Tips, Tricks, and Cheats… ArchiCAD Dimensions
Dimensions in ArchiCAD are super basic, right? Well here’s a video on some tips, tricks, and cheats regarding this essential tool. I cover about 15 to 20 different aspects of ArchiCAD’s Dimension Tool. So clearly not an exhaustive or comprehensive discussion. If there’s interest, I’ll gladly do more videos like this for various tools and features with ArchiCAD (ei, back to basics videos). Hopefully regardless of your skill level a few of these techniques will be new to you, or at least a good refresher. Here’s a sample of what I cover in the video…
Tips:
How to add ±, ø, ∞, and other weird symbols into dimension text.
Tricks:
How to move a single node in a static dimension independent of the rest of the string.
Cheats:
I won’t give specifics here. But I will say this: sometimes you need to cheat within BIM. And sometimes that cheating involves dimensions. So do it in the smartest way; use BIM concepts even with your dirty secrets.
Enjoy!
Bonus: At the end of the video, I mention manuBIM’s Floating Dimension Object.
Learn more about it here.
UPDATE and BONUS TIP: From the feedback I’m getting, users of all skill levels have something to learn from this video. Awesome. Awesome. I’m so glad to hear that. Now here’s a bonus tip I should have mentioned in the video… When you are placing node points while creating a dimension string, if you goof up and add a node in the wrong place, just click on the node again (before you finish the string) and that node will disappear.
Now it’s your turn. Did I forget to mention a cool dimension trick? Leave your Dimensioning advice in the comments.
Jared Banks
I got an e-mail question regarding this post and I thought I’d share both the question and the answer:
Q: Do you know of a trick to hide/delete the wall widths from a string? This would be great unclutter the drawing.
A: I see three options:
1) delete one of the nodes at each wall so that the string goes from say the east side of the wall to the east side of the next wall (you can do this before or after the string is created. The remaining node will still be linked to the wall (so you can still switch it to and from dimensioning to the core, and the dim will move with the wall).
2) delete the piece of the dimension at the wall, creating separate dimension strings.
3) select the text that describes the dimension of the wall thickness, set it to custom and then delete the text. The string will remain, but then you have no text.
I typically do option 1. But I think this is a great question to ask the contractor who will eventually use the drawings. What does he prefer seeing? Maybe there’s a 4th option that is easier for guys on site to read. What do you all typically do?
stephan langella
Jared,
you forgot about having different length leader lines across a string. How to create them for different nodes and how you can alt click & alt ctrl click to transfer the same setting to other nodes.
Cheers
Jared Banks
Great additions. Thanks.
Danielle
Jared, this was a great video! I have a question, though– When you are dimensioning to the wall, and then hit the button in the info box for the core of the wall… where is that button?! I’m in AC16 and don’t have any sort of symbol like that at all in my info box. I checked to see if I was missing a palette or toolbar, but it didn’t look like it. Any ideas?
Thanks!
Jared Banks
Annoyingly that’s not in the default info box, but you can turn it on. Check out this video: https://shoegnome.com/2012/03/19/work-enviroments-in-archicad-part-1/ I example how towards the end. However you can also just open the Dimension Default Settings, then open the Dimension Details tab. You’ll see the check box for “Dimension only the Core of Composite and Complex Walls” there.
Glad you liked the video!
akanksha sinha
I need measurements shown on the outside of the building plan so i can print the building with the measurements
not getting how to do it. help
Jared Banks
Hopefully this video will help. Also research automatic dimensions. That’s a very fast solution as well; here’s a great overview of that from Cadimage.
Paula
Hi! Any idea how can I set in the same plan, dimensions less that 1meter to be writen in cm and the ones bigger that 1m to be in meters? I saw this in many projects and I really can’t find this option anywhere.
Jared Banks
Go to Project Preferences and under the dimension type you want to change, check “Hide Zero Wholes”. It works for Decimal feet (only showing inches for things under a foot). The result will be decimal meters above 1 meter and either centimeters or millimeters below 1 meter, depending on the number of decimals you show. So 2 decimal accuracy will show centimeters, 3 will show millimeters.
Does that make sense? I can share some images or do a quick video if you want. Might be a good idea.
Paula
Wow. thanks. I just handed my school project today, so your advise was life saving. Thank you so much!
Jared Banks
Paula, your’e more than welcome! Comments like this make my day and remind me why I started this blog in the first place. So glad to help.
Cam
Hi Jared,
I have been watching your tutorials and it has been a great help to me since I just started a new job using Archicad.
I do have a question about the dimension string and its probably a very dumb question. I see that when you deleted a piece of the dimension string you could easily select the individual dimension but for some reason I can’t do this. Is there a way to separate the dimensions so I can delete them?
Thanks.
Jared Banks
Cam, not a stupid question at all. This actually gets to the root of the biggest issue new users have (I have a blog post somewhere started on this subject). Clicking. It’s all about clicking. As dumb as THAT sounds. If you watch the video again you’ll notice I’m clicking on fairly specific spots to select different parts of the dimension string. Either the string, the nodes, the whole thing, etc. Make a dimension string with a few segments. Then spend some time clicking around on it til you get the feel of where the right spot to click is. In the broader context of ArchiCAD you’ll have this same issue with lots of different features. Depending on how you click on an object it’ll respond differently, you’ll get a different pet palette, etc. In the old days we were used to the entire surface/body of an element giving us the same feedback. But in ArchiCAD elements are smart enough to know the difference between you clicking near the middle (where you want to click to select just one dimension string) or on the text or near a node or on a node or….
Hope that helps.
Cam
Thanks Jared. Appreciate the help.
Peter Hordern
Great….thanks
Link
Hey Jared
Thanks for the post! Dimensions are always one of my favorite training topics, along with roofs and layouting! And there’s so many things to show off with ArchiCAD’s fantastic dimensioning tool. I particularly like to highlight the round vs square reference points and their resulting associated vs static dimensions, tabbing through multiple overlapping elements to choose what you’re going to dimension to and hovering over (completed) dimension string nodes and using pre-selection highlight to see what that dimension is associated to. Really powerful stuff and helps it sink in for new users. Don’t start me on accuracy, rotating, copying or automatic dimensioning. We’d be here all day!! 🙂
Hope all is well.
Cheers,
Link.
Jared Banks
I’d have no problem with that.
Marko
HI !I would like to ask if some one knows how to set the automatic dimensiong tool ( reference lines) to: snap to the skin and core at the same time,having multipal layer walls and slabs dimensioning proces made easy?? or something on automatic dimensioning topic more would help.
Thanks Marko
Jared Banks
As far as I know there’s not a way to dimension both core and the extents of the wall automatically. I’ll add the auto dimensioning function to my list of future posts/videos.
marko
Thanks for your time .
Marko.
sireen
How can i resize (re scale it) my drawing if i import a map in mm how can i rescale it to m in archicad ???????????
Jared Banks
use the scale command.
Marko
Hi ! quick one , do i need to install the latest hot fix for archicad 17, or all of them ??
Jared Banks
The hotfixes are cumulative. So all you need to do is install the latest.
Andra
Hello,
I have a real problem with layout book. The drawings that I made in project map have dimensions, while in the layout, they don’t. How can I set it wright, so I can see the drawing as designed? Thank you!
Jared Banks
You need to make sure the views are correct in the View Map. Here’s a video: https://shoegnome.com/2013/04/29/archicad-template-basics-view-map-and-layout-book/ It sounds like your saved views have the wrong layer combination.
Morgan
Hi Jared i have a very small problem with my dimensioning.How do i make my dimension text to be always on top of it’s corresponding dimension line, even if the space seems small so that it makes the text appear elevated from the normal dimension text?
Jared Banks
If the text doesn’t show up in the right spot, you select the text and move it. If there are a lot, select them all and move them together.
John Adrian
Hi Jared I scanned here and in Ac forum pretty quickly, I am checking to see if AC can do both Imperial and metric dimensioning at the same time. Thank JA
Jared Banks
I don’t believe it can. There are work arounds using overlaid views on a layout and different dimension styles for different views and different layers for those dimensions, but for all that effort…probably not worth it, unless every dimension needs both mm and inches.
Marko
Hi !! please can you tell me if there is a way to make my schedule list for zones, to show the fill of the corresponding zone in the schedule list ?? or is there a other way to so.
i have a lot of zones and would make it much easier to view my zone list with my floor plans and have a colored matching fill next to it.
Thanks Marko.
Jared Banks
I’m not aware of a solution.
livdrifts
Hi Jared,
Do you happen to know of a way to create a dimension with the dimension (measured value) on top of the dimension line, and then custom text below the dimension line?
Many thanks!
Jared Banks
As of ArchiCAD 18 there isn’t an automatic way to put text both above and below the dimension string. You could manually put text below with the Text tool, but I prefer to just add text after the on one line within the dimension tool, that way everything stays connected. Hopefully someday ArchiCAD will add this minor, but very useful feature.
Luka Florjanc
Hello Jared,
Please allow me a quick question about zone dimensions. I understand that the units (and decimals) for floor area could be controled through “project preferences – dimensions”. But I can`t find where I can control units and decimals for zone height? For example I have floor area in meters with one decimal and height in centimeters with one zero decimal (and would like to change it). I use Archicad 16. Thank you in advance. Regards …
Jared Banks
Off hand, I’m not sure. But that might be hard coded into the GDL script of the Zone Tag. If that’s the case, you’d need to go into the GDL script to change it.
Luka Florjanc
Thank you very much. I`d let you know if I find out. Regards.
Peter
Can you scale individual objects in archicad18 like you can do in illustrator?
I want to scale a imported exploded PDF
Jared Banks
Of course. Cmd+K / Ctrl+K is resize. It works on most types of elements, both 2D and 3D.
Sarah Patterson
Hi Jared,
Thanks for the video! Unfortunately it didnt help me solve a problem i’m having when using auto dimensioning. When doing this I end up with lots of small dimensions at the corners of my building which would suggest the walls aren’t square. However, when I try to adjust the walls they are actually along the guideline or at 0 angle or intersected with another wall, for example. I can actually just delete the dimension values like how you show to, but I want to know why they are happening. Is it my drawing or dimensioning? ? Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. Sarah.
Jared Banks
I’m not sure what’s going on. I suggest posting a screen shot and asking the question here: http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/ It might be a setting in the auto dimensioning function, the location of your wall reference lines to the outside face of the walls, or some other simple issue. I’ve hardly ever used the auto dimensioning function because I don’t like how it thinks and there’s still too much clean up work after the fact. Plus I either dimension as I model or add the dimensions slowly afterwards as my double check that I did things correct-so I find the act of dimensioning helpful.
Alex
Hi Jared,
My dimension lines are starting too close to the walls … on all of the tutorials they seem to sit out from the walls but mine are almost on top. Is there a setting to have them 10mm away from the walls/object.
I’ve been play around with all the settings and can only manage to change lines individually. There has to be an easier way because this will take forever and they don’t end up even.
Help would be muchly appreciated!
Jared Banks
Select the dimension, open the Dimension Selection Settings, choose the witness line style you want, then go to the Marker and Witness Line Options. There you can choose to set a custom witness line length or a dynamic witness line gap. What you want is to change the dynamic witness line gap to something larger than it currently is set. If you have a lot of dimensions, you can select them all and change them together. Also once you change this gap size you can save the corrected dimension as a favorite.
JENNIFER
Jared, great video. Any ideas in how to make the dimension strings default to place in front of all other model components? Quite often, the dimension strings get placed behind walls, railings, slabs etc and we consistently have to select all and bring to front. Thanks!
Jared Banks
That is bizarre! I have done some testing, but can’t reproduce the behavior. All my dimensions are defaulting to the front, like they should be. Try posting on http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/ and asking there. Perhaps someone else is dealing with the same situation. Or it might be a glitch that GRAPHISOFT should now about.
Jennifer
We actually just got an interesting response from Graphisoft. See below:
Elements have a a default display order based on the tool that created them:
1. Annotation (Text, Labels, all Dimension types, Zone Stamps)
2. 2D Lines, Circles, Splines, Hotspots
3. Library Parts (Objects, Lamps, Stairs)
4. 3D structures (Walls, Beams, Slabs, Doors, Windows, Columns, Roofs, Meshes)
5. 2D polygons (Fills, Zone Polygons)
6. Figures (Images)
There are 16 possible levels of display order, so there should be room to adjust these to play well together. Often people only use the “move up” or “move to the top” command rather than the “Move down” command to adjust the relative display order of some elements. If so, you could find that some elements are already at the top, conflicting with annotation. If everything moved down a level or two, you might fix the problem by selecting all the dimensions and reseting them to their default display order.
______________
I discovered that these display orders can be easily reset via the following:
Edit > Display Order > Reset Default Order
Danielle
Hey Jared and Jennifer,
I know this was a while ago, but I was so glad to find this comment, as my office is having the same issue. But when we tried the Edit>Display Order>Reset Display Order command, we found that we had to do it for each dimension string (or batch of strings) and that it didn’t solve the problem for putting in new dimension strings. Plus, while the dimensions moved above some things (walls, some objects), they still were behind slabs for some reason. So I’m wondering if you found anything else about this? I checked out the forum but didn’t find anything useful, but I’ll post there next if you don’t have more advice. Thanks in advance!
Jared Banks
Danielle, I don’t have a good answer for you other than to send Slabs backwards and create a keyboard shortcut for all the display order stuff to make it go fast. Looking back at my earlier comment, I wonder if the issue is file specific? I can’t reproduce the behavior here. Dimensions always default to being over Slabs for me.
Jennifer
In plan view, you can either “select all” or “find and select” all dimension strings and then these are selected, then do Edit > Display Order > Reset Default Order
The downside of doing select all is that this may undo some positions that you have already customized. In most cases, I’d recommend just selecting all of your dimensions and maybe the text and label components and then do the reset. You will have to repeat this on each story level. Also, the reason you are having the issue with new dimension strings is that you probably have some elements brought all the way to the front. If you “select all” and click the “send backwards” tool one time, this could resolve the issue but I am not sure if this will retain all of the ordering of each element and just move them back one priority level or if this would reset them all to be the same priority level (described in the ArchiCAD response above). Hope this is helpful and not too wordy!
Andrew
Hello Jared –
My question with dimension is this:
Let’s say you have a dimension that is too big to fit within its witness lines, and it appears outside, but next to, another dimension. Is there a way, besides drawing a polyline, to have the dimension have a leader to its proper dimension? Thanks.
Jared Banks
Yes! As of ARCHICAD 19 you can turn on a line between the dimension line and the text. Check out this link. There are so many dimension improvements in ARCHICAD 19 that I really need to do a follow up video and blog post.
Andrew
Thanks for the response, Currently running on 18, so will have to stick with drawing a polyline for the time being.
andrea
Hi Jared, this is my problem: archicad18, I’ve been working on my model using imperial dimensions and also working units, but when I go to layout it automatically shows the dimensions in the model like metric … ? I set the settings in working preferences/working units/ model units and layout units both on imperials but it still show in the layout all metric … do you know a way to get it all in imperials? Thanks a lot.
Jared Banks
Check both Project Preferences/Working Units and Project Preferences/Dimensions. Make sure both are updated. Dimensions are independent from working units because you can have multiple dimension standards in one file.
andrea
Thank you for the very quick answer. Actually I did, they are both (working units and dimensions) set on feet and inches but when I see the model in the layout it shows only metric … Am I working with a wrong template maybe? I think it’s problem of layout settings but I don’t know where to change it other than in project preferences …
Jared Banks
Perhaps the view is saved with the wrong dimension style? Post an image here: http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/ That’ll be the easiest place to problem solve this.
andrea
Thank you! You were right, I had to modify the source view settings and now it is working fine.
I selected the drawing in the layout view, I clicked the right side of the mouse and a panel came out with the option to modify source view settings …
Thanks again.
Jared Banks
great!
Mubangizi Rauben
my walls appear disconnected in the plan(appear crossing each other). how can i overcome this problem? help pliz
Jared Banks
There are a few things that it might be (layer intersection groups, On-screen View Options, etc.) The best way to get the answer you need is to ask on the forum and provide an image of the issue. Or just search for the question there, as I’m sure the answer is already there.
Here’s the link to the archicad-talk forum, if you aren’t familiar with it: http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/
Bill
Hi Jared,
Firstly, thanks for sharing great tips.
We (work) are currently in the process of upgrading to Archicad 18 from version 13.
Big jump, I know… I have been exploring V18 and discovering what things had changed over the years with all the newer versions. I’m wondering if you can help me out with this question?
How do you extend dimension witness lines individually ? In V13 we were able to just select the witness line node (while the dimension tool is selected) and just drag the witness line with the mouse to whatever length we liked. This is something we do in all our projects as we connect all our witness lines that are common in each adjoining dimension string.
I have tried this in V18 and it doesn’t seem to work. Would you know if this is possible in V18?
Thanks
Jared Banks
I don’t recall that behavior in ARCHICAD 13. In ARCHICAD 19 you can change the length of the witness line by selecting the node of the witness line and either changing the length in the Info Box or selecting the second button in the pet palette, which is “edit length of witness line”. After you select that pet palette option you can enter in a dimension or change the length visually. In ARCHICAD 18, you can only change the length via the Info Box. There are a lot of dimension improvements in ARCHICAD 19; I really should do an updated video.
Russ Fairhurst
That function still works in AC18. Select a single node then click on the dimension line, pop up palette with 3 icons appears, select far right one then drag witness line to required position.
I am doing the same jump Archicad 13 to Archicad 18 and have another dimension problem though. Dimensioning to core elements. Typically we put spot levels on floor slabs but with say a tile finish it dimensions to the finished floor level not the structural level.
So i switch to core only view place the spot level with gravity to slab to give the structural level. This then hides all the dimensions to walls that were placed in entire model view.
Jared Banks
Yeah. As you have learned dimensions are specific to the structural display, which has its pluses and minuses. For your situation though, I would model the floor finish as a separate slab. The idea of floor finish + structure being one element is great, but the execution is frustrating because invariably you come across one or both of the following situations:
1) The floor finish changes, but the structural stays the same (wood in the hall, tile in the bathroom).
2) The floor finish stays the same, but the structure changes (change in joist depth, for instance).
And of course the benefits of doing the finish and structure separately is that you can hide the finish and use spot levels just the way you want with gravity to the slab!
Yang xiucheng
Dear Jared,
Firstly, thanks for sharing great tips.
I am just modelling on a building with ArchiCAD 19. It is nearly finished, but I find that i mistake the working unit (with millimeter as model unit). I take it as cetimeter. That is, all lengths of elements are reduced the ten times. I doult whether there is a possible idea to change the units of all elements from millimeter to cetimeter.
Thanks very much and I am looking forwards to your reply at the first time.
Jared Banks
This is very easy to solve. Depending on what you want, you can either change the Working Units and/or update the Dimension Preferences. Both can be changed at anytime without causing problems.
Gerald Lock
Hey Jared. Is there any way that you know to re-set all custom dimensions (aka dirty lies) to their true measured values?
Gerald Lock
Actually I just found the answer to my own question…
Go to: Document > Document Extras > Revert All Custom Texts to Measured Value
Jared Banks
Beat me to it! For just a section of overridden dimensions, you can select a bunch of dimensions together and revert in the Info Box/Tool Settings.
Sagar
This will revert to measured values across entire project and again its undoable.
I think this solution which Jared has shown works very well for selected set of dimensions. You can select it with your marquee or go on each floor wise so you know where exactly are you changing them.
If it happens across entire project, you wouldn’t know where all it has changed in case if you have to cloud them. Also if the project is complex and huge, it really matters.
Thanks
Sagar
Sagar
Hi Jared,
Do you know how to identify dimensions which are with custom text? (non associative)
I have heaps of them mixed with measured value dimension text.
Please help.
Jared Banks
I recommend changing the pen color of the dimension text you change. If all your overridden dimensions are in a red pen, they will stand out. If that doesn’t work for your pen sets, create a separate layer for overridden dimensions. Then you can easily isolate them. That said, I recommend figuring out how to reduce the number of overridden dimensions you have. Sometimes they are necessary (I did a few today, which I haven’t done in a long time), but for the most part you want to avoid them.
Sagar
Thanks Jared.
I myself never do it unless there is absolutely no alternative. But I have received a file which has mixed dimensions.
My question is how to isolate them? Is there a way to identify through select and find tool? Or any other tool?
Literally I have to open up every single dimension to check if it’s customised or not.
If there is any method, would appreciate if someone can share here.
Thanks.
Sagar
Jared Banks
I think you have to go one by one. OR… there is an option to revert dimensions. Under Document/Document Extras/Revert all custom texts to measured value. You need to select the dimensions first. So you’ll have to go viewpoint by viewpoint. BUT what you could do is revert all the dimensions in a viewpoint then compare those dimensions to another version of the file where you haven’t reset the dimensions. It’d still be manual and slow but a little faster than selecting each dimension and checking one by one.
I don’t envy the situation you are in. Maybe on the archicad-talk forum someone has a better solution? Best of luck! I hope you have a good podcast to listen to while doing the search.
Sagar
Thanks Jared.
Can someone here tell me which is the best method available to select all texts of all dimensions at once? Only texts not the entire dimension.
Thanks.
Sagar
Jared Banks
If you don’t want to hold down shift and select the text one by one, this method will work:
1) select the dimension tool.
2) CMD+A to select all dimensions.
3) Hold down shift and right click on a corner of a dimension text
4) Select Dimension Text Settings from the context menu
Any changes you make will affect all selected dimensions.
NOTE: select dimension text from a dimension string with only one dimension. If you select a dimension string with multiple dimensions, this trick will affect the selected text and all other dimensions, but not the other text in that dimension string. Weird.
Sagar
Hey Jared,
Thanks heaps. It has saved so much of my time identifying and then correcting them.
Cheers,
Sagar
Jared Banks
Glad we were able to figure out a solution together that worked for you!
Ruupessh
hi jared banks,
am new to archicad
and wen am trying a drag a copy ,its happening orthogonally ( though am not using shift key )
i need ur help !! plz
Jared Banks
Check the Grid Snap Options under the View Menu. It sounds like either snap to snap grid or construction grid is turned on.
Lipi
Hi I need your help please,
Every time i change the scale of drawing (view) under view map -> View setting -> Scale, the text size changes with it. how can i have same text size on all different scales? is there any way to fix the text size for all different scales and views?
Thank you 🙂
Jared Banks
Under the Text Selection Settings, under Text Block Formatting, you can change the Text from Model Size to Paper Size. This will change the text from being sized by PTs to sized by Inches/MM (depending on your units). I don’t believe this is available for other text created with the Label Tool or Tools other than the Text Tool. One trick I’ll use when I need a one-off drawing at a weird scale: instead of changing the View’s scale, change the scale of the place drawing on the Layout. By changing it on the Layout, the entire drawing will scale up or down as necessary. This is particularly useful when you need to quickly mess with a site plan. In general though, if you are changing the scale of a View early in the development process, you’ll want to change the size of all the texts and fix all the alignments that go out of whack when you change scale. This can be done pretty quickly with a few carefully done Select Alls (select the Text Tool, then Select All will select all the Text). Repeat with the other Tools as necessary.
Lipi
hi,
how can i change the scale of drawing on layout?
Jared Banks
Select a placed Drawing on a Layout. You’ll be able to change the scale in either the Info Box or the Drawing Selection Settings.
MANNY
DO YOU KNOW HOW TO CHANGE ONE DIMENSION NUMBER OF DECIMALS THAT IS DIFFERENT
THEN THE DEFAULT?
THANKS
MANNY
Jared Banks
There is, though it’s a little archaic.
Select the dimension you need to be unique, then go to the following Menu item:
Document/Annotation/Secondary Dimensions/Convert Dimensions
After selecting Convert Dimensions, you’ll be able create the dimension style you need for that one dimension. Under Secondary Dimensions is also an option to update converted dimensions, since the converted dimensions don’t update automatically.
Your other option would be to change the single dimension to text and type it manually.
Duncan
Hi Jared,
Do you have any tips on dimensioning diagonal lines ?
I find trying to dimension set backs/boundary lines and Archicad likes to give me grief.
Jared Banks
Make sure to set the Dimension Geometry Method to ‘Any Direction’. Then the easiest way to get the dimension parallel to the line is (after selecting your points) click on the line/edge you want to be parallel to. You’ll see the cursor change to two parallel lines and the line will highlight when you move the mouse to the line. That’s how you’ll know it’s time to click. Once you do that, the dimension string will be locked at that angle.
And of course by line, I mean Slab edge, Wall, Polyline, Morph, etc…
Duncan
Doesn’t seem to work for me. With 2 lines parallel on a an angle, click on one then the other, hover over the line, the parallel option pops up, click on the line, archicad then draws the dimension adjacent to the lines ??
Jared Banks
Duncan, can you post your question on archicad-talk.graphisoft.com with screen shots of what’s happening and then link back to here?
With some visuals and a few other eyes we can quickly figure out what’s going on. Dimensioning this should be easy, so I’m guessing there’s just some minor, yet non obvious thing going on.
Luis
Hi Jared,
Do you know how to change the zone stamp settings to display the zone’s “ceiling height” in feet and inches (ie: 6′-2″)?
Jared Banks
I think it might be hard coded into the Zone Stamp. So perhaps a different Zone Stamp than the one you’re using could show feet and inches. You might want to search/ask on the ARCHICAD Talk forum. Someone there might have a better answer.
arturo
HI Jared,
Do you know how can in the same drawing have different units in the dimensions.
I mean I need in the same drawing a dimension in feet decimal, and some dimension in feet fractional and elevation markers in feet decimal.
Jared Banks
Use the Secondary Dimensions function: https://helpcenter.graphisoft.com/guides/archicad-21/archicad-21-reference-guide/documentation/annotation/dimensioning/secondary-dimensions-add-on/
arturo
You are awesome!!!
I have another challenge for you!
My client is needs all the levels referred to sea level (about 253′). But I cannot manage to reflect that in my elevations and plans. Would you help me?
Jared Banks
After you place the level dimension, select the text, change it to custom, and then add the appropriate autotext (either from the arrow next to custom in the Info Box or from the Autotext dropdown in the selection settings). Here’s an old Cadalyst article on the topic: http://www.cadalyst.com/aec/how-display-elevation-values-relative-sea-level-archicad-insights-tutorial-3714
arturo
Another one for the weekend. How about in shop drawings? I need document drawings from different areas like sloped roofs, walls, foundation. . . be calculated automatically.
Thanks!!!
Jared Banks
That’s all doable. You just need to figure out the best way. It’s a matter of setting up schedules, using Element Information, or creating a bunch of Fills and doing it all manually. There’s no magic bullet answer though. Look at the problem and figure out what will be the fastest way for YOU to do it. Then do it that way. If it’s a regular task you’ll figure out ways to better automate and streamline the process.
Step one is use ARCHICAD to create the calculations in a way that’s faster and easier than by hand. Do that and then keep improving the process until you are able to tweak how you work from the beginning so that it’s all automated.
arturo
Thanks Jared for all. I have another issue. I have a windows schedule which I need to show in dimensions in feet and in metric.
Thanks again!
Jared Banks
For that you’ll need to have two schedules which you smush together on a sheet (so 2 schedules that are placed next to each other to look like one) or you’ll need to manually input one of the dimensions. For the 2 schedules, it is just be a matter of saving the view of the schedule with different Dimensions settings (from Project Preferences). So that means you could use the same schedule , just saved and placed as two separate views (one saved with metric Dimension settings and one view with Imperial).
betty
Jared,
I have a question regarding scale dimension. When I resize the drawing, the dimension changes as well. How can I keep the same dimension numbers with different scale is practiced. I need this when presenting the scale details in the same page. Thank you
Jared Banks
Dimensions and Labels size are a fixed point size. No matter what the view scale is, the point size will stay the same. The text tool has the option to be by paper size (constant PT size) or model size (constant relationship to model elements regardless of scale). If you are saving views with different scales and placings those individual views on the Layouts (correct way to do it), the labels and dimensions (and text set to paper size) will remain constant. If you are resizing placed views on Layouts then your text/labels/dimensions will scale up or down based on the scale change.
Sarah
Hi Jared,
Thanks for being so helpful and sharing your knowledge!
In your video, you dimensioned to the core of a wall where you could just click on the wall rather than find the core, I have done this before but for some reason I can’t at the moment? I have dimension to core selected in the setting but the little pencil does not come up when selecting a wall and it just dimensions to wherever I’ve clicked? Any ideas why this might be happening?
Thanks,
Sarah
Jared Banks
Sarah,
I’m not sure. It might be as simple as ARCHICAD and/or your computer needs to be restarted. Often when ARCHICAD stops acting the way it should, a quick reboot is the answer. That’s typically the case when ARCHICAD struggles to find elements with the various tools (when it’s not a Quick Selection issue, which in this case it’s not).
Mandara Kelvin
I’ve been mistakenly sing cm instead of mm to create my project. How do I rescale my entire model. I’ve tried using Resize but the height and mesh won’t change.Please help
Jared Banks
I don’t have good news for you. I got your comment when I was down in Cabo for ARCHICAD by the Beach. I happened to be sitting at a table eating lunch with 7 other ARCHICAD experts. We all discussed it and there’s no automated solution. You are going to have to manually change all the heights. Might it be faster to start over rather than adjust all the elements?
Actually there is one potential solution. I bet you could use GRAPHISOFT to scale all the heights. But unless you’re already a GRASSHOPPER expert, it’ll be faster to manually change the heights or rebuild what can’t be scaled up using the resize tool.
Sara
Just the quick question, how would i be able to copy paste my dimensions on different levels?
Thanks
Jared Banks
Since dimensions are linked to elements, you can’t copy them between levels. Well you can if they are static dimensions, but that’s bad practice.
rebekah
Hi,
Great video. I’m wanting to add level dimensions to the top of a wall in plan (retaining / foundation wall heights). At the moment I add a tag and manually add height and RL. It would be great if dim tool to snap in the same way it does for slab, mesh or roof. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Rebekah
Jared Banks
You can show top of wall using the Label Tool. Place an associative label on the wall. In the Label insert the autotext for “Top Elevation to Project Zero” or whatever Top/Bottom elevation you are looking for. Note that the elevation will be displayed using the Calculation Units for Length (you can change this under Project Preferences). If you want the symbol to look like a level dimension, change the arrow head shape or make a custom label.
If you are creating a stepped wall using an opening to lower the top of the wall, you can use the same Label idea to call the bottom of the opening, which would be the top of the remaining wall. That Label + Opening idea only works if the opening has a flat bottom, if it’s stepped or sloped this trick won’t work.