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!

[TomWaltz]

Jill wrote:
I switched to ArchiCAD about year and a half ago, and still find the offset tool cumbersome. It seems to me that the point of view of previous AutoCAD users is not being given fair consideration.

Has anyone taken the time to teach you how to use it properly?

I found a manual transmission cumbersome until someone taught me how to use a clutch.

[TomWaltz]

Laura wrote:

Jill wrote:
I appreciate the humor, and not to sound overly sensitive...but if there is a way to improve a tool, why not do it? And the over 13,000 views of this topic demonstrate it's a valid point.

True, but the poll results are very telling as well. I think that most AC users' point of view is that "different" does not mean that it's "not as good."

Nor does "different" always mean "better."

If Archicad mimicked Autocad's Offset, it would be a step backward, not forward.

It's bad enough Archicad 11's feature set was pretty much focused on "how to draft in a supposed BIM program"

[Laura Yanoviak]

TomWaltz wrote:
Nor does "different" always mean "better."

(Yes -- but I prefer the double negative )

[Anonymous]

TomWaltz wrote:

Jill wrote:
I switched to ArchiCAD about year and a half ago, and still find the offset tool cumbersome. It seems to me that the point of view of previous AutoCAD users is not being given fair consideration.

Has anyone taken the time to teach you how to use it properly?

I found a manual transmission cumbersome until someone taught me how to use a clutch.

No, it's a small firm and I have to teach myself -and the others. I rely on ArchiCAD help, The Reference Guide, and this forum for information. I'm trying to push us forward with using BIM better, but we aren't pros yet -and I do still miss the AutoCAD offset tool -can't help it...just being honest...even though that apparently makes me a little backward.

[Anonymous]

I'm with Jill.

Of course the Archicad tool is very flexible, and you might even grow to love it as much as all the other aficionados do, once you've learned how to master it, and remembered that you've got to be in the same mode as the object you want to offset, and that you need to use the magic wand if you don't want to 'redraw' the object.

But, boy, do I miss the Autocad version!

A dialogue like the fillet/chamfer tool would be so easy!

Keith
Archicad ver 11 on Mac OSX 10.4.8

[Eduardo Rolon]

Jill,

Sometimes the main problem is that switchers try to use AC as if it were Autocad. Eventually it gets better, one point is to get used to is place the wall then drag another copy, this substitutes about 75% of the Offsets that you did in Autocad. It is easier in AC to place an object and then move it into place than trying to place it correctly the first time. Conceptually the though process is;

-I need a wall here
-place wall
-edit settings of wall (height+width+materials) minimum settings you know at that point
-fix length
- drag a copy of the wall to next position
-connect a wall from the first one to the second one
-Eyedrop and Inject the settings of previous walls to the new one so it is the same
-Repeat as necessary with other objects
___
In the above workflow Offset is not necessary or a priority. If you need a rectangle instead of drawing the lines first and then the walls, you can draw the walls as a rectangle or draw the slab first (you will need a floor so you might place it now instead of later) and "magic wand" the walls to it.

Teaching AC I never tell them were the Offset command is and in the last 4 years, I have never been asked or complained about it and we teach them Autocad first.

Autocad commands that you will/may be using less or in a different way are;

-fillet
-stretch
-extend
-offset
-Lines

[Anonymous]

ejrolon wrote:

-I need a wall here
-place wall
-edit settings of wall (height+width+materials) minimum settings you know at that point
-fix length
-drag a copy of the wall to next position
-connect a wall from the first one to the second one

Fine if the wall you're copying is parallel to or at right angles to the grid. Otherwise you have to reset the grid first - and reset it afterwards. So that's an extra 3 clicks before you even count those you need for the offset command. This is where the Autocad command scores.

- I want a wall parallel to this one, and ten metres away.
- Click, 10000, click, done!

ejrolon wrote:
Autocad commands that you will/may be using less or in a different way are;

-fillet
-stretch
-extend
-offset
-Lines

The 'intersect' command matches 'fillet', and I've found no better way for tidying up wall intersections.

Keith

Archicad ver 11 on OSX 10.4.8

[Eduardo Rolon]

Keith,

That is what AC automatic guidelines are for, no need to reset the grid.

Select the Wall
type shortcut for "Drag a copy"
Hover mouse over previous wall -until guideline shows up
Move mouse in direction you want
type the distance
__
Works with Array too

[Rakela Raul]

one thing that should be copied from autocad is the selection method (inside -outside fence thing),,the AC method is slow, as slow or old as the vertical and horizontal dimension placing, the 'inclined' selection hepl a little but still !
I wouldnt copy autocad for the selection method though,,there are others software outthere with better selection methods.

but im just an animal that adapts to any solution quickly!! ....thats how programmers see us users anyway

[Anonymous]

ejrolon wrote:
Keith,

That is what AC automatic guidelines are for, no need to reset the grid.

Select the Wall
type shortcut for "Drag a copy"
Hover mouse over previous wall -until guideline shows up
Move mouse in direction you want
type the distance
__
Works with Array too

You don't even need to wait for guidelines :

Select wall
Type shortcut for Drag a copy
pick a point in space on opposite side of wall to direction of copy
move cursor towards original wall till Perpendicular symbol shows
type distance