Dimensioning to wall center

[Anonymous]

I am VERY NEW to ArchiCAD. How can I change my automatic dimensions to dimension to the center of interior walls?

[Anonymous]

Don't know why you would want to do that.
Framers measure/layout from the edges of walls.
Because then they can line up the wall to the snap line.
If you gave them center measurements you would be asking (in my opinion) for real confusion.
It's not that framers could not do center line measurements, it's that you introduce numerous additional fractional (in U.S. especially) measuring and opportunity for error and or double layout, not what a production crew would be happy or necessarily as accurate with.
There are already to many other variables.
Hope that helps.

lec

[gpowless]

Center line dimensioning is a throw back to the days when CD's were drawn in pencil (or pen) and wall thickness were not accurate. By dimensioning to the center, framers simply layout the first wall then measure edge to edge (centers) for all the walls in that line.

I have one builder who still insists using centerline dimensions because his framers are old school. For all other jobs I dimension to both sides of studs and to the outside of exterior stud framing.

[Anonymous]

gpowless wrote:
"his framers are old school."
as in verryyy ooolllddd.
But yeh, there are always exceptions:-))))
lec

[Anonymous]

Well maybe someone will come along and tell you an easy way to do center line wall to wall measurements..I've never done that.
But until then, if your really stuck on that idea, you could use the line tool to draw a line across the walls to be measured, set the line divisions to half and snap to those points. Kinda slow but would work. if only had a few.
lec
By the way what version are you on?
A profile of system/OS could be helpful.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Welcome bflem,

If dimensioning to the centerline is essential, then IMHO the wall should be modeled with the centerline construction method, so that the reference line is in the center. Of course, that often makes modeling as challenging as framing is for the carpenter doing the framing since you would not use centerline for your exterior walls ... and so, as Lec says, at least the first interior wall plate that is laid down offset from an exterior wall would require the framers to be sober and capable of doing math on the job.

Of course, pure centerline construction with a composite or a complex profiled wall would be another story. For framing, you want to turn off all other skins except the core, and would want the reference line in the center of the core. Since you're new - the core would correspond to the structural framing, the other skins to the sheathing and trim/finishes. (Typically, the reference line would be at the face of the core for new construction - face of finish for an as-built (unless you really, really know what is inside the wall).)

Cheers,
Karl

[gpowless]

Actually, a better way is to model walls with exterior (or interior) reference line and then use the Wall Reference Line setting to change the wall reference to center line. Then dimension to the intersection nodes of the walls in order to keep the dimensions dynamic.

[Karl Ottenstein]

gpowless wrote:
Actually, a better way is to model walls with exterior (or interior) reference line and then use the Wall Reference Line setting to change the wall reference to center line. Then dimension to the intersection nodes of the walls in order to keep the dimensions dynamic.

Changing the Wall Reference line via the setting physically moves the wall. In order to change the reference line to the center and yet keep the wall locked in physical space, one must use the Modify Wall submenu, Modify Reference Line dialog. However, this dialog cannot be used to modify the reference line of a complex profiled wall.

Cheers,
Karl

[gpowless]

Yes. That is what I meant.

As a general rule, I don't use wall profiles for interior walls. If I do I change the reference line before hand.

[Erika Epstein]

Yet another way is to make your wall a composite with 2 equal skins, no line between and then you will be able to set materials to reference/non-reference side, and still be able to snap to center of wall, in this case between the two skins.

With all these methods, it is a workaround and there are pros and cons as noted.

It might be better to teach your 'old' framers some new tricks, like learning to layout by side of wall.

On the other hand ... Tenant improvement work traditionally is to center of wall for dimensioning and for zones.