XClip for ArchiCAD?

[Anonymous]

There is one of super handy tool in AutoCAD called xclip, which allows an xref view to be clipped. It will be neat if AC also has this capability to clip a hotlinked module view, i.e. overall floor plan plate in the context of individual unit type.

[Laszlo Nagy]

I am assuming that you are only talking about what is displayed, not what model information is actually read from the Hotlinked Module, as controlled by this "clipping".
So this clipping thing is normally done when Views are placed on Layouts because the boundary of the Drawing can be freely edited.

[Piotr Dobrowolski]

Just use "the x-ref" as the external drawing...
the clipping functionality is here since AC 10

Best Regards,
Piotr

[Anonymous]

Piotr:
The term x-ref & x-clip in my previous post were used only as a reference for an idea/tool, not quite whether or not we can x-ref a file, which is an old tool.

laszlonagy:
By clipping I meant, within the model view - not on layout view. For example, when detailing a unit type (adding dimensions, notes, etc), we show the party wall as the background context by hotlinking the overall floor plate onto the individual unit type, yeah? Unless there is a better way to achieve it, we use fill to filter out other area of the floor plate that is not relevant to the individual unit to be detailed. We like to put dimensions and some notes outside the individual unit "box". To avoid having them sit on top of walls to other units, we use fill to cover the surrounding context. Does that make sense? In AutoCAD, for this sort of purpose, xclip command is used to exclude the unit we need to detail from other view. Sort of like clipping the view in the layout book, but it is done in model view, whereby outside the view box you still add dimensions, notes, etc, neatly.

To give you some idea, I attach one of our unit type floor plans. For the sake of this exercise, I changed the fill we use to cover the surrounding context to 75% transparent so you can see the bit we try to hide / filter, so our dimensions do not overlap with the door per se. If only we can "clip" the overall floor plate in the model view, we do not have to use this patch up method.

[Barry Kelly]

Don't worry about fills in the plan to mask areas.
Do it all in the layouts.
All you need is separate layers for your annotation and your model.
And layer combinations to show just one or the other.
You work in you plan as you do now but without the fill.
It looks messy as your text and dimensions cross over the walls and other units as you mentioned but this is only while you are working on the file.
With the correct views placed in the layouts they will automatically appear as you want.

It should all be explained here ...

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=182238

Barry.

[Anonymous]

Hi Barry,

Thanks for the link. It's a workable option. Though I must say, having the option for freeform model view will still be more much beneficial.

Cheers,
CYP.