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SOLVED!

View Options for Autotext

DataChris
Booster
Archicad desperately needs the ability to toggle the view of Autotext content (on/off). That is, there needs to be a way to see that text on the screen is not simply text but an Autotext field container (#TextContent pulled from elsewhere) . This is particularly important on Master Layouts where we use a mix of text and Autotext and can never tell what is Autotext (unless the referenced Autotext content is empty). In fact the default view behavior on a Master layout should be the #Autotext container name only, not the referenced content. If it's not clear what I am describing, try opening MS Word and see you have the ability display or hide field codes. Try the same in any database app, or really any app where containers / fields are used. There is always a way to view either the content or the field code. Making the request Graphisoft adds this basic Autotext View Option to Archicad!
Design loving, technology geek. USA
Archicad (v25) - MacOS (14.2) - MacbookPro (M1Pro)
1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
Solution
Laszlo Nagy
Community Admin
Community Admin
I think this is a very valid request considering that there are more and more places where the displayed/generated data is coming from Autotext. There it is becoming more and more important to be able to distinguish which portions of text is coming from Autotext. I think an On-Screen View Option would be the best way to solve this.
Loving Archicad since 1995 - Find Archicad Tips at x.com/laszlonagy
AMD Ryzen9 5900X CPU, 64 GB RAM 3600 MHz, Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB, 500 GB NVMe SSD
2x28" (2560x1440), Windows 10 PRO ENG, Ac20-Ac27

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8 REPLIES 8
DataChris
Booster
Associative Labels would fall under this Autotext View Option too. Basically anything that isn't pure text could be toggled on/off to display the container/field as a container/field.
Design loving, technology geek. USA
Archicad (v25) - MacOS (14.2) - MacbookPro (M1Pro)
Solution
Laszlo Nagy
Community Admin
Community Admin
I think this is a very valid request considering that there are more and more places where the displayed/generated data is coming from Autotext. There it is becoming more and more important to be able to distinguish which portions of text is coming from Autotext. I think an On-Screen View Option would be the best way to solve this.
Loving Archicad since 1995 - Find Archicad Tips at x.com/laszlonagy
AMD Ryzen9 5900X CPU, 64 GB RAM 3600 MHz, Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB, 500 GB NVMe SSD
2x28" (2560x1440), Windows 10 PRO ENG, Ac20-Ac27
JaseBee
Advocate
I usually have multiple pen numbers devoted to text, one of which I use to distinguish auto text.

You have to manually change the text colour when typing your field. Then when the editing pens set is selected it highlights the auto text in a different colour, and when you come to print they are all set to black in the pen set.

Doesn't show you the auto text container name, but you can at least see it's live.

I also use a similar approach for modified dimensions, so when they are changed to a fake value (not the best practice but does happen) you can easily see which ones need to be double checked.
AC 24 5004 AUS
iMac OSX (10.13.6) 4.2ghz i7
8gb ram/8gb vram
gdford
Advisor
I agree this is getting more and more important. Almost all of my text is now autotext. It would be huge if when you hover over autotext the object information would display the source.
Gary Ford
Self Employed - Modeling, Estimating, Construction
Archicad 12-26
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 12-Core Processor
3701 Mhz, 12 Core(s), 24 Logical Processor(s)
(RAM) 128 GB
NVIDIA RTX A2000

Laszlo, any updates on GS implementing this long overdue feature? 

Design loving, technology geek. USA
Archicad (v25) - MacOS (14.2) - MacbookPro (M1Pro)

Chris,

I do not know.

But if I knew, I would probably not be able to tell you because I would be under a Non-disclosure agreement.

What I could recommend you is to participate in upcoming User Group events and there you will be able to ask questions about topics you are interested in.

Loving Archicad since 1995 - Find Archicad Tips at x.com/laszlonagy
AMD Ryzen9 5900X CPU, 64 GB RAM 3600 MHz, Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB, 500 GB NVMe SSD
2x28" (2560x1440), Windows 10 PRO ENG, Ac20-Ac27
DGSketcher
Legend

@DataChris I am faced with this problem today having opened up a recent legacy project and the details are populated with a mixture of Autotext and manual specification references which need updated. There's no easy way to know which will be updated by changing the relevant autotext source and which need to be manually updated. I agree a text toggle as you describe would be very useful.

 

In the mean time have you tried using Graphic Overrides as a workaround? You can add to the GO filters a value for [Text Content]. I am just trying this now, but it does allow me to separate between manual text, those containing a category reference & those with a building material reference using different pen colours. You will need Find & Select to find the text data alias for the Autotext value, which can then be pasted into the GO filter setting. I guess it depends how many different Autotext values you have in your text to know if this is a working option. Fortunately my problem are labels containing only one Autotext value.

Screenshot 2022-04-06 at 10.28.58.png

Apple iMac Intel i9 / macOS Sonoma / AC27UKI (most recent builds.. if they work)

@DGSketcher that's a great idea! I haven't tried it yet but it should work well exactly as you describe!  And yes, I still think Graphisoft should just build it in as an on-screen view option but really appreciate the suggestion! 

Design loving, technology geek. USA
Archicad (v25) - MacOS (14.2) - MacbookPro (M1Pro)