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Visual, Criteria based, Configurable Legends

Laszlo Nagy
Community Admin
Community Admin
I am wishing for the capability of creating visual, criteria based, configurable Legends in ARCHICAD.

There are many cases where architects create legends. Some of these:

* Space plans: rooms/zones with different purpose are displayed with different colors. A legend then shows which colors means which function.
* Building Materials: Legend would show which building materials are used in View. A material vectorial fill sample would be displayed in a small rectangle/square/circle/ellipse/etc. (configurable shape maybe), then its name next to it.
* Surfaces: Legend would show which Surfaces are used in View. A surface sample in a small rectangle/square/circle/ellipse/etc., then its name next to it.
* Fills: Legend would show which Fills are used in the given View. Legend would show small sample plus description.
* Line Types: Legend would show which Line Types are used in the given View. This could be used for like Fire Rating codes that are drawn and line types over Wall centers. Legend would show small sample plus description.
* Composites/Complex Profiles: Legend would show which Composites are used in the given View. Legend would show small sample plus description.
* Keynotes: a Keynote Legend would show which Keynotes are used in a View and what each of those keynotes mean. Legend would show keynote plus description.
* GDL Object Legends: Legend would show which GDL Objects meeting a criteria are shown in a View. There would be a name, 2D Symbol, number count in the Legend. (Maybe used for MEP purposes or whatever else...)

Other ideas: Pen Legends, Favorites Legends (lists favorites used in View/Viewpoint),

Legends should have criteria (what type of fields to display - configurable) and fields (what fields the Legend should display - configurable) - kind of like a more visual Schedule that can be placed into any Viewpoint.
It should also be possible to create summary legends, which would list all items in the whole project, not only in a single View/Viewpoint.

Basically, the idea is to be able to create any of these explanatory little Legends that are part of any architectural documentation.

If you guys have anything else to add to this, don't hold yourself back.
Let's give GRAPHISOFT some food for thought.
Loving Archicad since 1995 - Find Archicad Tips at x.com/laszlonagy
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5 REPLIES 5
Anonymous
Not applicable
Would Like to add

Keynotes to have a Prefix and Suffix arrangement ie. BRK-1 - It should be tag/label that is user configurable in appearance like text is ie. text box & background colour etc. (essential for placing over hatched elements)

Text based legends to have ability to export out to Excel/Word or you can select which fields to export as exporting graphics based legend elements would likely not be possible to Excell/Word

Also "Project based" Legend not just "View" based legends as most practices will have a master legend on their cover sheet(s) is essential.
Anonymous
Not applicable
I have been looking into anymore improvements on this issue now that we are beginning to use 19 at work. I have a couple of questions.

If LABEL TEXT is in Scheme Setting>Criteria why does it not show labels with the criteria set for label text >contains> A in the schedule?

If it doesn't work why put it there int the first place? I have set Fields to show Label Text and Custom Text. It doesn't work...........I HAVE labels in my project with the letter A in them.

Someone told me that Cadimage Keynotes almost does what we want. However as the discussion went on there appears to be a limitation on this add-on. The Schedule/legend listing the labels/keynotes in any view on a sheet has to be on the same sheet to list the keynotes as a legend. Therefore you cant have your Schedules/legend on the Cover Sheets referencing keynotes on other sheets with views.

OK dont tell me there is a work around for this. Place all your views off to the side of the cover sheet that show your keynote legend. On large projects we could have in excess of 400 views. Image how long that would take to update!

Happy for someone to correct me on this if I dont understand how it works properly. As I understand it GS is owned by the same company as Cadimage? Is there something going on here where GS doesn't want Labels to be scheduled for any specific reason? why is it a limitation. Will schedules show label text sometime in the near future. Why does it not function properly NOW.

If anyone can correct me on the above if my research is wrong in any way so that we can get some clarity on this issue please do so. If ArchiCAD has broken features in vanilla ArchiCAD that dont properly connect or I'm doing something wrong like misinformation or anything just let know so we can work around to divulge how to get ArchiCAD to function the way it should be functioning due to the settings available. If ArchiCAD claim excellent Open BIM. Why are we being hamstrung or forced to buy a third party add on that only has very specific functionality and limited flexibility to do what vanilla Archicad should do. Who's decision or what programming limitations are there for label text to not show up in schedules. I want to know and I want it to work like it should and so should everybody else. Its what YOU paid for.
Anonymous
Not applicable
strom wrote:
...
Someone told me that Cadimage Keynotes almost does what we want. However as the discussion went on there appears to be a limitation on this add-on. The Schedule/legend listing the labels/keynotes in any view on a sheet has to be on the same sheet to list the keynotes as a legend. Therefore you cant have your Schedules/legend on the Cover Sheets referencing keynotes on other sheets with views.

OK dont tell me there is a work around for this. Place all your views off to the side of the cover sheet that show your keynote legend. On large projects we could have in excess of 400 views. Image how long that would take to update!
Pretty sure you can make your legend show ONLY keynotes which appear on that layout or ALL keynotes regardless of whether they occur on the layout or not. Therefore you should be able to have a legend on your cover sheet. If you need a view with a keynote reference to kickstart your legend then a single view should do (not all 400).
In my screenshot below see how you can Create for "The current layout only" (could be your cover sheet) and Include "All Keynotes" or one of the other options.
strom wrote:
As I understand it GS is owned by the same company as Cadimage?
No. Cadimage is the agent in NZ for Archicad. It is independently owned.
Anonymous
Not applicable
Showing all keynotes in a projects master legend if some of them DONT appear in a layout/project will confuse building contractors who will waste time looking through 100 sheet sets. Its either there or not and shouldnt be on the cover page if its not used. It would also waste OUR time responding to a RFI when they ask where a listed code/keynote is.

IF thats how it works with Cadimage keynotes (not showing unused keynotes) it is getting closer to suitable for use for us.

The manually selected option looks handy for things like wall tags and their associated legend. BUT would this interfere with the ALL option when you want to separate general notation keynotes from wall tag keynotes. Is a secondary identifier available so keynotes get separated into their respective schedule legend available?

Thanks for clarifying ownership of the company.

I still think its essential that GS allow for scheduling LABELS based on criteria with custom text. This WOULD be the ultimate flexibility that I'm describing as needed in previous posts. This is what everyone should expect from a BIM solution in the 21st century where GS claims its at the leading edge. Currently in this area ArchiCAD has a blunt knife that Cadimage is trying to fulfill.

I do know that there are a number a LABELS for different things like components etc. However by covering specific items in a model in ArchiCAD it DOESNT cover scheduling LABELS for OTHER SIMPLE things like 2D linework! THIS is where the blunt knife is found in the cutlery drawer of the ArchiCAD toolbox. THIS IS where there is A GREAT area for improvement. THERE ARE many many items in a construction project that are not modelled in things like Internal Elevations that need Labels. SAYING that you need to model every skirting type in a building with 97 ROOMS in it is just not going to happen right now and is a waste of my employers time and profit margin especially when you change a door or skirting type in the room, too much time consuming fiddling around.

IT JUST NEEDS TO BE SIMPLE. Just dont understand WHY this cant be done in Vanilla ArchiCad. SO SIMPLE its a disaster that its not there for BIG architectural practices but ITS NOT THERE IN THE TOOL SET!!! And its driving us towards looking into using REVIT. IF GS ALLOW FOR THIS FUNCTIONALITY AND PROMOTE IT I GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL SAVE NUMEROUS PRACTICES HUGE AMOUNTS OF TIME WHEN WE CAN HAVE FAVORITE LABELS THAT CAN BE SCHEDULED WITH CUSTOM TEXT.
Anonymous
Not applicable
strom wrote:
Showing all keynotes in a projects master legend if some of them DONT appear in a layout/project will confuse building contractors who will waste time looking through 100 sheet sets. Its either there or not and shouldnt be on the cover page if its not used. It would also waste OUR time responding to a RFI when they ask where a listed code/keynote is.

IF thats how it works with Cadimage keynotes. Ideally for some practices it should allow for a master legend to cover all used. If that is what you are saying it can do then it is getting closer to suitable for use for us.
Use the "Only keynotes used in the project" or "… visible in any layout" option then.

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