BIM Coordinator Program (INT) April 22, 2024
Find the next step in your career as a Graphisoft Certified BIM Coordinator!
Modeling
About Archicad's design tools, element connections, modeling concepts, etc.

Shadow analysis overlay 3D documents

emwatson
Participant
Hi,

I am working on building in efficiencies to our office template file, I am wanting to setup 3D documents for existing shadows and proposed shadows to effectively overlay for live shadow comparison.
In Melbourne, Australia we typically have to show the existing shadows in relation to the proposed in the same drawing. I know I can create a 3D axonometric view of both and copy and paste the shadows into a plan, however this requires re-doing it when the building changes and I was hoping to have a live document set up.
I was wondering if anyone has a way of doing it with two 3D documents overlaid? I have tried playing with this by having both existing and proposed 3D documents on the layout page. The settings in the 3D document are such that the shadows are 50% transparent so it becomes darker where there is an existing shadow based on the 2 drawings being overlaid. The problem is that it gets confusing with some of the existing information that is behind the proposed building but showing through when in reality it is irrelevant as there will be building over it. I wasn't sure if playing around with the graphic overrides would fix it?

Attached are 3 screen grabs:
1. Existing shadows
2. Proposed shadows
3. both overlaid (the roof deck where the table and chairs are gets confusing)

Appreciate any help.

Thanks,
Emily
AC24 Australia • iMac 27" 4.0GHz Quad-core i7 | 24 gb ram • MacBook Pro 2.8GHz | 16 gb ram • OSX10.14.3
4 REPLIES 4
Carstenem
Expert
Hi Emely

I don't use layouts enough to know all the settings but I got this idea which you might be able to work out. For the existing shadow document show everything in white pen but the shadow. So it displays only the shadow.

Cheers Carsten
Carsten
www.asmtechbase.com
https://www.youtube.com/asmtechbase

AC 3 to 26 -Windows 7 - 24GB - 8core 4.4Ghz
Lingwisyer
Guru
I think the problem with that Carsten is Transparency. Even if you can set all fills to 25%, you will get a moire effect when you overlay the drawings.



Ling.

AC22-23 AUS 7000Help Those Help You - Add a Signature
Self-taught, bend it till it breaksCreating a Thread
Win11 | i9 10850K | 64GB | RX6600 Win10 | R5 2600 | 16GB | GTX1660
Carstenem
Expert
Yes that's what I thought, would be nice to tell the saved 3D document to only show shadows . . . then it would work
Carsten
www.asmtechbase.com
https://www.youtube.com/asmtechbase

AC 3 to 26 -Windows 7 - 24GB - 8core 4.4Ghz
emwatson
Participant
Hi Carson,

Thanks for your input, but yes Ling is correct it is the transparency issue. I will keep thinking on it, perhaps it just isn't possible to do what I want.

Thanks,
Emily
AC24 Australia • iMac 27" 4.0GHz Quad-core i7 | 24 gb ram • MacBook Pro 2.8GHz | 16 gb ram • OSX10.14.3
Learn and get certified!