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Link objects to walls - Toilets, Beds, etc...

Ahmed_K
Advisor

Hi, 

I have an idea, out of the box, 

What if some objects from the library behave like a window, they can be anchored to a wall, when the wall moves, they follow on, 

here i changed the type of a bed inside the GDL editor t oGS-Window, so it appears in the window menu, 

Now it can be placed on a wall like a window, but it's turned and it has a Wallhole, 

the object keeps all it's parameters it's fully parametric like the original bed 

Does someone know how to fix this ? 

it can be used for toilets, washbassin, electrical equipments, all kind of objects that can be acnchored on a wall

ARCHICAD_YaTPxUnOo1.png

 

ARCHICAD_YhrwfWUUrQ.png

 

20 Comments
scottjm
Advisor

I have dabbled with hacking the accessories addon to associate objects to with walls. 
In the simplest terms it just involves changing the subtype of an object and it will appear in the accessories tool as an available object and you can attach an object to a wall, however it defaults to the start of the wall and you can only attach one object to one side. 
I looked at coding in an offset into the object to allow flexible positioning l, but then its position can move around if the length of wall changes. 

From my understanding the accessories tool utilises an API handler to update the position of the wall accessory anytime a wall is moved. So it must be possible to leverage this API function to build a custom addons to achieve a similar function for attaching objects or lights to other elements. 

Eduardo Rolon
Moderator

If there a change in the wall thickness I would definitively will not want an automatic solution.

If that happens then it means that a serious issue has cropped up in the project and I will have to go and check everything.

Wall moves -> Toilet Partition moves -> ADA Clearance fails -> Door clearance fails -> If the other wall moves automatically then the corridor might not comply with Fire Code ->…

This is a nice to have wish that can be deadly in practice…

---

Sometimes there is no shortcut to doing the work.

As with everything else automated and working in a parametric environment, at the end of the day it still depends on the user or the designer being cognizant and aware of the changes happening elsewhere and what effect they'll have,.....and not just assume that the program will do all the thinking  (or clash-detection,.....or clearance-checking......or code compliance.....etc....) for you when automated changes are made and update other elements.

 

The tool is only as smart as the person using it, when all is said and done.

 

Which is why for something like this, if Graphisoft were ever to implement the capability for non-hostable elements to be able to be hosted by walls, that it be available as an option that you can set on or off, and not on by default or all the time.

 

For example, top-of-wall or wall heights constrained by Floor level versus independently controlled.

One would have imagined it would have caused chaos   when GS did implement it the way it's available in Revit, but since the ArchiCAD implementation is not by default and unforgiving like Revit's is, you know what you're getting into when you're using it and you can scale it back when need be - and the overhead on performance is not so steep.

Users just seamlessly implemented the functionality into their workflows.

 

I don't see how or why it would be any different in this case.

 

Yes, there's probably going to be some serious overhead tax on CPU usage  and lag time, especially when hosting too many elements to walls and constant updates, but to me that's more a question of cleaning up and streamlining the code to make it more effecient and keep functionality and control fluid - particularly if you leverage the faster computer speeds, bigger memory and more powerful CPUs we have nowadays.

 

 

Eduardo Rolon
Moderator

@Bricklyne Clarence wrote:

 

…The tool is only as smart as the person using it, when all is said and done.…


Yep, not that many people that I would trust with automatic stuff.

mthd
Ace

Hi @Ahmed_K , I guess this would not be possible with grouping the object to the wall. If there was a type of 3D grouping and un-grouping with any 3D objects or elements, that could be achievable. When the object is un-grouped it will not follow that wall around.

 

I haven’t trained for HLM but you would think that a system like that, would work for what you are wanting to achieve above ?

 

Not very many of us are cut out for GDL scripting so there should be an easy solution for all AC users. GS cant simply rely on users to apply GDL to solve every simple problem.

DGSketcher
Legend

@mthd wrote:

Hi @Ahmed_K , I guess this would not be possible with grouping the object to the wall. If there was a type of 3D grouping and un-grouping with any 3D objects or elements, that could be achievable. When the object is un-grouped it will not follow that wall around.

Ah yes, the good old perennial grouping / instancing issue that is so badly needed raises its head again but remains ignored by GS,

mthd
Ace

Hi @DGSketcher, Do you have a link to help me understand what type of “Instancing” that we would need in Archicad to make it work better for all of us ?

DGSketcher
Legend

@mthd wrote:

Hi @DGSketcher, Do you have a link to help me understand what type of “Instancing” that we would need in Archicad to make it work better for all of us ?


Try this... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuC7YYAnDA8

 

mthd
Ace

I think I see what you mean by “Phasing”, change one type, change then all if we decide to do so.

Karl Wir_n
Enthusiast

Hi!

The "Accessories" add-on links objects to walls, roofs or slabs. The "Interior wizard" add-on links objects to zones. The objects will still be objects, not windows or doors. If you move or resize the wall, slab, roof or zone, the object moves and adjusts its size and/or position accordingly. However, these objects need to be scripted as special "accessory objects".

I've scripted a few accessory objects myself since the GS Accessory library isn't that extensive.  I've mostly made different cladding and roofing materials since that is what I needed, but of course anything can be linked. The add on provides you as a GDL programmer with information about the wall, slab, roof or zone. Information such as geometry, number of openings, wall direction etc. Given the information you receive, you can create objects associated to these building elements. 

I realize this is not an option if you are not skilled in gdl-programming, but since code snippets have been posted here I thought it could be worth mentioning.

Here is a picture of a wall siding object and a wooden deck object I've made. If I stretch the wall or change the shape of the slab beneath the deck, the objects will rebuild to adapt to the new geometry:

KarlWir_n_0-1708611079047.png

This is the GS download link where you can find the add ons I'm talking about: 

 

Goodies for Archicad 27 INT – Graphisoft

 

//Karl W

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