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Frequently Asked Questions

Tech Tip Subjects

• General ArchiCAD FAQ	• Drawing Techniques
• ArchiCAD 6.0 FAQ	• Modeling Techniques
• ArchiCAD 5.x FAQ	• Visualization
	• Production
	• Calculation
	• GDL & Object Design

ArchiCAD for TeamWork (5.1) and 5.0 FAQs

Last updated: August 10, 2000

Legend:

- Macintosh-related question

- Windows-related question

- Relates to both Macintosh and Windows platforms

Contents:

1. ArchiCAD refuses to switch off the "Hotspots on bounding box" checkbox for Library Parts.
Details

2. " Interface.Lib is missing" message appears when launching ArchiCAD or PlotMaker.
(68K only) Details

3. How to get transparent vectorial fills in ArchiCAD?
Details

4. How to work around "self-intersecting polygon" error messages?
Details

5. Incorrect circle/arc segments appear in print outs on quickdraw printers.
Details

6. VRML output from ArchiCAD Windows version...
Details

7. Wall sometimes do not join well despite it was fine before.
Details

8. PlotMaker 1.6 can't print Layouts on third Party postscript printers. (Postscript Error: Offending Command : PM LIN.)
Details

9. EVE II - Microguard dongle conflict.
Details

10. How to make a preview of the project file?
Details

11. Recent changes of Library Parts are not updated in the Project after Rebuild.
Details

12. How to influence the number of decimals in Zone Stamps?
Details

13. There is a new shading algorithm in ArchiCAD 5.0 R8.
Details

14. Layer ID error: layers disappear.
Details

15. How to change the Scale of a HotLinked drawing?
Details

1. ArchiCAD refuses to switch off the "Hotspots on bounding box" checkbox for Library Parts.

Place one single Hotspot in he 2D Symbol, it will resolve this problem. Why? The "Hotspots on bounding box" is checked in automatically when saving a Library Part in case the symbol drawing does not contain at least one Hotspot. (This is done to prevent the creation of Library Parts without any Hotspots in their 2D symbol). This means that even if there are lots of Hotspots defined in the 2D script, at least one Hotspot has to be placed in the 2D Symbol window, otherwise disabling the "Hotspots on Bounding Box" checkbox will be refused.

2. "Interface.Lib is missing" message appears when launching ArchiCAD or PlotMaker.
(68k only)

ArchiCAD and PlotMaker are running with the help of CFM enabler extensions on 68 K machines. When they start, an extra memory allocation occurs from within the System memory partition. If there is no free memory left for them, the above error message is sent by the System. The solution is to allocate less memory to ArchiCAD so that about 5 Mb of free memory remaines for the system to load these extensions.

3. How to get transparent vectorial fills in ArchiCAD?

In ArchiCAD 5.0/PlotMaker 1.6 vectorial fills are not transparent any more. They white cover each other, and wall hatches cover any other fills. If you would like vectorial hatches to be transparent, please use PlotMaker 1.6. Select the fill and activate the Deconstruct Fill command from the Edit menu. This way the fill breaks up into individual lines. There is another solution, too. In ArchiCAD 5.0 v14 (Mac)/R7 (Windows) there is an option in the Options/Preferences/Miscellaneous... dialog box, where you can set whether vectorial fills to be transparent or not.

4. How to work around "self-intersecting polygon" error messages?

In ArchiCAD 5.0, self-intersecting polygon checking is stricter than it used to be in previous versions/releases. This can cause ArchiCAD to return such messages when processing older library parts. From ArchiCAD 5.0 v14 (Mac)/R7 (Windows) versions on, there is an option which makes it possible to avoid these messages. In the Options/Preferences/Miscellaneous... dialog box there is an icon relating to self-intersecting polygons. By changing this you are able to force ArchiCAD to ignore such messages and generate the 3D model.

5. Incorrect circle/arc segments appear in printouts on quickdraw printers.

There is a minor bug in the program: circles and arcs with large radius (bigger then 1000 pixels on the device) are drawn incorrectly.

Workaround is possible by creating a new "dashed" Line type with extreme small gaps and applying it to all circles in question.

6. VRML output from ArchiCAD Windows version...

The VRML output was first implemented in ArchiCAD 5.0R6, earlier versions should be updated if this feature needed.

7. Wall sometimes do not join well despite it was fine before.

This is a typical phenomenon of overlapping walls ( being even in hidden layers): the program makes the clean intersection randomly with one of the overlapping walls: not necessarily with the uppermost (visible) one.

Please, check overlapping (hidden) walls and delete or move them slightly away: this should resolve your problem.

8. PlotMaker 1.6 can't print Layouts on third Party postscript printers. (Postscript Error: Offending Command : PM LIN.)

There is a major enhancement in PlotMaker 1.6: direct postscript commands are implemented for better quality printing. This can cause postscript errors with third Party postscript drivers. We recommend to use the standard Laserwriter driver by Apple. In this case the appropriate PPD file should be also installed. This will eliminate above printing errors.

Another aspect of the same problem: with LaserWriter 7.x drivers we get postscript error message at printing if there is text before lines or arcs. This can happen in the following way for example: there are two placed drawings on the Layout, the first one contains text, the second contains lines (within a drawing the sequence is the following: fills, lines, arcs and circles, texts so within a drawing a text never gets in front of lines/arcs). The cause of the problem: The font download kills the PMLin definition.

With LaserWriter 8.x printing goes fine. (This downloads fonts before the PMLin definition). In PlotMaker 1.6v8 (which is part of AC 5.0v16) this will be fixed, cause the PlotMaker team could find another way for the PMLin definition which is not overwritten by the font download. So this will work with both LaserWriter 7.x and 8.x drivers.

9. EVE II - Microguard dongle conflict.

Since EvE II type protection dongle is outdated (it doesn't register itself into the ADB manager of the computer) there is some trouble: ArchiCAD with Microguard dongle protection cannot be started if another program using the EvE II dongle is used and vice versa.

10. How to make a preview of the project file?

To make a Preview of the file you have to go to the Quickviews window and make a quickview you like before saving your project (PLN).

11. Recent changes of Library Parts are not updated in the Project after Rebuild.

To force the program to reinterpret the 2D scripts of Library Parts hold down the <alt> key while choosing Display/Rebuild.

12. How to influence the number of decimals in Zone Stamps?

Linear and area values are to be displayed in the Zone stamps according to the actual settings of the appropriate value in the Options/Preferences - Dimensioning Units dialog. When changing these settings, the Floor Plan has to be rebuilt by holding down the <alt> key.

13. There is a new shading algorithm from ArchiCAD 5.0 R8 on.

But it is not enabled as a default. When you set vectorial shadows on and you generate a 3D view, nothing will change. But after this you can quit ArchiCAD and start Regedit.exe. In Regedit, find 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Graphisoft\ArchiCAD 5.0 INT'. Here you will find a variable named ' New Vectorial Shadow Method'. Double-click on it and change its value from 0 to 1. Close Regedit and restart ArchiCAD. After this the program will use the new shading method which is much faster than the older one.

It is important to perform a vectorial shading calculation at least once before going to Regedit because this writes in that new variable into the Registry.

14. Layer ID error: layers disappear.

Layers with an ID over 500 will get deleted. This can happen after multiple Merge commands where such high IDs get generated because there are so many different layers in the merged drawings. We can fix the file if such thing happens - especially if it is in 4.5 format.

15. How to change the Scale of a HotLinked drawing?

If you change only the scale of a section/elevation a save its Hotlink again, then the scale information in the file will not be overwritten so you won't be able to update this change from PlotMaker (not even with placing it again). You can do this only by using Save As... and replacing the file with the new one with the same name.