh on the floor plan. By default all the edges have z values =0.00.

Select the Mesh, and edit the z value of one node to, say, 5.00m.

Go to 3D window and change the position of the whole top surface, raising it 2.00m.

In 3D the z values are edited graphically, so came back to the floor plan.

Select the Mesh and click on the previous node, to edit it's height. It should read 7.00m now... but it is still 5.00.


This is because the Stretching command moves BOTH the top surface and the reference plane. Maybe we need two separate commands.
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--Roberto Corona--
www.archiradar.com
AC18 - ITA full on Win10
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