Composite structure wall, how to snap to its skin edges?

[alexliz]

I don't mean, snap to the skin end-points; I mean, e.g. draw a new line which has to start or finish exactly _on_ an intermediate skin line.

I know that I can snap to the skin lines at their end-points. But here's the deal:

I have composite-structure walls, to which I am adding the skirting boards. These are complex-profile walls, on a separate layer. Then, where I have pillars of reinforced concrete at corners formed by two walls, the Wrapping Method for them is set to enable the wall layers to 'wrap-around' the pillars, so I get the extra plaster coating around the pillar, too.

The skirting board complex-profile wall elements have to be adjacent to that layer of plaster, which, though, at the pillar 'wrap-around' area, is not snappable. I know I could do it by all sorts of work-arounds, all time and click-consuming.

Is there an option I could enable somewhere in AC12 that somebody knows of?

Many thanks, people.

[alexliz]

I wonder if I didn't explain this well enough to draw a reply.

Unless nobody knows the answer...

[Anonymous]

I understand you, Alex, and you are correct. You cannot snap to the skin lines in the middle of a wall - you can only do this at the ends of a wall. ArchiCAD doesn't even shoot out a guide line if you hover over one, so you can't snap to that either.

A work around could be to offset some temporary lines from the edge to snap to, then delete when you are finished.

It would be a useful feature. Why don't you make a wish in the Construction Wishes section? I'd vote for it!

[alexliz]

Thanks Peter.

A work-around that I've been using is this:
I start drawing, say, the line which I need to end exactly _on_ the skin line (not at its endpoint, though). With its start point clicked and the rubber band active, I hover the mouse over the wall's reference line, until the guide line shows indicating the wall's direction vector; then hover over to the wall's end (a bit more tricky if it's a long distance away) and hover the mouse over the relevant skin line's endpoint, then chose the new guide line with the // mark for the desired skin line; then, finally, move back to the original position and end my already-started line on the point where it's perpendicular to that last // guide line.

Like I said, it's quite involved and I would much prefer it if the boys and gals in Budapest did it for me (including this functionality in the next patch, or v13 at the latest).

On a side note, I wonder what the criteria are for including new features in new versions. If you check my other thread from last night, the one about Mouse Constraints not 'sticking' where I debate with Matthew Lohden, you'll read about my angst at their taking away a long-time functionality that was fundamental to drawing: when you define a direction vector, parallel or perpendicular to something, then you had it at your disposal until you defined a new one. Not anymore. You have to define your direction vector each and every time you need. Some programming hurdle, Matthew says.

[Anonymous]

Another method I use is simply to start drawing the wall, hold down shift to constrain the wall perpendicular to the skins, and just zoom out and click on the end point of a skin line. Not a massive problem unless the wall is long.

Even still, you should be able to snap to a skin line in any piece of geometry directly without having to zoom out!