0% found this document useful (0 votes)

1K views

Migration Guide for ArchiCAD 14 _________________________________ 71

Migrating from ArchiCAD 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Migrating a Solo Project (Version 13 to 14) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Migrating a Teamwork Project (Version 13 to 14) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Migrating Libraries and Objects to ArchiCAD 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Migrating the BIM Server (Version 13 to Version 14) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Minimal Space Extended to Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Lost Features when Back-Saving to ArchiCAD 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Migration of Exported Options Files (.xml, .aat, .prf) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 Migrating from ArchiCAD 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Migrating from ArchiCAD 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Migrating from ArchiCAD 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Migrating from ArchiCAD 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Migrating from ArchiCAD 8.1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 Open Older (pre-13) Teamwork Files in ArchiCAD 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 Lost Criteria Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Review Object-Type Element Criteria in Interactive Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 No Automatic Home Story Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Doors and Windows in Partial Structure Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Migrating PlotMaker Layout Books to ArchiCAD 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 Adjust Section/Elevation Marker Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Review New Model View Options for Fills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

DXF/DWG Translator Changes in Converting ArchiCAD Fills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Migrate Projects Containing Hotlinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Configuration __________________________________________________ 117

Start ArchiCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Create New Solo Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Open a Solo Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Close a Solo Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Saving from ArchiCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 File Compression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Template Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Backup Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Archive Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Troubleshooting Problem Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 License Borrowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Opening Projects through a Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Add-Ons and Goodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Working Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 Project Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 About Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Quick Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Layer Combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Use Layers to Prevent Wall/Column/Beam Intersections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 Use Separate Layer Settings for the Layout Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Place All Elements on a Single Active Layer (Simulate Autocad Work Methods) . 166 Line Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Fill Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Composite Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Assign a Composite Structure to a Wall, Roof or Slab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Define a Custom Composite Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Components of Composite Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Pens & Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Pen Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Apply a Pen Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Redefine a Pen Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180 Transfer a Pen Set to Another Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 Automatic Pen Color Visibility Adjustment for Model Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 4
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Predefined Pen Sets for Specific Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184 About Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 Assign a Material to a Construction Element . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Display of Materials and Textures in 3D Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Align 3D Texture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 Display of Materials in Section/Elevation/IE Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Display of Materials in the 3D Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Display of Materials in Renderings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 Attribute Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196 Missing Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 Find and Select Elements with Missing Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 Custom Attributes of GDL Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 Libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 About Libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 Library Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205 Recommendations for Using Libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 Embedded Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208 Add Objects to Embedded Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210 Manage Embedded Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 Linked Libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 BIM Server Libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 Add BIM Server Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 Manage BIM Server Libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220 Remove Library from Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 Troubleshooting Library Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224 Library Container File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 Library Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 Favorites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 Load Favorite Settings as Default . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Save Favorite Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 Customize Favorite Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 Apply Favorite to Placed Element . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243 Favorites Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 The ArchiCAD User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 Toolbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247 Info Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249 Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251 About Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .252 Toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

About Toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pet Palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Customizing your Work Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Work Environment Schemes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Saving Your Customized Work Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . How to Use Your Personalized Work Environment Settings on Another Computer . . . Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . How to Navigate Among ArchiCAD Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zoom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oriented View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fit in Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Navigator Preview (2D) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Navigation in the 3D Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Accessing 3D Navigation Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Explore Model (3D Navigation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Orbit (3D Navigation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Navigator Preview (3D) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Dconnexion Enabler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Navigator Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About the Navigator Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . How to Display the Navigator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using the Navigator to Open Project Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Project Workflow in the Navigator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Organizer Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Navigator Color Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Navigator Project Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Navigator View Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clone a Folder in the View Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting up a View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Saving a View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modifying View Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Quick Options Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Navigator Layout Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Navigator Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . External Projects in the Navigator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

254 256 257 260 262 264 266 268 270 272 273 274 278 287 288 289 292 293 294 296 297 301 302 304 305 307 308 309 312 313 316 318 321 323 324 325 326 328 329

Interaction ____________________________________________________ 271

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Origins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331 About Origins in ArchiCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332 Create a User Origin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334 User Origin in the 3D Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335 Elevation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336 About Elevation of Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337 Elevation Values in the Tracker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338 Reference Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339 Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340 Selecting Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .341 Quick Selection of Surface Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342 Select Multiple Elements Using a Selection Rectangle/Polygon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343 Selection of Overlapping Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346 Selection Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347 Selection Dots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348 Selection Highlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351 Element Information Highlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352 Element Information Pop-up (Info Tags) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354 Deselecting Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355 Find and Select Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356 Zoom to Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .363 Edit Selection Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364 Store and Access Selection Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366 Marquee Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368 About Marquee Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369 Marquee Area Definition: Single Story or All Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .371 Place Marquee (Geometry Methods) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .372 Select All Elements in a Marquee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .374 View Marquee Area in 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375 Removing a Marquee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376 Saving the Marquee Area as PDF or DWG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377 Copy/Paste Marquee Area from Project Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378 Copy Cropped Image File with Marquee Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380 Use Marquee in Find & Select . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .381 Other Editing Operations within the Marquee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382 On-Screen Input Aids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383 The Intelligent Cursor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384 Tracker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389 About the Tracker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390 Parameters Shown in Tracker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Defining Tracker Coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coordinate Input in Tracker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coordinate Input Logic: Expert Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ruler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Measure Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grid System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grid Snap Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Guide Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About Guide Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Turn Guide Lines on or off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Types of Guide Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Defining Your Preferred Guide Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Placing Guide Lines During Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Place an Orthogonal Guide Line using Ruler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Removing Guide Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Examples for Using Guide Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gravity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mouse Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using Mouse Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Projection Mode of Cursor with Mouse Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coordinate Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Relative Construction Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parallel and Perpendicular Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Angle Bisector Constraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Offset and Multiple Offset Constraints (Relative Construction Methods) . . . . . . . Aligning Elements to a Surface in 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Snapping to Existing Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Special Snap Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Special Snap Points on Temporary Vector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cursor Snap Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editing Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Basic Editing Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cancel Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pet Palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Move Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nudging Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dragging Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rotating Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mirroring Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elevating Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

392 393 395 396 397 398 401 402 403 404 405 408 409 410 411 412 416 417 418 420 421 422 423 424 426 427 429 431 434 436 437 438 441 442 443 444 445 447 449 451

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Offset Selected Element . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453 Align Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 455 About the Align function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456 How to Align Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457 Special Align . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460 Distribute Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 462 Special Distribute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466 Modify Element Sizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467 Overview of Modifying Element Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468 Stretching Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 469 Modifying Slanted Walls and Columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471 Modifying Beams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 475 Modifying Complex Profile Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 477 Reshaping Polygons and Chained Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478 Stretching with the Marquee Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482 Stretch Height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 484 Resize (Enlarge or Reduce) Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485 Splitting Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487 Adjusting Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489 Intersect Two Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 492 Create a Fillet or Chamfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493 Trimming Elements to Intersection Point(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 496 Adding Element Nodes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 498 Move Nodes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .499 Curve/Straighten Element Edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 502 Explode into Current View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504 Create Element Duplicates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506 Drag, Rotate, Mirror Element Copies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507 Multiply Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 509 Drag & Drop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 513 Parameter Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .515 Group Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .518 Lock/Unlock Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521 Display Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522 Magic Wand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 526 About the Magic Wand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527 How to Create an Element with the Magic Wand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 528 Using the Magic Wand in 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .530 Using the Magic Wand to Add/Subtract Polygon Shapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 531 Magic Wand Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Trace: Using References to Edit and Compare Model Views and Drawings . . . . . . . 533 About Trace References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534 Choosing a Trace Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 537 Show/Hide Trace Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 543 Set Color/Visibility Options for Trace Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 544 Move Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 545 Switch Reference with Active: How to Access Elements within the Reference for Editing or Copying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 547 Activate Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548 Rebuild Trace Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549 Compare Reference with Active . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550 Consolidate Lines and Fills in Drawing Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 555 Why Consolidate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556 Linework Consolidation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557 Fill Consolidation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 559

Virtual Building ________________________________________________ 561

ArchiCAD Model Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About Model Views in ArchiCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Floor Plan Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Navigate Among Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Defining Story Display in 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Defining Story Display in Section/Elevation/IE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create or Delete Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Story Level Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Floor Plan Cut Plane (Global Setting) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . How to Display Individual Elements on the Floor Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Set Home Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Show On Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Define Elements Floor Plan Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Define Range of Elements Projected Display (Show Projection) . . . . . . . . . . . . Examples of Floor Plan Display Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3D Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Show All in 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Show Selection in 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Show Stored Selection in 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Show Marquee Area in 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Default Display in 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Filter Elements in 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 562 563 565 566 567 568 569 570 571 574 578 580 581 584 587 589 591 595 597 598 600 601 603 604

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Save Contents of 3D Window as a View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 606 3D Engines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .607 3D View Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 610 3D Projections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 611 3D Navigation Extras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 613 3D Cutaway Sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 614 Sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 615 About Sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 616 Create a Section Viewpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 618 Define Horizontal/Vertical Range of Section Viewpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 620 Define Marker Reference for Source Marker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 621 Assign Section Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 623 Model Display in the Section Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 624 Open a Section Viewpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631 Place a Linked Section Marker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 632 Define Marker Reference for Linked Marker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 634 Place an Unlinked Marker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 635 Create an Independent Section Viewpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 636 Updating Sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 637 Summary of Rebuild Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .639 Display of Section Lines and Markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 640 Adjusting or Breaking Section Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 641 Elevations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .642 Interior Elevations (IE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 644 About Interior Elevations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 645 Create Single Interior Elevation Viewpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 647 Create Multiple IE Viewpoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 648 Interior Elevation IDs and Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 651 Editing Interior Elevation Viewpoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 654 Editing the Interior Elevation Limit Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 656 Vertical and Horizontal Range of the Interior Elevation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 657 Interior Elevations and Zone Shape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .660 Display of Elements in Interior Elevation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 661 3D Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 662 About the 3D Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 663 Create a 3D Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 665 The 3D Document and its 3D Window Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 667 Redefine the 3D Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 668 Model Display of the 3D Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 675 Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 676
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

About Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create a Detail Drawing Viewpoint with Model Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Contents of the Detail Viewpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Place a Linked Detail Marker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create an Independent Detail Viewpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Display of Detail/Worksheet Boundary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Update Detail/Worksheet Marker Boundary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Updating the Detail Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Worksheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About Worksheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Worksheet vs. Detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create a Worksheet Drawing with Model Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Contents of the Worksheet Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editing in the Worksheet Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create an Independent Worksheet Viewpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Place a Linked Worksheet Marker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Managing Markers in ArchiCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About Markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Display of Marker Range Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Source Marker Highlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changing Marker Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Transfer Marker Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Copying a Marker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Navigation Using Markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Find Linked Markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Check Markers Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deleting a Viewpoint/View/Drawing with a Marker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deleting a Marker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Interactive Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About Schedules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Open and View a Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Show Schedule Data for Selected Floor Plan Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editing and Updating Schedule Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Define a Schedule Using Scheme Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sort Schedule Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Format a Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Schedule Headers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Add Annotations to Schedule Previews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Restructure Schedule to Fit Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Split Schedule into Multiple Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

677 678 680 681 682 684 685 686 687 688 689 690 691 692 693 694 695 696 697 698 699 701 702 703 704 706 708 709 710 711 713 715 716 717 722 725 726 727 730 732

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Project Indexes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 736 About Project Indexes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 737 Index of Published Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 740 Construction Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .741 How to Place a Construction Element in ArchiCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 742 Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 744 About Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .745 Create a Straight Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 747 Create a Curved Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 748 Create a Chain of Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 751 Create a Rectangle of Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 753 Create a Trapezoid Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 754 Create a Composite Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 756 Create a Polygon Wall (PolyWall) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 757 Create a Slanted or Double-Slanted Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 761 Create a Log Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 762 Create a Gable Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 763 Wall-Wall Intersections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 764 Modify Wall Geometry (Add-On) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 772 Walls and Other Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 774 Columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 775 Creating Columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 776 Create a Slanted Column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 778 Column Display on Floor Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 779 Column Display in 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 782 Columns and Other Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 784 Beams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 785 Beam Reference Axis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 786 Beam Display on the Floor Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 787 Create a Beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 788 Create a Hole in a Beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 790 How to Change Angle of Beam End Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 792 Beams and Other Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 793 Place a Wall/Column/Beam with a Complex Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 795 About Complex Profile Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 796 Creating or Editing a Complex Profile Element . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 798 Create Complex Profile from Parallel Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 802 Use Standard Steel Column or Beam Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 804 Roofs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 808 About Roofs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .809
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Create a Simple Roof on the Floor Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create a Simple Roof in 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create a Polyroof or Curved Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create a Dome-Shaped Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create a Barrel-Vaulted Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create a Hole in a Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modify the Roof Slant Angle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create Roof Level Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Set Custom Roof Edge Angle and Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Intersect Roof Planes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trim Element to Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create Special Roof Objects with RoofMaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Slabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About Slabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating Slabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Placing Holes in Slabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Set Custom Slab Edge Angle and Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Meshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About Meshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Display of Meshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create a Mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Edit Elevation of a Mesh Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Add New Points to the Mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zone Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2D Display of Zone Fills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zone Stamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3D Display of Zone Spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating Zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trim Zone to Another Element . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Calculating Zone Area and Zone Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Updating Zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Curtain Wall: A System Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About Curtain Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Working with Curtain Walls: Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Curtain Wall Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create a Curtain Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . System-Level Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Graphical Editing of Curtain Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Curtain Wall Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

811 813 814 816 817 823 824 825 827 831 833 842 848 849 850 851 852 854 855 856 857 859 860 863 864 865 867 869 870 874 876 879 881 882 884 886 891 921 923 925

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Curtain Wall Edit Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 926 Edit Grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .935 Edit Curtain Wall Boundary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 940 Edit Curtain Wall Boundary in Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 943 Add Additional Curtain Wall Boundary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 946 Edit Curtain Wall Reference Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 949 Curtain Wall Frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 951 Curtain Wall Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 960 Curtain Wall Junctions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 966 Curtain Wall Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 971 Curtain Walls and Other Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .974 Free-Rotate Curtain Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 985 Attach Labels to Curtain Wall Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 986 Parametric Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 987 About Parametric Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 988 Object Settings of Library Part Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 990 Where to Find Objects for Use in ArchiCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 992 Locating a Library Part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 993 Placing an Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 996 View-Dependent Display of Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 998 Global Options for Object Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 999 Selecting a Placed Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1000 Stretching Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1001 Customizing Object Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1002 Parameter Transfer Between Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1004 Graphical Editing Using Editable Hotspots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1006 Create Patch Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1007 Graphic Creation of Custom Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1008 Saving Library Parts from the Project File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1009 Saving 2D Symbols as Library Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1010 Saving 3D Models as Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1011 Saving Rectangular Doors and Windows from the Project File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1015 Saving Custom-Shape Holes or Niches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1017 About GDL Object Subtypes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1019 Editing the Script of a GDL Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1021 Editing Script of Objects Placed from a BIM Server Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1022 Scripting Custom Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1024 Custom Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1026 Dedicated Object Tools: Doors, Windows, Skylights, Wall Ends, Stairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1032 Doors/Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1033
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Floor Plan Display of Doors/Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting the Window/Door Plane in Slanted or Complex Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anchoring Sill or Header Heights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Placing Doors or Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating an Empty Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Moving Wall Openings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Corner Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Skylights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wall Ends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stairs (Predefined Stair Objects) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying Stairs on the Floor Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Custom Stairs with StairMaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . StairMaker Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Custom Stair Based on a Standard Stair Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Geometry and Flight Settings (StairMaker) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Structure and Landing (StairMaker) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tread Settings (StairMaker) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Railings (StairMaker) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Symbol Settings (StairMaker) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Listing Settings (StairMaker) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Check and Save Stair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Custom Stair Based on Manually Drawn Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Element Extras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TrussMaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating Trusses in the Floor Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editing Trusses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating Trusses in Section/Elevation/IE Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Solid Element Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About Solid Element Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Solid Operation Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Solid Operations: Element Display and Calculation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Solid Operation Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Model View Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Set Model View Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Model View Options Combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . On-Screen View Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Partial Structure Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Applying Partial Structure Settings to Model Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Save Partial Structure Settings by View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . How to Define Components as Core or Finish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

1034 1035 1037 1040 1041 1042 1046 1048 1049 1050 1051 1054 1055 1056 1059 1069 1074 1075 1081 1083 1084 1085 1088 1089 1090 1092 1093 1095 1096 1098 1099 1100 1106 1107 1108 1111 1113 1116 1117 1118

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Visualizing the Entire Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1120 Partial Structure Display Settings: Effect on Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1122 Partial Structure Display Settings in Windows Based on a Source Marker . . . . . 1125

Documentation ________________________________________________ 1127

Drafting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1128 Fills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1129 About Fills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1130 Assign a Cut Fill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1133 Assign a Cover Fill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1135 Draw a Drafting Fill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1138 Adding Area Text to a Fill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1139 Available Fill Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1140 Fill Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1142 Fill Display Mode: Vectorial vs. Bitmap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1144 Display of Vectorial Fill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1145 Set Orientation of Vectorial or Symbol Fill Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1147 Model View Options: Global Settings for Fill Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1154 Create New Solid Fill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1155 Create or Edit Symbol Fill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1156 Using Gradient Fills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1157 Create or Edit Image Fill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1159 Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1162 Line Categories in ArchiCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1163 Drawing a Single Straight Line Segment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1164 Stretching or Shrinking Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1165 Drawing Circular Arcs and Full Circles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1166 Stretching Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1168 Editing an Arc Using its Tangent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1170 Drawing Elliptical Arcs and Full Ellipses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1171 Convert Ellipse to Circle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1173 Drawing Splines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1174 Editing Splines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1176 Drawing Freehand Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1178 Drawing Polylines and Chained Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1179 Decompose a Polyline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1181 Unify Drafting Elements into Polyline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1182 Hotspots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1183 Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1185 Drawings in Model Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1186 Annotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1188
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Dimensioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dimensioning Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Placing Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Glossary of Dimensioning Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Static Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Linear Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Linear Dimensions in the 3D Document Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dimensioning Overlapping Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elevation Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dimensioning Wall Thickness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radial Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Level Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Angle Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editing a Dimension Chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modify the Witness Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Edit Content of Dimension Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dimension Text Type and Font . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Change Position of Dimension Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Associative Dimensions in Sections/Elevations/IE and 3D Document . . . . . . . . Secondary Dimensions (Add-On) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Automatic Exterior Dimensioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Automatic Interior Dimensioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Grid Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About the Grid Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Components of a Grid Element . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Visibility of a Grid Element . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating a Straight Grid Element . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating a Curved Grid Element . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editing a Grid Element . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editing Grids in Teamwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Place a Grid System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Text Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Placing Text Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Formatting Text Blocks As a Whole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Resizing Text Graphically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Applying Favorite Text Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Formatting Individual Components of Text Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Autotext . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . How to Insert Autotext . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Autotext Reference Drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

1189 1191 1193 1194 1195 1196 1203 1207 1208 1211 1212 1213 1215 1218 1224 1226 1231 1232 1233 1234 1235 1238 1240 1241 1243 1244 1246 1247 1249 1250 1253 1256 1257 1259 1260 1261 1262 1263 1264 1268

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1271 Placing Independent Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1272 Placing Associative Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1274 Search for Elements by Label Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1275 Tool-Specific Default Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1276 Placing Member Labels on Curtain Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1277 Define Default Text Content of Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1278 Symbol Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1279 Find and Select Text Blocks/Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1280 Text Editing in ArchiCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1282 Search and Replace Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1283 Spell Checker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1284 Editing Commands in Text-Type Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1285 The Layout Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1287 Work Environment for the Layout Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1288 Layout Book Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1289 About the Layout Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1290 Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1293 Master Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1296 Subsets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1300 Drawings in the Layout Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1301 Placing Drawings Onto the Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1302 Arranging Multiple Drawings on the Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1308 Importing PDF Files As Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1309 Modifying Drawings on the Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1310 Drawing Titles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1311 Managing and Updating Placed Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1315 Deleting a Drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1319 Layout and Drawing IDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1320 Simple Layout Numbering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1321 Automatic Layout ID Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1322 Custom Layout/Subset IDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1324 Drawing IDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1326 Layout Workflow Schemes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1328 Layout Workflow: Smaller Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1329 Layout Workflow: Larger Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1330 Publishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1333 Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1334 Plot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1336 Publisher Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1338
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

The Publisher Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Defining a Publisher Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Defining Output Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Defining Output Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Viewing and Redlining DWF Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Publishing Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Calculation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Calculation Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . List Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Element Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ID Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Teamwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setup/Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modular BIM Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Start GRAPHISOFT BIM Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BIM Server Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BIM Server Control Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BIM Server Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Open BIM Server Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create Teamwork Project on BIM Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Export Teamwork Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Delete Teamwork Project from Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Manage Users on the BIM Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Administrator Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BIM Server Manager: Roles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . List of Access Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BIM Server Manager: Review Libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BIM Server Manager: Custom Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitoring BIM Server Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Server Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create Teamwork Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Share a Teamwork Project in ArchiCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Teamwork Project Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Project Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assign Users and Roles to Teamwork Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitor User Activity by Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Customize User Roles for a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

1339 1342 1346 1347 1351 1352 1354 1355 1356 1360 1363 1366 1372 1374 1376 1377 1383 1384 1388 1393 1394 1397 1398 1400 1401 1410 1412 1421 1425 1426 1432 1433 1439 1440 1449 1452 1455 1457 1458

Collaboration _________________________________________________ 1371

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Schedule Project Backups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1460 Force User to Leave a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1465 Join or Leave a Teamwork Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1467 Open Teamwork Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1469 Close Teamwork Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1472 Save Local Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1474 Send/Receive Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1475 Manage Local Teamwork Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1476 What is Local Data? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1477 Get Feedback on Local Project/Library Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1478 Move Local Teamwork Data to a Different Folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1482 Move Local Data to a Different Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1483 Delete Local Teamwork Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1484 Schedule Data Cleanup Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1485 Working Online/Offline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1486 Working in Detached Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1487 Remote Access to Teamwork Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1488 Accessing the BIM Server Over the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1489 Travel Pack: Move Your Project and Libraries to a Different Computer . . . . . . 1493 Working from Home and the Office: Suggested Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1503 Avoid Conflicting Work Sessions in Teamwork Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1504 Teamwork Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1505 Reserving Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1507 Overview of Teamwork Reservation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1508 Reserve Elements by Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1509 Reserve Elements by Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1511 Save Custom Criteria Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1518 Reserve Library Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1522 Feedback on Element Ownership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1523 Reservation Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1531 Reserving Project Data (Non-Elements) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1534 List of Reservable Project Data (Non-Elements) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1536 Feedback on Ownership of Project Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1537 Reservation in Attribute Manager; Reserve All Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1538 Reserve Individual Views and View Map Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1540 Reserve Settings of Layout Book Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1543 Reserve Publisher Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1545 Reserve and Delete Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1547 Reserve Find and Select Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1548 21

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Reservation in Interactive Schedules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reserve List Scheme Dialog Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reserve Mark-up Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reserve All Elements and Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Review Your Workspace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating and Sending Project Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assign Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Request Elements or Project Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Release Elements or Project Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Messaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Request Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create a New Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Receive and Open Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ask for Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Add Comment to Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Libraries in Teamwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . External Files Linked to Teamwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hotlinked Modules and XREFs in Teamwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . External Drawings in Teamwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hotlinked Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About Hotlinked Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Place Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Place Module(s) from Multistory File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editing Module Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Edit Hotlink Source in Separate ArchiCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Edit Module: Break Link, Edit Elements, Replace Hotlink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Display Order of Hotlinked Module Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Managing Hotlinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modules: Multiplatform Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Project Reviewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Project Reviewer Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Project Mark-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About Project Mark-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Project Mark-Up: Basic Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Publishing and Retrieving Mark-Up Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Version Management with Mark-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Teamwork and Project Mark-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1550 1556 1557 1558 1560 1561 1563 1565 1568 1570 1574 1575 1578 1579 1580 1583 1585 1586 1588 1589 1590 1595 1598 1601 1602 1603 1604 1608 1609 1616 1617 1618 1627 1628 1629 1633 1634 1635

Visualization __________________________________________________ 1637

Cameras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1638 22
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

PhotoRendering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1640 Basic LightWorks Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1642 Expert LightWorks Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1645 Exterior LightWorks Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1651 Interior LightWorks Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1657 Visualization Extras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1660 Fly-Through . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1661 VR Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1663 VR Scenes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1665 Sun Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1668 Align View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1669

Interoperability _______________________________________________ 1675

Multidisciplinary Data Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1676 Typical Workflows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1677 Typical Workflow: Architectural-Structural . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1678 Typical Workflow: Architectural-MEP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1682 Typical Workflow: Architectural-Energy Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1683 Export Data from ArchiCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1684 Preparation of Data for Export . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1685 Recommended Export Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1692 Import Data to ArchiCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1696 Merge vs. Link vs. Open . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1697 Visualization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1699 Imported Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1702 Collision Detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1704 Managing Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1705 Detailed Workflows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1707 Detailed Workflow: Architectural - Structural . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1708 Detailed Workflow: Architectural - MEP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1722 Detailed Workflow: Architectural - Energy Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1729 File Handling and Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1734 File Types Opened by ArchiCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1735 File Types Saved by ArchiCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1743 Merging Files to ArchiCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1753 Working with PDF Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1755 Create PDF Output Using the Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1756 Save Document in PDF Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1759 3D Content in PDF (WIN only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1763 Working with DWG/DXF Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1767 Opening DWG/DXF Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1768
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Saving DWG/DXF Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Merge a DXF/DWG File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . XREFs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Working with IFC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC Element Type and Classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC File Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC-Related Functions in ArchiCAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Import: Open and Merge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Export: Save as IFC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Detect IFC Model Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC Translators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Model Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advanced IFC Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Navigator Palette Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Project Chooser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Project Map Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . View Map Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Layout Book Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Publisher Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Organizer Palette Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Publisher Set Properties Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The 2D Navigator Preview Palette Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The 3D Navigator Preview Palette Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Control Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coordinates Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Search and Replace Text Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Formatting Palette and Text Editor Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trace & Reference Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Teamwork Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Project Info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Project Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Project Preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Session Report Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Edit Targets and Operators (Solid Element Operations) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Classic 3D Navigation Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dialog Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Work Environment Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Profile Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

1772 1775 1778 1785 1786 1791 1792 1793 1795 1798 1803 1815 1817 1832 1833 1834 1835 1836 1837 1839 1842 1844 1849 1850 1853 1857 1859 1861 1864 1867 1872 1874 1875 1876 1877 1879 1881 1884 1885

User Interface Reference _______________________________________ 1831

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Scheme Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1888 Dialog Boxes and Palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1890 Selection and Element Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1892 Tracker and Coordinate Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1894 Mouse Constraints and Methods Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1896 Guide Lines Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1897 Imaging and Calculation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1899 Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1901 More Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1902 Advanced Redraw Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1904 On-Screen Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1906 Data Safety & Integrity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1908 Network And Update Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1911 Special Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1913 Shortcut Customization Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1914 Toolbox Customization Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1918 Tool Settings Dialog Box Customization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1920 Info Box Customization Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1921 Toolbar Customization Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1923 Menu Customization Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1926 Working Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1929 Project Preferences Dialog Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1931 Dimensions Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1932 Calculation Units and Rules Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1935 Zones Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1941 Construction Elements Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1943 Levels and Project North Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1945 Layer Settings Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1948 Line Types Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1952 Fill Types Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1955 Fill Availability and Screen-Only Pattern Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1957 Fill Edit Vectorial Pattern Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1958 Fill Appearance Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1959 Fill Edit Symbol Pattern Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1960 Fill Texture Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1962 Composite Structures Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1963 Pens & Colors Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1967 Material Settings Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1970 Material Exposure to Light Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1971 Material Vectorial Hatching Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1973
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Material Texture Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LightWorks Shader Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zone Categories Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Profile Manager Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Add-On Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Story Settings Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Edit Elements by Stories Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Create New Story Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Floor Plan Cut Plane Settings Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Copy Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grids & Background Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Linework Consolidation Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fill Consolidation Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Model View Options Combinations Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Model View Options for Construction Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Model View Options Override Fill Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Model View Options for GDL Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3D Document Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Filter Elements in 3D Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3D Window Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Open GL Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3D Cutting Planes Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3D Projection Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parallel Projection Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Perspective Projection Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Set Cities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RoofMaker Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TrussMaker Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grid System Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GDL (Geometric Description Language) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GDL Master Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Text Editing Commands in GDL Script Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Subtype Hierarchy Dialog Box (GDL Master Window) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scheme Settings Dialog Box (Interactive Schedule) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Format Options (Interactive Schedule) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index Settings Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . View Settings Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Book Settings Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Subset Settings Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

1974 1978 1982 1983 1987 1989 1991 1993 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2005 2006 2008 2010 2015 2016 2019 2020 2021 2022 2025 2027 2029 2031 2040 2042 2046 2047 2058 2060 2061 2064 2069 2071 2074 2075

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Layout Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2077 Import Views from ArchiCAD Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2078 Master Layout Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2080 Drawing Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2084 Pasting Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2086 Paste Options Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2087 Print 2D Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2088 Print 3D Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2091 Print Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2092 Print Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2093 Header/Footer Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2095 Plot Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2096 PlotFlow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2098 Plot 2D Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2100 Plot Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2101 Printer/Plotter Settings for MacOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2102 Creating PDF Output in MacOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2103 Print Dialog Box (MacOS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2104 Page Setup Dialog (MacOS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2105 Plot Setup Dialog (MacOS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2106 PlotFlow for MacOS X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2107 PhotoRendering Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2108 LightWorks Rendering Engine (Add-On) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2109 Internal Rendering Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2112 Z-Buffer Rendering Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2116 Sketch Rendering Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2117 Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2120 Hotlink Manager Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2121 Place Module Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2125 Module Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2127 XREF Management Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2128 Attach XREF Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2131 DXF/DWG Translation Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2134 Drawing Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2137 Open Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2138 Save Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2141 Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2145 Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2146 Pens & Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2150 Line Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2153
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Fills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Font-Style Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Custom Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Merge DXF-DWG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Merge DXF-DWG Model Space Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Import Options for Elements on Paper Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Smart Merge Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mark-Up Tools Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mark-Up Styles Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Project Reviewer Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tool Settings Dialog Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Working in Tool Settings Dialog Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wall Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Door/Window Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Skylight Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roof Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beam Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Column Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Slab Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stair Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . StairMaker Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mesh Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zone Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Curtain Wall Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Curtain Wall Settings: System Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Curtain Wall Settings: Scheme Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Curtain Wall Settings: Frame Pages (Boundary, Mullion, Transom) . . . . . . . . . Curtain Wall Settings: Panel Settings (Main, Distinct) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Curtain Wall Settings: Junctions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Curtain Wall Settings: Accessory Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Place Curtain Wall Dialog Box: Floor Plan and 3D Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Place Curtain Wall Dialog Box: Section Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Object/Lamp Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dimension Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Linear Dimension Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elevation Dimensioning Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radial Dimension Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Angle Dimension Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Level Dimension Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

2154 2156 2157 2158 2159 2160 2162 2164 2168 2173 2175 2179 2181 2185 2191 2197 2198 2203 2207 2212 2216 2224 2236 2240 2246 2247 2254 2258 2261 2263 2264 2265 2267 2269 2275 2276 2279 2281 2283 2286

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Dimension Text Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2288 Convert Dimensions Dialog Box (Add-On) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2290 Text Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2291 Label Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2294 Fill Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2299 Line Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2302 Arc/Circle Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2304 Polyline Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2305 Drawing Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2306 Section Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2316 Elevation Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2326 Interior Elevation (IE) Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2333 Worksheet Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2339 Detail Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2341 Grid Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2343 Wall End Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2347 Spline Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2348 Hotspot Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2349 Figure Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2350 Camera/VR Tool Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2352 Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2353 VR Object Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2356 Create VR Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2357 VR Scene Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2358 Create VR Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2359 Create Fly-Through . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2361 Create Sun Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2363

Index ________________________________________________________ 2365

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Getting Help on ArchiCAD 14

Context-Sensitive Help Finding a Help Topic Navigating in Help For More Information Context-Sensitive Help
ArchiCAD is equipped with a context-sensitive Help system. To launch the Help: Press F1 Or right-click on any particular ArchiCAD user interface element and choose the Whats this command The Help will open to a topic relevant to the ArchiCAD interface item you have clicked. (In some cases, the Help will open to the ArchiCAD main page.) You can also select Help from the ArchiCAD Help menu to bring up the Help main page.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Getting Help on ArchiCAD 14

Finding a Help Topic

From the Help main page, you have several ways of navigating to the topic you need: Use the Contents tab page in the left pane to browse the hierarchical list of topics. You can extend the tree-view by clicking on a topic to see sub-topics. Click on your topic of choice to open it in the right-hand pane. Click the book icon to close an open topic.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Getting Help on ArchiCAD 14

Click the Index tab, then click the first letter of the topic you are interested in. The list of matching topics will be instantly displayed. Select from the list to access the topic you wish to open.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Getting Help on ArchiCAD 14

Click the Search tab, then enter your search term in the field. Use the * key (asterisk) as a wildcard to denote any string of characters in the search criteria. Hit Enter or click the Go button to bring up search results. Click on a selected topic to display it in the right panel.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Getting Help on ArchiCAD 14

Navigating in Help
Use the buttons at the top of the Help page to navigate.

Go to the next page in the Help

Click the right-arrow button to move forward to the next topic in the hierarchy.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Getting Help on ArchiCAD 14

Go to the previous page in the Help

Click the left-arrow button to move backwards to the previous topic in the hierarchy.

Go back to the Help page you were before

Use the Back button of your Internet browser application. (This button may vary depending on your browser.)

Locate the current Help topic in the Table of Contents

Click the circling arrows button to highlight the location of the currently open topic in the Contents hierarchy.

Print out the current Help topic

Click the print button to open the print dialog box to print the current topic from ArchiCAD Help. (Make sure you click with the cursor in the opened Help topic which you want to print.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Getting Help on ArchiCAD 14

Access Drop-Down text

Some Help topics include drop-down subheadings: to display the text under the subheading, click the arrow.

Access Related Topics

Some Help topics include links to Related topics. If the currently open topic has such Related topics, the Related Topics button at the top of the screen is active. Click to display, or click the Related Topics caption at the bottom of the current html page to display the links.

Print PDF

Click the PDF icon to display the Help pages in PDF format and to access Adobes commands for printing the pages using PDF format. To return to viewing it in HTML format again, click anywhere in the Helps Table of Contents.

For More Information

To access additional sources of information about using ArchiCAD: See the links in the ArchiCAD Help menu See the Getting Started booklet.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Getting Help on ArchiCAD 14

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

See Travel Pack: Move Your Project and Libraries to a Different Computer in ArchiCAD Help.

Automatic Server Recognition for No-Fuss Remote Access

ArchiCAD now automatically recognizes and resolves the varying addresses of your BIM Server, no matter which address (i.e. internal or external server address) you provide. If you often work from alternate locations - for example, home and the office - ArchiCAD will automatically recognize both addresses used to locate the BIM Server. You will no longer run into problems with missing BIM Server libraries or hotlinks, even if many team members are accessing the project using various server addresses from different locations. See Accessing the BIM Server Over the Internet in ArchiCAD Help..

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

Polished Reservation Methods

One-Click Reservation for Single-User Mode
Reserve All command reserves all available project elements, which is practical when only a single user is working on a Teamwork project. See Reserve All Elements and Data in ArchiCAD Help.

Automatic Release of Data When Closing Project

Sometimes, users forget to release their elements and data even after they stop working on a project. Once these users go offline, no other team user can reserve or request those data. This new preference helps users to routinely release their data every time they close the project. See Keep or Release Your Reservations with Send & Save in ArchiCAD Help.

Smarter Techniques to Find and Reserve Data

Faster element reservation on multiple layers: use Layer Combination as a criteria, instead of entering layers one by one. When reserving by Criteria, add or remove Project Regions easily Better feedback on reservation conflicts involving Navigator item settings Colored workspaces extended to Schedule windows Reserve all IS Scheme Settings from Schedule window Easily reserve all elements of a schedule: use the Schedule as a reservation criteria Reserve individual elements directly from Interactive Schedule to edit them immediately See Reservation in Interactive Schedules in ArchiCAD Help.

Centrally Defined User Colors

Each Teamwork user has a unique color which is, by default, uniform on all client machines, regardless of project. When using Colored Workspaces, every client will see the same colors, making it easier to communicate.

Teamwork Face to Face

Every user-specific Teamwork interface now features the users uploaded photo: Info Tags, user lists, messages... have fun!

See Define User Image and User Color.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

Transparency and Control Over Client-Server Technology

Modular BIM Server
Offices running several projects in different ArchiCAD versions need a BIM Server that serves all of them. Version 14 introduces the Modular BIM Server to achieve this safely and efficiently. The Modular BIM Server serves as many ArchiCAD versions as the number of its modules. Managing the Modular BIM Server is just as simple as having a standalone BIM Server.

See Modular BIM Server in ArchiCAD Help.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

Monitor Server Activities

For Server Administrators: Continuous monitoring of BIM Servers performance and memory, to assist decisions on hardware/software needed for optimal server performance

See Server Activities in ArchiCAD Help. For Project Administrators: view Project Settings and User Settings for project-level feedback on each users activities involving the BIM Server. See Monitor User Activity by Project and List of Users Recent Project Actions in ArchiCAD Help. For standard user: Verify specific project actions using the Project Log. See Project Log in ArchiCAD Help.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

Transparent Local Data Management

User can easily access information on his/her local copy of the Teamwork Project and libraries (Local Data), including: which projects he/she has joined which projects contain unsent changes the amount of disk space occupied by each projects Local Data User can delete any projects Local Data if it is no longer needed, assisted by ArchiCADs automatic reminders. See Get Feedback on Local Project/Library Data in ArchiCAD Help.

Direct Import/Export of Projects, Users and Roles Among BIM Servers

Straightforward transfer of Projects, Users (including User Settings), Role Settings and Custom Properties from one BIM Server to another. Use this feature: to make backups of BIM Server data to move data to another BIM Server when upgrading machines to ensure that data modified on one BIM Server is synchronized with similar data on another BIM Server See Export Teamwork Project, Export Users and Export Roles in ArchiCAD Help.

More Feedback on Network Processes and Interactions

Better feedback on ongoing and completed Teamwork operations involving server activities ArchiCAD sounds now include Teamwork interactions (e.g. messaging beeps)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

Coordination with Engineers

Model-Based Data Exchange Drawing-Based Data Exchange

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

Model-Based Data Exchange

Engineers and architects, who use a variety of specialized applications, increasingly rely on model-based collaboration to interact with each other. Working with model databases ensures more accurate calculations and more effective change management. To ensure that ArchiCAD users can exchange model data with any other application, ArchiCAD bases its model-based coordination features on the IFC standard of data exchange. ArchiCAD 14 has renewed its IFC features to make the collaboration process easier and more efficient.

Definition of Structural Elements within ArchiCAD Enhanced Model Exchange Direct (IFC-Based) Revit MEP/Structure Link Reference-model Version Tracking

Definition of Structural Elements within ArchiCAD

Element Classification for More Accurate Model Mapping
Element Classification extends ArchiCAD construction element data by adding three properties that are key to accurate model exchange: IFC Element Type: Ensures precise mapping of ArchiCAD elements to IFC element definitions. Structure Type: Define element as being either part of the building structure or not. (Replaces Structural Property add-on from ArchiCAD 13.) Position: Define element as being either an external or internal part of the building, to streamline coordination with energy analysis applications. These parameters are now integral parts of the Virtual Building, and so can be used with Find & Select and the Interactive Schedule. See Classification in ArchiCAD Help.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

Other Improvements
Column Veneer: Define a component type for Column veneer: either Finish, Core or Other. This way, you can use Partial Structure Display to show your columns without their finish-type veneers, as a way to limit the model to its structure-only parts. See Display of Column Core and Veneer in ArchiCAD Help. New Core of Load-Bearing Elements Only Option for Partial Structure Display: With this option, you can limit the Virtual Building to just its load-bearing components. Then, when you save it as an IFC model for a structural engineer, you will export only the needed parts of the project. See Partial Structure Display in ArchiCAD Help.

Enhanced Model Exchange

The procedure for exporting and importing an IFC model from ArchiCAD has been streamlined: Export or import specific parts of the model with advanced filtering options: by selection; by element type; by discipline; etc. Optionally export 2D elements, including annotations and text Support for Zip compression of IFC files (useful for compressing large models to be emailed) Improvements in saving Grid System to IFC, for better interpretation by other applications For big-project IFC experts: manage additional IFC data irrespective of elements Teamwork reservation status Other usability improvements: Save as IFC from 3D Window; accurate interpretation of rotated profile elements, rotated columns, and door frames; IFC building material converted to ArchiCAD fill. See Working with IFC in ArchiCAD Help. Save your configured IFC exchange settings as a translator, or use out-of-the-box translators specially configured for particular applications, such as Tekla Structures. See IFC Translators.

Direct (IFC-Based) Revit MEP/Structure Link

Use ArchiCADs preconfigured translators optimized for exporting model data to Revit MEP and Revit Structure See IFC Translators. Add-in for Revit Structure: This free downloadable add-in for Revit, developed by GRAPHISOFT, helps map architectural and structural models through the IFC-based export/ import process between Revit Structure and ArchiCAD. See Autodesk Revit Structure. Add-in for Revit MEP: Use this free downloadable add-in when importing Revit MEP elements to ArchiCAD, which will correctly interpret them as MEP Modeler elements (provided that a MEP Modeler license is available). See Importing MEP Data via IFC.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

Reference-model Version Tracking

When external consultants modify their own model and provide it in IFC format, ArchiCAD automatically compares the current and previous versions of the IFC model, and displays these differences in the context of the architectural model. Due to this automatic version tracking, you can be sure that you are notified of each and every model change. Model-based, on-screen change management makes it easier to handle all iterations with the Mark-up interface. The same feature lets you identify changes in the different versions of your own architectural model exported to your partners.

See Compare 3D Models (Model-Based Exchange) in ArchiCAD Help.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

Drawing-Based Data Exchange

Despite their increased reliance on model-based data exchange, architects and engineers still rely on each others CAD drawings to use as a reference in their respective models. The following features improve the export and import of DWG files in ArchiCAD: New options in Drawing Tool Settings enable you to control a drawings visibility based on the layers of the linked file, independently of the projects layers. This way, you can place a DWG in your project without importing all the source file attributes, yet still control the visibility of its layers. See Embedded Layers in ArchiCAD Help. Support for DWG formats used by all Autocad 2010-based applications Other usability enhancements: - Save Marquee area as DWG: save only the parts you need from the window - When opening XREF file, filter the imported drawing by layer (Partial Open) - XREF Manager shows feedback on translator used by each XREF file

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

General Productivity Improvements

Easy Offset Functionality Better Accessibility and Feedback for Input Constraints Dimension Text Prefix and Suffix Expanded Find and Select Criteria Easier Selection of Trace Reference Use Any Number of Layers in Composite Elements Shadows in Open GL Improved Interaction in Schedules and Project Index Streamlined Export of Interactive Schedule into Excel Layout Book Improvement Keep Revised Versions of Published Items Convert Surveyors Data into ArchiCAD Mesh Improved Page Setup for PDF Output Easy Offset Functionality
Easier access: Offset command available from Pet Palette from any part of selected polygon, as well as from Edit menu. Extended functions: - Create multiple element copies (Ctrl/Opt) while using Offset - Offset multiple selected elements simultaneously

See Offset Selected Element in ArchiCAD Help. 52

Expanded Find and Select Criteria

Use new text parameters to: Find elements by the text in the elements associated label Find text blocks by their content Search for part or all of text content See Find and Select Text Blocks/Labels in ArchiCAD Help. Use new criteria to find and select problematic elements so you can fix them: Find elements by missing attributes See Find and Select Elements with Missing Attributes in ArchiCAD Help. Find elements referring to missing library parts See Find and Select Missing Library Parts in ArchiCAD Help.

Easier Selection of Trace Reference

Changing the windows Trace Reference has become easier. Just access the Choose Reference dialog box, using Browse for Trace Reference..., from wherever you are working: the windows context menu, the Trace Palette, or the menu.

See Browse for Trace Reference in ArchiCAD Help.

Use Any Number of Layers in Composite Elements

The emphasis on sustainable architecture has introduced new complex building sructures with an extended number of layers. Now you can model these structures accurately as composite elements, which can contain up to 48 layers (up from previous limit of 8 layers).

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

Shadows in Open GL
Shadow casting now available with Open GL 3D Engine, for better results in 3D.

Improved Interaction in Schedules and Project Index

Use familiar spreadsheet-editing techniques to work in Schedule and Index windows: Use Tab/Shift+Tab to navigate right and left among Schedule and Index fields; use Enter/ Shift+Enter to navigate up and down. Cell-based scrollbar helps you navigate while editing multi-line texts Other usability improvements: Cell selection in Schedule window now highlights both the row and column, since both can be affected by your format changes. New Subset Name and Subset ID and Name fields are available for Project Index. Your Drawing Index can now be organized to reflect the subset-based hierarchy of the Layout Book.

Streamlined Export of Interactive Schedule into Excel

Save as Excel format supported on MacOS as well as Windows Export graphics and text formatting from Schedule to Excel for wysiwyg results Save as .xls file even if you do not have Excel installed on your computer

Layout Book Improvement

New layouts added to the Layout Book are now appended to the bottom item in the tree or the folder - so that the numbering of your existing Layouts remain unchanged. Similarly, new views are now appended to the bottom of the View Map.

Keep Revised Versions of Published Items

Often, you may need to output a Publisher item multiple times to keep pace with revisions. You may wish to keep the older published files as a record. As of ArchiCAD 14, the file name of each output Publisher item is identical to the name of the Publisher item itself. This means that if you output a Publisher item, and later rename it to reflect a new revision, you can re-publish it under the new name, without overwriting the previously output file, as was the case in older ArchiCADs. Feedback on the publishing process now includes each published items file location. See Revisions of Publisher Items in ArchiCAD Help.

Convert Surveyors Data into ArchiCAD Mesh

Use new command (Design menu) to import any text file containing xyz data (e.g. surveyors data) into ArchiCAD, creating a Mesh element automatically. See Surveyors data (.xyz) in ArchiCAD Help.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

Improved Page Setup for PDF Output

Scaled drawings, including those with header or footer, are printed from PDF correctly.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

Libraries
Enhanced Library Management New Library Content

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

Enhanced Library Management

Keep the Objects You Need, Eliminate Obsolete Libraries
A single click allows you to place project-specific objects where they belong: in the Embedded Library, while getting rid of old libraries from which you have placed only a few objects. Just select a library in Library Manager and click Embed Placed Library Parts. All objects from this library that have been placed in the project are moved into the Embedded Library; the original library is removed. The Embed Library Parts function puts project-specific objects into the Embedded Library, so they are always available for the project helps reduce the number of the projects duplicate library parts, by removing one of the libraries, while keeping the objects you need speeds up library loading time, since you have fewer libraries to load See Embed Placed Objects from a Library in ArchiCAD Help.

Streamlined Migration of ArchiCAD Libraries

If you have added more than one linked ArchiCAD Library to your project, ArchiCAD provides an easy one-click method of consolidating them. The automatic migration process makes sure that you have loaded the newest ArchiCAD Library, and will replace older ArchiCAD libraries with their much smaller migration versions, so that you have everything you need, yet nothing superfluous. The same consolidation process is available for BIM Server Libraries, once you have loaded the migration libraries you need to the BIM Server. See Consolidate ArchiCAD Libraries in ArchiCAD Help.

Avoid Library Conflicts and Missing Library Parts

ArchiCAD will provide more detailed information about loaded libraries and objects: For each library: how many elements and which elements have been placed. With this information, you can decide whether you need a particular library. For missing library parts: the name of the unavailable library and its last known location helping you to locate it. For duplicated objects: which library parts are causing the conflict - helping the user to decide which library, or which object should be removed from the project. Ambiguous objects have several possible sources - these are identified, so you can choose the version you need and avoid conflict. See Troubleshooting Library Issues in ArchiCAD Help.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

New Library Content

New Library Parts Redesigned Library Parts Library Parts Expanded with New Features Door-Window Developments

New Library Parts

New library parts, listed by their folder location in the ArchiCAD library: Basic Library / Furnishing / Office Equipment: Projector Projector Screen iMac MacMini MacBookPro MacPro

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

Basic Library / Furnishing / Chairs: Office Chair 05 Office Chair 06 Designer Stool Designer Chair 11 Designer Chair 12 Stool

Basic Library / Furnishing / Retail Furniture Umbrella Holder Basic Library / Furnishing / Cabinets and Shelves Flexible Shelf

Basic Library / Furnishing / Couches and Sofas Designer Couch Basic Library / Furnishing / Beds Hospital Bed Basic Library / Mechanical / Plumbing Fixtures WC for the Disabled
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

Bath Free-Standing

Wall-mounted Tap Basic Library / Furnishing / Bathroom Accessories Commercial Toilet Paper Dispenser Basic Library / Mechanical / Plumbing Fixtures Mop Sink Visualization / People and Vehicles / People Woman Sitting

Man Sitting 1, Man Sitting 2 Man on Bicycle, Woman on Bicycle

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

The new Reveal UI tab page

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

The new Wall Closure UI tab page

You can set the following combinations of reveal and wall closure options:
Turn Plaster No Reveal-Edge No Reveal Reveal Negative Reveal Slanted Reveal Splayed Reveal Historic Reveal Custom Reveal yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Traditional yes yes yes yes no no no no Prefabricated yes yes yes yes no no no no yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Custom

Splayed Reveal with Custom Closure

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

The No Reveal - Edge option allows the placement of doors and windows directly on the outer surface of the wall, with no reveal depth. The Turn Plaster option was moved to Closure settings. The user interface was restructured for the better understanding of the parameters. A remark was added to warn the user that wall skins that are wrapped as plaster skins will be turned outside of the wall contour defined in the reveal settings. A new checkbox was added to the Turn Plaster parameters to display the wrapped plaster skin on the 3D model. To understand how the Turn Plaster option works, here are two examples. In most cases and countries, the wrapped plaster skin shouldn't modify the nominal reveal/wallhole size of the doors and windows, so these skins are turned outside the wall contour, as can be seen on the following picture:

Plaster skin wrapped with the Turn Plaster option

However, if the user wants to wrap the outer skin inside the wall contour, it can be done with the Custom Closure option:

Plaster skin wrapped with the Custom Closure option

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

Until now, the Turn Plaster option only worked on the 2D symbol. As of ArchiCAD 14, Turn Plaster can be also switched on for the 3D model. Note 1: If the plaster skin is enabled for 3D, it will appear also in Section - but as part of the wall, not as an independent skin. Note 2: A plaster skin is never wrapped on the side of the wall where a casing, sill or board is placed.

New and Updated Doors

D1 Sliding Folding Multipanel D2 Sliding Folding Multipanel D1 Garage 3

Basic Windows: New opening types

Formerly, the main sashes of all windows in the Casement Windows folder only had the Side Hung opening type option. In the AC14 Library, these sashes have the following opening types: Side Hung, Side Hung Mirrored, Bottom Hung, Top Hung, Tilt-Turn, Tilt-Turn Mirrored, Reversible. Consequently, the names of the library parts were also changed from "Casement" to W1, W2 etc. and the Casement Windows folder was renamed to Basic Windows.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

New Sunshades

New Shutter types: Folding Outfolding Sliding New sunshade Rolling Shutter

Minimal Space for Doors

The minimal space display can be switched on for all doors of the standard library. This feature can be activated in the library-specific Model View Options dialog box.

The Minimal Space setting tab page of the D1 Door UI

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 New Features

Performance
The following is a list of specific performance improvements achieved in ArchiCAD 14 as compared with ArchiCAD 13. These results are based on tests performed on more than a dozen real projects provided to GRAPHISOFT by the ArchiCAD user community. Because test results vary widely depending on the nature of the project, test results are shown here as a typical range, rather than as an average. In some cases, performance results were strongly correlated with particular project characteristics; we have noted these where applicable.

Faster Generation of Door/Window Schedules

On average, generation and update of door/window schedules are 15-40% faster than in ArchiCAD 13. When using complex listing criteria - when you add Additional Parameters to the fields of the Schedule Scheme - performance has increased even more dramatically: long (120 sec) interactions have speeded up dramatically (to 5 sec).

Faster Library Reload

Faster library reload on projects which contain sections and details: the more sections/details, the greater the performance improvement. Our tests produced speed improvements ranging from 25% to 500%, compared to ArchiCAD 13.

Immediate Feedback on ArchiCAD Startup (Windows)

With earlier versions of ArchiCAD, it was possible that a user started ArchiCAD on a PC, but receiving no feedback from the operating system, the user would start it up a second time. With ArchiCAD 14, a splash screen appears immediately upon startup, to reassure you that the program is being loaded. (Since there was no such problem on MacOS, whose dock provides immediate feedback on the programs startup, feedback on MacOS remains the same as before.)

64-Bit BIM Server Available on MacOS

Now the GRAPHISOFT BIM Server can take advantage of the capabilities of your 64-bit server on MacOS as well as Windows. The 64-bit version of the GRAPHISOFT BIM Server can handle much more memory than the 4 Gigabytes of the 32-bit server. This results in better performance, especially if your server is hosting numerous large projects.

Faster IFC Handling

Open the solo ArchiCAD 13 project in ArchiCAD 14 and save it.

Important
Keep in mind that if your ArchiCAD 13 project contains a module or drawing linked from a Teamwork project, that source Teamwork project must have the same version number as the host project. This means that if you migrate a project (either solo or Teamwork) from ArchiCAD 13 to ArchiCAD 14, any Teamwork files that are linked to it (via modules or drawings) must also be migrated. See Migrating a Teamwork Project (Version 13 to 14).

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Migration Guide for ArchiCAD 14

Migrating a Teamwork Project (Version 13 to 14)

To migrate a Teamwork Project from ArchiCAD 13 to ArchiCAD 14, you will need: 1. Both ArchiCAD 13 and ArchiCAD 14 installed on your client machine. 2. Access to BIM Server version 13 and BIM Server version 14. This can take one of two forms: Either You have a BIM Server version 14 that also includes BIM Server version 13 as a module. (See Migrating the BIM Server (Version 13 to Version 14). This setup - migrating the project from one server module to another - is the simplest way to migrate. Or You have BIM Server 13 on one machine and BIM Server 14 on another machine. This setup - migrating the project from one server machine to another - is the more labor-intensive method.

Important
Keep in mind that if you link a module or a drawing from a Teamwork project, that source Teamwork project must have the same version number as the host project. This means that if you migrate a project (either solo or Teamwork) from ArchiCAD 13 to ArchiCAD 14, any Teamwork files that are linked to it (via modules or drawings) must also be migrated. Topics in this section:

Migrate Project from one Server Module to Another Migrate Project from one Server Machine to Another Migrate Project from one Server Module to Another
In this scenario, you have a single BIM Server that has both modules 13 and 14 installed. This migration process entails two phases: Prepare Project for Migration (you do this in ArchiCAD 13); and Migrate Prepared Project (you do this in ArchiCAD 14). Prepare Project for Migration 1. Start ArchiCAD 13. 2. Open your ArchiCAD 13 Teamwork project. 3. Make sure that all other users send in their changes and leave the project. (If they do not, they will lose any unsent changes.) 4. Issue the Prepare for Migration command at Teamwork > Project > Migrate > Prepare for Migration.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Migration Guide for ArchiCAD 14

5. The Migrate Project dialog appears. Click Prepare.

6. The project is prepared for migration. 7. You now have two choices: - If you do not want to prepare any more projects now, choose Finish Preparation from the next dialog box, then Close.

- To migrate another project, choose Open and Prepare another Project. This is the recommended choice if you have several Teamwork projects to migrate. This way, you prepare all of them in ArchiCAD 13 before changing to ArchiCAD 14 and completing their migration there, instead of switching back and forth between ArchiCADs for each project. 8. Once you have prepared all the projects you need, move on to the next phase:

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Migration Guide for ArchiCAD 14

Migrate Prepared Project 1. Start ArchiCAD 14. 2. Choose Teamwork > Project > Migrate > Migrate Prepared Projects.

3. The dialog box lists all the prepared projects: select one to migrate it. - If the listed project is shown in grey, it means you cannot complete that projects migration now - for example, because the server is offline. - If you have not prepared any projects, you are prompted to do so.

Optionally, check the Migrate ArchiCAD Libraries box: this will replace the projects currently used ArchiCAD libraries with ArchiCAD Library 14, plus the necessary migration libraries. (These libraries will be uploaded to the BIM Server if they are not there already.) If you do not check this box, you will continue using the migrated project with its current ArchiCAD libraries. 4. Click Migrate. 5. The project content will be uploaded to the BIM Server. Users and their roles on this project will be unchanged. Note: The Project Log, Comments, messages and any reservations will be deleted during project migration. 6. Now that the original project is migrated, you can manually delete it from the old BIM Server module.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Migration Guide for ArchiCAD 14

7. At this point, you can continue in one of three ways: - Migrate another project - Join the migrated project - Leave the migration process 8. If the migrated project contains any modules or drawings linked from AC 13 Teamwork projects, you must also migrate each of those Teamwork projects from ArchiCAD 13 to ArchiCAD 14, following the steps above. - If those hotlink/drawing source projects were on the same BIM Server as the migrated host project, then the host project will automatically locate and link the source projects, once they are all migrated. - If those hotlink/drawing source projects were on a different BIM Server than the migrated host project, you must re-link the modules and drawings manually, once the source projects are all migrated.

Migrate Project from one Server Machine to Another

In this scenario, you have BIM Server 13 running on one server, and BIM Server 14 on another server. 1. Open your ArchiCAD 13 Teamwork project. 2. Make sure that all other users send in their changes and leave the project. (If they do not, they will lose any unsent changes.) Just in case, it is advisable to lock the project on the server to prevent other users from modifying it. 3. Save the project as a solo (.pln) ArchiCAD 13 project. 4. Start ArchiCAD 14. 5. Open the .pln file and share it as an ArchiCAD 14 Teamwork project to BIM Server 14. 6. You must also migrate any ArchiCAD 13 Teamwork projects that are the source projects for hotlinked modules or drawings in the migrated project. Each of these source projects must be saved as .pln in ArchiCAD 13, then opened in ArchiCAD 14 and shared to the BIM Server 14. 7. All hotlinks and drawings linked to Teamwork source projects must be re-linked manually, once those source projects are all migrated. 8. Once the original projects are all migrated, they can be manually deleted from the old BIM Server.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Migration Guide for ArchiCAD 14

Migrating Libraries and Objects to ArchiCAD 14

To ensure that the user gets the full benefit of library improvements in ArchiCAD 14, it is recommended that when you migrate a project to ArchiCAD 14, you also load the ArchiCAD 14 Library.

Load ArchiCAD 14 Library

Issue the Add library command in the Library Manager and select the ArchiCAD 14 Library.

Automatic Library Migration

Any time you add an additional ArchiCAD library to a project that already has one, ArchiCAD will recognize the presence of older-version ArchiCAD libraries and will suggest an automatic Use Migration Library process.

The automatic migration process will load the new ArchiCAD library remove ArchiCAD libraries with lower version numbers load all the relevant migration libraries you need. (These migration libraries will have already been installed on your computer, as part of ArchiCAD installation.) For example, if you are migrating an ArchiCAD 10 project to ArchiCAD 14, the Use Migration Library command will automatically locate and load the Migration Libraries 10, 11, 12 and 13. Note: If you want to use your ArchiCAD Libraries from the BIM Server (rather than as linked libraries), ArchiCAD will not be able to locate the migration libraries automatically. In this case, you must upload the migration libraries from your hard drive to the BIM Server. If you do not use the Migration Library at this time, or if for any other reason your project includes two or more ArchiCAD Libraries (or an ArchiCAD Library that is not the latest version), the Library Manager displays the Consolidate button. At any time, you can consolidate your loaded ArchiCAD libraries, which has the same effect as the automatic migration process described above. (See Consolidate ArchiCAD Libraries.) The ArchiCAD Library migration is now complete. There are additional new features in v14 which help you eliminate old and partly used libraries. For information on these functions, please see: ArchiCAD 14 New Features.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Migration Guide for ArchiCAD 14

What is a Migration Library?

Each new version of the ArchiCAD Library contains many objects that have been updated since the previous version. For the most part, these updated objects are compatible with placed older versions of the same object. In some cases, the updated library part versions are not compatible with their older versions. Thus, when you migrate a project to ArchiCAD 14, your project still needs the older object versions to be available. ArchiCAD Migration Libraries serve this purpose: they contain only those objects from an earlier-version ArchiCAD Library that do not have compatible counterparts in the latest-version ArchICAD Library. A Migration Library is much smaller than full-version ArchiCAD Library, so it is preferable to use just the latest-version ArchiCAD Library, plus the Migration Libraries for previous versions. Loading these migration libraries is an automatic function: see Automatic Library Migration, above. This way, the compatible old objects will be automatically replaced by AC 14 library elements. The incompatible old elements will remain in place, located in the appropriate Migration Library, and will not conflict with the AC 14 objects. If you do not use the Migration Library, then some of your placed objects from older-version projects may not have a compatible corresponding object in ArchiCAD 14. In this case: those incompatible older objects will be Missing Objects in ArchiCAD 14 if you have removed your old libraries. In this case, you must replace these missing objects with new ones from the ArchiCAD 14 library, and reset their parameters as needed. Keeping your old libraries alongside your new libraries is not recommended, because a great many of the loaded objects will be duplicates and/or superfluous, and increase library loading time. The recommended solution, if you have placed objects from multiple ArchiCAD libraries and have loaded all the libraries, is to Consolidate your libraries. (See Consolidate ArchiCAD Libraries.)

Where to Find Migration Libraries

Migration libraries are installed on your machine when you install ArchiCAD 14. If you want to use your ArchiCAD libraries as Linked Libraries, then the automatic migration process and the Consolidate Libraries functions described above will locate and load the necessary migration libraries automatically; you do not need to find them. If your ArchiCAD Libraries are BIM Server Libraries (for example, for a Teamwork project) and you want to consolidate them, ArchiCAD will not be able to locate the migration libraries automatically. In this case, you must upload the migration libraries from your hard drive to the BIM Server. In this case, you should use the migration library corresponding to the version of the migrated project, plus every other available migration library upwards. For example, if you are migrating an ArchiCAD 10 project to ArchiCAD 14, you should use Migration Libraries 10, 11, 12 and 13. You can also download Migration Libraries from the GRAPHISOFT website. Note: Available migration libraries may vary, depending on your localized version.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Migration Guide for ArchiCAD 14

Migrating Libraries and Objects from ArchiCAD 12 and Earlier

Note the additional Library-related changes when migrating projects from ArchiCAD 12 and earlier:

Active Libraries - Linked Libraries

The active libraries of older-version projects will be loaded in ArchiCAD 14 as linked libraries. (They will be listed in the Linked Libraries folder of the Library Manager.)

Other Objects - Embedded Objects

Other Objects items in the older ArchiCAD projects will appear in the Embedded Objects folder of ArchiCAD 14.

Other Objects in Hotlinked Modules

If you place a hotlinked module from ArchiCAD 12, any objects placed from the source file's Other Objects folder will be missing in ArchiCAD 14. The solution is to embed these objects in your host ArchiCAD 14 project, using Library Manager, or to place those objects in a library on the BIM Server, and add that library to the project.

Lost Features when Back-Saving to ArchiCAD 13

If you back-save an ArchiCAD 14 project to ArchiCAD 13, certain functions that used features new in ArchiCAD 14 will be lost in ArchiCAD 13:

Lost Autotext and Superscript Items in Custom Dimensions

Custom dimensions in ArchiCAD 14 that included Autotext items will be converted into entirely custom dimensions, which are not associative. Any caret characters (^) will be removed from Dimension text, and superscript characters (in ArchiCAD 14 dimensions) will be shown as regular text (in ArchiCAD 13 dimensions).

1. Open the PlotMaker 9 LBK file in ArchiCAD 14 and save it as an AC 14 PLN file. 2. Open the ArchiCAD 9 PLN file in ArchiCAD 14 and save it as another AC 14 PLN file. You now have two new ArchiCAD 14 files; these two must now be merged. 3. In the latter active Project File (the one containing model data), use the File > File Special > Merge command to merge data from the other saved ArchiCAD 14 file (the one containing Layout Book data). In the appearing dialog box, choose Layout Book to merge Layout Book data of the file into your active Project File. Click the Merge button.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Migration Guide for ArchiCAD 14

If you open the Organizer from the Navigator, you will see that all Layout Book data has now been merged into the Project File.

Note: You should follow the route specified in this guide, that is, merge the PLN File containing Layout Book data into the PLN File containing Model data, and not the other way around. This is because of the rules of merging, and because Views and certain other data would not come through if you merged the Model data into the file containing Layout Book data.

100

AC File Path (File Path in ArchiCAD 14) Last saved at Last saved by Long Date Short Date Time Master Layout: Layout size is defined differently in ArchiCAD 14. In PlotMaker 9 and earlier versions, the size of the Layout means the printable area of the page (the full size of the paper minus margins on all four sides). In ArchiCAD 14, the size of a Layout means the full size of the paper. This change does not affect either the full size of the Layout (printable area + Margins on all four sides) or the sizes of the printable area or any of the Margins. They will be the same as in previous versions; only the names have changed to better approximate real-world practice, where a Layout is the whole paper used for printing/plotting. So Master Layout sizes are converted accordingly. The Grid for Drawing Numbering and Master Layout default come through unaltered. Layout settings: comes through unaltered. Subset settings: comes through unaltered. Book settings: comes through unaltered, except Output Color settings, which does not come through (no equivalent in ArchiCAD 14 - see Warning 2 above). Drawing settings: all settings come through (Title is converted into GDL Object), except for Attributes Update Rules, which have no equivalent in ArchiCAD 14. Layer changes are not carried through (see Warning 5 above). If the Text and Markers option in PlotMaker has been set to Fix Size, Warning 6 above is displayed. If a placed Drawing had its own Pen Set, the same Pen Set will be created in ArchiCAD 14 and the Drawing will continue using it. The Output Scale setting will be converted into Drawing Scale. Note: In ArchiCAD 14, Drawing Scale is the scale of the Drawing on the Layout, which will be output, while Original Scale is that of the Drawings source view. If several Drawings in PlotMaker 9 used the same Pen Set, ArchiCAD 14 will create only one Pen Set for all the Drawings. This Pen Set will have the same name as the first converted Drawing which uses this Pen Set, but all the converted Drawings which used it in PlotMaker 9 will use it in ArchiCAD 14. Publishing Contacts: If you have saved your Publishing Contacts from PlotMaker into a file, you can open that Contacts file in ArchiCAD 14 after opening the PlotMaker 9 LBK file. Grids: come through unaltered. Project Preferences: Working Units, Mouse Constraints, Publisher preferences, Uniform Pens and Colors setting, Miscellaneous settings come through. (Since there is no Uniform Pens and Color settings checkbox in ArchiCAD 14, this means in effect that all Drawings will refer to the same Pen Set). If cache data was stored in the Layout File in PlotMaker 9 (the option is in Preferences > Cache Folder), the Drawings will be stored in the Project File in ArchiCAD 14 (see Drawings placed on Layout below). Custom line weights do not come through (no equivalent in ArchiCAD 14 - see Warning 7 above).

104

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Migration Guide for ArchiCAD 14

Drawings placed on Layouts: In PlotMaker 9, Project links are saved with the Layout Book File (Preferences > Cache Folder > Include Cache in Layout Book). By default, external links (e.g. PMK files, bitmap files) are not saved with the Layout Book File. If a Drawing was saved with the Layout in PlotMaker 9 (Include all linked files checkbox of the Save as Dialog in PlotMaker 9 is checked), the Drawing generated from it in ArchiCAD 14 will be set to be a manual-update Drawing, and will be saved with the ArchiCAD 14 Project File (the Store Drawing in the Project file checkbox will be checked in the Drawing Settings Dialog). If a Drawing was not saved with the Layout in PlotMaker 9 (Include all linked files checkbox of the Save as Dialog in PlotMaker 9 is not checked), the Drawing generated from it in ArchiCAD 14 will be set to be an auto-update Drawing, and will not be saved with the ArchiCAD 14 Project File (the Store Drawing in the Project file checkbox will not be checked in the Drawing Settings Dialog).

Drawing Status
It is recommended that you perform an update of all placed Drawings after opening or merging a PlotMaker 9 LBK file in ArchiCAD 14. Background: The modification status checking of Drawings is significantly enhanced in ArchiCAD 14, compared to PlotMaker 9. In PlotMaker 9, the program monitored the last modification date of the Drawings source files. If the last modification date of the file had changed, the program assumed that all Drawings coming from that file would need updating. In contrast, ArchiCAD 14 can monitor the modification status of each Drawing with a PLN source separately. When opening a PlotMaker 9 LBK file in ArchiCAD 14, a transitional state exists: the LBK file does not contain all information necessary for ArchiCAD 14 to decide the modification status of Drawings in the Layout Book file. (This transition state can cause Drawings with OK status in PlotMaker to have Modified status in ArchiCAD.) In this case, the status checking will be performed according to the old method (which assumes all drawings from a modified PLN source require updating). Only after the first update performed in ArchiCAD 14 will the status checking mechanism run on the drawing level instead of the file level.

Drawing Name and Drawing ID

Not all Drawing Names and Drawing IDs coming from a PlotMaker 9 LBK file will have their exact equivalent when opened in ArchiCAD 14. Therefore it is recommended to review Drawing Names and Drawing IDs to make sure everything came through correctly. For checking Drawing Names/IDs and updating Drawings, it is highly recommended to use the Drawing Manager of ArchiCAD 14, which has many customizable columns listing information about Drawings. Background: In PlotMaker 9, the Drawing Name was always the same as the name of the View from which it was created. In ArchiCAD 14, a View Name consists of two parts: View Name and View ID. For this reason, Drawing Name can be either View Name or View Name + View ID (or Custom).

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

105

Migration Guide for ArchiCAD 14

In PlotMaker 9, the value of Drawing ID (which was called Drawing Number in PlotMaker 9), could come from the Layout or from the ArchiCAD Viewpoint, or it could be set to a custom value. In ArchiCAD 14, the ArchiCAD Viewpoint option is not available. Instead, the View ID value is used.

Library Objects
When merging an LBK file into ArchiCAD 14, all elements placed on Layouts, including library parts, are merged. However, the libraries used by the merged project are not automatically loaded into the ArchiCAD 14 project. Thus, if after a merge you find that any library parts (such as Drawing Titles) are missing, you should load any missing libraries to resolve the problem.

Converting Model Views to AC14: Floor Plan Display Issues

ArchiCAD 14 offers more sophisticated Display Options for elements than ArchiCAD 9, but predefined settings will ensure that files migrated from ArchiCAD 9 will have compatible displays in ArchiCAD 14. While display options have changed since ArchiCAD 9 (they are now called Model View Options), the following information should help you recreate the same display in ArchiCAD 14 for migrated projects. In ArchiCAD 14, options for Doors and Windows are set separately in Document > Set Model View > Model View Options, Options for Construction Elements Panel, giving you more flexibility in applying model views: If you choose the Show On Plans radio button, but leave the with Markers checkbox unchecked, it will achieve the same result as the Show on Plans option in ArchiCAD 9. If you choose the Show On Plans radio button, and check the with Markers checkbox, it will achieve the same result as the Show with Dim. option in ArchiCAD 9. If you choose the Show Opening Only radio button, but leave the with Contours checkbox unchecked, it will achieve the same result as the Hide on Plan options in ArchiCAD 9. If you choose the Show Opening Only radio button, and check the with Contours checkbox, it will achieve the same result as the Reflected Ceiling options in ArchiCAD 9. The Hide on Floor Plan radio button is a new choice: it means that Doors/Windows will not be shown on the Floor Plan at all, just as if there were no Doors/Windows in Walls. In Section, Elevation, and Interior Elevation, the Door/Window hole will be visible.

106

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Migration Guide for ArchiCAD 14

Regarding the display of Cut Fills (Document > Set Model Display > Model View Options > Override Fill Display), you will notice that there is no option to set Bitmap Patterns. A bitmap display is available for on-screen display only: Bitmap or Vectorial is set globally using the Vectorial Hatching option of On-Screen View Options.

113

Migration Guide for ArchiCAD 14

For a more comprehensive and printable display of the hotlinked source files, click the Show hierarchy in browser button. This will open your default internet browser in a separate window, showing the hotlinked source files in a hierarchical format, together with file locations that are hyperlinked.

Conversion of a project with Hotlink Source files available in their original location
In this workflow, you will open the hotlinked source files one by one and save them in ArchiCAD 14. Suppose you have the following hotlinks linked into Project A:

1. Open the project (A.pln) 2. In the warning dialog which appears, choose the Open Hotlink Manager option.

114

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Migration Guide for ArchiCAD 14

3. The Hotlink Manager contains a list of Source files.

Use this option to choose a profile to use as the Work Environment for the project you are creating or opening. Last Profile Used: This option will apply the profile that was in effect when you last closed ArchiCAD, including any unnamed Custom schemes and undefined schemes. Default Profile: This is either the factory-shipped default profile, or else the profile you have manually set to be the default using the controls of the Work Environment Dialog Box. For more information, see Default Profiles in ArchiCAD 14 and Customizing your Work Environment.

Do not Display this Dialog Next Time

If you dont want to see the Start ArchiCAD dialog box every time you start the program, disable it by checking this box. To enable it again, use the File > New & Reset All command.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

121

Configuration

Create New Solo Project

Use File > New > New to create a new solo project (file extension .pln).

Note: If you press Alt (Opt) key when choosing the New command, its name changes to New and Reset All, and ArchiCAD will automatically use the default project settings. The New Project dialog box appears. Click either Use a Template, or Use Latest Project Settings.

Use a Template
Click the pop-up to choose a template. At the top of the list is the default template shipped together with the current version of ArchiCAD. (It is saved to the Defaults folder when you install ArchiCAD.) Defaults folder locations: On PC: C:\Program Files\Graphisoft\ArchiCAD 14\Defaults\ArchiCAD On MacOS: \Applications\Graphisoft\ArchiCAD 14\Defaults\ArchiCAD Note: A template is a read-only project file, which contains all preferences settings, placed construction and drawing elements and tool default settings of the project. (When starting a new project based on a template, you are in fact opening a copy of this template file as Untitled). The next section contains any additional template files saved to the Templates folder, located here: On PC: Documents and Settings\user\Graphisoft\ArchiCAD Templates. On MacOS: Library\Application Support\Graphisoft\ArchiCAD Templates. 122
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

In the next section of the pop-up list, you will find up to three of the last template files chosen. Or select Browse Template to choose a template file from any other location.

Use Latest Project Settings

Choosing this means that you will continue working with all the project-specific options, and a few general preferences, that were in effect when you last quit ArchiCAD. Note: This can be the perfect solution for you, if you always work with the same standard definitions. However, if you last opened and worked on a project that was created by another person, you may find that your preferred settings are off. If you do not wish to return to the programs default settings, open a project that you are familiar with, then close it and start the new project again: this time, Latest Project Settings will mean the settings you are familiar with.

Launch a new instance of ArchiCAD

Use File > New to create a new project. From the New Project dialog box, check the Launch a new instance box if you want to open an additional ArchiCAD in addition to the currently running program, if any.

Setup Work Environment

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

123

Configuration

Open a Solo Project

Use File > Open > Open... to open a solo project.

This command is not available if the active window belongs to an open GDL Object. See also File Types Opened by ArchiCAD. The Open file directory dialog box appears. Browse for the project you need.

124

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

To open a recent project, select from the list at the bottom of the File > Open command.

Join or Leave a Teamwork Project

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

125

Configuration

Close a Solo Project

If you use File > Close to close the Floor Plan, you close the entire Project. You will be prompted to save recent changes, if any. External files (GDL Object windows, pictures) will remain open. When you save and close a project with many windows open simultaneously, ArchiCAD will reopen these windows the next time you open the project. Re-opening all these windows may take time, especially if they must be rebuilt. If the number of windows to be re-opened exceeds 20 (not including PhotoRendering windows, which are not saved with the project), then ArchiCAD will show a warning dialog in which you can opt to re-open just the frontmost window (plus the Floor Plan), instead of all of the previously open windows.

Close Teamwork Project

126

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Saving from ArchiCAD

Use File > Save to save your project. Choosing File > Save as allows you to save the Project under a new name, archive it or save the current windows contents in a variety of file formats. Some of the available options may depend on the set of currently loaded Add-Ons. Some file formats are 2D-only or 3D-only formats. See File Types Saved by ArchiCAD.

Saving From a List Window

Basic Element, Component and Zone Lists can be saved as Plain Text, Tabulated Text, HTML tables or PDF. Click either radio button to include the files Used Column only or All Columns in the file. Formatted lists including graphic information can be saved in .rtf (Rich Text Format), ArchiCAD Project format, or PDF.

Saving from a Schedule Window (Interactive Schedule)

Schedules can be saved in the following formats: Tabbed text, DWF, .xls and PDF. From a PC, with MS Office, you can also save in .doc format.

File Types Saved by ArchiCAD Close a Solo Project Close Teamwork Project

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

127

Configuration

File Compression
When saving certain file types from ArchiCAD (.pln, .tpl, .pla, .mod), the Options button in the Save dialog box presents you with the option to Compress file. This option is enabled by default, and is recommended in most cases, since file compression reduces file size considerably (by 60-70%). Using this option also increases download speed if you are working from a slow network, because the files are smaller. However, note that using the Compress file option means increased file saving time (about 30% longer), as a consequence of increased calculation needs. If the saving procedure takes too long, try turning this option off. Note: If you are using a computer with dual processors, file saving time should increase by only 5-10%.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

131

If you encounter an error in a project that requires technical support, the problem can be resolved much more efficiently if the support personnel can view the problematic project files. The relevant files might be located on a BIM Server as well as on client machines, in various folders. The Support Package function is a utility that automatically gathers the necessary data and stores it in a single file (.support for solo projects or .twsupport for Teamwork projects) that you can easily send to GRAPHISOFT for troubleshooting. In the case of Teamwork projects, certain problems - errors during Send, Receive, or Saving the local copy - will automatically bring up the Support Package interface. (At this point, you can proceed or cancel as you prefer.) To create a Support Package: 1. From the ArchiCAD Help menu, select Create Support Package.

2. You are prompted to close any open projects. (You will also be prompted to Save or Send and Receive changes, where applicable.)

134

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

3. The Create Support Package dialog box appears:

Choose either Solo Project or Teamwork Project. Your most recently closed project is shown in the Project field. To choose a different project, click the Browse (...) button. - For a Teamwork project: You must select a BIM Server, then select the Teamwork Project whose files you want to send. If you are not a Project Administrator, you are prompted to provide a Project Administrators user name and password in order to access the projects on the server. (This account will not be stored on your computer.) 4. Select the package content to be sent. Default content is recommended. For a solo project, the Default content includes log files and crash info files. For a Teamwork project, the Default content includes log files, crash info files, and your local copy of the project. To include other items as well, choose Custom, then Package Content. In the appearing dialog box, check the boxes of the items to include. (The Default content is included automatically; here, choose any additional items to include in the package.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

135

Configuration

The optional content differs for solo and for Teamwork projects:

5. Enter any comments that could be helpful to support staff. For example, describe what happened; list the last few actions you took. 6. Click OK to return to the Create Support Package dialog box. 7. Click Create. 8. Select a destination folder for the Support Package file.

9. Click OK to start the file creation process. 10. When the process is complete, a browser window opens showing the location of the newly created .support or .twsupport file. 11. Send the file to your local GRAPHISOFT Technical Support.

136

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

License Borrowing
If your firm has multiple (network) licenses to use ArchiCAD or other GRAPHISOFT programs, the License Borrowing feature allows individual users to borrow a license key temporarily if they will be going offsite, to enable use of the software even without being connected to the network. License borrowing is available if your firm uses the CodeMeter network protection. To access this feature, ArchiCAD 14 must be running on your machine with a network license. Do one of the following: Click on Help > License Information From the Help > About ArchiCAD Dialog, click on License Information. In the License Information dialog box, the Available Products section lists the relevant installed GRAPHISOFT products, by Product Name and License.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

137

Configuration

Note: It is possible that you have installed MEP Modeler on your machine without a license key. (This means that you can view MEP elements correctly in ArchiCAD, but you cannot create or modify them.) In this case, the License Information dialog box lists MEP Modeler product as Disabled. You can click Enable Product here to start using a license for MEP Modeler: this way, you will have full access to MEP functions.

Below, the Product Information section displays language version and other license information, including expiration date if you have borrowed a license. In any case, borrowing is available only if the selected products License is Network (CodeMeter). Click Borrow to borrow a license for that product.

If the process is successful, the program lets you know that you have borrowed a license for the product, with a particular expiration date. In the License Information dialog box: The selected products License information is listed as either Borrowed (CodeMeter Stick) or Borrowed (License file), depending on the form of protection used. (This can vary by country.) The selected product is now shown with a Return button: click here when you are ready to return the license. The expiration date of the borrowed license is shown in the Product Information section. If your license expires before you return it, the program will automatically return it for you, even if you are not online.

138

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Opening Projects through a Network

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

143

Configuration

Scale
To set the scale of the currently active window, choose the Document > Floor Plan Scale command. (The name of the command varies depending on which window is active.) You can have a separate scale in effect for each window.

Select either a standard scale from the pop-up list or type a nonstandard scale into the input field. The name of the given window is displayed in the caption of the dialog box.

Standard scales are shown according to either metric or US standards, depending on the Length Unit setting made in the Working Units dialog box. (See Working Units.)

144

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

You can also use the Scale pop-up from the Quick Options Palette to reset the scale of the current window. See Quick Options Palette. After setting a scale, what you see is a preview of the Project if it were printed or plotted at that scale. To make a zoomed view match the view at the currently set scale, choose View > Zoom > Actual Size (or click the zoom button) after setting the scale.

Actual Size is the equivalent of the 100% scale value. The 2D Symbol of some GDL Objects (see the parameter) can be set to be sensitive to the current scale: the symbol varies depending on the current scale. See 2D Detail Level.

Model Size vs. Paper Size Elements

Model Size elements are rescaled along with the model whenever you change the project scale. Model size elements include all construction elements such as walls, objects, slabs etc. Paper Size elements are printed or displayed on the screen at the size you specify, regardless of the scale selected for the Project. For elements that do not have any real size, such as dimensions and arrowheads, you can specify a fixed size defined in either points or millimeters. Either Model Size or Paper Size: The following elements may be either model size (scaled with the plan) or paper size (scale independent): Text Blocks created with the Text tool: Choose Model or Paper size in: Text Tool Settings Dashed and symbol line types: Choose Model or Paper size in: Line Types Dialog Box Vectorial, symbol and image fill types: Choose Model or Paper size in: Fill Types Dialog Box

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

145

Configuration

Set a Different Scale for Each View

As you save views of your project, the scale is saved along with the view. Naturally, you will vary the scale as your project develops and you save multiple views at different scales for different purposes, using the Scale option in: View Settings.

Set a Separate Printing Scale for 2D Document

The Scale options in the Print 2D Document and Plot 2D Document dialog boxes allow you to specify a Custom printing scale each time you print or plot your work from a Floor Plan or other 2D window. Print 2D Document and Plot 2D Document The Text and Markers options enable you to reduce/enlarge text and markers as the printing scale is changed, or keep them at a fixed (paper) size.

146

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Drawing Scale
Drawings based on an ArchiCAD view have a Drawing Scale. By default, this Drawing Scale is the same as the Original Scale (the scale of the Drawings source view), but you can customize the Drawing Scale in: Drawing Settings.

Customizing the Drawing scale has no effect on the scale of objects within the drawing; it is equivalent to a graphical resizing of the Drawing, like the effect of magnifying a document with a copy machine.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

147

Configuration

Attributes
ArchiCAD Attributes are groups of defined settings available to your project. For example, Line Types and Materials are Attributes which you can apply to many project elements as you create them. You will access these attributes in the appropriate dialog boxes: for example, when assigning Wall Settings, you will choose from the projects Fill set and Line Type set, using the appropriate pop-up menus in the Wall Settings dialog box. What you see in these pop-up menus are defined in Options > Element Attributes.

ArchiCAD comes with a default set of Attributes. For most users, these default attribute sets are amply suited to their design needs. Note: If you have installed MEP Modeler, the MEP Systems attributes are also available. See the MEP Modeler User Guide for more information on this add-on. If you wish, you can customize Attributes or create new ones. For example, you can draw a new fill type, or customize a default material to give it a new look. Attributes are saved with your project, so if you open the project on a different computer, your customized Attributes are available. See also Missing Attributes. To open and (if needed) edit Attribute sets, use the commands from Options > Element Attributes. Each attribute type is described in detail here:

Layers Line Types Fill Types Composite Structures Pens & Colors Materials Zone Categories
148
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Mark-Up Styles Dialog Box Profile Manager Dialog Box Attribute Manager Custom Attributes of GDL Objects Attributes of XREF Files

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

149

Configuration

Layers
About Layers Layer Settings Dialog Box Quick Layers Layer Combinations Use Layers to Prevent Wall/Column/Beam Intersections Use Separate Layer Settings for the Layout Book Place All Elements on a Single Active Layer (Simulate Autocad Work Methods) Show/Hide Layers of Imported DWG/DXF/DWF Files Attributes of XREF Files

150

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

About Layers
Layers are used to separate elements logically. Related groups of elements, such as dimensions, furniture, electrical symbols and so on, are placed on common Layers. An element can only belong to a single layer. For each layer, you can define the following settings: lock/unlock show/hide 3D view mode layer intersection group ArchiCAD comes with a predefined set of layers. Each tool has a default Layer assignment, so if you place an element using that tool, the new element is automatically placed on the corresponding layer (e.g. External Wall, Column, Beam). Note: Doors, Windows, Wall Ends and Corner Windows do not have separate layers; they are handled together with the layers of the wall into which they are placed. Cameras do not have layers. Layers can be deleted; in this case, you will delete all the elements on it. However, the ArchiCAD Layer is a special layer that cannot be deleted, hidden or locked, since an ArchiCAD project must always contain at least one layer. In case of a file error, any elements that may have lost their layer definitions will be placed on the ArchiCAD layer. Each ArchiCAD project has a single layer set, managed in the Layer Settings Dialog Box, which is accessible from: Options > Element Attributes > Layer Settings Document > Layers > Layer Settings (shortcut: Ctrl+L) Layer Settings icon in the Info Box of any ArchiCAD tool.

See Layer Settings Dialog Box. The Quick Layers palette contains shortcuts for changing layer states for multiple layers quickly and easily. See Quick Layers.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

151

Configuration

Layers are global, which means that the same layers are available on all stories and in all windows. However, layers used in the Layout book can have different settings than those used in Model views. (The title bar of the Layer Settings dialog box reflects which type of window is active in ArchiCAD - a Model View or the Layout Book.) See Use Separate Layer Settings for the Layout Book.

Use Layers to Lock Elements to Prevent Editing

Go to the Layer Settings Dialog Box. Click the lock icon to toggle between locked/unlocked status for the selected layer.

If a layer status is locked, then elements on that layer cannot be edited - this is useful if you want to prevent unintended changes.

152

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Use Layers to Show/Hide Elements

Go to the Layer Settings Dialog Box. To show/hide a layer, toggle the eye icon open or shut for the selected layer. If a layer is in hidden status, elements on that layer are not displayed on your plan.

Note: If you hide an elements layer, any associated label is also hidden - even if the label is located on a different layer.

Use Layers to Show 3D Elements in Wireframe Mode

Go to the Layer Settings Dialog Box. Click the shaded/wireframe icon for the selected layer to toggle between these display mode options for 3D. This setting is independent of the current 3D mode set in the View > 3D View Mode menu.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

153

Configuration

Quick Layers
The Quick Layers palette lets you quickly change the state of the Layers in your Project without having to open the Layer Settings dialog box. To display this palette, choose the Window > Palettes > Quick Layers command. Select the element(s) whose layers you wish to manage. (You can select elements using both explicit selection and Marquee areas.) The toggle buttons, from left to right:

Show/Hide Toggle: inverts the visibility of all layers. Lock/Unlock Toggle: inverts the state of all protected and unprotected layers. Hide Selections Layer: Hides the layer of the selected elements. Lock Selections Layers: Locks layer of the selected elements. Unlock Selections Layers: Unlocks layer of the selected elements. Hide Others Layers: Hides the layer of the elements that are not selected. (If nothing is selected, all project layers will be hidden.) Lock Others Layers: Locks the layer of the elements that are not selected. (If nothing is selected, all project layers will be locked.) The Undo Quick Layer Actions command undoes the last Quick Layer action (up to 10 actions). The Redo Quick Layer Actions command redoes the last undone QuickLayer action (up to 10 actions).

154

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Quick Layers Example

Suppose you want to edit this roof in the Floor Plan:

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

155

Configuration

You dont need the Section and Elevation markers; to temporarily hide them, select all the Section/Elevation markers...

... then click the Hide Selections Layers command.

Now the unneeded markers and lines are hidden.

156

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Once you are done working on the roof and want to show the hidden layers again, click the Undo Quick Layers button.

All Section and Elevation markers are now shown again.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

157

Configuration

161

Configuration

On the Layer Combination side, you can directly change the Foundation layers state (e.g. from Show to Hide) in any or all Layer Combinations: just go down the list of Layer Combinations one after the other, and click the Foundation Layers status icons as necessary. The Layer Combinations are now redefined accordingly. (You dont have to click Update.)

Find and Select Elements based on Layer Combination

The Find and Select function (Edit > Find and Select) enables you to set up criteria by which to find and select elements in the project. See Find and Select Elements. One such criteria you may use is Layer Combination. In the Find and Select dialog box, add the criteria Layer Combination and then choose one of the defined Layer Combinations of your project. This means the program will find and select the elements which are visible according to the Layer Combination you have chosen.

162

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Use Layers to Prevent Wall/Column/Beam Intersections

You can work with Layer states to control Wall/Column/Beam intersection display in 2D. To do this, you can vary their Layer Intersection Group numbers. Intersecting elements that belong to the same Layer Intersection Group will be joined to each other, provided they are drawn correctly. Elements on different Layer Intersection Groups will not be joined.

The numbers under the intersection icon in the Layers panel (Document > Layers > Layer Settings) indicate the number of the intersection group the elements on that layer belong to.

Only elements on the same intersection group will connect to each other. By default, every layer is set to Group 1, so all intersecting elements will be joined according to the regular intersection rules for ArchiCAD. You may want to prevent this intersection - for example, to show the details of composite walls that have not been joined. In this case, place the intersecting walls on different layers, and then give one of these a layers a different Layer Intersection Group number. Wall Layers Have Identical Intersection Group Numbers:

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

163

Configuration

Wall Layers Have Different Intersection Group Numbers:

Note on Intersection with Hidden Layer: Elements having identical intersection groups will intersect even if one of the layers is hidden. This may result in missing lines, indicating an intersection with an element on a hidden layer. To avoid this, go to Layer Settings, select one of the layers, and assign it any different intersection group. Exception for Level 0: Elements which are both on intersection group 0 (whether on the same or different layers) will NOT intersect.

164

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Use Separate Layer Settings for the Layout Book

While each ArchiCAD project has only one Layer set, the settings of any particular layer (for example its show/hide or locked/unlocked status) can be different in the Layout Book and in Model Views. The settings variation you see in the Layer Settings Dialog Box (either Layout Book or Model Views) depends on which window is active when you open Layer Settings. Both the Layer Settings command and the dialog box are labeled accordingly.

See Layer Settings Dialog Box. Important: Layer settings for the Layout Book serve to show/hide elements directly placed on layouts, such as lines, texts and drawings as a whole. Layout Book layers do not affect the drawing content, which is determined by the layers of its associated view.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

165

Configuration

Place All Elements on a Single Active Layer (Simulate Autocad Work Methods)
If you wish to simulate AutoCAD work methods, the Active Layer command is an easy way of assigning a single default layer to all tools, instead of than using ArchiCADs default layer set-up. Choose Document > Layers > Layer Extras > Active Layer from the menu and choose the One Active Layer for all Element Types option from the appearing palette.

This will set the default layer of all element types to the layer of the currently active tool (regardless of any selection). All Tool Settings dialog boxes will now use the same default Layer definition and successive elements will all be placed on that layer, regardless of type. You can override this setting manually for selected elements. If you wish to return to the previous layer state, choose the Individually Set Layers option. The last set of manually defined layers will be used.

166

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Line Types
Line types are assigned to each ArchiCAD construction element in its own Tool Settings dialog box, depending on the element type. For example, when defining how a Column should be displayed in a 2D window, you will apply different line types for its core outline, for its overhead display and for its crossing symbol.

The line types available in the element Settings dialog boxes are defined and managed as the projects Line Type attributes, in Options > Element Attributes > Line Types.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

167

Configuration

Use the Line Types Dialog Box to modify the standard line types (solid, dotted, dashed, etc.) and define customized line types. See Line Types Dialog Box.

Line Weight Display

By default, all lines will be displayed at Hairline width, at one pixel wide. In addition, you can enable Bold Cut Lines (View > On-Screen View Options); this will show all Cut lines as bold (two pixels wide, regardless of the lines true pen weight). All other lines will be shown at Hairline width. The alternative to Hairline weight is display each pens True Line Weight: enable Line True Weight in View > On-Screen View Options. Each lines pen weight (depending on its pen weight value as defined in the Pens and Colors dialog box) will be displayed accurately.

168

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Fill Types
ArchiCAD includes a predefined set of default fill patterns, or fill types. You can access them from the Options > Element Attributes > Fill Types Dialog Box where you can define, edit, duplicate, rename or delete them. Fill types are assigned to ArchiCAD construction elements in their own Settings dialog boxes. Related topics:

Fill Types Dialog Box Fills

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

169

Configuration

Composite Structures
Walls, Slabs and Roofs can be defined as composite structures. Related topics:

Assign a Composite Structure to a Wall, Roof or Slab Define a Custom Composite Structure Components of Composite Structures Composite Structures Dialog Box

170

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Assign a Composite Structure to a Wall, Roof or Slab

1. Select the element, or open the Default Settings dialog box for the element type. 2. In the Floor Plan & Section panel, open the Structure pop-up list, and click on Cut Fills. The Structures Cut Fills pop-up list of Wall, Slab and Roof Settings includes a number of predefined Composite Structures (in addition to the uniform structures).

Note: Composite Structures are defined for specific element types: Wall, Slab, and/or Roof, by the Use With control, in the Options > Element Attributes > Composite Structures Dialog Box. Therefore, a composite element available from the Walls Structure - Cut Fills pop-up may not be available in the Roof Settings Structure - Cut Fills pop-up. 3. Choose the desired composite structure. This composite structure will be applied to the currently selected or created element.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

171

Pen Sets
ArchiCAD comes with several predefined Pen Sets. These are listed and managed Options > Element Attributes > Pens & Colors or Document > Pen Sets > Pens & Colors. See Predefined Pen Sets for Specific Functions for an overview of the logic behind predefined pen sets. You can just use the default pen set, or you can apply a different Pen Set for your project, depending on the purpose of the current output.

Apply a Pen Set Redefine a Pen Set Transfer a Pen Set to Another Project Automatic Pen Color Visibility Adjustment for Model Views Predefined Pen Sets for Specific Functions Pens & Colors Dialog Box

176

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Apply a Pen Set

The predefined Pen Sets shipped with ArchiCAD are based on common workflows. See Predefined Pen Sets for Specific Functions for an overview of the logic behind predefined pen sets. However, you can use the Pens & Colors Dialog Box to redefine or rename any pen set together with its description redefine any pens line weight or color, using the Edit Color control

See Pens & Colors Dialog Box. Pen numbers remain constant even if you change pen sets. After redefining a color or changing the Pen Set, the ArchiCAD construction elements immediately change to the new colors on the Floor Plan. The 3D window, 3D Document and Section/Elevation/IE/Worksheet windows may require that you rebuild the view.

180

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Transfer a Pen Set to Another Project

Pen Sets are attributes, and can be transferred among different ArchiCAD projects using the Pen Sets tab page of the Attribute Manager (Options > Element Attributes > Attribute Manager). Similarly, each pen set's individual definitions can be copied among projects in the Attribute Manager (Pens and Colors tab page).

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

181

Configuration

Automatic Pen Color Visibility Adjustment for Model Views

Configuration

Assign a Material to a Construction Element

1. Select a placed element, or open the Default Settings dialog box for the element type. 2. Use the Model panel to access the available materials for the elements top, bottom and side surfaces in the 3D window. 3. Choose the desired materials to apply them to the current element. (Apply a single material to all surfaces using the Chain icon, or apply separate materials, as needed.) Note: Wall geometry and the direction of its reference line affect the assignment of materials to each surface of the Wall. For more information, see Wall Model Panel.

190

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

6. If you define the angle numerically, it will be applied relative to the default orientation of the Texture and measured counterclockwise.

193

Configuration

Display of Materials in Renderings

Different Rendering Engines have different capabilities for displaying materials. Thus, when editing a Material in the Material Settings dialog box, some of the available controls may not have any effect on the materials rendered appearance. To streamline the process, choose your intended Rendering Engine as the Preview Engine in the Material Settings dialog box and check the Disable unrelated Controls box. See Material Settings Dialog Box.

This way, only those controls will be available in Material Settings that will actually affect the final rendered appearance. If you intend to render with LightWorks, choose the LightWorks Rendering Engine in Material Settings, and check Disable unrelated controls. The LightWorks Shader Settings panel is now the only one you need to edit in Material Settings. See LightWorks Shader Settings.

194

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Renderings display all material characteristics except vectorial hatching. The general appearance of your renderings is defined in the PhotoRendering Settings dialog box, whose settings apply to all materials in the rendering. See PhotoRendering Settings.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

195

Configuration

Attribute Manager
Open the Attribute Manager from Options > Element Attributes > Attribute Manager. Displaying the dialog box might take some time, since it has to list all the attributes of the project. This dialog box allows you to copy (append, overwrite) attributes (Layers, Layer Combinations, Pens & Colors, Pen Sets, Line Types, Fill Types, Composite Structures, Materials, Profiles, Zone Categories and Cities) between two opened files. It can also duplicate or delete attributes in either of the two files. Note: If you have installed MEP Modeler, the MEP Systems tab page appears too. Note: On top of the dialog box, the attribute types icons represent tab pages that display one type of attribute at a time. The last tab shows all types of attributes in a single list. On the left, the attributes of the currently opened ArchiCAD file are shown by their index number and name. Note: Be aware that ArchiCAD stores attributes by their index numbers and not by their names. This rule has to be considered when you import or export attributes between two files. You have to be extremely cautious when you want to overwrite attributes with similar names but different indexes. On the right you can either open a second ArchiCAD file (Project, Archive or Module) or create a new one in a special format that belongs to Attribute Manager. (Use the Open command at the bottom right of the dialog box.)

196

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Here, the Fill attributes of two projects are shown. For the current project (whose attributes are listed on the left side), a checkmark means that the attribute is used in the project.

The buttons between the two parts of the dialog box allow you to copy attributes in either direction, and delete, append or overwrite them. Also, you can select any single attribute from the right-hand list and save it as a separate file to any location. Appending an attribute will add it to the list of the other file under a new index. Overwriting an attribute will replace it with another attribute from the other file that has the same index number. At the bottom of the dialog box a number of buttons allow you to perform different operations on the files: Purge Unused: You have the option of purging the unused attributes from your project: click Purge Unused from the bottom of the current projects attribute list. Note, however, that an attribute shown here as unused (it is listed without a checkmark) may in fact be referred by the GDL script of a placed object. The Revert button restores the attributes to their previous state. (The Cancel button has the same effect, but also closes the dialog box.) The Apply button applies the changes you have made without closing the dialog box. To sort an attribute list by a particular criterion, click the top of the desired column. For example, you can display pens by line width or cities by latitude. In the row below the list of the current project attributes, you can edit individual attribute names and some of their properties. For example, for fill attributes you can define its type as Drafting, Cover and/or a Cut Fill. (See Fill Categories.)
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

197

Configuration

Some GDL object scripts include custom attributes. These attributes may be defined either as part of their individual object scripts or defined in the MASTER_GDL script. When you load such objects into a project, their custom attributes are automatically merged into the projects attribute set as follows: If the Attribute definition is contained in the MASTER_GDL script, then once the library containing the MASTER_GDL script is loaded, the attributes are merged into the ArchiCAD project attributes. Attributes with the same names are not replaced. If the Attribute definition is contained in the individual library part scripts, then - Fills and Line types are merged into the ArchiCAD project. - Material and Texture attributes are not merged into the ArchiCAD project attributes.

202

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Libraries
About Libraries Library Manager Recommendations for Using Libraries Embedded Library Linked Libraries BIM Server Libraries Remove Library from Project Troubleshooting Library Issues Missing Objects and the Library Loading Report Library Container File Library Updates

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

203

Configuration

About Libraries
Libraries contain the external or embedded files of geometric library parts, or Parametric Objects. Each version of ArchiCAD is shipped with a standard object library containing hundreds of preconfigured, editable objects (also known as GDL objects or Library parts). For the most part, you will use ArchiCAD tools to place objects from this standard library. Each subsequent version of ArchiCAD comes with an updated ArchiCAD Library. See Migration Guide for ArchiCAD 14 for recommendations on migration issues. See also Parametric Objects. When creating a new project, ArchiCAD will load the library contained in the template used for the new project. Your project can use additional, specialized Libraries for different applications (e.g., residential Projects and industrial building design). There are different Libraries corresponding to different national standards. In addition to objects, a Library can also contain files of different formats that are referred to by ArchiCAD elements: Listing Templates are plain text files that are used to customize the content and the look of quantity calculations. Textures are picture files that can be attached to Materials to provide added realism in rendered views, and in the 3D Window when using the OpenGL engine. Background images are additional picture files used to provide the 3D model with a lifelike environment. Macros, Zone stamps, Property Objects View and manage your projects libraries in the Library Manager (File > Libraries and Objects > Library Manager). (See Library Manager.)

204

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Library Manager
Use the File > Libraries and Objects > Library Manager command to open this dialog box. This dialog box displays the projects libraries and objects.

Note for Teamwork users: In Teamwork, you cannot reserve the Library Manager as a whole, only certain of its listed items (such as Embedded Objects and all BIM Server Libraries). If you click on a reservable item in Library Manager, the control lights appear. For any selected item in Library Manager, view the Properties tab for specific information on the item. Additional information is available for some items by clicking on the blue Info icon.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

205

Configuration

Reload Libraries
Changes made via Library Manager will take place when you click OK to close the Library Manager. For example, if you add a library to the project, clicking OK will reload your libraries (and load the newly added one) and close the Library Manager. You can also reload libraries without closing Library manager: from the green Refresh/Reload icon in Library Manager, choose Reload libraries and apply all changes. All libraries will be reloaded, provided that you have made modifications that necessitate a library reload.

Refresh Status of Placed Objects

From the green Refresh/Reload icon in Library Manager, choose Refresh status of placed objects: this will refresh the list of missing and ambiguous objects in the Library Manager tree structure. This Refresh process will only take place when you close and then re-open Library Manager. Otherwise, you must manually click Refresh to ensure that ArchiCAD updates the status of your missing and duplicate objects. For details on each type of item listed in Library Manager, see the links below:

Embedded Library Linked Libraries BIM Server Libraries Missing Objects and the Library Loading Report Libraries with Duplicate Objects Objects of Ambiguous Origin
See also Troubleshooting Library Issues.

209

Configuration

Add Objects to Embedded Library

From Library Manager: Embed Placed Objects from a Library By creating a custom Object: By loading an object file: By Creating a Hotlinked Module: From Library Manager:
To add any object file to your Embedded Library, go to Library Manager and do one of the following: Click Add. Browse for the desired object file, select it, then click Choose. (To view and choose items within a folder while browsing the directory dialog box in Windows, you must double-click the folder.) The chosen object file will now appear in the Embedded Library in Library Manager. Click Browse for Embedded Objects from the Add buttons pop-up list.

Use Drag and Drop. From any location on your computer, drag and drop the file into the Embedded Objects folder of Library Manager. When you are finished, click Reload to reload project libraries and close the Library Manager.

Embed Placed Objects from a Library

Use this feature to embed all the objects placed from a linked library or BIM Server Library into the project. (In Teamwork, only objects that are in your current local copy of the project will be embedded.) This function is useful to ensure that the objects you need will always be available in this project, because they will be embedded. If you use this command, the original linked library or BIM Server Library will be removed from the project. Important: Embedding a library does not embed the entire contents of the library; it will only embed those objects which have been placed into the project. If you are in Teamwork: It is possible that other users have placed objects from a BIM Server library that you want to embed. If the other users have not yet sent these changes to the 210
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

server, those placed objects will not be embedded, because they are not available to your local copy of the project. But since the source library will be removed as part of the embed process, those objects will consequently be shown as Missing. To avoid this situation, ensure that all users have sent in their changes before you embed a BIM Server Library of a Teamwork Project. To embed a librarys placed objects into your project: 1. Select the library folder from the Library Manager. 2. Click the Embed icon. (If no objects from the selected library have been placed, this icon is grey, since there is nothing to embed.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

211

Configuration

3. The appearing dialog box gives you two options associated with the embedding process:

Also embed materials, zone stamps and property objects. This is usually relevant only if you are trying to embed objects from an ArchiCAD library. Materials, zone stamps and property objects are accessory GDL library parts that have been written into certain objects. Check this box to embed these parts as well. Note: It is usually unnecessary to embed objects from an ArchiCAD library; the Consolidate function is a better technique for streamlining your ArchiCAD libraries. See Consolidate ArchiCAD Libraries. Keep original folder structure: Check this to replicate the folder structure of the selected library within the Embedded Library. 4. Click Embed. In this example, your project is using 24 objects from the COL-ITG-LIB.lcf library container file. Here, the Embed command will: Embed those 24 objects into your Embedded Library Remove the library container file from your project

By creating a custom Object:

Most objects created by you (e.g. using Stairmaker, TrussMaker, RoofMaker) will be added to your projects Embedded library automatically. For example, if you create a custom Stair with Stairmaker and click OK to place it, the Save Library Part dialog box appears automatically and prompts you to save the new stair to the Embedded Library:

Similarly, objects saved with the Save Selection as GDL Object will save the resulting files as embedded objects. With custom-created objects drawn by you and saved from the 3D window, you can either save the object to the Embedded library or to a folder of your choice. 212
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

By loading an object file:

Individual objects not part of the project libraries can be used in your projects via the Load Other Object commands in the corresponding tool settings dialog boxes (Window, Door, etc.). Such objects are automatically stored as Embedded Objects.

By Creating a Hotlinked Module:

Placing a module will add the source files entire Embedded library to your host files embedded library. The newly added Embedded library can be seen in your Library Manager, inside the automatically created Hotlinks folder of your Embedded library. See Embedded Library Parts under Source File Data Interpretation.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

213

Configuration

Manage Embedded Objects

Select any object file from the Embedded Library folder of Library Manager.

Use the icons to: Duplicate the object. The new object, with a new name and assigned a separate GUID, appears alongside the original object in the Embedded Library folder. Export the object. Browse a folder location on your machine to which to save the object. Add new folder to the Embedded Library folder. Delete the object. Important: Deleting an object from the Embedded Library folder deletes that object file for good; you cannot retrieve it unless you earlier saved it to another location (in that case, you can Add it again to the Embedded Library). Deleting an object from the Embedded Library means that all placed instances of that object file will disappear from your project and be replaced by an orange-colored dot.

The Properties panel, shown at the bottom of the Library Manager if an Embedded object is selected, gives you feedback on the file name, the object type, file size, and number of placed instances. If desired, change the file name by typing into the Name field.

214

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Linked Libraries
Linked Libraries include the standard ArchiCAD library loaded by default, as well as any other libraries you add. In contrast to the objects of the Embedded Library, these libraries are linked folders, or .lcf or .pla files. In Teamwork mode, there are no linked libraries - only an Embedded Library and BIM Server Libraries.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Alternatively, you can reload libraries without closing Library manager: from the green Refresh/ Reload icon in Library Manager, choose Reload libraries and apply all changes.

Synchronizing with the Server Library

When you add a library to the BIM Server Libraries folder, a local copy of the library will be created on your machine (regardless of whether you are working in solo or Teamwork mode). If you are working in Teamwork mode, this copy is synchronized with the server data every time you Send or Receive changes. If you are working in solo mode, this copy is refreshed every time you click Reload libraries and apply all changes in the Library Manager. This reloading also occurs if you have made modifications in the Library Manager, then click OK to close the Library Manager. Note: The operating system has a limit of 256 on the number of characters that the library path name can contain. Consequently, you may encounter a warning that the program is unable to save a local copy of the BIM server library, because the library path is too long. For details, see Library Path Too Long. See also Libraries in Teamwork.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

219

Configuration

Manage BIM Server Libraries

To use a BIM Server Library in a project (either solo or Teamwork), that library must first be uploaded to the BIM Server, using the Manage BIM Server Libraries dialog box. Use this dialog box to view, upload and otherwise manage the libraries on any BIM Server. Note: In a Teamwork project, you must be an Administrator (either Project or Server Administrator) to use this dialog box.

Manage BIM Server Libraries Dialog Box

This dialog box is available: from File > Libraries and Objects > Manage BIM Server Libraries from the Library Manager: open the Add buttons pop-up list; click Use BIM Server Libraries to open the Choose BIM Server Libraries dialog box; click Manage BIM Server Libraries.

Click Upload to add another library to this server (see details below) or Remove to remove it. Click Relocate to link a selected library to a new path location. You cannot edit the contents of a library via these server management controls. However, if changes are made in a library at its source (e.g. new parts added to the Company Library), click Refresh to ensure that these changes are also made on this server. Extract will extract the contents of the selected library to the location of your choice.

220

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Tip: It is recommended to upload all your companys libraries to a dedicated GRAPHISOFT BIM Server.

Upload a Library to BIM Server

Note: In a Teamwork Project, only a Server Administrator or Project Administrator can upload libraries to a BIM Server. 1. Go to File > Libraries and Objects > Manage Server Libraries. 2. Choose the BIM Server to which you want to upload a library 3. Click Upload. 4. Browse for the library you need. Uploaded libraries can include PLA or LCF files, or any folders. You cannot upload individual gsm files, just lcf, pla, and regular folders. For each selected library in the list, information is displayed on its source path, the date of upload and the last time it was updated. 5. Click Choose. The library is uploaded. 6. Close the dialog box. Once libraries are uploaded, individual users can add these BIM Server Libraries to projects, either solo or Teamwork. See also Add BIM Server Library.

Upload Objects to BIM Server

To upload individual objects to the BIM Server, first place them into a folder, then upload the folder.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

221

Troubleshooting Library Issues

Missing Objects and the Library Loading Report Find and Select Missing Library Parts Unavailable Libraries Libraries with Duplicate Objects Objects of Ambiguous Origin Consolidate ArchiCAD Libraries Delete Unused Linked Libraries Library Path Too Long Missing Objects and the Library Loading Report
Items in the Missing Objects folder of the Library Manager are missing from the project either because they were embedded objects, and have been deleted (you cannot retrieve them, since they no longer exist) or because they were located in libraries that have been deleted from the project or moved to a different location (to retrieve these objects, re-Add the unavailable libraries to Library Manager, then click refresh. See Refresh Status of Placed Objects).

224

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Missing objects are listed in the Library Manager together with: the name of the source library if any, with its last known location, from which the missing objects originate. number of missing object, plus the number of placed instances of each missing object. For each missing object, the number of its placed instances is shown in parentheses. Objects listed under Missing from unknown library are missing objects about which no other information is available - their source library (or libraries) are not known.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

225

Configuration

The Library Loading Report appears if the project is missing any objects or if objects are duplicated in different libraries. In the Library Loading Report, the red folder at the top shows the total number of missing objects, followed by the total number of their placed instances in parentheses.

The Library Loading Report gives you an overview of problematic libraries (those containing duplicates) and problematic objects (those that are missing or of ambiguous origin), with the number placed instances of each shown in parentheses.

226

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

In both the Library Manager and the Library Loading Report, click on any library about which you need more information, then click the Info button.

The appearing Information dialog summarizes all available data about the selected library: the total number of objects contained in the library; the list of placed or missing objects; the number of placed instances; lists of placed duplicates. The missing items cannot be displayed on the plan. (The place of missing library parts is indicated by fuzzy dots.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

227

Configuration

Find and Select Missing Library Parts

To find and select missing library parts in the active window, use the Find & Select function. See also Find and Select Elements. 1. In the first Criteria row in the Find and Select dialog box, choose a GDL object type element. 2. In the next row, for the next criterion, choose Library Part. 3. As the value, select Is Missing. Note: You can also choose Is Not Missing as the value; this will select all instances of the defined GDL Object types, except for the ones whose library object is missing.

4. Click the Plus button to execute the Find & Select function.

228

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Note: You may wish to zoom to the selection: right-click in the window, then choose Zoom to Selection from the context menu.

Unavailable Libraries
If you have modified the name of a library folder, or changed its location in the file hierarchy, then the next time you open ArchiCAD, the library folder listed in the Library Manager dialog box will be shown as Unavailable. (An unavailable source library and its last known path is listed only if it was available to the project at an earlier time.) Placed objects from unavailable libraries are listed in the Missing Objects folder; in the project model, they are represented by fuzzy green dots.

The solution is to click Link Library from the Add buttons pop-up list, and browse for the library file under its new name or location.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

229

Configuration

Libraries with Duplicate Objects

This section of Library Manager is visible if any two project libraries contain one or more of the same objects; these libraries are listed in pairs. For each such pair of libraries, the following information is listed: Number of duplicate objects Number of placed duplicate objects Number of placed duplicate instances Select any library pair and click the Info icon for more information.

In the Information box, click the black arrow to choose the list format you need: List placed duplicates List all duplicates List all placeable duplicates List all non-placeable duplicates The problem with having a lot of duplicate objects in your projects is twofold: every time you load your libraries, you will be loading many superfluous objects and/or libraries, causing unnecessary slowdowns; and the presence of duplicates can lead to further ambiguities if you should modify a duplicate library object or save it under a new name. (See Objects of Ambiguous Origin, below.)

230

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

There are several possible strategies to resolve the issue of duplicates: If the Libraries with Duplicate Objects are ArchiCAD Libraries, it is best to Consolidate: see Consolidate ArchiCAD Libraries. If all the placed objects from one of the libraries are duplicates (i.e. these objects also exist in the other library), you can remove the first library altogether. If the duplicated libraries are not ArchiCAD libraries, you might consider comparing the two libraries contents manually (open the library folder at its source and view the objects), and then delete the duplicates from one of the libraries. If the duplicate placed objects are project-specific, you should embed them into the project. This will also eliminate the library from the project. See Embed Placed Objects from a Library.

Objects of Ambiguous Origin

An object in this category has been placed in the project, but duplicates of this object (that is, objects with the same ID as the placed object, though they may be named differently) exist in at least two linked libraries. ArchiCAD randomly uses one or the other source for the objects placed instances.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

231

Configuration

To avoid this situation, you should replace the placed instances with one of the duplicate objects from the loaded libraries. (To do this, you can use Find & Select to locate the placed instances of the ambiguous object. Then choose a library object from the loaded libraries to replace the ambiguous object.)

Consolidate ArchiCAD Libraries

The yellow Consolidate Libraries icon in the Library Manager should be used if you have loaded multiple ArchiCAD libraries, or if the loaded ArchiCAD library is not the latest version.

Consolidating ArchiCAD libraries is recommended, because it replaces the old ArchiCAD libraries with the latest library, but also loads the requisite Migration Libraries to make sure that older library parts will be compatible and available. Migration Libraries are much smaller than the full ArchiCAD libraries, so this consolidation process will save you from a great many superfluous objects. Click the Consolidate icon to bring up the following dialog box:

Clicking the Consolidate command will: load the newest-version ArchiCAD library, if it is not yet loaded remove ArchiCAD libraries with lower version numbers

232

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

load the relevant migration libraries (These migration libraries will have already been installed on the computer, as part of ArchiCAD installation.) See also Migrating Libraries and Objects to ArchiCAD 14.

Delete Unused Linked Libraries

Library Manager tells you whether you have actually placed any objects from your linked libraries. If not, you dont need that library and you can remove it from the project. In this example, there are no objects placed from the ArchiCAD 10 library; you can remove it.

To remove a library folder, select it from Library Manager and click the blue X Remove icon.

Library Path Too Long

The Windows operating system has a limit of 256 on the number of characters that the library path name can contain. Consequently, you may encounter a warning that the program is unable to save a local copy of the BIM Server library, because the library path is too long. To resolve this problem, try one of these solutions: Simplify the librarys file structure at its source. This solution requires that you have Server Administrator rights.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

233

Configuration

Go to the source file of the BIM Server Library, and do one of the following: - Create a container file (.lcf) out of the library folder, using File > Libraries and Objects > Create Container. Next, go to Manage Server Libraries (File > Libraries and Objects) and use the Relocate command to browse the location of server librarys new.lcf source file. - Alternatively, create a different, simplified folder structure for the library (e.g. move the library folder to a higher position in the folder hierarchy so that the file path becomes shorter). Next, go to Manage Server Libraries (File > Libraries and Objects) and use the Refresh command to update the server library with its newly restructured source. Modify the destination of the local library copy. Go to Options > Work Environment > Special Folders, and enter a different location for your Teamwork Local Data folder, which is the destination of your local copies of BIM Server libraries. The new location should be at a higher level of the folder hierarchy, thus making the path shorter.

234

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Library Container File

The extension .lcf identifies a Library Container file. The default ArchiCAD 14 Library is stored in an .lcf, but you can also create your own Library Container file, or extract its contents, using the File > Libraries and Objects > Create/Extract a Container command. Since the Library Container file is a single file, yet contains all the objects used in your project, it lets you keep all the objects used in your projects in one place, while keeping hierarchies intact within the .lcf.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

235

Configuration

Library Updates
GRAPHISOFT updates its standard library parts on a regular basis. To check for the latest library updates, you should enable the Check for Updates option in Options > Work Environment > Network and Update Options. This means you will be notified, upon starting ArchiCAD, if a new library version matching your ArchiCAD language version is available, which you can then choose to download if needed. See Network And Update Options.

236

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Favorites
The Favorites feature allows you to save sets of configured tool settings by name. Load these Favorite settings as the current default for the active tool to recreate a specific element at any time. Favorites are saved with your Project file. A Favorites stored settings include: The elements attributes, including the line type, fill pattern and pen color, as well as surface material choices In the case of Library Parts, the name of the Library Part All of the elements dimensions that can be entered in the settings dialog boxes for the element, e.g., wall thickness and height (but not length) If the Favorites refer to attributes that do not exist in the target Project, those attributes will be missing. If the Favorites refer to attributes that do exist in the target project but are different from those of the original project, they will take on the attributes of the target project.

Load Favorite Settings as Default Save Favorite Settings Customize Favorite Parameters Apply Favorite to Placed Element Favorites Palette

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

237

Configuration

Load Favorite Settings as Default

1. Open the Favorites Palette (Window > Palettes > Favorites). The Favorites Palette lists the Favorites for the active tool only, as for the Column tool shown here:

Note: If you want the Favorites Palette to list the Favorite Settings of all the tools, go to Favorite Preferences from the Favorite palettes pop-up menu.

Uncheck the Show Favorites of active Tool only checkbox. 2. Double-click the Favorite name to load its settings as default tool settings. The Default Settings now shown in the Info Box are those of the Favorite you just loaded. Note: You can opt to exclude certain Favorite parameters from being loaded: see Customize Favorite Parameters.

Favorites Save Favorite Settings Customize Favorite Parameters Apply Favorite to Placed Element Favorites Palette
238
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Save Favorite Settings

Save Favorite Settings by using either the Favorites Palette, or the Tool Settings dialog boxes.

Save Favorite Settings using the Favorites Palette:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Activate the Tool for which you wish to create Favorite Settings. Use the Info Box to configure the Default Settings as needed. Optionally, place element(s) in the project using these settings. Open the Favorites Palette (Window > Palettes > Favorites). Click the Favorite Options pop-up from the top right of the Favorites Palette.

6. Choose Save Current Default Settings to store these settings as a Favorite. (Alternatively, select the placed element and choose the Save Last Selections command from this pop-up.) 7. Enter a name in the New Favorite dialog box that appears. Your new Favorite is now listed in the Favorites Palette. See also Favorites Palette.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

239

Configuration

Save Favorite Settings using the Tool Settings dialog box:

1. Activate the Tool for which you wish to create Favorite Settings. 2. Use the Tool Settings Dialog Box to configure the Default Settings as needed. 3. Click the Favorites button, at the top of the Settings dialog box, to open the Apply Favorites dialog box.

4. Click the Save Current Settings as Favorite button. 5. Enter a name in the New Favorite dialog box that appears. Your new Favorite is now listed in the Favorites Palette.

Favorites Load Favorite Settings as Default Customize Favorite Parameters Apply Favorite to Placed Element Favorites Palette

240

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Customize Favorite Parameters

Use the Favorites Preferences dialog box to if you want to ignore certain parameters when loading Favorite Settings. The Favorites Preferences dialog box controls which of the different element types parameters are NOT to be saved with Favorites. 1. Choose Favorite Preferences from the Favorite palettes pop-up menu.

2. Use the Parameter Exclusion list (in the bottom half of the dialog box) to check the names of the parameters that you DO NOT want to apply with Favorites.

For example, if you check the Height parameter for Walls in the Parameter Exclusion list, then every time you load a Wall Favorite as the default settings, the saved Height of the Favorite Wall will be disregarded, and the default Wall Height will remain unaffected, even after you load the Favorite Settings.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

241

Configuration

Favorites Load Favorite Settings as Default Save Favorite Settings Apply Favorite to Placed Element Favorites Palette

242

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Apply Favorite to Placed Element

To apply Favorite settings to a placed element: 1. Select the element. 2. Open its Settings dialog box. 3. Click the Favorites button to display the Apply Favorites dialog box.

4. Choose the Favorite you need, then click Apply. 5. Click OK to close the Settings dialog box and apply the Favorite settings.

Favorites Load Favorite Settings as Default Save Favorite Settings Customize Favorite Parameters Favorites Palette

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

243

Configuration

Favorites Palette
Access this palette from Window > Palettes > Favorites. The Favorites Palette lists the favorites for the active tool only, by default. (If the Arrow or Marquee tool is active, then all favorites are listed.) If you want the Favorites Palette to list the Favorite Settings of all the tools, go to Favorite Preferences from the Favorite palettes pop-up menu.

Uncheck the Show Favorites of active Tool only checkbox. Sort Favorites by Name or Type: Click the corresponding caption to sort the list of favorites. To save and manage Favorites, click the Favorite Options pop-up from the top right of the Favorites Palette.

Delete the selected Favorite (one at a time). Rename the selected Favorite (enter a new name in the appearing Rename Favorite dialog box). Save Current Default Settings: Saves the currently loaded default settings as a Favorite (regardless of the currently selected Favorite in the Favorites Palette). This command is inactive if the Arrow, Marquee or Camera tool is selected in the Toolbox. Save Last Selection: Stores the settings of the last selected elements current settings as a new Favorite. If nothing is selected, this command is inactive. Redefine with current Default: Changes the selected Favorites definition to the default settings of that tool. This item is inactive if the Arrow, Marquee or Camera tool is selected in the Toolbox.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

244

Configuration

Redefine with Last Selection: Changes the selected Favorites definition to the settings of the last selected element. Save Favorites: Exports the whole set of Favorites in a separate file. The file will be saved with the *.prf extension. Load Favorites: Load or merge a saved Favorites file. You can either merge it, or replace the current Favorites list.

When merging the two sets, if any Favorites have identical names, you will be prompted to skip or overwrite the original definition. Favorites Preferences. Use this dialog box to define the exclusion of parameters. See Customize Favorite Parameters.

Favorites Load Favorite Settings as Default Save Favorite Settings Apply Favorite to Placed Element Customize Favorite Parameters

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

245

Configuration

The ArchiCAD User Interface

This section introduces the main customizable palettes and menus in ArchiCAD.

Toolbox Info Box Menus Toolbars Shortcuts Palettes Pet Palettes

246

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Toolbox
The Toolbox shows a variety of tools for selection, 3D construction, 2D drawing and visualization. By default, the Toolbox is divided into Tool Groups -Select, Design, Document and More - to make it easier to locate the tool you need. Besides the standard set of tools, additional tools can appear in the Toolbox depending on the installation and the available Add-Ons.

Display the Toolbox

If the Toolbox is not visible on screen, activate the Windows > Palettes > Toolbox command.

Customizing the Toolbox

Use the controls of the Options > Work Environment > Toolbox page to customize the contents and arrangement of your toolbox. See Toolbox Customization Dialog Box. An easy way to access this dialog box is to open the Toolbox context menu by right-clicking anywhere in the Toolbox, then click the icon representing the Toolbox customization page.

. Specifically, you can customize your toolbox by organizing the tools into groups. Then store your customized Toolbox settings as part of a Tool Scheme in your Work Environment. (A Tool Scheme includes your work environment settings for the Toolbox, Info Box and Tool Settings dialog boxes.) See Saving Your Customized Work Environment.

How to Open and Close Tool Groups Within the Toolbox

By default, the Toolbox shows all tools in all Tool Groups simultaneously. If the Toolbox becomes too unwieldy, use the open/close arrows at the top of each Tool Group to temporarily open and close these groups as needed. If the open/close arrows are not displayed, go to Options > Work Environment > Toolbox.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

247

Configuration

Click on Tool Group Options, then uncheck the Always Keep Tool Groups Open option.

Now you will be able to open or close each Tool Group in the Toolbox separately.

248

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Info Box
An Info Box is available for each tool in the toolbox. When you activate a tool or select a placed element, its Info Box palette will display current settings for that tool/element. If several elements are selected, the Info Box displays the controls for the last selected element. The Info Box contains a condensed collection of input and parameter controls that are specific to the selected tool/element. While some of these controls are also available in the Tool Settings dialog box, the Info Box is a quicker way to access these controls, because it stays on screen while you work. By default, the Info Box is docked at the top of your workspace in a horizontal position. To show it vertically, dock it at either side of your screen. Let your cursor hover over an Info Box item to provide a Tool Tip if you are not sure what the icon represents.

You can use a scroll-mouse or the scrollbar to scroll through the contents of your Info Box. Selected/Editable: The current Info Box gives you feedback on the number of Selected Elements, as well as how many of those are Editable. Changes made to Info Box settings will affect the Editable elements. On the Floor Plan below, all Walls are selected; four of them have been locked for editing, as reflected in the Info Box:

Default Settings. If there is no selection, the Info Box displays the active tools Default Settings.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

249

Configuration

Displaying the Info Box

If the Info Box is not visible on screen, activate the Windows > Palettes > Info Box command. The Info Box will show controls specific to the active tool or the selected element.

Customizing the Info Box

You can customize the order and visibility of panels in each Tools Info Box: go to Options > Work Environment and open the Info Box Customization Dialog Box. An easy way to access this dialog box is to open the Info Box context menu by right-clicking anywhere in the Info Box, then click the icon representing the Info Box customization page:

Also available from this Info Box context menu: click a display preference for the Info Box Header location: at the left edge of the palette, or on top. See Info Box Customization Dialog Box.

250

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Menus
About Menus Menu Customization Dialog Box

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

251

Configuration

About Menus
When starting ArchiCAD 14 with default settings, you will load the Standard Profile, which along with other Work Environment settings - defines the default menu structure.

See Default Profiles in ArchiCAD 14. However, there are some commands and menus in ArchiCAD 14 which are not displayed as part of this standard profile. Use the settings in the Options > Work Environment > Menus dialog box to customize the content of your menus.

Customizing Menus
Use the Menu Customization dialog box to customize any ArchiCAD menu. Any command or menu can be placed into or removed from any menu; the order of the commands within any menu is entirely customizable. Exception: Context menus are not customizable. You can store your customized menu command settings as part of a Command Layout Scheme in your Work Environment. For details, see Saving Your Customized Work Environment and Menu Customization Dialog Box.

252

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Toolbars
About Toolbars Toolbar Customization Dialog Box

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

253

Configuration

About Toolbars
A toolbar is a collection of commands and/or menus displayed in icon or text form and grouped by topic.

Displaying Toolbars
To display a toolbar, choose its name from Window > Toolbars; or right-click the title bar of any toolbar on screen to display the list of defined toolbars. Click any toolbar in the list to display it.

254

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Creating or Customizing Toolbars

Use the Toolbar Customization dialog box, accessed from Options > Work Environment > Toolbars, to create a new toolbar, or customize any of the available ones. You can also set whether a given command is represented on a toolbar by its name, its icon, or both. See Toolbar Customization Dialog Box. An easy way to access this dialog box is to open any Toolbars context menu by right-clicking anywhere on the Toolbar, then click on Toolbars...:

You can store your customized toolbars as part of a Command Layout Scheme in your Work Environment. For details, see Saving Your Customized Work Environment. The content of named toolbars are saved as part of a Command Layout Scheme. The on-screen display of toolbars is saved in a Palette Scheme.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

255

Configuration

Shortcuts
ArchiCAD is shipped with several predefined shortcut schemes. To view or print out a list of the shortcuts of the Work Environment, go to Options > Work Environment > Keyboard Shortcuts, and click the Show Shortcut List in Browser button at the bottom of the Keyboard Shortcut Preview Panel.

To customize a shortcut command, use the Options > Work Environment > Keyboard Shortcuts: choose a command from the list on the left, then enter the desired shortcut combination in the field at the right, then click Assign. For details, see Shortcut Customization Dialog Box. Apart from a few non-customizable shortcuts (listed at the bottom of the Show Shortcut list), all shortcuts in any scheme are customizable. Changes to the selected Shortcut scheme are applied when you press OK and close the dialog box. You can store your customized Shortcut settings as part of a Shortcut Scheme in your Work Environment. For details, see Saving Your Customized Work Environment.

256

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Palettes
ArchiCADs palettes help you construct, modify and locate elements. Each palette can be shown or hidden separately using the Window > Palettes command. The main palettes (Toolbox, Info Box, Quick Options and Navigator) can be enabled all at once, using the Window > Palettes > Show Main Palettes Only command. Each of these palettes is described in detail in the ArchiCAD documentation:

Toolbox Info Box Quick Options Palette Navigator Palette Control Box Coordinates Palette
Two of these palettes - the Control Box and Coordinates - may be familiar from earlier versions of ArchiCAD. They are not displayed by default, because their commands are available from other parts of the interface. To display either of these palettes, go to Window > Palettes and choose the desired palette(s).

Customizing Palette Schemes

To customize your palette scheme (a saved configuration of palettes), set up your palettes manually in the ArchiCAD workspace by doing any or all of the following: Show or hide palettes as needed (click its name on or off from Window > Palettes) Show or hide toolbars as needed (click its name on or off from Window > Toolbars) Change the shape of a palette by choosing a shape option from its context menu. The Info Box, Coordinates Palette and Control Box palettes have shape options - for example, extended or compact - that you can set using the context menu opened by right-clicking the palette on screen.

Change the position and size of a palette by dragging the palettes to a desired position. Dock palettes as needed (Windows only) Use the Scheme Options page of Palette Schemes to manage (Store, Rename, Delete, Redefine, Export, Import) and apply Palette Schemes: go to Options > Work Environment > Palette Schemes. See Scheme Options.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

257

Configuration

Palette Schemes differ from the rest of the Work Environment schemes: the settings they contain are defined not in the Work Environment dialog box; instead, Palette Schemes settings reflect the way you manually set up your palettes in your workspace. Note: While the show/hide status of a toolbar is saved in a palette scheme, its content is defined as part of a Command Layout Scheme.

Docking Palettes (Windows Only)

Palettes can float over your workspace, and if a floating palette is in the way, you can either close it or drag it away. However, many ArchiCAD palettes can also be docked (in Windows only) at an edge of the workspace. A docked palette is fixed at the edge of your screen, with no workspace underneath it: this way, if you maximize the active window, the entire workspace is visible. A docked palette can be made to float again at any time. To dock a palette, click on its title bar (the drag symbol will appear) and drag it to one side or the top or bottom of the screen until the drag symbol hits either the side or the top/bottom limit.

Release the cursor to dock the palette. Note: When dragging a palette in Windows, its anchor point is the drag symbol (not a palette edge).

How to Un-Dock a Palette

To pop a palette out of its dock and into a free-floating position, just click and drag on its header. Alternatively, double-click the palette; double-click it again to re-dock.

Docking Groups of Palettes

You can dock several palettes at either side of the screen and snap them to each other, forming a palette group. Click and drag to dock the first palette. To insert a second palette above the first, click and drag the second palette onto the title bar of the first. To insert a second palette below the first, click and drag the second palette to the line at the bottom of the first one. You can also place two (or more) palettes side by side, sitting atop a single palette (or vice versa), as part of the same group. If you resize any palette that is part of a palette group, the rest of the palettes in the group will be resized automatically.

258

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

The width of all palettes in the group are resized simultaneously (by dragging the edge to the right or left).

To set how much of each palette should be visible on screen, drag the splitter bars up or down, for palettes stacked on top of each other, or right/left, for palettes grouped next to each other. (The splitter bars are the lines which divide each palette from the others.)

Limitations on Docking Palettes

Not every palette can be docked to all sides of the screen. The following palettes/dialog boxes cannot be docked: Mark-Up Tools; Selections; Library Loading Report; Pet Palettes; Element Information; Find and Select; Roofmaker; Solid Element Operations; Sign in; Text Formatting; Profile Manager; Quick Layers.

Suspend Docking Function

To suspend the docking function while dragging a palette, press Ctrl (Windows).

Snapping Palettes (MacOS Only)

On a MacOS, you can snap ArchiCAD floating palettes to each other, to the edge of the screen. Palettes will snap to each other if you pull them within a given range of each other. The palette edge (not the cursor) is the docking anchor. If a palette is snapped to the bottom or to the right of another, then both palettes can be dragged as a single object. If a palette is snapped onto the top or to the left of another palette, then they will not stick together when you move them.

Suspend Snapping Function

To suspend the snapping function while dragging a palette, press Cmd (MacOS).
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

259

Configuration

Pet Palettes
A pet palette is a collection of icons (representing commands and relevant options) which pops up during graphical input and editing operations. In some cases, the pet palette appears during input (as when inputting a polyline), but in most cases the pet palette appears after you have placed an element, then selected the element for further editing. To access the pet palette, place your cursor on an editable edge, node, or surface, and left-click. The contents of the pet palette depends on the following: The selected element The part of the element you choose to act on (edge, node or surface) The active window Move your cursor over the icons to read the tool tip for each one, and click on the icon for the function you need. Use the shortcuts F and Shift+F (Opt+F) to move to the next/previous icon in the current pet palette.

You cannot customize the contents of a pet palette. You can change your mind and choose a different function from the pet palette as long as you have not completed the editing operation. The pet palette automatically disappears when the operation is finished. The pet palette will either follow your cursor around on screen as you work (like a pet on a leash), or be placed in a preferred spot (and told to stay), depending on which pet palette movement option you specify.

260

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

To set these preferences, use the Pet Palette movement controls at Options > Work Environment > Dialog Boxes and Palettes.

You can store these Pet Palette settings as part of a User Preference Scheme in your Work Environment.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

261

Configuration

Customizing your Work Environment

As you get used to working with ArchiCAD, you will develop personal preferences for using the programs features and arranging the various palettes, toolbars and menus on screen. You will set most of these options using the Options > Work Environment dialog box. For a brief description of every available setting in the Work Environment Dialog Box, see Work Environment Dialog Box.

You can customize any of these settings while you work: just open the Work Environment dialog box, change the setting you need, and press OK. The setting will take effect.

262

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Use the splitter bars within each page to display the text as needed.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Store a Customized Scheme

To store the settings of a Scheme, choose the scheme set whose settings you want to store, using the left-hand tree structure of the Work Environment Dialog Box. (For example, if you have changed shortcuts and want to save them, click on Shortcut Schemes.) This brings up Scheme Options, where you can store, rename, delete, redefine, export, or import schemes. See Scheme Options.

Apply a Scheme
To apply a stored scheme, choose the desired scheme from the Apply Scheme pop-up at the top of any of Work Environments settings pages.

You can also apply a scheme using the Scheme Options page of Work Environment: choose one of the defined schemes, then either double-click it, or click the Apply Scheme button.

Once you apply the scheme and press OK to close the Work Environment dialog box, your ArchiCAD program will adjust itself to reflect the settings you have stored in that scheme.

Creating an Office-Standard Work Environment

The ability to save and rename any combination of Work Environment Settings can be useful not only for the individual user, but also for encouraging consistency among multiple users on a particular project. CAD managers can create office-standard Work Environment Profiles and install them as defaults when installing the ArchiCAD program at multiple workstations. For more information, see the Getting Started booklet, available from the ArchiCAD Help menu.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

267

Configuration

Profiles
If you have customized and saved multiple schemes, you may want to store and apply them together: in this case, combine any of the schemes into a Profile, and store the Profile under its own name. Using the ArchiCAD interface, you can export and import Profiles to use on other computers. For details on configuring and applying profiles, see Profile Options. Notes about Profiles: Profiles themselves do not contain settings; they are just a collection of schemes. A profile does not have to contain all six scheme possibilities. Once you start working, you dont have to apply entire profiles at once; you can apply schemes one by one. You can save a Custom scheme as part of a profile, but the Custom scheme will be given a name when the profile is created. Schemes named Custom cannot be exported.

Define and Store a New Profile

To assemble any combination of schemes into a profile, go to Options > Work Environment and click Work Environment Profiles (the top item in the list at the left.) This opens the Profile Options dialog page. See Profile Options for details.

Apply a Profile
1. Go to Options > Work Environment and click Work Environment Profiles (the top item in the list at the left.) This opens the Profile Options dialog page.

2. From the list of Stored Profiles, choose the desired Profile. Double-click to apply the profile, or click the Apply Schemes of Profile button. 3. Click OK to close the Work Environment dialog box.

268

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Configuration

Default Profiles in ArchiCAD 14

ArchiCAD 14 is shipped with three default Profiles: Standard, Visualization and Layouting. When you first start ArchiCAD, the default Work Environment Profile is set to Standard. These predefined profiles are designed to get you up and running with ArchiCAD 14. Naturally, you or your office CAD manager can reconfigure these profiles as needed. The Standard profile is designed to reflect the workflow in common architectural practice. Menus, commands, palette layout, and toolbar visibility are optimized to give you easy access to the tools and functions you need to build up your Virtual Building. The Standard toolbar and Mini-Navigator toolbar (for easy switching between windows) are visible, and your Toolbox displays each tool individually. The Layouting Profile places commonly used layout-related and publishing commands within reach. The Layout Book menu now appears, the Toolbox is minimized to show only the Documenting tools, and the Navigator/Organizer is located at the left edge of the screen. Two specialized toolbars are now visible: Layouts & Drawings, and Standard for Layouting. The Visualization Profile is useful when you reach the stage of setting up and creating output from 3D images, such as Fly-Throughs and PhotoRenderings. The 3D Visualization menu now appears, so that all commands related to the 3D window, 3D navigation and 3D output are collected in a single menu. The 3D Visualization toolbar provides quick access to many of these same commands. In this profile, the Navigator is not displayed, and the Toolbox displays only Selection and Design tools.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

269

Configuration

How to Use Your Personalized Work Environment Settings on Another Computer

To make your schemes or profiles available to a network or other users, or to transfer them to another computer, you can export them. Use Options > Work Environment > Work Environment Profiles to export and import profiles to/from folders of your choice. In this operation, profiles are .xml files which refer to the schemes (also .xml files) contained within them. For details, see Profile Options. Use Options > Work Environment > Scheme Options to export and import schemes (as .xml files) to/from folders of your choice. See Scheme Options.

270

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Interaction
Navigation Origins Elevation Selection On-Screen Input Aids Editing Elements Virtual Trace: Using References to Edit and Compare Model Views and Drawings

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

271

Interaction

Navigation
How to Navigate Among ArchiCAD Windows Zoom Oriented View Fit in Window Pan Navigator Preview (2D) Navigation in the 3D Window Navigator Palette Organizer Palette

272

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

How to Navigate Among ArchiCAD Windows

1. The easiest way to switch among the different windows is to use the maps in the Navigator Palette. Just double-click on the item you want to see. See Navigator Palette. 2. The predefined Mini-Navigator toolbar (available from Windows > Toolbars) is another way to quickly switch windows

3. Or use the View > Navigate hierarchical menu.

Navigation Shortcuts
You can also use keyboard shortcuts to navigate among windows: go to Floor Plan Window: F2 go to 3D Window: F3 go to 3D Window (Perspective): Shift+F3 go to 3D Window (Axonometry): Ctrl+F3 go to last Section window: F6 go to last opened Layout: F7

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

273

Interaction

Zoom
In 2D and 3D windows, you can zoom in on details, or use zoom out to display more elements. The Zoom control on the bottom scrollbar gives you feedback on the current zoom.

To return to Actual Size (zoom at 100%), double-click the Zoom button. When you save the current contents of the screen as a view, you can opt to save either the current Zoom value in View Settings, or else the Fit in Window zoom level. (A views saved Zoom value includes the Pan and the Oriented View, if any.) For more information, see: View Settings, Pan, Oriented View. There are several techniques you can use to achieve Zoom effects:

Zoom with Mouse Scroll Button

If you have a mouse with a scrolling button, use it for zooming in on (or out of) the area where the cursor is located. If you dont have a scrolling button on your mouse, you can still emulate its operation: First click the Scroll-Zoom button on the bottom scrollbar.

Then then click anywhere in the window; move the cursor upwards to zoom in, downwards to zoom out. The greater distance you move the cursor, the greater the scope of the zoom. Click again to activate the zoom.

Zoom with Keyboard

In the appearing dialog box, give the saved zoom a name.

By default, this zoom will be available only for the current story (here, 1. Story). To have this zoom available in all stories, click Across All Stories. (A views saved Zoom value includes the Pan and the Oriented View, if any.) See: Pan and Oriented View. Custom-saved zooms you name here can be applied to any view, from the Zooming pop-up list in the 2D/3D Documents Panel of View Settings. See View Settings 2D/3D Documents Panel.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

277

Interaction

Oriented View
Use the Oriented View function to rotate the entire view on your screen to a preferred position. For example, if you are working on the wing of a building that is at an angle to another one, you can orient the view so that the wing you are working on lines up with your screen, rather than at an angle.

278

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Orienting the view does not rotate the project as such; the project coordinates remain unchanged. It just turns the window contents so that they are displayed at a more convenient angle on your monitor. (You get the same effect if you rotate your monitor.)

How to Rotate Window Contents Rotate Window Contents by Selected Edge to Orthogonal Position Zoom and Rotate Grids in Oriented View Text in Oriented View How to Rotate Window Contents
1. Click the Rotate Orientation icon at the bottom of your screen.

2. On screen, draw a rotation vector with two clicks.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

279

Interaction

3. Drag your mouse to rotate the screen contents to the desired angle, or enter a numerical rotation angle into the Tracker. Click a third time to complete. See also Tracker.

4. The degree of rotation is shown on the Reset Orientation button at the bottom of your screen, next to the Rotate Orientation control. To reset the rotation degree to zero, click this button.

The pair of arrows in the lower left corner also indicates the rotation.

280

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

In the Navigator Preview, only the frame representing the monitor rotates; the preview itself does not.

Oriented View is available in the Floor Plan, Worksheet, Detail and 3D Document windows. The rotated orientation value is saved as part of the Zoom value of every saved view, and on the published output created from that view.

Rotate Window Contents by Selected Edge to Orthogonal Position

1. Click the Rotate Orientation icon at the bottom of your screen.

2. Move the cursor to the edge of a project element, such as a slab, which you want to rotate to an orthogonal (horizontal or vertical) position on the screen. (The cursor will change to a Mercedes to indicate you have located the edge.) 3. Ctrl+click on the edge. 4. The window contents will rotate so that the clicked edge moves to either at 0 degrees or 90 degrees, whichever is nearer.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

281

Interaction

Zoom and Rotate

To rotate the view and zoom in or out at the same time: 1. Click the Zoom In or Zoom Out button from the bottom of your screen. (See also Zoom In/Out with Scrollbar Buttons.) 2. Press Ctrl. 3. Using three clicks, draw the zooming rectangle on screen at the desired angle.

When you complete the rectangle with the third click, the view will zoom in/out and be rotated simultaneously.

282

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Dimension text
Dimension text is automatically adjusted to ensure that it will remain easily legible regardless of the views orientation. (If you set a custom angle for dimension text, however, that angle will prevail.) For dimensions whose text is set to Horizontal in Dimension Tool Settings, the text will remain horizontal with respect to the screen regardless of any rotation of the view.

See Dimension Tool Settings.

Fill Area text

Will always be displayed horizontally on screen, regardless of the views orientation. (See Adding Area Text to a Fill.) (If you set a custom angle for fill area text, however, that angle will prevail.)

Text of GDL Objects in Rotated View

GDL Object-type elements may contain text that is affected by a rotated orientation. Many such objects have new parameters. For example, options for Text Orientation on Symbol include: Readable: As the view is rotated, the object text rotates too, but is flipped as necessary to ensure text readability. Align with Symbol: Text rotates together with the symbol, with no other adjustments. Always Horizontal: Text remains fixed in a horizontal position on screen, regardless of the views orientation.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

285

Interaction

Marker Text in Section/Elevation/Detail/Worksheet

The relevant parameter is entitled Marker Text Rotation and may include the following values, depending on the marker type: Always Horizontal and Always Vertical values will display text horizontally/vertically on screen, regardless of the views orientation. Align with Section Line will keep the text lined up with the Section line, following any view rotation, and will flip the text if necessary to ensure readability. Align with Section Line - No Flip will keep the text lined up with the Section line, following any view rotation, without any flip adjustment for readability.

Text of Door/Window Markers

The relevant parameter is entitled Marker Text Rotation and may include the following values, depending on the marker type: Standard: Text is always parallel to the wall, and is automatically readable (that is, flipped if necessary after rotation of the view). Align with Marker Line: Text remains fixed in line with the marker line and is automatically readable. Horizontal/Vertical Width/Height/Sill/Fire Rating/Acoustic Rating texts are automatically readable.

286

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Fit in Window
You can resize your view to accommodate all elements placed in the project. This provides a good way to check whether you have placed something in the far corners of your window by mistake during numeric input or a multiply operation. Choose the View > Fit in Window command or click the corresponding shortcut button on the bottom scrollbar of the active window.

If the current view has been rotated (see Oriented View), the rotation remains intact. Another shortcut: Double-click the middle mouse button to Fit in Window. If you wish, you can save a windows Fit in Window setting as part of any views View Settings: choose Fit in Window from the Zooming pop-up in the 2D/3D Documents Panel of View Settings. (See View Settings 2D/3D Documents Panel.)

Listing windows have an additional shortcut in their bottom scrollbar allowing you to Fit the Width of the generated list to the current window size.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

287

Interaction

Pan
Use the Pan function to scan the project as a whole, usually to see elements that do not currently fit on the screen. Enable the Pan function, then move the cursor to move the view around in the window along with the cursor. With Pan Button: Click the Pan button on the bottom scrollbar of the active window. Click into the active window and pan it by moving the Hand cursor with your mouse. The whole on-screen area will move, while the current zoom level is preserved.

If you have a three-button mouse, you can use it for panning by pressing down the middle button while moving the Hand cursor in the window. With Mouse Scrolling Button: If you have a mouse with a scrolling button, you can use it for panning by pressing the scrolling button continuously while moving the Hand cursor over the window. With the numeric keypad (Windows only): Press the following keys: 4 (left), 2 (downwards), 6 (right), 8 (upwards). (Make sure Numbers Lock is off.) The up/down and left/ right keys achieve the same result. With the Navigator Preview Palette See Navigator Preview (2D).

What to Do if Panning Produces Jumpy Screen Effect

Interaction

At the bottom right corner, a pop-up menu contains three options for controlling the zooming techniques of the Navigator Preview. The default is Real-time zoom: as you move the cursor, the zoom is adjusted. Auto zoom will adjust the zoom after you finish moving the cursor. Double-click to zoom means you must double-click or press the Go button at top right to execute the chosen zoom.

Use Redraw Preview if you have made changes in the current window that are not yet reflected in the Navigator Preview.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

291

Interaction

Navigation in the 3D Window

Note: For general information on accessing the 3D window, and how to set up Perspective and Axonometric (Parallel) views, see 3D Window. The 3D window can be navigated using most of the basic 2D navigation methods. The keyboard, mouse scroll button, Fit in Window, Pan, Zoom, and command-based techniques all work the same way as in 2D. See: Fit in Window, Pan, Zoom The 3D window also contains unique navigation possibilities for exploring the model and orbiting around in it. These are described in the following sections.

Accessing 3D Navigation Commands Explore Model (3D Navigation) Orbit (3D Navigation) Navigator Preview (3D) 3Dconnexion Enabler

292

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Accessing 3D Navigation Commands

Special commands for navigating in 3D are displayed in the 3D Visualization and the Simple 3D toolbar, and can be assigned shortcuts. Choose Window > Toolbars > 3D Visualization or Simple 3D to display these toolbars as needed. If the 3D window is active, its bottom scrollbar contains icon shortcuts to 3D Navigation commands.

Note: The 3D Navigation controls familiar from earlier versions of ArchiCAD can be accessed by choosing Window > Toolbars > Classic 3D Navigation toolbar. The 3D Navigation commands are available only in the 3D Window.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

293

Interaction

Explore Model (3D Navigation)

In Perspective views only, you can explore the model either by choosing the View > Explore Model or access the same command from a toolbar, or from the bottom scrollbar of the 3D window.

In Explore mode, use the mouse and the arrow keys of the keyboard for navigation (as when playing a video game on a PC.) When in this mode, you cannot edit the model or use any of the commands. The Fly option and speed slider also appear at the bottom of the screen as long as you are in Explore mode.

To exit Explore mode, click with the left mouse button or use the Esc key. Note: Exploring the model is optimized for the OpenGL engine. When choosing the Explore Model command, an informational dialog box opens to give you a visual prompt on what you can expect from your various actions with the mouse and the keyboard. Note: If you dont need to see this information every time you enter Explore mode, check Do not show this information next time at the bottom of the dialog box. To enable this or any other dialog box you have marked as do not show, use the Enable all informational messages command at Options > Work Environment (bottom of menu).

294

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Rotate camera in Explore mode

Moving the mouse around will rotate the camera in the directions indicated by the arrows next to the camera on the picture above.

Walk forward and backward in Explore mode

Pressing the arrow keys, or the W-A-S-D keys, will walk you forward/backward and laterally in the directions indicated by the arrows in the picture above. Note that the Up arrow brings the model closer to you while the Down arrow moves it further away.

Fly around the model

In Explore mode, click F for Fly mode. Again, use the arrow keys or the W-A-S-D keys to move around, but this time the Fly mode combines the lifting effect with the rotating and lateral movements to simulate a walking movement on a horizontal plane or in space.

Lift the model up and down

Use the PageUp (shortcut: spacebar) and PageDown (shortcut: C) keys to simulate a lifting effect.

Speed Up/Slow Down in Explore Mode

Click the Plus and Minus keys on your numeric keypad to change the speed in which you explore the model. For a temporary speed increase, press Shift, then release it to return to your basic speed.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

295

Interaction

Orbit (3D Navigation)

For Orbit mode, choose View > Orbit, or access the same command from a toolbar or from the bottom scrollbar of the 3D window.

299

Interaction

To customize the projection, use the right-side pop-up button, then move the small camera icon inside the Preview window to set up a custom view.

For detailed information, see The 3D Navigator Preview Palette Controls and 3D Projections.

300

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

3Dconnexion Enabler
The 3D connexion Enabler is an add-on functionality that allows you to use your 3Dconnexion device for navigating in ArchiCADs 3D window. If you are using a 3Dconnexion device, use one of the two options at View > 3D Navigation Extras > 3Dconnexion: Camera mode: Move the device to navigate in the model by moving the camera position. Object mode: As you move the device, the model is moved accordingly. The camera viewpoint is fixed, while the model moves.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

301

Interaction

Navigator Palette

About the Navigator Palette How to Display the Navigator Using the Navigator to Open Project Windows Project Workflow in the Navigator Organizer Palette Navigator Color Codes Navigator Project Map
302
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Navigator View Map Setting up a View Saving a View Modifying View Settings Quick Options Palette Navigator Layout Book Navigator Publisher External Projects in the Navigator

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

303

Interaction

About the Navigator Palette

The Navigator Palette (Navigator) is a tree structure that lets you build up the entire logical structure of your project and navigate within it. You can create folders, then copy, drag and drop views and other project items depending on their particular purpose. The Navigator also lets you access views and layouts from external ArchiCAD files and place them into the Layout Book of your current project. Finally, you can configure the outputs for publication using Navigator controls. The Navigator displays the whole projects tree structure in four different maps. The Project Map provides a tree structure of the components (viewpoints) of your Virtual Building Model. The View Map includes all the predefined and custom-created Views of the Project File. The Layout Book contains the layouts defined for the entire architectural project. The Publisher Sets map is a tree structure in which you define sets of views for various output purposes (printing, plotting, saving to a local disk or uploading to the internet or an intranet). To switch from one map to another, click among the four buttons at the top of the Navigator. The palettes title bar indicates which map is currently displayed.

The Navigator item currently open in the window is shown in bold. The Navigator has a special double-tree view, called the Organizer, which makes it easier to move items from one map to the other. Important: Operations involving Navigator/Organizer items (such as drag and drop between Navigator maps, deleting items from a map, or adding items to the Publisher set) are not added to the undo queue, and are not undoable.

Navigator Palette Controls Organizer Palette Controls Organizer Palette

304

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

How to Display the Navigator

The Navigator is displayed by default.

If it is hidden, choose Window > Palettes > Navigator, or click the Navigator icon from the horizontal scrollbar at the bottom of the ArchiCAD screen.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

305

Interaction

Auto-Hide the Navigator

Both Navigator and Organizer Palettes have an Auto-Hide feature: if you turn this on, you can use the Navigator/Organizer as usual, but once you click outside the palette, it will disappear. The Auto-Hide command is found in the Navigator/Organizer palettes context menu (right-click in the gray area at the top of either palette.)

306

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Using the Navigator to Open Project Windows

Double-click the desired item from any map of the Navigator. By default, ArchiCAD will open the item in existing windows, replacing the previous view in that window. To open a new view in a new window instead, use the context menu command from the Navigator item to be opened.

If you would rather open a new window by default each time you open an additional view or layout (from a menu or by double-clicking in the Navigator), change the window-opening default preference in Options > Work Environment > More Options.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

307

Interaction

Project Workflow in the Navigator

A Viewpoint represents a window onto a particular part of your project, but its settings have not been saved yet. Viewpoints are listed in the Navigator Project Map of the Navigator Palette. See Navigator Palette. A View is a stored version of a Viewpoint; each view is defined by its adjustable View Settings that you configure for a particular purpose as you construct your Virtual Building. Every saved view is listed in the Navigator View Map. The Navigator Layout Book contains the layouts defined for the entire architectural project, and can contain Drawings originating from multiple ArchiCAD project files and other source files. A view placed on a Layout is called a Drawing. Use the Navigator Publisher to set up the items you want to publish, and set the publishing method and format. Each Publisher item refers directly to a View or to a Layout (in effect, the Publisher item is a shortcut to the View/Layout). The following diagram summarizes the project workflow as reflected in the maps of the Navigator:

308

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Organizer Palette
The Organizer is related to the Navigator Palette; it is opened from the Navigator. It houses essentially the same controls, but has a double-tree structure to make it easier to move and copy views and files from one map to the other. See also Navigator Palette.

Display the Organizer

To display the Organizer, choose Window > Palettes > Organizer, or the Show Organizer command from the Project Chooser at top left of the Navigator.

Auto-Hide Organizer
Both Navigator and Organizer Palettes have an Auto-Hide feature: if you turn this on, you can use the Navigator/Organizer as usual, but once you click outside the palette, it will disappear. The Auto-Hide command is found in the Navigator/Organizer palettes context menu (right-click in the gray area at the top of either palette.)

Organizer Modes
Click the desired map icons on both sides of the Organizer to bring up one of the three modes of the Organizer:

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

309

Interaction

View Editor mode (Project Map on the left, View Map on the right): Save views by selecting a viewpoint from the Project Map and clicking Save view , or drag and drop it into the View Map.

Layout Editor mode (Layout Map on the right): Place Drawings onto Layouts in the Layout Book by selecting a view from the Project or View Map (on the left), then clicking Place Drawing, or drag and drop it onto a Layout (on the right). Publisher (Publisher on the Right): To add a view or layout (on the left) to a Publisher set (on the right), select a view or layout and click Add Shortcut. If you select a Subset in the Layout Map, the Add Shortcut button will create a folder in the Publisher Set which corresponds to that Subset: if you change or add items in the original subset, the Publisher Set folder will reflect these changes automatically. However, if you drag and drop a Subset into the Publishing Set, a folder is created, but this folder is not linked to any subsequent modifications to the Subset. Note that the Project Map is available only on the left side. Certain combinations are not possible, and ArchiCAD will always adjust to one of the three possible Organizer modes. (For example, if you choose the Publisher on the right, then the left side will switch from Project Map to View Map, because you cannot place items directly from the Project Map to the Publisher.) It is possible to have the same map open on both sides of the Organizer; this enables you to make copies of items within a single map.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

310

Interaction

When you click any item in the Navigator/Organizer, its preview is displayed in the Navigator Preview palette (if applicable). Double-clicking the item activates the corresponding window.

Navigator Palette Controls Organizer Palette Controls

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

311

Interaction

Navigator Color Codes

A color-coding system makes it easier for you to identify items in the Navigator palette. Items of the Project Map are colored orange.

See Navigator Project Map. Items of the View Map are colored yellow.

See Navigator View Map. Items of the Layout Book are colored white.

See Navigator Layout Book. See also Navigator Icons in the Teamwork Section of ArchiCAD Help.

312

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

315

Interaction

Navigator View Map

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Setting up a View
To set up a new view, open the project in the appropriate window (Floor Plan, Section/Elevation/ IE, 3D Document, Detail, Worksheet, 3D, Interactive Schedule, or List) and adjust any or all of its settings as needed. For example, you can change the scale and layer combination to fit your output needs, in one of the following ways: in the active window, using the usual editing commands changing the options of the Quick Options Palette, which always show the settings of the currently active (frontmost) window in the Organizer, using the View Settings and Storing Options at the bottom of the Project Map

View Settings
The View Settings stored with each view are accessible in the View Settings Dialog Box.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

321

Interaction

328

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

External Projects in the Navigator

By default, the Navigator and the left side of the Organizer display the tree structure of the active ArchiCAD project which you are working on. You may wish to place views or Layouts from another ArchiCAD project into the Layout Book of your active project. To do this, you will use the Project Chooser , accessed by clicking the icon at the top left corner of the Navigator or Organizer.

To place Layouts or views from an external ArchiCAD projects onto a Layout of the active project, do the following: Open the Organizer of the active project. Click the Browse Project or Browse Teamwork Project command in the Project Chooser.

Choose an ArchiCAD project whose content you want to use in the active project. Note: If you choose Browse Teamwork Project, you will be prompted to choose a server on which the Teamwork Project is found. Important: To access the server and its projects, your user name must be present on the Teamwork projects User list. (See Manage Users on the BIM Server in the Teamwork section of ArchiCAD Help.) Click Open.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

329

Interaction

The external project is now displayed on the left side in the Organizer tree structure, and the active projects Layout Book on the right:

The external project name is now also listed in the Project Chooser. (If this project is also open, it is shown as Running.)

Drag the desired item into the Layout Book of the active project, shown on the right side of the Organizer. Once your active projects Layout Book contains views/layouts from an external project, the Project Chooser will list this project as linked. Note: You can access external projects the same way by using the Project Chooser with just the Navigator open (without the Organizer). In this case, once you have browsed the desired external project and see its tree structure, add any of its views or layouts to the active project by dragging and dropping it directly onto the Layout in the active window. To open the external project in a separate ArchiCAD, double-click any of its items in the Navigator.

330

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Origins
About Origins in ArchiCAD Create a User Origin User Origin in the 3D Window

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

331

Interaction

About Origins in ArchiCAD

In ArchiCAD, as in any coordinate system, all measurements are made in reference to an origin. The location of the origin is always interpreted as (0, 0). ArchiCAD defines three coordinate system origins:

Project Origin
1. The Project Origin is a constant location which remains fixed for the life of your Project. The Project Origin of the coordinate system, marked with an X, is close to the lower left corner of the Floor Plan window, when using the default view of the default template. (The Coordinates Palette shows the coordinates as (0, 0).

User Origin
2. The User Origin is created manually by the user to act as a temporary aid to drafting and measurements. By default, the User Origin is located at the Project Origin. However, the User Origin can be moved to any location, allowing you to reset the zero point to any location. This is often helpful when you need to draw elements with respect to existing walls, slabs or other components. For details, see Create a User Origin.

332

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Edit Origin
3. The Edit Origin is also temporary; it appears only during drafting and editing operations and is used to display the distance and angle of a rubberband line from the starting point of a drawing operation. In Floor Plan and other 2D views, the origin is always marked by a bold X. In 3D Views, the origins and their X, Y and Z axes are displayed with bold black lines. The lines are 1 meter (approx. 3 ft.) long.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Selecting Elements
With the Arrow tool active: Point at the desired element and click; or drag the mouse to draw a shaded rectangle around the element you want to select. With any other tool active: Press Shift, then point at the desired element and click; or drag the mouse to draw a rectangle around the element you want to select. For more information on cursor shapes, see The Intelligent Cursor.

Select All Elements (in Window or in Marquee)

To select all elements on screen (either in the entire window or inside a previously defined Marquee area) with the Arrow or Marquee Tool active, use the Ctrl/Cmd+A shortcut or the Edit > Select All command. Note: Select All will only select elements on the currently displayed story. See also Marquee Area.

Select All Elements of a Single Type

To select all elements of a single type (for example, all Walls, or all Windows), activate the corresponding tool, then use the Ctrl+A shortcut. To learn about additional Arrow tool selection options, see Select Multiple Elements Using a Selection Rectangle/Polygon. To learn how to highlight an element before selecting it, see Element Information Highlight.

Select Elements Based on Multiple Criteria

Use the Find and Select Elements function to select elements defined by a wide variety of criteria.

Add/Remove Elements to/from Selection

You can add elements to the selection by shift-clicking them. Shift-clicking an already selected element will deselect it. Other topics in this section:

Quick Selection of Surface Areas Select Multiple Elements Using a Selection Rectangle/Polygon Selection of Overlapping Elements

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

341

Interaction

Quick Selection of Surface Areas

Quick Selection is the easiest way to select single elements which have a surface area (such as slabs and roofs). To activate Quick Selection as the default working mode, turn on the Quick Selection icon in the Arrow tools Info Box.

Now, to use Quick Selection, either the Arrow tool must be active, or you must press the Shift key. Move the cursor over any surface of the element you want to select. You will note that every time the cursor hovers over a selectable element, it will change shape. Click to select.

As shown in this image, you need only move the cursor over any part of the roof area; (if the Arrow tool is not active, press Shift to change to the Quick Select cursor), and click to select the roof.

Quick Selection works on all construction and text elements, fills and objects. To temporarily suspend the Quick Selection method while the icon is activated, press the Spacebar with the Arrow Tool active, or Shift-spacebar if any other tool is active. Quick Selection is active by default, but it can be deactivated in the Arrow tools Info Box by releasing the button. To use Quick Selection on a temporary basis (while the Quick Selection icon is deactivated in the Arrow Tools Info Box), press Spacebar with the Arrow Tool active (or Shift+Spacebar with any other Tool).

Click and Drag with Quick Selection

With the Arrow Tool and Quick Selection active, you can drag any element by clicking on it and holding down the button while you drag it, without having to use the Drag command. (With any other tool active, press Shift, then click and drag.) Note: All selected elements will be dragged simultaneously. 342
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Select Multiple Elements Using a Selection Rectangle/ Polygon

A useful method for selecting multiple elements is by drawing a selection polygon or rectangle around the items. These will be explicitly selected items, displaying selection dots. Note: To select an area instead of explicitly selecting elements, use the Marquee tool as detailed at Marquee Area. 1. Activate the Arrow tool 2. Choose a selection method from the Arrow Tool Info Box - this defines the logic by which elements enclosed by the selection rectangle/polygon will be selected. (See Selection Methods for Selection Rectangle/Polygon, below.) 3. Choose a Geometry method from the Arrow Tool Info Box - this defines your drawing method. (See Geometry Methods for Selection Rectangle/Polygon, below.) 4. Click on the screen and draw the selection rectangle/polygon. Note: If you want to use a selection rectangle or polygon within a quick-selectable area, press the spacebar to temporarily suspend Quick Selection, then draw the selection polygon keeping the spacebar pressed. Note: If you use the Polygon geometry method (see Geometry Methods for Selection Rectangle/Polygon), then double-click while drawing the polygon to automatically close it, if at least two segments have already been defined manually. The double-clicked point becomes the last apex of the polygon.

This will select all the elements inside the area (either partially or entirely, depending on the selection method used), and deselect all other currently selected elements. If you keep the Shift key pressed, enclosed elements will be added to the selection while already selected ones will be subtracted from it.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

343

Interaction

Selection Methods for Selection Rectangle/Polygon

The Arrow tools Info Box offers three selection methods when using a rectangular or polygonal shape.

With the first (default) Selection Method, any element that has at least one of its nodes, edges or curves in the selection polygon or rectangle will become selected.

With the second method, only elements with all nodes inside the selection polygon or rectangle will become selected. With the third, direction-dependent selection method, the selection logic will depend on the direction in which you draw the rectangle.

- If you draw the selection rectangle from right to left, then the first selection method is in effect: that is, any element with at least one node inside the rectangle will be selected. - If you draw the selection rectangle from left to right, then the second selection method is in effect: that is, any element with all nodes inside the rectangle will be selected.

344

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Geometry Methods for Selection Rectangle/Polygon

Selection Dot Variations

Single elements have small solid selection dots which are black by default.

To change the color of selection dots, use the color chooser in Options > Work Environment > Selection and Element Information. Editable selection dots are diamond-shaped and appear on objects whose parameters can be edited using an on-screen parameter palette.

For more information, see Graphical Editing Using Editable Hotspots. Grouped elements display larger circles, whose color is automatically assigned.

Elements that belong to a Hotlinked Module or an XREF are shown with hollow squares, whose color is automatically defined.

Locked elements selection dots appear in faded form.

Elements are locked (and display locked selection dots) in four cases: The element is placed on a locked Layer. The element has been explicitly locked with the Edit > Locking > Lock command.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

349

Interaction

The elements belong to a Hotlinked Module or an XREF. In all cases, locked elements can be selected, but they cannot be edited. (You will be informed of this if you try to edit a locked element.) You can open the settings dialog boxes of these elements, but you cannot edit their parameters.

350

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Note: Defining a Layer or Layer Combination as a criteria means that the program will find and select the elements which are visible according to the given Layer Combination.

See also Find and Select Text Blocks/Labels. See also Search for Elements by Label Text. See also Find and Select Missing Library Parts. See also Find and Select Elements with Missing Attributes. 3. When you are done setting up the criteria, click the Plus button to select all the elements that fit these criteria. Note: Different criteria types (e.g. Element Type, Layer) are joined to each other by and statements.

Deselect Elements
Click the Minus button to deselect all the elements that fit the current criteria in the Find & Select Palette.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

359

363

Interaction

Edit Selection Set

The Edit Selection Set dialog box from Edit > Element Settings > Edit Selection Set makes it possible to edit specific attributes (layers, pencolors, and export classifications) for a collection of dissimilar element types simultaneously, without affecting any other settings of these elements. Every element in ArchiCAD shares two basic attributes with all others: a Layer assignment and one or several Pencolors. In addition, all construction elements can be assigned classifications (IFC Element Type, position, and/or structural function) which is useful for mapping conversion settings if you export your ArchiCAD model to other applications. (See Classification.) If you explicitly change any of these attributes in the Edit Selection Set dialog box, all the selected elements will take on the new values. Note: The Classification setting is available here only if the selection set includes at least one construction element. Note: The pen setting affects all cut pens of the selected elements (cut fill pens, cut line pen).

Modify Associated Window & Door Color: Check this box to also modify the Pencolor/ Penweight of Window and Doors contained in any selected Walls. Note: If not checked, the openings will retain their individual Pencolors/Penweights. Modify Auto-Labels Layer & Color: Check this box to also modify the Pencolor/ Penweight of Auto-Labels (i.e. associative labels assigned in the elements Tool Settings Dialog Box Listing & Labeling Panel) assigned to any selected elements. For information on associative labels, see Listing and Labeling Panels. Note: If not checked, the labels will retain their individual attributes.

364

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

The pencolors of GDL Object-type elements can only be changed if the object is not set to be displayed with its own Symbol Pens (defined in the 2D symbol of the GDL Object). When editing the object, the standard Pen Color radio button will be preset to the edited Pen Color. All components of composite elements, such as Walls, Dimension chains or Markers made up of lines, Arrowheads and Text, are modified together. If you change the Classification settings, the new settings will be applied to all selected elements. If you do not change them, every element retains its current settings. Selected/Editable: This area displays the number of elements of each type currently selected on the Floor Plan and in 3D. The bottom of the dialog box shows the type of selected elements and whether they are currently editable (that is, not locked).

367

Interaction

Select All Elements in a Marquee

To select all elements inside a previously defined Marquee area with the Marquee Tool active, use the Ctrl/Cmd+A shortcut or the Edit > Select All in Marquee command.

374

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

View Marquee Area in 3D

You can use the Marquee to view a selected area of your project in the 3D window. Define the Marquee area, then use the View > Elements in 3D View > Show Selection/Marquee in 3D command; or select the same command from the context menu. Any part of an element that falls inside the Marquee area will be included in the 3D view, even if there is no selection node or hotspot on this part of the element. Note: If your plan includes both explicitly selected elements and a marquee selection, this command will disregard the marquee and show only the explicitly selected elements. To further define how Marqueed elements are shown in 3D, use the Marquee Effects controls of the View > Elements in 3D View > Filter Elements in 3D dialog box. For more information, see Show Marquee Area in 3D.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

375

Interaction

Removing a Marquee
To remove a drawn Marquee area, do one of the following: Press Esc. Click with the right mouse button or Ctrl-click (MacOS), and choose the Remove Marquee command in the appearing context menu. Begin drawing a new Marquee. Double-click in the window outside the marquee area with the Marquee tool selected. If you have explicitly selected further elements within the Marquee, pressing Esc will deselect these elements in reverse order, and finally remove the Marquee. If you choose another tool, the Marquee area will not be removed, in order to save the recent Marquee area for further use.

376

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Saving the Marquee Area as PDF or DWG

When saving a project view in PDF or DWG format, you may use the Marquee to delimit the part you wish to save. After placing the Marquee, use the Save As... PDF or Save As... DWG command as usual. Only the Marquee area will be saved to the file, rather than the entire window contents.

Save Document in PDF Format Saving DWG/DXF Files

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

377

Interaction

Copy/Paste Marquee Area from Project Window

You can use the Marquee tool to copy and paste an area of the 3D Window, a Section/Elevation/ IE or 3D Document window, or a Model Picture Window. 1. Generate the view you need. 2. Use the Marquee tool to select the area you wish to copy (if you are selecting from the 3D window, make sure that the 2D Marquee option is active).

3. Choose Edit > Copy. If you are copying from the 3D window using the OpenGL engine, all images will be pasted in pixel format. If you are copying from the 3D window using the Internal Engine, a dialog box appears during the Copy operation giving you options for how the image will be displayed on the screen.

For more information, see Copy Dialog Box. Note: If you are copy-pasting construction elements, they will be placed as 2D elements (points, lines and fills.) You may find that the exploded 2D elements generated from the model often contain superfluous elements (extra line segments, overlapping or superfluous fills) that make such editing difficult. To make editing easier, use the The Linework and Fill Consolidation functions on selected items in the window. For more information, see Consolidate Lines and Fills in Drawing Windows.

378

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Light Mercedes at any other edge of any element.

Intersection at an intersection of edges.

When you click to start drawing an element whose definition requires more than a single spot, the cursors shape changes to an empty pencil. It then changes its shape again depending on whether it encounters other elements. The possibilities are as follows: White pencil in an empty space or over any element where there is no hotspot or edge

Striped pencil with black top at a walls reference line or a beams reference axis.

Striped pencil at any other edge.

384

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Filled pencil at a node on a walls reference line or on a beams reference axis.

Filled pencil with white top at any other node or hotspot.

Pencil point with intersection at an intersection of edges.

Pencil point with perpendicular sign at a perpendicular edge.

Pencil point with tangent sign at a tangential edge.

When using the Arrow tool, the following shapes are available: Arrow at empty area in the window.

Quick Selection (Magnet) appears whenever you move the cursor onto a quick-selectable item.

Arrow with Heavy Checkmark snaps to nodes on reference lines of Walls and reference axes of Beams.

Arrow with Light Checkmark snaps to Hotspots and nodes other than the ones on reference lines of Walls and reference axes of Beams.

Arrow with Heavy Mercedes snaps to reference lines of Walls and reference axes of Beams.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

385

Interaction

Arrow with Light Mercedes snaps to edges other than reference lines of Walls and reference axes of Beams.

Arrow with Intersection snaps to an intersection of edges.

Arrow with Perpendicular sign snaps perpendicularly to an edge or arc while dragging an element

Arrow with Tangent sign snaps tangentially to an arc while dragging an element.

Some cursor shapes only appear in special situations: Cloud indicates empty space over the horizon in perspective views.

Magic Wand used for tracing the contours of existing elements for creating new elements with the active tool. It has three different shapes for identifying nodes, edges and empty space (including surfaces).

Scissors trims elements (hold down the Ctrl/Cmd key while clicking on an element). The Black Scissors appear on top of element edges, while the White Scissors indicate empty space.

Eyeball defines the direction of Roofs slope, the side that remains selected when splitting elements, the depth of Limited Sections and the orientation of Doors/Windows. It is also used to set the position of curved walls and Curtain Walls placed with the tangential method, when more than one placement possibility exists.

Double Eyeball locates position of edge-placed Door/Window.

386

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Sun appears during Curtain Wall input to define the outside part of the Curtain Wall.

Eyedropper appears when picking up parameters from an element as part of Parameter Transfer shortcut.

The Eyedropper is: Full, when snapping to a Reference Line or axis node;

Half full, when snapping to Hotspots, general nodes or selectable area;

Part full, part striped when snapping to a reference line;

Striped, on top of a normal edge;

Empty, when the cursor is in an empty workspace area (visual feedback only).

Syringe appears when transferring parameters of one element to another as part of Parameter Transfer shortcut.

Plus when dragging, rotating or mirroring a copy of an element.

Double-Plus when dragging or rotating multiple copies of an element.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

387

Interaction

Fill Handle prompts you to draw a vector orientation after a fill is placed.

Hammer places Dimension chains, Angular Dimensions, the Elevation Dimension array, Zone Stamps and Fill areas; it also appears when closing polygons.

Trident moves Marquee area or the Clipboard contents after pasting.

During a dimensioning operation: Magnet plus dimension-line icon: In a 3D Document, after clicking the points to be dimensioned, this cursor allows you to choose the plane in which to dimension the clicked elements.

Mercedes plus parallel dimension icon: During a linear dimensioning operation using Any Direction, allows you to choose a line or edge. The dimension will be created parallel to this clicked line/edge.

388

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Tracker
About the Tracker Parameters Shown in Tracker Defining Tracker Coordinates Coordinate Input in Tracker Coordinate Input Logic: Expert Options

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

389

Interaction

About the Tracker

Coordinate values are displayed in the Tracker, which follows your mouse movements and is available in any editable window type. Note: This section describes coordinate input using the Tracker function. If you prefer to use the Coordinates box familiar from older versions of ArchiCAD, consult Coordinates Palette. The Tracker gives you a dynamic and constant feedback on such values as edited lengths, angles, and hotspot values for GDL Object editing. To use the Tracker, you must activate the Tracker toggle button on the Standard toolbar

or activate the Show Tracker checkbox in Options > Work Environment > Tracker and Coordinate Input.

By default, the Tracker only appears On -demand: that is, during coordinate input and editing operations. Another way to show the Tracker if you have not yet begun element input: use the n shortcut. The Tracker will pop up and display the cursor position. Alternatively, choose the Always option to display the Tracker continuously. This means that the Tracker will follow your cursor even if you are not inputting anything, providing feedback on the cursor position. To deactivate the Tracker, deselect the Tracker toggle icon on the Standard toolbar, or hit the n shortcut. Tracker options (including colors, contents and behavior) can be set in Options > Work Environment > Tracker and Coordinate Input. Some Tracker options are commands accessible from the pop-up arrow next to the Standard toolbars Tracker toggle.

390

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Parameters Shown in Tracker

The parameters appearing in the Tracker vary depending on the type of editing action that is underway. For example, if you select a straight segment and choose the Curve edge command from the pet palette, then the Tracker shows the Arc Radius parameter.

You can combine coordinate input by fixing the value of a field and then editing the value of another one.

394

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Coordinate Input Logic: Expert Options

Special Tracker options are available to let you further customize the Tracker function, using the Coordinate Input Logic checkboxes in Options > Work Environment > Tracker and Coordinate Input.

Show X-Y Coordinates relative to User origin in Tracker: If you check this box, the XY coordinates will always be shown as Absolute cartesian values, even if you have activated the Relative Coordinates toggle button. This means that X-Y coordinates are shown as absolute values, and the RA or DA values are shown as relative values. Use relative angle measures: If you check this box, angle measures in the Tracker will be shown either: relative to the previous input segment, in case of polygon input, or relative to the grid, with the horizontal grid line as the zero value, and angle values shown relative to this line, up to 180 degrees. If this box is unchecked, angle values are shown from 0 to 360 degrees. Use angle relative to the active Guide Line: If you check this box, angle values in the Tracker will be shown relative to the active Guide Line. (You must first activate a Guide Line for this to work.) For information on all these options, see Tracker and Coordinate Input.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

395

Interaction

Ruler
The Ruler is an editing aid available at the top and left side of the screen in every ArchiCAD window, except the 3D Window and Schedules. Use the Ruler as an aid in navigation: it lets you know where you are in the project, at the current zoom. To show/hide the Ruler, do one of the following: use the View > Ruler toggle command use the Ruler toggle in the Standard toolbar You can also hide a ruler by right-clicking it and clicking the Ruler toggle. As you move the cursor on screen, feedback on the ruler shows you the vertical and horizontal position of the cursor relative to the User Origin (or, if no User Origin has been created, relative to the Project Origin). See Origins. Every time you create a new User Origin, the measurements shown on the Ruler change accordingly. The measurement units are the Model Units you set in Options > Preferences > Working Units.

Place Orthogonal Guide Line Parallel to Ruler

At any time, click on the Ruler, then drag your cursor to anywhere in the window: a Guide Line parallel to the Ruler will be created. See Guide Lines.

Ruler Commands
The Rulers context menu (right-click anywhere on the Ruler) gives you a quick way to access related commands:

Click the Ruler toggle to hide the Ruler Click Cursor Projection toggle to include projection lines from the Ruler to the cursor position. (This will also turn on Cursor Projection in the 3D window.) Click Working Units to access this dialog box, where the Model Unit option determines the Rulers measurement units.

396

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Measure Tool
The Measure tool, located in the Standard toolbar, allows you to measure distances and areas in the project.

It is a temporary, on-screen function for quick feedback. To use the Measure Tool, activate its icon in the Standard Toolbar, or use the M shortcut. Click on a starting point (the top left corner of the rectangular wall, in the image below) and start to trace the wall. The Tracker displays the horizontal, vertical and radial distance measured from the starting point, as well as the angle.

You can Measure any number of segments in sequence: each click represents a new starting-point from which the next distance will be measured. After two or more clicks, the Tracker also shows a cumulative distance and the area (shown by a temporary gray area on screen). The image below shows the Measure tool feedback after three clicks, as you approach the last corner of the rectangular wall.

You can also use the Measure tool while creating elements. When you start drawing a Wall, for example, you can activate the Measure tool on the fly, measure (or even edit) a value with the fields it displays and then hit Enter to transfer this value into the appropriate field of the Tracker.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

397

Interaction

Grid System
Two grid systems are provided to help you make drafting easier: the Construction Grid and the Snap Grid. You can set these up in View > Grid Options > Grids and Background. For more information, see Grids & Background Dialog Box. As a shortcut, many of these controls are available in the Standard toolbar and the Coordinates palette. Grids can be defined separately for the Floor Plan and any individual Section/Elevation/IE, 3D Document, Detail/Worksheet, or Layout window. Note that, in Floor Plan window, the same Grid settings will be used for all Stories. Grids are not available in the 3D Window. Note: You can also create, place and use custom local structural grids of different sizes and shapes using The Grid Tool. The Construction Grid is used to reflect any characteristic spacing of your Project. The Construction Grid can also be used to define the foundation footings or the column grid of a building. Like the printed grids on traditional graph paper, the Construction Grid adds a visual orientation and sense of scale to the Floor Plan and the Section/Elevation/IE, 3D Document, and Detail/ Worksheet windows. The Construction Grid is normally visible on the Floor Plan, but you can turn it off with the Grid Display toggle command in the View > Grid Options hierarchical menu or in the Standard Toolbars Grid pop-up menu.

398

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Depending on your projects layout, a rotated version of the construction grid may be more helpful than the default orthogonal one. Define the Rotation Angle in the View > Grid Options > Grids and Background dialog box.

You can also define a rotated grid by hand: first, choose Set Rotated Grid from the Standard Toolbar, then draw a vector on screen or click on an existing straight segment: this vector will represent the rotated grid angle relative to the horizontal axis.

To display the rotated version of your Construction Grid, click the Rotated Grid button in the Standard Toolbar grid menu or the Coordinates Palette.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

399

Interaction

The Construction Grid can be optionally enhanced with an Auxiliary Grid, which is also visible on the screen and is defined in View > Grid Options > Grids and Background. The Auxiliary Grid is often used to indicate the thickness of concrete walls or foundation footings, and can be used to create periodic or stepped grids.

405

Interaction

2. Place the cursor on a node (either before or during output). Multi-choice guide lines appear when several choices make sense in a given situation, for example the horizontal-vertical lines appearing at element nodes (as in the image below). You can choose to make any of these lines a lasting guide line by moving the cursor onto the chosen line.

At an element node, the multi-choice Guide Lines appear in fixed directions (Main Direction and Relative Direction) as defined in the Guide Lines panel of the Work Environment dialog box. Relative direction guide lines can be parallel, perpendicular or tangential to the active guide line or intersect guide lines. The relative guide lines are always relative to the active guide line.

406

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

The following image shows multi-choice relative Guide Lines that are parallel to and perpendicular to the active Guide Line (shown in bold). Note the parallel and perpendicular signs on the Guide Lines. To make either of these multi-choice Guide Lines remain on screen as an editing aid (i.e., to turn them into lasting Guide Lines), just move the cursor over it.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

407

Interaction

Defining Your Preferred Guide Lines

On this Guide Lines tab page (Options > Work Environment > Guide Lines, you can define and activate/deactivate three categories of Guide Lines: Main Direction Guide Lines: Their direction/angle is determined based on the drawing environment (e.g. horizontal/vertical direction, rotated grid, etc.) If you check the Input Vector and Length box in this section, the direction and radius of the last input vector will also be offered as a Guide Line. Relative-direction Guide Lines: These are created relative to the active Guide Line. Incremental Guide Lines: These are displayed, during input only, at every increment of the specified angle (relative to the orthogonal coordinate system and originating from the current Edit Origin.) If you check the Relative to active Guide Line check box, these incremental Guide Lines, too, will always be displayed relative to the currently active Guide Line if any. Incremental Guide Lines are temporary (instant) only. Any of these Guide Line groups can also be activated/deactivated using the toggle commands from the Standard toolbar or from View > Guide Line Options.

You can also use Coordinate Constraints, with Guide Lines active, to display Guide Lines which constrain the cursor to particular directions. You can set default Guide Line colors for Multi-Choice Guide Lines and other Guide Lines separately (again, in the Options > Work Environment > Guide Lines tab page). For more information, see Guide Lines Settings.

Time-Based Guide Line Appearance

For each category of Guide Lines (Main-Direction, Relative-Direction), you can set a time interval after which the Guide Lines will appear, so long as you keep the cursor still at an edge or node. Enter preferred time intervals in seconds on the Options > Work Environment > Guide Lines tab page. However, you can override these wait-time intervals at any time using the Force Guide Line Display command (shortcut: ). This shortcut is useful if you are at a node with several sets of multi-choice Guide Lines available, and you want to see a different set without waiting the specified interval.

408

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Placing Guide Lines During Input

Independent of your default Guide Line definitions, you can place a Guide Line (or Guide Circle) at any time during input using the Place Guide Line/Guide Circle command from the context menu. After clicking on screen to begin input, choose the Place Guide Line (Circle) command from the context menu. A lasting Guide Line (circle) will appear. Similarly, you can use the Convert to Guide Line Segment command from the context menu. The current vector will be transformed into a Guide Line. In this case, the length of the Guide Line is limited to the length of the vector you drew and will not run across the whole screen.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

409

Interaction

Place an Orthogonal Guide Line using Ruler

At any time, click on the Ruler at the top or left edge of the screen, and then drag your cursor to anywhere in the window: a Guide Line parallel to the Ruler is created.

410

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Removing Guide Lines

Guide Lines are removed when you finish the editing action, or when you press Esc in succession (the first Esc will cancel the operation in progress; the next will remove all Guide Lines). To manually remove a guide line, place the cursor on it, activate the context menu and choose the Remove guide line command. To remove all guide lines manually, right-click anywhere in the window to activate the context menu and choose the Remove all guide lines command.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

411

Interaction

Interaction

Move the cursor along this guide line and click at the point where you wish to start a new wall. Move the cursor at a roughly 30 degree angle from the permanent guide line. You will see a new guide line appear at exactly 30 degrees. Start drawing a new wall along that line and click to finish.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

415

Interaction

Gravity
When placing a new Wall, Column, Beam or Object-type element, the Gravity function lets you place it directly on top of an existing Slab, Roof or Mesh, thus taking on the elevation of the element it is placed on. If Gravity is on (activate Gravity icon), newly created elements will be placed on top of (i.e., gravitate to) the Roof, Slab or Mesh beneath them, depending on which Gravity option you choose. Level Dimensions placed with Gravity On on top of Slabs, Roofs or Meshes are associated to them. To choose an option, use the Gravity controls in the Standard toolbar or the icons of the Coordinates palette.

Note: Gravity only affects newly created elements and cannot be used for editing existing ones. If you are using Gravity to place a Wall, Column, Beam or any Object-type element onto a slab, roof or mesh surface, you can monitor the changes in elevation (Z) values in the Tracker (or the Coordinates Palette). When several slabs, roofs or meshes overlap, the highest elevation value is displayed. In this image, a wall (with Gravity on) is being placed on top of a slab whose elevation is 400; the walls Z-coordinate in the Tracker, accordingly, is shown as 400.

If the Gravity function is on (activate Gravity icon) while you are placing a new element, but there is no underlying Slab, Roof, or Mesh, then the new element will be placed at the current storys zero level.

416

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Mouse Constraints
ArchiCADs Mouse Constraints are like having a computerized T-square and triangle available while drafting in the Floor Plan. They are editing aids that can be used as an alternative to Guide Lines, although most users will prefer to use Guide Lines in 2D windows. See Guide Lines. The angle pairs they define can be used to lock the cursor at a particular drawing angle, by pressing Shift during input. The mechanism can only be engaged while drawing or editing an element, as indicated by the thick rubberband line shown in the Floor Plan or the ghosted element contour shown in the 3D Window. It temporarily locks the cursors polar angle value in the Coordinates Palette using one of the angle pairs defined in the Options > Work Environment > Mouse Constraints and Methods. See Mouse Constraints and Methods Dialog Box. Three orthogonal angles/angle pairs can be specified: The horizontal-vertical set aligned to the main grid The horizontal-vertical set aligned to the rotated grid The fixed angle set The fixed angle set can be set relative to the rotated grid or the main grid. A practical use for the fixed angle orthogonal set would be aligning multiple elements with a roadway. In addition, you can check one or both Guide Line constraint options: Nearest Instant Guide Line Lasting Guide Lines

Using Mouse Constraints Projection Mode of Cursor with Mouse Constraints

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

417

Interaction

Using Mouse Constraints

Constraining the drawing direction helps you precisely align or connect new elements. To use the orthogonal direction sets for drawing a new element: 1. Make sure the Grid Snap Function is disabled. (See Grid Snap Function.) 2. Click to start drawing an element.

3. Move the cursor from this starting point and hold down the Shift key. ArchiCAD will search for the closest enabled constraint direction.

4. If the constrained direction is not what you had in mind, release the Shift key and move the cursor to a position closer to the desired direction, then hold down the Shift key.

418

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

5. When you have chosen the appropriate constraint direction, click the cursor again to place the endpoint of the element. Since the direction remains locked, you can align this endpoint with other elements using the projection mode of the cursor.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

419

Interaction

Projection Mode of Cursor with Mouse Constraints

When the drawing direction is constrained by pressing Shift, a dotted line connects the unfinished element with the location of the cursor.

In the Control Box, you can vary the display of this dotted line among three possible settings (Cursor Snap Variants): Perpendicular to the constrained direction Horizontal from the constrained direction Vertical from the constrained direction These options allow you to best align the element under construction with other already existing elements. To switch among these options: 1. Display the Control Box. (Window > Palettes > Control Box) 2. Draw an input vector on screen. 3. Press Shift to enable a constraint. The Cursor Snap Variants pop-up is now active in the Control Box. Move your cursor to this popup and choose the cursor snap variant you need. See Control Box.

420

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Coordinate Constraints
You can lock a cursor coordinate and thereby restrict the movement of the cursor by pressing Alt (Windows) or Opt (MacOS) and either X, Y, A, or R/D on the keyboard. If Guide Lines are active: Alt/Opt + X produces a vertical Guide Line.

Alt/Opt + Y produces a horizontal Guide Line. Alt/Opt + A (having defined the Angle value numerically or drawing in a sample direction) produces a corresponding Guide Line. Alt/Opt + R produces a Guide Circle whose radius is determined numerically or graphically. To unlock the constraint, just press the same key combination (e.g. Alt/Opt + X) again. If Guide Lines are inactive, the locking function works the same way, but you will not see the Guide Lines. Another way to lock a coordinate during input is to choose the Lock to Guide Line command from the context menu, if you have already snapped to a Guide Line.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

421

Interaction

Relative Construction Methods

In addition to the Guide Lines feature, the relative construction methods also constrain the element construction direction to a constant angle or offset. They are accessible from the Drafting Aids toolbar:

They can also be accessed from the third button of the Control Box.

Note: The Control Box is not visible by default. To show it, choose its name from the Window > Palettes menu. (See Control Box for more information.) These Relative Construction Methods are described here:

Parallel and Perpendicular Constraints Angle Bisector Constraint Offset and Multiple Offset Constraints (Relative Construction Methods) Aligning Elements to a Surface in 3D Special Snap Points on Temporary Vector

422

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Parallel and Perpendicular Constraints

Use these commands to draw new elements that are either parallel to or perpendicular to a reference line or existing element edge. The Parallel and Perpendicular constraint commands are accessible from the Drafting Aids toolbar:

They are also accessible from the Control Box. Note: The Control Box is not visible by default. To show it, choose its name from the Window > Palettes menu. (See Control Box for more information.) 1. Make sure that the Grid Snap Function is inactive. (See Grid Snap Function.) 2. Choose the Perpendicular or Parallel icon and click it to make it active.

3. Select a line or an element edge as a reference by clicking it (the Mercedes feedback will indicate an edge), or draw a temporary reference line using the cursor. The cursor icon will indicate which method (parallel or perpendicular) is active. Note: The reference edge/line will not be shown as selected; a newly drawn reference line will not remain visible on-screen. 4. Draw the new element. The new element you draw will be perpendicular or parallel to the reference line (depending on the method selected).

Note: You can also select the Perpendicular or Parallel method after you have started drawing an element. In this case, the drawing operation is frozen until you have either drawn or selected a reference line or edge.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

423

Interaction

Angle Bisector Constraint

Using the Angle Bisector relative construction method, you can draw elements bisecting the angle formed by other elements or temporary reference vectors.

This command is accessible from the Drafting Aids toolbar:

It is also accessible from the Control Box.

Note: The Control Box is not visible by default. To show it, choose its name from the Window > Palettes menu. (See Control Box for more information.) You can either start drawing the new element before activating the Angle Bisector method and defining the reference vectors, or the other way round. Before using Angle Bisector constraint, make sure that Grid Snap is disabled. Click the Angle Bisector icon, then define the reference vectors by either clicking on two existing element edges or lines, or drawing two temporary lines. While you are clicking or drawing the reference lines, the cursor icon will show that you have activated the angle bisector constraint.

(The reference edges/lines will not be shown as selected; the temporary lines will not remain visible on-screen.)

424

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

The mouse is constrained to the bisecting angle between the two reference lines. Before you actually draw the element, the cursor is already constrained, and you can see a small black dot move along the line that would be drawn at that angle.

As for any other constraint, you can use remote cursor snap to define the other endpoint of the drawn line.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

425

Interaction

Offset and Multiple Offset Constraints (Relative Construction Methods)

The Offset Constraint and Multiple Offset Constraint methods help you create elements that are at a given offset from a reference line, using any tool that has a linear or polygonal input method.

To draw an offset segment or offset polygonal element: 1. Activate the tool with which you want to draw the new element. 2. Choose or activate the Offset command using one of the following methods: the More... drop-down menu of the Drafting Aids toolbar

the Control Box (see Control Box)

3. Draw a reference line or an open or closed reference polyline. The cursor displays the offset or multiple offset icon. Note: You can, if you wish, create this polyline using the Magic Wand. See Magic Wand. 4. Double-click to complete the reference line/polyline. 5. A rubberband outline appears; drag the cursor to the final location of the new element. 6. If you are using the regular Offset command: Click once to place the element. 7. If you are using Multiple Offset: drag and click as many times as the number of elements you wish to place; double-click, or click Cancel in the Control Box, to place the final element.

426

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Aligning Elements to a Surface in 3D

The Align to Surface relative construction method is only active when working in the 3D Window. It enables you to fit elements onto non-horizontal planes when working in 3D views.

This method automatically identifies the intersection of a selected plane and the working plane of the cursor. The working plane is often horizontal. However, in special cases, for example when moving a hole in a roof plane, the cursors working plane is angled. It is also possible to align to curved surfaces, for example when fitting an object to a curved wall. The limitation here is that if the cursor is moving in an angled plane, it is not possible to fit to a curved surface, only the tangential plane of the surface.

Using the Constraint when Creating New Elements

1. 2. 3. 4. To use the constraint, first open the 3D Window. Choose the tool for the element you wish to add. Adjust your User Origin if necessary. Choose and activate the Align to Surface Relative Construction method in the Control Box.

5. Click on any surface in the 3D view you want to align your new element to. 6. A black dot will appear on the selected plane at the height of the current User Origin. The dot will follow the cursor constrained to the intersection line of your reference plane and the User Origin plane.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

427

Interaction

7. Click where you want to start drawing your new element. The element will be constrained to the intersection line. Finish drawing the element in the usual way.

Using Align to Surface with Existing Elements

1. Activate the 3D Window. 2. Adjust the User Origin if necessary. For more information, see Origins. 3. Select the element you wish to edit. 4. Choose the Edit command you wish to execute, e.g., stretch an edge of a slab to the intersection of a roof and the User Origin. 5. Click a reference point or edge to start editing. 6. Select the Align to Surface icon from the Drafting Aids toolbar or the Control box, and activate the constraint as described above. 7. Choose your reference plane. 8. Finish editing the element.

428

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Snapping to Existing Elements

In addition to the methods offered to create elements at a specified point relative to existing elements, or at specific points of your project, ArchiCAD also helps you to move or reshape elements by snapping them to existing ones as part of a move operation. The Element Snap function can be enabled and disabled using the Options > Element Snap toggle command. (This command is also available on the Standard Toolbar.)

Element Snap only works on selected elements and can be toggled on and off while you work using the E shortcut. Note: Element Snap can only be used when Grid Snap is disabled. If you select an element and then start moving it with Element Snap active, you will see that its special points change to small squares.

These special points include: The selection dot points of the element including anchor points The division points of the element (if Special Snap Points are enabled.) The tip of the cursor When one of these selection dots encounters a node, anchor point or edge of another element where the cursor changes its shape to indicate a special relation, that selection dot becomes larger showing that the element is attracted to the sensitive point. You can then click to join the two elements without having to place the cursor at the actual joining point.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

429

Interaction

If more than one snapping point touches an eligible point on the other element, you will see that these turn black. You can use the spacebar to cycle through possible points. Click when the one you need is displayed with the larger empty square.

430

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Special Snap Points

Special Snap Points on Temporary Vector
Special Snap Points are temporary hotspots that appear at particular intervals (defined by you) on elements, to help you place and draw new elements more accurately.

To activate Special Snap Points:

1. Click the Special Snap Point toggle on the Standard toolbar, or in the View menu. 2. Hover your cursor over the element on which you want to see the Special Snap Points. 3. The Snap Points appear. Their number and position depend on the options set by you. (See Define Special Snap Points, below.) 4. The Snap Points act as a temporary hotspot - you can snap to them with your cursor. You can start drawing new elements from these points or use them for editing other elements in relation to them. 5. Special Snap Points will disappear after about 5 seconds. Note: Although Special Snap Points will disappear on their own after a set interval by default, you can opt to have the snap points remain visible until you either place an element or change to another view or story: disable the Autohide Special Snap points checkbox in Options > Work Environment > On-Screen Options.

Define Special Snap Points

To define division points and custom distances: 1. Click the Special Snap Values drop-down menu from the Standard Toolbar. (The same commands are available from View > Special Snap Options > Set Special Snap Values menu command.)

These controls are also available as commands in the Control Box. Note: The Control Box is not visible by default. To show it, choose its name from the Window > Palettes menu. See Control Box.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

431

Interaction

2. Choose the intervals at which to place your special snap points: Half: Divides an edge into two equal parts. Division: Divides an edge into the set number of segments. (Range: 3-20) Percentage: Divides an edge into two parts according to the set percentage. Distance: Divides an edge into segments that are the set distance apart. Distances and percentages are always calculated from the endpoint that is closest to the cursor. 3. Define the values for your divisions, percentage, and/or distance by clicking the Set Special Snap Values command from this drop-down menu.

Disable Special Snap Points

In the Standard Toolbar or the View menu, toggle the Special Snap Points command to Off.

Special Snap Point Color

To customize the color of your Special Snap Points, use the control in Options > Work Environment > On-Screen Options.

Special Snap Points Options

From the Special Snap Points menu in the Standard Toolbar (or the View menu), choose one of two options for setting your Special Snap Points:

432

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Along Entire Element (snap points appear at the defined intervals along the whole element, even if it is intersected by other elements)

Between Intersection Points (snap points are placed on the chosen element only from one intersection point to the next.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

433

Interaction

Special Snap Points on Temporary Vector

In addition, you can display Special Snap Points on a temporary vector used while drawing elements. The method can be activated with the Special Snap icon among the relative construction icons in the Control Box.

See Control Box. In the following example, you will draw a Wall that starts at one- fourth of the gap between two endpoints of two other Walls. 1. Start by choosing the Divisions option in Special Snap Point Settings, then type 4 as the number of Divisions.

2. Make sure that Grid Snap is inactive. Activate the Wall tool, then choose and activate the Special Snap Point icon in the Control Box.

3. Start drawing the reference vector from the endpoint of one of the Walls.

434

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

4. A dashed line is drawn indicating the reference vector, with small black dots at the locations of the special snap points. Click the endpoint of the other Wall to terminate the definition of the reference vector.

The Edit Origin is relocated to the place of the generated special snap point.

You can start drawing the new Wall.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

435

Interaction

Cursor Snap Range

To help locate hotspots on the screen, the cursor gravitates toward edges and nodes. The attraction of the cursor by elements is defined in pixels in the bottom section of the Options > Work Environment > Mouse Constraints & Methods dialog box.

Copy/Paste Elements Between Stories

The Edit Elements by Stories Dialog Box provides a quick way to copy elements from one story to another without having to redraw them for each story.

Copy/Paste Elements Between Projects

When pasting elements to another project, remember that element attributes are identified by name.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

439

Interaction

If the pasted elements refer to attributes that do not exist in the target Project, the necessary attributes will be appended. If the elements refer to attributes that do exist in the target project but are different from those of the original project, they will take on the attributes of the target project. The Clipboard can be used not only to hold ArchiCAD elements for pasting, but also to import bitmap graphics and other types of information. You can paste multi-line texts from wordprocessing applications into ArchiCAD. If you have copied items from an external application, you have several options - depending on the type of copied item - for pasting them into ArchiCAD. For more information, see Pasting Dialog Box.

Delete
The Edit > Delete command removes selected items from Project or text Windows. The deleted elements are not preserved on the Clipboard. They are easily retrieved by Undo. The keyboard equivalent of Delete is hitting the Backspace or Delete key. Deleting construction elements in any model window (Floor Plan, 3D, model-type Section/Elevation/IE, or 3D Document) will also clear these elements from all the other windows. Note: Deleting any additional (i.e. manually added) elements from a model-type Section/ Elevation/IE window or a 3D Document, or any elements from a drawing-type Section/ Elevation/IE window will leave all other windows unchanged.

Undo/Redo
The Undo and Redo commands allow you to undo (revert to a previous step) and redo a large number of construction operations. The name of the command to be undone is displayed in the menu along with the Undo or Redo command. This capability also allows you to test tentative solutions by trying them out until you arrive at the desired result. The number of steps that can be undone and redone (from 1 to 99) is set using in the Options > Work Environment > Data Safety & Integrity dialog box (Undo Limit). The default value is 20. After redoing a series of steps, Undo will only be available when you complete a new undoable action. All model and drafting operations can be undone step by step, chronologically, regardless of the model or drawing view they were performed in. In text type windows, only the last editing step can be undone/redone. (Text-type windows include all Listing windows created with the Calculation function, GDL script windows, Project Notes, and Report windows.) Important: Operations involving Navigator/Organizer items (such as drag and drop between Navigator maps, deleting items from a map, or adding items to the Publisher set) are not added to the undo queue, and are not undoable. Note: Each time you save the Project, your previously available Undo steps will be cleared. In case of a crash, Autosave will save your Project. Autosave does not clear the undoable steps.

440

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Cancel Operations
By successively pressing the Esc key, you will achieve the following actions: 1. Cancel current operation entirely (during input) 2. If nothing is selected: Remove Guide Lines, if any 3. Deselect selected item(s), if any 4. Remove Marquee selection, if any 5. If nothing is selected: Switch to Arrow tool During input, pressing the Backspace key will cancel the operation. Warning: Pressing Backspace with any items selected will delete those items!

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

441

Interaction

Pet Palettes
A pet palette with relevant commands appears with most on-screen editing operations. The contents of the pet palette depends on the following factors: The selected element The part of the element you choose to act on (edge or node) The active window Move your cursor over the icons to read the tool tip for each one, and click on the icon for the function you need.

You can change your mind and choose a different function from the pet palette as long as you have not completed the editing operation with a second mouse click. The pet palette automatically disappears when the operation is finished. For more information on customizing pet palette functions, see Dialog Boxes and Palettes.

442

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Interaction

Mirroring Elements
Mirroring creates a mirror image of selected elements on the Floor Plan or in the 3D Window. To Mirror an element: Select the Element(s) you want to mirror. Here, we want to place the table and chairs in the facing direction, at the other side of the room.

Select the Edit > Move > Mirror command, or choose the Mirror command from the context menu or the pet palette.

Define the mirroring axis with two clicks, as if you were drawing a Line.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

449

Interaction

The mirrored elements will be placed after the second click.

Notes: Any number of Doors and Windows can be mirrored at a time. The mirrored Door/Window will always be in line with the wall that contains the original. Select the Door/Window; click once. This click is the axis of the mirroring action. Text, Line arrowheads and Dimensions will not be mirrored, only their bounding box. Mirrored Text blocks, Labels, Dimensions and Fill polygon area labels are always readable from the bottom and the left side of the drawing. Zone stamps cannot be mirrored.

450

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

457

Interaction

Select all three windows and use Edit > Align Left.

Right: If you choose Edit > Align > Right, all selected elements will be aligned to the rightmost bounding-box point of the element located farthest to the right. In the illustration below, the arc wall is the rightmost element; the rest of the walls (their rightmost points) are aligned to the rightmost point on the arc walls bounding box.

ArchiCAD will use the centerpoint of the tables bounding box (here, illustrated in red):

Note: If you want to use a different anchor point of the elements you are distributing, use the Special Distribute options (Edit > Distribute > Special Distribute). Along X: The two selected elements at either end will remain in place; the rest will be evenly distributed between them. For example, suppose you have three windows distributed evenly along a wall.

462

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

As a result of a design change, the wall is lengthened and you add two more windows.

To ensure they are all distributed evenly, select all the windows and use Edit > Distribute > Along X.

Along Y: The two selected elements at either end (vertically) will remain in place; the rest will be evenly distributed between them. For example, suppose you want to distribute chairs evenly against the back wall of the room. Select them, then use Edit > Distribute > Along Y.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

463

Interaction

Along XY: The two selected elements at either end (at top left and bottom right) will remain in place, and the rest will be distributed evenly along an XY diagonal. For example, you have nine desks in the classroom placed roughly in a V formation.

To distribute the desks precisely, select a group of 5 desks and use Edit > Distribute > Along XY. First group:

464

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Repeat with a second group of five chairs. Final result:

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

465

Interaction

Special Distribute
The options in Edit > Distribute > Special Distribute let you choose which point to distribute and along what to distribute the elements: a temporary line/arc drawn by you, or any existing line/edge.

Suppose you want to distribute potted plants in a circle around a hexagonal soil holder object:

Use Edit > Distribute > Special Distribute. Choose the Draw a line or arc option, then click OK to close the dialog box. Click to start drawing and choose the Arc by centerpoint pet palette option. You will create a temporary circle around the hexagonal object. As you complete the circle, the potted plants will be distributed around it.

466

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Modify Element Sizes

Overview of Modifying Element Size Stretching Walls Modifying Slanted Walls and Columns Modifying Beams Modifying Complex Profile Elements Trimming Elements to Intersection Point(s) Reshaping Polygons and Chained Elements Stretching with the Marquee Tool Stretch Height Resize (Enlarge or Reduce) Elements Offset Selected Element Splitting Elements Adjusting Elements Intersect Two Elements Create a Fillet or Chamfer Trimming Elements to Intersection Point(s) Adding Element Nodes Move Nodes Curve/Straighten Element Edge

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

467

Interaction

Overview of Modifying Element Size

Different element types have different characteristic dimensions: length, width, height, thickness, opening angle, etc. Some of these are easiest to modify numerically, by selecting the given element, opening its settings dialog box and adjusting the relevant values. Some dimensions, however, cannot be modified numerically (for example, the length of linear elements or edges), while some others need to be fitted exactly to other elements (walls to roofs, for example) which may make numeric adjustment a tedious calculation task. You may also need to change the overall dimensions of several elements at the same time while keeping their relative proportions. In such cases, ArchiCAD allows you to modify element sizes using splitting, stretching and trimming operations. Most of the operations can be performed in three ways: Edit menu command Keyboard Shortcuts Commands from Pet Palettes In some cases, only the pet palette is available. Some general considerations: You cannot stretch Hotspots, Cameras or Detail Markers. Some GDL Object type elements are programmed to allow only specific sizes, or include smart editing hotspots to edit their shape graphically. Stretch is available for most types of selected elements in both the Floor Plan and the 3D Window. Only drawing elements can be stretched in the Section/Elevation/IE, 3D Document and Detail/Worksheet windows. The Stretch command cannot be used on polygonal elements, but you can stretch their edges or displace any of their nodes graphically.

468

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Stretching Walls
To stretch/shrink the length of straight Walls with the menu command: 1. Select a wall. 2. Choose the Edit > Reshape > Stretch menu command, or the Stretch command from the pet palette. 3. Click the reference line endpoint and move it. 4. Click again to either define the new endpoint as an extension (or reduction) of the previous length or define an entire different new location. The wall is stretched or shrunk and, if needed, rotated according to the new endpoint. The other endpoint will remain at its original position. Note: Multiple Walls, Lines and Arcs with overlapping endpoints can all be stretched at the same time with the Stretch menu command, or by using the Marquee. For more information, see Stretching with the Marquee Tool. When using the pet palette: 1. Select a wall. 2. Click one of the walls reference line endpoints. The pet palette appears. Choose the stretch icon.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

469

Interaction

Click to define the new endpoint. You can stretch a curved wall by using a special angular or radial stretch commands. See Stretching Curves. To stretch a Trapezoid wall, you can use the special Stretch Trapezoid Wall command from the pet palette: this will increase/decrease the width of the wall proportionally as you stretch it from either end.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Modifying Beams
To stretch/shrink Beams using the pet palette: 1. Select a beam on the Floor Plan or in 3D. Note: Beams can also be stretched/shrunk in Section view, if the Beam reference line is perpendicular to the Section line. 2. Click one of the beams endpoints. The pet palette appears. Choose the appropriate stretch (or stretch length) icon:

Click to define the new endpoint. To stretch/shrink beams with the menu command: 1. Select a beam. 2. Choose the Edit > Reshape > Stretch command. 3. Click the reference line endpoint of the beam and move it. 4. Click again to either define the new endpoint as an extension (or reduction) of the previous length or define an entire different new location. The beam is stretched or shrunk and, if needed, rotated according to the new endpoint. The other endpoint will remain at its original position. To modify the inclination (slant) angle of an inclined beam, select it on the Floor Plan or in the 3D Window. Choose the Modify Angle command from the Pet Palette.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

475

Interaction

Drag the beam graphically to the desired inclination angle.

476

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Modifying Complex Profile Elements

Profile Walls, Columns and Beams have special stretch and rotate commands in the pet palette.

Place a Wall/Column/Beam with a Complex Profile

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

You can use the pet palette to add to the shape of a polygonal element, or subtract new polygons from it. To add a new polygon to the existing one: Select the polygon and click it either on an edge or a node. From the pet palette, choose the icon with the + sign (Add to Polygon).

Draw the new polygon shape. It must intersect with the selected one or at least they should have a common edge.

Click to finish drawing the new shape, which will be automatically added to the original one.

480

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

2. Press the Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (MacOS) key and click the edge you wish to use for splitting/adjusting.

490

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

3. The operation is immediately performed. All transformed elements will remain selected.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

491

Interaction

Intersect Two Elements

You can intersect two selected Lines, Walls or circular or elliptic Arcs with each other by having them meet at their endpoints nearest point. 1. Select the two elements (they must be of the same element type). 2. Choose the Edit > Reshape > Intersect command.

495

Interaction

Trimming Elements to Intersection Point(s)

Interaction

With the Fillet function (use the Fillet/Chamfer pet palette icon), you can replace a polygon node by a tangential arc whose radius can be set in the Fillet/Chamfer Radius dialog box.

For a detailed description, see Create a Fillet or Chamfer.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

501

Interaction

Curve/Straighten Element Edge

With the pet palettes Curve edge function, you can curve a segment of a straight element - such as a wall - by dragging its edge or reference line.

The resulting arc will cross the two endpoints of the clicked edge and the point that has been dragged.

Note: If the bent segment of a polygon intersects any of the other polygon edges, ArchiCAD will regularize the polygons shape, which may result in cutting the polygon into several parts.

502

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

To straighten a curved element edge, select the curved element, then select the Insert New Node command from the pet palette.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

503

Interaction

Explode into Current View

Choosing Edit > Reshape > Explode into Current View will turn selected elements (Floor Plan and other 2D windows only) into basic elements (Lines without arrowheads, Circles, Arcs, Elliptic arcs, Splines, unframed Fills, single-line Texts). You have the option to delete or retain the original elements.

Note: If Autogroup is On, the exploded elements will be created in grouped mode. Note that exploding a construction element with the first option (Keep drawing primitives only) means that it no longer exists as a construction element. Consequently, it will disappear from other model views (model-type Sections, Elevations, IEs, 3D Documents). A third option appears if the exploded Drawing contains layers (that is, if it is a DWG file or if it is derived from an ArchiCAD view):

Keep Drawing primitives on elements original layers (Original layers are the same layer as the Drawings layer). If you uncheck this box, you may avoid creating large numbers of unneeded layers in ArchiCAD. After an Explode function, you may wish to fine-tune the view before final output. You will find, however, that the exploded lines and fills often contain superfluous elements (extra line segments, overlapping or superfluous fills) that make such editing difficult. To make editing easier, first use the The Linework and Fill Consolidation functions on selected items in the window. For more information, see Consolidate Lines and Fills in Drawing Windows.

504

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Some examples: Slabs, Roofs and Meshes are decomposed into lines Walls and Columns are decomposed into Lines and Fills (Doors and Windows inserted into Walls are also exploded). Doors and Windows (if selected without the Wall they are placed into) are decomposed like GDL Objects into 2D elements and are replaced by empty hole type openings. Dimensions are decomposed into Lines, Texts and the basic elements of arrowheads (Lines, Circles, Arcs, Fills). Polylines are decomposed into Lines and Arcs. GDL Objects are decomposed into basic 2D drawing elements. Explode has no effect in the following cases: In Section/Elevation/IE and 3D Document windows, cut construction elements cannot be exploded Section/Elevation/IE lines and Cameras Basic 2D elements.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

505

Interaction

Create Element Duplicates

You will often need to create exact duplicates of a particular element. Often, the simplest way to duplicate is to use Copy/Paste. See Basic Editing Operations.

Copy/Paste Elements Between Stories

The Story Settings Dialog Box provides a quick way to copy elements from one story to another without having to redraw them for each story. It is also easy to use graphical editing to drag, rotate, or mirror one or more copies of a selected element, or to use the multiply function. These are described in the following sections:

Drag, Rotate, Mirror Element Copies Multiply Elements Offset Selected Element

506

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

510

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

If you are using a vertical displacement (in either a 2D or 3D window) as part of the Multiply operation, the Set Home Story by Elevation checkbox appears: if you check it, newly created elements will be assigned a Home Story based on their respective story locations. See Set Home Story by Elevation. If you uncheck it, new elements will have the same Home Story as the original element you are multiplying.

Increment spaces the copies by an incremental distance equal to the length of the reference line or reference arc. Distribute spaces the copies evenly between the start and endpoints of the reference line or reference arc. Distribute-1 will also space the copies evenly between the starting point and the endpoint of the reference line or arc, but the distance is divided by the Number of copies + 1 and no copy will be placed at the endpoint. Spread will place the copies of the multiplied element to equal distance from each other along the reference line or arc all the way until the reference is drawn. In this case, instead of defining the number of copies, you set the spacing in length or in degrees between two neighboring copies.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

511

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Parameter Transfer
Use Parameter Transfer to: Transfer Parameters From One Element To Another Pick Up Elements Parameters to Use as Default Inject Default Settings to Placed Element Parameter Transfer is available: on the Floor Plan and in the 3D Document and 3D windows for most element types In Section/Elevation/IE and Detail/Worksheet windows, for drawing elements only You can also use a form of Parameter transfer between two library parts of the same type. See Parameter Transfer Between Objects.

Parameter Transfer Commands

Use the parameter transfer shortcuts: Pick Up Parameters: Alt Inject Parameters: Ctrl+Alt (Alt/Opt-Cmd on MacOS) Parameter Transfer commands are also available in the Standard Toolbar and at Edit > Element Settings > Pick Up Parameters and Inject Parameters.

Transfer Parameters From One Element To Another

Move your cursor over the element whose parameters you wish to transfer. (The Element Information Highlight gives you feedback on the element you are focusing on.) 5. Press Alt. The cursor changes to the Pick Up Parameters (eyedropper) icon. Note: It makes no difference whether the eyedropper icon is full or half-full, as long as it is not empty.

6. Click the element. 7. Now move your cursor to the element to which you want to transfer these parameters.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

515

Group Elements
To create a Group, select elements and do one of the following: Use the Edit > Grouping > Group command Use the shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd + G Click the Group command from the Arrange Elements toolbar.

Several groups can, in turn, be grouped together into a single higher-level group. Grouped elements can then be selected and modified as a group, (unless you temporarily suspend the group to allow editing of individual elements - see Suspend Groups). Grouped elements are distinguished by their large, empty selection dots. If you select several groups simultaneously, each groups selection dots will have a different color.

The following element types cannot be grouped: any of the Dimension types, Zones, Labels, Section/Elevation/IE lines, Cameras. Doors and Windows can only be grouped along with the Wall they are placed into.

Suspend Groups
You may need to perform an operation on only one particular element in a group. In this case, ungrouping them all is burdensome, since you will have to select all the elements again to recreate the group after you have finished the operation. The solution is to temporarily suspend groups by choosing the Suspend Group toggle icon in the Standard Toolbar, or at Edit > Grouping > Suspend Groups (shortcut: Alt/Opt+G).

(The Suspend Groups icon is also available in the Control Box.) By activating Suspend Groups, you can select and modify grouped elements separately. Activating Suspend Groups means that ALL groups are temporarily rendered inactive: single 518
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

elements can be selected and edited individually, even if they are part of a complex group hierarchy. To re-activate the Group function, just toggle Suspend Groups to OFF again. Note: To change the settings of a single element in a group without using Suspend Groups, use Parameter Transfer (see Inject Default Settings to Placed Element). This parameter transfer will affect only the clicked element, and not the rest of the elements in the group.

Ungroup
To make all elements constituting a group independent again, choose Edit > Grouping > Ungroup (shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+G). Ungroup is also available from the Arrange Elements toolbar.) Clicking Ungroup with Suspend Groups ON will detach any selected elements from their groups and break down all groups into single independent elements, no matter how complex the nested grouping is. Clicking Ungroup with the Suspend Groups toggle OFF, for a selection consisting of lowerlevel groups, the selected group will first be divided into the sub-groups it comprises. Thus, you may need to repeat the Edit > Grouping> Ungroup command several times before an element can be selected and edited individually.

Autogroup
Edit > Grouping > Autogroup, a toggle command (shortcut: Alt+G), lets you group elements at the same time you create them (instead of creating elements first and then grouping them). The Autogroup toggle command is also available in the Standard Toolbar and in the Arrange Elements toolbar. If the Autogroup command is on, chained polygonal and rectangular elements (such as PolyWalls, PolyRoofs, etc.) will automatically be created as a group. Components of exploded elements will also be grouped. Autogroup is activated by default.

Operations on Grouped Elements

The following operations can be performed simultaneously on all the elements constituting the group: Selection The following Edit menu functions: Drag, Rotate, Mirror, Multiply Delete Note: If any elements in the selected group are on a hidden layer, they will also be deleted! Other operations (such as Unify and Fillet/Chamfer) can be performed on individual elements only, after the elements are ungrouped or the group is suspended.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

519

Interaction

Groups and Layers

Grouping elements does not change their attribute assignments, which means that each element remains on its own Layer. If some elements of a Group are on a hidden Layer: Elements on the hidden Layer will be invisible. When editing the group (by drag, rotate, mirror, multiply, delete), elements on hidden layers will also change their position - or will be deleted - along with the rest of the group.

If some elements of a Group are in a locked Layer (see Lock/Unlock Elements): Elements on the locked Layer will be visible on the Floor Plan, but they will cause the entire group to be locked. The group will not be affected by drag, rotate, mirror and multiply. When selecting the group, all of its elements will be selected, but with grey dots. Use the Suspend Groups command to edit those grouped items that are not in a locked layer.

Interaction

On newly placed elements, the commands work as follows: Bring Forward: On this command, selected element(s) will overlap all the unchanged elements of their own and any lower classes, but will still stay below the elements of higher classes. Bring to Front: On this command, selected element(s) will overlap all other existing elements. Send Backward: On this command, selected element(s) will be overlapped by (sent behind) all the unchanged elements of their own and higher classes, but will overlap the elements of lower classes. Send to Back: On this command, selected element(s) will become overlapped by all other existing elements. Reset Default Order: This command restores the default overlapping order described previously.

Mechanism of the Stacking Order

Both the default stacking order and the customization commands are based on two ordering mechanisms: classes and stack levels. ArchiCAD places elements in 14 stack levels. Each level can contain any of the element types. The final stacking order you see on screen and on printouts is based on stack level and element class. All elements on a level will overlap elements on lower stack levels, regardless of class. New elements are always placed into the preferred stack level of their own class. Stack level preference is as follows: 1-4: Void by default 5: Annotation 6: 2D Artwork 7: Library Parts 8: 3D Structures 9: 2D Polygons 10: Figures 11-14: Void by default By default, the upper and lower 4 stack levels are empty. You can bring or send elements of any type into these stack levels with the Edit > Display Order commands detailed above.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

523

Interaction

For example, bringing a Fill forward from level 9 to level 8, which is the default level of structures, means that the Fill will overlap all the unchanged fills remaining on level 9, but will still be overlapped by all the unchanged structures on level 8.

If you bring it forward again, it will overlap all the remaining structures. However, it will still stay below all of the unchanged Library Parts on level 7. This way, you can move it forward until it overlaps the higher levels.

Of course you can bring other elements forward as well, which will again overlap the changed Fill.

The Bring to Front and Send to Back commands move the selected elements until they overlap (or are overlapped by) all of the existing elements. This is not necessarily the 1st or the 14th level, which means that in most cases it will still be possible to place other elements above or below them. Text or Dimensions brought up to the top stack level cannot be overlapped. For example, if you want a Fill to overlap them, you will have to send the Text one level backwards. If you attempt to move elements forward that are already placed on the top level, or to move elements backward from the bottom of the stack, you will be alerted. When moving several elements placed at different stack levels forward or backward, each element will only move one level. When bringing to front or sending to back elements of different types, they will overlap (or be overlapped by) all existing elements, and will retain their stacking order in relation to each other. Zones and Fills are compound elements consisting of components of two different classes (Zone Polygons and Zone Stamps, Fills and their area texts). These two components always keep their order according to their classes, for instance area texts always overlap their fills. Although you 524
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

can change their overlapping order separately, Fills and Zone Fills can never overlap their own area texts and zone stamps and vice versa, forcing the other component to move with them if necessary. The stacking order will be preserved on printer or raster plotter output. In DXF/DWG output, all elements will be transparent, meaning that hidden or partially overlapped elements will be entirely visible.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

525

Interaction

Magic Wand
About the Magic Wand How to Create an Element with the Magic Wand Using the Magic Wand in 3D Using the Magic Wand to Add/Subtract Polygon Shapes Magic Wand Settings

526

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

About the Magic Wand

The Magic Wand saves you work by finding and tracing a linear or polygon shape from among existing elements, and then generating a new element based on the polygon. The Magic Wand lets you create special shapes that are not available for that particular tool type or would be tedious to construct segment by segment. Since it creates polygonal shapes by nature, the Magic Wand will ignore geometry method settings (such as Rotated Rectangle) for the current tool. When creating curved Walls and polygon-type elements based on Arcs, Circles and Splines, the approximation is based on the state of the Magic Wand Settings dialog box. The Magic Wand works in both the 2D and 3D Windows and recognizes the following element types: Wall, Beam, Slab, Roof, Curtain Wall, Fill, Mesh, Line, Arc, Polyline, and Spline. (In Section/Elevation/IE and 3D Document windows, the Magic Wand recognizes only 2D drawingtype elements). The Magic Wand recognizes elements that are locked, displayed from remote stories or a Trace Reference, reserved by others or outside your workspace.

How to Create an Element with the Magic Wand Using the Magic Wand in 3D Using the Magic Wand to Add/Subtract Polygon Shapes Magic Wand Settings

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

527

Interaction

How to Create an Element with the Magic Wand

1. From the Toolbox, select the new type of element you want to create. 2. Activate the Magic Wand. Press the Spacebar, or click the Magic Wand icon in the Control Box to make it appear. Note: The Control Box is not visible by default. To show it, choose its name from the Window > Palettes menu. The Magic Wand has three different shapes for identifying: nodes

edges

empty space and surfaces

3. Click the Magic Wand to find and trace a polygon shape. If you click on an edge or node, the Magic Wand creates a polygon by tracing that element and/or finding an element chain: it runs along that edge and traces the element chains whose endpoints fall within that edge.

If you click in empty space or on a surface, the Magic Wand searches for and traces the closed geometric area formed by the nearest elements (whether chained together or merely intersecting), and generates the resulting polygon.

528

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

You can refine the Magic Wand function by selecting one or more elements. In this case, the Magic Wand will only take the selected elements into account when searching for chained elements or a bounded area.

The new elements are generated. The new elements are not linked to the originals and can be manipulated independently. If the original shapes are superfluous, you can delete them. If Offset or Multi-Offset has been activated, you can complete the offset function after the Magic Wand has created the new polygon. If you are creating a single Roof, you must first draw a pivot line and define the slope before creating the polygon with the Magic Wand. If you are creating a Fill with a custom origin, you will first generate the polygon with the Magic Wand, then draw the fill orientation vector. All of the characteristics of the new elements are determined by the current default settings of the corresponding tool. You should always check that these are correct either before or after using the Magic Wand, especially if the elements are intended to have a specific relationship to each other, such as a roof resting on a Wall.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

529

Interaction

Using the Magic Wand in 3D

In 3D, the Magic Wand feature works as in the Floor Plan, but instead of using only the top view of the elements, each element is considered the way it lies in space. When searching for the contours of the new element, ArchiCAD will only look at the elements that are actually intersected by the clicked plane. The clicked plane is always the horizontal plane through the clicked surface point or through the User Origin (e.g., when clicking inside polygon walls or beams into space).

530

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Using the Magic Wand to Add/Subtract Polygon Shapes

Instead of defining a new polygon, you can use the Magic Wand tool to add or subtract the shape of an existing polygon (of the same or a different element type). 1. Select the polygon from which you wish to subtract another shape. In this example we want to subtract a complex polygonal shape from a slab. 2. Choose the Subtract from Polygon icon in the pet palette. 3. Move the cursor onto the polygon that you want to subtract and activate the Magic Wand (press the spacebar). 4. Click to complete.

Interaction

A Floor Plan shown as a Reference beneath a Detail:

Any given window can display only one Reference at a time. However, as you navigate among your project windows, you can display a different Reference in each: The Floor Plan window has a single current Reference for all stories Each Section, Elevation, Interior Elevation, 3D Document, Worksheet, Detail, Layout and Master Layout can have its own unique Reference. Reference settings are saved along with the window (for example, each Section in your project can have a Reference of a different color and filter different elements). References are also saved with the project file. All user-defined Reference-related parameters, such as the list of recent References and recently chosen Reference colors, are saved together with the project file. When using the Print command to output a model window or a Layout, you can opt to print the currently visible Reference as well. When you place a Drawing onto a Layout, the Drawing content will not include the Reference. The user can offset and rotate the Reference as needed, though logical default Reference settings for each combination of Active/Reference views will usually align them correctly for the particular context. On-Screen View Options affect the Reference just as they affect the Active. The cursor is sensitive to elements in the Reference. Consequently: You can use the Pick Up Parameters command (Alt +C) on Reference elements, then transfer the parameters to an element in the Active.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

535

Interaction

You can use the Trim command, the Magic Wand, and snap points with elements in the Reference to edit Active elements.

536

Use the controls in the top half of this palette to set the References color and element visibility options. See also Trace & Reference Palette. Change you make here apply to the Reference of the current window only. However, to apply the settings in this pop-up to all References in the project, click the Apply Settings to All References button.

544

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Move Reference
These commands are accessible from the list of Reference commands; or from the Trace & Reference palette. See also Trace & Reference Palette. Use this icon to drag the Reference to another location.

Use this icon to rotate the Reference.

Use this icon if you want to reset the Reference to its original default position after you have moved it.

Note: The same commands are available from the context menu by right-clicking into any window showing a Reference; and from the Standard Toolbars pop-up list of Reference commands. In the image below, a Section viewpoint is displayed as a Reference and rotated alongside the Floor Plan that contains the Section marker:

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

545

Interaction

Drag/Rotate commands applied to the Reference will be reflected in the Tracker's coordinate data (coordinate data are calculated according to the Active's coordinate system, not the Reference's.)

546

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Switch Reference with Active: How to Access Elements within the Reference for Editing or Copying
Elements on the Reference cannot be selected or edited. However, by switching the Reference and Active views temporarily, you can select and edit elements in the Reference. For example, you can use the Switch Reference with Active command if you need to paste certain Reference elements into the Active view: First, use the Switch Reference with Active command (from the list of Trace Reference commands, or the Trace & Reference palette.) See Trace & Reference Palette.

This changes the Reference into the Active (now you can edit its elements), and the Active into a Reference. Note: This command is not available if a Drawing Section is active and its own Model-based Section is the Reference. 6. Select, edit and/or copy the required elements. 7. Once again, use the Switch Reference with Active command and return to the original Active content. 8. If you copied elements to the clipboard, now you can paste these into the Active. This workflow can be used, for example, if you are working in a Worksheet window, while the Floor Plan model has changed. To update your Worksheet, display the Floor Plan as the Reference, identify the differences, switch Reference with Active, copy the updated parts you need, switch Reference and Active (again), and paste into the Worksheet window. Note: When pasting into a drawing-type window (such as a Worksheet), construction elements will be exploded into their 2D components.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

547

Interaction

Activate Reference
The Activate Reference command is available from View > Trace Options, and from the list of Trace Reference commands (accessible from the Standard Toolbar, the View menu or the context menu of an ArchiCAD window.) Activate Reference will change the active window to the Viewpoint that is currently the source of the Trace Reference. This active window, in turn, will use the same Trace Reference definition that was previously set, IF it applies and makes sense. For example: Ground Floor is active and Floor Above (First Floor) is set to be the Trace Reference. If you activate the Reference, then the First Floor will be the active, and Second Floor will be shown as Trace Reference. If the current Reference definition has no meaning in the activated viewpoint, then no Reference will be shown. For example: The South Elevation is shown as Trace Reference under the Ground Floor Plan. If you use the Activate Reference command, the program will switch to the South Elevation Viewpoint and no Reference will be shown.

548

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Rebuild Trace Reference

Use the Rebuild command (available from the Trace & Reference Palette or among the Trace Reference commands) to rebuild the Reference to reflect any changes in the source view.

See Trace & Reference Palette. The Reference will be rebuilt automatically as a result of certain other user actions, such as navigating to another window and panning inside a window. However, editing a model view will not automatically rebuild the Reference; you must use the Rebuild Reference button. Note the following: If the References source is a manual-rebuild model, then the Reference is rebuilt only when that model Section/Elevation/IE is manually rebuilt. Similarly, References containing manualupdate drawings will be rebuilt along with the drawing. If the Reference is an Auto-Rebuild Model, it is possible that you make changes in the Active, yet these are not reflected in the Reference, even after you navigate or pan, because to avoid slowing down the program - you have unchecked Update Autorebuild Model Viewpoints continuously in Options > Work Environment > More Options. Use the Rebuild Reference button when needed. If the Reference contains an Auto-update Drawing, such a Reference will not be continuously rebuilt, to avoid slowing down the program. Use the Rebuild Reference button when needed.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

549

Interaction

Compare Reference with Active

ArchiCAD provides several functions to help you identify and understand differences between the Reference and the Active content, especially when the Reference is on top of the Active content, or vice versa, and you need additional help to see the differences clearly. The best way to compare the two will depend on your particular task. You can use several of these functions at the same time to get the most accurate information. All the Compare functions can be used on the fly while editing your Active content. They are on-screen only functions, with no effect on output. To access these functions, use the Trace & Reference Palette, from Window > Palettes > Trace & Reference.

For details on each control, see Trace & Reference Palette. Each of the techniques below can be useful in visually comparing the Reference with the Active. Try them out to see which works best.

550

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Tip 1: Use Separate Colors for Active and Reference

You can set separate display colors for the Reference and the Active content: a custom color for each, or else retain the original colors. You may want to set two sharply different, custom colors for each of the views - say, red and blue - to make it easy to distinguish one from the other. To set the colors, use the pop-up icons (one each for Reference and Active) in the middle of the Palette.

Note: Even if youve set separate colors, the background fills of one view may obscure the underlying elements in the other view.

Tip 2: Make Fills and Zones Transparent

Note the Make Fills and Zones Transparent toggle at the bottom of the Trace & Reference Palette: activate this to make fills and zones transparent in both the Reference and Active views. This way you will uncover information that otherwise might have been covered up by a fill in the top view. This switch has only a temporary effect and does not affect the settings of the model elements.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

551

Interaction

Tip 3: Reverse Display Order of Reference and Active

When comparing the Reference to the Active, it may help to switch their display order. Click the Reference on Top button at the bottom of the Trace & Reference Palette.

If your Reference was previously underneath the Active, this command will change them around, placing the Reference on top of the Active.

Tip 4: Optimize Intensity of Reference vs. Active

A simple way to make an initial visual comparison is to use the Intensity sliders of the Reference and Active. Note: This method works best if the Active is shown in its original colors, and the Reference in a different color.

Interaction

Linework Consolidation
In the window, select at least two line-type elements you wish to include in the Linework Consolidation process. Line-type elements are straight-lines, polylines, arcs and circles. Note: Linework Consolidation does not affect any line-type element having an arrowhead. The Linework Consolidation command (Edit > Reshape > Linework Consolidation) brings up the Linework Consolidation Wizard. This command is also available from the Edit Elements toolbar.

Now page through the wizard (click Next at the bottom of every screen) and check the boxes of every Line Consolidation option that you wish to execute as part of the consolidation process. For details, see Linework Consolidation Settings. On the last screen, click Consolidate to execute Linework Consolidation. Following the linework consolidation, a report appears, listing the number of elements (if any) that have been deleted or merged for each type of line consolidation. At the bottom of this page, a checkbox gives you the option of using the simplified Linework Consolidations Settings (rather than the Wizard) the next time you issue the command.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

557

Interaction

Linework Consolidation Settings contains the same options as the Wizard, but all options are accessible in a single dialog box.

558

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interaction

Fill Consolidation
In the current window, select at least two fills that you wish to include in the Fill Consolidation process. The Fill Consolidation command (Edit > Reshape > Fill Consolidation) brings up Fill Consolidation Settings. Check the options you wish to execute as part of Fill Consolidation.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

559

Interaction

560

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Virtual Building
ArchiCAD Model Views Construction Elements Parametric Objects Dedicated Object Tools: Doors, Windows, Skylights, Wall Ends, Stairs Custom Stairs with StairMaker Element Extras Model View Options On-Screen View Options Partial Structure Display

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

561

Virtual Building

ArchiCAD Model Views

About Model Views in ArchiCAD Floor Plan Window Stories Floor Plan Cut Plane (Global Setting) How to Display Individual Elements on the Floor Plan 3D Window Sections Elevations Interior Elevations (IE) 3D Document Details Worksheets Managing Markers in ArchiCAD Interactive Schedule Project Indexes

562

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

About Model Views in ArchiCAD

You can approach the Virtual Building model from several different model views. Model views have two main uses. First, you will work in model views to modify the Virtual Building. Second, saved model views are the basis for creating architectural drawings (placed onto Layouts) for the final documentation of the Virtual Building. As you will see, each model view shows a very different aspect of the same Virtual Building. In 3D perspective, you see the Virtual Building as it will look when actually constructed. In Floor Plan, the Virtual Building is shown as a two-dimensional blueprint. In the Section/Elevation/Interior Elevation (IE) windows, elements are generated from the 3D model; you cannot create new model elements here, but you can view and modify them. The 3D Document window is generated from the 3D window, but is a a 2D-type document that allows for annotations and dimensions, and can display the sections of composite elements in their 3D aspect. In the model window known as the Interactive Schedule, the Virtual Building is expressed in lists and figures - here, too, your input will modify the Virtual Building and can be output as documentation. When you work on each of these aspects of the model, you are working on a viewpoint. You can navigate among them, and save them as views. For more information, see Project Workflow in the Navigator. The available commands and functions vary depending on the window that is active. Every time you activate a window, its contents are rebuilt to reflect any modifications you made to the plan. The View > Refresh > Rebuild command is available in all construction windows. It rebuilds the model in the currently active window. For more information, see Summary of Rebuild Commands.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

563

Virtual Building

You can have only one Floor Plan and one 3D window open at a time. While it is possible to keep several windows open for other types of viewpoints(e.g. several Section/Elevation/IE windows), by default ArchiCAD will open subsequent viewpoints in existing windows, replacing the previous one. To open a new viewpoint in a new window instead, use the context menu command from the Navigator item to be opened.

If you would rather open a new window each time you open an additional view or layout (from a menu or by double-clicking in the Navigator), change the window-opening default preference in Options > Work Environment > More Options:

You can pan and zoom the window within the full drawing space to obtain the best view of the work you are currently doing, by using the shortcut icons next to the bottom scrollbar or the commands of the View > Zoom menu. For more information, see Navigation. To maximize working space, use the Window > Full Screen command to have your active window, including palettes, occupy the entire workspace on your monitor. The Window > Full Screen & Hide All Palettes does the same, without showing any palettes.

564

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Floor Plan Window

The Floor Plan Window is the basic construction area where most editing operations take place. It shows a representation of the current project as a traditional architectural drawing. When you start ArchiCAD, the first window you see is the Floor Plan. Each story of the Virtual Building has its own Floor Plan. ArchiCAD gives you the freedom to replicate 3D-like aspects of construction elements in the Floor Plan window, using Cut Plane settings and element-level display and projection options. These options let you visualize parts of multi-story elements that are located on a different floor plan, or to project parts of the element that are above or below the cut plane. See the sections below for how these options work. Note, however, that these Floor Plan projections are not true 3D projections, but rather symbolic depictions. Consequently, the display and, especially, automatic intersection of complex or multi-story elements (on the Floor Plan only) may have some limitations in replicating the true model. The visibility and accessibility of elements on the Floor Plan depends on: chosen options in the elements Tool Settings dialog box, including multi-story display and projection settings;

the Floor Plan Cut Plane (Global Setting); Layers. The elements Layer Settings (elements on invisible layers will not be displayed; elements on locked layers cannot be edited). Modifications to the model in the Floor Plan window will be updated accordingly in the 3D, Detail/Worksheet and Section/Elevation/IE and 3D Document windows. The converse is also true: changes made in other windows are automatically displayed on the Floor Plan when activated. The updates can take place either manually or automatically depending on the Detail or Section/Elevation/IE update settings you choose. For more information, see Updating Sections and Updating the Detail Window.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

565

Virtual Building

Stories
About Stories Set Home Story Show On Stories Navigate Among Stories Defining Story Display in 3D Defining Story Display in Section/Elevation/IE Create or Delete Stories Story Settings Dialog Box Story Level Lines

566

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

About Stories
Stories in ArchiCAD, just as in real buildings, serve to divide space vertically and replicate the story structure of your real building. Stories are typically used for drawing each Floor Plan of multistory structures separately. Each story in the project is displayed, by name and number, in the Navigators Project Map. Double-click on the story name to display it in the Floor Plan window. The current Story name appears in the title bar of the Floor Plan Window.

The elevation (or relative base height) of construction elements placed in 2D windows are calculated relative to a chosen Story: either the elements defined Home Story, or the current story. (See the Base Height setting in the Settings dialog box of construction elements, as in the following image.)

For more information, see Set Home Story.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

567

Virtual Building

Navigate Among Stories

To navigate among stories, do one of the following: In the Navigator Project Map, double-click the Story you wish to open. Activate a story from the Story Settings Dialog Box at Design > Story Settings: click on its name, then click OK to close the dialog box and display the selected story on the Floor Plan. Use predefined keyboard shortcuts to jump among stories Use the Mini-Navigator (see below)

Story Shortcuts in Mini-Navigator

Use the story shortcuts located in the predefined Mini-Navigator toolbar.

Go Up a Story activates the Story above the current one on the Floor Plan. Go Down a Story takes you to the Story below the current one. If you attempt to go to a story that does not exist, the Create New Story dialog box appears.

The Go To Story command in the Mini-Navigator toolbar opens a dialog box allowing you to jump directly to an existing Story and provides you with a range indicator of how many Stories currently exist. If you enter a Story number outside the existing range, the field will revert to the top or bottom Story of the valid range.

568

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Defining Story Display in 3D

In the 3D window, all Stories are projected by default, but you can limit the projection using the Stories to Show in 3D controls at View > Elements in 3D View > Filter Elements in 3D. Choose the range of stories you wish to display in 3D.

The 3D Window always displays the range of Stories defined in View > Elements in 3D View > Filter Elements in 3D, and there is no visual clue as to which elements belong to which story. The Trim Elements to Story checkbox (in the same dialog box) means that the model will be clipped at the story range boundaries. If this box is not checked, the model will not be clipped, and all elements that fall at least partially inside the story range will be displayed. The story display in the 3D window, as set in the Filter Elements dialog box, will naturally affect the 3D Documents that are created from this 3D source. For more information, see Filter Elements in 3D.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

569

Virtual Building

Defining Story Display in Section/Elevation/IE

In Section/Elevation/IE views, you define a vertical range that can include entire Stories or only parts of them. Also, Story Level Lines can be optionally displayed in these views.

Define Horizontal/Vertical Range of Section Viewpoint Show/Hide Story Level Lines in Section/Elevation/IE

570

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Create or Delete Stories

Use the Design > Story Settings Dialog Box to create and delete stories. Story Settings and story-related commands are also available: from the context menu if you have selected a Story in the Navigators Project Map or View Map.

from the Mini-Navigator. See Story Shortcuts in Mini-Navigator.

Create a New Story

1. Go to the Design > Story Settings Dialog Box.

2. Click Insert Above or Insert Below to insert a new story above or below the story name selected in the dialog box list.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

571

Virtual Building

Alternatively: 1. Select a Story in the Navigators Project Map. 2. Use the context menus Create New Story command.

3. In the appearing dialog box, type a name for the new story. 4. Click an option for where the new story should be placed in the project structure: Insert Above: The story will be inserted above the currently selected story (in Story Settings or the Navigator). Insert Below: The story will be inserted below the currently selected story (in Story Settings or the Navigator). 5. Click OK. The new story appears above or below the selected story. The numbering is automatically updated. There is no limit to the number of stories.

Create New Story from the Mini-Navigator Toolbar

If you choose the Mini-Navigator toolbars Go up a Story/Go Down a Story command, and that story does not exist, the Create New Story Dialog Box appears, where you can add Name, Elevation and Height to Next values for the new story.

572

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Copy/Move Elements Between Stories

When creating a new Story, you may wish to copy elements onto it which already exist on another Story. Go to Design > Edit Elements by Stories, or right-click a Story in the Navigator Project Map. (If this command is not available, use the Work Environment Menu Customization Dialog Box to add it to any menu.) In the appearing dialog box, use the commands to Cut, Copy, and/or Paste all elements or selected element types from one story to another.

For more information, see Edit Elements by Stories Dialog Box.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

3D construction elements on the Floor Plan (Walls, Curtain Walls, Columns, Beams and Roofs) are displayed as if they were cut horizontally along a theoretical plane; this is the Floor Plan Cut Plane. The default height of the Cut Plane, measured from the base of the current story, depends on local architectural conventions, but you can set any Floor Plan Cut Plane for the current window using the Floor Plan Cut Plane dialog box. To set the Cut Plane, use Document > Floor Plan Cut Plane to open the Floor Plan Cut Plane Settings Dialog Box.

Note: The Cut Plane does not affect the display of Mesh, Slab or Object elements, including Stairs. However, Stairs and other GDL Objects can be programmed to display themselves according to the Floor Plan Cut Plane Settings. Enter a value for Cut Plane Height to Current Story. If you wish to display all construction elements in their entirety, on all stories (the default settings for construction elements), the rest of the settings in the Floor Plan Cut Plane dialog box are not relevant. The Relative Floor Plan Range and Absolute Display Limit - the other Floor Plan Cut Plane Settings - are only relevant if any of your construction elements are defined as having a limited projection. The Floor Plan Cut Plane settings are global; the current settings apply to all the stories of the project. Once you set the global Floor Plan Cut Plane, you can further fine-tune the Floor Plan display of individual construction elements (Walls, Columns, Beams and Roofs only) in their element Settings dialog boxes. For more information, see How to Display Individual Elements on the Floor Plan.

578

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Set Separate Floor Plan Cut Planes in Different Views

For every view, you can define a unique Floor Plan Cut Plane, if required, using the Floor Plan Cut Plane controls accessible from View Settings.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

579

Virtual Building

How to Display Individual Elements on the Floor Plan

While the current Floor Plan Cut Plane settings are applied globally to the whole project, you can set a separate display preference for each individual construction element. The settings described below (Home Story, Show on, Floor Plan Display and Show Projection) are found in the elements Tool Settings Dialog Box.

Set Home Story Show On Stories Define Elements Floor Plan Display Define Range of Elements Projected Display (Show Projection) Examples of Floor Plan Display Settings

580

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Set Home Story

Each construction element and object-type element has a Home Story. In the Geometry and Positioning Panel of the elements Tool Settings, or the Info Box, you can define its Home Story. Once you place the element, it will be linked to this home story. Most often, an elements Home Story is the story on which it is located. An element is located on a story if its reference line, reference plane or other characteristic point is located on that story, as follows: Wall: location of the reference line (at its lowest vertical point) Roof: pivot line Curtain Wall: location of the reference line (at its lowest vertical point) Beam: location of the reference line (at its lowest vertical point) Column: lowest point of its axis Slab: top surface of the slab Object/Stair: vertical location of its insertion point Mesh: location of its Mesh Reference Plane. (See Mesh Geometry and Positioning Panel.) The Home Story setting acts as a point of reference for: defining which parts of an element will be displayed (as defined in the Show On Stories control) defining listing criteria expressing an elements Relative Base Height (in the Relative Base Height field in Tool Settings) For example, you may have placed the base of a multistory wall on the subfloor, slightly below the current story level. Yet you want to measure its elevation from the current story, not the subfloor. In this case, you can define the current story to be the Home Story of this wall, rather than the story on which the walls reference line is located.

Home Story Controls

In each elements Tool Default Settings dialog box, or its Info Box, choose a home story setting for elements placed with this tool.

Current: The placed elements Home Story will be the current Story.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

581

Virtual Building

Select Story: Use this option if you want to tie the element to a particular story. Click Select Story to bring up a list of stories in the current project.

Choose a home story to which to link the element when you place it. The Home Story dialog always shows the home story defined in terms of the Current story, as in the image below.

Note: The Current story in a tools Default Settings will vary, of course, depending on the story you are currently working on. Note: In some instances, a new elements home story doesnt exist in the project. For example, you define the default home story as Current + 2 in a 3-story project; then you go up a story before input. Now, the Current + 2 story doesnt exist. In this case, ArchiCAD redefines the elements home story as the topmost story.

Set Home Story by Elevation

If you change a placed elements elevation so that it is now located on a different story, controls in the Tracker allow you to either lock it to a particular home story regardless of the elements elevation (as in the first image below)...

582

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

... or else let the home story change to match the elements new elevation, by setting the Trackers Home Story control to By Elevation, as in this image:

Similarly, you can automatically reset an elements Home Story as its elevation changes if you use the Elevate or Multiply functions, by checking the Set Home Story by Elevation box:

See also Elevating Elements and Multiply Elements. If you leave the box unchecked, the elements Home Story as set in the Tool Settings (Info Box) will remain in effect regardless of the elevation change.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

583

Virtual Building

Show On Stories
Use the Show on Stories pop-up in the Floor Plan and Section Panel of Tool Settings to control the display of construction elements by story. Choose whether to show the element on every story it intersects, or only on selected stories. The available Show on Stories options differ depending on the construction element, as discussed below. For a Wall, Curtain Wall or Column, you have the following options:

All Relevant Stories: The element will be shown and editable on all stories which it physically intersects. When available, this will be your preferred option most of the time. Home Story Only: The element will be shown only on its home story. (If the element is drawn so that it does not physically intersect its home story, then the only way the element will be shown on the Floor Plan is if you set its Floor Plan Display to one of the symbolic options: Symbolic Cut, Outlines only, Overhead all.) For a Roof:

Home Story Only: The roof will be shown only on its home story. (If the element is drawn so that it does not physically intersect its home story, then the only way the element will be shown on the Floor Plan is if you set its Floor Plan Display to one of the symbolic options: Symbolic Cut, Outlines only, Overhead all.) Home & One Story Up and/or Down: The roof will be shown on its Home Story, plus one story up and/or down. All Stories: The roofs outline - regardless of its actual location - will be shown on every story of the project. All Relevant Stories: The roof will be shown and editable on all stories which it physically intersects.

584

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Custom: Choose this option if you wish to set separate display combinations for the roofs outline and fill. The Show on Stories: Custom Settings dialog box appears, where you can set separate story display options for the roofs outline and its fill. (Once you set these Custom Settings, use the Edit Custom option to edit them.) For a Slab or Mesh, the same options are available as for the Roof, except for All Relevant Stories (since there are no multi-story versions of these elements):

See also Line Types of Construction Elements Displayed Across Stories. For Beams, the same options are available as for the Roof, except for Custom settings:

Objects and Stairs have a unique display option: One Story up and One Story Down. This way, you can opt to not display these elements on their Home Story at all.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

585

Virtual Building

Examples of Floor Plan Display Settings

Suppose your settings are as follows: Show on Story: Automatic This means that each multi-story construction element will be displayed on each relevant story of the Floor Plan. Floor Plan Display: Projected with Overhead This means that each construction element will be displayed in its entirety, its cut portion, its overhead portion, and its uncut portion, with the line types and pen colors you set in the dialog box for each of these parameters Show Projection: Entire Element This means that the displayed projection is not limited by either an absolute display limit or by a defined vertical range. Consider the following building with slanted walls:

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

591

Virtual Building

As you view the building on its various stories, its Floor Plan appearance changes accordingly: although the entire wall is indicated on every story, the cut and overhead segments are different on every story.

592

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Show All in 3D
To show the entire model in 3D, regardless of any current selection, use the View > Elements in 3D View > Show All option. This commands shortcut is Ctrl + F5.

The full model display resulting from the Show All command may be limited by filtering criteria as set in the Filter Elements in 3D dialog box.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

597

Virtual Building

Show Selection in 3D
For a 3D display of only the explicitly selected items, use the View > Elements in 3D View > Show Selection/Marquee in 3D command from any type of editable window. (Or use the 3D Visualization toolbar control for this command.)

If your plan includes both explicitly selected elements and a marquee selection, this command will disregard the marquee and show only the explicitly selected elements. Show Selection/Marquee in 3D also works if you are already in the 3D Window and make an explicit selection there, then execute the Show Selection command. The caption of the 3D

598

Elements in a Marqueed 3D Window

If you create an element in the 3D Window which is delimited by a marquee, the new element will only appear in the 3D Window if you draw it inside the marquee area. If you place a new element outside the boundaries of a Marquee-based 3D view, or drag an existing element outside the Marquee boundaries, that element will disappear immediately from the 3D Window. When you go to the Floor Plan, however, you will see the elements. Change your marquee area (or remove it) and return to the 3D Window to check it. If you select one or more elements in a trimmed 3D view, resulting from either a Marquee area or a 3D Cutaway, some elements will be only partially visible, but selection dots of the whole element will be displayed and all the nodes and edges can be found with the cursor.

If edited, a temporary ghosted image of the whole element will be visible.

602

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Default Display in 3D
If you simply switch to the 3D window, without using any specific 3D display command, the 3D window will display the contents last shown in the 3D window, irrespective of what might be selected in any other window.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

603

Virtual Building

OpenGL is a bitmap-based technology. Consequently, 3D views created using the OpenGL engine will be placed as image files.

Important: Open GL is optimized for fast, smooth navigation during model development. It displays textures correctly, but features fewer model effects; it can be considered an interactive preview of the rendering. OpenGLs output capability is more limited than that of the internal engine, since it is based on bitmap technology. OpenGL will produce significantly faster on-screen navigation on most machines, provided that the supporting hardware is available. For more information, see Open GL Options.

To store projections that you set up in the 3D Window, you can: Use the Save Current View command from the context menu of the Navigator palette. This will create a view (perspective or axonometric) based on the currently set up projection in the 3D window. The new view will be added to your Navigator View Map. Add the current perspective to your Project Map, using the View > 3D Navigation Extras > Place a Camera into the path command. A camera capturing the current perspective will also appear on the Floor Plan. Add the current axonometric (parallel) projection to the series of Pre-Set views, using the View > 3D Navigation Extras > Add Current Projection command.

Parallel Projection Settings Perspective Projection Settings Cameras Pre-Set Projections 3D Navigation Extras

612

Virtual Building

Sections
About Sections Create a Section Viewpoint Define Horizontal/Vertical Range of Section Viewpoint Define Marker Reference for Source Marker Assign Section Status Model Display in the Section Window Open a Section Viewpoint Place a Linked Section Marker Define Marker Reference for Linked Marker Place an Unlinked Marker Create an Independent Section Viewpoint Updating Sections Summary of Rebuild Commands Display of Section Lines and Markers Adjusting or Breaking Section Lines

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

615

Virtual Building

About Sections
The Section tool is used to place a Section marker. The Section marker can take one of three different forms: 1. a source marker, which generates a section viewpoint 2. a linked marker, which does not generate a section viewpoint, but acts as a reference to any other view, viewpoint or drawing. 3. an unlinked marker containing custom text Note: An easy way to distinguish between source-type and linked/unlinked markers is to use the Highlight Source Markers option, which is activated by default at View > On-Screen View Options. See also Source Marker Highlight. Note: It is possible to create an Independent Section (with or without a marker), without using the Section tool. See Create an Independent Section Viewpoint. To generate a Section, you draw a Section line on the Floor Plan and place a Section source marker, which generates a new viewpoint in ArchiCAD. You can set this marker to display a variety of reference information - such as the first drawing that is created out of this Section viewpoint - for easy navigation and identification. Each newly created Section viewpoint is listed in the Navigator Project Map, in the Sections part. Elements in the Section viewpoint depend on the Section Status, defined in Section Settings. A Model Section contains editable construction elements linked and updated with their counterparts on the Floor Plan, as well as any 2D elements. A Drawing Section contains drawing primitives, which are not linked to the Floor Plan and do not reflect its changes. In the Section window, you can view and modify elements but you cannot create new construction elements. (The only exception is if you use the Drag a copy command to move a Door/Window, in a model-type Section window.) If you paste an element into a Section window, it will be reproduced as drawing primitives (points, lines, fills). Objects can be placed in a Section window, but they are considered as graphic symbols only. (No corresponding 3D model element is generated.) Sections can be saved as Views and placed on a Layout as Drawings; the contents of a Section window can also be published directly. To place a linked or unlinked Section marker, use the Section tool in any of the following windows: Floor Plan, Section, Elevation, Interior Elevation, Detail, Worksheet. Such a marker is a linked marker, and you can use it to link it to any viewpoint, view or drawing in the project. A linked marker is for reference purposes only. See an example at Place a Linked Section Marker. You can choose and format the Section Line and Marker object in Section Settings. 616
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

An unlinked marker can be useful in your published documentation, for example, if you want to refer (with a page number) to the location of an external drawing that is not integrated into the ArchiCAD project. See Place an Unlinked Marker.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

617

Virtual Building

Create a Section Viewpoint

Note: The creation process is identical for Elevations. To create a section with its source in the model, you must place a section marker on the Floor Plan. (This is a source section marker.) Note: Another type of Section viewpoint is the Independent Section, having no model source. See Create an Independent Section Viewpoint. 1. Activate the Section tool. 2. In the Info Box or Section Default Settings, make sure that Create new section viewpoint is selected.

3. Choose an input method (either Straight Line or Staggered Line) from the Info Box and draw a Section line on the Floor Plan.

621

Virtual Building

the selected drawing the first placed drawing of the selected view Choosing either of these two options will bring up a directory dialog box showing the Navigator Layout Book or the Navigator View Map. Eligible drawings/views are available for selection (i.e., those which have been created from the selected Section viewpoint); other items are greyed and cannot be selected.

Virtual Building

Cut Elements
By default, cut elements are shown using their element-level line and pen definitions. You can customize the appearance of cut elements in a Section window by checking the Uniform Pen for Cut Elements checkbox in the Section Model Display Panel, then assigning the lines and colors, for the display of cut elements in this Section only.

Uncut Elements
These options in the Section Model Display Panel enable you to apply materials (shaded or unshaded) to the uncut elements shown in the Section window:

Sun and Shadows

The following section window is displayed with Vectorial Hatching on (as shown by the roof tiles) and with Sun Shadow on (as shown by the shadow cast by the roof overhang.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

625

Virtual Building

Another effect is to display the materials of uncut surfaces in shaded mode - that is, to reflect rounded contours:

You can combine the two effects (cast shadows and shaded effect) in a single Section display:

See Section Model Display Panel for details on these controls.

Now re-open the Section. The distant elements are distinguished from the closer ones.

Boundary Contours
Boundary Contours refer to elements shown in the Section, Elevation or Interior Elevation window which extend beyond the horizontal limits of the Section (in other words, the entire element does not fit in the section window). Use Boundary Contours in the Section Model Display Panel to define the display of this boundary. Here, the left edge of the wall on the left does not fall within the section, and the displayed parts are shown as unfinished, without contours.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

629

Virtual Building

Virtual Building

Updating Sections
Note: The updating process is identical for Sections, Elevations, Interior Elevations and 3D Documents. Each Sections status defines the link (and rebuild method) between the Section and the model on the Floor Plan. For further information, see Assign Section Status.

Updating an Autorebuild Model Section

An Autorebuild Model Section is linked to the Floor Plan model and can be edited interactively. If the Floor Plan has changed, a Section in Autorebuild Model status will be automatically rebuilt every time it is opened or brought to the front of the screen. Changes to existing construction elements in the Section window (including associative dimensions) will automatically be updated in the Floor Plan Window, and, when activated, in any other Section Window and the 3D Window. The update process works on construction elements only; 2D elements added to either the Floor Plan or Section window will not be reflected in the other window. If you are in Autorebuild status and you are editing elements inside the Section window, the rebuild function is continuous and immediate within this window. However, in large plans, continuous auto-rebuild can cause slowdowns. If you prefer that your Section window be rebuilt only when it is opened or brought to the front of the screen (the way it worked in ArchiCAD 9), go to the Options >Work Environment > More Options tab page and uncheck the Update Auto-rebuild Model... checkbox. If you nevertheless need to Rebuild manually, the View > Refresh > Rebuild from Model command is available. (The plain View > Refresh > Rebuild command, used to refresh 2D drawing elements, is not available for Autorebuild Model windows.) Note: Some complex changes to the plan (e.g., modifying a Library Part) do not appear automatically in Model Section Windows. For a Manual-rebuild section, use the View > Refresh > Rebuild command; for an Autorebuild section, use View > Refresh > Rebuild from Model to see these changes reflected properly.

Updating a Manual-Rebuild Section

A Section having Manual-Rebuild Model status is not rebuilt automatically. It can be rebuilt from the model only by using the View > Refresh > Rebuild from Model command in the menu. In this case, any additional drawing elements you have added to the Section window will remain unchanged.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

637

Virtual Building

Updating a Drawing Section

Not applicable for 3D Documents, which are either Autorebuild or Manual-Rebuild type documents. To rebuild a Drawing-status Section, use View > Refresh > Rebuild. These commands refresh the view as a 2D drawing, fixing any potential temporary display errors. For a complete refreshing of a Drawing-status Section window, choose View > Refresh > Rebuild from Model. This will refresh the contents of these windows to fully reflect the current state of the Virtual Building model. In the process, all 2D elements originating from the model will be removed and an up-to-date view will be generated. This means that any previous manual editing of this artwork will be lost. 2D artwork added to the drawing manually will be kept intact.

638

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Summary of Rebuild Commands

The View > Refresh > Rebuild command is available in all construction windows. It rebuilds the model in the currently active window. Additional Rebuild commands in the View > Refresh menu are available if the active window is a Section/Elevation/IE, 3D Document, or a Detail or a Worksheet. Rebuild from Model: Use this command to rebuild the active window; this will refresh the window information to reflect modifications in the Floor Plan. Rebuild from Source View: This command is available only in the Detail and Worksheet windows. The following commands might not be visible in the View > Refresh menu by default. You can customize your menu (Options > Work Environment > Menus) to include these commands if needed. See Customizing Menus. Also, these commands are available from the context menu of the folders in the Navigator Project Map and View Map.

Rebuild All from Model: Use this command to rebuild all Section/Elevation/IE windows in your project. Rebuild All Model Sections from Model: Use this command to rebuild all the Section windows of Model status (either Autorebuild Model or Manual-Rebuild Model). Rebuild All Drawing Sections from Model: Use this command to rebuild all Drawing-status Section windows.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

639

643

Virtual Building

Interior Elevations (IE)

or for an individual IE viewpoint:

Each new IE viewpoint is automatically assigned to an IE Group (even if there is only one viewpoint in the group). The IE Group is assigned a default ID of IE-01. Subsequent IE Groups receive their IDs accordingly. (IE-02, IE-03...)

In each individual viewpoints IE settings, the Reference ID and Name fields are set to By IE Group by default.

This means that each IE viewpoint will have the same ID and Name as its parent IE Group. ArchiCADs default IE Settings further define the ID and Name of each IE viewpoint to include Autotexts.

Use Autotext to Create Meaningful IDs/Names for Interior Elevation Group

You can define a logical naming convention for your IE Groups by including an Autotext in the parent IE Groups ID and Name. This way, each individual Interior Elevation contained in the group will display a logical Autotext value that can vary for each elevation.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

651

Virtual Building

By default, ArchiCADs IE Group ID adds an Autotext of <Number> to the ID of each viewpoint in the IE group. In the image below, each viewpoint ID includes the Group ID (IE-01) plus an automatically assigned number (01, 02, 03...). Also, the default IE Group Name adds an Autotext of <Orientation> to each viewpoint Name. Consequently, each viewpoint name consists of its specific orientation, which automatically assigned using Autotext (North, South, East, West...).

Use the General Panel of IE Settings to define any other Autotext to include in the IE viewpoints name and/or ID. For example, you can set the Interior Elevation Groups ID to be the Zone Number: 1. Click the Autotext button next to the ID field in General Settings and choose Zone Number from the list.

2. In the Navigator, note that the ID of the Group is now equivalent to the number of the zone (007, in this case) contained in the Interior Elevation.

This ID is inherited by all of the viewpoints in the Group. (Naturally, assigning a Zone Number autotext works only if the Interior Elevation includes a zone.)

652

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Customize IDs and Names

You can give a customized ID and/or Name to any IE Group or individual viewpoint: Select the IE limit line. Open Interior Elevation Settings. If it is an individual IE Viewpoint, make sure the pop-up is set to Custom.

Enter the desired ID and/or Name. You can also change IDs and Names for any IE Group or viewpoint in the Navigator.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

653

Virtual Building

Editing Interior Elevation Viewpoints

Each viewpoint of an Interior Elevation group can be edited separately. First, select the viewpoint: select any individual Interior Elevation marker, or select any individual line segment of the Interior Elevation line.

The pet palette and context menu commands opened from this segment affect that viewpoint only. To edit the selected viewpoint: Open Interior Elevation Settings. (Use the context menu or the Info Box). Any changes you make here will apply only to the selected viewpoint. Note that certain options in IE Settings are greyed if you are editing a single viewpoint rather than an IE group. Use the pet palette's options to manipulate the selected IE segment or its marker.

Delete/Restore IE Viewpoint
If you have selected an individual IE viewpoint, you can delete that single viewpoint using the context menus Delete command.

654

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

You can restore this viewpoint even after deleting it: select the IE group to which it belongs (select any part of the IE Limit Line) and use the Restore all Interior Elevations in Group command from the context menu.

Note: This command regenerates the IE viewpoint, but any 2D edits you made in this viewpoint before deleting it have been lost.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

655

Virtual Building

Editing the Interior Elevation Limit Line

Selecting any segment of the IE limit polyline selects the entire IE group. If the IE group uses a single, common marker, then selecting the marker also selects the entire IE group.

As when editing other polylines in ArchiCAD, use the pet palettes line editing options.

Inserting a node will create a new IE viewpoint in the IE group.

656

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Vertical and Horizontal Range of the Interior Elevation

Vertical Range
An IE viewpoints vertical range is set manually by the user in the General Panel of Interior Elevation (IE) Tool Settings or the Info Box.

Each IE view (i.e. each segment of the IE limit polyline) can have a separate, custom vertical range value, if desired: choose the Limited option as the Vertical Range and enter the desired elevation limits. Use the pop-up to define whether this vertical range should be measured from Project Zero, or from the Interior Elevations Home Story (the story onto which it was placed).

Horizontal Range
By default, the IE limit line represents the horizontal range of the resulting IE view. The Horizontal Range option of Interior Elevation Settings (see the General Panel) is set to By Limit Lines by default.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

657

Virtual Building

To adjust the horizontal range, select the limit line and stretch or shrink it using the commands of the pet palette. (Stretch/shrink modifications to this segment will affect the neighboring line segments accordingly, as when editing any polyline.)

To include connected enclosed areas in the Interior Elevation viewpoint, choose Add bounded areas the Horizontal Range option in IE Settings.

658

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

This way, if the room contains an odd-shaped alcove, the IE viewpoint will include structures that fall beyond the Limit Line, but still fall inside the room, as in this image:

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

659

Virtual Building

Interior Elevations and Zone Shape

If you want the Interior Elevation to correspond to a zone, choose the Detect and Fit to Zones Vertical Range option from the General Panel of Interior Elevation Settings.

If a zone is detected, its height will be used as the vertical range of the selected Interior Elevation viewpoint. Note: The zones height is the difference between its Level value and its Height value as set in Zone Settings):

Zones edited by Solid Element Operations are also calculated accurately, provided that you also check the Consider Solid Operations box. For example, a single zone trimmed to a slanted roof will have several different zone heights. These are accurately reflected in each viewpoint of the Interior Elevation group.

660

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Display of Elements in Interior Elevation

Use the Model Display controls in Interior Elevation Settings to define the appearance of cut and uncut elements in the view. These options are largely identical to the Model Display in the Section Window and Interior Elevation Model Display Panel. Interior Elevations do not have a Marked Distant Area display option. Two special display options are available for the display of cut elements in Interior Elevations: Exclude View Blocking Walls: If this option is checked, any intervening walls which block the view in the Interior Elevation will not be displayed. Hide Cut Elements: If this option is checked, elements that are cut by the Interior Elevation Line will not be displayed.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

661

Virtual Building

3D Document
About the 3D Document Create a 3D Document The 3D Document and its 3D Window Source Redefine the 3D Document Model Display of the 3D Document

662

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

About the 3D Document

The 3D Document allows you to use the 3D view of the model as the basis for creating a document, to which you can add dimensions, labels and additional 2D drawing elements. For example, you can convert a 3D view of a building into a document that shows detailed structural information in 3D - such as intersection of composite walls in space. This is possible because the 3D Document can display cut surfaces in a 3D model structure, optionally using the cut fill and line attributes defined at the element level. To add dimensions, just use ArchiCADs dimensioning tools, plus certain dimensioning functions that are available only for 3D Documents.

The 3D Document is a viewpoint which appears in the Navigator Project Map. In many respects, the 3D Document is analogous to the Section viewpoint: it is an integral part of the ArchiCAD model, and its model elements are rebuilt automatically or manually, depending on its status. In the 3D Document, you can select model elements and access their settings dialog boxes to make changes in the model, but you cannot edit them graphically or create new model elements. The 3D Document has its source in the 3D window. Specific parameters and options affecting 3D window display (such as projection and filtering/selection of elements) will affect 3D Document display; you can redefine the 3D Document after adjusting these 3D window settings. However, like other model views, the 3D Document has its own 3D Document Settings dialog box, where you can set parameters that are specific to the 3D Document: these include fill/pen display of element surfaces (including cut composite elements) and contours, transparency, 3D hatching, shading, shadow and sun effects. Note: The display of composite elements in the 3D Document window also depends on the Partial Structure Display Settings.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

663

Virtual Building

In particular, you can display the materials of cut surfaces in a 3D-like display to graphically communicate composite structures:

3D Document Settings Model Display of the 3D Document Linear Dimensions in the 3D Document Window The 3D Document and its 3D Window Source

664

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Create a 3D Document
1. In the 3D window, set up a 3D view of the model: the view you want to see in your 3D Document: Set up the perspective or projected 3D view; use 3D Cutting Planes; filter or select elements; use Marquee as needed, or perform solid element operations. 2. Create a new 3D Document by doing one of the following: With 3D window open: Use New 3D Document... command from the context menu of the Navigator's 3D Document folder

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

665

Virtual Building

Use Capture Window for 3D Document command from the context menu of the 3D window (with nothing selected).

Use a menu command (Document > 3D Document > Create New 3D Document; or Document > Documenting Tools > Create 3D Document). 3. The New 3D Document dialog box appears.

Enter a Reference ID and Name for the new 3D Document; click Create. 4. The 3D Document is created and opened in its own window. 5. The 3D Document is listed in the 3D Document folder in the Project Map of the Navigator.

666

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

The 3D Document and its 3D Window Source

The contents of the 3D Document are defined out of the 3D Window; that 3D window is the source of your 3D Document. Although there is only one current 3D window at any given time (you cannot open multiple 3D windows simultaneously), each 3D Document can have its own 3D window source. In other words: each 3D Document stores the settings (projection, filtering, cutting planes etc.) of its own 3D window source. You can, at any time, edit certain settings of this 3D Window source, and then Redefine the 3D Document to reflect these edits. Redefine refers to specific settings of the 3D window that affect how the 3D Document appears in the window. These settings are: The current 3D projection, including zoom Filter Elements to Show in 3D (View > Elements in 3D View) Selection/Marquee limitations Cutting Planes Note the difference between Redefine and Rebuild. Rebuild refers to the model elements: their size, shape and relation to the rest of the model elements. Rebuild for a 3D Document works the same as for other model views (e.g. Section). Your 3D Document, if set to AutoRebuild, is rebuilt every time you open it. If it is Manual-Update, it is rebuilt only upon command. (View > Rebuild > Rebuild from Model). There is no Drawing-type 3D Document. For more information, see Assign Section Status.

3D Projections Filter Elements in 3D Show Marquee Area in 3D Show Selection in 3D 3D Cutaway Sections

669

Virtual Building

Then use the Redefine command: Select the 3D Document from the Navigator Project Map and right-click to access the Redefine 3D Document based on current 3D command.

Alternatively, with the 3D window in front and nothing selected, use the Redefine 3D Document command.

670

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

This brings up the Redefine 3D Document dialog box.

Choose the 3D Document which you want to redefine based on the current 3D window. A warning reminds you that this Redefine operation is not undoable.

Click Redefine Anyway to proceed.

Redefine 3D Document Based on Current 3D Window Command

This command will redefine your 3D Document based on the status of the latest instance of the 3D window (the one currently open, or the one that was last open). You do not need to open the 3D window. Note: The current 3D window is not necessarily the same as the original source of your 3D Document. Your 3D Document will be redefined according to the following settings of the current 3D window: The current 3D projection, including zoom Filter Elements to Show in 3D (View > Elements in 3D View) Selection/Marquee limitations Cutting Planes

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

671

Virtual Building

With the 3D Document in front, use the Redefine based on the Current 3D command from the context menu with nothing selected:

Another way to get the same result: In the Navigator Project Map, right-click the 3D document which you want to define and use Redefine 3D Document based on current 3D window.

675

Virtual Building

Details
About Details Create a Detail Drawing Viewpoint with Model Source Contents of the Detail Viewpoint Place a Linked Detail Marker Place an Unlinked Marker Create an Independent Detail Viewpoint Display of Detail/Worksheet Boundary Update Detail/Worksheet Marker Boundary Updating the Detail Window

676

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

About Details
The Detail tool is used to generate a Detail drawing viewpoint from the model by placing a Detail marker in any of the following windows: Floor Plan; Section; Elevation; Interior Elevation; 3D Document; Worksheet; Detail window. It is also used to place linked Detail markers, as a reference to any viewpoint, view or drawing. The Detail Marker (a GDL object) is displayed according to the settings you made in the Detail Settings dialog box. You can also create an independent Detail drawing, with or without a marker. Detail viewpoints are displayed in a dedicated Detail Drawing Window and listed in the Details part of the Navigator Project Map. Detail viewpoints generated from existing elements in the project are 2D-only copies of these elements. The viewpoints can be updated to reflect changes in the plan. You can add additional 2D elements, text, labels and objects to a Detail Drawing. You may wish to fine-tune the Detail Drawing before final output. You will find, however, that the exploded 2D elements generated from the model often contain superfluous elements (extra line segments, overlapping or superfluous fills) that make such editing difficult. To make editing easier, first use the The Linework and Fill Consolidation functions on selected items in the window. For more information, see Consolidate Lines and Fills in Drawing Windows. To open the Detail Drawing in its own window, double-click the detail view name in the Navigator.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

677

Virtual Building

Create a Detail Drawing Viewpoint with Model Source

To create a Detail with its source in the model, place an area-based Detail marker in any of the following windows: Floor Plan, Section/Elevation/Interior Elevation, 3D Document, Worksheet or Detail. 1. Activate the Detail tool. 2. In the Info Box or Detail Default Settings, make sure that Create new detail viewpoint is selected.

3. Choose an area-based geometry method from the Info Box: Polygonal, Rectangular, or Rotated Rectangular. (The first, No Boundary geometry method, creates a marker linked to an independent viewpoint having no model source.)

4. Draw the Detail boundary and click to complete. 5. After drawing the detail boundary, click with the hammer cursor to place the Detail Marker. The X represents the Details origin.

Note: Source-type Detail markers are distinguished on screen by an optional semi-transparent fill. (Use View > On-screen View Options > Highlight Source Markers to enable or disable this distinguishing fill for all source markers. The color of this highlight can be set in Options > Work Environment > On-Screen Options.) 678
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

6. A new Detail Drawing viewpoint is created and listed in the Navigator Project Map. To define the reference information displayed in a source-type Detail marker: See Define Marker Reference for Source Marker. Other information about the new Detail viewpoint - its Markers and Reference information - can be defined in the Detail Tool Settings dialog box.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

679

Virtual Building

Contents of the Detail Viewpoint

The source-based detail drawing consists of only 2D lines/fills, including the 2D exploded representations of all construction elements inside the detail boundary. By default, only construction elements are transferred; annotations and dimensions are not transferred to the Detail viewpoint. (You can change this setting using a checkbox in the General Panel of Detail Settings.)

For information on what happens to annotation elements cut by the Detail boundary, see Annotations, Dimensions and Markers Cut by the Boundary. Only 2D tools are available in the Detail window. All types of 2D information can be added to the Detail Drawing: Lines, Fills, Hotspots, Text, Figures, Dimensions and 2D Symbols of Objects. The Detail Drawing will include a line representing the Detail Boundary you drew on the plan. See Display of Detail/Worksheet Boundary. Section Details (Detail viewpoints created from a Section) reveal the elevation of the original construction, which means that Elevation Dimensioning placed on Detail viewpoints shows correct elevation values, unless you displace drawing elements vertically. (The same is true for Elevation Dimensions in Details generated from Elevations and Interior Elevations.)

Worksheet vs. Detail

680

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Place a Linked Detail Marker

To place a linked detail marker without creating a viewpoint: 1. Activate the Detail tool. 2. In the Info Box or Detail Default Settings, make sure that Place Linked Marker is selected.

3. Define the Marker Reference using the appearing dialog box. See Define Marker Reference for Linked Marker. 4. Choose any of the Detail geometry methods to place the marker.

If you use the No Boundary geometry method: click once to place the marker If you use any of the area-based methods: draw a Detail boundary, then click with the hammer cursor to place the marker. Such a marker has no model source and does not generate a new viewpoint. To define the reference information displayed in a linked Detail marker: See Define Marker Reference for Linked Marker.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

681

Virtual Building

Create an Independent Detail Viewpoint

An Independent Detail drawing is one whose content you create yourself, starting with an empty detail viewpoint. You can then use 2D drawing tools or paste an object or existing drawing. An Independent Detail drawing is not generated from existing project elements and so is unlinked to any modifications that take place in your plan. You may wish to create an Independent Detail for your documentation which depicts something that does not otherwise exist in the model - for example, detail of a fence. These independent Detail Drawings always appear in the Navigator tree structure. They can be marked or unmarked: Independent marked details have a corresponding detail marker on the plan. Independent unmarked details do not have a detail marker on the plan, but they exist as viewpoints which you can open from the Navigator.

Create an Independent Detail viewpoint with a marker

1. In Detail Settings or the Info Box, choose Create New Detail Viewpoint. 2. Define the Marker Reference: the viewpoint, or the first placed drawing of the viewpoint The link information of the chosen viewpoint/drawing will appear in the Reference to text field. After the marker is placed and the new Detail is created, you can still go back and change its marker information at any time. 3. Choose the single-click geometry method (the first icon among the Info Box geometry methods) and click to place a detail marker on the plan.

4. A new, empty Detail viewpoint is created (independent marked detail) and listed in the navigator. This viewpoint has no model source. To open the independent Detail viewpoint, double-click its name in the Navigator or access it with the Open Detail Drawing in the markers context menu. Use the available 2D drawing tools, place objects, text, labels, or paste an existing drawing into the detail drawing window.

682

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Create an Independent Detail viewpoint without a marker

Use the Document > Documenting Tools > Create Independent Detail command. You can also access this command from the Detail folder context menu in the Project Map of the Navigator;

or by clicking the New Viewpoint folder at the bottom of the Navigator Project Map, if a Detail or the Detail folder is selected. Independent unmarked details are listed in the Navigator, though they have no associated marker. Later, if needed, you can attach a Independent Detail viewpoint to a marker: place a linked marker and point the marker to your Detail viewpoint.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

683

Virtual Building

Display of Detail/Worksheet Boundary

While creating a Worksheet based on the source model is similar to creating a model-based Detail, the Worksheet is optimized for creating partial floor plans and partial sections. Unlike the Detail tool, the Worksheet tool has a single-click capture geometry method which reproduces the entire contents of the current window as 2D elements in the Worksheet viewpoint. Consequently, when transferring all or part of a source model view to a Worksheet window: Annotation elements and dimensions will, by default, appear in the resulting Worksheet, in addition to construction elements exploded into 2D components. (In contrast, a Detail viewpoint created from the model will - by default - contain the 2D-only copies of construction elements only, without the source model's annotation/dimension elements.) The resulting Worksheet will have the same scale as the source. (In contrast, a Detail is created, by default, at half the scale of the original.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

689

Virtual Building

Create a Worksheet Drawing with Model Source

To create a Worksheet with its source in the model, place a Worksheet marker in any of the following windows: Floor Plan, Section/Elevation/Interior Elevation, Worksheet or Detail. 1. Activate the Worksheet tool. 2. In the Info Box or Default Settings, make sure that Create new Worksheet viewpoint is selected. 3. Choose any of the geometry methods from the Info Box.

Capture Screen input method: Use the single-click method: the first input method in the Worksheet info box. Choose this icon, then click anywhere in the active project window. You will create a Worksheet based on the entire contents of the window. Area-based input method: Use one of the polygonal or rectangular/rotated rectangle geometry methods to define the Worksheet area. 4. Draw the Worksheet boundary and click to complete. 5. After drawing the Worksheet boundary, click with the hammer cursor to place the Worksheet Marker. Note: Source-type Worksheet markers are distinguished on screen by an optional semitransparent fill. (Use View > On-screen View Options > Highlight Source Markers to enable or disable this distinguishing fill for all source markers. The color of this highlight can be set in Options > Work Environment > On-Screen Options.) 6. A new Worksheet viewpoint is created and listed in the Navigator Project Map. To define the reference information displayed in a source-type Worksheet marker. See Define Marker Reference for Source Marker. Other information about the new Worksheet viewpoint - its Markers and Reference information are defined in Worksheet Tool Settings.

690

695

Virtual Building

About Markers
Markers can be placed using any of the following tools: Sections Elevations Interior Elevations (IE) Worksheets Details With any of the Marker tools, you can opt to place a source marker. A source marker creates a new viewpoint (e.g. a Section, Elevation, Worksheet, Detail) involving the model as their source. Any of the Markers - except Interior Elevation - can optionally be defined as a linked marker. Such markers have no model source and do not generate a new viewpoint. Instead, they are placed in the project, then linked by the user to an existing viewpoint, view or drawing. This information is displayed in the marker, which can be used to navigate to the referred item. An unlinked marker has no model source and displays no linked information. You cannot use it to navigate among markers, but you can define any custom text for it.

696

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Display of Marker Range Lines

After you draw an input line or polygon with the any of the marker-type tools, these input lines will remain displayed on screen when you place the Marker. Marker Range items include: Elevation, Interior Elevation Line Section/Elevation Limit Line (for Sections and Elevations of limited depth) Distant line (for Sections and Elevations with a Marked Distant Area) Interior Elevation Limit lines Polygons defining area-based Details and Worksheets These Marker Range items are on-screen elements only; and never present on printouts. You can choose to show or hide Marker range items of all types using the View > On-Screen View Options > Marker Range toggle. To customize the line type/color of these Marker Range lines, use the controls in Options > Work Environment > On-Screen Options.

Display of Detail/Worksheet Boundary Update Detail/Worksheet Marker Boundary

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

697

Virtual Building

Source Marker Highlight

Source markers are distinguished on screen by an optional semi-transparent fill. This option makes it easy to tell at a glance which of your markers on screen are source markers. To toggle this highlight on or off for all source markers, use the View > On-Screen View Options > Highlight Source Markers command. To change the color of the source marker highlight, use the color chooser in Options > Work Environment > On-Screen Options.

Display of Detail/Worksheet Boundary Update Detail/Worksheet Marker Boundary

698

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Changing Marker Type

You can change the type of an already placed marker, so long as all the Marker references point to items that originate with a Marker tool.

To change a linked marker to a source marker:

Select the marker.

Use the Set as Source Marker command from its context menu; or Open the marker's Settings dialog box and choose the Source Marker option The linked marker becomes the source marker, while the original source marker becomes a linked marker. This function is available for: Linked markers which are linked to a viewpoint/view/drawing that is located within the current project. The linked marker must have been placed using the same tool as the item to which it was linked (e.g. a Section marker linked to a Section viewpoint). Note: A viewpoints cut/model attributes are defined by its source marker. If a linked marker becomes the source of a section, that marker's cut/model attributes are now applied to the viewpoint. Note: If you change a linked detail marker into a source detail marker, the viewpoints defining polygon will change to reflect the new source detail markers polygon. Linked markers linked to an independent viewpoint of the same type. The independent viewpoint is deleted and replaced by a source viewpoint. (If the original linked marker had no boundary, the source will take on a default boundary value.) Markers linked to an external drawing cannot be changed to a source marker.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

699

Virtual Building

To change a source marker to a linked marker:

Select the marker. Use the Set as Linked Marker command from its context menu; or Open the marker's Settings dialog box and choose the Linked Marker option The original source marker becomes a linked marker containing the same reference information as before.

700

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Transfer Marker Parameters

You can use the Parameter Transfer commands (Pick Up Parameters/Inject Parameters) among markers. If you Pick Up Parameters from a source marker and inject them into another marker, the second marker will take on all of the first markers parameters except its link information, and except for its geometry (e.g. the range of a section marker.) If you Pick Up Parameters from a linked marker and inject them into another marker, the second marker will become identical to the first: a second linked marker with the same parameters, and containing the identical reference information, as the first.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

701

Virtual Building

Copying a Marker
Any interaction (Copy/Paste, Drag/Rotate/Mirror Copy/Copies) that results in creating a new copy of a marker will have the following results: Copying a source marker (Section/Elevation/IE or Worksheet) results in a second source marker, which creates a new viewpoint having the same parameters as the viewpoint associated with the original marker. The new viewpoint's name, however, will be different. Moreover, the Marker Link information is not copied. Copying a source Detail marker will create a new linked Detail marker, which is linked to the original detail viewpoint.

702

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Navigation Using Markers

To navigate using a marker, select the marker and open the context menu.

Use the Open command to go to the referred item. If the marker is linked to a Drawing, use the context menu (Go to Drawing) to open the layout containing the referred drawing.

From the same context menu, the Open/Open in new window commands will open the source viewpoint/view of the linked drawing. The linked detail marker in the image below refers to the first placed drawing of a selected Interior Elevation view. Its context menu allows you to Go to the Drawing Open the Interior Elevation view in the current or in a new window

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

703

Virtual Building

Find Linked Markers

To find all the markers linked to a particular viewpoint/view/drawing, select the item from the Navigator. Use the Find Linked Markers command from the item's context menu.

For Drawings placed on Layouts, the Find Linked Markers command is also available if you select the Drawing itself, then open the context menu.

704

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

The Find Linked markers dialog box lists all the linked markers: By marker subtype (shown as an icon) Placed to: ID and name of the viewpoint in which the marker is placed. (If it is a source marker, the viewpoint name is underlined.) Clicking either column header will sort the list accordingly. Click Marker Settings to open the Tool Settings dialog box of the selected marker. Click Go to Selected to zoom to the selected marker. (The button is disabled if multiple markers are selected.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

705

Virtual Building

Check Markers Palette

The Check Markers function lists which marker-referred items are missing from the project. The Check Markers Palette is available from Window > Palettes > Check Markers. To list undefined marker references, click the Check Markers button at the top of the palette.

The palette lists all the markers in the project which the user has automatically or manually linked a viewpoint, drawing or view, but whose referred viewpoint/drawing/view has since been deleted from this project. (In this case, the marker will display Autotext in place of the missing data.) If no such marker exists, the Palette will display this message: No undefined marker references in this project. Markers are listed, and can be sorted, according to the following: Marker subtype: Section/Elevation/Detail/Worksheet/Interior Elevation (shown as icon) Placed to: ID and Project Map path of the viewpoint in which the marker is placed Selected item: Name and ID of the markers referenced item (i.e. the viewpoint/view/ drawing one you chose when defining the marker reference). If this referenced item has been deleted from the project, this column will show N/A. Approve: Editable checkbox for each marker. You can sort items by any of these properties by clicking on its column header. You can then perform a secondary sorting function: clicking a second column header will further sort within the hierarchy obtained by the first sorting. An icon at the bottom of the palette allows the user to zoom to the selected marker. (The zoom button is disabled if multiple markers are selected.) For each problematic marker listed (or multiple selected markers), the user can click Marker Settings to re-link the marker(s) or otherwise modify them. The user may decide that the marker is OK the way it is (even though it continues to display undefined Autotext). In this case, the Approve checkbox can be used as a sorting criterion; check the box for these markers. (For example, if you know that the undefined Autotext refers to an external project that has not yet been loaded.)

706

Virtual Building

Deleting a Marker
If you delete a source marker, a dialog box appears informing you that deleting a source marker will also delete the viewpoint and any markers linked to it. However, the same dialog box gives you a different option: delete the source marker, but keep the viewpoint as an independent viewpoint with no model source. Deleting a linked marker has no effect on any other element.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

709

Virtual Building

Interactive Schedule
About Schedules Open and View a Schedule Show Schedule Data for Selected Floor Plan Items Editing and Updating Schedule Items Define a Schedule Using Scheme Settings Sort Schedule Fields Format a Schedule Schedule Headers Add Annotations to Schedule Previews Restructure Schedule to Fit Layout Split Schedule into Multiple Layouts

710

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

About Schedules
ArchiCADs Interactive Schedule function allows you to automatically generate schedules. Unlike simple lists created with the commands of the Document > Schedules and Lists menu, the Interactive Schedule not only displays quantities and other parameters - you can actually edit it. This makes it possible to notice and correct inconsistencies resulting from a data entry error or from the merging of the work of several people on different parts of the same project. For example, the schedule may allow you to detect that all but one of the thirty or forty doors placed in your building have the same height and width. You can then select this door directly from the schedule and check whether there is a reason for this inconsistency. If you find that this was a mistake, then you can correct the setting in the schedule and automatically update the door in all views. Similarly, its easy to double-check how many of the doors open to the right or the left. There are two categories of Interactive Schedules: Element Lists show characteristics of simple construction elements Component Lists are optimized to list information about each component of composite elements (composite walls, slabs, roofs and/or multi-component profile elements

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

711

Virtual Building

The content of the Schedule is based on Schedule Scheme Settings. To adjust these, you can directly access this dialog box by clicking the Scheme Settings button at top right. For more information on defining schedule content, see Define a Schedule Using Scheme Settings. The units of the listed values (e.g. length, volume) are set in Calculation Units and Rules Preferences. You can access Schedules from either the Navigator palette or the Document > Schedules and Lists > Schedules submenu. Click the name of a defined Schedule to open the Interactive Schedule window and update its contents. Schedules are viewpoints, which you can save as views and output as drawings on a Layout, or save in various other file formats. See Saving from a Schedule Window (Interactive Schedule). A formatted schedule can be placed into any 2D window (typically a Worksheet), by using Copy/ Paste. The contents of the schedule, after pasting, will consist of lines and text, which you can freely edit, but will no longer be associative to the model.

For Teamwork Users:

See Reservation in Interactive Schedules.

712

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Open and View a Schedule

See also Navigating in the Interactive Schedule Window. ArchiCAD 14 comes with predefined Schedules, such as Door List; Wall List; Window List. To open any of these schedules to list the elements in the current project, double-click the Schedule name in the Navigator.

. (You can also access Schedules through the Go command of the Mini-Navigator Toolbar, or from the Window menu.) The Schedule window opens, showing the schedule, along with formatting options in the left column. To display the schedule only, without the formatting panel, click the black arrow on the dividing line.

For information on formatting the schedule, see Format Options (Interactive Schedule).
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

713

Virtual Building

The Interactive Schedule window, like other Listing windows, has an additional shortcut in their bottom scrollbar allowing you to Fit the Width of the generated list to the current window size.

To adjust individual row or column heights, manually drag the tabs on the top and left side of the schedule. Double-click any tab to fit the cell to its contents.

If your Schedule includes 3D Front View as a field, remember that the display of this preview is affected by the Model View Options. Note: To display previews using lines only (no shaded materials), make sure you click the appropriate Override Fill checkbox in the Override Fill Display panel of Model View Options (Document > Set Model View > Model View Options).

Navigating in the Interactive Schedule Window

To navigate among fields in the Interactive Schedule window, use familiar keyboard shortcuts: Move right or left: Tab, Shift + Tab Move up or down: Enter, Shift + Enter 714
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Show Schedule Data for Selected Floor Plan Items

You may wish to view an Element Schedule for only certain items on the Floor Plan, for the purpose of interactively editing these elements. Select the desired elements (on the Floor Plan only), then find the desired Element Schedule in the Navigator Project Map or View Map. Right-click the schedule name and choose List Floor Plan Selection Only to view schedule data for the selected items only (as opposed to the items defined in the Schedule Scheme criteria).

717

Virtual Building

Virtual Building

Complex Criteria Definition

If needed, use the Open Parentheses and Close Parentheses columns of Scheme Settings to set up nested criteria for more complex schemes: in any selected row, click on the pop-up under the parentheses column to choose a parenthesis, or no parenthesis.

Each open must have a corresponding close in order for the scheme to be logical. If there is a mistake in your parentheses logic, the Criteria invalid! warning appears at the bottom of the panel.

Define Schedule Fields

Format a Schedule
Use the formatting controls at the left side of the Schedule Window to format the current schedule.

For more information on each of these options, see Format Options (Interactive Schedule).

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

725

Virtual Building

Schedule Headers
Each field of the schedule has a header. These headers are shown at the top of the schedule (for column-style schedules) or at the side (for row-style schedules). Each schedule also has a single main header. To show or hide headers and/or the main header, use the commands from Header Options, at the top of the Schedule window.

To change a header text, just click into the field and type. To format it, make sure that Header is selected from the Apply To pop-up, then choose text formatting options.

To select multiple fields, use Shift-click. You can add an additional header field above existing headers: 1. Select multiple headers (use Shift-click.) 2. Choose Insert Header Cell Above from Header Options.

3. A new cell is inserted above the selected cells, showing the text merged. Type in any header text and format as usual.

726

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Add Annotations to Schedule Previews

If your Interactive Schedule includes previews of objects, doors and windows, you can add dimensions to these preview pictures in the Schedule. Note: To display previews using lines only (no shaded materials), make sure you click the appropriate Override Fill checkbox in the Override Fill Display panel of Model View Options (Document > Set Model View > Model View Options). 1. Double-click the cell of the preview which you wish to annotate, or Select the cell, then click on Annotate.

2. The preview picture opens in a separate 2D window entitled Element Preview.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

727

Virtual Building

3. Use the available 2D tools to annotate the preview picture: dimensions, labels, text. You can also add annotations from available libraries, using the Object tool.

4. Click OK in the drawing windows menu to close this window and apply the annotations to the selected preview; or click Cancel to close the window without applying any changes.

Dimensions in the Interactive Schedule preview cells can be associative: if you modify the object size in the project, its dimensions as shown in the Interactive Schedule will be modified accordingly.

728

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Automatic Dimensioning of Door/Window Previews

If the selected preview cell contains a Door or Window, the Schedule Options include the Add automatic dimensions option.

Check this box to add automatic door/window dimensions to the selected preview picture. Below the checkbox, click Dimension Settings to set dimensioning options for the preview picture, in the appearing Automatic Dimensions dialog box.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

729

Virtual Building

Restructure Schedule to Fit Layout

Note: This function is also available for Project Indexes placed on Layouts. Use the Restructure Table command to automatically split large tables which exceed the Layout size into parts and lay them out next to each other. The Restructure Table command is available in the Pet Palette, from the node of a selected Schedule placed as a Drawing.

Click the command, then manually resize the Drawing frame. The following image shows a Window Schedule that does not fit onto an A4 sized sheet.

The Restructure Table command is used to define a new enclosing rectangle for the Schedule table. In this case, ArchiCAD recalculates sizes and lays out the Schedule so it best fits the new geometry. The result: the Schedule is split in two portions which are placed under each other. Note: If the selected Drawing is set to Split Drawing into Multiple Layouts, then the Restructure Table command will enable you to define a new enclosing rectangle, but instead of placing the Schedule parts onto a single Layout, each new part will be placed onto an additional Layout.

730

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

733

Virtual Building

In the Navigator Layout Book, only one Layout is shown, but it has a multi-page icon, different from the single Layout icon, and the total number of Layouts used for this Drawing is displayed after the Drawing Name.

If a Layout Window displays a multi-Layout Drawing, the Windows title bar shows the range of Layouts which display the Drawing.

In the Layout Book, you can navigate between Layout pages as usual, using the navigation arrows at the bottom of the Layout Window.

However, if you open a Layout Window which contains a multi-Layout Drawing, the navigation button at the bottom of the screen displays a small black arrow. Click this to access additional navigation options among just the Layouts that display the current multi-page Drawing.

First Page and Last Page here refer to the Layouts of the multi-page Drawing.

734

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Place Additional Drawings Next to Multi-Layout Drawing

It is possible to place several multi-page Drawings (Schedules or Indexes) alongside each other, on the same Layouts. For example, suppose you place a long Schedule onto a Layout; ArchiCAD generates a total of three Layouts to display the entire Schedule. Then you place another long Schedule onto the first of those Layouts. ArchiCAD fills up the three existing Layouts with the second Schedule (alongside the first Schedule), and generates any additional Layouts needed to display the full Schedule. If you place any other type of Drawing (i.e. which is neither a Schedule nor a Index) onto a Layout that contains a multi-page Drawing, then that Drawing will appear on every one of that set of Layouts. This can be an advantage if the additional Drawing serves as a Title on the Layout.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

735

Project indexes are interactive, which means that you can edit some of the fields: for example, you can change the scale or the layer combination of a view, the name or the ID of a layout or a placed drawing. The modifications are carried out immediately. You can move Index Settings among projects by exporting and importing them (use the Import/ Export commands in the Index Settings dialog box).

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

739

Virtual Building

Index of Published Items

Suppose you are publishing a number of Layouts in a Publisher Set, and you want to include a Sheet Index which indicates which items have been published. One way to do this is to add the field Published to the Index.

The checkboxes will be activated for those items which you have published, but only in the published copy of the Index (not while you work in ArchiCAD). For example, if you publish Foundation and Roof plans, as well as this Sheet Index, on a Layout, then the published Sheet Index Layout will look like this:

If you want the published Sheet Index to list only published items, add Published as a criterion to your Index Settings.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

745

Virtual Building

Display of Walls
Use the panels of the Wall Tool Settings dialog box to choose attributes for the display of your wall in the various 2D and 3D windows. Attributes for each part of the representation (e.g. cut surfaces, overhead lines) are set using the pop-up options in the Floor Plan & Section panel of the Settings dialog box. Use the Floor Plan Cut Plane (Global Setting), combined with element projection preferences, to determine which parts of the placed wall should be displayed. See also How to Display Individual Elements on the Floor Plan. Some aspects of Wall display depend on the current settings in View > On-Screen View Options. Wall & Beam Intersections can be set on and off. Fill patterns can be shown as Vectorial Hatching or bitmap. Other display options for a walls fill patterns are set in the Model View Options Override Fill Display Panel. In the case of composite walls, you can choose to display or hide the separator lines.

When you are satisfied with the choices you made in the Wall Tool Settings dialog box, you can start drawing Walls, in either the Floor Plan or the 3D Window.

746

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Create a Straight Wall

The Single Straight Wall method produces one straight wall element at a time.

With the Wall Tool selected, choose the Straight Wall Geometry method from the Info Box and draw the wall segment on the plan. In both Floor Plan and 3D, you define the length of Wall segments by clicking at their endpoints. Note: This CAD-like drawing method is the default method of drawing segments in ArchiCAD, but you can change it in Options > Work Environment > Mouse Constraints & Methods. The moment you start drawing the Wall, a ghost contour appears and it follows the cursor until you click at the second endpoint.

Walls can be stretched using either menu commands or pet palette commands. See Stretching Walls.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

747

Virtual Building

Create a Curved Wall

With the Wall Tool selected, choose one of the three Curved Wall Geometry Methods from the Info Box.

The first option defines the curved wall by the arcs or circles centerpoint and radius. Your first click defines the centerpoint. A ghost contour of the circular wall follows your cursor until you click a second to time to define the radius. After that, only a partial ghost curved segment is shown, until you click a third time to define the length of the arc walls circumference. If you need a full circular wall, double-click when defining its radius. When all three points are defined, the ghost contour is replaced by the fully displayed wall contours and hatches.

The second option defines the curved wall by three points on the arcs circumference. The first two clicks define two points that you will probably locate on points connecting other elements, grid intersections or special snap points. After that, a ghost circle follows the cursor until you click a third time to define the third point.

748

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

A fourth click is needed to define the length of the arc segment. Double-click the third point to define a full circular wall. Note that the second and the third points do not need to be actually part of the arc wall.

When the arc length is defined, the ghost arc is replaced by the fully displayed wall contours and hatches.

The third option only defines full circular shapes based on three tangential edges or points. In this process, you select three initial points: these can be a tangent edge (indicated by the Mercedes cursor), a node (indicated by the Checkmark cursor), or a free-floating point (indicated by the Crosshair cursor.) An endpoint cannot qualify as a tangent edge when using this method, so a maximum of two endpoints are allowed. If more than two are selected, the process will revert to the second method described above. Only linear tangency is allowed: all tangent points must be on the straight edges of Slabs, Lines, Walls, etc. If you click a radial edge with the Mercedes cursor, the resulting Circle will pass through that point rather than being a tangent to the curve. The next step depends on the geometric situation. If there is only one solution, the circular Wall is automatically drawn.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

749

Virtual Building

If there are two or four solutions, the Eyeball cursor appears and the ghost contour of the Wall flips from one position to the other as you move the cursor around. Click when it is at the right place to complete the circular wall.

If there is no solution, (for example, if you define three parallel edges for tangency), no circle will be made. Note: Since Walls need to have two endpoints, the fully closed circular Wall that you draw will in fact consist of two half-circles. Walls in the forms of full ellipses, elliptic arcs or splines cannot be created directly, but you can trace the shapes of plain drawing elements with the Magic Wand.

Stretching Curves Curve/Straighten Element Edge

Create a Rectangle of Walls

The Rectangle Wall method produces four Wall elements with coincident nodes by defining the diagonal line of a rectangle. With the Wall Tool selected, choose the Rectangle Wall method from the Info Box. (Pop out the small black arrow on the Straight Wall Method button.)

Draw the diagonal of the rectangular wall and click to define its length. The rectangle wall is created. Its four sides are always aligned orthogonally with the Normal Grid and are not affected by the use of a Rotated Grid.

The Rotated Rectangle Wall method produces four wall elements as with the previous method, except that you first define a rotation vector for the rectangles base reference line. Then drag the cursor to define the rectangle.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

753

Virtual Building

Create a Trapezoid Wall

The Trapezoid or Non-Parallel method allows you to draw straight Walls whose thickness is not constant.

You draw this type of Wall as a straight Wall, except that you will first enter the thickness of the Wall at its two endpoints, using the Wall Thickness fields in the Info Box or in Wall Settings.

754

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Composite Trapezoid Wall

When drawing a trapezoid Wall with a composite fill, only the outermost Core skins thickness reflects the trapezoidal shape of the Wall. In the image below, two of the skins are marked as Core, but only the Insulation core skin - the outermost Core - has a trapezoid shape.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

755

To make another edge the reference edge, select an endpoint of the current reference edge. The pet palette contains a command with which you can move the reference edge endpoints to other nodes of the polygon wall.

When you assign materials to the surfaces of a polygon wall in the Model panel of Wall Settings, the materials are assigned depending on the location of the reference edge. The Reference side material is the reference-edge surface; here, in red. The Side Material is assigned to the two surfaces adjacent to the reference edge; here, in gold.

758

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

The Opposite Side Material surfaces are assigned to all other edges (those which are opposite the reference edge), here, in blue.

To edit polygon walls, click the nodes and edges of the selected Walls and use the pet palette.

When connected to other, plain walls, wall polygons keep their original contour by default.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

759

Virtual Building

If you wish to override this setting, check the PolyWall Corners Can Change box in the Geometry and Positioning section of the Wall Settings dialog box (available when the PolyWall geometry method is active in the Info Box). For more information, see PolyWall Corners.

760

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Create a Slanted or Double-Slanted Wall

To draw a wall whose vertical axis is slanted on either or both sides, go to Wall Geometry and Positioning Panel, and click the desired Slanted Wall Icon, then enter the desired wall angle(s).

A slanted wall tilts in one direction; its two faces are parallel to each other. A double-slanted wall has faces which are not parallel; in Section view, the wall is trapezoid in shape. When setting the angles of a double-slanted wall, you are constrained by the minimum thickness of the top of the wall. For a simple structure (using a single material), this can be zero. The top of a composite wall, however, has to be wide enough to accommodate all of the skins. The height of either type of slanted wall is the distance between its lowest and highest point. When entering a height value of a double-slanted wall, you face the obvious constraint that the walls width at the top cannot be negative (i.e. once the two faces meet, you cant go any higher.) The thickness of a slanted wall is its thickness perpendicular to its slant vector (as indicated by the icon in the Info Box):

The thickness of a double-slanted wall equals the width of the wall base. If you switch from one kind of slant to another, the wall is transformed as follows: If you transform a single-slanted into a double-slanted wall, the new walls width (i.e. its wall base) will take on the width of the old, single-slanted wall. Similarly, if you have a double-slanted wall and change it to either a vertical or single-slanted wall, the new wall will have the same width as that of the old, double-slanted wall. For information on modifying slanted wall geometry, see Modifying Slanted Walls and Columns.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

761

Virtual Building

Create a Log Wall

You can create straight walls constructed from logs. Log details appear in both the 3D Window and Section/Elevation/IE Windows.

Clicking the Log Details button in the Model panel of the Wall Settings dialog box opens the Log Details Dialog Box with a number of geometry and texture options. Note: Log construction is only available for simple straight walls. When determining the logs height, remember that if you enter a value that is larger than the walls width parameter, the logs will not rest on each other.

762

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Create a Gable Wall

When you need walls to fit a Roof or you want Walls with cutoff corners, you can obtain them by cutting regular Rectangular Walls with appropriate roof pitches as shown below. For more information, see Trim Element to Roof.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

763

Virtual Building

Wall-Wall Intersections
The connection of walls and their fills on the floor plan and in 3D is determined first of all by their Wall Priorities. When walls of unequal priorities intersect, the element of higher priority will remain intact in 3D. (In 2D, the element of higher priority will be in front.) The element of lower priority will be cut, and the intersected part removed You can set a separate priority for each individual wall, on a scale of 0-16 (even numbers only), using the Wall Priority slider switch (Wall Settings > Floor Plan and Section panel). To make alignment of connecting walls easier, the intelligent cursor snaps to all sides and corners of wall segments. In the case of composite walls, the cursor snaps to each endpoint of the inner skin as well.

764

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Display of Intersecting Composite Wall Skins (2D only)

When displaying an intersecting composite wall in 2D windows and the 3D Document window, you can control its display of skin by skin if you wish. Each skin of a composite wall has a separate intersection priority, which you can fine-tune in Options > Attributes > Composite Structures Dialog Box.

These Walls intersect according to the following rules: Skins with higher priorities will block skins with lower priorities. Skins with equal priorities will form a mitered joint. (provided they have the same fill pattern) Wall Outlines and Overhead lines also intersect each other.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

765

Virtual Building

Virtual Building

PolyWall Corners
When connected to other, plain walls, wall polygons keep their original contour by default. If you wish to override this setting, check the PolyWall Corners Can Change box in the Geometry and Positioning section of the Wall Settings dialog box (available when the PolyWall geometry method is active). In the following example, a Single Wall is connected to a Wall Polygon.

The first illustration shows you the situation with View > On-Screen View Options > Clean Wall & Beam Intersections turned Off. Turning Clean Wall & Beam Intersections On will give a different results depending on whether PolyWall Corners Can Change is active.

773

Virtual Building

Walls and Other Elements

Beams and Walls: Intersection priorities for walls and beams are set at the element level in their respective Settings dialog boxes. (Wall priorities are always even numbers; beam priorities are odd.) When a wall intersects a beam, the element of higher priority will remain intact. The element of lower priority will be cut in 3D, which means that the intersection part will be removed from it. Columns and Walls: see Columns and Other Elements. Roofs and Walls: The top or the bottom surface of Walls can be trimmed to Roofs: see Trim Element to Roof Walls and Curtain Walls: Walls can be connected to Curtain Walls using the Design > Modify Curtain Wall > Connect Wall command. See Connect Wall to Curtain Wall. Relation to Zones: In the Listing and Labeling Panel of Wall settings, define how the Wall should behave in relation to zones: as a zone boundary (delimiter), or whether its area/volume should be subtracted from the zone it is in, or whether it should have no effect at all on a zone. See Relation to Zones.

774

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Columns
Columns in ArchiCAD are made up of two components: the load-bearing core and the optional veneer used to simulate fire proofing or any kind of sheathing around the core. The Columns section can be rectangular or circular, or they can be complex, as defined in a profile. Columns can stand free, or they can be smartly connected to walls. The columns axis can be either vertical or slanted. Double-click the Column tool icon to open the Column Tool Settings and set your preferences.

Creating Columns Create a Slanted Column Column Display on Floor Plan Column Display in 3D Columns and Other Elements Place a Wall/Column/Beam with a Complex Profile Column Tool Settings

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

775

Virtual Building

Creating Columns
Use the Column tool to create new columns in either the Floor Plan or the 3D Window. Choose the desired column attributes and geometry from Column Tool Settings, then click to place the column into the project. After placement, you can still stretch a columns height in the 3D window. See Stretch Height.

Column Placement Methods

There are three Geometry Methods (input methods) available in the Info Box for placing Columns.

Simple: Place the Column with one click. The Column axis will be projected vertically from the Floor Plan. Rotated: Your first click determines the position of the Columns Anchor Point at its Base, the second will define its rotation angle around a vertical axis. Revolved placement method: If your column is complex and/or slanted, this input method provides a three-step placement process. First, click to place the column. Second, rotate it around its vertical axis and click. Third, revolve it around its own, slanted axis (i.e. set the rotation angle), and click to complete.

776

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Column Construction Methods

When placing a Column that will intersect a Composite wall, your choice of Geometry method wrapped or unwrapped - will affect the display of the wall/column in the Floor Plan. Use the wrapped/unwrapped (or freestanding) icons from the Column Info Box or the Column Settings dialog box to determine how the columns will be interact with composite walls.

Wrapped Columns can only break through the core skins of composite Walls. The other wall skins wrap around the column, retaining their thickness.

For more information, see Wrapped Columns on the Floor Plan.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

777

Virtual Building

Create a Slanted Column

From Column Tool Settings, choose the Slanted icon and enter a slant angle in degrees.

Choose a Placement Method from the Info Box, then place the column. (See Column Placement Methods.) See also Modifying Slanted Walls and Columns.

778

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Column Display on Floor Plan

Attributes for each part of the Floor Plan representation (e.g. cut surfaces, overhead lines) are set using the pop-up options in the Floor Plan & Section panel of the columns Settings dialog box. Use the panels of the Column Tool Settings dialog box to choose attributes for the display of your column in the various 2D and 3D windows. Attributes for each part of the representation (e.g. cut surfaces, overhead lines) are set using the pop-up options in the Floor Plan & Section panel of the Settings dialog box. Use the Floor Plan Cut Plane (Global Setting), combined with element projection preferences, to determine which parts of the placed column should be displayed. See also How to Display Individual Elements on the Floor Plan.

Crossing Symbol
The Floor Plan Symbol options (in Column Tool Settings, Floor Plan and Section Panel) refer to the columns crossing symbol (Plain, Slash, X, or Crosshair). The display of all column floor plan symbols in the project can be turned on or off with the Show Column Symbol checkbox in Document > Set Model View > Model View Options for Construction Elements.

Display of Column Core and Veneer

The structure and cut attributes of the core and veneer are set in the Floor Plan & Section panel of Column Settings. The contour of Column cores with a slash or an X is always fully drawn, regardless of any other factors. You can add an optional veneer to your column. By default, this veneer is considered part of the core of the column for display and listing purposes. However, you have the option of defining the column veneer as either core, finish or other, in Column Tool Settings. (See Column Veneer.) Your Partial Structure Display settings will take this veneer definition into account, in both 2D and 3D views. (See Partial Structure Display.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

779

Virtual Building

Column with a veneer. Veneer is defined as a Finish:

Partial Structure Display: Entire Structure

Partial Structure Display: - Core Only - Core of Load-Bearing Elements Only - Without Finishes

Unwrapped Columns on the Floor Plan

Unwrapped Columns (those placed with the Freestanding Construction method) do not modify the shape of the wall, just cut out a place for themselves, breaking through all wall skins.

Virtual Building

Unwrapped columns retain their own materials in 3D.

If Column surfaces are connected to wall or slab surfaces or other Column surfaces within the same 3D plane, the connection lines are eliminated in 3D view when using the Internal 3D engine.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

783

Virtual Building

Columns and Other Elements

Beams and Columns: When a Beam crosses a Column, the element of lower priority is cut in 3D. Column Priority vs. Beams is a global setting applicable to all columns; it is set in Options > Project Preferences > Construction Elements. Beam Priority is set in the Beam Tool Settings dialog box (Floor Plan and Section Panel). Walls and Columns: See Column Display on Floor Plan. Roofs and Columns: The top or bottom surface of Columns can be trimmed to roofs. See Trim Element to Roof. Relation to Zones: In the Listing and Labeling Panel of Column settings, define how the Column should behave in relation to zones: as a zone boundary (delimiter), or whether its area/volume should be subtracted from the zone it is in, or whether it should have no effect at all on a zone. See Relation to Zones.

784

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Beams
ArchiCAD Beams are horizontal or inclined construction elements with vertical end faces. They can be rectangular or complex in shape.

Beam Reference Axis Beam Display on the Floor Plan Create a Beam Create a Hole in a Beam How to Change Angle of Beam End Faces Beams and Other Elements Place a Wall/Column/Beam with a Complex Profile Beam Tool Settings

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

785

Virtual Building

Beam Reference Axis

Each Beam possesses a reference axis (center line) which serves the precise connection of Beams for clean intersections and establishes hotspots and edges for selecting, moving and transforming Beams. Its direction determines the beams left and right surfaces for the purpose of applying materials in the Beam Model Panel. The direction of the reference axis follows your cursor as you drag it to draw the beam. (To see the arrow on the beam that indicates the axis direction, turn on View > On-Screen View Options > Walls and Beams Reference Lines.) You can show/hide the reference axis (center line) of any individual beam using the Show Center Line checkbox in the Symbols part of Beam Floor Plan and Section Panel).

786

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Beam Display on the Floor Plan

When you create a beam with the Beam Tool, ArchiCAD generates its Floor Plan display according to your choices in Beam Tool Settings. These determine the individual beams structure and its fill and line attributes. Attributes for each part of the representation (e.g. cut surfaces, overhead lines) are set using the pop-up options in the Floor Plan & Section panel of the Settings dialog box. Use the Floor Plan Cut Plane (Global Setting), combined with element projection preferences, to determine which parts of the placed beam should be displayed. See also How to Display Individual Elements on the Floor Plan.

Global Settings for Beam Display

In Document > Set Model View > Model View Options (Options for Construction Elements panel), the Show Beam as options apply globally to all beams in the project. Choose to display beam in their entirety, or just the reference lines, or just the contours.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

787

Virtual Building

Create a Beam
Define Beam settings in the Beam Tool Settings dialog box. When you are satisfied with the choices you made in the Beam Settings dialog box, you can start drawing Beams. New Beams can be created in either the Floor Plan or the 3D Window.

Beam Geometry
There are four Geometry Methods available for drawing Beams.

Choose one of these Geometry Methods from the Info Box. The Single Beam method produces a beam element by clicking twice, at the reference lines starting point and endpoint. The PolyBeam method creates a sequence of connected beam elements with automatically coincident reference line endpoints. The process for drawing chained Beams is the same as for Walls. Only straight beam segments can be drawn when creating a PolyBeam. When you click to end the definition of the first Beam, you automatically start drawing the second one, and so on, until you double-click to finish drawing the chained Beams. The Rectangle Beam produces four beam elements with coincident nodes and aligned to the X and Y axes. Define the rectangle by clicking the starting point and the endpoint of one of its diagonal lines. The Rotated Rectangle Beam method produces four beam elements with coincident nodes, the first side of the rectangle being defined by the first two mouse clicks at their endpoints and the perpendicular side defined by the third mouse click.

788

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Create an Inclined Beam

To create an inclined (slanted) beam, click the inclined beam icon (in either the Info Box or in Beam Settings). The slant angle field is now enabled. The slant angle of Inclined Beams must be between -89 and +89, and is measured from the starting point of the Beam. The Beam is inclined in the vertical plane defined by its Axis.

791

Virtual Building

How to Change Angle of Beam End Faces

For end faces at free angles, use the following trick: 1. Draw your Beam. 2. Set Beam thickness to zero in the Beam Settings dialog box in order to draw a second (virtual) Beam. 3. Draw the zero thickness Beam starting from the end of the reference axis of the first Beam at the desired angle as shown in the figure below.

4. Click to complete the zero-thickness beam and view the result in 3D.

5. Touch up the floor plan symbol by adding a line segment to complete the gap.

792

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Beams and Other Elements

Beam Intersection Priority
A Beams intersection priority is set using the Beam Priority slider in Beam Floor Plan and Section Panel. When Beams cross Walls or Columns, the element of lower priority will be cut in 3D, which means that the intersection part will be removed. The element of higher priority will remain intact. This applies to volume calculations as well. Note: The priority of Columns vs. Beams is a global control set in Options > Project Preferences > Construction Elements. Slabs and Beams: Beams always cut Slabs when the two elements join in space (provided that their Layers belong to the same intersection priority group). This applies to both the 3D Window and volume calculations. Roofs and Beams: Beams can be trimmed to Roofs using the Trim to Roof command. (See Trim Element to Roof.)

Auto-Intersection of Beams with Other Beams

When a Beam intersects another Beam, ArchiCAD automatically cleans crossings, T and L junctions of Beams if the Options > Auto Intersection feature is turned on. If one end of the joining Beam falls within the contour of the other Beam, the end of the joining Beam will automatically adjust to the reference axis. Their appearance in 3D will be cleaned up accordingly, provided that the beams have the same intersection priority.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

793

Virtual Building

Beam junctions are also cleaned up if the crossing or joining Beams run at different elevations. If Beams pass each other in space, without intersecting reference lines, the junction will be cleaned up depending on their respective intersection priorities.

Beam Connections in 3D
To improve the appearance of beam connections in 3D, especially when connecting walls of different heights, enable the Enhanced connections for Walls and Beams checkmark in Options > Project Preferences > Construction Elements. Your 3D result will then correctly display how much of each beam has been cut. Intersections involving complex beam will always be calculated as if this function were active. Activating this checkbox might result in slower 3D performance. If your projects intersections involve simple beams at uniform elevations, you might improve performance by leaving the box unchecked.

Note: Beam intersections are effective even if some of the intersecting elements are on currently hidden Layers. However, if intersecting beam are on layers with differing Layer Intersection Groups, then beam intersection will not take place. See Use Layers to Prevent Wall/Column/Beam Intersections. 794
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Place a Wall/Column/Beam with a Complex Profile

About Complex Profile Elements Creating or Editing a Complex Profile Element Create Complex Profile from Parallel Elements Use Standard Steel Column or Beam Profile Profile Manager Dialog Box

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

795

Virtual Building

About Complex Profile Elements

If customizing a standard construction element gets very complicated, or you dont find a specialized construction object in the library, you can place a profiled Wall, Column or Beam, known as a Complex Profile. Complex Profiles are predefined and custom defined walls, columns and beams that can be edited by hand to take nearly any desired shape. For example, the following image shows a curved wall to which the Brick Wall with Footing profile has been applied.

A Complex Profile element is composed of a cross-sectional profile that is extruded perpendicular to the profiles plane. To place a complex element, you can use or modify a predefined profile, or create a new one. Note: You can also place a Standard steel Column or Beam profile from a catalog. See Use Standard Steel Column or Beam Profile. A saved Complex Profile element is handled as an attribute of the Wall, Column, and/or Beam element. Saved profiles will appear in the Settings dialog box of the respective tool. Alternatively, you can apply a custom profile to any selected element in the model window on a one-time basis without having to save it as an attribute.

796

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

ArchiCAD ships a number of predefined profile elements for these tools. To use them, do the following: Open the Wall (Column, Beam) Settings dialog box. Choose Profiled Wall from the Geometry and Positioning panel.

The Structure section of the Floor Plan and Section panel includes a pop-up that lets you choose among saved profiles for the current element. The pop-up includes a preview to help you choose.

Choose the desired profile, then adjust the rest of the settings in the element Settings dialog box as you would for any other element. Click on the plan to place. Once you place a complex profile element, you can modify it graphically on-screen, similar to other construction elements. Special pet palette commands are available to stretch and rotate profile elements: see Modifying Complex Profile Elements.

799

Virtual Building

Horizontal and Vertical Stretch (in the list of Design Layers) are an optional attribute of the profile. Check the boxes to switch on the stretch parameter in either or both directions. If you do not switch it on, you will not be able to stretch or resize the cross-section of the resulting profile once you place it on the plan.

If Horizontal/Vertical Stretch is switched on, the Profile Editor window displays dotted lines indicating the plane that can be stretched. Within the Profile Editor window, you can move these lines like any other drawing element to any part of the profile; these will serve as the stretch handles of the resulting profile element after it is placed in the model. If you switch on Opening Reference (in the list of Design Layers), the Profile Editor window displays a line representing the reference line at which doors/windows will be placed, once you place the profile wall on the plan.

If necessary, edit the line, like any other line, to conform to the shape of the profile so that openings will be in the right place. If you do not switch on Opening Reference, doors/windows will be placed along the profile elements bounding box.

Edit Profile Components

Use the controls in the Components panel of Profile Manager to set the attributes of each profile component (i.e., the solid body represented by each fill drawn in the Profile Editor window) individually. Select a component (represented by a fill) in the Profile Editor window. Edit its intersection priority as needed. Note: This setting will be applied to the placed profile element only if you check Enable Skin Priorities in the Structure/Cut Surfaces/Outlines part of the elements Settings dialog box (Floor Plan and Section Panel).

800

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Edge/Side Materials for Profile Element

Use the Materials pop-up under Side Material in Profile Editor to select a material for the 3D display of the sides of the profile element. This material will be applied to all sides of the selected component (Uniform). To apply a different material to one or more selected sides of this component, select a profile component fill in the Profile Editor window and execute the pet palette command Set parameters for profile edge, then edit the controls in the appearing Custom Edge Settings dialog box. These custom edge settings will be applied to the edge from which you opened the Pet Palette (Selected edge only), or to all edges. If needed, you can apply a different custom edge material/contour line to each individual edge.

Store or Apply a Modified Complex Profile

Click Store Profile to name and save the profile you have edited. If a newly stored profile is a modified version of an existing profile, and you do not rename it, then the modifications will be applied to all profile elements of this type that have been placed in the plan. If you do not want to store the profile, and need the profile only for a one-time use, you can apply it to a selected element in the model, using the Apply to selection button. The selected element will turn into that profile element. The unstored profile is called Custom until it is stored.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

801

Virtual Building

Create Complex Profile from Parallel Elements

A quick way to create a complex profile is to use the Design > Complex Profiles > Merge Walls/ Columns/Beams. To use this command, draw multiple walls, columns or beams in the model window. The elements must be of the same type and must be parallel to each other. Executing the command will create a new profile element, which will replace the original elements. The new profile element will be as long as the longest original element, and will inherit the attributes of the original as well as any wall openings. By default, the new profile is named custom but can be opened in the Profile Editor, modified and renamed. To merge two or more parallel Straight Walls, use the Merge Walls command on them. The Walls will become the same length, and the cross section of the resulting Wall will be a unity of the cross sections of the two Walls. The bodies of the two Walls do not need to touch, they may be at a distance from each other. This command works only for Straight Walls (Vertical, Slanted, Double-Slanted, Custom Profile). It does not work for Trapezoid, Polygonal and Curved Walls.

The Merge Columns command allows you to merge two or more Columns whose axes are parallel to each other. If this condition is met, all types of Columns (Vertical, Slanted, Custom Profile) may be merged. More than two Columns may be merged at the same time.

802

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Use the Merge Beams command to merge two or more Beams whose axes are parallel to each other. If this condition is met, all types of Beams (Horizontal, Inclined, Custom Profile) may be merged.

Profile Manager Dialog Box

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

803

Virtual Building

Use Standard Steel Column or Beam Profile

If you exchange data with structural softwares, using the IFC standard, it can be helpful to use standard elements as your profile Columns or Beams. During the data exchange process, those structural engineering programs will recognize and identify such standard elements accurately and completely, without requiring any settings adjustments. Use the Options > Import Standard Steel Profile command. This brings up the Profile Database.

Profile Database

In this image, our list of Project Profiles (the list window on the right) is empty, so we must add selected profiles from the database. From the non-editable Available Profiles list on the left, you can access thousands of standard profiles. (If needed, sort the list columns by Name or by specific dimension.) Use the Country Code, Profile Types and Geometry controls to help find the profiles you need.

804

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Select these, then click Add Profile to the Project.

The selected structures now appear in the list to the right. (If needed, click Remove to remove a project profile.) Click Import. The selected profiles are now available for use in your ArchiCAD project. See also Working with IFC.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

805

Virtual Building

Place Structural Profile Element

Choose the Complex geometry method in the Geometry and Positioning Panel of Column or Beam Settings. In the Complex Structure pop-up of the Floor Plan and Section panel of Column (or Beam) Settings, choose the profile you need.

806

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

When placing the structural Column or Beam, note that its insertion point is the center of the objects bounding box. However, an additional hotspot is located at the elements center of gravity.

These predefined steel profile Beams and Columns can be listed by name in the Interactive Schedule: just include Cut Fill/Profile in the Fields panel of Interactive Schedule Scheme Settings.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

807

Virtual Building

Roofs
About Roofs Create a Simple Roof on the Floor Plan Create a Simple Roof in 3D Create a Polyroof or Curved Roof Create a Dome-Shaped Roof Create a Barrel-Vaulted Roof Create a Hole in a Roof Modify the Roof Slant Angle Create Roof Level Lines Set Custom Roof Edge Angle and Material Intersect Roof Planes Trim Element to Roof Create Special Roof Objects with RoofMaker Roof Tool Settings

808

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

About Roofs
ArchiCADs flexible Roofs can be used to create both standard and abstract 3D shapes meeting a wide variety of needs. The roofs elevation is measured by the elevation of the pivot line, a horizontal non-printing line that you draw when creating the roof. In most cases, you will want the pivot line of the roof to coincide with a wall Reference Line or a slab edge. Note: You can hide all pivot lines by disabling the Roof Pivot Lines option in View > OnScreen View Options. The Pivot Line elevation is shown in the roofs info box (the B value).

This is the same value as the Roofs Relative Base Height, in Roof Settings. The Roof Slope Angle (or pitch) is measured from this pivot line. The Roof Pitch value is also shown in the Info Box (the T value).

See also Modify the Roof Slant Angle. To aid in precise element placement, you can turn on the Gravitate to Roof command to place additional elements onto the surface of the Roof.

Display of Roofs
Attributes for each part of the representation (e.g. cut surfaces, overhead lines) are set using the pop-up options in the Floor Plan & Section panel of the Roof Tool Settings dialog box. Use the Floor Plan Cut Plane Settings Dialog Box, combined with element projection preferences, to determine which parts of the placed roof should be displayed. For Roofs, the default Floor Plan Display option is Projected with Overhead. For more information on Floor Plan display of roofs, see How to Display Individual Elements on the Floor Plan.

Roof Geometry
The Roof tool has six geometry methods in the Info Box, allowing you to create both simple and complex roof shapes. The options are: Polygon, Rectangle, Rotated Rectangle, Polyroof, Dome and Barrel-vaulted. Note that only four options are visible at a time. The remaining options can be viewed by holding down the button to pop out the additional icons.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

809

Virtual Building

When you are satisfied with the choices you made in the Roof Tool Settings dialog box, you can start drawing Roofs. New Roofs can be created in either the Floor Plan or the 3D Window, although some options differ or are restricted.

Gravitate New Elements onto a Roof

Use the Gravity control to place Wall, Column, Beam and Object type elements relative to the elevation of a Roof.

810

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Create a Simple Roof on the Floor Plan

Choose one of the first three Geometry Methods in the Info Box (Polygon, Rectangle, Rotated Rectangle), then define the position of the pivot line with two clicks. With the Rectangle method, the roof will always be orthogonal. In most cases, you will want the pivot line of the roof to coincide with a wall Reference Line or a slab edge. As an aid in drawing the pivot line, the cursor will change to a Heavy Checkmark/Heavy Mercedes when it hits a wall or beam reference line; it will change to a Light Checkmark/Light Mercedes when it hits any edge that is not a Wall or Beam reference line.

1. Draw the pivot line.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

811

Virtual Building

2. After you draw the pivot line, a cursor in the form of an Eyeball will appear. Use this cursor to click on the side of the pivot line where you want the roof plane to rise (or, in the case of a negative roof pitch, slope downward).

3. You can then draw the contour of the roof by clicking on each of the new roofs nodes. Or use the Magic Wand: click on an existing element to serve as the pattern for the roofs contour.

812

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Create a Simple Roof in 3D

1. Choose one of the first three Geometry Methods in the Info Box (Polygon, Rectangle, Rotated Rectangle), then define the slope of the roof plane by clicking any three points. ArchiCAD will generate the Pivot Line for you. 2. Draw the contour of the roof. The Hammer cursor appears when you return to the first node. Click to close the polygon. ArchiCAD will then generate the Roof.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

813

Virtual Building

Create a Polyroof or Curved Roof

By choosing the Polyroof geometry method, you can create equally sloped roofs on any polygonal or curved base. The result will be a set of individual roof planes. With the Autogroup function active, they will be automatically grouped when created. The process for drawing a Polyroof is the same on the Floor Plan and in the 3D Window. First, you draw a polygon of straight segments only. This defines the pivot lines of the elements of the Polyroof.

When you are finished, the Polyroof Settings dialog box appears. The final outline will be defined by the Eave Overhang value which is added as an offset to the pivot line polygon. Polyroofs can be made up of a maximum of four levels. The inclination and maximum height of each segment can be independently defined.

814

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

817

Virtual Building

You can set Vaulted Roof characteristics here.

Enter the elevation of the base point of the roof, its edge angle and, if using a simple fill pattern, its thickness. Press the OK or Cancel button when finished. The resulting roof planes are individually editable. If Autogroup is on, they are generated as a group. The curve drawn in the Floor Plan is clearly visible in the 3D view of the roof.

Note: ArchiCAD only allows the construction of curved roofs that can be hit by vertical rainfall. This avoids the construction of self-intersecting or reclinate roofs. This also means that the same curve may be valid for the generation of a roof from one angle of the boundary box, and invalid from another angle. This is because the shape of the roof is determined not only by the curve that it is constructed from, but also by the angle of the boundary box that it is associated to. The start and end points of the roof must be defined in such a way that the heavy line side of the rubberband boundary does not intersect the original cross-section curve. There are three possible methods available for drawing a Barrel-Vaulted Roof in 3D: Rounded, Symmetrical and Irregular. Draw the first side of the outline rectangle of the roof at the desired height. The pet palette appears. Defining the cross-section is different for the three methods.

818

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Rounded Roof
To create a Rounded roof: Click on the first icon.

Draw the geometry of the roof cross-section by defining its height and click.

Extend the roof to the desired length and click to place the roof.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

819

Virtual Building

Symmetrical Vaulted Roof

To create a Symmetrical vaulted roof, click on the second icon. The Symmetrical Vaulted Roof dialog box appears. Enter the number of roof planes to create.

Draw the geometry of the roof by defining its height and click.

820

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Extend the roof to the desired length and click to place the roof.

Note: This method creates roof planes of equal length in cross-section.

Irregular Roof
To create an Irregular roof: Choose the third method from the pet palette and click.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

821

Virtual Building

Define the shape of the roof by clicking as many times as you wish to create new planes. Doubleclick to finish creating roof planes.

Extend the roof to the desired length and click to place the roof.

822

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Create a Hole in a Roof

1. Select a Roof pane 2. With the Roof tool active, draw a new contour within its boundaries. The new contour will be interpreted as a hole in the Roof. Note: If you create a hole whose outline intersects the host Roofs contour or the outline of other holes in the same polygon, ArchiCAD will display a warning message, but the outline of the hole will still be created. See also Selecting Roof Hole.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

823

Virtual Building

Modify the Roof Slant Angle

Once youve drawn a roof and selected it, you can modify its slant angle in several ways. Change the roof slant angle in the Info Box or in Roof Settings. In the 3D window, select the roof, then select the Modify Slant Angle command from the pet palette and graphically adjust the roof angle (or enter a Slant Angle value into the Tracker.)

Edge Angle: From this list, choose an angle (vertical, horizontal, perpendicular, custom) for the roof edge. If you choose custom, enter the desired angle value in the field below.

If you have clicked an edge that is the common joint of two selected roofs, a fifth Mitred option is available. Choose this to create a mitred joint along the selected roof edges.

Non-mitred:

Mitred:

828

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Side Material: Choose a material for the roof edge(s). Material will be applied as defined in the Applied to control above. If you apply a material here to any edge that is different from the default roof edge material, the Roof Model Panel will indicate that a custom side material has been applied. Edge Type: Optionally, choose a type for the roof edge (either the clicked edge, the selected polygon, or all the edges, as chosen at the top of this dialog box).

The Roof Edge type you define here can be used as a parameter in all of ArchiCADs listing functions. For example, you can add Eaves Length and Gables Length as parameters to an Interactive Schedule listing the roofs in your project.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

829

Virtual Building

Selecting Roof Hole

To apply options to the hole only, you must select the hole, rather than the entire roof, and then choose Selected Polygon from the Apply On pop-up. To ensure that you have selected the hole, make sure the Info Tag says Inner polygon of the selected Roof:

830

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Intersect Roof Planes

You may need to adjust simple roof panes to each other or to modify some of the panes of a complex roof, for example to accommodate a dormer. To have these two roof planes intersect:

Select the lower one on the Floor Plan, and Ctrl-click (Windows) or Cmd-click (MacOS) the ridge line of the other. Now select the other roof plane and Ctrl-click (Windows) or Cmd-click (MacOS) the ridge line of the lower one. The two faces have been adjusted to each other.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

831

Virtual Building

In this example, when the two ridge lines meet on the Floor Plan, this means that they are in fact intersected in 3D.

For more complex intersections, when more than two roof planes meet (e.g., when a barrelvaulted roof meets a simple pitched roof), additional nodes should be added to accommodate the shape. However, the intersection process itself is similar.

832

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Trim Element to Roof

Using the Trim to Roof Function Undo Roof Trim Effect of Roof Trim on Wall/Column Height Settings Use Roof Trim to Create Complex-Shaped Walls, Beams and Columns Trimming Slabs with a Roof Trimming with a Remote Roof
Note: You can also achieve the effect of trimming with a Roof by using Solid Element Operations.

Using the Trim to Roof Function

To trim an element to a roof, use the Design > Trim to Roof command. Roofs can trim either the top or the bottom of Walls Beams Columns Slabs Doors Windows Objects Elements are trimmed only if they intersect a roof at any point, and only if you check its element type in the Trim to Roof dialog box. It is usually easiest to use Trim to Roof in the 3D window, where you can see the spatial relationships of roofs to other construction elements. The Trim to Roof command is available only if at least one roof or one element of the above types is selected. To trim elements to a roof, follow these steps: 1. Do one of the following: Select the elements you wish to trim. (Remember, only elements which intersect a roof at any point can be trimmed); or Select the roof(s) to which you want to trim elements; or Select both elements and roof(s). Selection of roofs and/or elements narrows the scope of the Trim. If you select only a roof, all eligible elements are trimmed; if you select only elements, they will be trimmed to all the eligible roofs.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

833

Virtual Building

2. Go to Design > Trim to Roof to bring up the Trim to Roof dialog box.

In the second trim, the box is left unchecked. The Wall is trimmed as usual, but the selection dots indicate that its height remains at its original value.

Note: if you click Trim Base, the Set Wall/Column Top to highest Point box changes to Set Wall/Column Base to lowest Point. In this case, its the base elevation of the element that changes. However, the Undo Roof Trim command will have a different effect depending on the checkbox status: if you set the Trim operation to recalculate the Wall/Columns height value (if the checkbox was active), then the Undo Roof Trim will only recreate the wall/column up to the maximum trimmed height. If you did not check the box, then the Undo Roof Trim will recreate the original Wall height.

838

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Use Roof Trim to Create Complex-Shaped Walls, Beams and Columns

You can cut complex shapes into walls, beams and columns by trimming them to Roofs. The wall will always follow the shape of the roof(s) above them, no matter how many roof segments you have.

However, remember that any roof can only make parallel cuts into the walls.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

839

Virtual Building

Trimming Slabs with a Roof

Slabs can also be trimmed by the lower or upper slope of roofs with the help of the Design > Trim to Roof command. However, there is a big difference between trimming slabs and trimming walls, columns or Library Parts. While other elements can be partly trimmed, slabs are always cut along the whole section line of the roof and the slab. Moreover, the trimmed edge of the slab is always vertical even after being trimmed by a slanted roof.

840

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Trimming with a Remote Roof

You can use remote roofs and even roofs on other stories whose outline is shown on the given story for trimming elements to the plane of that particular roof.

Just select the elements you intend to cut, then Ctrl-click (Cmd-click) an edge or a node of the roof you want to cut them with. The reverse procedure will also work: select the roof you want to cut with and Ctrl-click (Cmd-click) the individual elements you want to be cut. Note: The Wall/Beam/Column is cut whether it is under a roof or not. Be sure to set a sufficient height for the original rectangular Walls/Beams/Columns so that they are cut correctly.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

841

Virtual Building

Create Special Roof Objects with RoofMaker

RoofMaker allows you to add GDL Object-based elements to specific parts of your design in order to enhance them in 3D views and Section/Elevation/IE windows. RoofMaker can be accessed from the Design > Design Extras menu. Technically, RoofMaker is an ArchiCAD AddOn and is loaded with ArchiCAD on startup. After placement, roof construction elements behave like ordinary Objects and can be modified. The Roof Wizard is a RoofMaker function that allows you to create entire roof constructions quickly and easily. For more information, see Using the Roof Wizard. We recommend that you begin modelling the roof construction with the purlins and continue with the hip rafters/valley rafters before placing the rafters. This way you can easily keep track of all the connecting elements. (When placing ridges, you already know the thickness of the purlin; when placing rafters you already know the thickness of purlins, hip and valley rafters, etc.)

To place rafters, ridges or purlins (beams), a single roof surface has to be selected. If multiple roof surfaces are grouped, you must first ungroup them using the Edit > Grouping > Ungroup. You will then be able to select roof surfaces individually. Although the placement of roof construction elements using RoofMaker works using other methods, we strongly recommend setting the reference line of the roof to the upper exterior edge of the wall beneath (as handled by ArchiCADs Complex Roof Placement Method). The definition of elements, with or without overhang, uses this reference line as a basis. We recommend setting the roof thickness equal to the general cross-section height of the rafters. This way, you can use the roof to cut elements that are standing upon the rafters (e.g., Posts). To place a trimmer (blocking), a collar beam or a tie beam, two corresponding rafters must be selected (opposite rafters for a collar beam or a tie beam, and rafters in the same roof surface for a trimmer). 842

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

After choosing the command for the placement of an object, a dialog box opens in which certain parameters concerning the object itself can be set. Surface materials and a layer can be assigned to all elements. The current pencolor set for the Object is used by default. If you change the current pencolor, all the subsequently placed elements will have the new color. The object is then placed with one or more clicks, or is placed automatically, depending on the object type. To display the RoofMaker commands in a separate floating toolbox, choose Design > Design Extras > RoofMaker > Show RoofMaker Toolbox. The RoofMaker Toolbox opens, which contains shortcuts to all of the RoofMaker menu commands.

Create a rafter Create multiple rafters Create hip or valley rafter Create a trimmer Create a purlin Create an eaves purlin Create collar beams Create tie beams Using the Roof Wizard Create a rafter
When creating rafters, the bottom plane of the roof serves as a reference plane. Rafters will be automatically placed on top of it. Select a reference roof surface on the floor plan. Choose Create a rafter from the Design > Design Extras > RoofMaker menu (or select the first icon from the RoofMaker toolbox). The Rafter Settings Dialog Box appears in which rafter parameters can be set.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

843

Virtual Building

Clicking OK returns you to the floor plan with the reference roof surface still selected. Click inside the selected roof surface. (If you click outside, an error message appears.) A rafter is placed with its axis going through the specified point. By definition, rafters are perpendicular to the reference line of the roof. After the rafter is placed, you can select it and open its Object Settings dialog box. Among others, the parameters include profile and profile thickness. The rafter may have a rectangular (default) profile as well as I-beam, L-beam or C-beam profiles.

Create multiple rafters

Select a reference roof surface on the floor plan. Choose Create multiple rafters from the Design > Design Extras > RoofMaker menu (or select the second icon from the RoofMaker toolbox. In the Multiple Rafters Dialog Box, set the desired parameters. You will set the same controls as for a single rafter, but the placement controls for multiple rafters are also active. Clicking OK returns you to the floor plan with the reference roof surface still selected. Click twice inside the selected roof surface to define a placement line. (If you click outside, an error message appears.) Several rafters are placed along the placement line, with the axis of the first rafter going through the point defined with the first click, and the axis of the last rafter going through the point defined with the second click. By definition, rafters are perpendicular to the reference line of the roof.

Create hip or valley rafter

The hip rafter usually lies between two neighboring roof polygons. Select the roof surface where the hip rafter connects to a purlin instead of another hip rafter; other methods may cause errors. Choose Create a hip rafter or valley rafter from the Design > Design Extras > RoofMaker menu (or click the third icon of the RoofMaker toolbox). The Hip or Valley Rafter Settings dialog box opens. After adjusting those settings, click OK to return to the floor plan with the reference roof surface still selected. Click along one of the edges of the selected roof that is NOT parallel or perpendicular to the reference line. A Hip or a Valley Rafter (or a Valley Rafter without Overhang) is placed along the specified edge of the roof, depending on the position of the edge to the roofs reference line. Hip and Valley Rafters can also be placed with two roof surfaces selected previously. It is then not necessary to click afterwards to specify an edge; the object will be placed along the common edge of the two surfaces. The difference between the two methods lies in the shape of the resulting objects; the top cut in the latter method makes the object suitable for steeple type roofs.

Create a trimmer
In order to place a trimmer, you must first select the two rafters the trimmer is going to be placed between. The two rafters have to be within the same roof polygon. (This also means that they have the same pitch angle and they are both perpendicular to the reference line of the roof.)

844

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Choose Create a Trimmer from the Design > Design Extras > RoofMaker menu. The Trimmer Settings dialog box appears. For more information, see Create a Trimmer (or Blocking). A trimmer is placed at the same height as the rafters. It can be vertical or rotated to a position perpendicular to the pitch angle of the roof. The 2D symbol also shows the current position. Clicking OK, you return to the floor plan with the two rafters still selected. Click between the rafters. (If you click outside them, an error message will appear.) A trimmer is placed between the two rafters, the axis going through the specified point. Trimmers are always parallel to the reference line of the roof and thus perpendicular to the rafters.

Create a purlin
Select a reference roof surface on the floor plan and choose Create a Purlin from the Design > Design Extras > RoofMaker menu (or click the fifth icon from the RoofMaker toolbox). The Purlin Settings dialog box appears in which purlin parameters can be set. For more information, see Create a Purlin (or Beam). By default, the purlin is placed under the reference plane defined by the roof, since a purlin generally supports the rafters from below. However, an elevation value can be set for the purlin so that it can be higher or lower than the reference plane. Set the values for the width and the height of the cross-section. The purlin can also be perpendicular to the rafters and be on the top of them as well. If the purlin is placed on top, the cross section height of the rafters has to be set. Clicking OK returns you to the floor plan with the reference roof surface still selected. Click either an edge of the selected roof, or inside the roof polygon. (Clicking outside the polygon produces an error message.) If you click on an edge, a purlin is placed with its axis along the edge. If the edge is not parallel to the reference line of the roof, the endpoints of the axis of the purlin will be at different heights - as indicated in the Height difference parameter of the library part - and the purlin will be inclined. Clicking inside the roof polygon determines the position of only one side of the purlin; an additional click is needed to define the direction where the purlin extends. (For example, if you want to place a rafter in line with the interior side of a wall, first you click to the interior side and then toward the exterior.) If you click inside the polygon, the axis of the beam will pass through the clicked point parallel to the reference line of the roof.

Create an eaves purlin

Select a reference roof surface on the floor plan and choose Create an eaves purlin from the Design > Design Extras > RoofMaker menu (or click the sixth icon in the RoofMaker toolbox). The Eaves Purlin Settings dialog box appears in which eaves purlin parameters can be set. For more information, see Create an Eaves Purlin (or Plate Beam). This type of purlin is placed under the reference plane defined by the roof, supporting the rafters from below. However, an elevation value can be set for the eaves purlin so that it can be higher or
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

845

Virtual Building

lower than the reference plane. You can also set the values for the width and the height of the cross section. Clicking OK returns you to the floor plan, with the reference roof surface still selected. You need to click either one of the edges of the selected roof, or inside the roof polygon. (If you click outside the polygon, an error message appears.) If you click on an edge, the purlin is placed inside the polygon, with its side along the edge. If the edge is not parallel to the reference line of the roof, the two endpoints of the axis of the purlin will be at different heights, as indicated in the Height difference parameter of the library part, and the purlin will be inclined. If you click inside the polygon, the axis of the purlin will pass through the clicked point, parallel to the reference line of the roof surface. An additional click is then needed to define the direction where the plate beam extends. (For example, if you want to place a rafter in line with the interior side of a wall, first click on the interior edge of the wall and then toward the exterior.) By default, a background fill is assigned to the 2D symbol of purlins because purlins usually have to cover posts placed underneath. These posts are generally displayed as a larger circle to indicate that there is some kind of supporting structure. You can use the Bring to Front and Send to Back commands to ensure the accurate positioning of elements.

Create collar beams

In order to place a collar beam you must first select two rafters to place it between. The axes of the two rafters must be along the same line and meet at the top, otherwise you will get an error message. Choose Create a collar beam from the Design > Design Extras > RoofMaker menu (or the seventh icon in the RoofMaker toolbox). The Collar Beam Settings dialog box appears in which different parameters of the collar beam can be set. For more information, see Create Collar Beams. A collar beam can be double- or single-sided. In addition to the dimensions of the cross-section, an elevation value must be set, calculated from the height of the insertion point of the rafters (which is usually also the height of the reference line of the roof). If the two rafters are not inserted at the same height, the collar beam is placed relative to the higher one. Clicking OK returns you to the floor plan with the two rafters still selected. If a double-sided collar beam has been selected, it is placed automatically in the appropriate position. If a singlesided collar beam is selected, click once more to determine on which side of the rafters the collar beam will be placed.

Create tie beams

In order to place a tie beam, you must first select two rafters to place it between. The axes of the two rafters must be along the same line and meet at the top, otherwise you will get an error message. Choose Create a tie beam from the Design > Design Extras > RoofMaker menu (or eighth icon in RoofMaker Toolbox). The Tie Beam Settings dialog box appears in which different parameters of the tie beam can be set. For more information, see Create Tie Beams. 846
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

In addition to the dimensions of the cross section, an elevation value must be set, calculated either from Project Zero or the current story elevation. Clicking OK returns you to the floor plan with the two rafters still selected. The tie beam is placed automatically in the appropriate position.

Using the Roof Wizard

The Roof Wizard allows you to create entire roof constructions quickly and easily. You can place rafters, purlins, trimmers, collar or tie beams in one step. To begin, select all the roof surfaces in the project that you wish to add structural elements to. Choose the Roof Wizard command from the Design > Design Extras > RoofMaker menu (or the last icon in the RoofMaker Toolbox). The Roof Wizard Dialog Box appears. Clicking OK returns you to the floor plan. The roof construction elements you have specified are placed automatically in the appropriate position.

The placement of the rafters is optimized to meet the specified requirements. The objects now behave as ordinary Objects and can be modified as such.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

847

Virtual Building

Slabs
About Slabs Creating Slabs Placing Holes in Slabs Set Custom Slab Edge Angle and Material Slab Tool Settings

848

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

About Slabs
Slabs are the basic horizontal building blocks in ArchiCAD. They are typically used for modeling floors or split levels. Attributes for each part of the slabs representation (e.g. cover fill, cut fill in Sections) are set using the pop-up options in the Floor Plan & Section panel of the Settings dialog box. Note: For Slabs and Meshes, their Floor Plan outlines on remote stories (if they are shown on stories other than their home stories) are displayed using the line type set in Construction Elements Preferences (Project Preferences > Construction Elements). Choose a separate line type to display slabs and meshes on stories Above and Below their home stories. In the Slab Model Panel, you can assign separate materials for each of the three slab surfaces (top, bottom and side).

It is also possible to assign a separate material and a separate edge angle to each edge of the slab: see Set Custom Slab Edge Angle and Material. For more information on Floor Plan display of slabs, see How to Display Individual Elements on the Floor Plan. Note: The default slab structure is a composite slab. The thickness of such a composite slab is defined in Options > Element Attributes > Composites, and equals the sum of the skins thicknesses. A composite slabs thickness cannot be edited in Slab Settings. If you want to edit the slab thickness in Slab Settings, choose a non-composite slab structure, or change the thickness of the composite skins in Options > Element Attributes > Composites. To aid in precise element placement, use the Gravity function: turn on the Gravitate to Slab command to place additional elements onto the surface of the Slab.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

849

Virtual Building

Creating Slabs
When you are satisfied with your choices in the Slab Tool Settings dialog box, you can start drawing Slabs by applying one of the Geometry Methods in the Info Box. New Slabs can be created in either the Floor Plan or the 3D Window.

Slab Geometry
There are three Geometry Methods available for Slabs from the Info Box.

With the first icon on the left, you can create a Polygonal Slab. Just like for Walls, the pet palette appears and allows you to draw straight and curved segments for the Slabs outline.

If the Slabs polygon intersects itself, a warning appears, but the Slab will still be drawn. A self-intersecting Slab polygon will be fixed automatically if you edit the polygon later using any of the pet palettes editing methods. The second and third icon allow you to create a Rectangular or a Rotated Rectangular Slab. The rectangle is defined by placing two opposing corner nodes. A rectangle Slab is always aligned orthogonally with the normal grid. The Rotated Rectangular method requires that you first define a rotation vector, then drag the cursor in a perpendicular direction to complete the slab.

850

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Placing Holes in Slabs

You may need to make holes in Slabs to accommodate objects such as staircases, or for an open atrium space. Select a Slab and activate the Slab tool, then draw a new contour within the Slabs boundaries. This new contour will be interpreted as a hole in the Slab.

If you forgot to select a Slab before starting to create a hole in it, the new contour will be interpreted as a new Slab, even if it lies inside another Slab. (In 3D, this will not be apparent until you select either of the two slabs. You can then delete the inadvertently created slab). If you create a hole whose outline intersects the host Slabs contour or the outline of other holes in the same polygon, ArchiCAD will display a warning message, but the outline of the hole will still be created. See also Selecting Slab Hole.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

851

Virtual Building

Set Custom Slab Edge Angle and Material

To customize a slab edge angle and apply a separate material to the edge(s) of a slab and/or its holes, select the slab (or just its hole) and click on an edge with the Mercedes cursor to bring up a pet palette. Select the Edge settings icon to open the dialog box.

Apply on:

Clicked Edge will apply the options you choose below (angle, material) only to the edge you clicked when bringing up the pet palette. Selected Polygon will apply the chosen options to the edges of the slab only or the edges of the hole only, depending on which one is selected. (See Selecting Slab Hole below.) All Edges will apply the chosen options to all edges of the slab as well as all edges of its holes. (If the selected slab has no holes, then Selected Polygon and All Edges have the same effect.) Edge Angle: From this list, choose an angle (vertical or custom) for the slab edge. If you choose custom, enter the desired angle value in the field below.

852

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Display of Meshes
Attributes for each part of the representation (e.g. cut surfaces, uncut lines) are set using the popup options in the Floor Plan & Section panel of the Mesh Tool Settings dialog box. When you are satisfied with the choices you made in the Mesh Settings dialog box, you can start drawing meshes. Note: For Slabs and Meshes, their Floor Plan outlines on remote stories (if they are shown on stories other than their home stories) are displayed using the line type set in Construction Elements Preferences (Project Preferences > Construction Elements). Choose a separate line type to display slabs and meshes on stories Above and Below their home stories. There are two types of ridges in a mesh: user-defined and generated ridges. You have the option to display all the ridges, or just the user-defined ones. (This control is located in Mesh Tool Settings).

User-defined ridges are always displayed. If the Show All Ridges option is selected, ArchiCAD will also show the ridges generated through the connecting mesh nodes. Each generated ridge connects two mesh points at different heights that are not already connected by a user-defined ridge. Generated ridges are shown only if they connect points that differ in elevation.

856

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Create a Mesh
New meshes can be created in either the Floor Plan or the 3D Window. See also Surveyors data (.xyz).

Mesh Geometry
The Mesh has four geometry methods in the Info Box. You can create Polygonal, Rectangular and Rotated Rectangular shapes or a Regular Sloped Mesh.

In all cases, you will draw a Mesh polygon at the elevation of the basis plane defined in the Settings dialog box.

Create a Polygonal or Rectangular Mesh

The Polygonal and Rectangular/Rotated Rectangular Mesh geometry methods work the same as similar controls for the Slab tool. For more information, see Creating Slabs. If needed, select the Mesh and edit its points, add new points, or create a hole.

Create a Regular Sloped Mesh

The Regular Sloped Mesh method (the fourth in the Info Box) helps you quickly create regular meshes with plane surfaces. After defining the rectangle contour of the mesh, the Regular Sloped Mesh dialog box opens automatically.

In the first part of the dialog box, you can set the number of divisions in either coordinate direction. You must then set the elevation of three mesh corners; the fourth one is generated automatically.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

857

Virtual Building

Divisions: Specify divisions along two perpendicular edges of Regular Sloped Mesh. Set the number of divisions in X and Y directions. Note: Bigger division numbers allow you change the flat surface in finer steps. Mesh Corner Elevation: Set the elevation values of three corner points of the mesh. Note: You can specify elevation of three corners; the fourth is calculated by ArchiCAD. On confirming the settings, ArchiCAD will draw the mesh. If needed, select the Mesh and edit its points, add new points, or create a hole.

858

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Edit Elevation of a Mesh Point

1. Select the Mesh. 2. With the Mesh tool active, click a Mesh Point to bring up the pet palette.

863

Virtual Building

Zone Categories
Each zone you create in your project is assigned a Zone category in the Zones Settings dialog box. This Zone Category defines the color of the default zone fill and the type of Zone Stamp object used for the zone. The main function of zone categories is to use colors to visually distinguish different types of spaces in your project: for example, you can assign the Office category to all your office space, which will all be displayed in pink; and the Communication and Access category to the hallways, which will all be displayed in white. (However, you have great flexibility in the display of zone fills; see 2D Display of Zone Fills). Some Zone categories are predefined in ArchiCAD; you can define your own categories using the Zone Categories Dialog Box (Options > Element Attributes > Zone Categories).

864

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

2D Display of Zone Fills

By default, zones are displayed in the color of their zone category. (See Zone Categories.) If you like, you can assign a different Zone fill using any cover fill. 1. Go to the Floor Plan panel of Zone Settings. 2. Activate the Cover Fill icon at the left.

3. Choose a fill pattern from the fill pop-up menu. If you have assigned a Zone fill, it will be displayed in Floor Plan by default. You may want to vary your zone display settings depending on what you are outputting. For example, construction documentation might display zones using the zone fill settings, while draft and approval documentation display category colors. To vary zone fill display on the Floor Plan, use the options in the Model View Options Override Fill Display (Document > Set Model View > Model View Options). For Zone fills, the relevant settings are in the panel section called Override Zone Fills.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

865

Virtual Building

Check the Override Zone fills box to choose any other zone fill display preference. These settings are global and apply to every zone in your project.

For details, see Model View Options Override Fill Display.

Display of Zones with Slanted Walls

Zones bounded by one or more slanted walls will accurately consider the slanted geometry. Such zones are displayed on the Floor Plan with two separate zone polygons: the polygon with editable selection dots, which delimits the visible part of the zone on the Floor Plan (while you can edit this polygon, such editing has no effect on the true 3D zone), and the polygon with regular selection dots, which indicates the true extent of the base of the 3D zone (you cannot edit the zone shape by editing this polygon.)

866

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Zone Stamps
Zone stamps are intelligent parametric GDL Objects whose look, contents and behavior can be fitted to local architectural practice. They reside in the ArchiCAD Library. The zone stamp object assigned to your zone depends on the Zone Category you have chosen. See Zone Categories. Each zone stamp contains textual information about the zone, including its name, number, area, and other optional parameters; the exact content of your Zone Stamp depends on the parameters you set in the Zone Stamp Panel of the Zone Settings dialog box. Note: To set the units for the Zone Area display on this Zone Stamp, use Options > Project Preferences > Dimensions, and select Area Calculation units.

2D Display of Zone Stamps

Zone stamps are displayed by default. If you do not wish to display any zone stamps in the project, check Hide Zone Stamp checkbox in Document > Set Model View > Model View Options.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

867

Virtual Building

Moving Zone Stamps

Zone Stamps can be moved independently of the Zone: Click on a node of the Zone stamp. Choose the Move Sub-Element icon from the pet palette.

Drag the Zone Stamp to the desired location.

868

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

3D Display of Zone Spaces

To view zone spaces in 3D, go to View > Elements in 3D View > Filter Elements in 3D and make sure the Zone checkbox is selected. In 3D, Zones appear as 3D spaces. ArchiCAD performs accurate analyses of both the geometric and quantitative attributes of zone spaces, no matter how complex their geometric shape. Note that the Z-value (height) of a zone space is not constrained by its boundaries as defined in the 2D view; your zone space in 3D takes on the height you define in Zone Settings (zone height.) When viewing the Shaded model, go to the View > 3D View Mode > 3D Window Settings, and choose the Contours: Draft option to view only the 3D Zones, without any of the construction elements.

If you choose Contours: Best, you will see the shaded Zone surrounded by the construction elements. Elements hidden by the zone shape are not displayed at all.

Note: You may wish to display 3D Zones as solid bodies in shading mode, and all other elements types in wireframe mode. To achieve this effect, apply the predefined Show 3D Zones as Solid Layer Combination.

3D Window 3D Window Settings

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

869

Virtual Building

Creating Zones
In the Zone Tool Settings dialog box, customize the parameters of your zone - such as its name, its category, its height, and the content of its zone stamp. Then you are ready to define the zone shape. The Zone definition methods are represented by the three icons in the Info Box. You can either manually draw the contour of a zone (using the Polygonal Method), or let ArchiCAD automatically recognize a zone surrounded by bordering elements (using the two Automatic Recognition Methods).

. Note: Columns cannot serve as the enclosing boundary of a zone. Whichever Geometry Method you choose, the Hammer cursor appears when you have finished defining the outline of the Zone. Click with it to define the location of the Zone Stamp. The Zone Stamp does not necessarily have to be placed inside the Zone polygon.

Polygonal Method

The Polygonal (manual) method is your best choice when your Zones boundary is not clearly surrounded by elements (e.g. when doing space planning). With this method, you simply draw a polyline (as you would for any other polygon) by clicking at every corner of the zone. Zones created with this method cannot change their shape when using the Update Zone command on them. You can edit a polygonal zone graphically by selecting it and using the pet palette commands.

Automatic Recognition Methods

Both automatic recognition methods, Inner Edge and Reference Line, are based on the fact that most Zones are surrounded by Walls and the only openings in them are Doors and Windows. If you choose the Inner Edge method, ArchiCAD will always define the zone area by the inner edges of walls. If you choose the Reference Line method, ArchiCAD considers the reference lines of the walls as the boundaries of the zone. Note that even if you constructed Walls with the reference

870

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

line placed on the external edge, the Zone fill does not overlap the wall symbol until you choose Bring to Front from the Edit > Display Order. Note: In case of a slanted or complex wall, the Reference Line method will not consider the walls reference line, but rather its inner edge. (You cannot edit a zone polygon created with the automatic method using graphical methods, since these methods cannot determine the zones 3D shape.)

Exclude a Wall or Column as a Zone Boundary

By default, the Relation to Zones settings in the Wall or Column Settings Listing and Labeling Panels are set to Zone Boundary; this means that all walls/column enclosing a closed space are considered zone boundaries by default. To exclude any wall/column as a zone boundary, just change the Relation to Zones setting to No Effect on Zones.

Create a Manual Zone Boundary

If the Zone has openings that are not Doors or Windows, ArchiCAD will continue searching for boundaries outside the spatial unit that you wished to identify as a Zone. In this case, the result may not be what you expect (see figure, below right).

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

871

Virtual Building

In this case, close the Zone by: using the Polygon method place an Empty Opening Door object into the Wall which is the same height as the Wall - the Wall is not shown in 2D, but it does serve as a Zone Boundary drawing a line to serve as a Zone Boundary

You can draw a Line, Arc or Spline to serve as a zone boundary if you check the Zone Boundary checkbox in its Line Settings dialog boxes (Line General Settings Panel). If your desired zone boundaries also encompass freestanding shapes or walls, you may get a warning message when clicking to place the zone stamp.

If this happens, you must click closer to the bounding elements. Then the zone will be created correctly.

872

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Zone Reference Point

If you place the Zone Stamp with one of the automatic recognition methods, you will see a cross appear inside the Zone at the location that you first clicked to define the Zones area. This cross indicates the reference point of the Zone.

Virtual Building

Updating Zones
When you modify your design, associative zones do not automatically adjust themselves to the changes.

To adjust Zones to your updated design and recalculate the Zone area, use the Design > Update Zones command to use the Update Zones dialog box. This function also alerts you to any problematic Zones that might have been created. The Update Zones dialog box contains the following columns: Status: This is where ArchiCAD tells you if the Zone could be updated, and if not, what the nature of the problem is. The icons appearing in this field represent the following:

881

Virtual Building

About Curtain Walls

The Curtain Wall tool, located in the regular ArchiCAD toolbox, lets you create a Curtain Wall in the Floor Plan, Section/Elevation/IE, or 3D window.

The Curtain Wall is a single element consisting of Frame, Panel, Accessory and Junction components: these are the Members of the Curtain Wall, arranged on a Base Surface according to a pre-defined and editable Scheme.

To control the whole hierarchy at once, System level settings, which define the overall scheme and configure the Curtain Wall members, are organized into a multi-page settings dialog. Curtain Walls can be manipulated in the same way as any construction element in ArchiCAD. But unlike other elements, a Curtain Walls component members can be placed and edited individually, without disassembling the System. To enable the manipulation of sub-structural members, each Curtain Wall can be accessed at a deeper level: the Curtain Wall Edit mode. This is a graphical 3D workspace, similar to ArchiCAD's own, with dedicated tools and techniques to manipulate Curtain Wall members. In this context, only the members and scheme of the selected 882
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Curtain Wall are editable, although the rest of the model can be also displayed in a background manner, as a reference. Since Curtain Walls often feature extreme geometry that does not necessarily coincide with vertical-horizontal planes, ArchiCAD offers versatile input planes for greater freedom in surface definition. Also, in comparison with other construction elements, a higher level of editing freedom is provided: including input in Section views, boundary editing, and free rotation.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

883

Virtual Building

Working with Curtain Walls: Overview

Creating a Curtain Wall involves a simple graphical input. You will select the Curtain Wall tool from the ArchiCAD toolbox, then a geometry method, and then draw a reference line, polyline, contour or arc, depending on the chosen geometry method. If you use the Boundary method, then your input defines the entire geometry of the Curtain Wall. If you draw a Reference Line/Arc/Polyline, then the Curtain Wall will be extruded from this line/polyline/arc. The next click, with a sun cursor, defines which side of the Curtain Wall should face the outside. Finally, a dialog box pops up to allow you to enter basic geometry information for the Curtain Wall. Clicking Place will create the Curtain Wall. For details on Curtain Wall geometry methods in different windows, see Create a Curtain Wall. Curtain Walls consist of a set of Members (such as Frames, Panels and Junctions), and each Members parameters are defined in Curtain Wall Default Settings. See Curtain Wall Members. View the Curtain Wall in your project. If you want to change something, you can approach the Curtain Wall at two levels: 1. either edit the Curtain Wall as a whole, using System-level Settings 2. or edit the settings of individual selected members of the Curtain Wall. To do this, you will enter Curtain Wall Edit Mode, where you can edit selected members either graphically or using member-specific Settings dialog boxes. These individual, edited Curtain Wall members will henceforth have Custom settings.

For System-Level Editing of Whole Curtain Wall:

Select the Curtain Wall; open Curtain Wall Settings; and edit any of its System-level settings again. Click OK to redefine the Curtain Wall according to the modified settings. See System-Level Editing.

To Edit Individual Curtain Wall Members:

Select the Curtain Wall; go into Edit mode. (See Curtain Wall Edit Mode). Edit mode shows you your Curtain Wall in 3D. At the Edit mode level, you can delve deeper into the individual components of the Curtain Wall you are editing. In Edit mode, you cannot place additional Curtain Walls, but you can edit any members of the selected Curtain Wall or add additional members to it. In Edit mode, each member (Scheme, Frame, Panel, Accessory, Junction) has its own Dialog box and its own Tool, enabling you to change settings and place new Members in this Curtain Wall. To customize the settings of any member of the Curtain Wall, select it and use the dialog box to change its settings. For example, select a panel and change its materials. Changing the settings of a selected member will transform that member into a Custom member. You can have any

884

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

number of different customized members. Once a member has Custom settings, the System-level settings no longer apply to it. In Edit mode, you can create additional members for your Curtain Wall, using the Scheme, Frame, Panel, Junction and Accessory Tools. When using any of these tools to create a new member, you have the choice of using the System-level default settings, or else defining custom settings. Save changes and leave Curtain Wall Edit Mode to return to your regular ArchiCAD editing environment.

Additional Curtain Wall Commands

Virtual Building

The Curtain Walls Boundary Frame always coincides with this Boundary polygon.

You can edit the Boundary of the Curtain Wall like any other polygon. See Edit Curtain Wall Boundary.

Scheme
The Scheme contains the essential geometry definitions for the Curtain Wall: the Scheme encompasses the Base Surface, the Grid, Boundary, and Reference Line. Use Scheme Settings to arrange the gridline pattern in two directions (primary and secondary). The Scheme also defines the class to which individual panels within this basic pattern belong. See Curtain Wall Settings: Scheme Page. All other members of the Curtain Wall (Frames, Panels, Accessories, Junctions) are attached to the Scheme.

888

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Frame
You can define three classes of Frames for any Curtain Wall: Boundary Frame; Mullion Frame; Transom Frame. Each Frame class has unique settings. Frames are attached to the Grid when you create the Curtain Wall, so if you move or delete a Gridline, you move or delete the Frame. (In Curtain Wall Edit mode, you can place additional Frames independent of the Grid.) See Curtain Wall Frames.

Panel
Panels are the flat surfaces - generally glazed - of the Curtain Wall. Any Curtain Wall can have two predefined classes of Panels: Main and Distinct. Panels are always placed between Frames. See Curtain Wall Panels.

Junction
A Curtain Wall Junction is an optional structure that serves to connect panels to the Frame. In ArchiCAD, a Junction is a GDL object, and can be placed either one by one, or automatically at every intersection. See Curtain Wall Junctions.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

889

Virtual Building

Accessories
Accessories are optional, non-load-bearing members - such as a sun shade - attached to the Curtain Wall. These are GDL objects placed at any Frame of an existing Curtain Wall.

See Curtain Wall Accessories.

890

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Create a Curtain Wall

In ArchiCAD, creating a Curtain Wall is intuitive and flexible. You will use input methods that are familiar from other ArchiCAD functions. ArchiCAD also gives you a wide range of geometry methods so that you can choose the easiest method for the situation and model view you are working on. Input methods are almost identical in all the windows (Floor Plan, Section/Elevation/IE, and 3D): draw an input line, polyline, or arc, and then extrude the Curtain Wall to a defined distance. Or draw the entire boundary of the Curtain Wall. The Curtain Wall is placed on or relative to the input plane. In the Floor Plan, the input plane is the Story level. In Section/Elevation/IE, the input plane is identical to the Section plane. In 3D, the default input plane for Curtain Walls (as for any construction element) is Project Zero or the User Origin, but you may use several methods for defining any other input plane. See Define Curtain Wall Input Plane in 3D Window.

Create a Single Flat Curtain Wall on the Floor Plan Create a Slanted Curtain Wall Draw Curtain Wall Boundary in the Section Window Create a Curved Curtain Wall: Geometry Methods Create a Curved Curtain Wall on Floor Plan Positioning Curtain Wall in Section View Create a Chained Curtain Wall on the Floor Plan Define Curtain Wall Input Plane in 3D Window Create a Single Flat Curtain Wall in the 3D Window Draw Curtain Wall Boundary in the 3D Window Create a Half-Cylinder Curtain Wall in the 3D Window Extrude Curtain Wall from a Slanted Input Plane

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

891

To edit the Curtain Walls individual Members using Curtain Wall Edit Mode, select the Curtain Wall and click the Edit button. (If you select the Curtain Wall in the Floor Plan or Section/ Elevation, this is the Edit in 3D button.)

894

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Create a Slanted Curtain Wall

To create a slanted Curtain Wall, follow the same steps as above (Create a Single Flat Curtain Wall on the Floor Plan). After drawing the reference line, the sun cursor appears: click with the sun cursor to define the outside of the Curtain Wall. In the Place Curtain Wall Dialog Box, enter a slant angle: we will use 72 degrees. Note that this angle is measured on the inside of the Curtain Wall (opposite the side you clicked with the sun cursor).

Click to place the slanted Curtain Wall.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

895

Virtual Building

View it in 3D:

To change the slant angle of a placed Curtain Wall, you can edit the Curtain Wall graphically in the 3D window, using the Free-Rotate Curtain Wall function. Alternatively, select the Curtain Wall and change the angle value in Curtain Wall Settings: System Page: Geometry and Positioning Panel. To trim the ends of the walls by connecting them to the Curtain Wall, use the Connect Curtain Wall function. See Example: Connect Slanted Curtain Wall to Side Walls.

896

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Draw Curtain Wall Boundary in the Section Window

Use this method to create a Curtain Wall by drawing its Boundary freehand, in the Section window. Note: Using this Boundary method in the Floor Plan will create a horizontal Curtain Wall placed at the Story level. We start with the following building model. We will create a Curtain Wall whose Boundary runs along the opening on the buildings southern face. To do this, we will use the Boundary geometry method in the Section Window.

In the Floor Plan, the building and its Section line S-01 look like this. Note that we have drawn a Section line here whose sole purpose is to define the Curtain Walls input plane. In Section windows, the Curtain Wall input plane exactly coincides with the Section plane.

Open the Section. With the Curtain Wall tool active, choose the Boundary geometry method from the Curtain Wall Info Box.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

897

Virtual Building

Draw the Curtain Wall Boundary along the desired contour, clicking at each node as when drawing any polyline. Double-click or click with the Hammer cursor to close the polygon. Note: The Reference Line of this Curtain Wall is the first Boundary segment you draw.

Now click with the Sun cursor to define the outside of the Curtain Wall: If you click outside the polygon, the outside of the Curtain Wall will face in the same direction as the Section plane (away from you). The result in the Floor Plan looks like this:

If you click inside the polygon (on the Curtain Wall surface), the outside of the Curtain Wall will face opposite the Section plane (toward you). The result in the Floor Plan looks like this:

898

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

In our case, we want the Curtain Wall to face outside the building, opposite the Section plane (toward you). So after drawing the Curtain Wall boundary in the Section window, we will click inside the polygon, using the Sun cursor:

Now the outside of the Curtain Wall is behind the Section Line. Therefore, due to the geometry of this Curtain Wall, no physical members (Panel, Frame) of the Curtain Wall are visible in the Section window. However, the result is seen in both the Floor Plan and the 3D window:

To edit the Curtain Walls individual Members using Curtain Wall Edit mode, select the Curtain Wall and click the Edit button. (If you select the Curtain Wall in the Floor Plan or Section/Elevation, this is the Edit in 3D button.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

899

Virtual Building

Create a Curved Curtain Wall: Geometry Methods

You can create a curved Curtain Wall in the Floor Plan, Section/Elevation/IE window, or 3D window. When defining the geometry of a curved Curtain Wall, you must first define the cylindrical Base Surface, then mark off the parts of this cylinder onto which the Curtain Wall will be placed. Note: Curved Curtain Walls are always regularly shaped: the axis of its cylindrical Base Surface is either horizontal or vertical to the input plane when you create it, although subsequently you can tilt it in any direction. Choose one of the four geometry methods for creating a curved Curtain Wall with a cylindrical Base Surface. For the most part, these are the same methods used to draw circles or arc walls in ArchiCAD.

1. Centerpoint and Radius: Click to place the centerpoint. Click a second time to define the radius and one of the endpoints of the Curtain Wall. Click a third time to define the other end of the wall. Click with the sun cursor to define the outside of the Curtain Wall. Click Place to close the dialog. The Curtain Wall is placed. 2. Three Points: Click three times in succession to define the beginning point, another point, and the endpoint of the Curtain Wall. By defining these three points, the reference cylinders radius and centerpoint are also calculated. For an example, see Create a Curved Curtain Wall on Floor Plan. 3. Tangential: Use this geometry method to place a Curtain Wall that forms a full circle. Click three times in succession to define three points on the Curtain Wall. By defining these three points, the reference cylinders radius and centerpoint are also calculated. A temporary reference circle appears. If the three tangential points enable more than one geometrical possibility for a full-circle, the eyeball cursor appears. Move the cursor to view the possibilities, then click to choose which geometry you need. Click with the sun cursor to define the outside of the Curtain Wall. The full-circle Curtain Wall is placed. 4. Radius and Axis: Use this geometry method to create a regular arc-shaped Curtain Wall. This Curtain Wall will always be a half-cylinder shape placed on the input plane. The first two clicks define the Curtain Walls beginning and endpoints. Click a third time to define the extrusion length of the arc Curtain Wall. For an example, see Create a Half-Cylinder Curtain Wall in the 3D Window.

900

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Create a Curved Curtain Wall on Floor Plan

The following building in the Floor Plan is based on a curved slab.

Follow these steps to add a curved Curtain Wall to the South Elevation: Activate the Curtain Wall tool and choose the Three Points geometry method from the Info Box:

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

901

Virtual Building

Click the three points to define the reference arc of the Curtain Wall.

Click a fourth time to define the angle formed by the two ends of the wall and the cylinder centerpoint.

Click with the sun cursor to define the outside of the Curtain Wall. In the appearing Place Curtain Wall follow-up dialog, enter the Curtain Wall height. Here, we will enter 6200 mm. 902
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

For a curved Curtain Wall, you cannot set a slant angle; it will always be vertical.

To edit the Curtain Walls individual Members using Curtain Wall Edit Mode, Graphical Editing of Curtain Wallselect the Curtain Wall and click the Edit button. (If you select the Curtain Wall in the Floor Plan or Section/Elevation, this is the Edit in 3D button.)
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

903

Virtual Building

Positioning Curtain Wall in Section View

The input plane in the Section window coincides with the Section Plane. When you use an input method which extrudes the Curtain Wall from a Reference Line (such as the Polyline, Chained, or Curved methods), you must define starting point and the length of the extrusion. For this, use the options in the Place Curtain Wall on Section dialog box. To freely position the beginning of the extrusion by offsetting the starting point from the input plane: choose the first method. The first field is the absolute length of the extrusion; the third field is its offset from the input plane. (The sum of the two values is shown in the middle field.)

904

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

To begin extruding the Curtain Wall toward you, at exactly the input plane (Section line): choose the fourth method and enter the length of extrusion.

To place the midpoint of the extrusion vector at the input plane, choose the third option. Enter the total extrusion length in the first field below.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

905

Virtual Building

Create a Chained Curtain Wall on the Floor Plan

Use the Chained geometry method to create a multi-segment Curtain Wall based on a reference line drawn as a chained polyline. For each segment of a chained Curtain Wall, you can set up a separate Scheme, with a distinct pattern for each. In this example, we will place a chained Curtain Wall along a more complex slab contour.

Activate the Curtain Wall tool and choose the Chained geometry method from the Info Box:

Trace the outline of the slab to create the Curtain Wall reference line, using the same pet palette controls as when drawing a polyline. Double-click to complete the reference line.

Click with the sun cursor to define the outside of the Curtain Wall.

906

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

In the appearing Place Curtain Wall dialog, enter the Curtain Wall height. Here, we will enter 6200 mm. For a chained Curtain Wall, you cannot set a slant angle; it will always be vertical. Note: The three icons in the Positioning part of the Place Curtain Wall dialog box give you three different methods for defining the Curtain Wall height. For details, see Place Curtain Wall Dialog Box: Floor Plan and 3D Window Click Place to close the dialog. The Curtain Wall is placed.

The result: a single Curtain Wall with three Base Surfaces, based on a three-segment Reference Line. A Frame is always placed at the place where two adjacent segments are joined. Such a Frame cannot be deleted. (If you wish, you can set its type to Invisible, by selecting the Frame in Edit mode and adjusting its Type in Frame Settings.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

907

Virtual Building

A Chained Curtain Wall has as many Schemes as it has segments: you can select one Scheme at a time and customize each Scheme separately.

Make any changes in the Grid Pattern, or modify the Grid Patterns origin. The selected Scheme is now a Custom Scheme. See also Edit Grid Pattern and Position. Click OK to apply the changes.

To edit the Curtain Walls individual Members using the Curtain Wall Edit mode, select the Curtain Wall and click the Edit button. (If you select the Curtain Wall in the Floor Plan or Section/Elevation, this is the Edit in 3D button.)

908

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Define Curtain Wall Input Plane in 3D Window

With the Curtain Wall tool active in the 3D window, the Info Box provides the following options for defining the Curtain Walls input plane:

Default: Use the default input plane in the 3D window, which is the same input plane - Project Zero or the User Origin - you use when working with any other tool in the 3D window.

Intelligent: Use one of the following intelligent methods to define an input plane by a series of clicks: Surface: Click any surface: the plane of the surface will be your input plane. Edge plus point: Click any edge (mercedes cursor) to define a line.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

909

Virtual Building

A plane appears on screen, rotating around the line as its axis. Then click a point (arrow cursor) to fix the input plane.

913

Virtual Building

Now you must define the Input Plane by a series of clicks. Here, click the slab edge with the Mercedes cursor (indicating an edge) to define a line. As feedback, an input plane appears in the window, rotating (as you move the cursor) around the line you clicked.

Next, click the upper corner of the building with the Arrow cursor to define the input planes final position.

Virtual Building

See the result in 3D.

Extrude Curtain Wall from a Slanted Input Plane

When creating a flat Curtain Wall, it is extruded from your input line in a perpendicular direction. The input plane is ordinarily either vertical or horizontal. However, in the 3D Window, you can define any input plane. See Define Curtain Wall Input Plane in 3D Window. Consider the following model in 3D:

Suppose you want to draw the Curtain Wall so that it is extruded perpendicularly to an input plane which corresponds to the shape of the building. You need an input plane perpendicular to the buildings slant, rather than to the ground. To achieve this, activate the Curtain Wall tool and choose the Single geometry method combined with the Normal Vector input plane method:

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

917

Virtual Building

In the 3D window, draw a Normal Vector corresponding to the slanted shape of the building (you want the input plane to be perpendicular to this vector). Here, we draw the vector joining the southwest corners of the top and bottom slabs:

When you complete the normal vector, an input plane appears which is perpendicular to it.

Click anywhere to place the input plane: its angle will define the Curtain Walls extrusion from the input line.

918

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Now you are ready to draw the input line. The input line (as indicated by the rubberband line) is constrained and is projected perpendicularly to the input plane. Click at the two points where you want the Curtain Wall to begin and end: in our case, at the two front corners of any of the slabs.

The Sun cursor appears. Click below the input line to define the outside of the Curtain Wall. The Place Curtain Wall dialog box appears. Define the height of the Curtain Wall at its top and bottom. We enter 0 for the bottom and 6200 for the top height value. The reference level is significant: if you would measure from the Reference Line, the bottom of the Curtain Wall would coincide with the slanted input plane, and both the bottom and top of the Curtain Wall would be parallel to the input plane. This is not what we want. Instead, choose Project Zero as the reference level for the top and bottom height values. This way, the Curtain Walls top and bottom will both be parallel to the horizontal plane at Project Zero.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

919

Virtual Building

Click Place.

920

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

System-Level Editing
Use System-level editing to set up or edit the Curtain Wall element as a whole, using a single dialog box. Open Curtain Wall Default Settings by double-clicking on the Curtain Wall Tool. Or select the Curtain Wall you wish to edit, and open Curtain Wall Selection Settings.

Click on the items listed in the left-hand tree structure to open any of the dialog box pages associated with Curtain Wall Settings. Use these dialog box pages to define general System (position, display) preferences, as well as options for the Scheme, Frame, Panel, Junction and Accessory members. (Each option is presented in detail in Curtain Wall Settings in ArchiCAD Help.) Options set here will define the structure and appearance of subsequently placed Curtain Walls. Note: Once the Curtain Wall is placed, you can customize individual members of a selected Curtain Wall, using Curtain Wall Edit Mode. Modifications to Curtain Wall System Selection Settings will modify all affected parts of the selected Curtain Wall. For example, if you modify a Mullion Frames material, the material of all the Mullion Frames in the Curtain Wall will be changed when you click OK to leave the dialog box. However, Custom Frames are not affected by changes to the Mullion Frame settings. Note that Frame definition occurs on three different pages: Boundary, Mullion, Transom: this means that a single Curtain Wall will have three different default Frame definitions (or classes) at once. You can set all Frame classes to have the same settings if you wish. After editing the Systemlevel parameters of one of the three Frame classes), click the Uniform Frame Classes button at the top of the Frame Settings dialog box of any of the three frame classes.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

921

Virtual Building

Note that Panel definition occurs on two separate pages: Main and Distinct: this means that a single Curtain Wall will have two default panel types (or classes.) You can set both Panel classes to have the same settings if you wish. After editing the Systemlevel parameters of one of the Panel classes, click the Uniform Panel Classes button at the Top of the Panel Settings dialog box of either of the Panel classes. When you have finished setting up the Curtain Wall System options, use the Curtain Wall tool to place the Curtain Wall using any of the geometry methods. See Create a Curtain Wall.

922

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Graphical Editing of Curtain Wall

To edit a placed Curtain Wall graphically, select it in Section or the 3D window, and use the pet palette commands. These are analogous to the commands used to graphically edit walls. (Some commands might not be available in every window type.)

Stretch Height/Extrusion
As you change the Curtain Wall height, its thickness remains the same but its slant angle is adjusted accordingly. The Curtain Walls Reference Line stays in place.

Stretch Slanted Height

The Curtain Wall is stretched along its plane; its slant angle remains constant.

Modify Angle
The Tracker fields reflect the new slant angle as well as the horizontal distance that the selected Curtain Wall edge is moved. The Curtain Wall is slanted, pivoting around its Reference Line.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

923

Virtual Building

Another graphical option is Free-Rotate Curtain Wall, available in the 3D and in Section/ Elevation-type windows.

924

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Curtain Wall Display

Curtain Wall display in Floor Plan and Section views is defined in Curtain Wall Settings: System Page: Floor Plan and Section Panel. Note that the Curtain Walls default Floor Plan Display option is called Symbolic with Overhead, which is unique to Curtain Wall Settings.

In Symbolic with Overhead, Frame and Panel elements are depicted using symbolic display. The Curtain Wall is displayed as cut at the level of the Floor Plan Cut Plane, plus the Curtain Walls overhead part (the part above the Floor Plan Cut Plane), and its uncut (downward) part in 3D-like form. In Symbolic with Overhead mode, Accessories and Junctions are not shown at all on the Floor Plan, and only the Frame centerlines are displayed. The Symbolic or Symbolic with Overhead options are recommended for regular, vertical Curtain Walls. For other geometries, the Projected options will work better.

Model View Options for Curtain Walls

Go to Document > Set Model View > Model View Options. In the Options for Construction Elements panel, choose one of the two preferences for displaying Curtain Walls. These will affect the display of Curtain Walls in the 3D, Section-type and 3D Document windows only: Full: Panels and Frames are displayed in the Curtain Wall. Schematic: Only the Scheme (Gridlines, Boundary, Reference Line) is displayed.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

925

Virtual Building

To enter Edit mode, first select the Curtain Wall. Then click the Edit (or Edit in 3D) button which appears on the selected Curtain Wall. Another way to enter Edit mode: select the Curtain Wall, then the Design > Modify Curtain Wall > Edit System command.

Note: This only works if you have selected a single Curtain Wall. If the selection includes several disparate Curtain Walls, the Edit button will not appear, and you cannot edit individual members of any of them. When in Curtain Wall editing mode, the model is shown in the 3D window (even if the original Curtain Wall selection took place in a Floor Plan or S/E/IE window). The rest of the building (the environment) is shown in background mode.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

929

Virtual Building

Note: If the contents of the 3D window do not include the Curtain Wall, you cannot use Curtain Wall edit mode. Make sure that the Curtain Wall can be seen in the 3D window before entering Curtain Wall edit mode.

Once you are in Curtain Wall Edit mode, the regular ArchiCAD toolbox is replaced by a special Curtain Wall toolbox. To edit the System-level Settings without leaving Edit mode, click the System Settings command at the bottom of the Edit mode display palette. When you have completed your modifications to the selected Curtain Wall in Edit mode, click OK in the Edit mode Display palette to save changes and return to the 3D window, or Cancel to discard changes.

(The same commands are available from a menu: Design > Modify Curtain Wall > Finish Edit System or Cancel Edit System.) While you are in Edit mode, each Undo command will discard only the last modification. Right after you leave Edit mode, clicking Undo a single time will discard all the changes you just made in Edit mode.

930

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Edit Mode Display Palette

The Edit Mode Display palette appears automatically whenever you enter Curtain Wall Edit mode. To make editing easier, use the Edit mode display palette to show/hide the Curtain Wall elements as needed (click the eye icons to open or close them). You can click them on and off even during an editing operation. Right-clicking any of the components (e.g. Scheme) means that component will be displayed and the rest hidden. Note: The Edit mode display palette is a display-only editing aid and does not affect the construction or the output of the Curtain Wall element.

Environment, in this display palette, refers to the rest of the building model, which you can show or hide as needed to assist in editing. Preselection tags will identify the Environments model elements in dimmed form, but in Curtain Wall Edit mode, you can edit only Curtain Wall Members. Note: If you have trouble identifying the edges of these model elements shown as the Environment, try switching on the Draft or Best Contours option in View > 3D View Mode > 3D Window Settings.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

931

Virtual Building

Select Curtain Wall Member in Edit Mode

Use the selection tools to select any member(s) of the Curtain Wall. To select all instances of any of the members, activate the tool and click Ctrl+A. For example, to select the Scheme, activate the Scheme tool and click Ctrl+A: all parts of the Scheme (Grid lines, the Boundary and the Reference Line) are now selected. If you also turn off the display of Frames and Panels (by clicking the eye icons in the Edit Mode Display palette), the Scheme is now easy to edit.

Note: In Curtain Wall Edit mode, you can use the Marquee to limit the scope of the Find and Select Elements function - to find certain Curtain Wall members either inside or outside the Marquee.

Multiselection of Panels and Frames

When you select a single Panel or Frame of a Curtain Wall in Edit mode, an editing aid called a Grip appears. The Grip appears at the same time as the pre-selection Info Tag. The Grip gives you a shortcut for selecting multiple Frames or panels, based on the Curtain Wall Grid.

932

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

When selecting a Frame, you can click one of two buttons on the Grip: the button with the single line will select all the Frames along the full gridline underlying the selected Frame:

the button displaying multiple parallel lines will select all the Frames that are parallel to the selected Frame segment.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

933

Rotate Entire Grid

To rotate the entire grid, select one Gridline or select the entire Grid. Choose the Rotate Grid command from the pet palette. Note: Rotate Grid is only available for Curtain Walls having an infinite Base Surface (it is not available for cylinder-based or chained Curtain Walls).

As with other rotation commands in ArchiCAD, draw a rotation vector or enter a rotation angle in the Tracker. Click to complete the transformation.

Delete a Gridline
You can delete an individual Gridline in Curtain Wall Edit mode: Select the Gridline and press Delete. You cannot delete the Grid as a whole.

938

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Add a New Gridline

To add a new gridline, make sure the Scheme tool is active and you are in Grid Input mode:

Click on the place at which you want to place a gridline. Move the cursor around the point you clicked: use the feedback and click either of the orthogonal gridlines to place it:

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

939

Virtual Building

Edit Curtain Wall Boundary

To edit the Curtain Wall Boundary, select the Curtain Wall and enter Curtain Wall Edit mode.

Since the Boundary is part of the Scheme, make sure that Scheme visibility in Edit mode is switched to On. In this example, we have turned the visibility of all other Curtain Wall components Off, except for the Environment (so that we can see the walls behind the Curtain Wall).

Select the Scheme. Notice that the Boundary is indicated by a heavier line, compared to the gridlines. Alternatively, select the Boundary only (without the Gridlines) by simply clicking anywhere on the Boundary with the mercedes cursor. Click along the Boundary to bring up the Pet Palette, with its polygon or node editing commands.

940

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Edit the Boundary as needed. See Reshaping Polygons and Chained Elements.

Switch on the Frames and Panels, and switch off the Scheme, to see the new shape of your Curtain Wall.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

941

Virtual Building

Additional Boundary-editing possibilities are available in the Section Window. See Edit Curtain Wall Boundary in Section.

942

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Add Additional Curtain Wall Boundary

A single Curtain Wall can include several Boundaries. The advantage is that you can create several separate shapes or sections within a single Curtain Wall, yet use an identical Scheme for all of them. In our example, we wish to place a Curtain Wall on the south facade of this building: a single Curtain Wall, using uniform Scheme Settings, but in two separate parts. 1. Draw a straight Curtain Wall on one of the surfaces using the usual methods.

2. Select the Curtain Wall and go into Edit mode. Make sure that the Environment display option is switched On. 3. Select the Scheme tool and the Boundary Input method.

Now click on the desired Curtain Wall segment in which you wish to draw. (This is relevant for Chained Curtain Walls, which have multiple segments. In our example, there is only one Curtain Wall segment, but you must click anyway.)

946

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

4. Now start drawing a new Boundary. You are drawing on the Base Surface of the currently edited Curtain Wall. Note: Because the Base Surface of any Curtain Wall can be infinite in one or more directions, you always have space to draw any number of new Boundaries while still working on the same single original Curtain Wall.

5. Complete the new Boundary.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

947

Virtual Building

6. View the result, with the Scheme displayed. Note that the Scheme has been extended to accommodate the new Boundary.

7. Try editing a selected Grid line, or edit the Panel pattern. Note that both parts of the Curtain Wall are handled in sync, because they are built upon a single Base Surface and a single Scheme.

948

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Edit Curtain Wall Reference Line

To edit the Curtain Wall Reference Line, select the Curtain Wall, then click the Reference Line to edit it. You can only select and edit the Reference line if it is on a plane that is perpendicular to the model view. (In Curtain Wall Edit mode, make sure that Scheme visibility in Edit mode is switched to On, since the Reference Line is part of the Scheme.) Click to bring up the Pet Palette, with its line editing commands.

Edit the Reference Line as needed. For information on editing lines, see Lines and Curve/Straighten Element Edge. Editing the Reference Line will change the shape of the Curtain Wall Base Surface. (Grid lines, Boundary, Panels and Frames will be modified accordingly.) Notice in our example that the Reference line is at the bottom and offset from the Curtain Wall.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

949

Virtual Building

In our example, we change our straight Curtain Wall to a curved one by editing the Reference Line:

The result:

950

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Curtain Wall Frames

About Curtain Wall Frames Frame Types Customize an Individual Frame Add New Frame to Curtain Wall Copy Cell Pattern Frame Intersections Create Common Frame for Adjacent Curtain Walls About Curtain Wall Frames
When ArchiCAD creates the Curtain Wall, it will place Frames at predefined locations. You can define three types (classes) of Frames for any Curtain Wall: Boundary Frame; Mullion Frame; Transom Frame. The properties of the Boundary, Mullion and Transom Frame classes are defined in the respective dialog boxes of Curtain Wall Settings. If you change any property of the Boundary, Mullion or Transom classes for a selected Curtain Wall, then every Frame in that class will change to reflect these changed settings. See Curtain Wall Settings: Frame Pages (Boundary, Mullion, Transom). Frames are placed along the Grid when you create the Curtain Wall. If you move or delete a gridline, you move or delete the Frame. (In Curtain Wall Edit mode, you can place additional Frames independent of the Grid.) In a multi-segment (Chained) Curtain Wall, a Frame is always placed at the place where two adjacent segments are joined. Such a Frame cannot be deleted. Boundary Frames are placed along the Curtain Wall Boundary. Mullion and Transom Frames are placed along either the Primary or Secondary gridlines.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

951

Virtual Building

To define which gridlines (Primary or Secondary) the Mullion Frame should follow, use the control in Curtain Wall System Settings: Member Placement panel:

The Transom Frames will follow the other gridlines (in this case, the Secondary Gridlines.) For example, in this image, the Frames in the Boundary class are red; the Frames in the Mullion class (coinciding with the Primary Gridlines) are blue; and the Frames in the Transom class (coinciding with the Secondary Gridlines) are green.

The Frames in each class are linked to the settings for each class, defined in Curtain Wall Settings. This allows you to use Frame sets with varying specifications appropriate Frames positions in the structure. Frame class properties can be changed all at once, using the Frame class settings pages. In addition, when in Curtain Wall Edit mode, you can reassign selected Frames to

952

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

take on the properties of a different class, or you can define custom properties for any number of selected individual Frames. Thus, to modify all the Boundary Frames in the Curtain Wall at once, just select the Curtain Wall, open the Boundary Frames page of Curtain Wall Settings, and make any adjustments. Once you click OK to leave the dialog box, all Frames belonging to the Boundary class will be modified accordingly. To determine whether a given Frame belongs to one of the Frame classes or is a Custom Frame, open the Curtain Wall in Edit mode, select the Frame in question, open Frame Settings, and view the dropdown at the top of the dialog box:

Frame Types
Choose the Frame Type in the Frame Type and Geometry panel of Curtain Wall Settings. Depending on the required level of detail, choose an industry-standard parametric GDL Frame, or a simplified built-in Frame prototype with rectangular cross-section.

The Invisible Frame exists as an object, but it is not visible. Use this Frame if you want two neighboring panels to remain two distinct panels without displaying a Frame between them. Invisible Frames are also appropriate when you don't want to burden the model with the Frame details, or when other structures (e.g. junctions) are used to support the panel connections. A seamless panel surface can be achieved if Frames are deleted from gridlines. Generic Frame: This is the most common type of Frame. A built-in rectangular Frame type, with a rectangular profile. From the outside of the wall, a cap is visible. Butt-Glazed: A built-in rectangular profile, used for inner support of a butt-glazed Curtain Wall surface. The panels will connect to each other in the front of a butt-glazed Frame, so the Frame will not be visible on that side (unless the panels are transparent or a gap is specified.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

953

Virtual Building

Modular Frame: This is a frame to which you can add an additional module: that is, a customcreated frame or cap profile object that you draw and save as a specialized component. See Custom Frame or Cap Profile for Curtain Walls.

Customize an Individual Frame

When a Frame is selected in Edit mode, you can Open Frame Selection Settings and change them Drag, Mirror, Rotate or Multiply the Frame Delete the Frame Note: Deleting a Frame is only possible if the two panels on either side of the Frame are both in the same plane. If the panels are not in the same plane, you must first delete the gridline which runs between them. On a non-planar Curtain Wall surface, deleting the gridline modifies the Curtain Wall geometry so that the panels are now in the same plane, and the Frame is deleted along with the gridline. Set the visibility to make your work easier (for example, turn off the visibility of everything except for Frames.) Select the Frame(s) you want to edit. See also Multiselection of Panels and Frames. Click the Frame tool to enter Frame Selection Settings. Make the needed changes. Note that as soon as you make any changes in this dialog box, the Class field at the top changes to Custom Frame. This means you have broken the link between the selected Frame(s) and the class to which it earlier belonged.

Click OK to leave the dialog box and apply changes to the selected Frame(s). For details on this dialog box, see Curtain Wall Settings: Frame Pages (Boundary, Mullion, Transom)

954

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Add New Frame to Curtain Wall

You can add an additional Frame to an existing Curtain Wall. Such a Frame can be independent of the Grid, but the new Frame must be drawn so that its endpoints coincide with existing Frames. To add an additional Frame, enter Curtain Wall Edit mode. Activate the Frame Tool. Use the Info Box to define the Frame type and the Frame class whose parameters it should use (e.g. Mullion).

If you want the new Frame to use Custom parameters, open the Frame Settings page and adjust the parameters as needed. The Info Box will now reflect that the Frame Settings are Custom.

Now draw a new Frame on the Curtain Wall in Edit mode.

If you draw the Frame on a Grid line, then that Frame will be attached to the Grid line. Moving the Grid will move the Frame. If you draw a new Frame that crosses an existing Grid line, the Frame will be segmented automatically where it crosses the Grid line.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

955

Virtual Building

To select the entire continuous line of the new Frame (not just one segmented Frame at a time), use the grip to select new Frame segments that fall into the same line:

If you draw a pattern of additional Frames within a given cell of the grid pattern, you can easily copy those Frames to any other cell: see Copy Cell Pattern in the next section.

Copy Cell Pattern

To copy the Frame pattern of any cell in the grid to another cell, first make sure you are in Curtain Wall Edit mode, with the Frames visible. Then issue the Design > Modify Curtain Wall > Copy Cell Pattern command. Next, click in the cell whose Frame pattern you wish to copy.

956

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Finally, click in the cell to which to copy the Frame pattern. The Frame pattern is duplicated.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

957

Virtual Building

Frame Intersections
When two Frames meet in a Curtain Wall, the Frame with the higher priority will cut the other one. Frame Priorities are predefined for each Frame class in Curtain Wall Settings. Boundary Frames: Intersection level 15 Mullion Frames: Intersection level 10 Transom Frames: Intersection level 5

These values are not editable at the level of Frame classes. The slider shows the intersection levels of the built-in Frames (left to right: Transom - 5; Mullion - 10; Boundary - 15). However, you can change the intersection priority of any single selected Frame. In Curtain Wall Edit mode, select the Frame whose intersection priority you want to change. Go to Frame Selection Settings and adjust the slider to the desired level. Changing the Frames intersection level - as when changing any other Frame parameter - will result in a Custom Frame.

958

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Create Common Frame for Adjacent Curtain Walls

If two adjacent Curtain Walls Frames coincide and overlap, use this command to clean up the join. (One of the two overlapping Frames will be transformed into a corner-like Frame, and the other will be transformed into an Invisible Frame.) Select both Curtain Walls and use Design > Modify Curtain Wall > Create Common Frames.

View the results:

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

959

Virtual Building

Curtain Wall Panels

Panels are the flat surfaces - generally glazed - of the Curtain Wall. Panels are automatically placed between Frames and onto the Base Surface. When creating a Curtain Wall, you can define the parameters for two predefined classes of panels in Curtain Wall Scheme Settings. The Curtain Walls two predefined classes of Panels are called Main and Distinct. To define the arrangement of the different classes of panels within your Curtain Wall, toggle them by clicking the panel pattern in the Preview window of the Curtain Wall Scheme Settings dialog box: click any panel to switch its class from Main (white) to Distinct (grey) or vice-versa.

See Curtain Wall Settings: Scheme Page. The properties of the Main and Distinct classes of panels (type, material, width) are defined in the respective dialog boxes of Curtain Wall Settings. If you change any property of the Main or Distinct Panel classes for a selected Curtain Wall, then every panel in that class will change to reflect these changed settings. See Curtain Wall Settings: Panel Settings (Main, Distinct). Most of your Curtain Wall panels will be fixed glazed surfaces. However, you can insert objecttype Panels which serve as Door or Window openings. See Place a Door- or Window-Type Panel.

Customize an Individual Panel

When a Panel is selected in Edit mode, you can Open Panel Selection Settings and change them Delete the Panel Edit its parameters

960

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Select the Panel(s) you want to edit. See also Multiselection of Panels and Frames. Click the Panel tool to enter Panel Selection Settings. Make the needed changes. Note that as soon as you make any changes in this dialog box, the Class field at the top changes to Custom Panel. This means you have broken the link between the selected Panel(s) and the class to which it earlier belonged.

Click OK to leave the dialog box and apply changes to the selected Panel(s). For details on this dialog box, see Curtain Wall Settings: Panel Settings (Main, Distinct)

Place a Door- or Window-Type Panel

You can place a GDL-based panel which behaves like a window or a door. Some of these are predefined in ArchiCAD 14 and are listed in the Type pop-up list in the Panel Type and Geometry panel:

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

961

Virtual Building

For example, suppose you have a Curtain Wall like the following one, and wish to place a doortype panel into it:

Select the Curtain Wall and go into Edit mode. Now select the existing panels that you want to replace with a door-type panel. (Only rectangular panels will work.)

However, since you want to replace the two selected panels with just one door panel, first merge the selected panels by deleting the Frame between them.

962

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

970

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Curtain Wall Accessories

A Curtain Wall Accessory is an optional non-load-bearing member - such as a sun shade, a decoration strip or a canopy - attached to the Curtain Wall at any Frames.

Accessory Placement Add New Accessory to the Curtain Wall Customize an Individual Accessory Accessory Placement
In ArchiCAD, accessories can be placed one by one, in Curtain Wall Edit mode only, using the Accessory Tool. (There is no automatic Accessory Placement method.) An Accessory can be configured in Edit mode with custom properties, but you can also set Accessories to use the System-level Accessory settings from Curtain Wall Settings: Accessory Settings. To determine whether a given Accessory belongs to the System or is a Custom Accessory, open the Curtain Wall in Edit mode, select the Accessory in question, open Accessory Settings, and view the dropdown at the top of the dialog box:

In ArchiCAD, an Accessory is a GDL object. Its geometry and display attributes are all determined by its GDL parameters, which you can find in the parameter list of the Accessory Type tab page. An Accessorys orientation upon placement is determined by the Frames.

Add New Accessory to the Curtain Wall

To add an additional Accessory to an existing Curtain Wall, enter Curtain Wall Edit mode. Activate the Accessory Tool. Use the Info Box to define the Accessory type and set Class to decide whether the newly placed Accessory's properties should be linked to the corresponding page of the Curtain Wall Settings (System Accessory), or not (Custom).

If you want the new Accessory to use Custom parameters, open the Accessory Settings page and adjust the parameters as needed. The Info Box will now reflect that the Accessory Settings are Custom.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

971

Virtual Building

Now place a new Accessory in Edit mode.

Click on a Frame or a Frame endpoint - the endpoint closest to your click will be used as start of the Accessory.

Drag the cursor and click to determine the endpoint of the Accessory.

972

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Click with the eyeball cursor to determine the direction of the Accessory: outside or inside the Curtain Wall.

Moving Gridlines or Frames will move the Accessory along with them.

Customize an Individual Accessory

When an Accessory is selected in Edit mode, you can Open Accessory Selection Settings and change them Drag the Accessory onto another Frame. Flip the Accessory to the opposite side of the Curtain Wall (Use the Flip button in Accessory Tool Settings or the Info Box.) Delete the Accessory Set the visibility to make your work easier (for example, turn off the visibility of everything except for Accessories, Frames and the Scheme.) Select the Accessory(s) you want to edit. Click the Accessory tool to enter Curtain Wall Settings: Accessory Settings. Make the needed changes. Note that as soon as you make any changes in this dialog box, the Class field at the top changes to Custom Accessory. This means you have broken the link between the selected Accessory(s) and the settings of the Curtain Wall. Click OK to leave the dialog box and apply changes to the selected Accessory(s).

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

973

Virtual Building

Curtain Walls and Other Elements

Connect Wall to Curtain Wall Disconnect Walls from Curtain Walls Curtain Walls and Adjacent Zones Example: Connect Slanted Curtain Wall to Side Walls Split Intersecting Curtain Walls Create Common Frame for Adjacent Curtain Walls Connect Wall to Curtain Wall
A Curtain Wall may be connected to one or more walls. Once connected, the wall is trimmed to the Curtain Wall. If you move or free-rotate the Curtain Wall, then the connected wall will stretch accordingly. Connecting a Curtain Wall to a wall can be helpful in adjusting wall geometry to a slanted Curtain Wall. To connect a wall to a Curtain Wall, select the wall(s) and the Curtain Wall. (You may select any number of walls, but only a single Curtain Wall.) Use the Connect wall... command from the windows context menu,

or the Design > Modify Curtain Wall > Connect Wall command. The Connect Wall to Curtain Wall dialog box appears. Each time you connect one or more walls to the selected Curtain Wall, use this dialog box to specify the exact connection point of the wall(s) to the Curtain Wall. The Outside value: this defines the point at which walls coming from the Outside direction of the Curtain Wall will connect to this Curtain Wall. The Inside value: this defines the point at which walls coming from the Inside direction of the Curtain Wall will connect to this Curtain Wall.

974

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Both the Inside and Outside wall connection points are expressed as offsets from the Base Surface, as shown in the Connect Wall to Curtain Wall dialog box.

The Default option is Curtain Wall thickness. This is likely to be your most frequent choice. By default, these Inside and Outside offset values total the Curtain Walls Nominal Thickness, as defined in Curtain Wall System Settings Geometry and Positioning Panel. In our example, the Nominal Thickness is set to 400.

For the purposes of offsetting connecting walls from this Curtain Wall, the Inside portion of this Nominal Thickness is equal to the Panel offset from the Reference Surface (in our example, 250); the Outside portion is what remains of the Nominal Thickness (in our example, 150). So, by default, Outside connecting walls will stop 150 mm from the Curtain Walls Base Surface; Inside connecting walls will stop 250 mm from the Curtain Walls Base Surface. If you want connecting walls to stop at points other than at the Curtain Walls nominal thickness, then click Custom offset. Then enter values for the offset from the Curtain Walls Base Surface to the Outside and Inside wall connection points.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

975

Virtual Building

Click Connect. The eyeball cursor appears: click to define which end of the wall you want to connect to the Curtain Wall. As you move the cursor to either end of the wall, a double-arrow appears on the wall, to indicate that this is the end that will be connected if you click now. A wall connected to a Curtain Wall associates itself to the place at which its connecting end intersects the Curtain Wall surface. To redefine the offset for an already connected wall, connect it again.

Disconnect Walls from Curtain Walls

To eliminate the connections between walls and Curtain Walls, do one of the following: Select any Curtain Wall, any wall, or any combination of these elements. Use the Design > Modify Curtain Wall > Disconnect All Elements command. All connections of the selected wall(s) and all connections of the selected Curtain Wall(s) are now broken. To break a particular wall connection to a particular Curtain Wall: Select the connected wall and select the Curtain Wall it is connected to. Use the Design > Modify Curtain Wall > Break Connection command. The walls connection to the selected Curtain Wall is broken. (If the wall is also connected to another Curtain Wall, which was not selected, that connection will remain intact. The same is true for Curtain Walls: it remains connected to any additional walls that were not selected.) To break the connection between a particular Curtain Wall and all the walls it is connected to: Select the Curtain Wall, and do one of the following: Use the Design > Modify Curtain Wall > Disconnect All Elements command; or Click the Undo Connections button in the Model panel of Curtain Wall System Settings. To break the connection between a particular wall and all the Curtain Walls it is connected to: Select the wall, and do one of the following: Use the Design > Modify Curtain Wall > Disconnect All Elements command; or Click the Disconnect All Curtain Walls button in the Model panel of Wall Settings.

976

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Curtain Walls and Adjacent Zones

Adjacent Zones extend up to the Curtain Walls Nominal Thickness, as defined in the Nominal Thickness field of Curtain Wall System Settings (Geometry and Positioning Panel).

As with walls and columns, you have several options for defining how to calculate Curtain Walls which are bounded by Zones or which serve as a Zone boundary. Use the Relation to Zones popup in Curtain Wall Settings: System Page: Listing and Labeling Panel to define how to calculate these Zones.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

977

Virtual Building

Split Intersecting Curtain Walls

One way to precisely connect two Curtain Walls is to make them intersect, then split off the extra parts, using the Design > Modify Curtain Wall > Split Curtain Wall command. This command works only for splitting one or more Curtain Walls with another Curtain Wall. It is available in any model window (but not in Curtain Wall Edit mode). It is analogous to the Edit > Reshape >Split command, which works on other ArchiCAD elements. In this example, the two Curtain Walls intersect on the Floor Plan.

Select the curved Curtain Wall. Use Design > Modify Curtain Wall > Split Curtain Wall, or the same command from the context menu.

Click on the other Curtain Wall.

978

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

The eyeball cursor appears. Click either side of the curved Curtain Wall to define which part will remain selected after the Split takes place.

The curved Curtain Wall has been split into two separate Curtain Walls.

Now you can delete the one you dont need, and the remaining Curtain Walls are joined exactly. Repeat the process to split off, then delete the protruding part of the straight Curtain Wall.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

979

Virtual Building

The result on the Floor Plan, and in 3D:

In such a case, the two adjoining Curtain Walls Frames may overlap. To remedy this, create a common Frame for both of them. See Create Common Frame for Adjacent Curtain Walls.

Example: Connect Slanted Curtain Wall to Side Walls

In this example, we have a slanted Curtain Wall placed between two straight walls, which overhang the Curtain Wall.

980

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

To trim the walls to the Curtain Wall so that the wall ends are parallel to the Curtain Wall, , we will use the Connect Wall command. Select the Curtain Wall and the two walls to connect it to. Use the Design > Modify Curtain Wall > Connect Curtain Wall command, or the same command from the context menu.

The Connect Wall to Curtain Wall dialog box appears.

The default connection values assume that you want the walls to connect at the Curtain Walls nominal thickness. See Connect Wall to Curtain Wall. So lets try that: Leave the values as they are and click Connect.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

981

Virtual Building

Then click with the eye cursor at the near end of either of the walls (this is the wall end to which you want to connect the Curtain Wall). (The temporary double-arrow helps you identify the correct wall end.)

The wall connection takes place. The walls are trimmed along the inside of the Curtain Wall, at the default location (in our case, offset from the Base Surface by 250 mm in the inside direction.)

View the connection point up close: the wall meets the inside of the Curtain Wall at its nominal thickness: exactly where the Boundary Frame begins. You may want a different geometry for this wall connection. Suppose you want the wall to connect at the outside limit of the Curtain Wall. You must re-do the Curtain Wall connection. 982
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Select the walls and Curtain Wall again. Use the Design > Modify Curtain Wall > Connect Wall command again to bring up the Connect Wall to Curtain Wall dialog box, where you can adjust the connection offset to a custom value: Since the wall is coming from the inside of the Curtain Wall, it is the Inside value which you will adjust:

The Inside value measures the distance between the wall connection point and the Base Surface, in the inside direction. If you want the wall to go past the Base Surface, as in this situation, enter a negative number. Here, we will use -50, so that the wall coming from the inside will cross the Base Surface (at 0) and keep going another 50 mm, stopping exactly at the Curtain Walls width thickness on the far side (the outside).

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

983

Virtual Building

Click Connect. View the result in 3D. Now the connecting wall is aligned with the outside face of the Curtain Wall.

984

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Free-Rotate Curtain Wall

You can free-rotate a selected Curtain Wall in the 3D window or Section/Elevation/Interior Elevation. Select the Curtain Wall and use the Free Rotate command from the pet palette. (The command is also available from Design > Modify Curtain Wall > Curtain Wall Free Rotate.)

First click and drag the cursor to define a line as the rotation axis. Then click to define the point from which you wish to begin rotating.

Click to complete.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

985

Virtual Building

Attach Labels to Curtain Wall Members

There are two ways to attach labels to Curtain Wall Members. 1. Use the Label Tools Member Label type to create an associative label for any clicked Curtain Wall Member, in a Section-type window. Use this method if you need labels on a few particular Curtain Wall Members only. See Placing Member Labels on Curtain Walls. 2. Use the Design >Modify Curtain Wall > Label All Members command. Use this method if you need labels on all Members, or all of a certain class of Members. To use this command, select the Curtain Wall in the Section/Elevation/IE window. Click Design > Modify Curtain Wall > Label All Members to bring up the all Members dialog box:

The standard ArchiCAD library, shipped as part of your program, contains hundreds of predefined standard objects. Using ArchiCADs Library Manager, you can load additional libraries or add individual library parts as embedded objects at any time. You can also access libraries from BIM Servers. For more information, see Library Manager. On the Internet, you will find a growing number of websites dedicated to GDL Objects, such as the Object Depository (ArchiCAD-talk.graphisoft.com/object_depository.php) or ObjectsOnLine (www.objectsonline.com). The GRAPHISOFT website (www.graphisoft.com) contains a directory of such locations. The GDL Web Control Add-On (www.graphisoft.com/products/ArchiCAD/ object_technology/downloads) allows you to select GDL Objects (Library Parts) from your web browser, and then drag & drop the objects directly into ArchiCAD Projects or into the Object Settings dialog box. Note: This function works if this plug-in has been correctly installed in your web browsers plug-ins folder. On the site containing GDL Objects, choose the one that best suits your needs, and right-click on it (Windows) or click on it while holding the Ctrl key down (MacOS). Choose Save Object from the context menu that is displayed. These objects are automatically added to the Library Managers Embedded Objects folder. See also Library Manager. A number of third party programs or Add-Ons let you create or edit GDL Objects. These objects contain GDL scripts as well as other, application dependent data. Consult your dealer for availability information. DXF libraries are widespread in the CAD world and cover almost every area of engineering and design. Many manufacturers offer symbols or models of their products in DXF format. ArchiCAD can easily import these libraries. You can use existing elements within ArchiCAD to create and save custom objects. For more information, see Graphic Creation of Custom Objects. If you have very specific needs and no preconfigured library part will do, ArchiCAD provides a unique solution with its Geometric Description Language (GDL). Using this very simple programming environment, you can potentially script any building element in the form of library parts. For more information, see Scripting Custom Objects. You can sculpt in other 3D applications. ArchiCAD can import any 3D model you create, such those using Zoom or Alias Wavefront. These applications are multipurpose 3D modelers allowing shapes of free geometry. For more information, see add-on specific documentation in the GRAPHISOFT Documentation folder.

992

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Placement Aids
When the Object or Lamp tool is active and you place your cursor inside a construction window, the ghost bounding box of the element is shown and it follows the movements of the cursor. This also allows you to check the active hotspot used for positioning the Object or Lamp. You can switch this ghost box feature off in Options > Work Environment > On-Screen Options.

When positioning the Object or Lamp, you can use numerical input, gravitation, mouse constraints or the grids. This allows you to fit fixtures or furniture to corners, specific positions, or to each other with great accuracy.

Geometry Methods
Four geometry methods are available in the Info Box for placing Object and Lamp type Library Parts.

The Orthogonal method automatically places Library Parts in alignment with the normal grid lines unless you specify a rotation angle in the Settings dialog box before placement.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

996

Virtual Building

To place a Rotated Library Part, first define a reference point by clicking any point Use the resulting rubberband line to place the rotation vector. This rubberband line can be constrained using any of the drafting modifiers or enabled Mouse Constraint angles. The Diagonal input method works like the rectangle geometry method used for polygonal elements. The Rotated diagonal input method works like the rotated rectangle method used for walls, slabs, etc. The last two methods let you define the A and B parameters of the Object or Lamp graphically. (For most objects, these parameters represent the Length and Width of the object on the Floor Plan.) Note that they are only available if the GDL Object can be freely stretched; some Objects may have fixed or proportionally set dimension parameters. The result of this technique also depends on the primary hotspot (anchor). As a rule of thumb, if a hotspot at the corner of the object is selected, you can define both the A and B parameters graphically. If the hotspot is along a side of the object, you can only define one of the parameters graphically and the other parameter will be taken from the Settings dialog box. When choosing a hotspot within the bounding box of the symbol, none of the parameters can be set graphically and the element will be placed as if using the simple orthogonal or rotated methods.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

997

Virtual Building

View-Dependent Display of Objects

You can place Objects in both the Floor Plan and the 3D Window. It is also possible to place the 2D Symbol of Objects in a Section/Elevation/IE or a Detail Drawing window. Note that many 2D only elements have specific 2D Symbols for use in Floor Plan and Elevation view. Many objects can have a different appearance in 2D and 3D views. In Floor Plan view, the degree of detail is scale-sensitive and depends on the setting in Document > Floor Plan Scale. Choose the appropriate view in the Preview and Positioning panel before placing the Object. Some complex elements may take a long time to display in fully detailed 3D. A good example for this is realistic trees and other plants that consist of a very large number of polygons. In the default ArchiCAD Library, you can find different representations for the same type of Object according to usage. In the Object Settings Floor Plan and Section panel, the Show On Stories control (where available) lets you control the stories on which objects will be displayed: on its home story only, or in outline form on other stories as well. Plants, People and Vehicles can be found both in the 2D Elements and the Visualization folders. The People and Plants in the 2D Elements folder are shown in elevation view and are meant to be placed in Section/Elevation/IE windows. Using these simple representations saves time. Vehicles are also 2D only elements, but they have two or more representations, a top view for the Floor Plan and side, front and/or rear views for Sections/Elevations. A switch in the Parameter list allows you to choose between them. The counterparts of these elements in the Visualization folder are full 3D representations meant to appear in the 3D Window and especially in PhotoRendered pictures. The Visualization folder also contains a couple of Picture elements used for texture mapping. They are displayed as simple fills in shaded views and only appear in photo-renderings. If you place and activate a Camera, the picture will always face this camera to avoid distortion.

998

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Global Options for Object Display

Depending on which libraries your project has loaded, use the options in Model View Options for GDL Objects to assign global preferences for the display of certain objects and object parameters.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

999

Virtual Building

Selecting a Placed Object

Use the regular selection techniques, including the Find & Select function, to select objects or groups of objects. See also: Selection Find and Select Elements Find and Select Missing Library Parts Unlike when selecting walls or other elements constructed on the fly, the cursor can only snap to predefined hotspots of the object symbol. Objects can be placed, selected, and fitted to other elements by these hotspots.

1000

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Stretching Objects
Objects, including Doors and Windows, can be stretched by their hotspots, provided that they have been appropriately defined, that is, on the nodes and edges of their 2D Symbol. Other hotspots cannot be used for stretching/shrinking. To check this, select the Object to display its hotspots.

You can either use the Stretch command or the pet palettes appropriate icon to stretch/shrink the Object by a node or an edge.

Note that you stretch the A and B parameters of the symbol, and not of its bounding box. Using parametric 2D scripts, you can easily create objects whose symbol size will not match the A and B parameters. If you make such a symbol, make sure that you define hotspots at the corner of an A*B sized rectangle. These will enable you to stretch that symbol. See also Graphical Editing Using Editable Hotspots.

1003

Virtual Building

Parameter Transfer Between Objects

After you have adjusted an objects parameters, Parameter Transfer offers a way to transfer your edits to a different object of the same type (e.g. transfer parameters between two window objects). Note: See the Parameter Transfer section for other ways to use this feature. To transfer parameters between objects of the same type, do the following: 1. In the objects Settings dialog box, make parameter modifications as needed, then place the object. In our example, we modify the Triple Sash window by adding shutters, then place the window. 2. Use the Parameter Transfer shortcut (Alt+click) to pick up the parameters of the placed object (here, the Triple Sash window).

3. Open the Settings dialog box. 4. Move your cursor to the next object you wish to place (here, the Double Sash window) - and press Ctrl+Alt (MacOS: Cmd+Opt). The cursor will change to a syringe shape.

1004

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

5. Now click on the object to transfer the parameters. All transferable parameters of your originally modified object (Triple Sash window) will be transferred to the newly activated object (the Double Sash window). 6. Place the object using the changed parameters. In our example, the Double-Sash window has inherited the parameters of the Triple-Sash window, including the shutters.

These modifications to the object are in effect only until you close the dialog box and place the object; the objects default settings will not change.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1005

Virtual Building

Graphical Editing Using Editable Hotspots

Depending on their programming, GDL Objects can have smart editable hotspots (selection dots). You can recognize an editable GDL hotspot by its diamond shape. If you select such an object, click an editable hotspot and choose the stretch or Move Node icon in the pet palette (whichever is appropriate). Clicking an editable GDL hotspot produces the Tracker displaying the editable parameter. Click Tab to enter a value for the GDL parameter. The color of editable GDL hotspots can be set in Options > Work Environment > Selection and Element information.

The diamond-shaped hotspot serves to alert you that in addition to graphical editing, direct numerical editing through the Tracker (for example, setting a windows sash-opening width by typing it in) is also available through that hotspot (provided that the applicable pet palette option has been selected). In the image below, the Tracker pops up showing the Sash Opening Width parameter if the Stretch icon is chosen from the pet palette.

The diamond-shaped hotspot and associated editing palette is also available in the 3D window. In the image below, you must choose Move Node from the pet palette to activate the Sash Opening Width parameter.

Note: The diamond-shaped hotspot appears only for editing options that produce a specific parameter editing possibility in the Tracker. No other type of function is necessarily associated with this type of hotspot.

1006

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Create Patch Object

With the Document > Document Extras > Create Patch command, you can save the area enclosed by the 2D Marquee as a parametric 2D Library element. You can later use this to sticker your plans in order to provide the necessary detail in Floor Plan and Section views while saving time on modeling. To create a Patch, define a marquee area in the plan window, then select Document > Document Extras > Create Patch. The dialog box that appears will let you specify the location and name of the created element.

If you check the Place Patch Now checkbox, you can place the created element immediately after it has been saved. Note: Objects created this way will be enhanced with parametric behavior, specified by a special template in the ArchiCAD Library. If this template is missing from the loaded libraries you will still be able to save patches, but they will be plain stickers with no special intelligence. If ArchiCAD fails to locate the Patch Template, it will notify you, and you will have the option to either proceed or cancel the operation.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1007

Virtual Building

Graphic Creation of Custom Objects

If you cannot find the library part you need, you can create your own GDL object. You need not do any programming; a few techniques using familiar ArchiCAD tools lets you draw and save a customized object easily, using elements as custom building blocks (regardless of their originally intended purpose).

Saving Library Parts from the Project File Saving 2D Symbols as Library Parts Saving 3D Models as Objects Saving Rectangular Doors and Windows from the Project File Saving Custom-Shape Holes or Niches

1008

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

10. To modify the object, select and open it with the File > Libraries and Objects > Open object command.

1014

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Saving Rectangular Doors and Windows from the Project File

1. Create the desired 3D model of the door or window in the project using ArchiCAD construction tools (slab, wall, mesh, roof etc.). The model must be lying at the zero level. The bottom surface of it (at the zero level) will be the exterior side of the window or the door. ArchiCAD will automatically rotate the generated object with 90 and create a rectangular hole around it in the wall. For example, the bottom of the slab (at the zero level) will become the outside surface of the window frame that fits to the exterior of the wall, and the thickness of the slab represents the frame.

For more information, see the Doors and Windows section of the GDL Reference Guide (a PDF document in the ArchiCAD > Documentation folder or in the ArchiCAD Help menu). 2. Select the desired model elements and open the 3D window. You can use any 3D projection settings. 3. Select, then save the object with the File > Libraries and Objects > Save 3D Model as command.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1015

Virtual Building

4. In the Save Library Part dialog which appears, enter a name and choose the desired folder location for the object. By default, the save location is the projects Embedded Library. It is recommended to save customized, project-specific objects to your Embedded Library. Choose a Type: Window or Door.

5. Click Options for additional settings: - If you do not want to include the redundant lines in the 2D symbol, check the Remove redundant lines from symbol option. - If you want to make further modifications on the library part, select the Editable GDL Script format. 6. Click OK, then Save. 7. Place it with the Window or the Door tool. Note that the created object is stretchable, but will be distorted after stretching since it was not scripted parametrically. 8. To modify the object, select and open it with the File > Libraries and Objects > Open object command.

1016

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Saving Custom-Shape Holes or Niches

You can create a custom shape hole in the wall from a slab or a roof that has an ID of Wallhole or Wallniche. Slabs and roofs bearing these IDs will not be displayed as door or window objects in 3D, but rather as a hole or a niche in the wall. (Wallhole and Wallniche are GDL commands used to create holes or niches in walls.) This method is very similar to the one used for saving rectangular doors and windows; the only difference is at the first step when you define the model on the plan: 1. Create the 3D model of your custom shape window or door on the floor plan as described at the previous section. 2. Place an additional element, a slab or a roof, that matches the contour of the desired wall hole or wall niche. Note: If you use a single slab as a wallhole or wallniche, make sure that it falls above the zero level. (By default, the top of a slab is at the zero level, which means it will not cut into the wall.) 3. Select this slab or roof and open its settings dialog. 4. Go to the Listing and Labeling panel and change the ID field to Wallhole if you want to make a hole and Wallniche if you want to make a niche in the wall.

5. Select the desired model elements and open the 3D window. You can use any 3D projection settings. 6. Select, then save the object with the File > Libraries and Objects > Save 3D Model as command. 7. In the Save Library Part dialog which appears, enter a name and choose the desired folder location for the object. Choose a Type: Window or Door.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1017

Virtual Building

8. Click Options for additional settings: - If you do not want to include the redundant lines in the 2D symbol, check the Remove redundant lines from symbol option. - If you want to make further modifications on the library part, select the Editable GDL Script format. 9. Click OK, then Save. 10. Place it with the Window or the Door tool. Note that the created object is stretchable, but will be distorted after stretching since it was not scripted parametrically. 11. To modify the object, select and open it with the File > Libraries and Objects > Open object command. You can combine multiple slabs or roofs to create complex holes or niches. Since you can define inclination angle for the roofs, you can even cut non-perpendicular holes in walls.

For Further Information

Introduction to Object Making, written by leading GDL expert David Nicholson-Cole and published by GRAPHISOFT, provides an easy to follow introduction into Library Part creation with and without GDL.

1018

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

About GDL Object Subtypes

All GDL Objects have a subtype, organized in a tree hierarchy that generally corresponds to the IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) entity structure. Note: IFC stands for Industry Foundation Classes. To read more about IFC, see Working with IFC, or download the IFC manual from http://www.graphisoft.com/support/ifc/downloads/ Subtypes allow you to organize your library parts into a logical system. Add-Ons also use subtypes to identify their corresponding library parts. ArchiCAD subtypes are controlled by subtype object templates. When you create a new GDL Object, ArchiCAD will allow you to choose one of the available subtypes for your element. Each subtype has a set of compulsory parameters that define the behavior or functionality of the elements that belong to it. Some of the subtypes include additional features called handlers. These define whether the elements that belong to the subtype can be accessed as general objects by clicking the Object tools icon and choosing them in the Object Settings dialog box, or as specific objects that either have their own tool icon in the Toolbox (for example Door, Window, Corner Window, Skylight, Label, Stair) or are placed by special commands or functions (for example Zone stamps and RoofMaker objects). To locate an element by subtype: Choose File >Libraries and Objects > Open Object. From the Files of Type drop-down list, choose the subtype of the objects you wish to browse. In the Object Settings dialog box, use the drop-down list in the browser area, then select Subtype View to browse by object subtype.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1019

Virtual Building

Changing an Objects Subtype

To change the subtype of a placed object, select it, open it (File > Libraries and Objects > Open Object) and click the Select Subtype button at the top of the dialog box. Changing the Objects subtype modifies its behavior and adds the parameters and functionality needed for the new subtype. Related topics:

Subtype Hierarchy Dialog Box (GDL Master Window) Object Settings of Library Part Elements Locating a Library Part

1020

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Editing the Script of a GDL Object

To modify an object already placed in your plan, select it, then choose File > Libraries and Objects > Open Object. The GDL Object Master Window appears. The GDL Master Window allows you to modify existing objects in a single environment. In this window, you can add or edit the Parameters, Components, Descriptors, Scripts and the 2D Symbol of the GDL Object. For details, see GDL Master Window. When editing object parameters, you may wish to activate the Edit GDL Library Parts toolbar (Window > Toolbars > Edit GDL Library Parts) for quick access to frequently used commands. You can add it to your ArchiCAD menu structure using the Work Environment dialog box.

See also Editing Script of Objects Placed from a BIM Server Library.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1021

Virtual Building

Editing Script of Objects Placed from a BIM Server Library

If You Are In Teamwork Mode:
You can edit the script of a library object placed from a BIM Server Library only if: The source of the BIM Server Library is available to you (i.e. it is located on a server in your network, or on a local machine) The source of the library is located in a regular folder, and is not a PLA or LCF file Your access rights include Library Part Delete/Modify Otherwise, the Object Editor window of such an object is Read-Only. Note: Stairmaker Stairs are an exception. You cannot edit a Stairmaker stair in Teamwork if its source file is in a BIM Server Library. Tip: The source library folder of BIM Server Libraries should not be readily accessible, to prevent casual edits that will affect all projects using the library. Provided that the conditions listed above are met: 1. Select the object and open its object editing window, using File > Libraries and Objects > Open Object. 2. Reserve the Object editing window. 3. Make the necessary edits. You are now directly editing the source of the library object, although other users cannot see your modifications yet. 4. Close the window and save the modifications. 5. Re-open the Object editing window, then click Release. Teamwork users will update their projects with the modified library data as soon as they do a Receive. Solo users will update their projects with the modified library data as soon as they do a Reload from Library Manager.

If You Are in Solo Mode:

Using this method you are editing the source of the BIM Server Library in a separate ArchiCAD, in non-Teamwork mode. This is the safest way to edit library parts, since you are not disrupting Teamwork at all. Only when you are finished editing and testing parts, will you synchronize the modified source with the BIM Server database. Note however, that if you use this workflow, then the source of the Library should not be accessible to other teammates. 1. If you are in a Teamwork project, save your project as a solo project. You have now detached yourself from the Teamwork project. If you are already in a solo project, go to Step 2. 2. In Library Manager, Remove the BIM Server Library. 3. Add the source of the BIM Server library to the solo project as a Linked Library.

1022

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

4. Now make your edits to the object(s) as needed, using File > Libraries and Objects > Open Object. At this point, no other users have access to this modified data, since you are editing the object at its source folder, not on the server. 5. Go to Manage BIM Server Libraries. Select the name of the Library you worked in, then click Refresh. This way the BIM Server Library is refreshed from its source, and your modifications will be carried out in the BIM Server data. Teamwork users will update their projects with the modified BIM Server library data as soon as they do a Receive. Solo users will update their projects with the modified BIM Server library data as soon as they do a Reload from Library Manager.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1023

Virtual Building

Scripting Custom Objects

If you want to go beyond all of the above possibilities, or if you need Library Parts for which the shape can be controlled with user-definable parameters, your next option is to use GDL and the scripting environment offered by ArchiCAD. When editing object parameters, you may wish to activate the Edit GDL Library Parts toolbar (Window > Toolbars > Edit GDL Library Parts) for quick access to frequently used commands. You can add it to your ArchiCAD menu structure using the Work Environment dialog box.

The creation of new Objects and the modification of existing ones is handled in a single environment: the GDL Master Window. In this window, you can add or edit the Parameters, Components, Descriptors, Scripts and the 2D Symbol of the GDL Object. Each GDL Object can include a scale-sensitive symbol representing it in floor plan view, a set of parameters defining the possible variations of the product family and a 3D script describing the complex geometry of the element. The 3D view of the GDL Object is generated from the 3D script that takes into account the parameter choices made by the user. Scripting in GDL is not limited to geometry; you can create elements with many useful attributes, including cost, availability, and texture. For information on how ArchiCAD projects handle custom attributes of imported GDL objects, see Custom Attributes of GDL Objects. Some GDL Objects do not contain any geometric data. For example, macros can be text-only files that other Objects can refer to, without needing to include the same script in all of these Object files, while Property Objects contain descriptive data only that is used to calculate element quantities. To modify an object already placed in your plan, select it, then choose File > Libraries and Objects > Open Object. The GDL Object Master Window appears.

1024

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

To modify a GDL Object chosen from a library, choose File > Libraries and Objects > Open Object and select the GDL Object you wish to edit.

Use the Files of type field to narrow the type of GDL Objects displayed. Select a file and click the Open button. The GDL Object Master Window appears for that object. To modify the opened object, use the editing controls of the GDL Master Window.

For Further Information

The GDL Reference Guide (see its PDF version in the ArchiCAD > Documentation folder or in the ArchiCAD Help menu) will help you learn to apply ArchiCADs powerful Geometric Description Language for dressing up your Project with objects, ornaments and other details of your own design.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1025

Virtual Building

Custom Components
In ArchiCAD, it is possible to save elements created on the Floor Plan as GDL files, so that they become custom components of existing GDL Library Parts. For example, to create a customized door panel as a Custom Component, you can create a Slab which can then be saved as a custom Door Panel. All Doors that use Door Panel types (which have such parameters in their Parameter List) will be able to use this newly created custom Door Panel. t does not matter where the element from which you create the Custom Component is located spatially on the Floor Plan. ArchiCAD will automatically place it to their appropriate location in the library object. When applying the custom component, ArchiCAD will automatically resize it, if necessary. For example, you may create a Door Panel-type Custom Component that is 1000 by 2000 mm in size. If you have a Door that is 800 by 2000 mm in size, with its Trim Width 50 mm on all sides, the Door Panel will be resized to 700 by 1950 mm. The program will stretch/shrink all parts of the Door Panel Custom Component proportionately to fit this size. You can create custom components for all types of GDL elements (Windows/Doors/Objects etc.) This enables you to expand the number of options available in your libraries in case default options do not meet your specific requirements. Let us say you have a usual Door in your Library (D1 13.gsm in the example) and you wish to create a new custom Door Panel for that Door. Follow these steps:

1026

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

1. Using ArchiCAD Construction Elements (such as Slabs), create the Door Panel on the Floor Plan. In case of Door/Window custom panels, what you draw in the X-Y plane of the Floor Plan Window will be stood upright in the Window/Door library part (rotated 90 degrees around the X axis as described in the GDL Reference Guide). For other custom component types, this condition does not apply. The centerpoint of the resulting object is the center of the drawn elements bounding box.

Note: You should set the attributes (Pen, Material etc.) values of the drawn elements to the desired values prior to saving it. These values will be applied to the custom component when it is actually used later in the Project. 2. Select the drawn element(s) and choose the File > Libraries and Objects > Save Custom Components command.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1027

Virtual Building

3. If you have no elements selected, the command will give you an alert to do so.

4. A Dialog comes up where you can specify the type of Custom Component you want to save it to.

5. Then specify File Name for the newly created file. It is automatically saved in your projects Embedded Library and available as a Custom Panel Type for Doors.

The saved object will be available in its appropriate location (defined by the type it was saved as).

1028

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

6. In the Door Settings Dialog, set the Custom Panel Name parameter to the desired value (if there is only one custom component defined, the parameter will be automatically set to that value). Set the Door Panel Style parameter to Custom Panel. Then press OK to accept changes.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1029

Virtual Building

The newly created Door Panel is applied to your Door.

Custom Frame or Cap Profile for Curtain Walls

To customize the profile of your Curtain Wall Frame, or to add a custom Cap, just follow the steps above, using ArchiCAD tools to create the desired component on the Floor Plan. Save the drawn elements as Custom CW Frame (or Cap).

Select the Curtain Wall whose Frame you wish to customize. In Curtain Wall Selection Settings (either Mullion or Transom), choose Modular Frame.

1030

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

In the Curtain Wall Frame Settings panel, select Custom Frame and/or Custom Cap from the Type pop-ups.

Your saved custom objects are listed in the pop-ups below. Click OK to replace the selected Frames with the custom component(s).

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1031

Virtual Building

Dedicated Object Tools: Doors, Windows, Skylights, Wall Ends, Stairs

Doors/Windows Corner Windows Skylights Wall Ends Stairs (Predefined Stair Objects)

1032

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Doors/Windows
The handling and behavior of Windows and Doors are quite similar, therefore they will be described together. In ArchiCAD, Doors and Windows simulate the look and behavior of real-life Windows and Doors. They are always placed into walls.

Doors and Windows cut real, see-through openings into the wall, so that 3D visualizations are more accurate and lifelike. However, glass panes are represented as solid shapes, allowing opaque openings for standard elevations. The glass material lets light in and you can look through the Windows and glass Doors in PhotoRendered views. The geometry of the Window or the Door is defined by the information included in the Library Part. While some generic elements allow a large amount of freedom in modifying the size and shape of the Window or Door before or after placing it in the project, more specific designs corresponding to real-life manufacturer catalog items can only be placed as defined, with restricted variation possibilities.

Floor Plan Display of Doors/Windows Setting the Window/Door Plane in Slanted or Complex Walls Anchoring Sill or Header Heights Placing Doors or Windows Creating an Empty Opening Moving Wall Openings
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1033

Virtual Building

Floor Plan Display of Doors/Windows

On the Floor Plan, Doors and Windows are, by default, represented by standard symbols. Attributes for the display of Doors/Windows can be set in the Door/Window Floor Plan and Section Panel. The Floor Plan Display pop-up has two symbol options: Symbolic and Overhead All. Symbolic: This is the chosen objects standard symbol. Overhead All: the entire elements outline is shown with its overhead attributes. In case of a slanted wall, however, you might prefer a more realistic display of the cut window: choose either Projected or Projected with Overhead to see all parts of the window in a slanted wall. Projected: shows cut part of element, plus its uncut (downward) part in 3D-like form Projected with Overhead: shows cut part of element, plus the element's overhead part (i.e. the part of the element that is above the Floor Plan Cut Plane. Depending on the scripting of the Library Part (see the Options parameter), different levels of detail can be displayed depending on the Floor Plan scale.

Use the Door/Window Preview and Positioning Panel to set the height and width of a door/ window.

Every time you change a window/door height, the change will affect either the sill (the distance from the floor to the bottom of the window/door) or the header (the distance from the floor to the top.) Floor can be (depending on your choice) either the bottom of the wall, or a given story height. In the Preview and Positioning panel, the Anchor pop-up lets you choose any one of these constraints, to provide a point of reference for the height position of the Window/Door in the wall.

Sill to Wall Base: this is the default method. Sill to Story 0 (Current Story): the height of the Sill will be measured relative to the level of the Current Story. To choose a different Story, click the Select Story option and choose a story from the dialog box. Header to Wall Base: same method as the Sill to Wall Base options, but you must provide the Header height. Header to Story 0 (Current Story): same method as the Sill to Story 0 options, but you must provide the Header height. Select Story: If you choose this option (select the Story name from the list in the appearing dialog box), the chosen storys Floor Level will serve as the Anchor from which the Window/ Door should be measured. This option may be used, for example, when a Glass Curtain Wall is created and all individual panes must have their heights set to a common height.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1037

Virtual Building

Sill Height Using Subfloor Thickness

Use this control, in the Dimension Marker Panel of Door/Window Settings, to fine-tune the display of your sill height value if your floor level takes into account carpeting or parquet flooring, and your wall base is not at this floor level. ArchiCAD measures the height of a door/window sill from the wall base. But if you want the Floor Plan display of this value to reflect the real floor level, enter the thickness of this additional layer (the Subfloor Thickness) value in the Subfloor Thickness field.

ArchiCAD will still measure the sill value from the wall base, but the door/window marker will show a sill height value that subtracts the subfloor thickness from the entered sill value. For example, say the Wall Base is at -100 mm below Floor Level (Subfloor Thickness is 100 mm). The window sill (parapet) height is 1000 mm, but your effective Sill Height, for the purposes of construction documentation, is really 900 mm from the floor. So the windows sill height, as displayed in the Floor Plan marker, will show 900 mm.

Note: Entering a value into the Subfloor Thickness field does not affect the actual positioning of the door/window within the wall; it is merely an alternate way to display sill/header height in the door/window marker.

1038

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Note: Sill height markers use dimension units set specifically for this type of value: go to Options > Project Preferences > Dimensions, and choose Sill Height Dimension.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1039

Virtual Building

Placing Doors or Windows

Placement methods are defined in the Preview and Positioning tab page of the Door/Window Settings dialog boxes. The Anchor Point setting decides whether you will place the Window or Door by its centerpoint or its side. When you are satisfied with the choices made in the Window or Door Settings dialog box, you can start placing openings.

Insertion Points for Doors or Windows

Windows and Doors can only be inserted into Walls; they cannot be placed independently in the project. In the Floor Plan, you can place a Window or Door opening at any Checkmark or Mercedes cursor position on a wall.

To place a window click at the desired wall edge, then click a second time with the eyeball cursor to define the external side of the Window. Sill depth is always measured from this side.

To place a door, click at the desired wall edge, then click a second time to define the swing direction of the door. For doors without a German type reveal, sill depth will be measured from this side. For doors with a German reveal, sill depth will be measured from the opposite side. In 3D, you can place a Window or Door anywhere along the length of the Wall. In Section/ Elevation/IE windows, you can create new Windows or Doors only by duplicating existing ones using the Multiply or Drag a Copy functions. If you attempt to place a Window or Door near the end or top of a Wall, where there is not enough room to accommodate it, a dialog box will be displayed to warn you and give you the option of discarding the opening. However, you can still choose to place it.

1040

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Creating an Empty Opening

To create a simple opening without placing a library part type Door or Window, click the Empty Opening button in the Door/Window Preview and Positioning Panel dialog box. Then go to the Empty Door (or Window) panel and enter the height and width of the hole. Click along either side of an existing wall.

You can obtain special 3D wall shapes by adding several empty openings to it, or by using Solid Element Operations.

1043

Virtual Building

Dragging a Window or Door

If you want to drag a Door or a Window within the Wall that contains it without moving the Wall itself, select the opening individually.

Rotating a Window or Door

To rotate Doors and Windows, select the opening and click the Rotate command (from Edit menu or pet palette).The selected opening will rotate by 180 degrees around its center (there is no need to draw any vector). Any number of openings can be rotated at the same time.

Note: Rotated text blocks, labels, dimensions and fill polygon area labels are always readable from the bottom and the right side of the drawing.

Mirroring a Window or Door

The dialog box shows the standard stair types you can create with StairMaker. (The last button represents a Custom Stair you design manually with ArchiCADs drawing tools, and is always grey when creating a standard stair.) Choose the desired Stair/Slope type and click OK.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1057

Virtual Building

The StairMaker editing dialog box appears, allowing you to edit the chosen stair type. This dialog box consists of six tab pages, accessed by clicking the appropriate large button on the left of this wizard-type window. Any modification you make on any of the tab pages also affects the other five.

Geometry and Flight Settings (StairMaker) Structure and Landing (StairMaker) Tread Settings (StairMaker) Railings (StairMaker) Symbol Settings (StairMaker) Listing Settings (StairMaker) Check and Save Stair

1058

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Geometry and Flight Settings (StairMaker)

Note: This tab page is part of the StairMaker editing window. To access it, activate the ArchiCAD Stair tool, open Stair Tool Settings, and click the Create Stair or Edit this Stair command. Choose a standard stair type. From the appearing stair editing window, click the Geometry and Flight Settings (top) button from the six buttons at the left.

The Stair/Slope Geometry and Flight Settings Tab Page contains preset values for the available parameters and a preview of the floor plan symbol on the right. The changes that you make on the geometry parameters are reflected on this symbol. Note that several controls on this tab page have lock/unlock icons. You should set the desired geometry and flight settings here, and then lock them. If you do not lock them, modifications on subsequent tab pages may cause StairMaker to automatically recalculate these values. If they are locked, then StairMaker will ensure that subsequent options you set are compatible with this basic geometry. In the picture below, for example, we have locked the height of the stair at 2800 mm and the number of steps at 16. These will never be changed, no matter what other settings you make on this or the other tab pages.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1059

Virtual Building

Set Stair Geometry

On this page, you set the main geometric parameters of the stair: the total height, the horizontal bounding parameters, the flight width, the length, the length of the walking line, as well as the number of risers, the form and the number of the treads in the winder range, the dimensions of the landings, the value of the arrival offset, and the closing angle of the flights. The available fields change according to the type of stair. You can add an optional top tread to the stair in the bottom section of this tab page: click the button on the right to add a top tread to the stair at top floor level as shown below. It may either have the same depth as the stairs other treads, or you can customize the depth of the extra tread by entering a value in the editable field.

If you leave the extra tread depth fields value at zero, the top tread at floor level will have the same depth as the other treads. To change the top treads depth, enter a positive value.

Define Tread Settings

If you choose a Straight Run with winder at both ends, you can define the upper and lower extra length along the side of the stair. The angles of the first and the last edge of the stair depend on this offset.

Stair with Stringers:

1070

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Treads only:

Solid Stair:

The upper and lower slabs should be set to exactly join the Floor Plan Symbol within ArchiCAD, no matter which 3D alternative is selected in StairMaker, and even if a top tread at floor level is added to the stair.

Note: When the stair construction is changed, the fields for treads and nosing may change as well, according to the current construction options. The parameters of the stairs structure vary according to the selected type. These changes will also appear in the stair geometry tab page and in the parameters of the stair.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1071

Virtual Building

In the bottom left section of the window, you can customize both the upper and lower structural and subfloor + finish thicknesses.

StairMaker automatically adjusts the stair parameters to these slab specifications. StairMaker automatically adjusts the stair height by referring to the top elevation of the connecting bottom floor slab as zero. If you use a separate slab for modeling the subfloor + finish in ArchiCAD, you only need to enter the thickness of this slab in the corresponding fields. When you place the stair in ArchiCAD, the positioning height in the Object Settings dialog box can be set to zero. If you do not use any separate slab for subfloor + finish in your design, set the subfloor + finish thickness to zero. You can set up the landing thickness of those stairs that have one or more landings in the editable text fields in the Landing section of the Structure tab page. StairMaker makes clean intersections at the bottom of the stair between the runs and landings if you click the Clean Intersections button at the bottom of the Landing section. The following dialog box will appear:

StairMaker cleans up these intersections by changing the thickness values of either the landing or the run. Select the desired option in the dialog box. Using the other set of radio buttons, you can choose whether the length of the landing is modified along the upper or the lower run. StairMaker recalculates the parameters with the new values, and the 2D symbol of the stair will be updated. If the stair type has two landings, your options affect the lower landing and StairMaker will apply them automatically on the upper one. 1072
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

In the Attributes section of the Structure tab page, you can define the pencolor used for the Stairs contour and the Materials of each of the Stairs sides in the 3D Window and PhotoRendering.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1073

Virtual Building

Tread Settings (StairMaker)

Note: This tab page is part of the StairMaker editing window. To access it, activate the ArchiCAD Stair tool, open Stair Tool Settings, and click the Create Stair or Edit this Stair command. Choose a standard stair type. From the appearing stair editing window, click the Tread Parameters button (third from top) from among the six buttons at the left.

For detailed information on each control in this tab page, see Tread Settings Tab Page. The properties of the individual treads of the stair are set on the third tab page of the Stair editing window accessed by clicking the third button from the top on the left. The content of the Tread Settings tab page changes according to the current stair Structure settings. Note: This option is not available if the stair structure has been set to Solid Stair or Solid Slope on the previous tab page.

In the Tread section of the tab page you can set up the exact parameters of the stairs tread: define the thickness of the tread define the nosing on the front and on the sides define the thickness of the front of the risers In the Attributes section of the tab page, the Pen Color and Material pop-ups allow you to define the 3D appearance of the treads. You can assign different materials for each side of the treads.

1074

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Railings (StairMaker)
Note: This tab page is part of the StairMaker editing window. To access it, activate the ArchiCAD Stair tool, open Stair Tool Settings, and click the Create Stair or Edit this Stair command. Choose a standard stair type. From the appearing stair editing window, click the Railings button (fourth from top) from among the six buttons at the left.

For detailed information on each control in this tab page, see Railing Settings Tab Page. You set up the railings of the stair or the slope on the fourth tab page of the stair editing window. Here you will again see a preview of the symbol of the stair showing the current choices for railings. Using the three buttons on the top of the tab page you can define whether the railing settings should affect both sides of the entire stair (All Stair-Rail mode), one side of the entire stair (One Side mode), or a selected segment (One Segment mode). Selection of the segments is indicated by a red line in the preview area. The mode chosen here is also in effect when setting the post.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1075

Virtual Building

Clicking the first icon selects all the segments in the preview of the stair. Parameter settings will affect the whole of the stairs. A single railing type will be used for the whole stair with the same offset and parameter value for each segment. With regard to the offset value, the program automatically ensures the integrity of the railing, which means that the segments will intersect accordingly.

When switching to this mode from either of the other two (One Side mode or One Segment mode) each flight inherits the stair-rail and post settings of the lower starting flights first left-hand segment. After clicking the second icon, the left and right stair-rails can be set independently. The left stairrail is selected by default as displayed in the preview of the stairs. To switch to the right stair-rail, move the cursor to the other side of the stairs until it takes the form of a stair-rail, then click it.

1076

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

The settings displayed on the screen are always those relevant to the selected railing, and any changes in the values of the parameters will affect only the selected railing. In this mode, the program uses single railing types for both sides of the stairs.

When switching to this mode from All Stair-Rail mode, both sides inherit the settings chosen in the previous mode. When switching to this mode from One Segment mode, the whole flight inherits the settings of the lower starting segment. Clicking the third icon allows you to define a railing for each flight (segment) independently. By default, the first segment of the left railing is selected, as shown in the preview of the stairs. To select another segment, simply click it. Different offset values can be used for each segment. In this case, the elements of the stair-rail belonging to different segments will not fit each other automatically. Positive or negative upper and lower overhang can be defined manually for each railing segment.

When switching to this mode from either of the other two (All Stair-Rail mode or One Side mode), all stair-rails inherit the previous settings. The overhang values of the stair-rails will be identical to those calculated automatically in the previous mode. In the preview area that displays the floor plan of the stairs, each segment of the railing is represented by a line that shows where the centerline of the railing lies. To switch off a railing, first select it, then choose the No Railing option from the Railing type pop-up. A thin line will indicate the place of the stair-rail.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1077

Virtual Building

The types and parameters of the selected railing are set in the Railing Setting section. The available railing types are listed in the pop-up menu placed at the top of the dialog box. The content of the pop-up window depends on the available definitions. In the railing preview area (above the stair-rail type pop-up) you can see the small image of the selected railing type.

The editable parameters under the pop-up window are generally valid regardless of the railing type. They define the position of the railing as related to the sideline of the stairs, the height of the posts and the baluster as related to the stairs, and the overhang values. In One Segment mode, the lower and upper overhang relates to the current segment, while in the other two modes they concern the lower overhang of the bottom segment and the upper overhang of the top segment. The parameters of the railing types will be displayed in the list of additional parameters in the Stair Settings dialog box. The settings and placement of the posts of the railing are defined in the Post Setting section.

If the selected type does not contain posts, this section will be dimmed. The position of the posts relative to the centerline of the stair-rail can be defined with the radio buttons and the parameter field. The rule according to which the posts are to be placed along the selected segments of the railings is defined with the radio buttons. The placement of the posts can be defined by: setting up an approximate distance between the neighboring posts (the posts are placed alongside the flight or the segment at a given distance from one another) placing a post on every tread (on landings, an approximate distance will be used), or setting the number of the posts. 1078
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Using the Snap to Corner checkbox, the program automatically places posts to the segment ends and places additional posts on the segments according to the rule defined above. The position of the posts placed automatically by the program can be modified one by one by double clicking on the post on the selected stair-rail segment. A dialog box appears, where the position of the post can be set up numerically.

Some of the available railing types are illustrated below.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1079

Virtual Building

Listing Settings (StairMaker)

Note: This tab page is part of the StairMaker editing window. To access it, activate the ArchiCAD Stair tool, open Stair Tool Settings, and click the Create Stair or Edit this Stair command. Choose a standard stair type. From the appearing stair editing window, click the Listing Settings button (last button) from among the six buttons at the left.

Each element and property of the stair can be listed with the Document > Schedules and Lists menu commands. Stairs will be listed as library parts. The list can be set up individually in ArchiCAD; however, if you wish to list a part of the stair, be sure that the box beside it (in this tab page) is checked.

For more information, see Calculation.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1083

Virtual Building

Check and Save Stair

Creating Trusses in the Floor Plan Editing Trusses Creating Trusses in Section/Elevation/IE Windows

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1089

Virtual Building

Creating Trusses in the Floor Plan

Start by drawing the framework of the truss in the Floor Plan window with the Line and Arc/ Circle tools. Use different pen colors for the different parts of the truss, as seen below. Pen thicknesses have been exaggerated for clarity.

When you are satisfied with your design, select the lines making up the truss and choose the Create Truss command from the TrussMaker hierarchical menu (Design > Design Extras).

The TrussMaker Settings dialog box appears, allowing you to choose a shape and define options for creating the truss. When you have finished customizing your truss, click the Save button at the bottom right of the dialog box. You will then be prompted to name the new truss object and place it in your Embedded library.

1090

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

The new truss appears on the Floor Plan on the baseline of the contour. Go to the 3D window to visualize it, and then drag it into its final location.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1091

Virtual Building

Editing Trusses
The framework drawn on the Floor Plan is not associated to the truss after it has been created and placed (and can only be used to create new trusses). Modifying this outline has no effect on placed trusses. TrussMaker offers you an additional method for editing placed trusses. Select a truss and choose the Edit Truss command from the TrussMaker menu (Design > Design Extras) or the TrussMaker palette. An alert will appear, prompting you to create a new Section window. Draw a simple section line with the Section/Elevation/IE tools, open the new Section/Elevation/IE window and then choose Continue Editing from the TrussMaker menu or palette. The original framework will appear in the window and you will be able to edit it.

About Solid Element Operations Solid Operation Types Solid Operations: Element Display and Calculation Solid Operation Example

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1095

Virtual Building

About Solid Element Operations

Solid Element Operations allow you to create complex shapes using Boolean operations, including subtraction, addition and intersection. The result is associative: if you modify the location or the attributes of the elements that participate in the operation, the linked elements will be updated accordingly. Solid Operations can be performed on elements in any model window by choosing Design > Solid Element Operations. For more information, see Edit Targets and Operators (Solid Element Operations). Solid Element Operations distinguish two roles: A Target is an element whose geometry will be modified by the solid operation. An Operator is an element that affects the geometry of the element it is linked to. The operation does not modify or delete the Operator element. You can hide the layers of the Operator elements after the operation has been performed without resetting the modified shape. You can also set the Operators layer to be shown as Wireframe, which allows you to still see the Operator elements contour and adjust it as necessary. In the illustration below, a Target Walls shape was modified by subtracting a Roof type Operator shape. On the left, both elements are shown; in the middle, the Roofs layer has been hidden; on the right, the Roofs layer has been set to Wireframe.

An Operator can work on multiple Targets, and a Target can be affected by multiple Operators. Each element can be a Target and an Operator at the same time, which permits nested Solid Element Operations. The operation remains in effect as long as the involved elements are present. If you wish to keep the obtained shape permanently, save it as a GDL Object from the 3D Window.

1096

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Restrictions and Remarks

Roofs participating in Solid Operations will behave as any other elements, unlike when trimming elements to Roofs. Bypass automatic intersections: Solid Operations do not affect the results of automatic intersections, for example those created with Walls and/or Columns, if they are included in the same Layer intersection group. Before performing a Solid Operation on such elements, change the Layer intersection number of one of them. Beams: If you intend to apply an operation between Beams, the Operator must have at least the same 3D Intersection Priority number as the Target. If the Targets priority number is higher, the operation will appear to have no effect. Nested operations: If the desired shape can be only be obtained through a number of nested operations, pay attention to the order in which you apply them. For example, an Operator element may affect a Target that is also an Operator affecting another Target, and so on.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1097

Virtual Building

Solid Operation Types

Five types of operations can be performed. The illustration below shows the effect of each: the starting Wall shape is shown at far left, followed by each of the five operations. The Operator element is shown in Wireframe mode.

Subtraction cuts out the shape of the Operator from Target. Subtraction with upward extrusion cuts out both the shape of the Operator from the Target and its vertical projection from the bottom of the Operator shape to the top of the Target. Subtraction with downward extrusion cuts out both the shape of the Operator from the Target and its vertical projection from the top of the Operator shape to the bottom of the Target. Intersection keeps only the common part of the Target and the Operator. Addition adds the shape of the Target to the shape of the Operator.

1098

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Solid Operations: Element Display and Calculation

The solid operation affects the model shape, that is, the 3D view and the generated Section/ Elevation/IE model and Detail Drawing view. Below is the Section view of the elements shown above. The Operators are shown in Wireframe, above, and their layers are hidden, below.

The Floor Plan view of both Target and Operator elements is unaffected. Putting the Operator element on a Wireframe layer does not affect its display. If the Operators layer is hidden, then they will not appear in the Floor Plan, but you will not be able to edit them until you make the layer visible again. Note: If you select only the Target on the Floor Plan and display the selection in 3D view, the modified shape will be shown, but without displaying the Operator, even if it is on a visible or a Wireframe layer. If you perform a Solid Operation on a Section/Elevation/IE view, you need to rebuild the windows contents to see the results. All listing commands will be performed on the modified shapes.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1099

Virtual Building

Solid Operation Example

In this example, we have created a complex stair footing shape for a spiral staircase, quickly and easily, using a Solid Element Operation. 1. Place the Stair Spiral in the plan using the Stair Tool.

1103

Virtual Building

8. Choose an operation type: Subtraction with upwards extrusion.

9. Click Execute. The Solid Element Operation is complete. 10. Click in an empty space to deselect the stair.

1104

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

11. View the result in 3D.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1105

Model View Options Combinations

After customizing one or more sets of Model View Options, you can save them as Model View Options Combinations, using the controls at the top section of the dialog box. Several Model View Options Combinations are predefined for your convenience; you can modify and save these under new names, if desired. Model View Option Combinations can be saved and easily applied to individual views depending on their purpose (for example, for use as Drafting plans or Site plans): different views can be displayed using different model view options. If you do not save the customized configuration, it is called Custom, an unsaved collection which reflects the current state of the Model View options. These custom settings can remain in effect even after you close the dialog box, but they are not saved under that name. Once you are satisfied with your set of options, you should save it under a new name using the Store As button in the Model View Options Combinations Panel of the Model View Options dialog box. In the same panel, you can export and save your stored combination as an .xml file, so you can import and use it in another project. The active Model View Options Combination is displayed in the Properties section of the Navigator Project Map, View Map and Publisher Sets. It is accessible and editable at View Settings and Storing Options (at bottom of Project Map of Organizer) and in the Quick Options Palette.

1108

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Apply a Model View Options Combination to the Project

To apply a saved Model View Options Combination to the current model, do one of the following: use the Document > Set Model View menu to choose a Model View Options Combination open Document > Set Model View > Model View Options and choose one of the defined Model View Options Combinations from the top panel. Check the settings in the rest of the panels to see what will happen if this Model View Options Combination is applied. use the appropriate pop-up in the Quick Options Palette to choose a Model View Options Combination. use the appropriate pop-up at the bottom of the View Settings and Storing Options (at bottom of Project Map of Organizer) to choose a Model View Options Combination.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1109

Virtual Building

Apply a Model View Options Combination to a Saved View

When saving a view from any model window, the views current Model View Options Combination is also saved along with the view. To apply a different Model View Options Combination to any single view, use its View Settings Dialog Box.

For more information, see Saving a View.

Partial Structure Display

The Partial Structure Display function allows you to display construction elements in various ways depending how you define the components of elements. For example, when collaborating with other designers or with engineers, you may prefer to ignore non-load-bearing walls, and to display/output only the load-bearing components of complex elements. Use Document > Partial Structure Display to set these preferences; they will be applied to the current window and can be saved separately for each view.

Use the first three options to display or hide the components of composite or complex elements, and column veneers, depending upon how you have defined those components. See How to Define Components as Core or Finish. 1. Entire Model: this is the default setting. All parts of the model are displayed.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1113

Virtual Building

2. Without Finishes: The entire model, except for skins/components defined as Finish, and except for column veneers defined as Finish, is displayed.

3. Core Only: In the case of complex or composite structures, and columns having a veneer, only those structures defined as Core will be displayed.

4. Core of Load-Bearing Elements Only: The fourth option considers all construction elements (not just composite/complex). This option will hide any elements you have classified as non-load-bearing or undefined. See Classification. 1114
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

The Core of Load-Bearing Elements Only option has three effects: - Elements classified as Non-Load-Bearing or Undefined will be hidden; all elements classified as Load-Bearing are displayed. - Load-bearing composite and complex structures are shown with their Core only - Column veneers defined as Core in Column Settings will be shown in addition to the Column cores Topics in this section:

Applying Partial Structure Settings to Model Windows Save Partial Structure Settings by View How to Define Components as Core or Finish Visualizing the Entire Model Partial Structure Display Settings: Effect on Elements Partial Structure Display Settings in Windows Based on a Source Marker

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1115

Virtual Building

Applying Partial Structure Settings to Model Windows

Unlike Model View Options, which affect 2D windows only, Partial Structure Display affects the display of elements in 2D and 3D windows alike. Partial Structure Display settings can be assigned in the following window types: Floor Plan (a single Partial Structure setting is in effect for every Floor Plan window) 3D Window (one setting for the 3D window) Section/Elevation/Interior Elevation/3D Document: Each instance of these window types can have its own Partial Structure Display setting (i.e. you can have three Section windows with three different Partial Structure settings). Exception: You cannot set a Partial Structure Display setting for a Drawing-type Section or Elevation, or for any Independent viewpoint. Worksheet and Detail: If the source viewpoint is in the Floor Plan or is an Auto-update viewpoint, then you can set Partial Structure Display settings for Worksheets and Details (separate ones for each window, if needed.) See also Partial Structure Display Settings in Windows Based on a Source Marker. For a quick way to assign Partial Structure Display to the current window, use the Partial Structure pop-up in the Quick Options Palette.

1116

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Save Partial Structure Settings by View

You can save different Partial Structure Display settings on a view-by-view basis; thus, your settings will affect the content of published views and layouts.

This means you can save different Partial Display Settings for each view: for example, you can save two different views of the same Section, each having a different Partial Structure Display. The Properties section of the Organizer Project Map and Organizer View Map provides feedback on the selected items Partial Structure settings.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1117

Virtual Building

How to Define Components as Core or Finish

Composite Elements
For composite elements (Wall, Slab, Roof): skins can be defined as either Core, Finish, or Other in the Composite Structures Dialog Box. You can define multiple skins as Core, but these skins must be adjacent to each other.

You can define multiple adjacent skins as Finish, but they must include one or both of the outermost skins.

Column Veneers
Each veneer can be defined as Core, Finish or Other, in Column Tool Settings. See Display of Column Core and Veneer.

1118

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Profile (Complex) Elements

For Profile elements (Wall, Beam, Column): Components can be defined as Core, Finish, or Other in Design > Profile Manager.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1119

Virtual Building

Visualizing the Entire Model

Even if you are using a Partial Display option, ArchiCAD gives you several types of feedback to help you identify the entire original structure if needed. You can always choose the Entire Model Display option for your Trace Reference: 1. Activate the Trace function. 2. From the Trace drop-down menu, use Choose Reference, and select Entire Model Display as the Trace Reference.

In this Section, the composite walls are displayed with Core-Only settings, but the Entire Model Display reference (in red) indicates the full wall structure.

1120

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

When selecting a partially displayed element, hotspots will appear at their original location. The selection highlight, however, is shown only on the displayed parts of the elements.

Preselection feedback will also help you identify the entire as well as the partially displayed parts of the elements. The preselection highlight is shown only on the displayed components, but the cursor recognizes the reference line even if it is not on a displayed part of the element - as shown by the bold Mercedes cursor in this image.

The Info Tag displays the Thickness of the original, entire element, even if it is currently only in Partial Display:

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1121

Virtual Building

Partial Structure Display Settings: Effect on Elements

Columns In Partial Structure Display Zones and Partial Structure Display Floor Plan Cover Fills in Partial Structure Display Dimensions in Partial Structure Display Intersections of Partially Displayed Elements Columns In Partial Structure Display
Each veneer can be defined as Core, Finish or Other, in Column Tool Settings. See Column Veneer and Display of Column Core and Veneer. For Columns wrapped by walls: No wrapping occurs if you are using Core only display.

Zones and Partial Structure Display

Regardless of which Partial Display option is in effect, zones are not affected: zones that extend to an Inner Edge are calculated to include the finish component of a surrounding structure, even if the finishes are hidden according to the current Partial Structure Display Setting.

Floor Plan Cover Fills in Partial Structure Display

The Partial Structure Display setting has no effect on cover fills. If you have assigned a Cover Fill to any composite or complex element (this might be a Roof, Slab, or Mesh), then the Cover Fill will appear regardless of the Partial Display option that is in effect. To override Cover Fill display settings, use Model View Options Override Fill Display.

Dimensions in Partial Structure Display

Dimensions are connected to the Partial Structure display setting: each Partial Display mode has its own set of dimensions: you can have a set of dimensions in your Core Only view, and other sets of dimensions in your Entire Model and Without Finishes views. If you switch between Partial Structure Display settings, the dimensions associated with the earlier Display setting will not be visible. To see the Dimensions again, switch back to the Partial Structure Display setting in which the Dimensions were placed.

1122

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

This wall is displayed with the Core Only display setting:

If you now switch the display setting to Entire Model, the dimension shown in Core Only disappears, and the other dimension - the one previously created with the Entire Model display setting - appears.

You can copy-paste dimensioned elements between two views whose Partial Structure Display settings are dissimilar. However, if you try to paste dimensioned elements that do NOT appear in
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1123

Virtual Building

the given Partial Structure display, those dimensions will be lost after you paste. If you are copypasting dimensioned elements between two views whose Partial Structure Display settings differ, a warning appears:

Intersections of Partially Displayed Elements

Intersections will behave just as they do when the entire model is displayed: No further skin intersections will be cleaned up as a result of changing to partial display. Exception: Complex (Profile) Elements that are set to Partial Display may end up with cleaned-up intersections in some cases.

1124

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Virtual Building

Partial Structure Display Settings in Windows Based on a Source Marker

Often, you will be working in a model view (Section, Elevation, Interior Elevation, Detail or Worksheet) in which the elements have their source in a different model window. However, if a your source viewpoint is a Manual-Rebuild or Drawing-type view/viewpoint, you would run into problems if you tried to change the derived views Partial Structure Display Settings, because the source viewpoint might not be in updated condition. Therefore, ArchiCAD does not let you change the Partial Structure Display settings for views derived from ManualRebuild or Drawing-type sources. The following view settings belong to a view whose source is a Manual-Rebuild model; the Partial Structure Display settings cannot be changed.

The solution: go back to the source view (or make a copy of it) and change its update type to Auto-update. In the opposite case: Suppose you have an Auto-update viewpoint with several views derived from it. Then you change the viewpoint to Manual Update or Drawing type. This is possible, but be aware that the views deriving from this source - even if youve already created these views - will, when rebuilt, change their Partial Display settings to match those of the source viewpoint.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1125

Virtual Building

If you do change the Partial Structure Display settings of a source viewpoint which is of Manual Rebuild type (even though its derived views are based on an Auto-Rebuild source), ArchiCAD warns you of the consequences for the derived views: the views Partial Structure Display Settings might change:

You can go ahead and continue Rebuild, or you can cancel the process. Again, the solution is to go back to the source view (or make a copy of it with the Partial Display Structure settings you need) and change its update type to Auto-update. When you do rebuild such a view - one whose source has changed from Auto-Rebuild to Manual Rebuild - you are again warned that your views Partial Structure settings will change:

1126

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Documentation
Drafting Annotation The Layout Book Publishing Calculation

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1127

ArchiCAD includes a predefined set of default fill patterns, or fill types. Access Fills from the Options > Element Attributes > Fill Types, where you can define, edit, duplicate, rename or delete them.

Assign a Cut Fill Assign a Cover Fill Draw a Drafting Fill Available Fill Types Fill Types Dialog Box Fill Categories
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1131

Documentation

Create New Solid Fill Fill Display Mode: Vectorial vs. Bitmap Display of Vectorial Fill Set Orientation of Vectorial or Symbol Fill Patterns Model View Options: Global Settings for Fill Display Create or Edit Symbol Fill Adding Area Text to a Fill Using Gradient Fills Create or Edit Image Fill

1132

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Assign a Cut Fill

To define a default cut fill for a construction element, or change the cut fill of a placed element: 1. Activate the elements tool; or select the placed element. 2. Go to the Floor Plan and Section panel of its Settings (or click Floor Plan and Section button in the Info Box.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1133

Documentation

3. For the listed Cut Fill parameter, click the fill name or icon to access the list of available fill types.

4. Choose the desired Fill Type from the pop-up list. (See Available Fill Types.) Cut Fills are also used as components of composite and complex structures. To define composite elements, see: Composite Structures. To define complex elements, see: Creating or Editing a Complex Profile Element.

1134

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Assign a Cover Fill

If an element is not cut on the Floor Plan - typically Slabs, Zones, Meshes and Roofs - it will not display the cut fill on the Floor Plan. However, you can assign a cover fill.

Slabs, Meshes and Roofs

1. Go to the Floor Plan and Section panel of its Settings (or click Floor Plan and Section button in the Info Box.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1135

Documentation

2. For the listed Cover Fill parameter, click the fill name or icon to access the list of available fill types.

3. Choose the desired Fill Type from the pop-up list. (See Available Fill Types.)

1136

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Zones
1. Activate the Cover Fill button in the Zone Floor Plan Panel by clicking it.

2. Click the fill name or icon to access the list of available fill types. 3. Choose the desired Fill Type from the pop-up list. (See Available Fill Types.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1137

Documentation

Draw a Drafting Fill

To draw a Drafting fill, first activate the Fill tool in the Toolbox and choose one of the three Geometry Methods from the Info Box.

Drawing Fills with either the Polygon, the Rectangle or the Rotated Rectangle method is similar to the process for drawing walls. For an illustration of this process, see Create a Chain of Walls and Create a Rectangle of Walls. When creating a drafting fill with the Fill Tool, you can specify to which Fill Category the Fill should belong. For more information, see Fill Category: Advanced Settings for a Drafting Fill.

About Fills Fill Categories

1138

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Adding Area Text to a Fill

Enable the Show Area Text checkbox in the General Settings panel of Fill Tool Settings. When you create the Fill, the Hammer cursor will appear, prompting you to position the area text with a click.

The text block is created by calculating the area of the Fill. The text settings will be the same as the default values set in Dimension Text Settings. This text will always be displayed horizontally on screen, even if the fill is rotated or mirrored, or the view itself is rotated. (See Oriented View.) Note: If the fill contains holes, they are subtracted from the fill area. To modify the font settings or even the content of the area text, select the text only (not the Fill itself) and edit the Dimension Text Settings (in this case, the last command of the Edit menu changes to Dimension Text Settings). The measurement unit and accuracy of the area value are defined in Dimensions Preferences (Options > Project Preferences > Dimensions). Fill Area text will always be displayed horizontally on screen, regardless of the views orientation.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1139

Documentation

Available Fill Types

The full set of fills used in the current ArchiCAD project is available in the Fill Types Dialog Box (Options > Element Attributes).

You can modify this set manually or by importing items with the Attribute Manager. Use the Fill Types Dialog Box to define and/or edit fill types and patterns, and determine the category of each particular Fill (Drafting Fill, Cut Fill, and/or Cover Fill). In each fill pop-up, located in the Settings dialog boxes throughout the ArchiCAD interface, only those fills are available which are defined as applicable to the element you are creating. See Fill Categories for more information. To make it easier to find the right fill in the pop-ups, they are grouped as follows: Solid, Gradient, Vectorial, Composite, and Image.

Solid Fills
Solid Fills include the Foreground Fill: You see only the Foreground, because it covers up the Background. the Background fill: You see only the Background, because the Foreground is set to zero. Three fills whose foregrounds are of predefined Opacity (25%, 50%, 75%). These percentages can be adjusted by hand in Options > Element Attributes > Fill Types, by entering a new percentage value in the Opacity field. See also Create New Solid Fill.

1140

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Vectorial Fills
Vectorial Fills can be assigned to construction elements in 2D windows. You can also assign Vectorial Fills to Materials, which are displayed in the 3D window. See Display of Vectorial Fill. Some properties of vectorial patterns can be adjusted, including their scale, angle, spacing, availability and associated screen-only bitmap display. See Fill Edit Vectorial Pattern Panel.

Symbol Fills
Symbol Fills can be assigned to construction elements, or can be used as components of a composite or complex element. You can edit the pattern of an existing symbol fill, or create a new symbol fill entirely: see Create or Edit Symbol Fill. When used in complex elements, or as skins in composite structures, symbol fill orientation can be set to Fit to Skin: this will automatically orient the fill pattern to fit into the fill boundary, even if the fill thickness varies. See Orientation at: Composites Edit Selected Item (Composite Structures), as well as at: Components - Default/Selected Panel (Profile Manager).

Image Fills
Create or Edit Image Fill can be used as Drafting fills drawn with the Fill tool. Image fills are also available as cover fills, applicable to a Roof, Slab or Mesh. See Create or Edit Image Fill.

Gradient Fills
Using Gradient Fills are Drafting fills only, and thus are available only from the Fill Tools popup. (Drafting fills are drawn by hand, using the Fill Tool.) See Using Gradient Fills.

Composite Fills
Composite Fills are available for elements that can have Composite Structures: that is, Walls, Slabs and Roofs.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1141

Documentation

Fill Categories
There are three Fill categories with their default uses: Cut Fills: For most construction elements, you can select a Cut Fill for its surfaces that are cut. Cut Fills can be displayed for cut elements in Section/Elevation/IE windows, in a 3D Document, and in Details/Worksheets. Cut Fills are also used as components of composite and complex structures. See Assign a Cut Fill. To define composite elements, see: Composite Structures. To define complex elements, see: Creating or Editing a Complex Profile Element. Cover Fills: Cover fills can be added to the display of Slabs, Roofs, Meshes and Zones on the Floor Plan: use the Cover Fills controls in the elements Settings dialog box. See Assign a Cover Fill. Drafting Fills: Drafting fills are simple 2D Fills drawn by hand in any model window. They do not have any relationship with construction elements such as Walls, Slabs or Roofs. See Draw a Drafting Fill. Every fill type is assigned to one or several of these categories. The fill category determines which element the fill can be assigned to. For example, a Fill Type must be set to Cover Fill if you want it to be available as a Cover Fill choice in Mesh/Zone/Roof/Slab settings. To assign Fill Categories, open the Options > Element Attributes > Fill Types Dialog Box and check one or more boxes in the Fill Availability and Screen-Only Pattern Panel.

Fill Categories are also significant for Model View Options: in the Model View Options dialog box, you can override individual fill display settings for all the fills in your project at once, by category. See Model View Options: Global Settings for Fill Display.

1142

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Fill Category: Advanced Settings for a Drafting Fill

Every freehand fill drawn with the Fill Tool is necessarily in the Drafting Fill category. However, you may wish to treat such fills as cut or cover fills instead, for display and export purposes. This is useful if you plan to export the ArchiCAD project to DXF/DWG format: during the export process, you can define, by category, the layers of the exported fills. See also Fill-Hatch Conversion Table. To adjust the fill category, use the Fill Advanced Settings Panel:

For example: if you have a Wall in a Section, and you unlink the Section from the model, the fills generated from the Wall will belong to the Cut Fill category. If you then draw additional Fills in the Section window, you can set these fills (in the Drafting category by default) to be in the Cut Fill category instead, so that they will be treated the same as the cut fills coming from the construction element.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1143

Documentation

Fill Display Mode: Vectorial vs. Bitmap

Each fill type has two faces or display modes: vectorial and bitmap. By default, all fills in your project are set to be displayed as Vectorial Hatching in On-Screen View Options Commands in the View menu. If you turn this control off, fills will be displayed on screen in bitmap mode. When printing or plotting fills, the vectorial face will be used even if the on-screen display is set to bitmap. The bitmap versions of all predefined fill patterns approximate their vectorial equivalents. If you change a vectorial pattern or generate a new symbol type pattern, you will need to create its bitmap version manually. See Fill Availability and Screen-Only Pattern Panel.

1144

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Display of Vectorial Fill

On the Floor Plan
Elements will display the hatching of a vectorial fill on the Floor Plan only if you have activated View > On-Screen View Options > Vectorial Hatching. (Otherwise, the on-screen display will show the fills bitmap face.)

In the 3D Window
Construction elements in the 3D Window are displayed using the Materials assigned to them in the Model panel of the elements Settings. See Assign a Material to a Construction Element. If these Materials include a Vectorial Hatching, this Hatching will be visible in the 3D Window only if you switch the Vectorial 3D Hatching control to On in the 3D Window Settings dialog box, and only if you are using the Internal 3D Engine.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1145

Documentation

In the Section/Elevation/IE and 3D Document Windows

Section/Elevation/IE and 3D Document windows will display vectorial hatching only if you have checked the Vectorial 3D hatching box in the Model Display panel of the Settings dialog box.

Use the Link to Fill Origin to fine-tune the angle of the fill pattern. If you choose this option, the fill pattern starts at the origin of the fill. In this case, a single handle appears on the placed fill to define and show a visual feedback of the orientation of the fill. Note: Fill handles are visible only if you enable Fill Handles (Drafting and Editing Aids) in View > On-Screen View Options.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1149

Documentation

A fourth option is the Radial Distorted Fill construction method, with which you can graphically adjust the vectors radial distortion. This is available only for a selected symbol fill and only if: the symbol fill was used as a skin of a composite or complex structure; and the skins Fill Orientation was defined as Fit to Skin in the Composite Structures Dialog Box or in the Profile Manager Dialog Box; and you have selected this symbol fill after exploding a curved composite/complex wall. See Explode into Current View. Note: The use of many radial distorted fills in your project may decrease project performance. Here is a curved composite wall with a symbol fill (orientation: Fit to Skin) as one of the skins, after the composite wall has been exploded. Each fill can now be selected separately. The symbol fill displays a fill handle and the Distorted Radial Fill construction method is available. Adjust the fill handle to adjust the fills distortion or the patterns origin as needed.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1153

Documentation

Model View Options: Global Settings for Fill Display

By default, all fills in the project will be displayed the way you define them in element settings or Fill Settings. However, in the Override Fill Display panel of Model View Options, you can override these settings-level definitions and create uniform display options for all fills (by category) throughout the project. Use Document > Set Model View > Model View Options.

For more information, see Model View Options Override Fill Display.

1154

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Create New Solid Fill

You can create a new solid fill type with any translucence value you wish. In the Fill Types Dialog Box, click New, and choose Solid fill from the Add New Fill dialog box.

In the Fill Appearance Panel of the Fill Types dialog box, set the Opacity percentage (in this case, 65). The new Fill Type will henceforth appear in the fill pop-up.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1155

Documentation

Note that the Mirroring controls give you different options for setting up the repeating patterns within your Image fill.

Click OK to save the newly created fill as a project attribute.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1161

Documentation

Lines
The following straight and curved line elements can be created in ArchiCAD using the different Line tools and geometry methods. Single straight line segments, series of Chained straight and Curved line segments, Rectangles and Rotated Rectangles. Circular Arcs and full Circles Elliptical Arcs and full Ellipses Straight or Curved Polylines Natural Splines, Bzier curves and Freehand curves Double-clicking any of the Line type tools will open a dialog box in which you can adjust the settings of the given tool. In each of these dialog boxes, the Uniform Settings for Line Tools checkbox allows you to apply the settings made in this dialog box to all line-type tools: Line, Arc/Circle, Spline, Polyline. For more information, see Line Tool Settings, Arc/Circle Tool Settings, Spline Tool Settings and Polyline Tool Settings.

Line Categories in ArchiCAD Drawing a Single Straight Line Segment Stretching or Shrinking Lines Drawing Circular Arcs and Full Circles Stretching Curves Editing an Arc Using its Tangent Drawing Elliptical Arcs and Full Ellipses Convert Ellipse to Circle Drawing Splines Editing Splines Drawing Freehand Curves Drawing Polylines and Chained Lines Decompose a Polyline Unify Drafting Elements into Polyline

1162

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Line Categories in ArchiCAD

ArchiCAD allows you to assign categories to your lines. (Use the Advanced Settings panel of the Line Settings dialog box.) You can then use line categories to fine-tune model view options and export settings for lines depending on their category. ArchiCAD has three line categories: Drafting line: Simple 2D drafting line. Lines drawn with the Line tool will be in this category by default. Cut line: Contour line of a 3D element on a cutting plane. Note: You can choose to display lines in the Cut line category in boldface: In View > OnScreen View Options, choose Bold Cut Lines. Skin Separator Line: Separator line between skins of composite structures, including walls, columns, slabs and roofs. Line categories can be useful if, for example, you have exploded a composite wall into its constituent lines and fills. By default, in the Line Tools Advanced Settings Panel, all the contour lines are put into the Cut line category, while all the skin separator lines are put into the Skin Separator category. All other lines are placed into the Drafting category by default. However, if you draw lines by hand into a Detail Window, Worksheet, Patch, Section/Elevation/IE or 3D Document window, you can assign categories to these lines according to their function in the plan. This way, when assigning a model view option, even hand-drawn lines can be considered Cut lines or Skin Separator lines. Assigning line categories can also be useful if you save your file in DXF/DWG format: the DXF/ DWG Translation Setup dialog box allows you to define a separate layer onto which Skin Separator lines can be exported.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1163

Documentation

Drawing a Single Straight Line Segment

To draw a single straight Line segment, choose the Line tool in the Toolbox and the Single Line geometry method in the Info Box.

The Line segment is defined by clicking at its two endpoints. Note: This CAD-like drawing method is the default method for drawing segments in ArchiCAD, but you can change it in Options > Work Environment > Mouse Constraints & Methods.

1164

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Stretching or Shrinking Lines

To stretch/shrink a straight line with the menu command: 1. 2. 3. 4. Select a line. Choose the Edit > Reshape > Stretch command. Click an endpoint of the selected line and move it. Click again to either define the new endpoint as an extension (or reduction) of the previous length. The line is stretched or shrunk and, if needed, rotated according to the new endpoint. The other endpoint will remain at its original position. Note: Multiple Lines with overlapping endpoints can all be stretched at the same time using the Stretch menu command or with the Marquee tool. For more information, see Stretching with the Marquee Tool. When using the pet palette: 1. Select a line. 2. Click one of the lines endpoints. The pet palette appears. Choose the stretch icon:

Click to define the new endpoint.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1165

Documentation

Drawing Circular Arcs and Full Circles

To draw a circular arc or a full circle, choose the Arc/Circle tool in the Toolbox and one of the Geometry Methods offered by the first icon in the Info Box (Centerpoint, Three Points or Tangent Point).

Note: These methods are identical for drawing curved walls. See Create a Curved Wall. These methods differ in the basic points they define. The first option defines the centerpoint and radius of the arc or circle. Your first click defines the centerpoint. A ghost contour follows your cursor until you click a second time to define the radius. After that, only a partial ghost curved segment is shown, until you click a third time to define the length of the arc. If you need a full circle, double-click when defining its radius. When all three points are defined, the ghost contour is replaced by the fully displayed circle.

The second option defines the circle by three points on the arcs circumference. The first two clicks define two points that you will probably locate on points connecting other elements, grid intersections or special snap points. After that, a ghost circle follows the cursor until you click a third time to define the third point. A fourth click is needed to define the length of the arc segment.

1166

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

The next step depends on the geometric situation. If there is only one solution, the circle is automatically drawn. If there are two or four solutions, the Eyeball cursor appears and the ghost contour of the Wall flips from one position to the other as you move the cursor around. Click when it is at the right place to complete the circle. If there is no solution (for example, if you define three parallel edges for tangency), no circle will be made. Note: Unlike circular Walls, Circles can be fully closed. You will obtain a single element, not two half-circles.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1167

Documentation

Stretching Curves
You can modify the circumference or radius of Curved Walls, Arcs and Circles with either the Stretch command or the pet palette icon.

Angular Stretch
Use the Angular Stretch icon to change the elements arc length by dragging its endpoint (or reference line endpoint, in case of a curved wall) along the curve.

Alternatively, transform an Arc into a full Circle or the other way around.

Note: A curved Wall stretched into a full circle will be transformed into two half-circular elements.

Radial Stretch
Use the Radial Stretch icon to increase or decrease the elements radius by dragging its edge or reference line.

1168

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Stretch Ellipse
You can modify the shape of a closed ellipse or full circle by stretching it. Select the ellipse or circle.

Click on a node to bring up the pet palette. Choose the Stretch Ellipse icon. Drag the cursor to stretch the ellipse along its axis or stretch the circle into an ellipse.

Click to complete.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1169

Documentation

Editing an Arc Using its Tangent

Edit an arc from any point along its edge using the tangent to the nearest arc endpoint. Click on the edge of any arc and choose the Edit segment using tangent icon from the pet palette.

The tangent to the nearest arc endpoint appears on the plan. Move the cursor to edit the tangent line by choosing a new tangent endpoint. A rubberband line indicates the shape of the resulting new arc. Click to place.

1170

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1177

Documentation

Drawing Freehand Curves

To draw a freehand curve, choose the Spline tool in the Toolbox and the third Geometry Method icon in the Info Box.

This method is particularly useful to mark up documents. When you start marking-up, ArchiCAD automatically activates the Spline tool with the Freehand geometry method. For more information, see Project Mark-Up. The Freehand method always creates natural Splines.

1178

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Drawing Polylines and Chained Lines

By combining the capabilities of the various line type tools, you can create a series of chained straight and curved line segments using the Polyline tool or the Chained geometry method of the Line tool. The difference between the two options is the result they produce. Polylines are single elements drawn using the Polyline tool. Chained lines are a set of connected line segments drawn with the Line tool. Each line segment is a separate element, although they can be grouped before or after they are created. To group a chained line, activate the Edit > Grouping > Autogroup command before you start to draw Chained lines, or select the set of Chained lines you have drawn and activate the Edit > Grouping > Group command.

To draw a Polyline, choose a geometry method for the Polyline tool: Polyline method, Rectangle method or Rotated Rectangle method.

To draw a Chained line, choose a geometry method for the Line tool: Chained method, Rectangle method, or Rotated Rectangle method.

With either method (Polyline or Chained Line) you produce a series of straight or curved line segments joined at their endpoints. Draw a line segment and click to complete the segment. As you click to complete one segment, you simultaneously begin the next one. Click the OK button in the Control Box or double-click the last endpoint to complete the polyline or chained line. For an illustration of this process, see Create a Chain of Walls. To cancel the last-drawn segment of a polyline or chained line, use the Backspace key.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1179

Documentation

Continue a Polyline
You can extend a completed Polyline from either end: Select the existing polyline.

Click on either endpoint of the polyline. Choose the Continue Polyline icon from the appearing pet palette.

Draw additional line segments, then double-click (or click OK in the Control box) to complete the polyline.

Note: When extending the original polyline, you can backspace to delete the last drawn segments, but you cannot delete segments of the original polyline.

Create Rectangles with Line or Polyline Tool

Using the Rectangle method with the Line tool will produce four individual Line segments, grouped by default. Using the Rectangle method with the Polyline tool will produce a single Rectangle. With the Rotated Rectangle method, you first define a rotation vector for the rectangles reference line. The rotation vector also defines the length of the two segments parallel to it. By hitting the Shift key once, you can unlock the length component constraint and use only the rotation angle component of the rotation vector.

1180

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Decompose a Polyline
To decompose a Polyline: Select the Polyline. Choose Edit > Reshape > Explode into Current View. You will then obtain a series of Lines and Arcs. Note: If the Edit > Grouping > Autogroup command is active, the result will be grouped.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1181

Documentation

Unify Drafting Elements into Polyline

Connected Lines, Arcs, and Polylines can be transformed into a single Polyline. Select all connecting elements Choose the Edit > Reshapes > Unify command. The attributes of the last selected element will be applied to the unified set of elements. You can unify multiple sets of selected, connected items with a single Unify command. Note: To unify items that are Grouped, you must first Suspend Groups. For more information, see Group Elements.

Open a Closed Polyline

To open a closed polyline by deleting one of its segments: Activate the Arrow tool. Ctrl-click (Cmd-click) the line segment you wish to delete. Note: Use the same method to cut a polyline having at least 3 segments into two independent polylines.

1182

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Hotspots
Hotspots are simple points indicated by a small cross. Their main role is to help position elements in 2D views. Hotspots do not appear on printed and plotted outputs and can be deleted when they are not needed anymore. For more information, see Hotspot Tool Settings.

Placing Hotspots
When you have made your Pen Color and Layer choice in the Hotspot settings dialog box, you are ready to place Hotspots. Just click at the desired location. In some situations, you may need to continue construction starting exactly on a given point of an element at a location where it has no hotspot or special point. The solution is to generate hotspots that will allow you to snap to this point. Note: The Guide Lines function is also available for locating intersection points and other useful snap points. You can automatically generate Hotspots at intersection points on the imaginary extensions of elements. The Hotspot tool must be active. 1. Select a line, edge or arc and place the cursor on top of another (the cursor will be in the Mercedes form). 2. Ctrl-click (Cmd-click) to generate a hotspot.

Note: Ctrl/Cmd-clicking the edge of a Roof while another one is selected will fit the clicked edge to the common ridge (if any) of the two roof planes. With the Wall or Line tool active, selected Walls or Lines will be extended to meet the intersection point with the clicked edge.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1183

Documentation

To place a Hotspot at a remote tangential point, select the arc(s) and Ctrl-click (Cmd-click) with the Checkmark cursor on any element (hotspot or node). Tangential hotspots will be generated on the imaginary extensions of arcs or curved edges. It is also possible to add Hotspots with a Ctrl-click (Cmd-click) to: A parallel projection of a wall, a line or the edge of a roof, a fill or a slab from a selected hotspot.

A perpendicular projection from any element hotspot (Checkmark cursor location) or any empty space (Crosshair cursor location) to a selected wall, slab, roof, fill edge or line.

1184

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Figures
Figures are image files imported and then embedded into the ArchiCAD project file. They can be inserted in any of the 2D windows (Floor Plan, Section/Elevation/IE and 3D Document window, Detail, Worksheet, Layout). Figures are placed and manipulated by the dedicated Figure tool. For more information, see Figure Tool Settings. A placed Figure can serve as a background image to the ArchiCAD model by using the Align View function. You can also place the cropped content of an ArchiCAD window in the plan as a figure. For more information, see Copy Cropped Image File with Marquee Tool. Note: Drawings, in contrast to Figures, are assigned ID numbers and (optionally) titles. Their frames can be cropped. Unlike Figures, Drawings represent linked files that can be updated. For more information, see Drawings in Model Views. Figures can be displayed either with or without handles or as simple placeholders. This setting is global, that is, it affects all placed Figures. The choice can be made using the Figure Handle toggle under View > On-Screen View Options. Note: Regardless of the import method, the images of Figure type elements are embedded in the Project and can make the file quite large. Use sizes and resolutions only as needed to prevent overloading the Project.

1187

Documentation

Annotation
Annotation Elements display numeric or textual data in 2D views, either about the elements they refer to or as standalone informative elements. Dimensions are added to construction elements and drafting elements in the Floor Plan and the Section/Elevation/IE, 3D Document, and Worksheet/Detail windows using Dimension tools. The Grid Tool allows you to place Grid elements individually or in a Grid System. Grid elements are part of the model and serve as an editable framework for placing multiple elements or for identifying locations in the model. Texts are inserted using the Text tool, in text blocks accompanied by a flexible formatting options. Autotext is a text element containing a definition filled in automatically by the program. Autotext can be placed in both Model Views and Layouts. Labels allow you to link text information or a symbol to construction elements and 2D Fills. Freestanding Labels are also available.

Dimensioning The Grid Tool Text Blocks Autotext Labels Find and Select Text Blocks/Labels Text Editing in ArchiCAD

1188

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Dimensioning
ArchiCADs dimensioning tools give you great flexibility in annotating the Virtual Building with your choice of measurement units and standards. Dimensions are associative, which means that dimension values will be updated automatically if the element they are associated to is modified. Exception: Dimensions you set to be static are not associative. See Static Dimensions. Dimensions can be placed in the Floor Plan, the Section/Elevation/IE, the 3D Document, and the Detail and Worksheet windows. The 3D Document window has some unique dimensioning options. See Linear Dimensions in the 3D Document Window. The following dimensioning construction options are available: Linear Dimensions display element lengths, both curved and straight.

Elevation Dimensions (a construction method of the Linear Dimension tool) display height values in Section/Elevation/IE and 3D Document views.

Level Dimensions display height values on the Floor Plan.

Radial Dimensions display the radius of curved elements.

Angle Dimensions display the angle in degrees between pairs of lines or edges.

Dimensioning Standards Placing Dimensions Glossary of Dimensioning Terms Static Dimensions Linear Dimensions Linear Dimensions in the 3D Document Window

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1189

Documentation

Dimensioning Overlapping Elements Elevation Dimensions Dimensioning Wall Thickness Radial Dimensions Level Dimensions Angle Dimensions Editing a Dimension Chain Modify the Witness Line Dimension Text Type and Font Change Position of Dimension Text Edit Content of Dimension Text Associative Dimensions in Sections/Elevations/IE and 3D Document Secondary Dimensions (Add-On) Automatic Exterior Dimensioning Automatic Interior Dimensioning

1190

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Dimensioning Standards
ArchiCAD supports the use of different Dimensioning Standards. Use Options > Project Preferences > Dimensions to apply a Dimensioning standard or to create a customized standard.

For more information, see Dimensions Preferences. For a quick way to change the dimension standard of your project, use the Dimensions pop-up in the Quick Options Palette.

Custom Dimension Standards

You can fine-tune any of the dimension unit types in the project. For example, if you are working with the millimeter standard, but decide to display Door/Window dimensions in centimeters, go to Dimensions Preferences. Choose Door/Window as the dimension type and change its units to centimeters.

The project Standard is now Custom. You can save this new standard under its own name by clicking Add. Dimension unit standards you set here are saved along with your project.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1191

Documentation

Vary Dimension Standard by View

While the Dimension Standard set here applies to the Project globally, you can apply a different dimension standard to any view of the Project, if needed. To change the dimension standard for any single view, go to itsView Settings 2D/3D Documents Panel and adjust its Dimensions setting.

1192

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Placing Dimensions
The general process for dimensioning is as follows: 1. Select the appropriate dimensioning tool; choose settings in Dimension Tool Settings, construction and geometry methods. 2. As applicable, click along the element you want to dimension; these clicks create temporary reference points that indicate exactly where dimension units should begin and end. As you click on the element to be dimensioned, the element will be highlighted, as an aid to help you identify which element you are working on. Note: This highlight functions if the Highlight contours of related element(s) checkbox is active in Options > Work Environment > Selection and Element Information. 3. Double-click after placing the final reference point. 4. Click the black hammer cursor where you want the dimension chain to appear. For some dimension types, a rubberband line follows your cursor to help you choose the correct dimension direction. Linear Dimensions dimensions offer additional options (involving additional clicks) for determining the dimension line location. See Linear Dimension Line Placement Options. You can revoke any marked Reference Point by clicking it again.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1193

Documentation

Glossary of Dimensioning Terms

Reference points are temporary nodes that you create on ArchiCAD elements during the dimensioning process. If you place a reference point at an ineligible location (or in empty space), the cursor shows a rectangular reference point (as shown in the image below) instead of the regular circular one. This means that the reference point will be a static one and will not follow suit when the dimensioned elements are stretched or dragged. See also Static Dimensions.

Reference points are temporary; they disappear after you click to place the dimension chain. The Dimension Chain appears after you click the hammer cursor at the end of the dimensioning process.

A dimension chain, for Linear Dimensions, consists of a dimension line along the length of the element; witness lines (perpendicular to the dimension line), if Dimension Settings are set to display them; dimension points (where the dimension line intersects with the witness lines). A dimension unit connects two adjacent dimension points and includes the written dimension values.

1194

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Static Dimensions
Static Dimensions are an exception to the general rule that dimensions in ArchiCAD are associative. You can opt to make any linear or level dimension a static dimension, by enabling the Static Dimension checkbox in Dimension Settings.

The dimension line of a static dimension will not follow any modifications to model elements. The reference points of Static dimensions are shown as rectangular points (rather than the circle points on associative dimensions.) Once a dimension has been made static, it cannot be made associative again. If none of a dimension chains markers are attached to construction nodes, the dimension chain will become static. Static dimensions behave like other dimensions in two ways: 1. If rotated or mirrored, the value is always turned so that you can read it from the bottom. 2. If the Dimension Unit is modified in Options > Project Preferences > Dimensions, all values will be updated. For more information, see Dimensions Preferences.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1195

Documentation

Linear Dimensions
Linear Dimensions measure linear distances along an element, either straight or curved. Four construction methods are available in both the Info Box and the Linear Dimension Tool Settings dialog box. With the Linear method, distances between two adjacent Reference Points are measured and displayed.

With the Cumulative method, the first Reference Point is considered the zero point of the dimension chain. All dimension values of the chain will give you the distance between any Reference Point and the zero point.

With the Base-line method, measuring the dimensioning distances is the same as with the Cumulative method, but the zero point is not marked.

With the fourth icon, you create Elevation Dimensions.

For more information, see Elevation Dimensions. Geometry Methods for Linear Dimensions are set in the Info Box.

The default Any Direction method enables you to create dimension chains at a variety of positions relative to the elements position: either parallel to the first two reference points placed, or horizontal/vertical, or parallel to another edge/surface of your choice.

The X-Y Only method restricts the dimension line zones to horizontal and vertical only, relative to the screen.

The Arc Length method allows you to dimension curved elements.

1196

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

The Geometry Method you choose applies to the entire dimension chain, and cannot be set unit by unit. Note: There are additional Geometry Methods for use in the 3D Document window. See Linear Dimensions in the 3D Document Window.

Linear Dimension Line Placement Options

To dimension a straight element, place a series of dimension points along the element, then double-click. The next step is to move the hammer cursor to the position where you want to place the dimension line. When dimensioning a straight vertical or horizontal edge, a rubberband line provides feedback when placing the dimension line:

However, dimensioning an element in any other position - and if you are using the default Any Direction geometry method - will give you three dimension line options (zones): vertical, horizontal, or parallel to the first two dimension points in the chain. Move the cursor around to get feedback on the possibilities.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1197

Documentation

For example, when dimensioning the slanted roof in the Section below with the Any Direction method, use the parallel option to place the dimension line parallel to the roof:

Alternatively, by moving the hammer cursor to another zone, you can choose a horizontal or vertical dimension instead:

An additional dimension line vector is also available: After the black hammer cursor appears, you can move this cursor to any straight line/edge in the project. Note: In the 3D Document window, you must align the dimension to the edge of a construction element - line segments do not work.

1198

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

In the following image, we have dimensioned the slanted roof and the black hammer cursor appears, and the standard three dimension line directions (horizontal, vertical, parallel to roof) are available.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1199

Documentation

Suppose you want to dimension the roof using the vector parallel to the diagonal, instead of parallel to the roof. After clicking the two dimension nodes on either end of the roof, move the cursor over the diagonal. The cursor then changes to the Mercedes + parallel dimension cursor shape, to indicate that it has found an edge, to which the dimension line can be parallel:

Click now to constrain the dimension line to be parallel to this line/edge.

1200

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Now drag the dimension line to its final position and click with the black hammer to place the dimension chain.

Linear Dimensioning of Curved Elements

The Arc Length geometry method measures the length of a curved line or wall. With the Linear Dimension tool active, choose the Arc Length Geometry Method from the Info Box. Click with the Mercedes cursor on a circular arc or a curved edge - you dont have to find the end points, you can click anywhere on the curve.

ArchiCAD automatically marks the end points of the arc or the edge. This is the edge that arc length will be measured on. You may click any other points you want to add to the dimension chain. Double-click anywhere in the workspace with the Empty Pencil cursor or click the OK button in the Control Box to finish selecting arc points for dimensioning.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1201

Documentation

The Hammer cursor appears, prompting you to place the dimension chain. Click to place the dimension chain.

Note: The Arc Length geometry method cannot be used for elliptical arcs and splines, Curtain Walls, or for (closed) circles. To achieve an approximate dimensioning of an elliptical arc or spline, first select it and turn it into a series of arcs using the Magic Wand tool, then use the Arc Length geometry method to dimension the arcs.

1202

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Linear Dimensions in the 3D Document Window

In the 3D Document window, use the Linear Dimension tool to place dimensions as needed. All the options for Linear Dimensions are available except Arc Length. As in 2D windows, you can limit the options to the X-Y Only constraint, or use Any Direction to place the line parallel to the first two clicked points.

Furthermore, as in 2D windows, the Any Direction option lets you constrain the dimension line by clicking with the mercedes+parallel dimension cursor on any other line/edge. In the 3D Document window only: You can constrain the plane in which the dimension line is to be placed. To choose a plane constraint for linear dimensions in the 3D Document window, choose among the options in the Linear Dimension Tool Info Box:

the horizontal plane the vertical plane any other plane The default is the Any Plane option, which gives you the most freedom.

Choose Dimension Plane in 3D Document Window

When placing a linear dimension in the 3D Document window with the Any Plane or the Vertical geometry method, you can choose the dimension plane. Suppose we wish to dimension the width of the roof in a 3D Document. Activate the Linear Dimension tool. Select the Any Plane geometry method in the Info Box, as well as the Any Direction option.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1203

Documentation

As usual, click at both ends of the roof, then double-click. The black hammer cursor appears.

Next, choose the plane in which you wish to measure the dimension. Move the cursor onto the roof. The magnet+dimension line cursor appears, indicating that you will select a surface as the dimension plane.

Click to measure the dimension along this plane.

1204

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Now the cursor will move only in this defined plane. Click one more time to place the dimension line at the desired location.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1205

Documentation

Offset Dimension Plane

Once you have placed a dimension line in the 3D Document window, you can offset it within its current plane. This option is available for dimensions in the 3D Document only:

The usual dimension line editing options are also available from the pet palette (insert/merge dimension point, drag or align dimension line.) See Editing a Dimension Chain.

1206

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Dimensioning Overlapping Elements

You may have to dimension elements that overlap with each other. The element detection feature makes it easy to know which element you are associating your dimension to. By default, element detection is activated in ArchiCAD. During dimensioning or parameter transfer operations, the contours of related elements will be highlighted to help you identify which element you are working on. In the following image, the element detection highlight tells you that the linear dimension you are placing will be associated to the highlighted column, not to the wall.

If youd rather associate the dimension to the wall, move the cursor until the wall is highlighted, then place the dimension.

(Another way to select one of several overlapping elements is to pre-select one of them, then click TAB until the Info Tag indicates that the required element is ready to be selected.)

To activate/deactivate element detection, go to Options > Work Environment > Selection and Element Information, and activate/deactivate this checkbox: Highlight contours of related element(s) when placing or editing element. You can set a unique color for this highlight.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1207

Documentation

Elevation Dimensions
A special case of the linear Dimension tool is the Elevation Dimensioning construction method. Elevation Dimensions allow you to place height markers in Section/Elevation/IE and 3D Document windows. You can also use Elevation Dimensions on the Floor Plan, but there they only measure the Floor Plans Y-axis from the current Project/User Origin. Elevation Dimensioning is calculated based on the Dimension Origin, which you can set as needed in the Elevation Dimensioning Settings dialog box.

A series of Elevation Dimensions behaves as an associative dimension chain. You can select and edit the whole series by clicking on the invisible axis of the chain (where the cursor changes to Mercedes with Arrow) with the Arrow tool, or Shift-clicking with another tool active.

Individual markers in the chain cannot be edited. Place individual markers by clicking the point you want to dimension, then double-click, or click OK in the Control Box. Use the Hammer cursor to position the marker. 1208

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

To place a chain of Elevation markers, click multiple points, then double-click (or click OK in the Control Box) and use the Hammer cursor to place the chain.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1209

Documentation

Note: Hotlinked Modules placed in the Project may contain Elevation Dimensions that refer to a User Origin. In this case, the dimension values will be the same as in the source Project. Different rules apply if you move the Elevation Dimensions in the host Project:

If you select and move all elements related to an Elevation Dimension without selecting the dimension chain itself, the dimension chain will move with them. The origin of the dimension values will keep its position, which means that the numbers will change. If you select and drag elements together with the Elevation Dimension they relate to, and the dimension chain has a custom origin, the origin will move with the dimensions, which means that the numbers will keep their values.

1210

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Dimensioning Wall Thickness

Now you have defined two infinite reference lines, which divide the space into four quadrants. With the reference points defined, the Hammer cursor appears. Click to place the angle dimension. The arc of the angle dimension will pass through the point you click. The Angle Dimension Info Box offers two construction methods:

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1215

Documentation

With the Inner Dimension (acute) construction method, only the quadrant of the space in which you click with the Hammer cursor will be dimensioned.

With the Outer Dimension (obtuse) construction method, ArchiCAD will calculate the angle of the clicked quadrant, plus the two adjacent quadrants.

Placing Angle Dimensions on Curves

Select the Angle Dimensioning tool in the Toolbox, then click the bent polygon edge or circular arc you wish to dimension. The two endpoints of the arc will be automatically marked.

1216

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Finally, place the dimension line with the Hammer cursor.

Note: It is always the arc side of the angle that will be dimensioned, regardless of the geometry method you choose, or which side you click to.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1217

Documentation

If you select and delete a dimension unit in the middle of a dimension chain, the chain will be broken into two separate parts.

You can eliminate an entire dimension chain by selecting and deleting it.

Merge Dimension Chains

Separate dimension chains can be merged by selecting one of the chains and Ctrl/Cmd-clicking on the other one. Another way is to use the Insert/Merge Dimension Point command from the Pet Palette: select one dimension chain, bring up the pet palette and click the command, then click on the other dimension chain to merge it.

The second chain will be deleted and its Reference Points added to, and dimensioned by, the first (selected) chain. You can use this technique even with dimension chains that are not parallel with one another and/ or have no overlapping parts at all.

Drag a Dimension Chain

Dimension chains can be dragged to a new location: use the Drag command from the pet palette of a selected Dimension chain.

Note that associative Dimension chains can only be dragged along the direction of their witness lines. You can move the cursor anywhere when dragging, but only the perpendicular component of the movement will be applied to the chain. You cannot drag a Radial Dimension away from the element it dimensions; you can only move it to another location along the elements curve.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1221

Documentation

Align Dimension Line to an Edge

If you want to line up a dimension line with another existing line or edge in the window, use the pet palettes Align dimension line command. First, select the Dimension chain. Choose Align dimension line from the pet palette.

Click with the cursor on a straight edge or line. The selected Dimension chain will align itself with the clicked element.

Rotate Dimensions
You can use rotation to change the orientation of a Dimension chain after it is completed: use the Rotate Dimension command in the pet palette of a selected Dimension chain.

Rotated Dimension Chains will remain associated to the same nodes, so you will see the length and the values change along with the witness lines. After a rotation, all the reference points will automatically be redimensioned and projected along the new direction.

1222

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Mirror Dimensions
Dimension chains can be moved to the opposite side of a Wall by mirroring. Choose the Mirror Dimension command from the pet palette of a selected Dimension chain.

As when mirroring any other element, click twice to define the mirroring vector and place the Dimension chain in its new position. For more information, see Mirroring Elements. The value positions are always automatically recalculated by ArchiCAD so that you can read them from the bottom or from the right.

1225

Documentation

Edit Content of Dimension Text

By default, the Dimension Text shows the measured value of the dimension. You can edit this text as needed: add Autotext items and/or custom text. Even if you use custom text, the measured value will remain associative: if the dimension value changes, your dimension text will adjust to display the new correct value. Dimension Text items are individually editable in the Dimension Text Settings dialog box. To open this dialog box, you must first select the Dimension Text item (not the entire Dimension line). See also Copy-Paste Dimension Text. Select the Dimension Text, then do one of the following: click the Text icon in the Info Box double-click the Dimension Tool icon in the Toolbox click the Edit > Dimension Text Settings command. (This command is only available when a Dimension Text is selected.) The Dimension Text Settings dialog box opens.

Measured Value
This field displays the measured value of the selected dimension. By default, this option is selected, so the dimension text will show only the measured value.

1226

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Custom Text
Choose this option if you want to add custom data to the dimension text. By default, the <MeasuredValue> Autotext item is displayed in the edit field as soon as you click the Custom Text radio button.

Note: For Level Dimensions, the <PZValue> Autotext item is shown, representing Project Zero as the dimension origin. To change the origin of level dimension values, use Dimension Default Settings. See Level Dimension Tool Settings.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1227

Documentation

In this text field, enter any custom text before and/or after the Autotext (or in place of it). But regardless of any additional custom text that you may have added, the Autotext remains associative - that is, if you edit the dimension line, the Measured Value will be adjusted accordingly.

1228

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Insert Autotext as Dimension Text

From the pop-up field to the right, you can choose from additional Autotexts to add to the Dimension text field, if desired. The contents of this list depend on the type of dimension (e.g. Linear or Elevation dimension):

Autotext means that the Dimension text will display the current value of the chosen Autotext reference: for example, if you have defined a reference level called Sea Level, you can choose to Sea Level here as the Autotext, and Dimension Text will display the elevation dimension to that level. If you choose a text in quotation marks (e.g. 1st Reference Level), this text itself will be displayed, not its value. Note: To define your projects reference levels, use Options > Project Preferences > Levels and Project North. (See Levels and Project North Preferences.) Apart from autotexts, you can add any custom text to the editable text field below the pop-up. The field below gives you a preview of what you will see on the plan.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1229

Documentation

Use the Start/Finish Superscript Autotext if you want the Custom text to include superscript text; click this option to insert a caret before the superscript text, and click it again to finish the superscript with a second caret.

The Displayed Value field shows you what the dimension text will look like on screen.

Undo Changes to Dimension Text Content

To undo changes of all modified dimension text items at once, open the Options > Project Preferences > Dimensions dialog box and check the Revert All Custom Text to Measured Value checkbox. See Dimension Text Settings for information on editing style and font type of dimension text.

Copy-Paste Dimension Text

It is possible to copy-paste a dimension text within ArchiCAD windows. Only the simple text items can be copied; superscripts will not be copied. 1. Select the dimension text only (not the dimension line itself) 2. Use the Copy command (Edit > Copy or Ctrl/Cmd + C) 3. Paste the dimension text (Edit > Paste or Ctrl/Cmd + V) - for example, to a text box or onto a Layout.

1230

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Dimension Text Type and Font

You can set most options for Dimension Text font in two locations: 1. Use the options in the Dimension Type and Font panel of Dimension Settings.

For details, see Dimension Type and Font Panel. Note the Horizontal checkbox: it is available if you choose the second, Interrupt option to display dimension text. Check the Horizontal box if you wish to display dimensions horizontally, rather than in the same direction as the dimension line. When the 3D Document is active, the Horizontal option is checked by default. 2. Use the Settings panel of the Dimension Text Settings dialog box. See Dimension Text Settings. Related topics:

Change Position of Dimension Text Edit Content of Dimension Text

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1231

Documentation

Change Position of Dimension Text

Dimension Text items are individually editable. You must first select the Dimension Text item (not the entire Dimension line).

To Move Dimension Text items graphically:

Once you select a dimension text item, you can change its position and/or orientation using Edit functions (e.g., Drag, Rotate).

To undo the position changes of all modified dimension text items, open the Options > Project Preferences > Dimensions dialog box. and check the Revert All Dimension Text to Automatic Position checkbox. To reset the position of a selected custom text item, check the Revert to Automatic Position box at the bottom of Dimension Text Settings.

See also Dimension Text Settings. See also Copy-Paste Dimension Text.

1232

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Associative Dimensions in Sections/Elevations/IE and 3D Document

Dimensions in the Section/Elevation/IE and 3D Document windows are associative, meaning that every dimension point you create adheres to its reference point. For instance, when you stretch the Window in the wall, it will cause the entire dimension chain to be automatically updated.

Elevation Dimensions and Angle Dimensions are also associative. When a Model type Section is turned into a Drawing type Section, dimension points will still remain associated to the right points and will reflect the changes to the model, if you use the Rebuild from Model command. For more information, see Updating Sections.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1233

Documentation

Secondary Dimensions (Add-On)

The Secondary Dimensions function allows you to add metric unit equivalents to dimension values displayed in feet and inches, and vice versa. The Secondary Dimensions hierarchical menu is located in the Document > Document Extras hierarchical menu. Note: If your program does not display the Secondary Dimensions menu, you can add it to your work environment. For more information, see Menu Customization Dialog Box. Use the Document > Document Extras > Secondary Dimensions > Convert Dimensions dialog box to set the unit and the number of decimals of the converted dimension value. Click OK, and the secondary values will appear on the opposite side of the dimension line.

The new values will be placed as a text block, and can be edited as any other text block.

If nothing is selected on the Floor Plan, all placed dimensions will be converted.

If there are selected dimensions, only their values will be converted.

Changes made to dimensioned elements do not automatically update the converted dimensions. Choose Document > Document Extras > Secondary Dimensions > Refresh converted dimensions to update both the value and the location of the dimension. Again, this command will work on either all dimensions (if nothing is selected) or selected ones. If you do not need equivalents any more, simply choose Remove converted dimensions from the Secondary Dimensions menu. For more information, see Convert Dimensions Dialog Box (Add-On).

About the Grid Tool Components of a Grid Element Visibility of a Grid Element Creating a Straight Grid Element Creating a Curved Grid Element Editing a Grid Element Editing Grids in Teamwork Place a Grid System

1240

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

1245

Documentation

Creating a Straight Grid Element

Grid elements can be created in the Floor Plan or 3D window. The Straight Grid Element method produces one straight Grid Element at a time.

After setting up the element settings or choosing a Favorite, select the Grid Tool. Choose the Straight Grid Element geometry method from the Info Box. Click to place the endpoints and to define the length of Grid Element. The moment you start drawing the Grid Element, a ghost contour appears and it follows the cursor until you click at the second endpoint.

1246

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Creating a Curved Grid Element

After setting up the element settings or choosing a Favorite, select the Grid Tool. Choose one of the two Curved Grid Element Geometry methods from the Info Box.

The first option defines the curved Grid by the arc's centerpoint and radius. Your first click defines the centerpoint. A ghost contour of the circular grid follows your cursor until you click a second to time to define the radius. After that, only a partial ghost curved segment is shown, until you click a third time to define the length of the arc grid s circumference. When all three points are defined, the ghost contour is replaced by the fully displayed Grid Element.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1247

Documentation

The second option defines the curved Grid by three points on the arc's circumference. You will probably place first two points so that they connect other elements, grid intersections or special snap points. Next, a ghost circle follows the cursor until you click a third time to define the third point.

A fourth click is needed to define the length of the arc segment. The ghost arc is now replaced by the fully displayed Grid Element.

1248

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Editing a Grid Element

Edit Length of Grid Line
Any Grid elements can be stretched with Pet palette commands: select the Grid Element, then choose the Stretch icon.

Stagger Markers Away from Grid Line

Select a Grid element. Click on the editing hotspot which represents the staggered part of the Grid marker, and then drag the Marker, together with the staggering length, to a new position.

Edit Grid Position

The horizontal position of a grid element can be edited on the Floor plan and 3D window only. Select the Grid Element and use the familiar pet palette commands and shortcuts to Drag, Mirror or Rotate the Grid element, or copies of it.

The vertical position (Z-value) of a grid element can be edited in the 3D window or through the Grid Tool 3D View Panel/Info box.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1249

Documentation

Documentation

Place a Grid System

To lay out a complete orthogonal or curved grid mesh, use the Grid System function. The Grid System command can save you a lots of time by automating the task of placing multiple Grid Elements in one step, following a defined scheme, and even placing elements on dedicated positions. You can also place dimensions throughout the Grid system in one step. A Grid System is a collection of Grid Elements; each Grid element continues to act as a distinct element, even though they are placed as part of a system. Select Design > Grid System. Adjust the Grid System Settings. The number of horizontal and vertical grid lines to be placed in this Grid System depends on what you set in the Grid Positions panel: click the plus and minus signs to add or remove individual Grid lines from the Grid System.

The number of Grid lines is shown in the axes field below. Click in the Distance field of any Grid line to define its distance from the previous Grid line:

If you do not know the distance you will need between your Grid lines, check the Distribute box for either or both Grid line directions (i.e. horizontal and/or vertical grid lines). This will enable you, when you place the Grid system, to set the beginning and endpoints of the Grid system in the given direction, divided into the number of Grid lines defined in the list. When you are satisfied with Grid System Settings, click OK. You will see a ghost grid system at the cursor, which you can place with two to four clicks: the first click defines the location of the anchor point you selected in the settings
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1253

Documentation

the second click defines the rotation of the grid system if you selected the Distribute function as well, then one or two additional clicks are required to define the full distances for distribution in one or both directions, depending whether you checked Distribute for one or both directions.

Note: You can select and edit all or selected elements of a placed grid system by selecting them using any of the ArchiCAD selection methods.

1254

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Place Object, Column or Beams with Grid System

Use the General Settings panel of Grid System Settings to place an Object or Column automatically at every Grid intersection point; or to place a Beam along every Grid line of the Grid System. The Settings button next to each checkbox will take you to the relevant Tool Settings dialog box (Column, Object, Beam). For details on these controls, see Grid System General Settings Panel. Although these checkboxes mean that Beams, Columns or objects are placed at each Grid intersection, these elements are independent of the Grid and will not be moved or rotated along with the Grid System.

Dimension Grid System

Two additional checkboxes in the General Settings panel of Grid System Settings enable you to automatically dimension each Grid line segment in the system, and/or to place a single total dimension for each Grid line. These dimensions are associated to the Grid system. The Settings button to the right of the Dimension checkboxes take you to Dimension Default Settings, where you can set the options for the chosen Dimension type for your Grid System. For example, you can set all of the individual Grid line dimension text to be displayed in italic, while the Total Dimension values are displayed in bold type. Note that if you would like to use uniform Dimension settings for both dimension lines, then you can use the Chain button to link them together, in the General Settings panel of Grid System Settings.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1255

Documentation

Use the Text Tool Settings and Info box to format the Text Block as a whole. Double-click the Text tool to open the Text Settings dialog box, which has two panels: The Text Style Panel settings apply to the appearance of your text characters. The Text Block Formatting Panel settings apply to the shape and appearance of the text block. To stretch a Text Block, select it and reshape it using any of its corner nodes. A rubberband box provides feedback as you stretch; the text in the block will automatically rearrange itself according to the new outline.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1259

Documentation

Resizing Text Graphically

You can change the size of the text inside the text block using a Stretch technique. Select the text block and stretch it with either the Stretch menu command or the pet palette. Move the cursor along the text blocks diagonal, and press the Shift key to constrain it to the diagonal.

With Shift still pressed, click to define the new size. The font size will grow or shrink proportionally.

1260

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Applying Favorite Text Settings

To apply Favorite settings to the entire text block, select the text block, switch to a Favorite in Text Tool Settings, and click OK (or double-click the desired Favorite from the Favorites palette).

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1261

Documentation

Formatting Individual Components of Text Blocks

To format individual characters, lines and paragraphs that have been typed into your text block, or to switch styles while typing, use the Formatting Palette and the indent/tab controls of the Text Editor. The Text Editor and Formatting Palette appear as soon as you click on the Floor Plan (with the Text tool active) and begin typing into the text box. The Formatting Palette and Text Editor Controls apply only to the text you are entering in the Text Editor, or to selections inside the Text Editor.

1262

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Autotext
An Autotext is a text element containing a definition filled in automatically by the program. After you insert an Autotext definition, the program will fill in the data that apply in the current context. This data - which can be text or a numerical value - is automatically updated in accordance with the changes made to the model, layout or drawing. You can add Autotext to any window where the Text tool is active (Floor Plan, Section/Elevation/ IE, 3D Document, Detail, Worksheet, 2D Symbol of GDL Object, Layout, Master Layout). Autotext is also available as part of the IDs of Interior Elevations. The style of the Autotext can be formatted the same way as for any manually typed text.

How to Insert Autotext Autotext Reference Drawing

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1263

Documentation

How to Insert Autotext

1. Activate the Text tool 2. Click on screen. The Formatting Palette and Text Editor appear. Use one of the following ways to insert Autotext: Click the Insert Autotext button in the Formatting Palette to display a dialog box listing the possible Autotext choices.

You can pick among Autotext in several categories, or choose the All category to see them all. The Recent category will list recently inserted Autotext choices.

The Preview area will either display the relevant value of the chosen Autotext definition, or else a placeholder text plus #. This means either that the information is not available yet (for example, the #Client Name has not yet been filled in the File > Info > Project Info dialog box) or that it cannot be processed for some other reason (for example, because the view has not been placed onto a Layout).

1264

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

The other way to insert Autotext: Right-click at the insertion point in the Text Editor and choose the appropriate command from the Insert Autotext hierarchical menu.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1265

Documentation

If the information is already available, the appropriate text will appear in the Text Editor after you have selected it.

If the referenced information is not available, you will see a placeholder text.

When the missing information becomes available, the placeholder text is immediately updated with the relevant data. You can add any number of Autotexts, and type additional static text, in the same text block. The current Text Settings will be applied. To format individual characters or parts of text within a text block, use the Formatting Palette and Text Editor Controls.

1266

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Autotext Sources
There are several sources of Autotext: Project-specific information such as the name of the project (not necessarily the same as the file name), the name of the architect, the date of issue or any other piece of information entered in the File > Info > Project Info dialog box. Layout-specific information such as the name or ID of the layout, the name or ID of the subset, the number of layouts in the layout book. Drawing-specific information including the name, drawing scale and magnification factor of the drawing. Information that comes from a specified drawing (one which you define as an Autotext Reference Drawing. System-dependent information (file name, path, date of creation and modification, etc.).

Adding Autotext to GDL Objects

You can use Autotext when scripting GDL objects. For example, if you use a GDL object-type Title block placed on a Master Layout, you can script the Title block to show the Project Name. In a GDL script window, the Text Editor interface (with its lists of Autotext entries) is not available, so you must use the corresponding formatting codes. For a list of Autotext codes for use in GDL scripts, see Autotext Keywords.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1267

Documentation

Autotext Reference Drawing

ArchiCAD lets you set a particular drawing as an Autotext reference. This means that your Autotext does not necessarily have to refer to the view or layout onto which you are placing the text. To set a drawing as Autotext reference, select a drawing in the Navigator or Organizer or on the layout, then right-click to display a context menu and choose the Set as Autotext Reference command. (The same command is also available from the Drawing Manager.)

Once defined as an Autotext Reference, this drawing will appear as a choice in the Insert Autotext dialog box.

The Autotext entries that use the Reference as source will then show values based on the reference drawing. If you later define a different drawing as Autotext Reference, earlier Autotexts referring to the original drawing will remain unchanged.

Autotext Keywords
The following Autotext Keywords are available when using the Autotext commands.

1268

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Use the keywords in the right-hand column to insert Autotext items into GDL scripts. To show this Autotext: Project Info Client Project Name Project Number Company Street City State/Country Postal Code Architect CAD Technician Project Status Date of Issue Keywords Notes Custom 1 Custom 2 Custom 3 System autotexts Type this What it looks like if Autotext is Undefined #Client #Project Name #Pln #Company #Street #City #State/Country #Post #Architect #CAD Technician #Project Status ##/##/#### #Keywords #Notes #Custom 1 #Custom 2 #Custom 3 These autotexts are system-generated and always show the correct value if you have already saved your project file at least once. 11/20/2007 Tuesday, November 20, 2007 3:54 PM These system autotexts will be undefined until you save your project file at least once. #File Name #File Path ##/##/#### #Last saved by

Short Date Long Date Time System autotexts (File-dependent) File Name File Path Last saved at Last saved by Layout autotexts Layout Name Layout ID Subset Name Subset ID Layout Number

<SHORTDATE> <LONGDATE> <TIME>

<FILENAME> <FILEPATH> <LASTSAVEDAT> <LASTSAVEDBY>

<LAYOUTNAME> <LAYOUTID> <SUBSETNAME> <SUBSETID> <LAYOUTNUMBER>

#Layout Name #LayID #Subset Name #SubID #LayNo1

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1269

Documentation

Number of Layouts

Drawing autotexts Drawing Name <DRAWINGNAME> Drawing ID <DRAWINGID> Drawing Scale <DRAWINGSCALE> Original Scale <ORIGINALSCALE> Magnification <MAGNIFICATION>

#Drawing Name #DrgID 1:###### 1:###### ###%

Note: Your Drawing Scale, if you customize it in Drawing Settings, is distinct from its Original Scale (the scale of the Drawings source view).

1270

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Labels
Labels are optional text blocks or symbols linked to construction elements and 2D fills. Labels allow you to identify or comment elements or parts of your design. Labels can be framed or unframed, with leader and arrowhead. They can contain custom text specification, predefined automatic texts, or a symbol. See Label Tool Settings. There are three kinds of labels: Independent labels are manually placed in the Floor Plan or in a Section/Elevation/IE or 3D Document window using the Label tool. Typically, you will use an independent label to display information that does not come from the model (e.g. install snow picks here). Associative labels can be added to placed elements or assigned automatically when the element is created. Typically, you will use associative labels to identify model elements and their parameters. Member labels can be added, in Section/Elevation windows only, to any individual Curtain Wall member.

Placing Independent Labels Placing Associative Labels Search for Elements by Label Text Placing Member Labels on Curtain Walls Tool-Specific Default Labels Define Default Text Content of Labels Symbol Labels

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1271

Documentation

Placing Independent Labels

Independent Labels can only be placed manually. First, set the Label Tools default Type to Independent by doing one of the following Choose Independent Label from the pop-up options in the Label Info Box:

Or go to the Label Settings Content and Preview Panel and select Independent Label at the top of the list:

At the top of the Content and Preview panel, click the button at upper right of this panel to choose the type of independent label:

If you choose Text, then click OK to close the dialog box, use the Label Tool to place a predefined default text or a custom text in the Labels Text Box as described below. The predefined default text is whatever you type into the Text Label panel of the Label Settings dialog box.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1272

Documentation

If you choose any of the symbol-style labels from the pop-up list (e.g. Object Label), ArchiCAD will insert this symbol object - a predefined GDL object - when you place the independent Label. When such a symbol Label is placed as an Independent Label, it is not associated to any element in the plan. With the Label Tool active, click anywhere in the workspace to start drawing an independent label. Two additional mouse clicks define the direction and end of the pointer line. If the label content is Text, but no default text has been defined in Label Default Settings: draw a rubberband box after the third mouse-click to define the width of the label text box. If you do not want to predefine the text box width, simply click again at the end of the pointer line.

As with the Text tool, the Text Editor and Formatting Palette will appear. Type any length of text in the text box and click OK in the Control Box to complete the label. To format individual characters, lines and paragraphs that have been typed into your label text block, or to insert text symbols, use the Formatting Palette and Text Editor Controls (indent/tab controls). If the label content is Text, and a default text has been defined in Label Default Settings: the label is completed after the third mouse-click.

If the label content is a Symbol: the label is completed after the third mouse-click. ArchiCAD will insert this symbol object - a predefined GDL object - when you place the Label.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1273

Documentation

Placing Associative Labels

Associative Labels can be added to selected placed elements, or they can placed automatically at the same time the element is created. Associative labels, unlike independent labels, remain attached to the element even when you move the element. If you delete the element, its associated labels are also deleted. If you hide the elements layer, any associated label is also hidden - even if the label is located on a different layer.

To add an associative label to a placed element:

Do one of the following: Select the element, then activate the Label (element type) checkbox in the Listing and Labeling panel of the elements Settings dialog box; or

Activate the Label Tool, set its type to Associative in the Info Box:

... then click the element to place its label. The Tool-specific default label, if any, is placed. (See Tool-Specific Default Labels.)

To add an associative label to an element each time you place it:

Open the elements Default Settings dialog box. Go to the Listing and Labeling panel. Now activate the Label (element type) checkbox. (To define or change the content of the Label, you can access Label Settings here.) See Tool-Specific Default Labels, below.

A Label will be appended every time you place an element of that type. 1274
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Search for Elements by Label Text

You can use the Find & Select function to select elements depending on the text content of their associated labels. See also Find and Select Elements. 1. In the Find & Select dialog box, choose the Element type you wish to find. 2. As the next criterion, choose Label Text. 3. As the value, enter any desired text string. Click the Plus button to execute the Find & Select function. All Elements whose associated Label text matches or contains the entered text will be selected.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1275

Documentation

Tool-Specific Default Labels

You can assign a default Label type to each ArchiCAD tool individually using the Content and Preview Panel of Label Settings. For example, here the Wall label default is the Label object Wall Label 14.

Every time you click a Wall to place an associative Label, or every time you automatically label a Wall when placing it, ArchiCAD will place the Wall Label 14. In addition to Symbol labels, the default Label for any Tool can also be any Text, its ID, or a Unique ID.

1276

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Placing Member Labels on Curtain Walls

A special kind of Associative Label is the Member Label. It is available only in a Section/ Elevation/IE window, and only for Curtain Wall members. Note: To attach an associative Label to the Curtain Wall element as a whole (as opposed to any of its component Members), use the Associative Label type as described above. The Member Label works just like the Associative Label type. It will automatically append an associative label to the Member you click. If you have defined default text or other default label content for the Curtain Wall Member tools in Label Settings (Curtain Wall Junction, Frame, Panel or Accessory), then this default content will appear in the associative Member Label.

To place a Member Label, open a Section/Elevation/IE window which displays the Curtain Wall with the member you wish to label. With the Label Tool active, select the Member Label type from the Info Box.

Click on the Curtain Wall Member (e.g. Accessory) to which you wish to attach a Label. The Label is placed.

1281

Documentation

Text Editing in ArchiCAD

Search and Replace Text Spell Checker Editing Commands in Text-Type Windows
For information on placing and editing Text Blocks using ArchiCADs dedicated Text tool, see Text Blocks.

1282

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Search and Replace Text

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1291

Documentation

The commands of the Document > Layout Book menu

1292

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Layouts
To open a particular layout in the Layout Window, do one of the following: Double-click its name from the Navigators Layout Book or the Organizer palettes Layout Editor. Click the Layouts name from the Window menu Click Open Layout... from the Layout drop-down in the Mini-Navigator Toolbar. Activate the desired Layout from the appearing Open Layout list.

(To open a Layout in a new, separate window, select the Layout in the Navigator and choose Open in New Window from the context menu.) To navigate sequentially among Layouts in the Layout Book, click the navigation arrows at the bottom of the window to move to the previous, next, first or last Layout in the Layout Book. Click the button showing the current Layout number to access the Go to Layout command.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1293

Documentation

The contents of the layout windows are saved with the project. The white area represents the usable print area of the paper delimited by a blue frame. The gray area represents the non-printing area (margins) of the paper.

The displayed size and the margins of the Layout are defined by the Master Layouts. When printing the Layout, you can fit it to the actual paper size used by the device, with the Fit to Page control of the Print Layout dialog box. You can place, arrange and transform drawings in the Layout window, and manually add 2D elements as well as Autotext items. For more information, see Drawings in the Layout Book.

Create New Layout

To create a new Layout, do one of the following: choose the Document > Layout Book > New Layout command. The new layout will be listed at the bottom of the Layout Book. Click the New Layout icon in the Navigator or the Organizer

Use the New Layout command from the context menu of any Layout Book item in the Navigator. In the Navigators Tree by Subsets view, the new Layout will be listed directly underneath the currently highlighted element. If a Layout window is currently open, the new Layout will now be opened in its place.

1294

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

If a Subset is currently highlighted in the Navigator palette, the new Layout will be placed as the last element inside the Subset folder. If the Layout Book is currently highlighted in the Navigator palette, the new Layout will be placed as the last element in the Layout Book. You can also create new Layouts automatically when placing and importing drawings. (See Drawings in the Layout Book.)

Delete Layouts
You can delete any Layout in the Layout Book except the last one: the Layout Book must always contain at least one Layout.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1295

Documentation

Master Layouts
The Master Layout is like a template which defines the size of the Layouts (pages) of the Layout Book. Each Layout is assigned a Master Layout. The graphic and text items that you place on a Master Layout (Master items) will appear on every Layout that uses it as a template. Master Layouts are found in the Masters folder of the Layout Book and can be given distinctive names. ArchiCAD includes several predefined Master Layouts. You can use one of these predefined Master Layouts, or customize your own. Most related options are set in Master Layout Settings.

Open a Master Layout

To open a Master Layout, double-click its name in the Layout Book. By default, all Layouts and Master Layouts open in the same window, but you can also choose to open a new window for each one of them: set this preference in Options > Work Environment > More Options.

Default Master Layout

One of the Master Layouts will be applied by default to newly created Layouts. The default Master Layout is shown as earmarked.

To change the default Master Layout for your Layouts: Select the desired default Master Layout in the Navigator or Organizer, then do one of the following: From the context menu, choose Set as Default Open Master Layout Settings and check the Set as Default for New Layouts box.

1296

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

1299

Documentation

Subsets
A subset is a folder inside the Layout Book. Subsets allow you to easily organize your layouts and to define numbering rules for them. When working in the Navigator or Organizer, you can place any Layout into a Subset simply by dragging and dropping it into place. If you create a new layout in the Organizer palette when right-clicking the name of a subset, it will be placed automatically in this subset. A Subset folder is indicated by an folder icon with a small number 1.

Subsets are not required; you can place a Layout into the Layout book without placing it into a Subset. However, subsets are useful in organizing large-scale projects with multiple sets of documentation. When assigning IDs to Layouts, you can reflect the subset hierarchy as part of the Layout ID system, to make it easier to find the right Layout when needed. Subsets can be named upon creation and renamed in the Navigator palette Properties section. For more information on IDs, see Layout and Drawing IDs. When setting up the contents of a Publisher Set, you can add a shortcut to any Layout Book Subset: this means Publisher Set items are created which are linked to the Subset folder and to its contents. This means that any changes to the contents of the Subset in the Layout Book are also reflected in the contents of the Publisher Set. See Defining a Publisher Set.

1300

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Drawings in the Layout Book

Drawings are ArchiCAD views and external files that have been placed onto a Layout. Drawings can be created out of views from the current project file, or imported from external ArchiCAD project files. External drawing and picture files as well as PDF files can also be placed on the layout. All these placed items are collectively called Drawings. Note: Drawings can also be placed into Model Views. See Drawings in Model Views. You can arrange and manipulate placed Drawings on the Layout as needed. (Although you can place any number of ArchiCAD views on a Layout, you cannot embed views within each other.) By default, when placing model views onto a Layout, the placed drawings frame will be adjusted to show only the zoomed area of the model. (This default setting can be changed in Options > Work Environment > More Options.) Once the zoomed view is placed, you can later opt to readjust the frame to fit other parts of the model view, either manually using pet palette commands, or using the Fit Frame to Drawing radio button in Drawing Settings. You can customize the size, scale, title and framing options for your drawings in the Drawing Settings dialog box. See Drawing Settings.

Placing Drawings Onto the Layout Arranging Multiple Drawings on the Layout Importing PDF Files As Drawings Modifying Drawings on the Layout Drawing Titles Managing and Updating Placed Drawings Deleting a Drawing

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1301

Documentation

Placing Drawings Onto the Layout

Drawings can be placed on layouts separately or collectively in the following ways.

Place Current Model View onto Layout Drag and Drop View onto Layout Place Drawing from External Application Place Drawing Using Layout Editor Place Single Drawing Using the Drawing Tool Import View(s) from External ArchiCAD Project (Solo or Teamwork) Place Current Model View onto Layout
Choose Document > Save view and place on Layout, or right-click anywhere in the window and choose the command of the same name from the appearing context menu.

1302

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

The layout window will become active (opening the most recently active Layout, or the first Layout in the Layout Book) and a placeholder symbol with a double arrow representing the drawing will be displayed. Move it with the cursor and click to place it. During drawing placement, ArchiCAD will use the Drawings Anchor Point as set in the Drawing Properties Panel of Drawing Default Settings. The same Anchor Point will anchor the drawing in case its source view is later modified and the drawing updated.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1303

Documentation

Drag and Drop View onto Layout

With the Layout window active, go to the Navigator or Organizer palette and drag and drop one or several items (viewpoints, views or views originating from external ArchiCAD files) directly onto the layout. When added to a Layout, viewpoints are converted to views with their current settings. The newly created view is added to the View Map, and the newly placed Drawing is added to the Layout Book.

Note: When placing several items from the Navigator/Organizer simultaneously onto a Layout, the placement obeys the rules (such as Auto Arrange) set in the Drawing Placement section of Master Layout Settings. See Master Layout Settings. See Organizer Palette and External Projects in the Navigator. See also Arranging Multiple Drawings on the Layout.

Place Drawing from External Application

1. Use the File > External Content > Place External Drawing command. 2. From the appearing Place Drawing dialog box, select a drawing file from the file system. (The PDF format, many image formats, DXF and DWG are among the available formats.) Click Open. 3. Use the cursor to place the drawing in the ArchiCAD window. To import only certain layers of DWG/DXF/or DWF drawings: See Enable Partial Open at Open Options. To show/hide the source layers of imported DWG drawings placed in ArchiCAD: See Embedded Layers. Use the controls in Drawing Settings to define the drawings appearance and behavior. See Drawing Settings. See also Importing PDF Files As Drawings.

1304

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Place Drawing Using Layout Editor

In the Organizers Layout Editor, drag and drop viewpoints, views and external files from the appropriate hierarchy list on the left side into the Layout Book on the right side. (Or use the Place Drawing command on the left side of the Organizer.) See Organizer Palette. See also External Projects in the Navigator. The placement of the drawings obeys the following rules: If you drop an item on the name of an existing layout, the drawing will be added to that layout. If you drop an item on the name of a subset or the Layout Book itself, the drawing will be placed on a new layout created automatically inside the subset (or at the topmost level of the Layout Book. Use the controls in Drawing Settings to define the drawings appearance and behavior. See Drawing Settings.

Place Single Drawing Using the Drawing Tool

With a Layout window active, activate the Drawing tool from the Toolbox, then click on the Layout. From the appearing Place Drawing dialog box, choose one of the following options as the Drawing source:

an internal view: the current projects View Map is shown in the dialog box. Select a view, then click Place. (The properties of any selected view are displayed in the View Properties panel below.) 1305

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

an external source: Click Browse to locate the Drawing file using a directory dialog box. If you choose an ArchiCAD project file, the Place Drawing dialog box appears again, listing the View Map of the chosen project. Select a view, then click Place to place it on the active Layout window. an external Teamwork Project: Click Browse. In the appearing Select Teamwork Project dialog box, choose the server and the project you need. The Place Drawing dialog box appears again, listing the View Map of the chosen project. Select a view, then click Place to place it on the active Layout window. Important: To access the server and its projects, your user name must be present on the Teamwork projects User list. (See Manage Users on the BIM Server in the Teamwork section of ArchiCAD Help.) Use the controls in Drawing Settings to define the drawings appearance and behavior. See Drawing Settings.

Import View(s) from External ArchiCAD Project (Solo or Teamwork)

Import from a solo ArchiCAD project: 1. File > External Content > Place External Drawing 2. From the appearing dialog box, choose an ArchiCAD project (PLA, PLN, BPN). 3. Click Open. 4. The Import views from ArchiCAD Project dialog box appears. Choose the view(s) to import and a method for adding them to the Layout Book.

For more details, see Import Views from ArchiCAD Project. 1306
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

5. Click Select. The views are added to the Layout Book. Import from a Teamwork project: 1. File > External Content > Place External Drawing from Teamwork Project 2. In the appearing Select Teamwork Project dialog box, choose the server and the project you need. Note: Keep in mind that if you link a drawing from a Teamwork project, that source Teamwork project must have the same version number as the host project. 3. Click Select. Important: To access the server and its projects, your user name must be present on the Teamwork projects User list. (See Manage Users on the BIM Server in the Teamwork section of ArchiCAD Help.) 4. The Import views from ArchiCAD Project dialog box appears. Choose the view(s) to import and a method for adding them to the Layout Book. For more details, see Import Views from ArchiCAD Project. 5. Click Select. The views are added to the Layout Book. See also Note on Drawings placed from Teamwork Project. Placing a view from another ArchiCAD project file will launch another instance of ArchiCAD. Note: If you do not wish to launch ArchiCAD with each view placement, go to Options > Work Environment > More Options and check Do not launch new instance of ArchiCAD. Once you have placed a view from an external ArchiCAD project file into the current one, the view map and Layout Book structure of this source file will be at your disposal in the Project Chooser, and you will be able to place additional drawings easily into the current projects Layout Book. See also External Projects in the Navigator.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1307

Documentation

Arranging Multiple Drawings on the Layout

When placing multiple Drawings onto a layout, the Drawings will arrange themselves according to the Drawing Placement logic defined in Master Layout Settings. If the layout is defined (in Master Layout Settings) as using the Auto Arrange feature, the drawings will be placed according to these definitions in Master Layout Settings. Note: The default logic is Auto Arrange. If you are placing only a single drawing on the Layout, it will be placed in the center of the Layout. For more information, see Auto Arrange New Drawings.

If the layout onto which you are placing the drawings uses a Grid for Drawing IDs, the drawings will be placed in the appropriate cells. For more information, see Align and Assign Drawings to a Grid.

1308

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Importing PDF Files As Drawings

As when importing any other external file, use the File > External Content > Place External Drawing command. If the PDF file being imported is password-protected, you will have to provide a password when prompted. If you are importing a multi-page PDF document, a dialog box prompts you to choose which of the pages you wish to place.

Documentation

To customize the list columns, right-click any column header to bring up a list of available columns, or click the black arrow at the right end of the list columns.

Note: If you enable the Cut Plane column, it will display the Cut Plane height of the Drawings source, when applicable. This field will display N/A (not applicable) if the drawing is not based on a Floor Plan viewpoint, and/or if the drawing was created in an earlier version of ArchiCAD that does not use Cut Planes. By selecting any drawing in the list, you can use its context menu to access the most important drawing-related commands, such as Drawing Settings and Open Source View. Note: You cannot edit a selected drawings parameters directly in the Drawing Manager. To edit drawing parameters, use Drawing Settings. To update linked Drawings if its source file has been modified: In the Drawing Manager, select one or more Drawings from the list, then click the Update button, or In the Navigator or Organizer Layout Map view, select a Drawing from the tree view, then click the Update button

or right-click and choose the Update command from the context menu. You can also update all drawings at the same time if nothing is selected in the Navigator or Organizers Layout Map view.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1317

Documentation

If the Layout Book contains Drawings whose source is a linked PMK file (created in the Publisher out of an ArchiCAD model view), you can re-link all these PMK-based drawings back to their original model view. Select the PMK files in the Drawing Manager (multiselection is available) and use the following command from the context menu: Link to original Model View.

See the workflow description at Layout Workflow: Larger Projects. When opening a project that includes drawings whose source views or files have been modified, the Update Drawings dialog box is displayed. You can then either choose to ignore this warning, update all drawing links or go the Drawing Manager and decide to only update selected ones.

Note on Drawings placed from Teamwork Project

Use Flat Layout Order: This method will assign an ID to Layouts only (not taking subsets into account), from top to bottom in the Navigator Layout Book. Layouts will receive sequential IDs regardless of their hierarchical position - as in the illustration below. If you change the order of Navigator items, their IDs will change accordingly.

1325

Documentation

Drawing IDs
Each drawing placed onto a layout is automatically assigned a Drawing ID. The Drawing ID appears in front of the Drawing Name in the Navigator and the Organizer palette. The method of ID assignment is defined in Drawing Settings. Note that the Drawing Name and the Drawing ID are defined separately. In the Drawing Identification Panel of Drawing Settings, choose one of these options for defining the Drawings ID: By View ID: The Drawing will have the same ID as its source view. This option is often the most useful if your Layouts contain one Drawing each. (This option is only available if the Drawings source is an ArchiCAD view.) By Layout: The Drawing will get an ID based on its Parent Layout: the Drawing ID will have the Prefix/Style you define in Layout Settings, in the IDs of Drawings on this Layout panel. This option is most useful if your Layouts contain multiple Drawings. Custom: Assign any custom ID to this Drawing. You can also use the Grid for Drawing IDs feature of Master Layout Settings to automatically place drawings in cells and assign IDs in a matrix or a flat structure.

1326

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1327

Layout Workflow: Larger Projects

In larger architectural practices which handle large, multi-building projects, it may be more practical to break down the large project into smaller entities. Each of these subordinate entities (for example, buildings located on the same site) will then constitute a project file, which can still refer to a single set of templates, modules and libraries. However, the documentation will probably extend to the entire project, taking drawings from all the project files. In this case, it makes sense to define a single Layout Book that will accommodate views and files originating from all of the project files that make up the project. There are basically three solutions:

Single File Containing Model and Layout Book

If there is a large main file in the project with one or two smaller additional files, you can opt to build up the structure of the layout book in the larger file as you would in the single file model above, and then also open the smaller files, locate their views in the Organizer, and add them to the Layout Book. See Import View(s) from External ArchiCAD Project (Solo or Teamwork). See also External Projects in the Navigator.

1330

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Multiple Project Files, with Separate File for Layout Book Only
If there are many project files of about the same size and complexity, it may make sense to create an additional project file that does not contain any construction elements, just the Layout Book. You can then open the other files one by one and add their views to the Layout Map, possibly by creating a subset folder for each of them or by defining another custom hierarchical structure. When a layout is activated in the multiple file model, ArchiCAD checks whether it contains drawings that originate from project files other than the active one. If there are, it will then start updating those drawings that are set to be updated automatically. If the file containing the given drawing is open in another ArchiCAD session, the update occurs instantly. If the file containing the given drawing is not currently open, then another ArchiCAD session will be launched to open it.

Multiple Project Files, Separate Layout Book, Separate Drawings (PMK Files)
This workflow can be appropriate if several individuals are working concurrently on the model and documentation through a network.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1331

Documentation

In this workflow, as in the previous one, the model is located in one or more project files, and the Layout Book in a separate project file. The Layout procedure, however, is different: Layouts will contain Drawings whose source is in an external file, rather than directly linked to project views. The model designer will create views as usual in the ArchiCAD file. Instead of placing these views directly onto the Layout, s/he will use the Publisher function to save or upload the views in PMK format, a native ArchiCAD drawing format which takes up relatively less hard drive space than many other formats. See Defining Output Format. The architect responsible for the Layout Book will then place these PMK drawings on the Layout, using the Drawing Tool and the Place Drawing dialog box, or the File > External Content > Place External Drawing command. See Place Single Drawing Using the Drawing Tool. These placed Drawings, like any other Drawing, are either Auto-update or Manual-update. Their source is the PMK file. Consequently, it is the model designers responsibility to ensure that every time an ArchiCAD view is modified, the PMK file created from that view is also replaced, so that the Drawings linked to these PMK files can be updated. Advantages of this workflow: Updating documentation may be quicker, because it involves updating a single, small-sized drawing file at a time. Opening the Layout Book might take less time, since the PMK files serving as the Drawing sources are located outside the project file. If the PMK-based Drawings are set to Auto-update, then they will be automatically updated when the Layout is published. If necessary, you can break the Drawings link to the PMK file and re-link the Drawing to its original model view. To do this, select the PMK file(s) in the Drawing Manager (multiselection is available) and use the following command from the context menu: Link to original Model View.

1332

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Publishing
Outputs are the end result of the architectural design workflow; ArchiCAD gives you a high degree of flexibility in printing, plotting, and electronic publishing. For quick outputs of the current on-screen view, the Print and Plot commands are available directly from ArchiCADs file menu; the Print and Plot dialog boxes contain familiar options. You will normally use printing for creating fast outputs on which you can check various aspects of your design and plotting for creating the final documentation that will be submitted and sent to the client, the building authorities and the subcontractors. For large-scale, planned outputs of one or more publisher sets, the Publisher function is a handy concept dedicated to the architectural design workflow. Using the Publisher palette, you set up and save preferences for any number of publisher sets: you define whether to print, plot, upload them to a server or save them to disk. Once a publisher set is defined, you can publish or republish it at any time, using the same properties, at the push of a button.

Print Plot Publisher Function Create PDF Output Using the Publisher

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1333

Documentation

Print
The File > Print command will bring up a Print dialog box which varies slightly depending on the view you are printing: Layout, 2D or 3D.

Print 2D Document Print 3D Document Print Picture Print Layout

Note: The following descriptions are based on the Windows interface. For a discussion of the print/plot features unique to MacOS, see Printer/Plotter Settings for MacOS.

Items to be Printed
The Print command enables you to print the entire contents of the current window, or just a particular Print Area, as set in the Print 2D Document dialog box. From the Layout Window, you can print just the Layouts which are selected in the Navigator. Items that cannot be printed include Hotspots, selection dots, Section depth lines, Roof pivot lines, Cameras and their paths. The lines of the Construction Grid can be optionally printed from the 2D windows by checking the Print Grid checkbox. Note that you can only print the grid if Grid Display is ON. Items on a Trace view can also be printed. Note: Elements that are located on remote stories but individually set to display on the current story will always appear on the output. Use the Document > Set Model View > Model View Options dialog box to specify the display of model items on the Floor Plan, and thereby the printed output.

Header/Footer
When printing from ArchiCADs 2D or 3D window or Layout window, you have the option to place a Header or Footer on the printed page. You set the content of the Header/Footer in Header/Footer Settings.

1334

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Output Color
If you are using a printer that supports color or grayscale output, the color of the printed elements is defined by: 1. The setting made in the Print dialog box. Checking the Black and White box will print all colors in black independently of any other setting. For more information, see Print 2D Document. 2. The setting made on the Properties panel of the Drawing Settings dialog box for each individual drawing placed on the layout. Note: In the Drawing Settings Properties panel, the Pen Set pop-up allows you to choose a pen set for the drawing; the Colors pop-up allows you to choose the colors that will be used for printing it. Since the color and grayscale pensets are not connected, it makes a difference whether you first choose the Color pen set and then choose to display the drawing in grayscale or the other way round. The two results can be entirely different as shown below.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1335

Documentation

Plot
The File > Plot command brings up the Plot 2D Document dialog box. Note: The following descriptions are based on the Windows interface. For a discussion of the print/plot features unique to MacOS, see Printer/Plotter Settings for MacOS. Plotter drivers shipped with ArchiCAD all use the HPGL vector-graphic language. We refer to any printing device that supports HPGL as a 'plotter'. GRAPHISOFT provides dedicated plotter drivers for most plotters; for printing, you must use printer drivers provided by the vendor. Note: Many current large-format output devices come with printer drivers which make the device function as a system printer. If the device is also HPGL compatible, you can use the dedicated plotter drivers provided by GRAPHISOFT.

Plotter Setup
When outputting documents to a plotter, you first need to set up the plotter for ArchiCAD. The communication with the plotter device is ensured by specific plotter drivers stored in the PlotWare folder located by default in the same directory as ArchiCAD. Choose File > Plot Setup to open the Plot Setup dialog box. Note: The ReadMe file also contains extensive information on issues related to plotting, such as recommendations on the choice of drivers and cables, and network plotting. When first using a plotter with ArchiCAD, you need to connect to it by clicking the Setup button in the Connection area. You can only plot graphic data from ArchiCAD. If a text window is in front, both the Plot Setup and Plot commands appear in gray in the File menu.

Plot versus Print

Some of the basic differences with printing: You cannot define a plot range; the entire contents of the active window will be plotted. From a Layout Window, you can choose to plot the Layouts selected in the Navigator. You can choose a color for the lines of the window grid, if you wish to plot it from a 2D window. Elements in a Trace view cannot be plotted. You may prefer Plotting to Printing in these cases: Spool Folder: You can output a print/plot job into a file in both Printing and Plotting. However, if you need to collect your output jobs into a spool folder (so PlotFlow can take the plot jobs from the Spool Folder and send them to the plotter), use the Plotting function. Set the location of the Spool Folder in the Plot Setup dialog box. Grayscale Output Color: When Plotting, you have the option to select the color choice of the output: Color, Grayscale and Black and White are the available options. The Print dialog box lets you mark the Black and White checkbox if you prefer Black/White to color. (You

1336

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

can, however, also achieve grayscale output when printing: use grayscale Pen Sets for Model Views, or set grayscale display for Drawings placed on Layouts.) Speed: Plotting is generally faster than Printing, so if you have a high-volume output job, you should consider Plotting.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1337

Documentation

Publisher Function
ArchiCADs Publisher feature automates and simplifies the repeated and consistent output of a larger number of documents (Publisher items). You set up Publisher Sets, predefine some options and properties and then can publish them at any time and any number of times by simply clicking a button. This function is vitally important in the documentation phase but it also comes in handy when preparing a project for review by contractors or clients. Topics in this section:

The Publisher Map Defining a Publisher Set Defining Output Method Defining Output Format Viewing and Redlining DWF Files Publishing Process

1338

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

The Publisher Map

The Publisher function is controlled by the Publisher Map, available in both the Navigator and the Organizer.

Open the Publisher map of the Navigator or Organizer: Select its icon at the top of the Navigator/Organizer; or Use the Document > Publisher > Publish menu command. The Publisher map contains this projects Publisher Sets: collections of Publisher items, each of which refers to either a View or a Layout. Publisher Sets are stored with the project, so you can access them any time, adjust settings if needed, and re-publish them.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1339

Documentation

Manage Publisher Sets

To see a list of all Publisher Sets defined in this project, click the One level up button to display the Publisher Set Chooser and Manager.

Use this view of the Publisher to manage any of the selected Publisher Sets in the list:

1344

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

The second Publisher Set item was created using drag and drop. It is not a shortcut, just a onetime copy of the Subset folder.

Once the Publisher set is assembled, you can click on any of the Publisher items (i.e. views or layouts in the Publisher set) to view its Properties in the panel below. These properties are viewonly and not editable. For more information, see Publisher Controls.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1345

Documentation

Defining Output Method

Use the Publisher Set Properties Dialog Box to choose an output format for the Publisher Set. To open this dialog box, make sure you are viewing the list of Publisher Sets. (Click the One level up button.) Click the Publishing Properties button in the Navigator or Organizer; or Click the Publishing Properties command button among the command icons.

You have four options here:

Print Save files Upload to Internet Plot For details on each option, see Publisher Set Properties Dialog Box. Choose one of these options, then define the output format: see Defining Output Format. See also Revisions of Publisher Items.

1346

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Defining Output Format

The Format section of the Navigator Publisher contains options that vary depending on how you have defined the output in Publisher Set Properties. Options with Print/Plot Output: If you chose Print or Plot in the Publisher Set Properties Dialog Box, you can use the Page/Plot Setup button to opens the corresponding dialog box, while Print Settings, Print Options and Plot Settings access simplified versions of the standard Print and Plot dialog boxes, with only the applicable options available. For more information, see Print 2D Document and Plot Setup. If you chose Save or Upload to Internet in the Publisher Set Properties Dialog Box, use the Format tab page to choose an image format for outputting the file. Files can be saved or uploaded in a large variety of formats including all standard image formats and CAD exchange formats. You can choose file formats for the contents of a folder or individually for each view.

For some formats, a variety of options are available - in these cases, an Options button is displayed, and you can choose among compression settings, color depths, and other options
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1347

Documentation

depending on the chosen format. For example, if you choose the DWG format, the Options button will bring up the DXF/DWG Translation Setup. If the selection contains several files with different file formats, the Format field displays Various.

PMK Format
Among other formats, the PMK format is available for saving views in the Publisher. This is a native ArchiCAD drawing format which takes up relatively less hard drive space than many other formats. Saving views in PMK format can be a good workflow if your project is divided among multiple files (e.g. Model pln and Documentation pln). See Layout Workflow: Larger Projects.

Options for PDF Format

If you are saving or uploading in PDF format, two special options pages are accessible: Document Options and Page Options. For more information, see Working with PDF Documents. If the contents of a folder are all in PDF format, a checkbox gives you the option to Merge to one PDF file. (Make sure you select the folder that contains the PDF format items.) If you leave this checkbox unmarked, you will publish each file in the folder as a separate PDF file.

Note: Once you have checked the Merge to one PDF file for one of the Publisher map folders, the option is no longer available for any of its subfolders. To change your PDF merge preference to a lower-level folder, first uncheck this preference for the higher-level folder.

1348

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

DWG Format
One of the available formats is the DWG format. Apply this to individual files or assign it to all the contents of a folder by selecting the folder, then choosing DWG from the Format pop-up list. If all the items in a folder are Layouts, and if the entire folder is set to DWG format, an additional checkbox appears: Merge to one DWG file. If you use this option: The resulting DWG file will contain as many Paper Spaces as the number of Layouts that have been used as Publisher Set items. Thus, an entire Layout Books contents can be saved in a single DWG file. The resulting DWG file is in Paper Space, and the same translation options apply for all published Layouts.

DXF Format
One of the available Publishing formats is the DXF format. Apply this to individual files or assign it to all the contents of a folder by selecting the folder, then choosing DXF from the Format popup list. If all the items in a folder are Layouts, and if the entire folder is set to DXF format, an additional checkbox appears: Merge to one DXF file.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1349

Documentation

DWF Format; Crop Image to Zoom

If your publishing format is DWF, the Crop image to Zoom checkbox is available. Check this box to crop the image to the current zoom on the Floor Plan. This option is available if chosen your publishing format is DWF. When exporting an ArchiCAD view for use by AutoCAD, you can ensure that only a selected part of the view is exported: First, publish the view in DWF format to a separate folder, making use of the Crop image to zoom option. Open the DWFs in ArchiCAD and save them again as DWG files. Only the cropped view will be visible in the DWG file.

1350

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Viewing and Redlining DWF Files

When planning to save files for review by a contractor or a client who does not have ArchiCAD installed but wish to have a feedback from them, your best choice is the DWF file format with the Project Reviewer web environment. In DWF format, the published files can be viewed through the Internet or an intranet with the Java-based Project Reviewer web environment by anyone who can access the files location via a LAN or an FTP connection, without having to install or even be familiar with ArchiCAD. Colleagues, contractors, subcontractors or clients can view the design in a web browser application, add their remarks by redlining it, and send back their corrections or suggestions to the author of the project. Project Reviewer can be included with the published file set. Redlined DWF files can be incorporated in the ArchiCAD file by using Project Mark-Up.

Project Reviewer Project Mark-Up Publisher Set Properties Dialog Box

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1351

Documentation

Publishing Process
While Publisher automates and simplifies the publishing process, publishing all or part of a project can be a major task. All of the views to be published must be generated or updated, which can require considerable computer time. If you have finished setting up the publication but do not want to actually start publishing, you can simply close the palette without clicking the Publish button. All Publisher settings are preserved with the project. Use the scroll-down list at the bottom of the Publisher to choose which item(s) to output:

To end the whole publishing procedure, click Stop. To pause it, click Pause; the Stop button changes to Continue, allowing you to continue publication later. A log file containing information on each publishing process is saved to the location you specify in Options > Work Environment > Publisher (Publisher log location).

Documentation

Calculation Setup
The sorting and analyzing of data, the calculation of required results and the formatting of reports are all done in accordance with the configuration of the selected List Scheme. List Schemes are predefined sets of instructions on how the ArchiCAD listing engine should process project information to present the required results. List Scheme formats can be of two types: Plain Text reports display calculation results in editable tabulated text format. The reports appear in text windows and can be saved as plain text files, tabbed text files for use in spreadsheets or tables in HTML files. Graphic outputs allow for both alphanumeric and image information, including element symbol drawings, logos and other bitmaps. Graphic output reports can be saved as RTF List files, or ArchiCAD Project files. It is also possible to copy all or part of these lists into an ArchiCAD plan. Though the contents of each language version are different, some predefined list schemes are embedded in ArchiCAD and available even if ArchiCAD is running without an active Library. If you need to define custom data or assignments, read the detailed instructions in the ArchiCAD 14/GRAPHISOFT Documentation/Calculation Guide.pdf.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1355

Documentation

List Types
ArchiCAD can generate three types of calculation reports: Element Lists, Component Lists and Zone Lists. Element Lists are best used when creating schedules and inventories, and to display the parameters of construction elements in a project. To generate Element Lists, ArchiCAD filters the project or the selection set for construction elements according to the configuration of the selected List Scheme. Elements matching the filter settings will be listed together with element Parameters, Components and Descriptors, if so defined in the List Scheme.

1356

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

Component Lists are generated when bills of materials, quantity takeoffs or price lists are required. These reports typically sum up and display component type properties; however, certain element parameters can also be listed.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1357

Documentation

Zone Lists are generally used to create room schedules and finish schedules. Zone Lists can include parameters of Zones and related construction elements. When related construction items are listed, the report is in fact an Element List where the range of calculated elements is limited by the Zones they belong to.

Depending on what you want to appear listed in your list, you may choose the type of List you need to use. Some common examples are: You want construction elements listed with basic data and parameters about them listed: You want parameters specific to construction elements (such as: Door Sill Height, Number of holes in Slab) listed: You want to create Door/Window schedules You want quantities of components associated with construction elements listed: You want descriptors associated with construction elements listed You want to create room schedules Element List Element List Element List Component List Component List Zone List

1358

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1363

Documentation

At the top of the dialog box, a pop-up menu lists the different settings you saved for the different element types. You can define several settings for any element type, or simply work on the current element choice. The Edit Settings pop-up allows you to save, rename and delete settings. Note: To change a saved setting, select and edit it, then save it again under the same name. The dialog box includes two tab pages: Sort Elements for defining attribute choices, and ID Format for defining custom ID sets.

When the Sort Elements tab is active, the pop-up under the tabs allows you to choose an element (Tool) type. In the top right corner of the dialog box, the figures show how many of the Project elements belong to the active element type. If any elements are selected on the Floor Plan, Element ID Manager works on selected elements only. In this case, two figures are displayed: the number of selected elements and the number of elements of the active type. Note: If you select elements for assigning IDs, the ID numbers will be assigned in the order the elements were selected.

If nothing is selected on the Floor Plan, the command works on all placed and visible (not on hidden layers) elements. The list on the left contains the criteria that can be chosen for the given element type. This list is the same as the one used by the Edit > Find & Select command.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1367

Documentation

Select the criteria you need in the list and click the Add button. This will place the selected criteria in the list on the right.

Elements that have the same grouping criteria will get the same ID. When youre finished choosing criteria, click to open the ID Format tab page, which allows you to define custom ID Formats.

IDs can contain up to 15 characters or numerals. Element ID Manager allows you to subdivide the ID into four parts.

1368

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Documentation

For any of the parts, you can type plain text, a counter or a story number into the ID Components field. You can also opt not to use one or more of the four parts.

When choosing the Text type, you can type custom text up to the number of characters defined. When choosing the Counter type, you can type either numerals or letters such as aa that will change incrementally in the ID. When choosing the Story No. type, you cannot enter custom text; the ordinal number of the story will be used. Note: Story No. is only available as a type if youve selected Story as a Grouping criterion. When you have finished configuring the settings and ID formats, click the Change ID's button in the bottom right corner of the dialog box. The Element ID List dialog box appears.

You can validate the changes made by clicking OK or return to the configuration dialog box by clicking Cancel and make further adjustments. You can save your settings using the Edit Settings pop-up menu on top of the dialog box.

The name of the saved set then appears in the Settings field and can be accessed at any time from that pop-up menu. These settings are saved by ArchiCAD in a separate file and can be reused for further Projects, even after choosing New and Reset.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1369

Documentation

1370

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Collaboration
The ability for several individuals and teams to collaborate effectively on a single project is a basic necessity of architectural work. Teamwork for ArchiCAD 14 is optimized to meet these needs, and specifically designed to meet the demands of a modern, multinational team. Architects often need to work together with each other and with professionals of other disciplines who use other software. Moreover, interactive communication with clients is also a growing concern. Collaborative features in ArchiCAD 14 are described in these sections:

Teamwork Hotlinked Modules Project Reviewer Project Mark-Up XREFs Interoperability

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1371

Collaboration

Teamwork
Introduction Setup/Preparation Modular BIM Server Start GRAPHISOFT BIM Server BIM Server Control Center BIM Server Manager Monitoring BIM Server Performance Create Teamwork Project Teamwork Project Settings Join or Leave a Teamwork Project Open Teamwork Project Close Teamwork Project Save Local Copy Manage Local Teamwork Data Working Online/Offline Working in Detached Mode Remote Access to Teamwork Projects Teamwork Interface Reserving Elements Reserving Project Data (Non-Elements) Reserve All Elements and Data Review Your Workspace Creating and Sending Project Data Assign Elements Request Elements or Project Data Release Elements or Project Data
1372
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Messaging Add Comment to Log Libraries in Teamwork External Files Linked to Teamwork Troubleshooting Problem Files

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1373

Collaboration

Introduction
Teamwork represents a breakthrough approach to collaborative project work. Teamwork is based on a client-server architecture and is designed to ensure maximum flexibility, speed and data safety to enable teams - even those spread out around the world - to collaborate on large projects. The ability for several individuals and teams to collaborate effectively on a single project is a basic necessity of architectural work. From the beginning, ArchiCAD has met these needs of architects with such features as Hotlinked Modules and Teamwork. Today, effective collaboration among project teams is more important than ever. Projects are growing in size, and teams are often geographically far-flung and separated by time zones. And the team of users itself will change over time as the project proceeds through different phases. Teamwork for ArchiCAD 14 is optimized to meet these changing needs, and specifically designed to meet the demands of a modern, multinational team. Breakthroughs in performance, data safety, and workflow enable your team to make the most of the efficiencies and coordination capabilities of the BIM model.

Teamwork Functions At A Glance

The following table highlights the key functions of Teamwork for ArchiCAD 14, compared to the way they worked in ArchiCAD 12 and earlier Teamwork versions:
Function ArchiCAD 12 ArchiCAD 14

Reserving Elements

Reserve elements by reserving physical or logical regions of the project Occurs at sign-in Element creation restricted to these regions Each user reserves own items Available to Team Leader with Exclusive Access Occurs when changing workspace or signing out Updated at Send&Receive

Reserve any existing elements individually, by selection or criteria Occurs any time, as needed No reservation needed to create new element/data Assign elements to any user Reserve as needed, at any time, by any authorized user Released by the user at any time, as needed Always up to date (if user is online) Color-coding for at-a-glance feedback Use Request function to signal need for data

Reserving Other Project Data Releasing Elements Feedback on Reservation Status

Ownership Conflicts

Not handled

1374

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Function

ArchiCAD 12

ArchiCAD 14

Send&Receive

Entire project is downloaded or uploaded to the server.

Download/upload involves only data that have been modified since last Send or Receive. Use simple built-in messaging system in addition to Mark-Up Central registry of users defined for all projects on BIM Server Each user's role can vary by project Users access the BIM Server from any remote computer via Internet Local copy created automatically. Local copy can be saved as Travel pack for transfer among several computers.

Team Communications

Use ArchiCADs Mark-Up function Users defined separately for each project Teamwork Roles are predefined LAN-based connectivity

Project Management

Working Via Internet

Working Offline

Managed by the user by saving local drafts

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1375

Collaboration

Setup/Preparation
Teamwork for ArchiCAD is based on a client-server technology, in which one or more server applications are connected through the network to client applications. Therefore, using Teamwork in ArchiCAD 14 requires 1. the ArchiCAD 14 client application, and 2. the GRAPHISOFT BIM Server. Each of these two components must be installed separately, from the ArchiCAD 14 install DVD. The BIM Server should be installed on a computer dedicated to server functionality. To install the BIM Server, choose it from the ArchiCAD 14 install DVD. At the end of the BIM Server installation process, you have the option to configure the server. If you proceed, the sixstep Configure BIM Server process follows. If you skip the configuration process, you will configure the server the first time you start the server. Note: One component of the GRAPHISOFT BIM Server is the BIM Server Manager, which is installed automatically along with the BIM Server. However, you can also optionally install the BIM Server Manager as a stand-alone application on remote machines. Separate, standalone installation of the BIM Server Manager (available from the ArchiCAD 14 installation DVD) is necessary only if you plan to manage the BIM Server remotely, from a machine other than the server itself. After you install and configure ArchiCAD 14 and the BIM Server, you are ready to start using Teamwork within the office.

1376

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Modular BIM Server

In many companies, the life of a Teamwork project will easily last beyond the time the next ArchiCAD version is released; you may be running Teamwork projects in several different ArchiCAD versions. As of ArchiCAD 14, the Modular BIM Server enables you to run Teamwork projects in as many ArchiCAD versions as you need to, from a single server machine. The modular BIM Server is a single server with one or more modules, analogous to a filing cabinet: a single piece of furniture with one or more drawers. The modules you need are installed as part of BIM Server Installation. (See Install GRAPHISOFT BIM Server, in Getting Started with ArchiCAD 14.) If you are installing the BIM Server 14 on a machine that does not have any previous BIM Server on it, then you will automatically install only one module, that is, BIM Server Module14. When you upgrade from ArchiCAD 13 to ArchiCAD 14, you can install BIM Server Module 14 onto your existing BIM Server. See Migrating the BIM Server (Version 13 to Version 14). The purpose of a modular server is to ensure that every Teamwork project version can be served by the same machine; each installed module serves the project data for a different version of ArchiCAD. However, the Users, Roles, Custom Properties and Library databases of all the server modules are are handled uniformly and are always in sync. You will manage all data from all the server modules via a single Server Manager and Control Center interface, regardless of how many modules your BIM Server contains.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1377

Collaboration

BIM Server modules may be installed in any order, at any time, by installing the BIM Server from the ArchiCAD Install DVD for the version you need. Each module can be hotfixed separately. Once you no longer need a particular server module, you can uninstall it from the server machine. See Remove BIM Server Module.

1378

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

The BIM Server Control Center lists all the installed modules on the server. Click on the info button to see additional data on each module. This information is view-only.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1379

Collaboration

Uniform Server Data for All Modules

As before, you will still have a single BIM Server which contains a single, central data repository of User Data, Role Settings, Custom Properties and Libraries, used by all projects on the BIM Server - regardless of their module. These data are always in sync. Even if your BIM Server is now composed of several modules, you will have a single BIM Server Manager interface, through which you can modify data for all projects on the server. The Server Managers Projects page lists projects by module.

The servers modules are also listed on the Server Managers Server Activities page.

1380

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Port Settings Separate for Each Module

In the BIM Server Preferences dialog box, service ports for each module are listed separately. This is the only part of the user interface at which module-specific data can be entered manually. You must set separate ports for each, though the default settings should work. When changing Server Preferences, the BIM Server Control Center will shut down all server modules while the preferences are reconfigured.

Opening and Modifying Teamwork Projects of Different ArchiCAD Versions

Your BIM Server can manage Teamwork projects for all the versions for which you have installed a module onto the server. However, to open a Teamwork Project in a particular version of ArchiCAD, you must be running that version of ArchiCAD. (You cannot open an ArchiCAD 13 Teamwork project in ArchiCAD 14, or vice-versa.)
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1381

Collaboration

Remove BIM Server Module

Once you no longer need version 13 Teamwork projects, you can uninstall Module 13 from the Server. This means that your BIM Server cannot host version 13 projects anymore. Go to the BIM Server folder, and find the Uninstall folder (Uninstall.BS.1300) for Module 13. In this folder, click Uninstall. (On Windows, you can also use Add/Remove Programs to remove a BIM Server module).

1382

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Start GRAPHISOFT BIM Server

The GRAPHISOFT BIM Server can be installed from the ArchiCAD 14 DVD. (See Getting Started in ArchiCAD 14.) The GRAPHISOFT BIM Server runs as a service on your computer. Note: If you have installed the server, but not yet configured it, the Configure BIM Server wizard will start up automatically when you issue the Start Server command. See BIM Server Configuration. Use one of the following methods to start up the BIM Server manually.

Start Server from BIM Server Control Center

You will typically use this method to start the server if you are not running ArchiCAD on the server machine. Click Start Server from the BIM Server Control Center. On Windows: The BIM Server Control Center command is available from the Start menu, in the GRAPHISOFT > BIM Server folder. On MacOS: The BIM Server Control Center command is available under Applications > GRAPHISOFT > BIM Server. See BIM Server Control Center.

Use Start Local BIM Server Command

You can use this command if you are running ArchiCAD and the BIM Server on the same machine. In ArchiCAD, go to the Open/Join Teamwork Project dialog box (File > Open menu or Teamwork > Project menu) or the Share Teamwork Project dialog box (Teamwork > Project > Share). From the server list pop-up, choose Add More BIM Servers, then Start Local BIM Server. (See Add More BIM Servers.) After you install and start up the GRAPHISOFT BIM Server, its icon button will appear on your monitor, generally in the lower right corner of the screen next to the clock. Right-click this button to pop up GRAPHISOFT BIM Server Control Center commands and to open the BIM Server Control Center.

BIM Server Configuration BIM Server Control Center BIM Server Manager

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1383

Collaboration

BIM Server Configuration

In the BIM Server configuration process, you will define basic properties of how the server works. Later, you can monitor and change Server settings through the BIM Server Control Center. Click Next or Previous to move among the six pages of this wizard. 1. Enter the Server Name.

By default, the BIM Server will use the name of your computer. Optionally, you can define a custom name for the BIM Server: in this case, all server selection pop-ups will identify the BIM Server by this name. 2. Enter or Browse the location of the default Project Data Folder. This will be the location of Teamwork Projects on this server.

BIM Server Control Center

The BIM Server Control Center runs on the same machine on which the BIM Server has been installed and configured. Use the BIM Server Control Center to: start/stop the BIM Server check BIM Server status (if the server is not running, the icon will be red instead of green) open the BIM Server Manager, which is used to manage users, projects and roles on the server change server preferences. To monitor server performance, use controls in the BIM Server Manager. See Server Activities.

Open GRAPHISOFT BIM Server Control Center

If the BIM Server is running: BIM Server Control Center controls are available by clicking the BIM Server Control Center icon in the system tray (on Windows); or from the menubar (in MacOS).

If the BIM Server is not running: On Windows: The BIM Server Control Center command is available from the Start menu, in the GRAPHISOFT > BIM Server menu. On MacOS: The BIM Server Control Center command is available in the Applications > GRAPHISOFT > BIM Server folder.

1388

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

The Open GRAPHISOFT BIM Server Control Center command opens this dialog box:

The Server Name is the one defined during BIM Server Configuration. The Status indicates whether the Server is Running or Stopped. Click the information icon for additional details About this BIM Server: the computers name, IP Address(es), and port number; and the BIM Servers version and build number. The Stop Server or Start Server button is available, as applicable. Note: Next to the Start/Stop Server button, you can click the black arrow to access a separate command: Shut down BIM Server services and exit the BIM Server Control Center. Note: If the program detects that the server services are not responding, this button changes to Restart Server. The Server Manager... button takes you to the BIM Server Manager. Note: This button can open the Server Manager for the local machine only. The Choose Server and user authentication controls of the Server Manager will not be available.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1389

Collaboration

BIM Server Preferences

BIM Server Preferences is available by clicking Preferences from the BIM Server Control Center window. Use this dialog to edit server settings. Originally, you entered these server settings - such as server name and project location - during the course of the BIM Server configuration. (See BIM Server Configuration.) Email and other port information is also editable here, but do not change these port settings unless absolutely necessary.

Collaboration

If the BIM Server is located on your machine, open the BIM Server Control Center using the icon in the system tray (on Windows); or from the menubar (in MacOS); and click the BIM Server Manager button.

Note: Clicking this button opens the BIM Server Manager for the local machine only. The Choose BIM Server and user authentication controls of the BIM Server Manager will not be available.

Choose BIM Server and Server Administrator

Note: If you open BIM Server Manager from the BIM Server Control Center, you will access the server on your current machine, and the Choose Server and user pop-up are not available. 1. From the pop-up list at the top of BIM Server Manager, choose the server whose content you want to manage. 2. From the pop-up list at top right, choose a user who has Server Administrator rights, as defined in the Users page of BIM Server Manager. (If you have not yet added any users, then the only available name is the Server Administrator defined in Step 4 of the BIM Server Configuration.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1395

Collaboration

Note: If you have lost/forgotten all administrator accounts, then go to the server machine and start BIM Server Manager from the BIM Server Control Center application. BIM Server Manager will open without authentication and you will be able to create new Users.

Note: You must be a Server Administrator to use this function. To delete a project from the server, select the Project from the Projects page of BIM Server Manager and click Delete.

1400

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Manage Users on the BIM Server

Note: You must be a Server Administrator to use this function. The Users page of BIM Server Manager lists the users who have access to Teamwork projects on this server, together with their roles.

Each listed user is assigned a default user color, shown at the right of each user name. (See Define User Image and User Color.) Topics in this section:

Add New User on BIM Server Define User Settings Export Users Change a Users Role or Rights

1403

Collaboration

Role Conflict upon User Import

When you import a user to a BIM Server, the server will alert you in case of a role conflict. For example, the imported Draftsman role already exists on your server under the same name, yet the settings of the two Draftsman roles are different.

You must decide how to handle these conflicts by clicking on one of the two options: Overwrite existing roles Keep existing roles, Rename imported roles

1404

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Define User Settings

To define the settings of any user on this server, select the user name from the Users page of BIM Server Manager, and click Settings to bring up User Settings. Notes: The controls are nearly identical for User Settings and for New User Settings. Within a Teamwork Project, any user may also click User Settings from the Teamwork Palette to access his/her own user settings. Regular users are authorized to change only certain of their own settings; the user settings of others are shown but not editable. (In contrast, the Server Administrator can modify the settings of all users.)

Enter the User Name. (For an existing user, the name is not editable.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1405

Collaboration

Click the pop-up at far right to define the User Status:

Enabled: Enabled users are able to access any project on this server. Disabled: Revokes a users access to all projects on this server. Enter a Password. To generate a random password automatically, click Generate Password from the pop-up arrow to the right. Click Send Password by Email to send the new password to the User, along with his/her user name. Enter the users First Name, Last Name and Email address.

Define User Image and User Color

Optionally, upload an image file to help identify the user. Every user-specific Teamwork interface - Info Tags, user lists, messages - will show the users photo. Below the photo frame, the stripe displays the users default color, used in all projects on this BIM Server. User colors can be helpful: to distinguish users of a project from each other, in the Teamwork Palette to distinguish their workspaces by color, if you use the Show Reservations by User option. (See Colored Workspaces.) This user color will be displayed together with user-specific information throughout the Teamwork project interface. For example, if Bobs default color is blue, then all users will see Bob listed with a blue color in the Teamwork Palette, and will see Bobs reservations in blue when using Show Reservations by User. To change this default color, click the stripe: the color chooser palette appears. Click on the color of choice. Any user can also redefine user colors on their local machine. (See Redefine User Colors Locally.) However, all other users will always see the default user color assigned in User Settings.

Define Default User Role

Choose a default Role for this user. By default, the User will henceforth have this role in all projects on this server. Optionally, assign Server Administrator or Project Administrator Rights to this user. See Administrator Rights. See also Change a Users Role or Rights.

1406

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Enter Custom Properties

In the field below, the users data for any Custom Properties (e.g. Skype address) is shown and can be edited, either by the user or by an Administrator. To define new Custom Properties, use the Custom Properties page of the BIM Server Manager. See BIM Server Manager: Custom Properties.

List of Users Recent Project Actions

Note: This field is visible to Server or Project Administrators only. In User Settings, the users Most recent project actions is the list of the last project-related activity for each project which he/she is joined into.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1407

1411

Collaboration

BIM Server Manager: Roles

Note: You must be a Server Administrator to use this function. This page of BIM Server Manager allows you to define the default Roles of users on this server.

A Role defines what a user is allowed to do in a Teamwork Project. A Role is a set of access rights. The access rights enable a user to create, delete/modify, and/or manage particular element types or data types. (See List of Access Rights.) In BIM Server Manager, the roles defined apply globally to all projects on the server. For example, the access rights you assign here to the Lead Architect are assigned to all users who fill the Lead Architect role on every project located on this server. You can fine-tune these role definitions, though you may just opt to use the default roles. For any given project, the Administrator is able, if needed, to further tailor the access rights that are attached to any of these roles. (See Customize User Roles for a Project.) If the Administrator changes any role definition while a project is running, any user whose role has been affected by the changes must leave the project (then re-join it) in order for the role changes to take effect. (It is not enough for the user to be offline; he/she must leave the project.) See Change a Users Role or Rights. The following functions of the BIM Server Manager: Roles page are described in the sections below:

Review or Edit Role Settings Edit Multiple Roles

1412
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Create a New Role Export Roles

List of Access Rights

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1413

Collaboration

Review or Edit Role Settings

To see the access rights associated with a specific role, select the role, then click Settings. The appearing Role Settings dialog box (for a single selected role) shows the Role Name at the top (in our case, Lead Architect). If you wish, you can edit this Role Name.

Access rights, divided into seven categories, are listed on the left. Use the scrollbar at the right edge of the dialog box to view the list, or open/close the category panels as needed.

1414

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Collaboration

A yellow warning triangle appears alongside any role which already exists on your server, if the role settings differ in any way. You must decide how to handle these cases by clicking on one of the two options: Overwrite existing roles Keep existing roles, and rename the imported roles

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1419

Collaboration

Export Roles
Use this function if you want to transfer role settings from one BIM Server to another. Go to the Roles page of BIM Server Manager.

To export only certain roles, select one or more roles from the list. Click Export, then Selected Roles... To export all roles, do not select any of them. Click Export, then All Roles... In the appearing dialog box, browse for a location for the saved file. Data for all the roles you are exporting will be placed into a single file, with extension .bimroles. You can now import this Roles file to another BIM Server. See Create a New Role.

1420

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

BIM Server Manager: Custom Properties

Note: You must be a Server Administrator to use these controls. Use the Custom Properties page of BIM Server Manager to define optional custom properties for Projects and for Users on this server.

1426

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

About User Properties

User properties are categories, defined by the Server Administrator only. Custom User properties (e.g. Skype address) can be defined. User-specific properties for each category appear in the User Settings dialog box of any selected User. (User Settings is available in ArchiCAD from the Teamwork Palette.) In User Settings, any user can enter related information about themselves (e.g. Skype address, office location) into these fields, to help others identify who is who, and to communicate more easily. To view other users personal information in these fields, any user can select a name from the Users list on Teamwork Palette, then click the user icon: the selected users data appears here. You may edit the user information for your own User Settings only.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1427

Collaboration

About Project Categories

Project categories are custom-defined and assigned to any project by an Administrator. Project Categories become useful as the number of projects on the BIM Server grows: users who are opening a Teamwork project can filter the projects by these categories, to make it easier to find the right project. Go to the Projects page of BIM Server Manager, select the project and click Settings. or go to Teamwork Project Settings. Choose the category you need from the pop-up Category list.

This way, the project list (both on the Projects page of BIM Server Manager and in the useraccessible Open Teamwork Project list) contains an additional column by which to sort and identify projects on the server.

1428

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

To Review a Particular Users Most Recent Activity on All Joined Projects:

View User Settings. (You must be a Server or Project Administrator.) See List of Users Recent Project Actions.

1432

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Server Activities
Note: You must be a Server Administrator to use this function. The Server Activities page of the BIM Server Manager provides feedback on the performance of the server computer and the BIM Server application (BIM Server modules 14 and later). This page gives you a picture of the servers current status, and also provides a recent history of serverrelated events. Use this page to answer such questions as: Does the server have enough resources (CPU, memory) to run all these projects? How often are 100% of the available resources in use? Is this a good time to apply a hotfix to the server? What caused the server logjam last night at 5 pm? The Server Activities page of BIM Server Manager shows aggregate information for all Teamwork projects on the server. Note: To monitor user-specific, server-related activity for a particular project, go to the Currently joined users section of Project Settings (Teamwork > Project > Teamwork Project Settings.) See Monitor User Activity by Project.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1433

Collaboration

Open the Server Activities Dialog Box

1. Open the BIM Server Manager (see Open BIM Server Manager) 2. Click on Server Activities to access this page.

Refreshing Data on the Server Activities Screen

Data on the Server Activities page are refreshed every 15 seconds. Occasionally, the server is so busy that you will have to wait longer for the update. If the refreshed data is still pending, you will see a waiting for refresh alert (or last refreshed 30s ago) at the bottom right corner of the Server Activities panel.

1434

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

View Basic Server Data

At the top of this page, relevant data are listed:

The server module whose data are displayed. In ArchiCAD 14, only the data for module 14 can be shown. the number of users on the BIM Server who are currently online and actively working on the project. the number of projects on the BIM Server that are currently open. Note: Even if all users have closed the project, the server may count it as open for a while.) the current average number of user actions (by all users, on all open projects) per minute To the right, two pie charts provide at-a-glance feedback the current CPU usage, by the BIM Server and by other applications on the server machine the relative amount of memory currently used: - by the BIM Server, and - by other applications on the server machine.

Performance History Graph

The BIM Servers Performance History graphs the servers activity level over time, with each graph line based a different data type, to help you monitor what the server has been doing recently. Remember, data is refreshed every 15 seconds.

Customize Data in Performance Graph

Customize the graph to show the data you need: 1. History Length: Choose the time unit represented in the Performance History graph: click History Length from the pop-up list, then choose the desired time interval (here, one hour).

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1435

Collaboration

If you plan to monitor server performance on a continuous basis, the 15 minutes interval is most useful. To check activity over the last day or two, use the other time units. 2. Choose the data types you wish to display from the pop-up list. Click any item to toggle it on or off; each displayed data type is represented by a different color in the graph:

Memory and CPU: These graph lines (green and red, respectively) indicate the percentage of the machines total CPU and Memory capacity (in other words, every time the red line spikes to the top of the graph, you are reaching the CPU processing limit.) Server actions: This graph line reflects the activities of the BIM Server only (not any other server application on the machine). (These activities are the same ones listed on the bottom half of the Server Activities page, under Last 25 Server Actions.) This (blue) graph line indicates a relative quantity: if the BIM Server performs a high number of actions within the 15-second interval, the blue line is relatively high; if the server is inactive, the line is shorter. When you view the performance history as a whole, the highest point of the blue line shows you the point when the highest number of server actions occurred, during the given history length (e.g. during the past one hour). Data transferred: This (purple) graph line also indicates a relative quantity: if a relatively large amount of data is transferred between the server and its clients, within the 15-second interval, the purple line is relatively high. When you view the performance history as a whole, the highest point of the purple line shows you the point at which the largest-sized data transaction occurred, within the given history length (e.g. during the past one hour). Longest Transaction: This (grey) graph line displays the length of the longest server transaction completed during the 15-second interval. When you view the performance history as a whole, the highest point of the grey line shows you the point at which the most time-consuming data transaction occurred, within the given history length (e.g. during the past one hour).

1436

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Hover the cursor over any part of a graph line (for example, at an unusual spike in CPU usage) to see information on server activity at the time the spike occurred.

View Last 25 Server Actions

Use the list of Last 25 server actions to monitor the servers recent activity.

Note that single user action (such as Join) may entail multiple server actions. Here, a single Join by the user has registered four server actions: Join, Receive Info (twice) and Load/Reload.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1437

Collaboration

View Server Actions over Selected Time Interval

Click and drag the cursor over any interval on the graph: the BIM server actions of the selected time interval will be displayed in the list below:

To revert to the list showing the last 25 server actions, click again in the Performance Graph to undo the selection.

1438

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Create Teamwork Project

A Teamwork project can be created in two places. Share an ArchiCAD file (either a new project or one that already contains any number of model elements), using the Teamwork > Project > Share command from ArchiCAD. With the Create command from the Projects page of Server Manager, Teamwork projects can be created on the server without the need for ArchiCAD 14. One possibility here is to duplicate an existing Teamwork project - for instance, to use it as a template. Another way is to import an existing Teamwork project file.

Share a Teamwork Project in ArchiCAD Create Teamwork Project on BIM Server

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1439

Collaboration

Share a Teamwork Project in ArchiCAD

The process of creating a new Teamwork Project is called Share. This involves opening a solo ArchiCAD Project file (.pln), then using the Share command to add it to a BIM Server. Other users with access to the server will then be able to work on this shared project in Teamwork mode. To share a project, you must have Project Administrator or Server Administrator status. Note: User Status is assigned by the Server Administrator in the BIM Server Manager. (See Manage Users on the BIM Server.) Follow these steps to share a Teamwork Project: 1. Open a solo ArchiCAD Project file (.pln). 2. Use the Share command (Teamwork > Project > Share or File > New > Share) Enter your User name and Password, then click OK. 3. The Share this Project dialog box appears.

1440

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Choose BIM Server

This list displays all BIM Servers to which your computer is connected. (An automatic serveridentification process, called Discovery, will locate all the BIM Servers on your LAN.) Choose a server on which you have Project (or Server) Administrator status.

Add More BIM Servers

If you do not find the server you need in this list, or if for some reason the Discovery function is not locating the servers in your LAN, choose the Add More BIM Servers command at the bottom of the list. In the appearing dialog box, you have several ways of adding servers:

1. Start Local BIM Server: This starts up the BIM Server (if any) that is installed on your machine.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1441

Collaboration

2. Browse for a server link file: If your Server Administrator has created a Server Link File (with extension .twlink - see Create Server Link for Client) and sent it to you, browse for this file and click OK. That server will now be added to your server pop-up list. This way, you do not have to enter any information by hand in order to locate the needed server. 3. Enter BIM Server Manually: Enter the name of the server (its IP address and model port) you wish to add.

Project Name and Category

In the Share this Project dialog box, enter the name of the Teamwork Project. Optionally, choose a project category, or define a New Category.

Note: Project categories can also be defined in Project Settings. (See BIM Server Manager: Custom Properties.)

Users and Roles for this Project

Enable access of all users of [server name] with their default roles: This option means that everyone on the servers user list (see Manage Users on the BIM Server) will be able to access this project with their default roles.

1442

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Custom Users and Roles: To add or remove users or change their roles on this project, click Custom, then the Users and Roles button to bring up this dialog box:

For details on these controls, see Assign Users and Roles to Teamwork Project. After the project is shared, you can still modify the projects user list, and the users roles, by using the identical Users and Roles panel from Teamwork Project Settings.

Convert Linked Libraries

These options define what to do with the linked libraries of the solo project you are about to share.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1443

Collaboration

Every solo ArchiCAD project includes folders for the Embedded Library, Linked Libraries and BIM Server Libraries:

But once the project is shared as a Teamwork project, the Linked Libraries are no longer available as such. Thus, as part of the Share project, you must decide how to convert the linked libraries for use by the Teamwork Project. (The BIM Server Libraries of the solo project, as well as the Embedded Library, remain unchanged even after the project is shared.) Your choices will take effect after you click Share. The default option is to Replace Linked Libraries with BIM Server Libraries automatically. Libraries from the BIM Server will replace any identically named linked libraries. If no identically named library exists on the BIM Server, then the linked library will be uploaded to the BIM Server.

Custom Conversion
The Custom options enable you to either upload your linked libraries, replace them with BIM Server libraries, or disregard them.

Click Custom, then Libraries, to open the Library Conversion dialog box.

1444

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

The current solo projects Linked Libraries are shown in the left column.

For each linked library you select in this list, choose one of three possible Actions, from the Action pop-up:

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1445

Collaboration

1. Upload: Upload this linked library to a BIM Server. You can choose any server (to which you have access) as the destination for the selected linked library. To choose a different server than the one shown by default, click Different Server from the pop-up, then choose the server you need.

2. Replace with: Use this option to replace the selected linked library (in the left column) with the BIM Server Library (in the right column). Replace with is the default option if there is a library on the BIM Server that has the same name as the selected linked library, but you can choose any other library (to which you have access) to use instead of the selected linked library. To choose a different library, click Choose Library from the pop-up, then choose the server and the library you need.

1446

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

3. Dont Use: This will remove the selected linked library from the project. (The linked library will not be loaded to any BIM Server during the Share process.)

Click OK to return to the Share This Project dialog box.

Your library conversion choices will take effect after you click Share. If you do not want to open the shared project right away, use the Share without Joining option from the Share buttons pop-up.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1447

Collaboration

Backup Options
Click Backup Options to access the Project Backup Schedule dialog box.

These controls are also accessible from the Project Settings dialog box. (See Schedule Project Backups.)

Share
Click Share. The newly shared project will be opened now.

1448

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Monitor User Activity by Project

The Currently joined users list, on the Users and Roles panel of Project Settings, gives you feedback on activities by users currently joined in to the project. This information is useful for monitoring the server-related activities associated with the current project.

For each user, his/her last communication with the server is shown (along with the time that the action took place and the size of the data involved). To send a message to any user, select the user name and click the messaging button. A Server Administrator or Project Administrator can issue a Force Leave to any selected user here - for example, if the Administrator determines from the data that a user has not participated in the project for a very long time. See also Force User to Leave a Project.

1459

Collaboration

Schedule Project Backups

The Backups panel of Teamwork Project Settings allows you to display and manage project backups: both automatically scheduled and manual backups. Use the pop-up to list just the Automatic Backups, just the Manual ones, or both.

If you export a Teamwork project (see Export Teamwork Project), you will have the option of including automatic and/or manual backups as part of the exported file. Automatic Backups are scheduled by you in one of two ways: When sharing a solo ArchiCAD project, click Project Backup Options from the Teamwork > Project > Share dialog box. (See Share a Teamwork Project in ArchiCAD.) In the Backups panel of Teamwork Project Settings: click Schedule. The Project Backup Schedule dialog box opens:

Keep last: Enter the number of automatic backups to keep. With each additional automatic backup, the oldest stored backup will be deleted. Exception: You can opt to keep any automatic backup indefinitely: see Keep Automatic Backup.

1460

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Run every: Enter the interval (in minutes, hours or days) for creating automatic backups. If you define the interval in Days, the Start at field lets you set the time.

Create Manual Backup

Manual backups can be created at any time and kept indefinitely - for example, whenever the project reaches particular milestones. 1. Click the Create button from the Backups panel. 2. Enter a name for the backup copy to be created.

3. Click Create. The new Backup appears in the Backups panel, with a Status of Create. This indicates that the backup will be created after you click OK to close Project Settings.

4. Click OK to close Project Settings and create the new manual backup. 5. The next time you open Project Settings, the new backup is listed.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1461

Collaboration

Keep Automatic Backup

If you select an Automatic backup in the Backups list, the Keep button becomes available. Click Keep to retain this automatic backup even after it would otherwise be scheduled to be deleted. This action takes effect after you click OK to close Project Settings. In effect, the automatic backup - after Keep - becomes a Manual Backup, with an editable Name, and will henceforth be listed as a Manual Backup.

Delete Backup
Select any Backup from the list and click Delete. This action takes effect after you click OK to close Project Settings. The Delete button is available for newly created backup entries, even if you have not yet clicked OK to actually create it (such entries will show a status of Create.) Automatic backups are automatically deleted one by one, oldest first, whenever the program exceeds the maximum number of backups, as defined at the Keep Last control of the Backup Schedule. Exception: You can opt to keep any automatic backup indefinitely: see Keep Automatic Backup.

Rollback
Use the Rollback button in Project Settings to either replace the current project with any selected backup copy, or else to create a new Project out of the backup.

1462

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Choose a Rollback Option: Overwrite this Project: The selected backup copy will overwrite and replace the current project. As a result, all users are notified of a Terminated Session: they must re-join the new version of the project on the BIM Server. (Users must discard any unsent changes, or save the version they currently have as a solo project, but they can no longer send any unsent modifications to a project that has been overwritten.) Create New Project from Backup: The selected backup copy will be created as a new, separate project on the server. Click Rollback, then OK to close Project Settings. View the results in the BIM Server Managers Project list.

Saving Design Variations of Teamwork Projects: Suggested Workflow

Create Backup Copy of Original Starting Point Work as usual in your project. When you reach a point at which several design variations are possible, you can save the current version as your original starting point. 1. Do a Send and Receive. 2. Go to Project Settings and click Create to create a manual backup of the current project version; give it a name (e.g. Original version). 3. Click OK and exit Project Settings. (This step will create the backup). Then keep working in the project. Save Design Variation When you have created a design variation that you want to keep, save it as a separate, named backup. 1. Do a Send and Receive. 2. Go to Project Settings and click Create to create a manual backup of the current project version; give it a name (e.g. Variant 1 - Enclosed terrace). 3. Click OK and exit Project Settings. (This step will create the backup). Then keep working in the project. Return to Starting Point; Save Next Design Variation Now, if you want, you can go back to the original starting point, before you start designing a newer variation. To do this,
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1463

Collaboration

Leave
Typically, you will leave a Teamwork project when you no longer participate in it. Once you leave a project, you relinquish your reservations and the local copy on your machine is discarded. You must also leave a project if your role and related access rights have changed: changes will take effect only after you leave, then re-join the project. Note: Even if you leave (and not just close) the project and later re-join it, full library downloads will be not be repeated if the local library copy has remained on your machine. In contrast to the local copy of the project, which is discarded when you leave the project, the local library copy is not discarded when you leave the project.

Close a Project vs. Leave a Project

When you finish working each day, do not leave the project; just Close it. The next day, you will not have to join the project (you are already joined in); just Open it. As long as you are joined in to a Teamwork Project, you can Open or Close the project as many times as you like, without losing your reservations or dumping your local copy. However, once you Leave the project (as opposed to closing it), you lose your reservations and dump your local copy. It is recommended that you do not leave the project unless you do not plan to work on it any more in the foreseeable future. Typically, you will leave a Teamwork project when you no longer participate in it. See also Close Teamwork Project.

Forced Leave
The Project or Server Administrator is also able to force any user to leave the project: see Force User to Leave a Project.

1468

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Open Teamwork Project

To open or join a Teamwork project: - The project must already have been shared on the BIM Server (See Share a Teamwork Project in ArchiCAD); and - You must be registered as a user on that BIM Server. (See Manage Users on the BIM Server.) Even if you are in offline mode, you can open a project which you joined earlier. However, since you cannot synchronize with the server, you cannot be sure that the local copy you open is up to date.

Open Recent Teamwork Project

If you have recently opened the project on this computer with the current user name, you can just select it from the Recent Projects list, at the bottom of the File > Open sub-menu, or in the Select a recent project list of the Start ArchiCAD dialog box.

Choose Project from BIM Server

To choose a project to open from a BIM Server, do one of the following: Choose File > Open > Open/Join Teamwork Project or Teamwork > Project > Open/Join Teamwork Project. When starting ArchiCAD, choose Open Project, then Browse for a Teamwork Project. (See Start ArchiCAD.) The Open Teamwork Project dialog box appears.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1469

Collaboration

Select a User
From the pop-up list at top right, select your user name from the user pop-up at top right. If the name you need is not in the list, click Different user, then enter user name and password for identification:

Note: Don't forget that the user name and password must first be added to the BIM Server. Only then can the client join the Teamwork project from ArchiCAD, using this name and password. The User pop-up will remember the user/password combinations that have been entered to access BIM Servers from each specific computer, so when you Open/Join a project at a later time from the same machine, you do not have to re-enter your password. In any case, only when a valid user name and password are entered will a connection to the BIM Server be established.

Select BIM Server

From the Choose BIM Server pop-up, if the listed server name is not the one you need, choose the BIM Server on which the desired project is located. Alternatively, choose All Available BIM Servers.

Import Project
The Import button in the Open Teamwork Project dialog box enables you to import a Travel Pack file (.twtravel). (You create a Travel Pack to transport a Teamwork Project and/or project libraries to different locations). See Travel Pack: Move Your Project and Libraries to a Different Computer. 1470
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Select Project
The Open Teamwork Project dialog box lists the projects located on the selected server(s), and displays each projects category, status, and date modified. If the list is very long, you can filter it by project category (see Custom Properties). Keep in mind that the dialog lists only the projects that the given user is authorized to join, or which the user has already joined and from which local data exists on the client machine. (The list might not be a complete list of all the projects on the server.) If you have already joined a particular project in this list, the project icon (a little house) is accompanied by a user icon. The user icon is blue if the project is available on the server; the user icon is grey if the project is not available on the server. If you have unsent changes in your local copy of this project, the project icon is red. If you have not yet joined the project, the project icon has no user icon, and if you select this project from the list, the command in the dialog box changes from Open to Join. See Join or Leave a Teamwork Project.

Click Open. (If you have not yet joined the project, the command changes from Open to Join.) You can now work on the opened Teamwork project.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1471

Collaboration

Close Teamwork Project

See also Join or Leave a Teamwork Project. Use File > Close to close a Teamwork Project. Your local copy of the project remains intact. If you have unsaved changes, you can opt to save them to the local copy. If you have unsent changes, you can opt to send them to the BIM Server.

Close Project Online

When you close a project with unsent changes while online, the program prompts you with several options:

Discard changes: Any unsaved and unsent changes are discarded. Your reservations remain intact. Send & Save: Send changes to the server and also save any unsent changes to your local copy.

Keep or Release Your Reservations with Send & Save

What happens to your reservations when you click Send & Save? By default, your reservations remain unchanged. The next time you open this project, you will find that the data reserved by you before you closed the project are still yours. To change this default, you can re-set a Work Environment preference, at Options > Work Environment > Data Safety and Integrity.

Here, check the Release All when closing Teamwork Project with Send & Save box. This means that when you close a Teamwork Project, all your reservations will be released. Click the arrow button to the right of the Send & Save button for two more variations: Save without Send: Save your changes locally, but do not send them to the server Save & Send and Release All or

1472

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Save & Send without Release

(The command shown - either without Release or Release All - will be the opposite of your general preference set in Options > Work Environment > Data Safety & Integrity.) If you will not work on the project for a while after closing it, you are advised to release your reservations - before closing the project - so that other users can access the data they need.

Close a Project vs. Leave a Project

When you finish working each day, do not leave the project; just Close it. The next day, you will not have to join the project (you are already joined in); just Open it. As long as you are joined in to a Teamwork Project, you can Open or Close the project as many times as you like, without losing your reservations and without dumping your local copy. Note: If you change the default setting Close Teamwork Project setting in Options > Work Environment > Data Safety & Integrity, then your reservations will be discarded if you click Save & Send when closing the Teamwork Project. See Keep or Release Your Reservations with Send & Save. However, once you Leave the project (as opposed to closing it), you lose your reservations and dump your local copy. It is recommended that you do not leave the project unless you do not plan to work on it any more in the foreseeable future. Typically, you will leave a Teamwork project when you no longer participate in it.

Close Project Offline

If you are offline when you Close the project, you cannot send changes to the server. Your only options are to discard the changes, or else to save them locally.

If you choose Discard Changes, then your unsaved changes will be lost, and you will not synchronize your local copy with the server.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1473

Collaboration

Save Local Copy

When you join a Teamwork project, local copies of the project and of its BIM Server Libraries are created on your hard drive. Local data is also created when you link a Drawing from another project to your own project. The source project data is saved as local data to your machine, even though you did not join that project. The Save command refreshes this local data. The Save command does not create a PLN file, and it does not send your changes to the server. Local data are stored in the Local Data Folder, which by default is located in your installed GRAPHISOFT folder on your hard drive. All data from all Teamwork projects, regardless of the ArchiCAD version they are in, are saved to this one location. To manage your local data (e.g. move it to a new location or to delete it), go to the Local Data Manager dialog box (Teamwork > Local Data Manager). See Manage Local Teamwork Data. Autosave for a Teamwork project behaves the same way as autosave for solo PLNs: it automatically stores your Teamwork project to the Local Data Folder at predefined intervals, without your having to issue the Save command. Each user sets his/her own Autosave preferences locally, at Options > Work Environment > Data Safety & Integrity.

Save as PLN
If you wish, you can save your Teamwork project as a PLN file. (Use File > Save As, and choose PLN file format); this newly saved PLN will contain all project elements. This PLN file is solely a local file and cannot be sent to the server, but you can re-share the PLN file as a Teamwork project. Recommendation: If you are working in Teamwork and suspect any kind of data error, the first thing you should do is to save your project as a PLN file.

Reload Project from Server

This command is located at Teamwork > Project > Reload Project from Server. Ordinarily, you do not have to use this command during your normal daily workflow. But if you are working along and then realize that you want to discard your local changes and start fresh, or if you suspect any kind of data error in the project you are working on, use Reload Project from Server. This means that your unsent changes will be discarded, and you will get the current, entire state of the project as it exists on the server. (In contrast, when you Receive project changes from the server, your local data, including unsent changes, remain intact.)

1474

Collaboration

What is Local Data?

When you join a Teamwork project or link a Drawing from an external project, local copies of that project and of its BIM Server Libraries are created on your hard drive. Local data are stored in your Local Data Folder, which by default is located in the GRAPHISOFT folder, under your user data, on your hard drive. All data from all Teamwork projects, regardless of the ArchiCAD version they are in, are saved to this one location. See also Save Local Copy. When you Leave a Teamwork project, the local data for that project are deleted automatically. The problem of unneeded data only arises for projects that you remain joined into. (See Join or Leave a Teamwork Project.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1477

Collaboration

Get Feedback on Local Project/Library Data

To see the status and amount of local Teamwork data stored on your computer, go to the Local Data Manager dialog box (Teamwork > Project > Local Data Manager).

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1481

Collaboration

Move Local Teamwork Data to a Different Folder

While your default Local Data Folder is the hard drives GRAPHISOFT folder under your user data, it is possible to relocate the Local Data Folder to a new location (for example, if the default drive is overloaded). If you do this, all data is moved to the new location, and all Teamwork local data - regardless of ArchiCAD version - will henceforth be saved to this location. If the new location is not an empty folder, no data are moved to that location: instead, the program will henceforth use the local data that are already there. To move local copies of your Teamwork projects and libraries to a different location: 1. Close all running Teamwork projects. (Save and/or Send, as necessary.) 2. Go to Teamwork > Local Data Manager 3. Click the Options button to open the Local Data Options dialog box.

4. Click Move... 5. In the appearing Browse for Folder dialog box, choose or create a new folder location. 6. Click OK.

1482

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Move Local Data to a Different Computer

IMPORTANT: It is possible to move your local data to a different computer, as described below. However, if you are working on one Teamwork project at a time, the Travel Pack function is the preferred workflow for transporting it between computers. (See Travel Pack: Move Your Project and Libraries to a Different Computer.) The Travel Pack is optimized for transporting one project at a time, whereas moving local data involves all the data from all Teamwork projects on your machine. It is possible to use the Move Local Data feature to move your local data to a different machine - for example, your home computer - via a pen drive: 1. At the office, move your local data to a pen drive. 2. Take it home. On your home computer, start ArchiCAD and use the Move Local Data function again, defining the folder on the pen drive as the new location. 3. Since this folder contains data, ArchiCAD will henceforth use this location and this data as Local Data.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1483

Collaboration

Delete Local Teamwork Data

Working in Detached Mode

Detached mode is an optional way to continue working after you have been forced to leave a project. A forced leave can occur if an Administrator uses the Force Leave command (see Force User to Leave a Project), or if an Administrator replaces the current version of the project on the server with a backup copy (Rollback). After a forced leave, the BIM Server notices that you are no longer part of the project. As a result, you cannot send anything to the server. You get this message:

If you Continue in Detached mode, you can still work on your local copy but you cannot send in your changes. Choose Continue in Detached mode if you want to retain your important recent modifications. While you cannot send these changes to the server (because you are in Detached mode), you can copy them to the clipboard. You can also save the detached project as a solo PLN. Then re-join the Teamwork project, and paste or merge your changes into this project. Do a Send & Receive: now you are in sync with the latest project data and can continue working where you left off.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1487

Collaboration

Remote Access to Teamwork Projects

ArchiCAD 14 supports several ways for you to access and work on a Teamwork project from different locations. This is helpful if, for example, you are traveling and want to take the project with you; or if you regularly work on the same project from several locations (e.g. home and work). Related Topics:

Accessing the BIM Server Over the Internet

Read this section for information on how to set up a remote computer to access the BIM Server over the internet.

Working from Home and the Office: Suggested Workflow

Read this section for a step-by-step workflow.

Travel Pack: Move Your Project and Libraries to a Different Computer

Read this section to find out how to move your project and/or BIM Server Libraries easily from one computer to another.

Avoid Conflicting Work Sessions in Teamwork Projects

Read this section to find out how to avoid losing edits due to conflicting work sessions from multiple locations.

1488

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Accessing the BIM Server Over the Internet

The GRAPHSOFT BIM Server is designed to enable Teamwork users to access the BIM Server and its projects over the Internet.

Introduction
Setting up the BIM Server for Teamwork in a LAN office is easy - you basically just plug and play (though local firewalls can still cause problems). If you want to work over the Internet, however, the situation is a little more complex. By default, data traffic initiated from the outside will not reach the office server inside. An office LAN is connected to the Internet via a router, and all incoming and outgoing data traffic goes through this router. When someone tries to access an office computer from the outside (for example, to join a project on our server), in reality they are accessing the router, which has a public IP address. Without custom setup, the router does not know that it has to redirect the communication to any of the computers in the LAN. In addition, firewalls will block communication from the outside unless ports are properly configured. Virtual Private Networking (VPN) is a solution by which computers in different internetconnected LAN's can act as if they were on the same LAN. This solution also has advantages regarding the security of confidential data transmitted from one computer to the other, because VPN's include cryptographic solutions. The rest of this topic is devoted to regular remote access of LAN from the internet - without VPN.

Enabling Remote Access to a LAN from the Internet

1. In BIM Server Preferences, under Internet address, enter either the router's public IP address or a domain name. The simplest choice is to use a static IP address obtained from your Internet provider. If there is a domain name, this will be translated to a public IP Address automatically. If the client ArchiCAD has never connected to the BIM Server, and is attempting to do so via the Internet, he must use the public IP address or domain name when adding a new BIM Server to the servers list in ArchiCAD. If the client ArchiCAD has connected to the BIM Server at least once inside the office, then this server name will be automatically located whenever the client tries to connect remotely through the Internet. ArchiCAD 14 will automatically recognize and resolve the varying addresses of your BIM Server, no matter which address (i.e. internal or external server address) is used. Links to BIM Server Libraries and Hotlinked Modules will be automatically located, even if many team members are accessing the project using various server addresses from different locations.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1489

Collaboration

2. Note the ports used by the BIM Server for communication. These are set during BIM Server Configuration and can be viewed or changed in BIM Server Preferences:

These ports are necessary for communication to occur. Once you know these port numbers, you can use them to adjust the settings on the router and firewall to enable communications between the BIM Server (in the office) and a client ArchiCAD (outside the office). Make sure you know the specific ports used by the server module which will be accessed from the outside. For example, if the outside client ArchiCAD is version 13, then you must open the ports used by Server Module 13. (You can, of course, open all the ports.) 3. Set up a PAT (Port Address Translation): When data traffic from the client ArchiCAD arrives to a specific port of the router, the PAT information enables the router to forward this data to the BIM Server itself. 4. Open firewalls as needed to make sure that communication on ports related to ArchiCAD and the BIM Server is not blocked. (For more information, see: Firewalls.)

1490

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

General Considerations
We cannot give you detailed examples of how to set up a PAT or Firewall according to the above solutions due to the high variety of the possible network topology, network devices and interfaces of the software involved. In small offices, you can do these changes if you are fully aware of the LAN topology in your office and if you are also aware of the interface of the Firewall and of the software or hardware responsible for PAT. Otherwise, an IT professional has to do the job. In large offices, we suggest that an IT professional do this job. The above solutions assume that your router retains exactly the same Public IP Address on a constant basis (static IP address). If the router's IP address changes regularly, then you must use further technologies (such as DynDNS, at dyndns.com) to be able to uniquely identify your computer from the outside over the course of time.

Firewalls
Firewalls might exist at several places throughout the route of the data traffic.

The Firewall on the client home computer: Usually, this firewall will (by default) allow all traffic initiated from the client computer out to the outside world, but will block all traffic initiated from the outside from coming in to the client computer. This means that if the default Firewall settings are not changed, then an ArchiCAD running on this client computer will be able to successfully communicate with a BIM server outside of the client computer. The Firewall on the Router of the home network (if a Router is used in the home network): Most routers targeted for home networks have a built-in Firewall. As above, these by default allow all traffic initiated from any computer of the home LAN to the outside world, but block all
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1491

Collaboration

traffic initiated from outside from coming in to the LAN. This means that if the default Firewall settings are not changed, then an ArchiCAD running on a computer in the home LAN will be able to successfully communicate with a BIM server outside of the LAN. The Firewall on the Router of the office network: In case of a router firewall targeted for small offices, the behavior of the Router might be the same as in the previous case. However, in this scenario the office network router is receiving data from the outside, so the firewall's default settings will block traffic initiated from the home LAN to a computer in the office LAN. Thus, you must change the default settings of the firewall in order for the remote connection to work. In case of Firewall software targeted for large offices, the default behavior is to block all traffic, whether incoming or outgoing. Again, you will need to change the settings for a successful communication. The Firewall on the server computer in the office network: Having a separate Firewall on the server computer is unusual, because the main Firewall can fulfill this task. If the server does use a firewall, it must also be configured to let data through.

1492

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Travel Pack: Move Your Project and Libraries to a Different Computer

The Travel Pack function creates a portable copy of your local data from the current Teamwork project. By converting your local data into a Travel Pack, you can transfer project data and/or libraries to a remote computer and continue working there. Important: Make sure that you are using ArchiCAD programs with identical versions and identical build numbers, on both the remote and original computers. Otherwise, you will not be able to merge changes to the project. Topics in this section:

Why Use a Travel Pack? Create a Travel Pack Import Travel Pack What does Traveling Mode mean? Travel Pack Workflow 1: Work on a Project at a Remote Location without Online Access Travel Pack Workflow 2: Work on Single Project while Alternating Between Two Online Locations Why Use a Travel Pack?
It is possible, of course, to just go to another computer and access and download the project from the BIM Server through a network, or through the Internet. The Travel Pack, however, gives you more flexibility in accessing project data from multiple locations. Using the Travel Pack is recommended in the following cases: You cannot access the BIM Server from the remote computer. In this case, the only way you can access project data is to bring it with you to the remote computer. At the original location, you will make a Travel Pack out of the project, take it home, unpack it, work on it in offline mode, pack it up again, then return to the original location (or other machine with convenient access to the BIM Server). You can now go online and synchronize your local copy with the project data on the server. Your network or internet access is slow. While you can download the project over the internet at the remote location, the sheer volume of data makes this prohibitively timeconsuming. Instead, create a Travel Pack at the original location, then open it at the remote location. This way, the projects local data is saved to the machine - no downloading necessary. When you do go online, all you need to do is send/receive changes to synchronize your local copy with the project data on the server. This requires much less data transfer capacity than downloading the entire project with all its libraries. 1493

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

You can access the BIM Server easily, yet the projects BIM Server libraries are so large that you do not want to wait for the whole download. On the original computer, create a new shared project, adding the BIM Server Libraries you will need. This project contains no model data, just libraries. Out of this, create a Travel Pack. On the remote computer, open the Travel Pack project: this step will unpack those libraries and save them to your Local Data folder. Now, access the BIM Server to open the project itself, the one you want to work on. The program will find that the libraries have already been downloaded locally, so the download is limited to just model data - no library downloads.

Create a Travel Pack

1. Open the project out of which you would like to create a Travel Pack. 2. Save any changes to the project. If you are online, do a Send/Receive. 3. Use the Teamwork > Project > Travel Pack > Create Travel Pack command.

Note: If you are online and did not do a Send/Receive, you are prompted to do so.

1494

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

4. The Create Travel Pack dialog box appears.

In addition to the project data, all of the projects BIM Server Libraries will be included in the Travel Pack. If you prefer to include only certain libraries in the Travel Pack (or no libraries at all), click Custom, then Select Libraries to specify them. (Uncheck any libraries you do not want to include.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1495

Collaboration

5. Click Create. The Pack Project dialog box appears. Choose a location to which to save the file (for example, a pen drive).

Once you create a Travel Pack out of a projects local data, that local data stored on the hard drive is flagged as being in Traveling mode. The Local Data Manager, as well as the Open Teamwork Project dialog box, will show this project with the status of Traveling.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1499

Collaboration

The Traveling mode flag is removed from the project automatically as soon as you import a Travel Pack of that project. If you later open the project again (rather than importing the Travel Pack) on the same, original computer, ArchiCAD will warn you that you have already made a Travel Pack out of the local data (and presumably have worked on it, or will work on it, at another location).

It is recommended that you do NOT unlock and open the project here, unless you are certain that will not import the Travel Pack onto this machine at a later time. (For such a scenario, see Travel Pack Workflow 2: Work on Single Project while Alternating Between Two Online Locations.)

Travel Pack Workflow 1: Work on a Project at a Remote Location without Online Access
Suppose you are working on a Teamwork project from your office computer, but wish to take the project and work on it in offline mode on your portable notebook computer. For example, you are flying on a plane without internet access, but want to work during your flight. 1. Create a Travel Pack at the office and save the resulting file (*.twtravel) to a portable device. (See Create a Travel Pack for details.) Note: The projects local data on the original computer is now flagged as being in Traveling Mode. 2. Once you are on the plane, start ArchiCAD on your notebook. 3. Import the Travel Pack, then Open the project. 4. Work on the project as needed in offline mode. 5. When you are done, create another Travel Pack out of the local data on your notebook, and save the resulting file (*.twtravel) to a portable device. 6. Back at the office, start ArchiCAD, import the Travel Pack, then open the project. 7. You are ready to work as usual.

Travel Pack Workflow 2: Work on Single Project while Alternating Between Two Online Locations
In this scenario, you make a Travel Pack once, to transfer the local data from Location A to Location B the first time. Once the local data exists in both places, there is no more need for a

1500

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Travel Pack; just make sure you Send & Receive at the beginning and end of your work session at both locations. Note: To work from several online locations, you do not necessarily need a Travel Pack: if you can access the BIM Server online, then you can download the project and libraries from any machine, work as needed, then Send & Receive before closing the project. (See Working from Home and the Office: Suggested Workflow.) However, if you do not want to download the project data and/or libraries online, you can use the Travel Pack to transfer this data physically from one location to another, as described here. This scenario works under two conditions: You must work online at both locations After each session, you must do a Send & Receive before closing the project 1. At the office, finish working, do a save and Send/Receive. 2. Create a Travel Pack. (See Create a Travel Pack for details.) The local data on your office computer is now flagged as being in Traveling mode. 3. On your home computer, start ArchiCAD and unpack the project. Work as usual. Once you finish, you must be online so that you can do a Send/Receive. Save and close the project. 4. The following notice appears:

Since you have done a Send/Receive, the project is up-to-date on the server, and you do not need a Travel Pack to move the local data manually back to the office. Thus, choose Dont Create, and check Dont ask me again. (This way, the local data on your home computer no longer remembers that it was created out of a Travel Pack.) 5. Back at the office, open the project again. You are alerted that the local data on this computer is in Traveling mode.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1501

Collaboration

6. Since the modifications you made at home have been sent to the server, you can go ahead and choose Unlock and Open. (The local data on your office computer will thus cease to be in Traveling mode.) 7. On the office computer, do a Send & Receive. The modifications you made at home are now merged into the project on the office computer, and you can continue working. You can keep going in this manner, alternating your home and office computers, as long as you need to: 8. On the office computer, finish working, do a save and Send/Receive. Then close the project. If you want to keep working at home, you do not need to make another Travel Pack, because the projects local data is already on your hard drive at home. 9. On the home computer, start ArchiCAD, open the project, and do a Send/Receive. The modifications you made at the office are now merged into your local data at home, and you can continue working, with no further need for a Travel Pack.

1502

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Teamwork Data Location

Choose a default Teamwork Data Folder location at: Options > Work Environment > Special Folders

Libraries and Teamwork Projects

File > Libraries and Objects > Manage Teamwork Libraries File > Libraries and Objects > Library Manager

1506

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Reserving Elements
Overview of Teamwork Reservation Reserve Elements by Selection Reserve Elements by Criteria Reserve Library Objects Reservation Results Feedback on Element Ownership

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1507

Collaboration

Overview of Teamwork Reservation

In ArchiCADs Teamwork, workspaces do not need to be reserved when starting work; you can create new elements freely, without the need to reserve anything. Anyone can create new elements or data; no reservation is needed to create something new. For example, anyone can create a slab, or save a new view, and send it to the server. However, to modify or delete an element, attribute, or other data type from the shared project, you must first reserve that element/data type. Reservation can be done at any time as you work in ArchiCAD; you must be online. New elements created by you are reserved by you automatically. As soon as you reserve an element or project data, the reservation data is registered on the server, and all other users receive feedback that the element is now reserved by you; the reserved element will not be free for others to use until you release it. Typically, you will reserve the elements only when you need them, then release them when you are done working on them. Reservation status is always up-to-date as long as you are online; there is no need to send and receive to ensure that reservation data is current. In Teamwork, you can reserve: 1. Elements. There are two ways to reserve existing elements: Reserve Elements by Selection Reserve Elements by Criteria 2. Other Project Data. You can reserve many ArchiCAD data types, such as attributes and certain Navigator items, that are not elements. See Reserving Project Data (Non-Elements).

Conditions for Reserving

To reserve something, the following conditions must be true: 1. You are online. 2. The element/data type is not currently reserved by any other user. 3. Your role includes access rights to the element or data type. 4. The project is in updated condition on your machine. Note: If you do try to reserve elements that are not up to date on your client machine, you will be alerted that a Receive is necessary before you Reserve.

1508

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Reserve Elements by Selection

Note: You must be online in order to reserve. Follow these steps: 1. Explicitly select the element(s) which you want to reserve. All ArchiCAD elements can be reserved. 2. Click the Reserve button from the Teamwork Palette, or click Reserve Selected Elements from the windows context menu:

Note on Marquee Selection: To reserve elements by selection in Teamwork, you must explicitly select them, so that they show selection dots. Then you can use the Reserve Selected Elements command. Placing a Marquee is not enough, because Marquee selection does not explicitly select elements. You can, of course, use the Marquee to help explicitly select the items you need. For example, draw a Marquee, then use Select All (Ctrl/Cmd +A with Arrow tool selected) to select all elements inside the Marquee. If it turns out that some of the elements you designated could not be reserved - because of ownership conflicts - the Reservation Results dialog box lists these and lets you send a Request message to the elements' owners, asking that they grant the element(s) to you now. See Reservation Results for details.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1509

Collaboration

Reserving Marker Elements: Sections/Elevations/IEs and Details/Worksheets

Important: Reserving a source-type marker element means that you reserve the right to adjust the markers location and Settings. It does not mean that you reserve elements shown in the associated viewpoint. To reserve a marker-type element - e.g. a Section line - select the Section marker, then reserve it using one of these methods: Use the Teamwork Palettes Reserve command Use the Reserve Selected Elements command from the windows context menu. Select the Section item in the Navigator and click the Reserve button at the bottom of the Navigator.

Select the Section item in the Navigator and click the Reserve button from its context menu.

1510

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Reserve Elements by Criteria

If you want to reserve a larger logical group of elements (such as every element on one or more stories), use the Reserve Elements dialog box.

This function enables you to reserve all the elements which are located in a given region of the project, and which fit the criteria you define. In the Reserve Elements dialog box, you will define 1. the Project Region; and 2. Criteria for which elements to reserve, within the Project Region Reserving Elements by Criteria will NOT select the elements; the criteria act as a filter for reserving elements in Teamwork.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1511

Collaboration

Bring Up Reserve Elements Dialog Box

To bring up this dialog box, click the Reserve Elements or Reserve... command from one of these locations: the Teamwork Palette the Teamwork menu the context menu of the active window the context menu of a Navigator item

Collaboration

Add/Remove Items from Project Region

The Project Region can contain the following: Any viewpoint Any view Any Layout or Master Layout To remove any listed item from the project region of the Reserve Elements dialog box, select the item and click Remove. To expand the project region to include other viewpoints, views or layouts, click Add. This brings up the Choose Project Region dialog box, listing eligible Navigator items to add as the Project Region.

Click one or more of the Navigator items, then click OK to add them to the Project Region.

Define Reservation Criteria

In the Criteria part of the Reserve Elements dialog box, choose the criteria with which to filter the elements that fall within the Project Region defined at the top of the dialog box. From the Criteria Set Name pop-up, optionally choose a predefined Criteria Set, including:

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1515

Collaboration

Built-In Criteria Sets: All Elements All 2D Elements All 3D Elements All elements on unlocked and visible layers

Note: The predefined All elements on unlocked and visible layers Criteria Set is designed to fit a workflow in which the project manager sets up views especially defined for Teamwork usage. You can create several views out of a single viewpoint, then vary the layer states in each view: set the layers of elements that logically belong together to be visible and editable (with the rest of the non-relevant elements locked), then name the view accordingly. For example, a view entitled Ceiling Plan might place all the paneling and mechanical structures onto visible and editable layers. This way, the designated user would reserve elements from the Ceiling Plan view by using the Elements on unlocked and visible layers criteria. Public Criteria Sets and My Criteria Sets are listed if you have already defined and saved custom criteria sets (see Stored Criteria Sets in Teamwork.) Alternatively, define a Custom criteria set: use the interface to add new criteria, or to define additional conditions for filtering. (See Save Custom Criteria Set.)

Collaboration

Note that the Criteria Name is now Custom. Click on the arrow to the right of the name to store this Criteria Set for later use.

In the appearing dialog box, give your newly defined Criteria Set a name (e.g. White brick Columns/Beams). Choose either Public Criteria Set (to make it available to all project users) or My Criteria Set (if you do not wish to share it).

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1519

Collaboration

Click Store to return to the Reserve Elements dialog box.

The newly defined Criteria Set is now listed in the pop-up.

Stored Criteria Sets in Teamwork

Criteria Sets that you create and store in the Reserve Elements dialog box are also available from the Find and Select Elements dialog box.

Conversely, all the Criteria Sets you defined in the Find & Select dialog box are available from the drop-down Criteria name menu in the Reserve Elements dialog box. In a Teamwork Project, stored Public Criteria Sets can be reserved through the Find & Select dialog box: click Reserve Public Criteria Sets from the Criteria Name pop-up. Public Criteria Sets are shown as underlined if they have not yet been sent to the server.

1520

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

This reservation means that you alone have the right to modify any of the stored Criteria Sets. However, any user - regardless of reservation status - can create, use and store new Criteria Sets.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1521

Collaboration

Other options in the Colored Workspaces function: 2. All with original Color: This is the default option, and essentially means that no reservationspecific colors are used. 3. Gray out Unowned Workspace: Everything which is NOT yours is shown in the Passive color. (Your own items are shown in their original colors.) 4. Show Reservation by Users: Each Users elements are shown in the default user color, defined by the Server Administrator in User Settings. (See Define User Image and User Color; see also Redefine User Colors Locally.) All unowned elements are shown in the Free Elements color. 5. Own elements/free elements/others workspace: Your own elements in your own color; free elements in the Free Elements color; others workspace in the Passive color. 6. Requested by me/From me/Other Elements: Requested by me and From me are shown in those respective colors; other elements shown in the Passive color.

Defining the Colors in Colored Workspaces

Depending on which Colored Workspace variation you choose, you will use one or more of the following colors: Highlight Passive Free Elements Requested by Me Requested from Me

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1525

Collaboration

These colors are defined in the Workspace Colors section of Options > Work Environment > On-Screen Options:

1526

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

This palette lists the elements (by project region) and the project data that have run into a conflict: Elements by Project Region: For every Project Region listed, shows the number of elements successfully reserved and the number of elements that were not reserved due to a conflict. For each of the rest of the groups listed in the Last Reservation Results Palette, the reservation result is indicated by a green light in the Reserved column; a red light in the Conflict column; or a grey light to indicate No Access Right.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

List of Reservable Project Data (Non-Elements)

In a shared Teamwork project, you can reserve the data represented by the following dialog boxes, palettes and Navigator items: Attributes Line Types Fill Types Composites Pens Profiles Cities Mark-up Styles Zone Categories Layer Settings Materials Navigator Items Layout Map individual Layouts individual Views individual Drawings Publisher Sets Camera/VR Interactive Schedules Indexes List Schemes (certain functions) Other Model View Options Favorites Find & Select Criteria Project Preferences Story Settings Markup Entry Project Notes Project Info Project Preview Scheme Settings

1536

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Feedback on Ownership of Project Data

At the bottom of each dialog box (or at the bottom of each Navigator map), the Teamwork Status control light is color-coded to indicate the current status of that data type: Blue - Free for Reservation. The Reserve button is available. (Clicking Reserve also means that the reserved data type will automatically be synchronized with the server to ensure it is up to date.) Green - Editable. This data type belongs to you; you can modify or delete these data as needed, or Release them using the button to the right. Changes are sent to the server There is an additional option for Releasing:

Release and Comment. The data is released, and the Release event is added to the Project Log in the form of a comment. You also have the option to send a message at this time. (See Add Comment to Log.) Red - Reserved (by user name). The Request button is available.

See Request Elements or Project Data. Gray- Not Accessible. (The server is offline.)

Gray - No Access Right: You have no access rights at all regarding an attribute category (neither Create nor Modify/Delete).

All users joined in to the project see these control lights, which are always up-to-date. (For example, if you reserve the Layer Settings dialog box, your control light turns green; at the same instant, the Layer Settings control lights of the other users turn red.) A list of the Project Data owned by you is included in the My Workspace pop-up of the Teamwork Palette (see Review Your Workspace).

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1537

Collaboration

Reservation in Attribute Manager; Reserve All Attributes

Like other dialog boxes in Teamwork, the Attribute Manager has a control light system. You can reserve a particular attribute type by navigating to the tab page you need (e.g., Layers, as in the image below). Click the Teamwork pop-up at the bottom of the dialog box and choose the Reserve command. Reserving Layers here is equivalent to reserving the Layer Settings dialog box. Note: If the Teamwork pop-up is grey, it means you do not have the access right needed to delete or modify the attribute. You also have the option to Reserve All Available Attribute types, from the same pop-up. This is equivalent to reserving all of the settings dialog boxes of all available attributes. Attributes you have reserved display a green control light on their respective tab pages in Attribute Manager, as well as in their respective Settings dialog boxes (e.g. Layer Settings).

1538

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Similarly, you can release attributes either individually or all together, using the Release commands from the Teamwork pop-up.

Attribute Manager

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1539

Collaboration

Reserve Individual Views and View Map Folders

In a Teamwork project, there are two View Map modes: Public Views and My Views. Shared views must be in the Public View Map. To switch between View Map modes, use the pop-up at the top of the View Map:

Reserve a View
Reserving a view means that you reserve the right to: modify the View Settings delete the view move the view in the View Map hierarchy In Public Views, use context menus in the Navigator to reserve the views that you need: rightclick the view, then choose Reserve View Settings. Alternatively, select the view and click Reserve at the bottom of the View Map.

Note: To reserve a view, you must be assigned the role: Views and Folders - Delete/Modify. If you do not have this role, the corresponding commands are not available.

1540

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Reserve Layout Settings

Use context menus in the Navigator to reserve the Layouts you need: right click the Layout, then choose Reserve Layout Settings. (The same applies to Master Layouts.) Alternatively, select the Layout and click Reserve at the bottom of the Layout Book. Reserving a Layouts Settings means that you reserve the right to: modify the Layout Settings delete the Layout move the Layout within the Layout Book structure To reserve Settings of all available Layouts in the Layout Book, or all Layouts in one of its Subsets or in the Master Layouts folder, right-click the Layout Book name (or the Subset/folder), then choose Reserve free items. If the selected folder itself is available too, the command is: Reserve with free items. This will reserve the settings of the selected folder, plus the settings of all available items that it contains. Available items are those not currently reserved by any other user.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1546

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Reserve and Delete Layers

To assist in your design work, you can change layer states and create new Layers or Layer Combinations, even if the Layer Settings attribute has been reserved by someone else. However, to save and share these changes to the project, or to delete layers, you must reserve Layer Settings. To reserve Layer Settings, open the Layer Settings dialog box, and click Reserve. If you delete layers, any of your own elements located on those layers are also deleted.

However, elements on deleted layers are NOT deleted if they are owned by other users. Such elements will be identified as having MISSING layers. These elements will be displayed on all outputs; their visibility cannot be changed. If you find that your elements are located on a deleted (MISSING) layer, you should either delete these elements or move them onto another layer. To easily identify which of your elements are on MISSING layers, just hide all project layers: elements whose layers are missing (plus any elements on the ArchiCAD Layer) will be the only elements that are still displayed.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1547

Collaboration

Reserve Find and Select Criteria

In a Teamwork project, the Find & Select Palette contains a number of built-in Criteria Sets. (See Find and Select Elements.) Additional Criteria Sets customized by you can be stored either locally (My Criteria Sets) or shared and reserved (Public Criteria Sets). Click the Criteria Sets pop-up to see which Criteria Sets are available to your project:

1553

Collaboration

Reserve All Elements of a Schedule

Use the Reserve by Criteria function to reserve all the elements listed in a given Schedule window. Just add one or more Schedules to the Project Region. Ensure that All Types is chosen as the criteria, then click Reserve Elements.

Colored Feedback in the Interactive Schedule Window

You can use Colored Workspace options to indicate element ownership. (For example, you can show each schedule item is shown in the color of the user who has reserved it, by switching on Show Reservation by Users in the Teamwork Palette.)

1554

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

If a selected schedule item is free for reservation, you can reserve it from the Teamwork Palette, using Reserve.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1555

Collaboration

Reserve List Scheme Dialog Boxes

The following functions of the Calculation List feature can be reserved using the control light interface: Set Up List Schemes Note: List Schemes will function in Teamwork projects only if you save them to the projects Embedded Library. Edit Database Link Properties to Criteria For details on the Calculation List feature, see Calculation.

1556

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Reserve Mark-up Entry

See Teamwork and Project Mark-Up.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1557

Collaboration

Reserve All Elements and Data

The Reserve All command will attempt to reserve all existing elements and project data in the currently opened Teamwork Project. This function can be useful if you expect to be the only user on a project for a given period of time. The Reserve All command is available: From the Teamwork menu

From the Teamwork Palette Reserve pop-up:

If the attempt to Reserve All is successful, you will get the following feedback:

1558

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

If the attempt to Reserve All runs into conflicts, the Reservation Results dialog box appears:

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1559

Collaboration

Review Your Workspace

For an overview of all project items (both elements and non-elements) reserved by you, go to the Workspace panel of the Teamwork Palette and click the My Workspace button:

Select any item on this Workspace pop-up and click Show (to zoom to elements) or Open (to open the relevant dialog box), depending on the item you have selected. Click Release if you are ready to release the selected item.

Feedback on Element Ownership Feedback on Ownership of Project Data

1560

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Creating and Sending Project Data

Create New Data
Regardless of reservation status, any user having the necessary access rights can create and store new project data, and you can modify such data locally. For example, any user can create a new Fill Type even if he/she has not reserved the Fill Types dialog box. If you create a new attribute or other data type, you are free to modify and delete it. Until the first time you issue the Send command, the name of the newly created data type is shown as underlined in the dialog box (like Pavement 20 in this image), indicating that no other users are able to see or use this attribute.

Send New Data

If you create a new attribute or other non-element data type, use Send to send it to the server. If, at the time you want to send changes, the data type is reserved by another user, you will be warned that you cannot send in any changes:

To resolve this situation, you can: Get the owner of the data type to release it right now, then Retry Cancel, then reserve or request the data type (e.g. Fill Types Dialog Box), then Send again Delete the new data (e.g. Pavement 20), then Send again

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1561

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1565

Collaboration

Release All
If nothing is selected, the button in the Teamwork Palette changes to Release All. This will release all of your reservations: elements and project data alike. Click the pop-up button to access other Release commands:

Release with Close

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

To delete one or more messages from the Completed list, select them and click the Delete item at the bottom of the list.

Request Messages Create a New Message Receive and Open Message Ask for Review

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1573

Collaboration

Request Messages
A Request message is automatically created and sent whenever you click the Request button associated to a selected Teamwork element or data type which you wish to reserve, but which is owned by another user. See Request Elements or Project Data.

1574

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Create a New Message

To create a new message, click the Send New Message icon at the bottom of the Messages Panel of the Teamwork Palette, or use Teamwork > New Message.

Alternatively, select one or more user names from the Teamwork Palettes Users panel, or from the context menu, and click the same icon there. The selected names will appear in the messages To: field.

Note: You can also send messages associated with Comments. See Add Comment to Log.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1575

Collaboration

Choose Recipients
Click the To: button to bring up a checklist of users who are logged in to the project (whether currently online or not). Choose the recipients of your message.

For extra emphasis, you can choose to add a High Priority icon to your message from the pop-up at the top right. High priority messages are shown in the recipient's To Do list with a colored background, and the associated flyover that appears on the recipients screen will not disappear until the recipient takes some action to open or close it.

Type in the desired text message, and click Send.

1576

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Add a Task Request

You can make it easier for the message recipient if you add a pre-programmed task request as part of your message. Before sending your message, you can optionally add a task button, so that the recipient's copy will contain not only the message you typed, but also the specified command button, to facilitate a quick response. The recipient does not need to search for the button and the task is much less likely to be forgotten. Click the Task pop-up in the New Message dialog box:

If you wish, choose a Task to add it to your message. For example, if your message asks the recipients to send in all their work, you can attach a Send Changes button to your message. In complying with your request, the recipient needs only to click this Send Changes button from the message.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1577

Collaboration

Receive and Open Message

To view a new message and related options, do one of the following: click on the fly-over message notification click the pop-up of the new message in your To-Do list, and choose one of the options:

If the sender has included a Task as part of the message, the related command is shown here: click if you want to complete the Task. The same options are available if you open the message.

1578

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Ask for Review

If you want to discuss certain element(s) with a fellow user, it often easiest to ask them to take a look. In Teamwork, this is easy: 1. Select the element(s) in question. 2. From the context menu, choose Ask for Review. 3. Enter recipient name(s). 4. The Review Selected Elements task is automatically included in the message. Click Send.

The recipient simply clicks Show to see the elements under review.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1579

Collaboration

Add Comment to Log

Comments are optional texts that are recorded in the Teamwork Project Log. See also Project Log. To add a comment to the Project Log, do one of the following: Use Teamwork > Project > Add Teamwork Comment Choose Send and Comment or Release and Comment from the pop-up or context menu of the regular Send and Release commands.

The appearing Add Comment to Log dialog box may contain an automatically generated text about the action you have just taken. (If you just issued the Add Teamwork Comment command, the field is empty.)

1580

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

The source file of a Module can be a Solo Project, a Teamwork Project (of the same ArchiCAD version as your host project) or a Module-type file from ArchiCAD 12, 13, or 14. To use an older-version solo project as a hotlink source, you must first open and save the source file in ArchiCAD 12, ArchiCAD 13 or ArchiCAD 14. To use a Teamwork project as a hotlink source, it must first be migrated to ArchiCAD 14. For details on migrating legacy projects, see the Migration Guide for ArchiCAD 13. Your host file can include any number of Hotlinks. 1590
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

The Modules content can be updated upon command if the hotlinked source file changes. The elements of a hotlinked module are included in the host Project, which means that even if the hotlinked source file is not currently available, the Module is still present and visible, but cant be updated as long as the referred source file is unavailable. Elements belonging to a selected Module have hollow square marks on their hotspots. If several Modules are selected, their selection dots will have different colors to help you distinguish them.

Multiple instances of the same Hotlink can be placed, each instance being a separate Module. The placement parameters of each instance can be different even though they share the same Hotlink source. The Module can only be edited as an entity (similarly to Library Parts or Groups). They cannot be ungrouped and their elements cannot be edited as long as they remain part of a placed Module. You can use the Find & Select command to locate Module elements by Hotlink.

For more information, see Find and Select Elements.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1591

Collaboration

Managing (modifying, updating, breaking, deleting) a Hotlink will have an effect on all of its placed Modules.

Source File Data Interpretation

The Hotlinked Modules feature is strictly a Floor Plan to Floor Plan communication, which means that only elements appearing on the source files Floor Plan will appear in the host file. Source file elements keep their story-relative elevation values. Section/Elevation/IE markers and the contents of Section/Elevation/IE and 3D Document windows as well as Cameras of any type are skipped when placing the Module. Linked Library Parts: Placing a Module does not import any of its linked Library Parts. Make sure that the Library Parts used by the source are also available to the host, by doing one of the following: - Use the same Libraries for both source and host - Add the sources Libraries to the host files libraries

1592

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Embedded Library Parts: Placing a module will add the source files entire Embedded library to your host files embedded library. The newly added Embedded library can be seen in your Library Manager, inside the automatically created Hotlinks folder of your Embedded library. In this folder, each hotlink source file is listed separately along with all of their embedded objects. These objects will be updated in your host project if they are updated in the source project.

Important: It is not recommended to place any these objects into your project separately. These objects will be deleted from the Embedded Library if the hotlinked module is deleted from the project, or if all placed instances of the module are deleted. (You will notice the deletions after you re-open the host file.) Stories: When you create a Module that contains multi-story elements, or which includes several stories, you have the option of including all stories or selected stories as part of the module. For more information, see Place Module(s) from Multistory File. Pen Colors: The settings of the current Project will be applied to the Module. Materials, Line Types, Fill Types and Composites: If the elements of the Hotlinked Module use attributes that have the same names as those of the current Project, they will use the attributes of the host file. If no material, line type, fill type or composite of that name exists, new attributes will be added to the host file. However, once an attribute is part of the host file, that attribute will not be updated by any modifications to the same attribute in the source file. Note: Attributes imported with Hotlinked Modules are added permanently to the Project, i.e., they will not be removed when deleting Hotlinks or Modules.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1593

Collaboration

Module-Type Files (.mod)

By checking Replace selection with this hotlinked module file, you can immediately replace the selected elements with the module file. Note: In Teamwork, the Replace selection... checkbox is NOT available. The option is available in solo projects only. If you have selected certain elements and copied them to the clipboard, you can save a module that will include those elements only: use File > Save As, then choose the Module File from Clipboard file format. Note: If the selection contains elements that cannot be modified (e.g. they are locked, located on a locked layer or reserved by another user), an alert will warn you. You will then have the choice of either creating the module with the editable elements only, or canceling the operation altogether. The Apply offset/rotation of most recently broken hotlinked module checkbox is only available in this dialog box if a hotlinked file has been broken; otherwise it is gray. See Apply Offset and Rotation of Edited Module. 3. Click Save. You can then place this module file into a project. See Place Module.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1597

Collaboration

Place Module
1. Choose File > External Content > Place Hotlinked Module. The Place Module Dialog Box appears.

2. Click the Choose Hotlink button to open the corresponding dialog box.

1598

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

3. Do one of the following: Choose one of the existing hotlinks of this project, shown in the list, or Click New Hotlink to establish a new one. Choose the source of the new Hotlink: either From File, or From Teamwork Project.

- From File: A directory dialog box will appear. Select the desired file to use as the hotlink. - From Teamwork Project: The Select Teamwork Project dialog box appears. You must choose a BIM Server, authenticating yourself with user name and password, then choose the project you need. The project will appear as a pln file in your Choose Hotlink list. Select this file to use as the hotlink. Note: Keep in mind that if you link a module from a Teamwork project, that source Teamwork project must have the same version number as the host project. Important: To access the server and its projects, your user name must be present on the Teamwork projects User list. (See Manage Users on the BIM Server.) 4. Click OK to return to the Place Module Dialog Box. Use the controls here to set the Layer, Orientation and Elevation of the module you are about to place. 5. Click Place Module to place it in the project. Modules are placed in grouped mode. They cannot be ungrouped, and their elements cannot be edited individually. Note: Similarly to pasted elements, Modules can be placed into the current zoom or keep their source file coordinates. (See Paste Options Dialog Box.) 6. If you are placing one or more modules from a multistory source file, the Choose Story dialog box appears: see Place Module(s) from Multistory File.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1599

Two workflows for editing modules are described here:

Edit Hotlink Source in Separate ArchiCAD Edit Module: Break Link, Edit Elements, Replace Hotlink

1602

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Edit Hotlink Source in Separate ArchiCAD

To edit the elements of all the instances of a placed module, the easiest way is to edit the Hotlink Source file. In Hotlink Manager (File > External Content > Hotlink Manager), choose the desired source file from the Hotlink Sources list. Then click Open in Separate ArchiCAD. Another ArchiCAD opens on your machine, with the source file. Edit the file as needed, then save it. Hint: If you want to see the Floor Plan context of the placed module while editing its source in the second ArchiCAD, use the Trace function: save the Floor Plan (in the first ArchiCAD) as a view and place it onto a Layout. In the second ArchiCAD, use the Organizer to access the first ArchiCAD and copy this Layout into the second ArchiCAD. Select this Layout in the second ArchiCADs tree structure and choose Show as Trace from its context menu. Return to the first (host) project. Go to File > External Content > Hotlink Manager. In the Hotlink Source list, note that the Status of the edited modules Hotlink Source now reads Modified. (If needed, click Refresh Status to get the latest status messages.) Click Update to update the hotlink. This action is carried out once you click OK to close the Hotlink Manager dialog box.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1603

Collaboration

Edit Module: Break Link, Edit Elements, Replace Hotlink

Another way to edit a module is to break its hotlink, then edit it, and replace the previous hotlink with the newly edited module. 1. Select the module to edit on the Floor Plan. 2. Choose File > External Content > Hotlinked Module Settings. 3. Check the Break Hotlink of Selected Modules box, and click OK to close the dialog box.

4. Edit the elements as needed. (Use Edit > Grouping > Suspend Groups to enable editing.) 5. Select the elements again and choose File > External Content > Save Selection as Module. 6. Give the new module file a unique name. Note: If you choose the old name of the module file, you will overwrite the previous source file and thereby overwrite all placed instances of the module file, not just the selected module. 7. Click Save. The new, edited Hotlinked module is placed.

Collaboration

The placed module instances keep their relative locations.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1607

Collaboration

Display Order of Hotlinked Module Elements

You cannot directly control the display order of Hotlinked module instances in the host file in which you have placed it: the display order of Hotlinked Module elements is inherited from the original hotlinked file. To change the relative display order of elements in the Hotlinked Module instance, you must change the display order of the overlapping elements within the host file (move the elements forward or backward in the display stacking order as needed), then update the hotlink in the host file. See more on the display stacking order system at Display Order.

1608

You can set the option to Skip Nested Modules separately: for each placed instance of a hotlinked module, select the module, go to Module Settings, and check the Skip Nested Modules box. When placing any instance of a module containing nested modules, the same option is available: in the Place Module Dialog Box, check Skip Nested Modules. This will apply to the currently placed instance only.

Source File of Nested Module

You can open or update the nested hotlinks source file in just one step, by clicking the Update or Open in Separate ArchiCAD buttons in the Hotlink Sources section below. However, the Relink command is available only for the source files of modules at the top of the hierarchy, not for nested modules.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1611

Collaboration

Deleting Modules from the Floor Plan

To delete a module placed on the Floor Plan, select it and press Backspace or Delete. (To select it, Suspend Groups should be disabled; that is, the module should be in grouped mode.) All the elements making up the module will be cleared from your Project. If you want to clear all the instances of the same Hotlinked Module, you can go to the Hotlink Manager dialog box, select a Hotlinks name and click the Delete button.

Breaking Hotlinks
To break the hotlinks and preserve the elements of ALL instances of one or more modules, select the module in the Hotlinked Modules list in the Hotlink Manager Dialog Box (File > External Content > Hotlink Manager). Then click the Break Hotlink button. The result: the elements contained in the module are now regular editable ArchiCAD elements, no longer part of a module and no longer linked to any other source file. To break the hotlink of any single instance of a placed module, select the module and use the Break Hotlink of Selected Module in File > External Content > Hotlinked Module Settings. Once the hotlink is broken, the placed elements can be edited. See Edit Module: Break Link, Edit Elements, Replace Hotlink. After you break the Hotlink of a placed Module, the elements will be automatically grouped. However, restrictions on grouping will be valid (e.g., Dimension Chains will not be included in the group).

Updating Hotlinks
If the source file of a hotlinked module is changed, the placed instance of the module will be updated only if you use the Update command in Hotlink Manager. (File > External Content > Hotlink Manager.) The Hotlink Sources list indicates which source files, if any, have been Modified and thus are out of date. Select the file and press Update.

Once you press OK to close the dialog box, the module instances originated with this source file will be updated in your project.

1612

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

If you click the Update, Relink or Relocate commands for selected Hotlink Source files, these scheduled actions are noted in the files status column with a yellow triangle (at this point, you can still cancel the operation). The actions are not carried out until you press OK to close the Hotlink Manager dialog box. Warning: Carrying out these actions means that your ArchiCAD projects entire Undo queue will be cleared!

When pasting or merging data containing placed modules into a file containing instances of the same Hotlinks but with different update times, it is always the more recent module content that will be used, forcing the updating of the older instances. Warning: After this operation, the Hotlink may still be outdated. To set update preferences when opening a file containing hotlinks, go to Options > Work Environment > Data Safety & Integrity > Hotlink Update.

Restoring Missing Hotlinks

The elements making up the module are actual elements, not just references to items. This means that when you save the project file containing the hotlinked module, all the data you need is saved, even if the source files are not available anymore. You can work with a project file containing modules whose source is not available just like with any other modules, except that the modules cannot be updated. To recreate a live Hotlink to a module whose source is lost or not available: 1. Choose File > External Content > Hotlink Manager. 2. In the list of Hotlinked Modules, select the name of the hotlink which needs a new source file. 3. Click the Save as file... button and name the newly created file (it will be a module-type file with extension .mod). To redefine the location of a Hotlink Source listed as Missing in Hotlink Manager:

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1613

Collaboration

Click Relink and use the appearing New Hotlink directory dialog box to provide the location of the Hotlink Source (which is probably missing because it was moved to a new location.) As long as a Hotlinked Source is missing, ArchiCAD cannot update its module instances.

Note: Relink is available only for source files of top-level hotlinked modules; you cannot relink the source file of a nested hotlink. If the source of a nested hotlink is shown as Missing, open the file into which the nested hotlink is placed, and relink the source file.

Replacing Hotlinks (Relink and Relocate)

To replace an existing hotlink with a different hotlinked module, select the hotlink from the Hotlinked Modules list at the top of the Hotlink Manager, and click Change Hotlink. From the appearing dialog box, choose another hotlinked module from this project, or click New Hotlink to create a new one. You can also replace a Hotlink Source file with another one: in the Hotlink Sources list in Hotlink Manager, select the source file to replace and click Relink. All module instances based on the original source will now be replaced by modules based on the new source you relinked here. If the new source file has a different story structure than the host file, you will be warned that some dimensions may be lost if you continue the relink process:

Project Reviewer Example

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1617

Collaboration

Project Reviewer Example

Let us say a Drafter is working on an Apartment building. The Architect wants to review an apartment (e.g. Apartment B26) and make design modifications to it, if necessary.

1618

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

1. The Architect asks the Drafter to send him drawings to review. The Drafter goes to Publisher in ArchiCAD. Here he selects the 2nd Story for Publishing in DWF format. The DWF file is part of the 'Apartment B26 Review' Publisher Set. He sets the path for the saved files in the Publisher Set Properties Dialog. Also here, he checks the 'Include Project Reviewer web environment' checkbox so the necessary Java application is included with the saved files.

2. The Drafter then publishes this set or drawing.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1619

Collaboration

3. He then finds the saved files on his computer, compresses them into one file (ZIP for example) if necessary, and sends them over to the Architect via e-mail or by uploading the files to an FTP site from which the Architect can download them. It may be advisable for the Drafter to open the saved HTML file before sending it to ensure everything is OK and data were saved correctly.

4. The Architect receives the files. He double-clicks the HTML file to start the Project Reviewer web environment.

1620

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

6. Then he can start making Redlining entries to give instructions to the Drafter on what to change. For example, he might want a design option for the Apartment in which the wall between the Kitchen and the Living is removed, enabling him to rearrange the placement of the Kitchen counter and the Dining table. Also he wants the wall between the Living and the Vestibule to be moved downward to increase the Living area. He marks all these changes using the various Redlining tools of Project Reviewer, such as the Ellipse Tool, the Freehand Polyline Tool, the Arrow Tool or the Text Tool.

Project Mark-Up facilitates communication between designers. It allows you to point out problematic elements with a color highlight or to add new elements. You may wish to mark up a design for many reasons - for example to correct and manage a colleagues errors or deviations from a projects guidelines, or to make alternative design suggestions. Use the controls of the Mark-Up Tools Palette (Document > Mark-Up Tools) to add Mark-Up Entries to the project. A Mark-Up Entry is composed of a logically related set of Corrections, Highlights and Tags placed on the plan, and a discussion consisting of comments made by one or several users. The appearance of an Entry depends on its Mark-Up Style. A Style consists of a pair of colors. It is an attribute defined in the Mark-Up Styles Dialog Box.

Sharing Mark-Up Information

Mark-Up Entries in a solo project can be communicated to others via any output of the Publisher Function. Partners can open the file in ArchiCAD, review the mark-ups, and add comments to the discussion. If you publish the views in DWF format, non-ArchiCAD users can add further redlining with Project Reviewer. Redlined DWF format files can be sent to you by the reviewer. You can import these DWF files as a new Mark-Up Entry. Mark-Up entries in a Teamwork project can be shared more directly: just assign any of your entries to another logged-in member, who is alerted to the Mark-Up via an automatic message. (See Teamwork and Project Mark-Up.)

Collaboration

4. Now add your input, using the controls of the Mark-Up Tools Palette. For example: Add new elements as corrections: Enable the Start Corrections button, then use any tool to add elements to the current view. (The colors used are determined by the Entrys Mark-Up Style.) Convert elements to corrections: After selecting an element, click the Turn into Corrections button. (Remove the Correction marking from any selected element by clicking the Remove Corrections button.) Highlight elements: Select one or more elements, then click the Highlight Elements button. (Remove a highlight from a selected element by clicking the Remove Highlight button.)

Add a tag text: Type the desired text into the field in the Tag and Discussion panel. Then click Place On Plan, and move the cursor to the desired position in the view. Click to place.

Add a Discussion Comment: Click Add Comment to open a text window, then type your comment. Colleagues who then open your marked-up view can view your comment by clicking on Show Discussion, and add their own comment.

Show/Hide A Mark-Up Entry

For any Entry listed in the Mark-Up Entries Panel, click the eye button open or closed to show or hide it.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1631

Collaboration

If an Entry is hidden, the corrections/highlights will disappear as long as the Entry remains hidden.

Show/Hide All Mark-Up Entries in Project

A projects Mark-Up Entries are displayed by default. To hide them, uncheck the corresponding control in the Document > Set Model View > Model View Options dialog box.

1632

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Collaboration

Publishing and Retrieving Mark-Up Information

You can publish your marked up Project using the Publisher Function. Publisher will use the visibility option you set for Mark-Ups, that is, whether they are shown or hidden in general (in Model View Options). However, it will not store which Mark-Up Entries were visible when the View was created. When publishing, the current visibility status of each Mark-Up Entry will be reflected in the output. Provided that the published files are saved in DWF format, non-ArchiCAD users can add further redlining with Project Reviewer. Redlined DWF format files can be sent to you by the reviewer. You can import these DWF files as a new Mark-Up Entry. There are also special redlining objects provided in the ArchiCAD Library.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1633

5. Click Send. The Mark-Up Entry is been assigned to the chosen recipient, who receives a message to this effect in his/her To Do list.

1636

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Visualization

Visualization
Visualization in ArchiCAD encompasses all the tools and techniques that allow you to display and present your architectural design to your customer even at an early stage of your work. Presentations can be of various types (photorendered still images, animation, virtual reality) and may serve different purposes. You can visualize your entire project or parts of it using numerous built-in views or by adding dedicated cameras to the floor plan and then viewing the data from that vantage point. Some of the special views (for example virtual reality scenes) require the use of dedicated tools. ArchiCADs default 3D perspective and parallel (or axonometric) views can be activated and customized with menu commands and by using the Navigator palette. Cameras and their settings play a key role in the definition of the different visualization modes and views. Although the built-in visualization possibilities of ArchiCAD are quite extensive, you may want to further improve on the output images or insert them into foreign environments. ArchiCAD offers various options for exporting the entire model into a number of common file formats used by professional rendering software. Artlantis is a cutting-edge rendering solution developed by GRAPHISOFTs French distribution partner, Abvent SA. It can handle still images, animations and VR Scenes exported directly from ArchiCAD by choosing the appropriate file format. Moreover, an intelligent link is established between the original model and the Artlantis file. You can also export the floor plan or 3D view into a variety of applications such as Piranesi, 3D Studio or Photoshop for fine-tuning it or adding special effects. The most commonly used commands related to Visualization techniques can be found on the predefined 3D Visualization toolbar. Choose Window > Toolbars > 3D Visualization to display this toolbar as needed. (This toolbar also contains 3D Window display and 3D Navigation commands.) Multi-core processors are recommended to support 3D navigation and 3D model generation.

Cameras PhotoRendering Visualization Extras

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1637

Visualization

Cameras
You can place any number of Cameras in the Floor Plan for generating perspective views in still image or animation (fly-through) format as well as Virtual Reality panoramic scenes, a path for VR scenes, and navigable VR object movies. There are three types of Cameras available from either the Camera Settings dialog box or the Info Box: Perspective Cameras, VR Objects, and VR Scenes.

For more information, see Sketch Rendering Engine.

Basic LightWorks Options Expert LightWorks Options Exterior LightWorks Example Interior LightWorks Example

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1648

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Visualization

In the following picture you can see effects created by the SunObject and WindowLight lamp objects. See the light areas on the ceiling of the corridor and the room close to the outside windows, which is caused by the light generated by these lamp objects.

Editing Shaders
You can also enhance your images by editing the applied shaders. Shader editing is possible both for the entire image and for individual materials. Shader parameter controls can be of various types: color tables, sliders, text and numeric fields, buttons or menus. You can apply and modify shaders for the Sun, the Foreground and the Background of the image on the LightWorks Environment panel of the PhotoRendering Settings dialog box. These shaders include parameters that affect the aspects of the shadows cast by the sun and the appearance of elements in the foreground or the background. To modify the appearance and behavior of a given material, activate the Options > Element Attributes > Materials dialog box. Each material can have up to six shaders associated to it that will define its Color, Reflectance, Transparency, Displacement (or bumping), Texture Space and Pipeline (or emission) attribute. You can also load predefined settings from a large number of archive files that replicate real-life materials such as stretcher bricks, polished plastic, galvanized metal or mown grass. For more details on shader editing, see Exterior LightWorks Example.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1649

Visualization

LightWorks Tips
Since the LightWorks Rendering Engine is both hardware and memory-intensive, here follow some suggestions for speeding up your work while using it. Uncheck the Reflection checkbox in the Effects field of the LightWorks Effects panel of the PhotoRendering Settings dialog box. Reflection is probably the one factor increasing rendering time the most. If you turn Reflection off, you will still be able to set lighting correctly, yet generate faster renderings. Choose the Off checkbox in the Antialiasing field of the LightWorks Effects panel of the PhotoRendering Settings dialog box. This will also decrease rendering time while showing the effects of lights correctly. When setting lights and materials select a small model piece with the thick (multi-story) marquee and experiment with that. Then, when all is set, you can render the whole model. The SkyObject and SunObject lamps work quite well even when the number of light sources is set to low numbers (even as low as 4). At the same time, setting them to such low values will substantially decrease their memory requirements and increase rendering speed. You can experiment with your setting choosing hard shadows. This will increase speed over using soft shadows while the character of the rendering will not change markedly. You can check the settings of your picture on a smaller rendering, thereby saving time. You may want your final rendering to be 1600x1200 pixels, but you can check and set your settings on a 400x300 pixel rendering as well. You can also zoom on details and create small detail renderings of those. Besides a good camera position, a good rendering requires good lights and good material shaders. You should set lighting on a small model or partial model without Reflection and Antialiasing, few light sources and Hard Shadows. Setting materials can also be done on a partial model. Then, when all is set, Reflection, Antialiasing and Soft Shadows can be turned on a full model.

1650

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Visualization

Exterior LightWorks Example

After building your model in ArchiCAD, you need to create good camera positions, apply shaders to your materials, place light objects, set rendering parameters and create a test rendering. From the test result, you can identify any needed adjustments to materials, lighting etc. Let us start with the following exterior detail of a residential building rendered with ArchiCADs internal rendering engine.

Here we have some textures and shadows, but we would like reflections, better shadows coming from ambient and diffuse light sources and procedural shaders. Let us start with the materials. We can select the material of wooden frames and work on that. In Options > Element Attributes > Materials, you can choose a shader in the Color category or load one from hundreds of predefined shaders located in the Archives. We used the Oak shader and modified it a bit. For more information, see Materials. It may be useful to create a Wall in your project and then assign your currently edited material to it. Then you can create renderings of only this one Wall while modifying the material shader, thereby saving rendering time in this phase.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1651

Visualization

Let us say we have the following shader displayed on the side surface of our wall:

The above Wood shader is a procedural shader. The surface created by the shader will be unique, calculated from a set of parameters which provide great variability and ensure that the surface will not show a tiled effect (a tiled effect means that, if the surface is large enough compared to the texture size, you can see where the pattern ends and then is repeated). In the above wood shader the wood is too curvy, which we want to make more realistic. The Gnarl parameter defines this curviness. After reducing its value, the texture will look like this:

1652

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Visualization

We can make it a bit denser by reducing the RingWidth parameter and also reduce its relative size by lowering the value of the Scale parameter.

When you are satisfied with the result you can go on to the next material. Of course you may set other shaders as well, such as Reflectance or Transparency to produce a more sophisticated texture. Next we can place light sources on the Floor Plan. You can simulate the Sun by either checking the Sun checkbox under LightWorks Effects in the PhotoRendering Settings dialog box or placing a SunObject lamp on the Floor Plan. These two light sources achieve different effects and have different sets of parameters. We chose the SunObject lamp for this example, as it has a much wider range of light intensity that can be influenced by its Light Intensity slider or its Number of Light Sources parameter. This produces better-lit surfaces and better shadows. Ambient lighting coming from the environment can be turned on with the Ambient checkbox in the PhotoRendering Settings dialog box. Diffuse light effect coming from the sky can be achieved using the SkyObject lamp. Check the Lamps checkbox in the PhotoRendering Settings dialog box for the SunObject and SkyObject to have an effect on the rendering. You may also enable Camera lighting and place additional individual lamps and light sources. In this example, a SkyObject and a SunObject lamp was placed, plus Ambient light was used for renderings.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1653

Visualization

There is great variability using these two lamps objects. Both can have different strengths of light, the color of their light may be defined, shadow quality and softness may be set. Both can cast shadows as well. In the illustration below, the color of the SkyObject lamp was set to light yellow (similar to the color of the Sun).

Then the color of the SkyObject lamp was set to light blue (similar to the color of the sky). Compare the two images to see the difference this one setting makes in the result.

1654

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Visualization

After the general scene is done, you can check where you want to improve your image. For example, you may not like the brick texture:

It could have a little more depth or roughness or bumpiness added to it. You can use the Rough Scale, Rough Amplitude and Fuzz parameters to make it more so. Alternately, you can use the Wrapped Bump Map shader of the Displacement shader group. With it you can select an image file which will become a map for defining the bumpiness of the surface just like alpha-channels in ArchiCAD textures. In our example, we used the image shown below as a bump map.

After applying this map, the Brick wall looks rougher, as if it really had those inequalities on its surface.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1655

Visualization

While trying to improve the image, you may also encounter the case where certain areas of your image are too dark (underexposed) or too light (overexposed). You can either change ambient and diffuse light (SkyObject lamp) settings to lower or higher strengths, or you can edit your materials, especially their Reflectance shaders Ambient Factor and Diffuse Factor parameters. In the example below, the Diffuse Factor parameter is set to 1,00, meaning all light is reflected back from the surface as diffuse light. Surfaces can become overexposed this way. In such a case, decrease the value of the Diffuse Factor parameter. When you are finished with your adjustments, you can generate your final rendering with the LightWorks Rendering Engine.

1656

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Visualization

Interior LightWorks Example

This example uses a Japanese house.

A SkyObject and SunObject are both placed on the Floor Plan for exterior lighting. The way their parameters are set is very similar to the Exterior example. Also, material shader definitions are done the same way. Since the rendering will show the interior corridor of the house, we placed two WindowLight lamps on the two large window panes separating the inside corridor from the exterior space. Their purpose is to simulate the diffuse light coming through the window panes.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1657

Visualization

Make the WindowLight lamps Width and Height the same size as the Window it is placed for. Place the WindowLight lamp in front of the Window frame so it is closer to the interior than the Window.

If you look at it in 3D, you can see the small spheres that show the individual light sources of the WindowLight lamp. Their number is automatically calculated and is influenced by the Light Intensity and Light Resolution parameters of the lamp.

Note: these light source spheres are visible in 3D only if the 3D Engine is set to OpenGL Engine. 1658
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Visualization

The purpose of this rendering was to create fine soft shadows. The final settings of the WindowLight lamp for this particular scene include Shadow Quality set to 4, which is almost the maximum value. The next image shows the final rendering. Note the fine reflections on the ceiling of the corridor. Also, see the softness of the shadow cast by the divider column between the two Windows. See how the shadow is harder close to the column and softer toward the inner side of the corridor as more and more diffuse light from other areas of the windows reaches it. We needed the SunObject lamp placed to achieve this since Ambient and Camera lights do not cast shadow, and the SkyObject lamp casts shadow from various points on a hemisphere. The SunObject provided the necessary amount of concentrated light to achieve this effect.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1659

Visualization

Visualization Extras
You can enhance your visualization output with dynamic content such as fly-throughs or virtual reality. This section is devoted to these extras.

Fly-Through VR Objects VR Scenes Sun Study Align View

Choosing Create VR Object from the Document > Creative Imaging hierarchical menu will open the Create VR Object dialog box where you can set a few options for creating a navigable object. For more information, see Create VR Object. Clicking Save in the dialog box will prompt you to name your navigable object file. All the 3D data you need will be exported into this new format. You can view the result by launching QTVR Player. To change the position of the placed VR Object, use the cursor or the Drag, Mirror or Rotate commands in the Edit menu. If the Camera tool is active, you can reposition any of the selection nodes to change the objects 2D position. The sun and the camera can be repositioned by their respective selection nodes.

1664

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Visualization

VR Scenes
Note: VR Scenes can be generated only if you are using the 32-bit version of ArchiCAD. Panoramic cameras define navigable VR Scenes using Apple QTVR or RealSpace technology. You place one or a series of cylindrical panoramas to be viewed in the corresponding player application. For more information, see VR Scene Settings.

Note: RealSpace works with VR Scenes only and does not support VR Objects. VR Scenes created with RealSpace share the features of QuickTime VR Scenes. To take advantage of the RealSpace features, you need to have a player installed on your computer or a plug-in for your favorite web browser. The first click on the floor plan places a panoramic camera for the VR Scene. Draw a rubberband line and click again to define the view direction.

This is your initial camera, which defines your starting position and view direction in the VR Scene. The initial camera is distinguishable from subsequent cameras by its double-circle icon. Every time you place a panoramic camera, the panorama name and the sun icon appear with default settings. The panorama name takes the form of Panorama-x (x is the cameras sequence number) by default. (The name can be changed in the Panorama name field in the middle section of the Camera /VR Settings dialog box.)

If you do not add additional cameras to the current scene, you can generate a single node QTVR Scene.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1665

Visualization

To define a multi-node VR Scene, place a sequence of panoramic cameras. One camera, the one displayed with its sun marker, will be active at a time. The active camera is always the one which was last placed, until you select another one. Each position has to be connected to at least one other, otherwise a warning will prompt you to do so when you try to generate the VR Scene using the Create VR Scene command in the Document > Creative Imaging hierarchical menu. The connections will define how you can change your position in the final VR Scene. The connecting line between two positions can be drawn either when placing a panoramic camera or after unconnected cameras have already been placed. To place a new camera connected to a placed camera, first click the center node of the placed camera, then pull the cursor to draw the connecting line and click a second time to place the new camera.

You can insert a detour in a connection line by pulling its center node with the Checkmark cursor when the Camera tool is active. This allows you to define a connection that makes sense between two positions, for instance on opposite sides of a wall. Instead of jumping through the wall, you can go through a door before reaching the next position, without having to place an extra Camera at the door opening.

Any connection can be cleared by selecting and deleting the connection lines center node.

Note: For greater precision, you can enter the horizon of the photograph by simply rotating the picture on the Floor Plan so that the horizon is exactly parallel to the unskewed x-axis (otherwise the command will calculate the horizon for you). The precision of the result depends largely on that of the entered points, but even very careful preparation may result in a Camera that is slightly off position. In this case, set the photograph as the background of your 3D window, and fine-tune the Cameras position in Wireframe or Hidden Line mode using ArchiCAD's 3D navigation tools.

1673

Visualization

of the original photo. You can also modify the size of the photo to suit the size of your PhotoRendering window. Note: You cannot crop the photo. If you must, crop it in a way that the original proportions of the photo stay the same (i.e. cover a part of the photo with a solid white fill), because Align View needs the original proportions of the picture to locate the original target point of the photo. The view will not be aligned precisely if the proportions of the photo have been changed. For example, if you have a scanned picture of 1200 x 900 and you want a 3D window or PhotoRendering window image of 600 x 450, you would reduce the size of the background photo to 50 percent in the PhotoRendering Settings dialog box. (You can choose this same background in the View > 3D View Mode > 3D Window Settings dialog box: click the Background: As in PhotoRendering radio button.) By selecting the created camera and generating a 3D View or a photorendering, you will see the result - the building is accurately placed in the existing environment.

1674

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

Interoperability
Multidisciplinary Data Exchange File Handling and Exchange

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1675

Interoperability

Multidisciplinary Data Exchange

Increasingly, new developments in ArchiCAD emphasize effective collaboration between architects and other professionals such as structural engineers. This collaboration requires reliable methods for sharing and storing building model information, design solutions and proposals; it also requires a way to manage all the changes made to the building model by any of the participants, while also minimizing the possibility for human error. ArchiCAD supports all major model and data exchange formats and some specialized formats, including intelligent 3D modeling, universal 2D drawing, documentation and image formats.

Typical Workflows Export Data from ArchiCAD Import Data to ArchiCAD Detailed Workflows

1676

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

Typical Workflows
Typical Workflow: Architectural-Structural Typical Workflow: Architectural-MEP Typical Workflow: Architectural-Energy Analysis

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1677

Interoperability

Typical Workflow: Architectural-Structural

This section is a general description of the typical issues to consider if you plan to exchange data between ArchiCAD and a Structural application. For more details, see also Detailed Workflow: Architectural - Structural. Structural applications can be divided into the following main categories: Analysis and design (steel, reinforced concrete, timber etc.) applications These applications carry out and document static calculations based on various techniques (e.g. finite element method). Structural Preparation/Management These carry out preparatory tasks and ensure the connection between the analysis application and the architectural profession. Detailers (steel, reinforced concrete, precast, etc.) These create detailed construction documentation of the structure and communicate with the manufacturers. Some applications cover several of these functions. This diagram describes the general workflow for data exchange between ArchiCAD and a structural application:

The most complete level of interoperability is achieved using an intelligent 3D model connection - as opposed to a drawing representation - in which the building model being exchanged represents 3D structural objects (slabs, walls, columns, beams, windows, roofs etc.), each with specific, defined attributes and properties. Model-based exchange between the architect and the structural engineer can follow one of two concepts: managing a reference model; or converting the model to native formats. 1678
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

The reference model concept ensures the security of the architectural model and the structural model files, since each office remains responsible for his/her own model. Thus, the structural engineer receives a file from the architect, but does not modify it; he/she uses the architectural information as a basis for building up his own structural model. This occurs manually, using the tools of his own software, but automatic element conversion utilities also exist to speed up the process. Similarly, the architect leaves intact the file received from the structural engineer, while taking into account its suggestions for modeling load-bearing elements. This way, each disciplines own file is independent of the one received as a reference. This is often a sensible workflow, given that the architects model differs from that of the engineer. For example, when modeling a multi-story building, the architect might base the initial design on a multi-story column that runs through all the stories, whereas the structural engineer might put a separate column on each story. In another example, the architect would use a single slab to model an area for which the engineer or detailer would use hollow-core slab elements. The other approach to model-based exchange is to convert the other partys model elements into the native format of ones own application. The converted model is transformed according to the specifications of the recipient, so the original version of the model is not preserved. This approach is most typical of data exchange between architectural and analysis programs. (See also Analysis Applications, below.) ArchiCAD can combine the advantages of both approaches. The 3D model obtained from the structural engineer - regardless of the method used to import it - is always transformed into native ArchiCAD elements. At the same time, it is possible to use the imported elements as a reference, since they can be automatically placed onto their own, protected layers (which are locked to prevent editing). This reference-model approach is also supported by the Merge and Link workflows (see Merge vs. Link vs. Open). Since the incoming elements or modifications are converted into native format, they become an active part of the architectural model, while retaining their properties (e.g. material, profile) assigned in the structural model.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1679

Interoperability

The 3D models exchanged between the architectural and structural disciplines can be considered in three categories: Architectural model, Structural model, Analysis model.

The architect works on the architectural model, based on her own design and on the client's requirements. Already during the design phase, the architect should keep in mind that the model will later be exchanged with a structural engineer. (See Preparation of Data for Export.) For example, she can define the building elements' structural function (see Classification); define initial materials to be used; choose columns and beams with standard profiles; define the loadbearing core of composite elements. In addition to this preparatory work, she can filter the model so as to narrow down the data to be exchanged: this way, only the structural model, containing just structural elements, will be exported. Naturally, the architect can export the entire architectural model, if the structural engineer's program is capable of filtering and collecting the model data that he/she needs to work with. Exporting a structural model from ArchiCAD is sufficient for data exchange with most structural applications (the management and detailer types). However, analysis and design softwares require the so-called Analysis model in order to run their calculations. These applications can often convert the structural model to Analysis model themselves, or they can use the Analysis model converted by a management/detailer program as the input. An Analysis model is a 2D or 3D representation of the structural model that includes not only planes (in the case of wall, slab, roof elements) and axes (columns and beams) of elements, but also their structural characteristics (e.g. stiffness, material, profile). The simplified analysis model also differs geometrically from the structural model: for example, curved surfaces are represented as a collection of planes; element intersections may be modified.

1680

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

The export and import of 3D model data often takes place using a standard known as IFC (Industry Foundation Classes), which is actively supported by many design applications. In addition, many applications provide native Add-Ons for data exchange with other specific programs. Some engineers or applications (especially analysis applications) will just exchange data at the most basic level: they import CAD drawings (that is, the lines and points representing floor plans, sections and elevations), and use them as a reference for building the analysis model. (See CAD Drawings for more details.) Models and drawings are often accompanied by other documentation, such as suggestions or reports; the most commonly used format for these is PDF. ArchiCAD contains a number of techniques for displaying the structural model and for differentiating it from the architectural design (see Visualization). In addition, ArchiCAD can interpret and store the imported structural data, such as the proposed or utilized materials, and the properties of profile elements (see Imported Properties). Consultation and data exchange between structural and architectural offices generally requires several round trips. ArchiCAD's Trace and Reference tool and a model-based change management feature helps to keep this process transparent (see Detect IFC Model Changes). This general architectural-structural workflow is explained in greater detail via the example workflows described below, which involve the interchange of model data between ArchiCAD and selected structural applications.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1681

Interoperability

Typical Workflow: Architectural-MEP

This section is a general description of the typical issues to consider if you plan to exchange data between ArchiCAD and an MEP application. The first step of data exchange between ArchiCAD and external MEP software is the export of the architectural model. In order to optimize data exchange, export only the building elements and information the MEP engineer needs (e.g. load bearing structures, elements of the building envelope, boundaries of the interior spaces, lighting placement, built in equipment and furniture, suspended ceilings, space functions and numbering). For MEP experts who work in a 2D design environment, create DWG files from the ArchiCAD model, preferably using a Publisher Set with pre-configured settings, in order to enable easy repeated documentation of the most current state of the project. For providing data to engineers with MEP software, use GRAPHISOFT's translator-based IFC data exchange feature. When handling architectural data provided by ArchiCAD in MEP software, use the architectural content as an external reference. MEP software users using 2D solutions are advised to Xref the architectural DWGs, while MEP software users using model applications are encouraged to create a project link. From 2D design environments, MEP data arrives as DWG (including the structural grid) and is placed as Xref or as Drawing into the ArchiCAD building model. Data from model-based MEP programs arrive in IFC format, via software-specific export extensions, developed by GRAPHISOFT or the MEP software manufacturer, allowing seamless design integration. GRAPHISOFT MEP Modeler users can modify objects imported from AutoCAD MEP and Revit MEP or detect collisions between them and ArchiCAD model elements, since external MEP elements brought in via IFC file import translate automatically into native GRAPHISOFT MEP Modeler objects. ArchiCAD users without valid GRAPHISOFT MEP Modeler license receive MEP objects as individual ArchiCAD library parts. For more information, see Detailed Workflow: Architectural - MEP.

1682

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

Typical Workflow: Architectural-Energy Analysis

GRAPHISOFT EcoDesigner is an application that works directly within ArchiCAD environment, enabling architects to perform building energy evaluation in the early design phase. When exporting building geometry data to energy experts who use external energy analysis software tools, you should include only parts of the ArchiCAD model that are relevant for their work (e.g. elements of the building envelope, boundaries and volumes of the interior spaces, space functions and numbering). The file format of the exported data is either IFC or gbXML, depending on which energy analysis software it is targeted to. Some of these applications offer a dedicated IFC translator or ArchiCAD-specific plug-in applications, which will extract data their software require from the ArchiCAD building model. Energy analysis programs handle building geometry data obtained from ArchiCAD differently, depending on the calculation method they utilize (stationary or dynamic), the standard which they adhere to, and the functionality they offer. Since the energy expert produces written documentation, as opposed to modifying the BIM model, the import of energy analysis results from external applications back into the ArchiCAD environment is not supported. For more information, see Detailed Workflow: Architectural - Energy Analysis.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1683

Interoperability

Export Data from ArchiCAD

Preparation of Data for Export Recommended Export Formats

1684

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

Preparation of Data for Export

Partner offices usually do not require the fully detailed architectural model; a simplified model is sufficient. For example, Structural models are simplified versions of architectural models, which contain only the load-bearing building elements such as columns, beams, slabs, walls, roofs, and the load-bearing (core) parts of composite structures. If an architect plans to exchange models with a structural engineer, he/she should keep these requirements in mind when carrying out their design work, to make the eventual model exchange easier.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1685

Interoperability

Classification
In ArchiCAD, you can optionally assign certain classifications to any structural element. Such a classification assigns special parameters and functions to these elements for use by other applications: to interpret data, to make models transparent, to locate elements, for listing purposes, etc. For each construction element, you may set the following three Classification controls in the Listing and Labeling panel of its Settings dialog box:

IFC Element Type

For more accurate model mapping, you can classify ArchiCAD elements by their IFC type. While each ArchiCAD element type has a default counterpart in IFC (which is used if you use the Automatic option here), you can assign any other IFC type to a particular element - for example, if there is no specific ArchiCAD tool corresponding to the IFC element type you want to map it to; or if you have used certain tools to model elements of a different type, such as using the Slab tool to model a ceiling, or using the Wall tool to model a curved beam. You can also search for elements by their IFC element type classification, using the criteria of the Find & Select dialog box: for example, search for just the slabs used to represent ceilings. (See also Find and Select Elements.) For more details, see IFC Element Type and Classification.

Structural Function
Load-Bearing or Non-Load-Bearing In collaborating with partners who are using structural programs, you can export your ArchiCAD model to IFC format: the Structural Function classification (assigned in ArchiCAD) automatically adds the load-bearing property to structural elements in the export file. Note: By default, Revit Structure will display only walls that have the load-bearing property in the Structural discipline views. But, if you forget to classify required walls as Load-Bearing in ArchiCAD, the structural engineers can also change the bearing function of walls, or they can apply another display discipline (e.g. Architectural) in order to show all walls exported from ArchiCAD. The current IFC standard supports the export of the load-bearingIFC property only for the following elements: Wall, Slab, Column, Beam, Roof; elements classified as such in ArchiCAD; and objects having these sub-types. Thus, the Structural Function classification of elements such as Stair, Ramp, and Curtain Wall will have an effect only within ArchiCAD for example, for the purposes of Find&Select, Scheduling, or Partial Structure Display. Structural function lets you limit the exported IFC model to load-bearing elements only, thereby streamlining the collaboration process. (See Model Element Filter.) This classification is useful for listing purposes - for example, you can calculate the materials needed for all load-bearing walls or columns, separately from materials of non-load-bearing elements.

1686

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

Criteria in the Find & Select dialog box include: search for those elements that have been defined as Load-Bearing or Non-Load-Bearing, or whose Structural Function classification is Undefined. (See also Find and Select Elements.) If you have classified model elements as Load-Bearing, then you can use the Partial Structure Display Core of Load-Bearing Elements Only option to display those elements only. (See Partial Structure Display.)

Position
Interior or Exterior This classification is useful if you plan to send an IFC file to partners (e.g. energy analyzers) who are able to differentiate elements by their location in the building. When you export the ArchiCAD model to IFC format, your model elements that are classified as Interior or Exterior will carry this information to the partners application via IFC. Criteria in the Find & Select dialog box include: search for elements classified as either Exterior or Interior, or whose position is Undefined. (See also Find and Select Elements.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1687

Interoperability

Standard Profiles
If you exchange data with structural applications, using the IFC standard, it can be helpful to use standard elements as your steel profiled Columns or Beams. During the data exchange process, numerous structural engineering programs are able to recognize and identify such standard elements accurately and completely. In ArchiCAD, the Options > Import Standard Steel Profile command brings up the Profile Database, from which you can import profile shapes and sizes, which are listed by their countryspecific code numbers. (See Use Standard Steel Column or Beam Profile.) The imported profiles are available for use in the current ArchiCAD project, and can be chosen for Beams and Columns whose geometry is set to Complex (in the Geometry and Positioning panel of their Settings dialog).

Note: When placing the structural Column or Beam, note that its insertion point is the center of the objects bounding box. However, an additional hotspot is located at the elements center of gravity.

1688

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

Layer System
ArchiCADs layer system (Layers and Layer Combinations) can help in narrowing down the parts of the model to be exported. Use layers to group elements conceptually (e.g. structural elements) and to separate them from elements not needed in the exported model (e.g. furniture). For example, you can choose filters that will export only elements located on layers set to visible, while you hide the layers of the elements you do not need to export. (See Use Layers to Show/ Hide Elements.)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1689

Interoperability

Filtering by Element Representation

Since the export considers the display settings of the current exported view, you can further filter the model according to the elements display status:

Partial Structure Display

The Partial Structure Display function allows you to display or hide the models complex or composite components, depending on their type or classification. For example, when collaborating with other designers or engineers, you may prefer to ignore non-load-bearing walls, and to display/output only the load-bearing components of complex elements. (For details, see Partial Structure Display.)

The first three options display or hide the components of composite or complex elements, depending upon how you have defined those components. For example, choosing Core Only displays only the load-bearing skin of the complex or composite structures. The preferences of Partial Structure Display can be saved separately for each view. Core of Load-Bearing Elements Only considers all construction elements (not just composite/ complex), and enables you to hide any elements you have classified as non-load-bearing or undefined (See Classification.) It displays all elements classified as Load-bearing. Loadbearing composite and complex elements are displayed with their Core only. The Veneer part of Columns can be displayed or hidden by Partial Structure Display according to its type: Core, Finish or Other. (See Display of Column Core and Veneer.)

1690

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

Window/Door Representation
In exporting models with windows/doors, you should consider whether the recipient of the model data really needs all the detailed geometrical parameters (frames, glass) associated with the openings, or whether exporting just the openings themselves might be enough (as when exporting for analysis programs). Again, the visible elements will be exported. Element visibility can be defined using the following ArchiCAD controls: Floor plans: Document > Set Model View > Model View Options: Options for Construction Elements > Door/ Window Options 3D Views: View > Elements in 3D View > Filter Elements in 3D: Element Types to Show in 3D (Door/ Window)

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1691

Interoperability

Recommended Export Formats

IFC Model-based Connection
The principal benefit of IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) object-oriented file format is its object description. Not only does the IFC protocol preserve the full geometric description in 3D, but it also knows object location and relationships, as well as all the properties (or parameters) of each object. With IFC input/output, ArchiCAD can communicate with a wide range of structural, mechanical and energy analysis applications. It is important to consider what type of information should be exported to the different disciplines. For example, structural engineers will want the load-bearing parts of the building, while an HVAC consultant will need a richer model with more internal information. Besides preparation (described above), ArchiCADs IFC interface enables you to filter the building information model before exporting it. Predefined (but customizable) Translators help you apply IFC model exchange settings as simply as possible, providing one-click export/import solutions. After exporting an IFC model, it is good practice to check the IFC model in an IFC viewer. There are many free IFC viewers on the market that can be readily downloaded: DDS-CAD Viewer: http://www.dds-cad.net. Nemetschek IFC Viewer: http://www.nemetschek.co.uk/ifc. Solibri Model Viewer: http://www.solibri.com. Additional information can be found at the following Wiki address: http://www.ifcwiki.org Read more at Working with IFC.

1692

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

Direct model link

Another way to export a model is to use the direct link between ArchiCAD and another software application. This means that a specific Add-On (developed by other applications for use with ArchiCAD) converts the ArchiCAD elements (e.g. the structural elements) to the corresponding elements of the connected application. This exchange mode also ensures that only those properties needed by the target application are included in the resulting model file. Ask your partner if his/her application has an available Add-On for ArchiCAD.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1693

Interoperability

CAD Drawings
Despite their increased reliance on model-based data exchange, architects and engineers still rely on each others CAD drawings to use as a reference in their respective models. Because file format compatibility is crucial when working with outside consultants, or when upgrading from another CAD system, ArchiCAD provides the functionality to ensure an accurate conversion process. ArchiCAD's DXF/DWG translator supports formats up to AutoCAD 2010 and accurately maps layers, pen colors, fonts and blocks. ArchiCAD can write out DXF/DWG data that contains both Paper Space and Model Space information in the same file. ArchiCAD's intelligent handling of AutoCAD Xrefs, at input and output, not only preserves the link but allows Xref administration (including linking, unlinking and binding) within ArchiCAD. When you provide your consultants with digital files for modification, ArchiCAD's DXF/DWG Merge Engine ensures a clean file. User-defined rules eliminate conflicts, giving you control over how changes are merged with the Virtual Building model. For details, see Working with DWG/DXF Files. Additionally, ArchiCAD imports and exports AutoCAD's vectorial DWF format and MicroStation's DGN. Read more at CAD Formats.

1694

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

PDF Output
Adobes Portable Document Format (PDF) has become the most popular digital file format for publishing and archiving the architectural documentation. ArchiCADs internal PDF engine supports both the export and import of PDF documents. Importing PDF documents as drawings is a great way to bring in a standard detail or manufacturer's specifications directly onto an ArchiCAD layout sheet or Worksheet. See details at Working with PDF Documents.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1695

Interoperability

Import Data to ArchiCAD

ArchiCAD imports all file formats - IFC models, CAD drawings and PDF files - listed in the Export section.

Merge vs. Link vs. Open Visualization Imported Properties Collision Detection Managing Changes

1696

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

Merge vs. Link vs. Open

The possible ways of using the model data, CAD drawings and reports received from another application in ArchiCAD are the following:

Merge
Use Merge to add the model or drawing content (or part of it) to the currently running ArchiCAD project. Merged model data are converted into native ArchiCAD elements, which can then be used as a protected or editable reference. The imported content, used as a reference, is separated from the host project elements, and can be displayed together or independently from the original project data by choosing a visualization technique (see Visualization). The Detect IFC Model Changes command applies the merging algorithm for the detected geometrical differences between two (old and new) states of received models (two IFC files exported from the same application). (See details at Detect IFC Model Changes.) Note: Before merging a file, you should save the running ArchiCAD file. For details on ArchiCADs Merge function, see Merging Files to ArchiCAD.

Link
As another reference possibility, you may open a received 3D model as a new ArchiCAD project first - e.g. to visually filter out the parts you will need - then link the project, or a part of it, to your current project as a Hotlinked Module, which will serve as (non-editable) content. (See also Hotlinked Modules.) Note: You cannot directly hotlink an IFC file to ArchiCAD. However, if you hotlink a project file that contains data opened or merged from an IFC file, many of the elements key IFC properties will be included in the hotlink, because they are defined as part of the ArchiCAD elements: these include the elements classification by structural function, position, and/or IFC element type; and their profile and material definitions. CAD drawings and reports (PDF) can be directly linked to the current ArchiCAD project. Depending on the file formats, use XREF and/or Drawing connection. (See XREFs and Importing PDF Files As Drawings.) For CAD drawings, see the article describing the differences between Merge and link possibilities (XREF and Drawing) on the ArchicadWiki website.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1697

Interoperability

Open
The Open command launches a model or CAD drawing as a separate ArchiCAD file, independent of any other project currently open in ArchiCAD. This imported file can be added later as a reference to the appropriate part of another ArchiCAD project as mentioned before. The following figures summarize the import possibilities by the type of the received data:

1698

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

Visualization
ArchiCAD offers a number of visualization tools that make it easy to find and view the imported content within ArchiCAD, and, if needed, to differentiate it from the architectural model.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1699

Interoperability

Layer Display Modes

To differentiate elements from the original ArchiCAD elements, place them onto a separate layer. (You can set ArchiCAD to do this automatically as part of the merge process, using the appropriate control of IFC Translator Setup: see IFC Translators.) In 3D Views, you can use layer settings to display imported structural and mechanical elements differently from architectural elements. For example, set the 3D View Display mode of architectural layers to Wireframe, while applying Shading mode for all imported element layers.

Interoperability

Managing Changes
The architectural-structural workflow usually requires several rounds of exchanging information. For example, depending on the results of strength analysis and design calculations, the structural engineer may propose changes in the size (thickness, height, profile etc.) and the position of structural elements. Many applications, including ArchiCAD, have functions that serve to detect and manage these geometrical changes.

Compare 3D Models (Model-Based Exchange)

As part of an IFC model-based data exchange workflow, ArchiCADs Detect IFC Model Changes tool enables you to: compare two subsequent versions of a structural/mechanical model (IFC files), identify the differences between the two versions (new, deleted and modified elements), insert the changes into the current ArchiCAD model or into an empty ArchiCAD project file, list the changes as ArchiCAD Mark Up Entries. The controls of the Mark-Up Palette enable you to easily navigate among the changed elements in both 2D and 3D windows and to differentiate and select them, so you can carry out the needed changes in the architectural model. For details on this function, see Detect IFC Model Changes.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1705

Interoperability

Displaying Changes in 2D Windows (Model- or Drawing-Based Exchange)

When merging several versions of structural/mechanical data (whether model-based or drawing based) into ArchiCAD, you can place each subsequent version onto its own layer, and save them as separate views. Next, you can open one view, then use the Trace function to display another view representing the other variant - alongside or on top of the first one. The program does not recognize the changes automatically, but you can use the Trace functions to identify changes visually in the Floor Plan, Section/Elevation/IE, 3D Document, Worksheet, Detail or Layout windows. Next, you can carry out the needed changes manually in the ArchiCAD model. For details on the Trace function see Virtual Trace: Using References to Edit and Compare Model Views and Drawings.

1706

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

Detailed Workflows
Detailed Workflow: Architectural - Structural Detailed Workflow: Architectural - MEP Detailed Workflow: Architectural - Energy Analysis

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1707

Interoperability

Detailed Workflow: Architectural - Structural

This section describes the recommended workflow for data exchange with selected structural applications.

Tekla Structures Autodesk Revit Structure Analysis Applications

1708

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

Tekla Structures
Tekla Structures is a Building Information Modeling (BIM) software that enables the creation and management of accurately detailed, highly constructible 3D structural models regardless of material or structural complexity. Tekla models can be used throughout the entire building process from conceptual design to fabrication, building and construction management. Read more about Tekla Structures at http://www.tekla.com. Here, we describe the proposed workflow for architectural-structural model exchange between ArchiCAD and Tekla Structures (version 15 or later). The suggested exchange data format is the model-based IFC version 2x3.

Step 1: Model Export from ArchiCAD

Let's start with the architectural model: architects create the first model according to the client's request and the given site. During this modeling phase, you can define the elements structural function and properties (e.g. standard steel profiles) (see Preparation of Data for Export), and can use element filtering for the export to Tekla Structures (see Filtering by Element Representation). ArchiCAD 14 offers a builtin translator whose settings are optimized to export models to Tekla Structures via IFC (the name of this translator is Data Exchange with Tekla Structures). Of course, you may define your own custom translators, based on your specific needs. Elements to be exported can be filtered:
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1709

Interoperability

by elements visibility in the view from which the export is launched, by current element selection, by element types (e.g. columns and beams only), by story (e.g. ground floor only), or you can export the whole model without any filtering. The default filtering rules of the translators can be fine-tuned or modified manually as part of the export process (File > Save as (IFC)). (See details at Model Filter.) Note: When filtering elements for export from ArchiCAD, you can take their Structural Function classification into account (see Model Element Filter and Model Filter). However, you should not use this filter when importing a model from Tekla Structures (the All elements setting is recommended instead), because Tekla Structures does not differentiate between load-bearing and non-load bearing elements when exporting them.

Step 2: Model import into Tekla Structures

Engineers receive the model from the architect and insert it as a protected reference into a Tekla Structures project. They can choose to import the entire content of the architectural model, or only the elements on selected architectural layers. This way, the structural engineer further filters the model if required. Engineers define the structural model and its details based on the reference model and its element properties (materials, profiles) as defined by the architect. Certain referenced element types can be converted into native Tekla elements using Tekla's IFC Object Converter macro. Tekla Structures can also generate analytical models for external analysis and design applications.

Step 3: Structural model export from Tekla Structures

The structural model or a filtered part of it can be exported back to ArchiCAD via an IFC file.

Step 4: Structural model import into ArchiCAD

Depending on the chosen import method (see Merge vs. Link vs. Open), you can merge or link the structural model, or a part of it, into your running ArchiCAD project. We recommend using the default IFC translator set for Tekla Structures (the same translator you used for export before). Of course, customized translator and filtering settings can also be applied. In ArchiCAD, by default, the imported elements are placed on locked layers with the extension Tekla. Structural elements can be displayed together with the architectural model using ArchiCAD's special visualization techniques. For example, you may visually compare the current model and the structural content as two different 2D views, using the Trace & Reference tool. For more details on these functions, see Visualization and Virtual Trace: Using References to Edit and Compare Model Views and Drawings. Architects can also query and list the structural element properties (see Imported Properties). By default, the import process also contains material conversion, which maps the default Tekla Structures materials to ArchiCAD cut fill types, while preserving the original names of the 1710

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

imported materials. Of course, the mapping rules can be easily edited and expanded at IFC Translator settings (see IFC Translators). Any unrecognized Tekla materials are displayed with a default chosen ArchiCAD fill.

Steps 5-6: Architectural model update

In ArchiCAD, you can now manually modify your project, using the imported structural model as a reference (Step 5). If you used Merge to import the structural model, you can edit the (unlocked) structural elements and use them directly in the architectural model, since they are real ArchiCAD elements that were converted automatically at import. The project's latest version can now be exported again (Step 6) using IFC as described earlier.

Steps 7-9: Change detection in Tekla Structures

Tekla Structures can insert the new IFC file next to the old one in the same structural project. A change manager can compare and display the geometrical changes between the two reference

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1711

Interoperability

models (Step 7). The new, deleted, changed and unchanged elements can be displayed alongside the real structural model. Next, engineers can make changes in the project according to the results of the comparison (Step 8), and then send the new structural model version back to ArchiCAD (Step 9).

Steps 10-11: Change detection in ArchiCAD

The new IFC file received in ArchiCAD can be compared with the previous one, using the Detect IFC Model Changes command (Step 10) (see Detect IFC Model Changes). The result of the comparison is listed and displayed with the Mark-Up tool, and only the differences are merged into the current project. You can easily check the changes recommended by your structural partner, and make modifications on your current project manually, or by using structural elements as real ArchiCAD elements (Step 11).

Step 12: More cycles

Both engineers and architects can repeat the previously mentioned model exchange, comparisons and updates in additional cycles. And finally, the two disciplines make their own or combined documentations. The following tables summarize the essential elements, that can be shared between ArchiCAD and Tekla Structures.

1712

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

Autodesk Revit Structure

Autodesk Revit Structure is a building informational modeling (BIM) software for structural engineering firms. It integrates a physical model with an independently editable analytical model for structural analysis, design, and documentation. Read more about Autodesk Revit Structure on the http://usa.autodesk.com website. Here, we describe the proposed workflow for architectural-structural model exchange between ArchiCAD and Revit Structure (version 2010 or later). Although both softwares are able to handle CAD drawings, here we highlight the model-based data exchange via IFC (version 2x3).

Step 1: Model export from ArchiCAD

Let's start with the architectural model: architects create the first model according to the client's request and the given site. During this modeling phase, you can define the elements structural function and properties (e.g. standard steel profiles) (see Preparation of Data for Export), and can use element filtering for the export to Revit Structures (see Filtering by Element Representation). Note: Revit Structure is able to differentiate between load-bearing and non-load-bearing building elements (in element properties and by displaying disciplines). This information can

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1713

Interoperability

be initially defined using ArchiCAD's Structural Function classification, whose values are translated in the IFC file and can be recognized/handled in Revit Structure as follows: ArchiCAD Structural Function Classification Load-Bearing Non-Load-Bearing Revit Structure Structural Usage property Bearing Non-Bearing

Interoperability

Detailed Workflow: Architectural - MEP

Export ArchiCAD Files to MEP Software Handling Architectural Content in MEP Software Importing MEP Content into ArchiCAD Handling MEP Content in ArchiCAD

1722

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

Export ArchiCAD Files to MEP Software

Preparing the ArchiCAD Model for Export
Before handing an ArchiCAD file over to an MEP engineer using MEP-specific software, certain simplifications have to be made to the architectural model. Like structural engineers, MEP experts need only certain parts of the project - those which are relevant to their work. Naturally, the workflows of the two disciplines are not exactly the same. While the structural specialist must often modify existing parts of the project (e.g. widening a slab, increasing or decreasing the diameter of beams and columns, or changing their position) as well as adding new elements, the MEP engineer typically adds equipment, while trying to avoid the designed geometry of the load bearing structures.

Relevant Data for Export to MEP

Typically, the most relevant 3D elements for export to MEP are: load bearing structures, elements of the building envelope, the boundaries of interior spaces. Also important: structural grid of the load bearing structure, planned placement of lighting objects, bathroom and kitchen equipment, positioning of built-in furniture, all space functions and numberings, must also be clearly indicated, levels, geometry and structural grid of suspended ceilings and false floors (this will assist the engineer to correctly design HVAC equipment (air inlets, sprinklers etc.). Layers containing elements of the architectural model that are irrelevant to the MEP design should be switched off and thus excluded from the export data. Irrelevant elements are usually these: floor claddings, door and fenestration details, furniture. It is possible to define separate layer combinations that specify content suited for the electrical, plumbing, lighting, acoustic, low current system engineer or elevator design specialist. See Layer Combinations for information on setting up a Layer Combination in ArchiCAD.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1723

Interoperability

Applying the appropriate conversion method

The two most commonly used file formats to export ArchiCAD data to MEP applications are DWG and IFC. Save Views to DWG The majority of MEP engineers work in a 2D design environment (mostly AutoDesk AutoCAD) and therefore wish to receive AutoCAD DWG files. In ArchiCAD, the architect creates DWG files by defining floor plan, section or elevation views, and exporting these, rather than exporting the 3D model itself. It is advisable to create a Publisher Set with pre-configured settings in ArchiCAD to enable easy creation of the documentation to be handed over to the MEP expert. This way, the preset views representing the most up-to-date state of the project may be saved in the specified destination folder in DWG format, by a touch of a button. See Working with DWG/DXF Files. Save to IFC using Translator Some MEP engineers design directly in a 3D work environment (AutoCAD MEP or Revit MEP). To fit this workflow, GRAPHISOFT has developed a translator-based IFC data exchange feature (see Export: Save as IFC). This feature translates the ArchiCAD model to IFC, which is currently the most advanced BIM model exchange format. When creating IFC content for the MEP specialist, it is advisable to set up a IFC translator customized for your needs (see IFC Translators). From the Save as (IFC) dialog box, select Entire project as the Export option. It is also advisable to include the structural grid system in the IFC data, as the basis of reference for 3D element positioning.

1724

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

Handling Architectural Content in MEP Software

Regardless the format of the exchanged file and the type of the MEP applications in which it is opened, it is advisable to use the architectural model as an external reference. In AutoCAD and AutoCAD MEP design environment, you should XREF the DWGs imported from ArchiCAD (see XREFs) as opposed to merging them into the MEP design model. For MEP engineers using Revit, GRAPHISOFT offers the GRAPHISOFT Improved IFC Exchange (see GRAPHISOFT Improved IFC Exchange). This add-in optimizes the IFC data import from any IFC data source to any Revit software, including Revit MEP. Use this add-in in Revit after opening an IFC file for optimum results. It is recommended to create a project link between the imported architectural content and the MEP design to keep them separate.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1725

Interoperability

Importing MEP Content into ArchiCAD

The two most commonly used file formats to import data from MEP applications to ArchiCAD are DWG and IFC.

Importing MEP Data via DWG

MEP data from engineers that use AutoCAD arrives in DWG format. The best practice is to import only the MEP content, plus the structural grid added for reference. Import the received MEP content in ArchiCAD either as an Xref or place as a Drawing. The new functionality of the Drawing Tool in ArchiCAD 14, entitled Embedded Layer Visibility Setting, enables the switching of layers on and off within the drawing content. For further information, see Show/Hide Layers of Imported DWG/DXF/DWF Files.

Importing MEP Data via IFC

For importing MEP content into ArchiCAD via IFC, software-specific export extensions are offered by GRAPHISOFT, enabling seamless integration of the imported MEP design into the architectural model. It is possible to open the files created by these export extensions using any software that opens IFC, as they are not written in a custom format but are standard IFC files carrying some additional information that aid the element translation process for ArchiCAD. ArchiCAD Connection for AutoCAD MEP

Since 2008, GRAPHISOFT provides a free AutoCAD MEP plug-in called ArchiCAD Connection for AutoCAD MEP, which enables advanced file export to ArchiCAD, using IFC format optimized for GRAPHISOFT MEP Modeler. As part of this add-in, you can define custom dictionaries for element conversion; these custom element assignments will overwrite the default assignments between the exported MEP objects and GRAPHISOFT MEP Modeler objects.The ArchiCAD Connection for AutoCAD MEP plug-in is available for free download from www.graphisoft.com.

1726

GRAPHISOFT offers two significantly different workflows to ArchiCAD users for co-operating with energy specialists, depending on whether the energy expert has a valid GRAPHISOFT EcoDesigner license or not.

Integrated Energy Evaluation with GRAPHISOFT EcoDesigner Export Files from ArchiCAD to Energy Analysis Software Handling Architectural Content in Energy Analysis Software

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1729

Interoperability

Integrated Energy Evaluation with GRAPHISOFT EcoDesigner

GRAPHISOFT EcoDesigner is an energy evaluation add-on. When installed, this program is integrated within ArchiCAD. EcoDesigner carries out the energy-flow simulation on the ArchiCAD model itself, so it is not necessary to exchange data with external energy analysis applications. The energy performance of the design's current state is easily evaluated within ArchiCAD, and the effects of changes made on the architectural model in order to improve the energy household may be reviewed instantly. Since GRAPHISOFT EcoDesigner is integrated into ArchiCAD, its features can be applied at all phases of architectural design. In the early design phase, EcoDesigner allows the evaluation of numerous design alternatives on the fly, while in the detailed design phase it eliminates the possibility of data loss or distortion that otherwise may occur during model conversion. Working with EcoDesigner enables the energy specialist to implement necessary changes on the architectural model right away, in the ArchiCAD project. The present version of GRAPHISOFT EcoDesigner is targeted to perform energy evaluation in the early design phase. For detailed energy analysis, a data export function is available in EcoDesigner that creates a package containing all relevant data of the architectural project to be sent to Strusoft's VIP-Energy analysis software. VIP-Energy is capable of detailed simulations of multiple thermal zones and HVAC systems as specified on the execution drawings. To find out more about VIP-Energy analysis software, please visit Strufsofts official product website. To find out more about GRAPHISOFT EcoDesigner, please visit the official product website: http://www.graphisoft.com/products/ecodesigner/ or consult the GRAPHISOFT EcoDesigner User Manual.

1730

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

Export Files from ArchiCAD to Energy Analysis Software

The energy specialist uses energy analysis software to process the architectural data received via ArchiCAD file export (detailed below). However, if the energy specialist makes changes in the architectural model, you will not be able to import those changes back into ArchiCAD. Even though building energy applications are capable of changing certain model attributes (e.g. shading settings, building element properties), automatically implementing these modifications in the BIM model is not possible, due to the lack of data exchange functionality between the energy analysis software and CAD applications. Thus, alteration requests by the energy specialist still have to be communicated to the architect in the traditional way, and eventually the architect has to implement the changes on the ArchiCAD model based on instructions provided via sketches, email or telephone.

Preparing the ArchiCAD Model for export

Before the architectural model is exported to an energy analysis application, a 3D model view with simplified content must be defined. The energy simulation model should be consistent with the design documents, including the handling of fenestration and opaque envelope types, orientations and areas. Volumes of internal spaces and their relative positions should also be properly modeled. The ArchiCAD model should be simplified only enough to exclude unnecessary data, but without modifying basic attributes of its geometry.

Applying the appropriate conversion method

For energy experts who use software other than GRAPHISOFT EcoDesigner, there are two file formats available to export data from ArchiCAD to energy analysis applications: IFC and gbXML. Using IFC Energy specialists who work with applications offering the IFC-based file import option should create a custom IFC translator setup, whose settings are tailored to satisfy the energy program's geometry data input requirements. Note: If you plan to exchange data with EnergyPlus, you can use a file export translator for EnergyPlus, whose settings are particularly suited for this applications data input requirements. This translator is available from the EnergyPlus website. Using gbXML IES Virtual Environment-Pro and ArchiPHYSIK have developed ArchiCAD-specific plug-in applications that enable model geometry export in gbXML format. To find out more about these plug-ins, please visit the official websites of IES and ArchiPHYSIK. For users of AutoDesk Ecotect or AutoDesk Green Building Studio, gbXML file import is enabled via a plug-in developed by Encina Ltd., a 3rd party developer company independent from GRAPHISOFT. To find out more about these plug-ins, please visit Encinas official website.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1731

Interoperability

Handling Architectural Content in Energy Analysis Software

There are two types of building energy analysis programs available on the software market today: stationary and dynamic. Programs utilizing stationary algorithms use mean and extreme temperature values to calculate project performance using equations usually prescribed by local standards. They only validate buildings for certain times of the year and draw conclusions on annual energy performance from this limited information, utilizing empirical principles valid for local conditions only. Dynamic energy modeler software expose the simplified building models to a virtual reality weather environment (generated using certified meteorological data measured on or close to the building location) for every hour over the course of a year. Simulation of realistic energy currents becomes possible by using building model geometry data and additional user input containing relevant information about building material properties, project location and function, and MEP system parameters. These applications have a much higher potential to produce accurate results in general climate conditions than their stationary counterparts, but are more complicated and require more sophisticated hardware due to their numerous calculation cycles. Even though currently there is no uniform international standard officially accepting calculation results produced by even the most sophisticated dynamic energy analysis software, contemporary tendencies in standardization in most regions (e.g. US and the EU) indicate that regulations increasingly rely on dynamic analysis, as it enables global evaluation and comparison of building energy performance as opposed to localized solutions. Executing energy analysis on conventional buildings is relatively simple; larger quantities of energy make up the overall energy balance, which is therefore less sensitive to miscalculations. Buildings created according sustainable design principles, on the other hand, are much more sensitive to calculation accuracy. Their delicate energy balances feature minor energy flows that often originate from passive solutions (e.g. natural ventilation, utilization of solar heat gains).

Additional User Input

Most advanced energy analysis software, besides providing the calculation algorithm, receive the building geometry (volumes of spaces, areas, dimensions of fenestration and opaque elements) and element orientations from ArchiCAD via exported IFC or gbXML files. The energy experts must still enter all additional information required for the analysis. Most programs have extensive built-in databases to aid the energy design and speed up this user data input process. First of all, physical property assignment to opaque building elements and fenestration is needed. Project location should be specified in order to obtain relevant weather data. The building function, in conjunction with the required baseline values to which the designed building may be compared, defines the applicable performance criteria. Building usage also determines internal heat gains (related to equipment and users) and the required HVAC equipment operation schedules. When entering relevant MEP data of the building, both conventional MEP systems and energy recovery systems should be considered. Power demand and operating schedule of conventional MEP systems, including Interior lighting power and controls; HVAC system types, sizes, and controls; and service water heating systems and controls, should be specified. All end-use load components within and associated with the 1732
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

building should be modeled, including, but not limited to, exhaust fans, parking garage ventilation fans, snow-melt and freeze-protection equipment, facade lighting, swimming pool heaters and pumps, elevators and escalators, refrigeration, and cooking. Energy recovery systems are classified as passive and active. Solutions from both groups work parallel to or in conjunction with conventional MEP systems. Their efficiency is often related to weather conditions, as opposed to purchased energy sources or mechanical equipment, thus analysis applications must run complex additional calculations to incorporate their effect in the overall building energy balance. Active energy recovery systems, such as heat pumps, solar panels, photovoltaic panels, air-to-air heat recovery equipment and windmills, all use unsteady sustainable sources of energy. Passive energy recovery systems include semi-heated spaces (e.g. conservatories, atriums, double-layer facades, Trombe-walls, house-in-house design layout) and utilize natural air currents, to minimize the need for fossil energy sources. Most energy analysis applications are capable of carrying out calculations beyond the scope of energy balance evaluation. Some programs are capable of carbon footprint calculation (carbon emission estimates projected to building operation or even to the entire life cycle of the building), life cycle analysis, consumed energy costs or whole life building cost estimation, if energy sources and rates are provided via user input.

Results of the Energy Analysis

Unlike other design activities (e.g. structural, MEP), the energy expert produces written documentation, and does not modify the BIM model. Results of the energy analysis are typically in text format, enriched with tables, charts and graphs that display building element and envelope performance, energy consumption, energy balance overview and breakdown, HVAC system parameters and various additional results that depend on the specific program's additional functionality.

Additional functionality
Contemporary sustainable building standards (e.g. LEED, Green Star, CASBEE) evaluate buildings using a holistic approach. Besides building energy evaluation, these regulations strictly prescribe site sustainability, water efficiency, material and resource control, indoor environmental quality and even innovation in design. Several energy analysis applications address these additional chapters of the green standards and provide acoustic analysis, dynamic solar analysis (insolation and daylighting with glare detection), water usage, water gain, vapor condensation checkup inside structures and on element surfaces or airflow simulation.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1733

Interoperability

File Handling and Exchange

ArchiCAD supports all major model and data exchange formats and some specialized formats, including intelligent 3D modeling, universal 2D drawings, documentation and image formats.

File Types Opened by ArchiCAD File Types Saved by ArchiCAD Merging Files to ArchiCAD Working with PDF Documents Working with DWG/DXF Files Working with IFC

1734

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

File Types Opened by ArchiCAD

ArchiCAD File Types CAD Formats Image Formats Model/3D Formats Other Formats

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1735

Interoperability

ArchiCAD File Types

ArchiCAD Projects (.pln, .pla, .bpn)
ArchiCAD 14 can open projects from ArchiCAD 8.1 and up (8.1, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13). Solo Projects (.pln) are the main native document type of ArchiCAD. A .pln file includes all model data and the views generated for the project, as well as the default settings, attributes and library references.

Archive (.pla)
Archive files are similar to Solo Projects, but these include all the library parts, background images and linked textures used in the Project, not just references to them. For more information, see Archive Files.

Backup Project file (.bpn)

Opening a Backup Project file (.bpn) allows you to recover the last saved version of a damaged project file, provided that the Make Backup Copy checkbox is active in Options > Work Environment > Data Safety & Integrity.

ArchiCAD Teamwork (AC12 and earlier) file formats (.plp, .plc, .pca, .bpc)
Note: To open a Teamwork file saved in earlier ArchiCAD versions (12 and earlier), use the Open Project command (not the Open Teamwork Project command). For information, see the Migration Guide for ArchiCAD 14.

ArchiCAD Project Template (.tpl)

For details, see Template Files.

ArchiCAD 2D Lines (.2dl)

These files are vectorial drawings saved from ArchiCADs 3D Window or a Section/Elevation/IE window. These drawings contain no model information and can be touched up in the Floor Plan with 2D tools. Important note: In the 3D Window, this option is only available with the Internal Engine not available in OpenGL mode.

Module File (.mod)

For details, see Hotlinked Modules.

PlotMaker Layoutbook (.lbk) PlotMaker Drawing (.pmk)

1736

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

CAD Formats
DWF File (.dwf)
Drawing Web Format, a 2D vector graphics format created by Autodesk for use on the World Wide Web which supports hyperlinks, layer information and views. This is also the recommended format when publishing views that will be redlined through the Internet or on an Intranet. The DWF file will contain all drawing elements with some exceptions and limitations: pictures: due to format limitations, only straight pictures can be written to a DWF file, cameras will not be included.

DXF/DWG File (.dxf, .dwg)

DXF and DWG files are the most widely used CAD file formats. ArchiCAD opens all DWG file formats starting with Autocad 2000. If you choose this file type, the Settings button appears in the Open dialog box, which opens the DXF-DWG Translation Setup dialog box. For details, see Opening DWG/DXF Files. However, in most cases you need not adjust these translation settings, because the default setup will give you the desired result when opening a DXF/DWG file. Note: If you are working in AutoCAD and open a DWG that was originally saved from ArchiCAD, an Alert may appear. However, you should go ahead and work with the saved DWG in AutoCAD - no stability problems should result.

MicroStation Design File (.dgn)

If you choose this option and select a DGN file, the DGN Open dialog box lets you specify the unit conversion factor, the name of the configuration file (optional) and whether you would like to use the level symbol correspondence defined in the DGN file. Options and Notes Dimension elements are converted only if you break them up in MicroStation before the conversion using the Drop Dimension command. The conversion of associated dimensions cannot be completed because their internal structure is not known. Tag elements are not handled at all because of lack of information. Custom lines are not converted in the current version, as MicroStation can use more elements than ArchiCAD in this type of element. Shared cells become library parts in ArchiCAD. They are placed in a folder called DGN_filename.LIB (where DGN_filename is the name of the original DGN file), which is created and saved by the conversion process. If such a folder exists, it will be emptied first. Image files assigned to the DGN file are not converted. The reference point for text elements is always located in the bottom left corner of their box, because the text measurement algorithms of MicroStation are not known. This can lead to problems for associative points.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1737

Interoperability

As the Spline generation algorithms are very different in the two applications, the shapes of the converted splines will differ somewhat from the originals. During conversion, all elements on all levels are converted, regardless of the visibility of the level in the DGN file. You have the option of using a configuration file. For the text to be positioned correctly, use a monospaced font both in MicroStation and ArchiCAD. Files referenced by the DGN file can be also converted. Sample Configuration File #-----------------------------------------------#ArchiCAD <--> MicroStation conversion config file #-----------------------------------------------# Config file syntax: # # Comment # [Section name]: [Layers], [Fonts], [Linestyles], [Pens], [ColorTable] #-----------------------------------------------# ArchiCAD Layer name = MicroStation Level number #-----------------------------------------------[Layers] Electrical = 27 Dimensioning = 28 #-----------------------------------------------# ArchiCAD Pen weight = MicroStation weight number #-----------------------------------------------[Pens] 0.1 = 2 0.5 = 7 #-----------------------------------------------# ArchiCAD Font name = MicroStation Font index #-----------------------------------------------[Fonts] Courier New Western = 2 Arial New Western = 3 #-----------------------------------------------# ArchiCAD Linetype Name = MicroStation Linetype index # For Custom defined linestyles you have to give either a negative index, # or the line style's name in MicroStation, or both #-----------------------------------------------[Linestyles] Solid Line = 1 Double = -3 Rail Road See also Save as MicroStation Design File (.dgn). 1738
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

Image Formats
All Images (.sgi, .psd, .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .jfi)
Various types of picture files can be opened as model pictures, but they will appear in their own separate windows, not the ArchiCAD main window. All QuickTime based image files and a number of additional formats are available.

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1739

Interoperability

Model/3D Formats
3D Studio File (.3ds) IFC 2x2, 2x3 (.ifc), IFCXML (.ifcxml), IFCzip
IFC stands for Industry Foundation Classes. To read more about IFC, see Working with IFC, or download the IFC manual from http:// www.graphisoft.com/support/ifc/downloads/

1740

1743

Interoperability

ArchiCAD File Types

ArchiCAD Projects (.pln)
ArchiCAD 14 can back-save project files in ArchiCAD 13 format only (among previous ArchiCAD file formats). ArchiCAD supports unicode file names of essentially unlimited length.

Archive (.pla)
For details, see Archive Files.

ArchiCAD Project Template (.tpl)

Choose this option if you want to save the current project settings for future use as a template. For details, see Template Files.

Archive Options
For details, see Archive Files.

Project (.pln) in an earlier ArchiCAD version format

ArchiCAD 14 projects can be saved as projects of ArchiCAD version 13. Important: When saving an ArchiCAD 14 project as a version 13 project, an alert will appear warning you that elements and information not supported by ArchiCAD version 13 will be discarded.

Module File; Module File from Clipboard (.mod)

For details, see Create Module.

GDL Script (.gdl)

This option will save your model in GDL script. For details, see GDL Master Window.

1744

ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

Interoperability

CAD Formats
DWF File (.dwf)
You can save Floor Plan and Section/Elevation/IE or 3D Document views in DWF (Drawing Web Format): Activate the required story or Section/Elevation/IE or 3D Document window and choose the Save as command in the File menu. Select the DWF file format from the list, click the Save button and choose one of the following options: ASCII - readable and editable ASCII text file. May be rather long. Binary - binary file with a smaller size than the ASCII version. Compressed Binary - smallest, most easily transportable compressed binary file. When you have made your choice, click the OK button to save the DWF file. You can view the saved DWF file with any web browser that supports the DWF Plug-In. You can download a DWF viewer from http://www.autodesk.com/products/. A Java-based public domain viewer - with some limitations - can be found at http://www.cadviewer.com.

DXF/DWG Files (.dxf, .dwg)

For details, see Saving DWG/DXF Files.

MicroStation Design File (.dgn)

The ArchiCAD to MicroStation converter exports 2D views (plan, elevation and section windows) from ArchiCAD into 2D MicroStation format. All elements are exported as drawing primitives (points, lines, arcs, texts, polylines, triangles, and polygons). During the output, you are prompted to designate an optional configuration file (.txt), which controls the layer assignment, font and color conversion. MicroStation is limited to 64 layers. If the ArchiCAD file contains more, then it rolls around. The configuration file can control the correspondence between layers. In the absence of the configuration file, the default order is alphabetical. Pen color conversion can be defined in the configuration file. Otherwise, the Add-On will use the default assignments. You can also define the line type conversion in the configuration file. The specified ArchiCAD line types will be replaced with the MicroStation line style having the given index. The default MicroStation line styles are in the range [0-7]. The configuration file can control the font conversion. If the configuration file is missing, the addon will default to the international vector font (always present in MicroStation). If you define a Chicago-Chicago translation, make sure that the Chicago TrueType font is loaded into MicroStation (with the Element/Text/View/File/Import command). If it is not loaded, it will revert to the default. If you would like the text to look the same in both files, use monospaced fonts (e.g., Courier) on the plan. Symbol hatches and linetypes are not exported in this version.
ArchiCAD 14 Reference Guide

1745

Interoperability

You can specify the background color for the exported file at the top of the dialog box. The desired output unit can also be changed here. If you loaded the original file from a MicroStation file, then the units specified there will appear. After the DGN file is loaded into MicroStation, you must use the Full View command to see the entire drawing; it will not adjust the scale automatically. MicroStation elements: Line, Polyline, Shape, Arc, Ellipse, Text, Complex chain, Complex shape, Shared Cell, Cell, Multiline, Spline.

1746