Old Man ArchiCAD

Stuff I've been learning since version 3.4 and hopefully some stuff I haven't...

[alameerhairy71]

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[sydsal]

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Unlocking the locked: hotlinks & x-ref

Whilst we might use hotlinked modules and x-refs for different items, there are times when we want to liberate information from this locked state.

  Typically x-ref's are used to deal with traditonal 2d consutant data from 3rd part software.  In turn we will want to reuse this information to enhance our documentation output and inform our design models.

  Hotlinked modules on the other hand are used to insert repeated building assemblies or subassemblies created natively within ArchiCAD.  As a design progresses it may become clear that some assemblies will evolve into "one off" instances.

  In both cases the method will be largely the same.

Firstly suspend groups.  This will allow you to select only the relevant information.

Eg: in a survey you first want to only select the boundary information.  For a complex selection use the find & select tool.

Next open the layer dialogue box to ensure that no layers are locked.  Locked layers may cause interference in the process.

Select the items you want (preferably using for Find & Select for a large selection).

Tip: do this for all items you want to copy to one layer.  Eg: lines, arcs, polylines, fills from several layers form the information for a road.

Copy & paste. (<Crtl> C & <Ctrl> V)

Undo & redo so all the items are now selected. (<Crtl> Z & <Ctrl><shift> Z)

Use edit selection set to allocate all items types to a layer in one action

[sydsal]

From most annoying to most helpful

Quick Selection is the easiest way to select single elements which have a surface area and easily one of the most annoying features when it was first introduced.  It meant a fairly fundamental change in how an item could be selected and most people deactivated straight away.  Rather than ignore it, below is a guide of how best to embrace it.

  The strength of this feature is selection by surface area.  The environment where it is most helpful is in 3D as typically only elements that have a surface will appear.  For this very reason it's best to have the feature turned on.

In many of the other environments many elements can be selected by edges & points.

[sydsal]

Be productive without leaving the mouse

"The shortest distance between two points is a straight line"

There are an enormous amount options that are at your finger tips without even moving the mouse.  Below is a list some things you may already know and a few you may not.

Contextual Menu

We're all aware what a left mouse button click will do but what about the right button?

Typically where ever you right click within the ArchiCAD interface you will get an option.  If there is nothing specific, it will give you the "what is this?" option.  This will take you information on what you've clicked on from the the online help.  Otherwise the sorts of options you will get are as follows.

Right click an element on floor plan.

With a single click you have selected the element and are looking at a range of options:  Move, Layers, Display Order, etc

All of the items can be found in a drop down menus and some have shortcuts but not all.

    "right click good, pull down menus bad..."

apologies George Orwell

Right click on a view in the view map

Here again with a single click are a range of items accessible with another click within short range

Post your most useful right click option in the comments below

The Mouse Wheel

Most people again would aware of zooming in & out with the scroll wheel (If you're not, time to get into the 21st century) but have you tried...

     Hold the scroll wheel down.

This will action a Pan

  Double click with the scroll wheel.

This will action a Fit in Window (zoom extents for those stuck in autocad mode)

  Spend time mastering these and you will never need to know the shortcuts or where to find it in the menu ever again.

[sydsal]

"Out damn spot!"- Xrefs & Layer Management

One of the biggest problems we have faced when incorporating 2D information from consultants is the additional layers, line types and fills that come with it.  Importing this information via the Xref function manages this issue very well.

  Layers associated with the xref file appear in the Layer Settings list below to the line.

  These can be hidden altogether by using the filter option to Hide Xref layers .

Of course when you are finished coordinating/incorporating the Xref information you simply detach it in the Xref Management box.  This will result in the option to Remove Xref's Attributes.

[sydsal]

The Tracker is not Clippy!

Myself (and many others) hated Clippy ,the supposedly helpful paperclip who would tell us all things we didn't really want to know.  More recently there was the annoying little dog when we try to search for something...  "Microsoft, strike 2!"  

The tracker is your friend.  Repeat it to yourself "The tracker is your friend, The tracker is y..."  You get the point.  It's been around since 2006 and if you are still using the coordinate box, turn it of and turn on the tracker.

You'll give yourself more space to draw with and the tracker will always be where you are drawing.  Embrace the tracker, don't turn it off and you'll always be more efficient.

There is no need to type R with the tracker.  As a rule which ever value is in bold, you simply type a number and it will automatically enter the value there.  On floor plan that is nearly always Distance or R (Relative) for the old school.

Too see more options type the Tab key and it will xpand to show all options.  Arrow up & down will allow you get to differen options as well as the first letter.

[sydsal]

BIM Memes