Opening tool - resolve textures and simple plane boundaries

[Karel Landa]

Graphisoft is presenting Opening tool as a way to making niches in walls and profiling facades or creating custom shapes but the Opening tool still generates artefacts that making this unusable in multiple scenarios.

here is a screenshot of simple situation where I would like to make thinner insulation bettween 2 windows for 2 rooms, so there is a partition wall and you can see few spots which makes this workflow not usable.

1. A boundary plane of opening in on the reveal of a Window. You can't delete it. If you try to use "Air" surface material, you will make it all other surfaces including bottom/top which generates another issue - You can not set different surface material only for desired edge as you can for Slab, Roof etc.
   As I understand this, it is probably something to do with the hidden SEO body for Window/Door which then generates this simple plane?
2. Another thing is once there is a connecting wall, it generates another surface plane as if there are 2 elements on top each other and the texture starts flickering. This is a no go for presentation to the client since this effect is then visible in BIMx as well.
3. Another issue is that even though the surface material for the opening is the same, you can still see the lines of to connecting wall. This can be solved via GOs - turnig off uncut lines in 3D - but it should not happen in the first place since you have to add the wall to the elements that the opening "cuts"

[Lingwisyer]

1. The complication with materials probably stems from the fact that a single Opening may pentrate multiple elements of that consist of different Surfaces, so it was just left unresolved...

2. This also happens with Composites if you override the Surface. I try to avoid using the Opening Tool as it does not interact with Composites. If I can use an Empty Door / Window Opening, I will use that instead...

[Barry Kelly]

I know you don't want to hear this, but workarounds can get you what you want (and I agree we shouldn't have to do it).

1. add a second full depth opening to match the window. This will get rid of the edge surround for the niche opening.

2. as you know you can set the edge surface of the perpendicular wall to match the surface of the niche back.

Or cut the wall back so it does not extend to the niche - not so easy with automatic trimming.

3. you can also turn of contours in the 3D style settings - you don't need to if you cut the perpendicular wall back.

But I always like the contours on so cutting the wall back is really the only option.

Barry.

[Karel Landa]

@Barry Kelly 

Thank you for these workarounds but they actually work in only limited situation and if you wan to use it that way you have to apply multiple another workarounds:

1. add a second full depth opening to match the window. This will get rid of the edge surround for the niche opening.
   1. This works but it creates another element users have to look for when editing facade. Sure, easy to see, but surely you understand that using this on a large scale reidential building is not sustainable

2. as you know you can set the edge surface of the perpendicular wall to match the surface of the niche back.

   Or cut the wall back so it does not extend to the niche - not so easy with automatic trimming.

   1. Changing the surface of the edge of connecting wall is not a solution for me since it will probably create a different surface in the interior
   2. not connecting reference lines of the walls works only if the walls are perpendicular which limits this workaround
      1. you could add a column with desired material but again that only creates more elements that users need to edit