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

Please make it so the Layer Dialog can stay open

Anonymous
Not applicable
Aloha,
Please make it so the Layer Dialog can stay open. I want the Layer Dialog box open while I turn on/off layers so I can see the effect of my selections.

This would be very helpful and it seems like it would be an easy change. It is clunky to have to open and then close the Layer Dialog Box each time I turn on/off a layer. When I am working on a project the extra steps needed are annoying. Besides that it would be great to be able to see the layers turn on and off as I select and deselect them.

This seems like it would be an easy modification to make in the software with a big improvement in productivity.

If you want to see how this works take a look at programs like formZ where the Layer Dialog is a window that can be left open while working on a project. I just reach over and turn layers on and off at will.

This is especially helpful when trying to isolate, work on or lock layers that are hard to select. It is also helpful if you are collaborating on a project and you need to figure out what layer an item is on.

Thank you,
John
15 REPLIES 15
Anonymous
Not applicable
Something I had never thought of, but it seems like such a good idea. A layer palette instead of an open/close dialogue box.
Anonymous
Not applicable
...which also makes the case for redesigned palettes that are far more efficient than the current ones in terms of size (so we don't have to keep expanding them out to get to relevant parts)- e.g. photoshop ones
and
snap-able so that they can join together....
but
....IMHO there is a lot more fundamental under-the-hood changes that are urgently needed rather than reworking the UI...
Anonymous
Not applicable
Please also make it so selected items could be dragged to a layer in the layer pallet. This would go a long way to making it easier to clean up layers.

Please also make it so all items on a layer could be selected from the layer pallet.

Thank you,
John
Erika Epstein
Booster
John,
Much of what you are wishing for you can already do with the Quick Layers Palette and Find & Select. I know you have used the program for some time, but as you do not mention these methods, are you not aware of them?

Intheory it might be good to have the option to have the layer settings box able to stay open. But I've found that if you are routinely going into the layer settings box to do as you describe,, you are are not working smart.

The Layer settings box is for creating and/or editing layers and layer combinations.
Erika
Architect, Consultant
MacBook Pro Retina, 15-inch Yosemite 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
Mac OSX 10.11.1
AC5-18
Onuma System

"Implementing Successful Building Information Modeling"
Anonymous
Not applicable
Aloha Erika,
I see that you are senior member of this forum so I think that you are also very fluent with a variety of computer programs. If you have the time try using a program like formZ that has a layer pallet that stays open. You will see how what a great feature this is.

The formZ layer pallet does all that I've asked for in one pallet. This easy functionality is lacking in ArchiCAD. In order to get the same functionality as found in formZ's layer pallet with ArchiCAD we need to use three tools; Layer Dialog, Quick Layer Pallet and Find and Select pallet and one of them needs to be opened and closed to use it. That doesn't sound like working smart to me.

Please understand that I see this part of the forum as a wish list to let the Graphisoft developers know what users want. I am pointing out a feature that I am wishing for as well of an example of a tool that does what I want.

I am only an architect who wants to spend my working time designing architecture not opening and closing dialog boxes or figuring out workarounds to the limitations of the tools that I use. My best shot at working smart is to use the best tool for the job and ask for improvements when I see limitations.

I hope that you get all you need from ArchiCAD and post your wishes for whatever you want.
Aloha,
John
Erika Epstein
Booster
Morning John,
As I said, for different reasons, I think it might be good to be able to keep the layer settings box open.

I've not used form Z, so your suggestions may indeed be the next sliced bread However, Quick Layers and Find & Select are very powerful tools that do what you want and more. Not to say that once your features are added I might not be able to live without them.
Erika
Architect, Consultant
MacBook Pro Retina, 15-inch Yosemite 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
Mac OSX 10.11.1
AC5-18
Onuma System

"Implementing Successful Building Information Modeling"
Anonymous
Not applicable
I think the layer pallete Idea is very good. As mentioned a lot of softwares already do it I've seen somewhere corel draw & Photoshop also does it. And while we are on it we can also have an option to limit the number of layers in this pallete. Eg. If i am not working on electrical layout i would definiltely prefer that layers with extension ".electrical" be invisible in this pallete coz i wouldn't want to operate on them.

I think this would reduce working time a lot.
Erika Epstein
Booster
Set up your layer combinations so that all layers you don't want to be worked on are locked. Then in your work environment >User preferences>dialog boxes and palettes
check 'hide locked layers in pop-up palettes'
you will only have to scroll through active layers.
Erika
Architect, Consultant
MacBook Pro Retina, 15-inch Yosemite 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
Mac OSX 10.11.1
AC5-18
Onuma System

"Implementing Successful Building Information Modeling"
Anonymous
Not applicable
Aloha John,
I use the Quick-Layers palette to accomplish some of what you describe.
and Find & Select for other similar issues & that combined with Control T, I change a group to a single layer.
hope that helps !

I too would like to see improved functionality with ArchiCAD tools.
and, how bout some real-world doors ?