Offset Tool like Autocad

[archislave]

This is the one command I miss most about Autocad. If you don't know what I am talking about then next time you are able to access autocad the select a line, polyline, or polygon and press offset. See how simple it is and can be repeated over and over!

[Dwight]

offset tool attached.
keyboard shortcut available.

multiple offsets respond to numerical displacements.

[archislave]

Those tools are nothing like the Autocad offset tool with is simple and direct. In autocad if you type o you issue the offset command. You select object enter distance and click the side you want to offset. If you do this with a line you get two parralell lines. If you do this with a polyline then the offset copy is sort of nestled inside or outside. If you do this with a closed polyline then you get concentric offsets placed repeatedly as many times as you click.

The archicad offset 'in my experience' requires you to trace the polyline unless I am wrong! First you have to unfold the icon for offet then trace facet by facet. The offset on the pet palette is the closest to the simple autocad offset but does not seem to offer a duplicate option??

[Dwight]

With all due respect and not hint of sarcasm, I think that you are missing a little practice with this tool and have excess "AutoCAD Attitude."

If I can prove to you that it is the same number of steps in ArchiCAD, will you promise me that you'll try it out? Perhaps this doesn't work the same, but from what you've explained, it seems to be comparable.

Make an ArchiCAD keyboard shortcut to activate the offset function.

Trace the existing polygon to be offset with a spacebar magic wanding - this is comparable to selecting the element in AutoCAD. OR draw your polyline. When you exit the drawing function, it will now follow your cursor click position for the offset amount.

It will also expand the open or closed polyline proportionally.

I don't know if the AutoCAD makes the offset with a copy of the original polyline or not. ArchiCAD will leave the original unaltered.

I haven't had the benefit of an AutoCAD education. Perhaps it has more variants, but the ArchiCAD tool seems to work in just two steps as you need.

Try it out.

[archislave]

I was going to try it but can't seem to find an offset command. I only see the icons at the bottom or the pet pallette.

[Dwight]

Make a keyboard shortcut.

like AutoCAD has.


You'll need two shortcuts:

one for single offset and one for multiple.
Then you don't need an icon.

If you can't see the icons and feel you need them, you probably aren't using expanded palettes.
Switching palette presentation is a secondary mouse click function in ArchiCAD 10.

[archislave]

o.k. I made a shortcut with control + o (oh). After envoking it I hover over the line and hold the spadebar down - nothing happens. When I select the line tool and then hover with the spacebar I get th magic wand symbol. It looks like you have to select the tool that you used to draw with first. This is not quick. I probably don't understand much about archicad except the default stuff even after 20 months of learning and emailing tech support several times a week.

Perhaps a testimony to the complexity....

[Richard Morrison]

Cigraph ArchiRuler has a tool similar to what you're looking for.

[Dwight]

Dear Mr Slave:

1: On an existing polyline

Hover over the polyline.
Option click the polyline to switch to that tool if not in that tool. (you should know this already - basic training)
Press your personal shortcut command.
Spacebar magic wand the polyline.
Conduct the offset.

2: A new polyline

Pick polyline tool.
Enable the offset command.
Draw polyline.
When complete, press Enter to stop polyline segment generation.
Conduct offset.

Who cuts your hair?

[archislave]

I have learned something here - thanks. But, it does not work as simply as autocad. There are still four consecutive things to do. You have to make sure the tool is active - then issue offset shortcut - then hold down the shift bar - then click - then shift + r and the distance. If you want to keep offsetting the same distance concentrically the you have to add the math in your head so for 1' offsets you have to type r 1 - r2 - r3 etc.

In Autocad type cntrl + multi ofset shortcut (forgot key). The command line asks for offset distance - type distance then click poly line and side to offset keep picking the latest polyline and the side. - you create the offsets the same distance each time.

Also the lines are always concentric and parallel. Here is what Archicad produced when it go to the innermost polyline offset. It got confused.