Export your schedules as Excel worksheets

February 11, 2014, 11:30 am

≪ Previous: Add attributes for Plant objects

If you have taken up last weeks tip on creating more schedules to help your Quantity Surveyor you may be looking at the best way to get these schedules to them.

One method you may not be aware of is exporting schedules as Excel worksheets.

To do this you need to save the schedules as views naming them appropriately. From there you can bring these schedules into a new Publisher set and set its format to Excel XLS.

So when you Publish this set it saves each schedule as its own Excel document so your QS can take this information further to figure out quantities and costs.

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Importance of Element ID

February 18, 2014, 11:30 am

≫ Next: Customer Experience Improvement Program

≪ Previous: Export your schedules as Excel worksheets

As you start to get into more detailed schedules you will notice the importance of Element ID’s.

This is the main defining difference between any two elements.

At the concept stage of design, the element ID’s become irrelevant but as we go into Developed Design & start to require Quantities the ID’s become essential.

For every tool you will find the Element ID at the bottom under Tags & Categories:

The NZ template for example also moves the Element ID into a more prominent area in the Info box to save you from having to open the settings:

So when you begin to schedule windows, or walls or columns the Element ID can be extremely useful to clarify which element is being scheduled.

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Customer Experience Improvement Program

February 20, 2014, 11:30 am

≫ Next: What happens if I load multiple libraries

≪ Previous: Importance of Element ID

We make sure to tell our users that in order for us to improve the quality of our tools, we need feedback on how you use them.

The good folks at Graphisoft need the same form of feedback in order to improve ArchiCAD. They have even made it simple for us to do.

In the Help menu is the option for Customer Experience… (third from the bottom) If you click on this, you will see the following dialog:

Most of us will recognise this from the install process, where we chose the No, thank you option. Clicking on Yes does not mean that Graphisoft are going to snooping on your files, it just means that ArchiCAD will create a log of how you are using the program and let the R&D team know, so that they can lookfor ways to either improve things or look for things that may need to be removed. Remember that if you want improvements you need to contact the people in charge, and if you don’t, then don’t complain if things don’t change

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What happens if I load multiple libraries

February 23, 2014, 11:30 am

≫ Next: Slab display in plan view.

≪ Previous: Customer Experience Improvement Program

I think that sums it up well.

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Slab display in plan view.

February 24, 2014, 11:30 am

≫ Next: Company template – time invested in Favorites is time saved

≪ Previous: What happens if I load multiple libraries

If you want do to display your slab in different levels with or without fills and avoid the model view options, you can edit the display to be a Custom.

This may be helpful if you have a foundation plan that needs to display the slab as a dashed line but keep the cover fills for your foundation elements.

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Company template – time invested in Favorites is time saved

February 25, 2014, 11:30 am

≫ Next: Picture object 17

≪ Previous: Slab display in plan view.

In seeing a lot of company templates its great to see our customers think of innovative ways to make their task easier.

Favorites have become commonplace due to the ease of placing a commonly used Door, or 90×90 post etc.

When saving favorites remember to consider the Tags & Categories section!

If you set up the Element ID & Classification of your element when saving the favorite it means every time you place it in the future this will already be defined making it easier to find & schedule.

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Picture object 17

March 2, 2014, 11:30 am

≫ Next: Scroll along the Info Bar

≪ Previous: Company template – time invested in Favorites is time saved

Whether you loaded the Picture (frame) 17 object from your ArchiCAD Library 17 or you have it embedded from BIM Components, if you want to edit the image displayed for a custom picture, you need to embed the image to your project as a library part.

(e.g. CADIMAGE.jpg)

File>libraries and objects>library manager

Go to the object setting and enable to have a ‘custom’ image, then type the name of the embedded image.

Result:

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Scroll along the Info Bar

March 4, 2014, 11:30 am

≫ Next: Opening a file with custom objects?

≪ Previous: Picture object 17

The Info Bar along the top of the screen gives you a quick preview of the settings for the tool you are using. This saves you from having to open the settings by being able to access them on the fly.

In fact the majority of settings from the ‘Default Settings’ window can be found on the Info bar, you will notice a scroll bar along the bottom of the Info Bar.

If you bring your mouse into the Info Bar & scroll the wheel down you will move across to the right to reveal even more settings:

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Opening a file with custom objects?

March 5, 2014, 12:00 pm

≫ Next: Use Composites for Floors & Roofs as well as Walls

≪ Previous: Scroll along the Info Bar

Opening an old file or a file with custom objects?

If you are handed a file from an old version of ArchiCAD or a file with custom objects, you may have missing objects when opening a .pln (project file), if you can request a copy of the original as an archive (.pla) you can easily open that pla and select to ‘extract elements to a folder’:

Create and select a custom folder for these extracted library parts, then you can go to your library manager (file>libraries and objects>library manager) and delete the complete custom folder.

Finally you can click Add and select just the specific libraries or objects that you need and add the standard ArchiCAD library XX from your own ArchiCAD folder.

This is just one option, you can request the libraries or request to have the objects embedded.

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Use Composites for Floors & Roofs as well as Walls

March 11, 2014, 12:30 pm

≫ Next: See the Object outline before placing it

≪ Previous: Opening a file with custom objects?

When designing houses we commonly use composites that come with the installed template, like EXT: Stud 90 Pb (meaning Exterior 90mm timber stud with Plasterboard on interior).

However when it comes to our Floors & Roofs we still have the habit of using a 210mm thick slab with any fill when we should be using composites:

There are composites there made available for you in the NZ Template to use which are for that exact function & will give better detail in sections & quantities:

Just as a note: Ply = Plywood floor Finish, Insul = Timber floor area is insulated as opposed to Air Space, B/L = Battens & Lining for the ceiling underneath

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See the Object outline before placing it

March 12, 2014, 12:30 pm

≫ Next: Have you forgotten a keyboard shortcut?

≪ Previous: Use Composites for Floors & Roofs as well as Walls

Do you ever get annoyed when you place an Object only to find it clashes with something else?

If so, what you need to do is show the ‘Ghost Bounding Box’. This shows the outline of the Object (or Lamp, Column, Figure or Drawing) before you click the mouse.

To switch this on, go to Options> Work Environment> On-Screen Options and choose Show Ghost Bounding Box of Objects, Columns, Figures and Drawings

The next time you place an Object you will see a preview of its position…

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Have you forgotten a keyboard shortcut?

March 13, 2014, 12:30 pm

≫ Next: Launch another ArchiCAD session

≪ Previous: See the Object outline before placing it

Have you forgotten a keyboard shortcut? Or would you like to learn a few more to work more efficiently?

To find out what keyboard shortcuts ArchiCAD is using, go to Options> Work Environment> Keyboard Shortcuts and click Show Shortcut List in Browser

To add your own shortcuts, see this article… http://blog.cadimage.com/2009/02/creating-keyboard-shortcuts/

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Launch another ArchiCAD session

March 16, 2014, 12:30 pm

≫ Next: Object of the Week

≪ Previous: Have you forgotten a keyboard shortcut?

If you have one or more copies of ArchiCAD open and would like to open another project for reference or to copy-paste data – simply use Launch a new instance of ArchiCAD from the File> Open dialog…

Note: the same feature is also available in the File> New dialog

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Object of the Week

March 17, 2014, 12:30 pm

≫ Next: Presentation Pens

≪ Previous: Launch another ArchiCAD session

This week’s featured object is Curtain #1580, which models a curtain track with fabric drapes.

Description

The track follows either a straight, L-shaped or U-shaped path. For the L and U shapes, the corner angles may be adjusted and the rail bends around a radius to allow the curtains to slide smoothly.

The curtains themselves may be opened or closed. The curtain fabric falls naturally in 3D views, and vertically in section and elevation views.

The path may be adjusted graphically using dynamic hotspots.

Specifications

Genre	Interior Visualizaton
Polygon Count	Low
Texture Mapping	Yes
Flexibility	Moderate
Likes:Dislikes*	10:0
Monthly Downloads*	223
Availability	Worldwide
How to Get	Search BIMComponents from within ArchiCAD

*BIMComponents rating as of March 2014

Most Valuable Setting

The most valuable setting is the path shape. This makes the curtain useful not only for regular windows, but also for corner and bay windows.

Hidden Features

By default, the curtain hangs below the rail. However, you can offset the curtain vertically up …

… and horizontally in front of or behind the rail.

Tips and Tricks

Use the dynamic hotspots to adjust the angle and length of each section.

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Presentation Pens

March 18, 2014, 12:30 pm

≫ Next: Changing Coordinate Input method

≪ Previous: Object of the Week

In the NZ Template we have left several pen slots free for you to customize

The best use we have seen of these is ‘Presentation Pens’ – pale light colours similar to Pantone Tria Markers commonly used for colour presentation in 2D Documents.

We have experimented adding these to the color row on the pensets like so:

Heres where they could be used…

Do you use presentation pens? What method do you use?

If you’ve any suggestions about these sort of pens or other changes you think should occur for V18 let us know as we begin to think about how to make it even better!

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Changing Coordinate Input method

March 19, 2014, 12:30 pm

≫ Next: Direction Dependent Selection method

≪ Previous: Presentation Pens

ArchiCAD automatically adjusts between Polar (Distance / Angle) and Cartesian (X / Y) Coordinate input method depending the geometry method being used.

Typically linear elements will use the Polar method and rectangular elements will use the Cartesian but sometimes you may want to override this and choose what is most appropriate.

Polar Coordinate input example…

Cartesian Coordinate input example…

To switch between the two methods – simply press the slash key on your keyboard…

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Direction Dependent Selection method

March 20, 2014, 12:30 pm

≫ Next: Back It Up!

≪ Previous: Changing Coordinate Input method

Do you know about the Direction Dependent Selection method? This comes in to effect when you draw a selection window. It has been in ArchiCAD for a number of versions now, but is hidden within the Info Box settings of the Arrow Tool…

There are three options available and each will include elements…

1: if any part or node is included in the selection window (even the tiniest fragment!)

2: only if the entire element is, or all nodes are, included in the selection window

3: depending on the direction you draw the selection window:

- left to right: the first selection method is used (any part of element)

- right to left: the second selection method is used (entire element)

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Back It Up!

March 23, 2014, 12:30 pm

≫ Next: Object of the Week

≪ Previous: Direction Dependent Selection method

This is less of a Tip and more of a Reminder of the Day to remind you to make sure that you are Backing Up Your Projects.

If you aren’t the person in your office that would back things up, make sure someone is doing it.

If you’re the only person in your office, or no-one else is doing backups, then make sure you get started with some as soon as you can.

I really can’t stress enough how big of a deal this is – If you aren’t backing up your data, then you are pretty much just asking to lose it.

Don’t procrastinate about it – do it now before you become a statistic used by Back up Software resellers!

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Object of the Week

March 24, 2014, 12:30 pm

≫ Next: Stretchy Joist – how you can get an ‘X’ in cross section of Timber members

≪ Previous: Back It Up!

Engineers Bolt #1396 is one of a number of objects created for 3D detailing.

Description

The bolt includes optional washers and nut. Set the dimensions of the head, shaft, and even the thread length and pitch. Care is taken to produce a realistic appearance.

Dynamic hotspots are provided to rotate the bolt, and to adjust its length, threaded length, and the position of the nut.

When used as a Solid Element operator, the bolt will cut a simple round hole for the shaft.

Specifications

Genre	3D Detailing
Polygon Count	High
Texture Mapping	N/A
Flexibility	Moderate
Likes:Dislikes*	5:1
Monthly Downloads*	100
Availability	Worldwide
How to Get	Search BIMComponents from within ArchiCAD

*BIMComponents rating as of March 2014

Most Valuable Setting

The most valuable setting is the tilt angle. This allows you to use the bolt in any orientation, without having to convert it to a Morph.

The orientation may be set via the Settings dialog, or using a dynamic hotspot.

Hidden Features

Choose a round or square washer shape, and include 0, 1, or 2 nuts.

Tips and Tricks

Use Solid Element Operations to drill a hole for the bolt, using the bolt as the Operator and applying a Subtraction.

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Stretchy Joist – how you can get an ‘X’ in cross section of Timber members

March 25, 2014, 12:30 pm

≫ Next: Layer filtering

≪ Previous: Object of the Week

There is a Complex Profile available with the Beam tool called ‘Joist Stretchy’ :

It is built from 2 different Building Materials – this is so they don’t join & the X remains in the middle:

It can be made any size, so may be useful in the future when you use general timber beams.

Is there any other profiles you think would be useful in the template? Let us know.

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