| Technique |
How
To |
What
it Does |
|
| Creation
Techniques |
| 1.
Transformations |
Draw
a 2D profile with the Line, Arc, or Curve Tool, choose the
Wall, Slab, or Roof Tool, hold down the space bar and click
(Spacebar-click) on the 2D profile. This will allow the
creation of a 3D complex object. |
Models
complex flat or sloped objects. You can also ³slabify² or
³roofify² a wall system. The slab or roof ³traces² the reference
line of walls or the edge of slabs. |
| 2.
Create rectangular or polygonal holes in a slab or roof
|
Select
the slab or roof, choose the Slab or Roof Tool and draw
inside the roof or slab with the polygon or rectangle options |
|
| 3.
Create circular or curvalinear holes in a slab or roof |
Draw
a poly-line or curved shape inside the bounds of the slab
or roof. Select the slab or roof, choose the Slab or Roof
Tool and Spacebar-click on the shape you want to convert
into a hole. |
|
| 4.
Automatic trimming |
With
the appropriate creation tool active, Command/Control +
click on the unwanted overlap. |
Removes
³tail² of overlapping objects (walls/lines/arcs) |
| 5.
Automatic extending and adjusting elements |
With
the tool active that you are adjusting, Shift + click (pick)
on the element you want to extend and then Command/Control
+ click on the element you which to extend the element to.
|
Automatic
³T² connections (works with multiple selection, too) |
| 6.
Extend one roof pitch to another |
Select
the roof pitch you want to adjust to and Command/Control
+ click on the edge you want to adjust |
Great for creating dormers |
|
| Drawing
Techniques |
| 7.
Measuring |
Option 1: to set the start point of a measurement, Option/Alt
+ Shift, after obtaining the Checkmark Cursor, on a point/node,
then move the cursor to the end point of your measurement
and read the ³r² distance in the Coordinates Palette. Option
2: click on the ³X² tool in the Coordinate Box, click on
a point where you want to measure from, then move the cursor
to the end point of your measurement and read the ³r² distance
in the Coordinates Palette. |
To
quickly measure a distance; sets a new user-definable (temporary)
origin. |
| 8.
Measuring square footages |
Double-click
on the Fill Tool and make sure the ³Show Area Text² box
is checked. Trace the space with the Fill Tool and click
the location on your floor plan of the square footage calculation. |
|
| 9.
Repositioning project origin |
Double-click
the ³X² button on the Coordinate Palette. |
Resets
the origin to its ³center-of- the-world² or default position |
| 10.
Set/pick parameters of an element |
Option/Alt
+ click on the element and the settings for that tool will
be the settings from the element clicked on. |
Allows
you to use existing elements placed in your drawing as the
basis for new ones rather than remember the settings for |
| 11.
Transfer settings/parameters from one object to another |
Option + Command/Control + click on an element to transfer
its parameters to another existing object |
|
| 12.
Suspend snap to grid temporarily |
With
Snap to Grid on, hold down the Escape Key |
Allows
you to draw unrestricted |
|
| Accurate
Data Entry |
| 13.
To draw accurate single lines or walls |
Start
drawing a line, while holding down the Shift Key to constrain
the line, press the ³r² key and type in the distance in
the ³r² field of the Coordinates Palette; press Enter . |
|
| 14.
To draw linked walls or lines |
With
the Wall or Line Tool active, choose the linked wall or
polygon option in the Control Box. Click the start point,
press the ³x² or ³y²/³r² + ³a² keys. Type the distance in
the Coordinates Palette, and press Enter. To enter the next
point, press x, y, r, or a and enter a new distance, etc. |
|
|
| Selections |
| 15.
Quick selections |
With
a creation tool active, hold down the shift key and click
on the desired element. |
To
select without going to the Arrow tool |
| 16.
Multiple selections |
Hold
down the Shift key and click on an element with the Arrow
Tool. |
To
select one thing after the other |
| 17.
Multiple de-select |
With
the Shift Key held down, click on the elements you want
to de-select. |
To
de-select one item after another |
| 18.
Using Find and Select . |
Pull
down from the Edit Menu |
Very
powerful way to select a user-definable set of elements |
| 19.
Selecting a class of elements |
Choose
the tool of the elements you wish to select and press Command
(Control)+A. |
Picks
all of a certain type of elements |
|
| Optimizing
ArchiCAD Performance |
| 20.
Memory allocation |
Allocate
at least 96 MB RAM to ArchiCAD via the ³Get Info² box from
the File Menu when in the Finder (Mac only; Windows users
must edit the Registry). |
Install
at least 128 MB RAM in your machine if you will be doing
complex 3D creation, rendering, or animations |
| 21.
Create a RAM disk (Mac only) |
Place
the ArchiCAD application and locate the Temporary Folder
in this RAM disk |
Set
via the Memory Control Panel |
| 22.
Hard drive speed |
Install
the fastest hard drive possible, particularly an ³ultra
wide² SCSI hard drive like the Seagate Barracuda. |
Locate the ArchiCAD Temporary Folder on the fastest local
hard drive (to set this location, choose Options: Preferences:
Miscellaneous) |
| 23.
Free hard drive space |
Allow
at least 100MB free on the hard drive where the ArchiCAD
Temporary Folder is located. |
|
| 24.
CPU speed |
The
faster the PowerMac, G3, G4 or Pentium II/III the better
(350 MHz plus) |
|
|
| Digital
Vision Design Automation ArchiCAD Training € 714/708-2391
2 1/15/2000 |
