Training Guide - Level 2

ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide
Level 2
by Thomas M. Simmons
International version
Graphisoft
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ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2
Copyright © 2004 by Graphisoft, all rights reserved. Reproduction, paraphrasing or translation without express prior written permission is
strictly prohibited.
Drucker-Brownstein Residence courtesy of House+House Architects, San Francisco
Commercial Building Annex Courtesy of STUDIOS Architecture
Trademarks
ArchiCAD and ArchiFM are registered trademarks and PlotMaker, Virtual Building, StairMaker and GDL are trademarks of Graphisoft.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
About the Author ARCHVISTA is a member of the Virtual Building Group
representing the largest base of ArchiCAD users in the United
The ArchiCAD Training Guide - Levels 1 and 2 was developed by States and has been in business since 1996.
Thomas M. Simmons of the ARCHVISTA Consulting Group
and used in conjunction with the ArchiCAD training course at
the San Francisco Institute of Architecture. This is the first Acknowledgments
edition of both levels of the ArchiCAD Training Guide produced We would like to thank the staff of Graphisoft for their support
for ArchiCAD 9. and help in developing this project. A special note of thanks
The author, Thomas M. Simmons, spent seven years as an goes to Jeff Olken of ARCHVISTA, Anett Csáki at
architect and served as the Director of Design Technology for Graphisoft; Steven House, Cathi House and Kelly Condon at
Esherick, Homsey, Dodge and Davis Architects, an House + House Architects; and Jeffrey Benningfield at
award-winning and internationally acclaimed architecture firm, STUDIOS Architecture.
before starting his company, ARCHVISTA. While at EHDD
Architects, he was instrumental in integrating and managing
ArchiCAD on a variety of projects including single-family
houses, commercial buildings, libraries and aquariums.
Simmons received a Master of Architecture degree from the
University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor of
Environmental Design degree from Texas A & M University.
He has been a speaker on a variety of subjects including
Beginning to Advanced ArchiCAD, Multimedia in
Architecture, Building Information Modeling and Architectural
Visualization.
ARCHVISTA has produced several notable projects for the
architectural and ArchiCAD markets including the acclaimed
Inside NASA - NASA Virtual Tours, 2004; the Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory Building Technology Facility,
2002; the award-winning Architectural Record, Record Houses
CD-ROM, 1997 and 1998; and the award-winning visualization
of the American Hebrew Academy with Aaron Green
Architects, 1998.
ARCHVISTA is a leading consultant and reseller of
ArchiCAD for the Northern California, Nevada and Oregon
regions and can be reached at the following web address:
http://www.archvista.com
ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2 3

4 ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2
CONTENTS
Introduction_______________________________________________ 9 Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Welcome to the Training Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Starting the Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Training Guide Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Part 1: View Editor Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Level 1 - Introductory: Residential Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Define the Construction Document View Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Level 2 - Intermediate: Commercial Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Part 2: View Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Step 1: Organize View Set Folders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Managing ArchiCAD’s Environment __________________________ 11 Manage the Drawings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Content Outline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Organize with Cloned Folders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Redefining Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Step 4:
Starting the Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Increasing the Building Detail _______________________________ 43
Part 1: Project versus Work Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Content Outline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Part 2: Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Setting Preferences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Part 3: Favorites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Starting the Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Saving and Using Favorites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Part 1: Composite Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Part 4: Attribute Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Creating a New Composite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Using the Attribute Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Composite Selection Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Part 5: Work Environment Schemes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Part 2: Wall End Tool and Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Creating a User Preference Scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Set up and Place a Wall End Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Shortcut, Tool and Palette Schemes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Part 3: Solid Element Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Command Layout Schemes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Operation Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Part 6: Work Environment Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Performing a Solid Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Creating Profiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Part 4: Solid Operation Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Step 2: Step 5:
Managing the Building Information___________________________28 Defining Detail with Objects ________________________________ 55
Content Outline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Content Outline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Starting the Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Starting the Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Part 1: Layer Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Part 1: Definition of an Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Part 2: Layer Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Part 2: Creating Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Layer Names and Extensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Create a 2D Object. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Creating and Modifying Layer Combinations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Create a 3D Object. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Using Intersection Group Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Create a Window Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Using Appearance Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Create a Truss Object. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Part 3: Quick Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Part 3: Object Master Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Part 4: Display Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Add Parameters to the Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Setting Display Options and Combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Part 4: Changing Detail with Scale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Step 3: Change Detail by Scale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Organizing for Construction Documents _______________________35 Step 6:
Content Outline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Extracting and Developing Building Details ___________________ 70
Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Content Outline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70

Contents
Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Starting the Step. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Starting the Step. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Part 1: Layout Book Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Part 1: Definition of the Detail Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Set up the Book Info and Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Part 2: Detail Tool Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Set up the Drawing Subsets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Set up the Detail Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Part 2: Master Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Part 3: Creating Details. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Set up the Master Layout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Create a Plan Detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Part 3: Title Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Create a Section Detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Create a Title Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Part 4: Detail Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Step 10:
Adding Detail in the Detail Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Placing, Positioning and Viewing Drawings ___________________ 112
Part 5: Adding AutoCAD Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Content Outline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Merge a DWG Detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Exercises. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Step 7: Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Linking Repetitive Building Components ______________________ 83 Starting the Step. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Content Outline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Part 1: Set up the Layout Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Create a Layout Sheet Manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Create a Layout Sheet Automatically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Starting the Step. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Part 2: Compose the Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Part 1: Definition of a Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Compose an Elevation Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Part 2: Creating & Managing Hotlinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Create a Drawing Grid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Creating a New Hotlink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Compose a Detail Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Placing a Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Part 3: Modify Drawing Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Managing a Hotlink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Compose an Enlarged Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Part 3: Definition of an XREF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Compose a Screened Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Part 4: Creating & Managing an XREF. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Step 11:
Attaching an XREF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Publishing and Updating ___________________________________ 130
Managing an XREF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Content Outline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Step 8: Exercises. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Calculating Project Data ____________________________________ 93 Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Content Outline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Part 1: Managing Linked Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Review the Drawing Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Part 2: Publisher Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Starting the Step. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Create View Sets for Publishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Part 1: Overview of Calculate Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Part 3: Publisher Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Part 2: List Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Publish to Plot/Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Create an Element List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Publish to a Local Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Create a Component List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Publish to the Web. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Create a Zone List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Step 12:
Part 3: Interactive Element Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Reviewing a Project _______________________________________ 138
View and Edit the Interactive Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Content Outline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Customize the Window Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Exercises. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Output the Window Schedule. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Step 9: Starting the Step. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Organizing and Managing a Layout Book ____________________ 103 Part 1: Markup Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Content Outline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Part 2: Project Reviewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Publish a Review Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Contents
Create a Mark-Up in Project Reviewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141 Part 5: Changing Workspace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154

Part 3: Markup Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Change the Workspace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
Create a Markup Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144 Part 6: Signing Out of a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Close the Markup Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146 Signing Out of a Project. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155
Step 13: Signing into a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155
Managing a Project Team __________________________________ 148 Step 14:
Content Outline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148 Archiving a Project _______________________________________ 156
Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148 Content Outline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148 Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156
Starting the Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148 Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156
Part 1: Teamwork Definition & Roles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Starting the Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156
Part 2: Sharing a Teamwork Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Part 1: Archiving an ArchiCAD Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Share a Teamwork Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150 Saving as a Model Archive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157
Working within a Reserved Workspace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152 Part 2: Opening an ArchiCAD Archive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Review Project Sharing Info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152 Opening a Model Archive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158
Part 3: Updating a Teamwork Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Part 3: Archiving a Layout Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Part 4: Working on a Local Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Save as a Layout Book Archive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159
Save a Local Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154 Part 4: Creating a PDF Archive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Printing to PDF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161

Contents

INTRODUCTION
WELCOME TO THE TRAINING
GUIDE
The Training Guide is designed as a two-part course for
ArchiCAD. The Training Guide leads you through the steps of
creating two projects: residential and commercial. The first
course, Level 1, provides a beginner-level understanding of
ArchiCAD concepts, tools, drawing techniques and modeling
process.
The second course, Training Guide - Level 2, is designed for the
intermediate level and highlights the implementation of a
project at the construction document phase, methods of
organization, and the application of tools for creating
production drawings.
The intention of the Training Guide is to offer a consistent and
organized process for learning ArchiCAD based on a
residential and commercial project.
Each step guides you through the concept or technique to be
learned, the information necessary to build the model, and how
to accomplish the exercises within each step. The steps contain
diagrams and dialogs that provide quick references to tools and
concepts used within the exercise.
In the Training Guide - Level 2 course we will use a project
designed by STUDIOS Architecture, an international
architecture, interiors and planning practice of 150 employees
with offices in San Francisco, New York, Washington DC and
Paris. The project is a commercial building annex with two
levels of commercial space, a third level of mechanical and
parking. Commercial Building Annex
Courtesy of STUDIOS Architecture

Introduction
TRAINING GUIDE ORGANIZATION Level 2 - Intermediate: Commercial Project

In both its printed and electronic formats, the ArchiCAD
Training Guide is divided into two levels of teaching:
Level 1 - Introductory and Level 2 - Intermediate
The following is an overview of each level and the organization
of its course curriculum.
Level 1 - Introductory: Residential Project • Introduction helps you locate the information you need.
• Section 1 - Organizing the Building Information Model discusses
how to use ArchiCAD to manage and produce construction
documents. It describes how to tailor the program to your
specific needs, define standard options for all projects in
your office, or use special settings for different projects.
• Section 2 - Creating the Production Drawings discusses
PlotMaker, a standalone layouting application that is part of
• Introduction helps you locate the information you need. the ArchiCAD package. PlotMaker is optimized for
preparing an architectural documentation set based on the
• Section 1 - Concepts and Tools introduces the visible elements of views, drawings and images created with ArchiCAD, as well
the ArchiCAD working environment. It helps you find your as added data from other external sources, such as other
way around the ArchiCAD workplace and understand the CAD and image files, word-processing documents and
role of each component in ArchiCAD. spreadsheets.
• Section 2 - Creating the Building Information Model concentrates • Section 3 - Project Management includes the data exchange tools
on the creation of the ArchiCAD model using building that you need in your architectural practice to collaborate
elements such as walls, beams, columns, slabs, roofs, doors, with colleagues and other professionals as well as how to
windows, skylights, stairs, objects and lights. It also covers properly archive a project in both ArchiCAD and PlotMaker
the tools and settings available for each element and how to
customize the element to the needs of a particular design.
• Section 3 - Presenting the Design discusses and reviews various
methods of presentation including renderings, animations,
virtual reality and sun studies as well as the process for
creating a presentation layout.

Step 1: Managing ArchiCAD’s Environment
STEP 1:
MANAGING ARCHICAD’S ENVIRONMENT
Content Outline Objectives
• Part 1: Project versus Work Settings At completion of this step students will be able to:
• Part 2: Preferences 1 Understand the difference between the settings for a project
• Part 3: Favorites versus the settings for an individual work environment.
• Part 4: Attribute Manager 2 Understand how to set Preferences and Favorites for the
• Part 5: Work Environment Schemes specific requirements of a project.
• Part 6: Work Environment Profiles 3 Understand how to manage a project’s information using the
Attribute Manager.
Exercises 4 Understand the difference between a Profile and a Option
and how to set up each option.
• Setting Preferences 5 Understand the differences between the five Scheme
• Saving and Using Favorites Options: User Preference Scheme, Shortcut Scheme, Tool
• Using the Attribute Manager Scheme, Palette Scheme and the Command Layout Scheme.
• Creating a User Preference Scheme
• Shortcut, Tool and Palette Schemes
• Command Layout Schemes
• Creating Profiles
Starting the Step

Open the file named Level2-Step01.pln contained in the
Training Guide-Level 2 Files folder.

PART 1: PROJECT VERSUS WORK PART 2: PREFERENCES

SETTINGS The Preferences command in the Options menu contains
settings which are specific to the project you are working on,
Project Settings are saved with the project file, while Work and which are saved along with the project.
Environment settings are saved in a separate file in a local
folder of your computer.
The Project Settings include the following categories:
• Preferences
• Favorites
• Layers and Layer Combinations
• Pens & Color
• Materials
The Preferences dialog box contains a pop-up menu at top
• Line Types left listing each preference category (which you can also access
• Fills & Composite Types directly from the Preferences hierarchical menu.) Clicking the
• Zone Categories Next and Previous buttons allows you to go from one screen
• View Sets to the other.
Unlike Project settings, Work Environment settings are saved
not as part of the project, but in a local folder on your
computer. The individual settings are divided among Schemes,
which in turn can be combined into Profiles.
Setting Preferences
Let’s review each of the Preferences and set them according to
the needs of a project which is moving into the Construction
Document process.
1 Working Units & Levels: On the first screen of the
Preferences dialog box you can choose the unit system that
will be used for your Project. This is also where you define
additional reference levels to facilitate the input of elements
at the right elevation value.

• Set the Length Unit to millimeter and Angle Unit to decimal • Click each dimension type button and set the default.
degrees.
• When finished setting the default for each dimension type,

click the Add button and type “Office Std - Dimensions”.
2 Dimensions: The next screen provides a mechanism for This will save the dimension defaults.
customizing and storing different Dimensioning
Standards. This is useful for working on several Projects
with differing levels of accuracy (construction details versus
site plans) or Projects being built in countries other than
those in which they are designed.
3 Calculation Units: The next screen allows you to set the
• Click the Linear Dimensions button and set the Unit to units to use in Quantity Calculations. The settings you make
Millimeter and the Decimals to 0. here are specific to the Project you are working on and are
saved with it; if another user opens the Project on his or her
own computer, the same settings will be applied. These
settings will affect Text format lists only: when using a
Graphic Template, the number formats defined in the
Template will override them.

• Set the default units as shown below. 5 Construction Elements: On the next screen, you can
define options for the behavior of different types of
construction elements.
The upper part of the dialog box allows you to define the Line
Type used for displaying construction elements on stories
other than the one they were created on. These settings will be
applied to those element types that can be displayed on other
stories than their home story (Slabs, Roofs, Meshes, Objects).
At the bottom of the screen, you can set the general
preferences for 3D Intersection Priorities for intersections of
beams and columns.
• Set the default units as shown below.
4 Mouse Constraints and Methods: On the next screen, you

can define options that affect the movements of the mouse.
The upper part of this dialog box provides control over the
angle pairs used for Mouse Constraint with the Shift key, and
you can set the range inside which the cursor is attracted by
element nodes and edges in the Cursor Snap Range section.
6 Zones: The next screen contains controls for defining the

behavior of Related Constructions when creating Zone
Lists.

8 Miscellaneous: The last screen of the Preferences dialog

box contains various unrelated customization options.
• Set the checkboxes as shown below.
7 Publisher: On the next screen, you can define options used

by the Publisher function, including the identification and
the e-mail address of the person who uploads the published
files.
• Set the options as shown below.

PART 3: FAVORITES • Choose Window > Palette Display> Show Favorites to

display it.
The Favorites feature allows you to save and easily recall
default tool settings. If you choose a stored Favorite, you can
create an element that has the same parameters and attributes
as the Favorite.
Favorites are saved with your Project file. You can also save a
separate Favorites file for reuse in other projects.
• If you close the current Project and create a new one, stored
favorites will remain at your disposal just like materials, pen
colors or line types.
• When first opened, the
• If you choose New and Reset All, Favorites will be cleared.
palette will show all
• You can restore saved favorites by choosing the Load the favorites that are
Favorites command from the Favorite palette's pop-up loaded with this
menu. project. To load
• If the Favorites refer to attributes that do not exist in the additional favorites,
target Project, the necessary attributes will be missing. select the arrow
• If the Favorites refer to attributes that do exist in the target button at the upper
project but are different from those of the original project, right and select Load Favorites.
they will take on the attributes of the target project. • Navigate to the “Training Guide Level 2” folder and select
the file named “Office Std Favorites” and click the Open
button.
Saving and Using Favorites

Let’s review the Favorites and set them according to the needs
of a project which is moving into the Construction Document
phase.
Favorites can be accessed from two locations:
1 The Favorites floating palette stores all saved favorite
settings regardless of the tool that created them. This is the
location to load office standards to a project.

• The palette will now show additional favorite options that

were added to the original project favorites.
PART 4: ATTRIBUTE MANAGER
The Attribute Manager command (Options menu) allows you
to copy (append, overwrite) attributes (Layers, Layer
Combinations, Pens & Colors, Line Types, Fill Types,
Composite Structures, Materials, Zone Categories and Cities)
between two opened files. It can also duplicate or delete
attributes in either of the two files.
Using the Attribute Manager

Level2-01-1 Movie
2 The Favorites button in the top left corner of all Tool

Settings dialog boxes (except Camera). The dialog box that
opens will only list the favorite settings saved for that tool.
1 On choosing the Attribute Manager command from the
• Open the Wall Tool and click the Favorites button. A list of
Options menu, the following dialog box appears (since it has
the available favorites will appear for that specific tool type.
to list all the attributes of the project, displaying the dialog
box might take some time).

2 On the left, the attributes of the currently opened 7 The buttons between the two parts of the dialog box allow
ArchiCAD file are shown. Click the Layers tab at the far left you to copy attributes in either direction, delete, append or
to display the project layers. overwrite them.
• Appending an attribute will add it to the list of the other file
under a new index.
• Overwriting an attribute will replace it with another
attribute from the other file that has the same index number.
3 To purge layers that are not being used, click the Purge Select the Append button.
Unused layers command at the bottom left.
8 Scroll to the bottom of the left column and you will see the
addition of the layers to the project layer list. When you click
the OK button, the Confirm Changes dialog will appear.
4 On the right, another file's attributes are shown. Here you Click the Proceed button to finalize the changes to the
can either open a second ArchiCAD file (Project, Archive or layers.
Module) or create a new one in a special format that belongs
to Attribute Manager. Click the Open button on the right.
5 Navigate to the “Training Guide Level 2” folder and select

the file named “Office Std Template” and click the Open
button.
6 This will load all the

layers of this file into
the right column. Select
the Name button at the
top to list by name and
then select the first four
layers to add to the
existing project layer list.

PART 5: WORK ENVIRONMENT Selecting Expert will minimize the tools and palettes in order
to provide a larger work area as well as providing additional
SCHEMES menu options.
Work Environment settings are saved in a local folder on your

computer. The individual settings are divided among Schemes,
which in turn can be combined into Profiles. By default,
ArchiCAD is configured with several profile options: Expert
9, Novice 9 and Standard 9. (Your set of defaults may vary
depending on the language version you are using.) The palette
layouts differ depending on the profile; these palette layouts
can be selected from Palette Layout in the Window menu.
Selecting Novice will hide commands, tools and menu options Selecting Standard will set the settings to the factory preset
that are not required by a new user. configuration.

As you work in ArchiCAD, you can customize any of the

settings within the Work Environment dialog box: just open
the dialog box, change the setting you need, and press OK to
close the dialog box. The setting will take effect.
Work Environment settings are divided into five scheme sets as
Creating a User Preference Scheme
follows: Set up the following options for the User Preference Scheme;
• User Preference Schemes then we will save these options as a named scheme.
• Shortcut Schemes 1 2D Redraw Options: Click the 2D Redraw Options item
• Tool Schemes and then use this screen to define options for refreshing the
Floor Plan and the other 2D windows of the Project.
• Palette Schemes
• Command Layout Schemes
If you have customized settings in these schemes and wish to
save them for use in other projects, you can store any or all of
the schemes by name, then apply them to an opened project.
2 Imaging and Calculation: Click the Imaging and
Calculations item and set options to rebuild the 3D and
Section Windows, create reports and deal with error alerts.
3 Data Safety: Click the Data Safety item and set the options
of the Data Safety dialog box to minimize the risk of data
loss and file corruption. This is especially important if your
power lines suffer from voltage spikes or failures, or if your
computer is prone to software conflicts.

5 Web Options: Click the Web Options icon to define

options related to the Internet and HTML format.
4 Dialog Boxes & Palettes: Click the Dialog Boxes &

Palettes item to customize options related to the display of
dialog boxes and palettes. 6 Special Folders: Click the Special Folders icon to relocate
the Temporary, Cache and Template Folders to a different
hard disk volume from the default location.
7 Once all the settings are set for each of the options, click on
User Preference Schemes to bring up the Scheme Options
dialog box. Click the Store As button. In the Store Scheme

dialog, type the name “My User Preferences” and click • To change the shortcut, click your cursor inside the “Desired
Store. Shortcut Keys” field (shown below) and press any keyboard
characters.
• Click the Store As button. In the Store Scheme dialog, type

a name and click Store.
Shortcut, Tool and Palette Schemes

These schemes allow you to customize the Keyboard 2 Tool Scheme: Click on the Tool Settings Dialog Boxes icon
Shortcuts, the organization and content of the Toolbox and to customize which types of settings you use most often, or
Info Box, which Tools are available in the Toolbox, and the not at all. This dialog allows you to show or hide some of
shapes and position of Palettes. these panels, or to display them in a different order.
1 Shortcut Scheme: Click the Keyboard Shortcuts icon to
customize shortcuts for ArchiCAD commands and
functions. As an example, click the Image option and click
3D Projection Settings. This will display the current shortcut
assigned to that command.
• Click on the Eye icon to show or hide the selected panel in

the tool settings dialog. Click and drag the Up/Down Arrow
next to each setting to change the order.

• Click the Store As button. In the Store Scheme dialog, type • Next, change the location of the Info Box. Click on the top
a name and click Store. edge of the Info Box and drag it to the top of the Floor Plan
Window as shown.
3 Palette Schemes: These schemes differ from the rest of the

Work Environment schemes, because the settings they
contain are defined outside of the Work Environment dialog
box.
• Click the OK button to close the Work Environment dialog
and then select Options > Palette Shapes.
• In the Palette Shapes dialog click the Coordinate Box • To change the amount of information shown within the
Extended checkbox and click OK. Info Box, click on its bottom edge and drag the edge
upwards to create a single row.
• Reopen the Work Environment dialog from Options >

Work Environment. Click the Palette Schemes icon and
click the Store As button. In the Store Scheme dialog, type a

name and click Store. The new palette scheme will also To display or hide these toolbars:
appear in the Windows > Palette Layout.
This can also be useful for enabling or disabling particular

Menu commands which should or should not be used within
the Construction Document process, thus enabling a team to
focus the command structure based upon the project’s
Command Layout Schemes requirements.
1 Toolbars: Click on the Toolbars item. In the dialog box that
This scheme allows you to customize the commands available appears, the full list of commands and menus can be viewed
in ArchiCAD for both Toolbars and for the Menus. You can on the left. On the right, you build or edit the chosen
create new toolbars or modify existing ones, and change the toolbar. Choose the Classic toolbar from the drop-down
contents of any of the menus. menu.
A toolbar is a graphical interface containing shortcuts to either
commands or to submenus. Depending on the scheme you
have applied, ArchiCAD’s toolbars can include, for example,
the Standard Toolbar, the GDL Object Toolbar, and the Layers
Toolbar.

• Click on the New & Reset All command in the File list and button. This will add the commands to the Production
then click the Add Selected button below. This command is menu.
now available within the Classic Toolbar.
• To change the location of the New and Reset All command

within the toolbar, click the Up/Down Arrow next to the
command and drag it up or down.
2 Menus: To create a custom menu or edit an existing menu,

click the Menu icon. In the dialog box that appears, the full
list of commands and menus can be viewed on the left. On
the right, you build or edit the chosen toolbar. Choose the 3 Once all the settings are set for each these options, click on
the Menubar Options button and choose New Menu. the Command Layout Schemes name and click the Store
As button. In the Store Scheme dialog, type the name “My
Commands” and click Store.
• In the New Menu dialog, type “Production”.
• We will now add the commands that are critical to the

production process, such as Publishing. To do this, select
Menus from the list on the left and click the Add Selected

• To see the new Production menu, click the OK button to

close the Work Environment dialog. You will now see the
PART 6: WORK ENVIRONMENT
Production menu in the Menu List. PROFILES
If you have customized and saved multiple schemes, you may
want to store and apply them together: in this case, combine
any of the schemes into a Profile, and store the Profile under its
own name. When you select New from the File menu, you can
select from predefined profiles.
Creating Profiles
1 Reopen the Work Environment dialog from Options >
Work Environment. Click on Work Environment Profiles
from the left-hand menu of the Work Environment Dialog
Box. This brings up Profile Options, where you can create,
edit, delete, export, or import profiles.

3 Click and highlight the new profile you created. The bottom
window in the dialog indicates which Schemes are stored in
this Profile. Click OK.
2 Click the New Profile dialog button to define a new profile:

• Enter the name of the new profile in the field.
• Choose the schemes you want the new profile to contain:
Highlight each scheme type, then choose the scheme you want
from the pop-up list at the right. If you don’t choose a scheme,
it will remain Undefined, meaning when you apply the new
profile, that scheme’s settings will remain “as-is” or default.
Click OK when done.

Step 2: Managing the Building Information
STEP 2:
MANAGING THE BUILDING INFORMATION
• Part 1: Layer Definition At completion of this step students will be able to:
• Part 2: Layer Settings 1 Understand how to manage an ArchiCAD document using
• Part 3: Quick Layers layers, layer combinations and display options.
• Part 4: Display Options 2 Understand how to create and modify layer settings.
3 Understand how to control wall intersections using the
Exercises intersection group numbers option.
4 Understand how to change the appearance of a layer in 3D
• Layer Names and Extensions
using the appearance mode option.
• Creating and Modifying Layer Combinations
5 Understand how to create and modify display settings.
• Using Appearance Mode
• Setting Display Options and Combinations
Starting the Step

Use your file from the previous step or open the file named
Level2-Step02.pln contained in the Training Guide-Level 2
Files folder.

PART 1: LAYER DEFINITION PART 2: LAYER SETTINGS

While plans are drawn on Stories, each element of the plan is To automate the process of displaying and locking layers, you
placed in a particular Layer. Layers are global, which means can store various setups in Layer Combinations and then
that the same layers are available on all stories and in all choose any of these by clicking the Options > Layer
worksheet windows. Combinations command.
Layers are analogous to pin-registered overlay drafting and
provide a “logical” separation of elements. Related groups of
elements, such as dimensions, furniture, electrical symbols and
so on, are placed on common Layers. Since each tool has a
default Layer assignment, elements are automatically placed on
separate Layers when using the tool.
You can also show or hide each Layer depending on what you
want displayed, saved to an external file format, printed or
projected in 3D. In 3D only, elements on certain layers can
appear in wireframe form. It is also possible to lock Layers in
order to prevent certain elements from being selected or
modified.
Layer Names and Extensions

Layers can be organized using both a prefix and an extension.
The prefix is generally used to organize the layers by discipline
(architectural, structural, mechanical, etc.) and the extension is
generally used to organize phases of a project (existing,
demolition, new).
1 Open Options > Layer Settings.

2 Review the ArchiCAD Layers and note how the layers are generally reflect the drawings that are to be produced (such as a
organized. To view the layers by prefix, press the Layer floor plan, ceiling plan and site plan).
Name button.
3 To organize the Layers by Extension, press the Extension

button. If you select a Layer Combination in the list and deploy the
Layers panel, you will see that the layer state icons on the right
change accordingly.
Level2-02-1 Movie
1 To add a layer combination, click the New button and type

the Layer Combination name “STRUCTURAL PLAN” as
shown.
Creating and Modifying Layer

Combinations
Each Layer Combination is a "snapshot" of the state of all
Layers in the Project and can be called up at any time by
selecting its name from the Layers list. Layer Combinations

2 With the STRUCTURAL PLAN layer combination selected, level will automatically connect in 2D and cut or connect to
click the Select All button, click the Hide button and click each other in 3D view.
the Deselect All button.
3 Now we need to turn ON the layers for the Structural Plan.

Select each of the following layers and click the Show Using Appearance Mode
button.
• A-FLOOR The solid model or wireframe icons indicate that the
• A-WALLS elements placed on that layer are fully visible in 3D views or
with their contours only, independently of the current 3D
• A-WALLS-CONCRETE mode set in the Image menu. This can be useful, for example,
• A-WALLS-CONCRETE-LOW for storing the operator elements of Solid Operations on
• A-WALLS-INTERIOR wireframe layers and target elements on solid layers.
• A-WALLS-INTERIOR-LOW 1 Select the S-SLAB.N layer and click the solid model icon to
• S-COLUMN change it to wireframe. Click the OK button.
• S-GRID
• S-NOTES
• S-SLABS.E
• S-SLABS.N 2 Go to the 3D Window and note that the slab elements on
4 When finished, click the Update button to confirm the that layer are now shown as a wireframe.
changes to the STRUCTURAL PLAN layer combination
and click OK to close the Layer Settings dialog.
Using Intersection Group Numbers

The numbers under the
intersection icon in the
Layers panel indicate the number of
the intersection group the elements
on that layer belong to. Only
elements on the same intersection

3 To restore the view, open the Layer Settings again, select the
S-SLAB.N layer and click the solid model icon to change it
PART 4: DISPLAY OPTIONS
to back to a solid model view. The Options > Display Options command opens a dialog box
where you can customize the way the various construction
PART 3: QUICK LAYERS elements are displayed on the Floor Plan Worksheet. As an
example, you can use this option to toggle between showing
The Quick Layers command accessible from the Options menu the door swing or displaying a header for the ceiling plan.
opens a submenu with a commands that help you quickly
change the state of the Layers in your Project.
The display of construction and drawing elements on screen

and, in some cases, on printouts can be customized for each
Project and stored along with it.
• The Show/Hide Layers Toggle inverts the visibility of all Setting Display Options and
layers. Combinations
• The Lock/Unlock Toggle inverts the state of all protected
and unprotected layers. Level2-02-2 Movie
• The Active Layer command switches to single-layer mode
and back.
• The Hide/Lock/Unlock Selections’ Layers commands 1 Go to the Navigator and double click the Ceiling Plan -
invert the state of the Layers belonging to the currently Second Floor option in the Navigator.
selected elements, while Hide/Lock Others’ Layers does
the same for the elements that are not selected. Both explicit
selection and Marquee areas are taken into consideration.

2 Next, go to the Options menu and select Display Options. 5 Click the pop-up button next to Cut Fills and select No Fills.
This will show the walls without a fill pattern.
3 Review the options available within the two panels of this

dialog:
• Options for Display Only: These options will affect only
what you see on the screen, such as Text With Handles (for 6 Click the pop-up button next to Cover Fills and select the
easy selection) or the Section Depth Line. Vectorial Hatching. Choosing this option will allow you to
draw a slab for the ceiling and associate a hatch pattern that
• Options for Display and Output: These options will reflects the design of the ceiling, such as a ceiling tile.
appear on your screen and on any final output, such as a
True Weight Line Weight or the Door swing on or off.
4 To set up a new Display Option Combination, you must first
set the desired Display Options. Open the Options for
Display and Output.
7 Then click the pop-up button next to Doors & Windows
and select the Reflected Ceiling Option.

8 Click the Save As button and name this Combination If you select the Marquee Tool, draw a Marquee around an area
“Reflected Ceiling” and click Save. of the plan and go to the 3D Window, you will also see slabs
that represent the ceiling structure within the model.
These slabs perform two purposes:

• To show the ceiling as a structure in the 3D Model
• To show the ceiling as a pattern on the floor plan
This is achieved by drawing the ceiling pattern with the Slab
Tool and assigning a ceiling structure height, thickness and fill
The final result of these Display Options will show the Ceiling pattern within the Slab Settings dialog.
Plan with headers for the doors/windows, an empty fill pattern
within the walls and a fill pattern representing the ceiling on the
floor plan.

Step 3: Organizing for Construction Documents
STEP 3:
ORGANIZING FOR CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS
• Part 1: View Editor Mode At completion of this step students will be able to:
• Part 2: View Settings 1 Understand the structure of the project as displayed through
a hierarchy of folders.
Exercises 2 Understand the difference between the Project Map and
View Sets.
• Define the Construction Document View Set
3 Understand the difference between the Navigator mode and
• Organize View Set Folders
the View Editor mode.
• Manage the Drawings
4 Configure the View Editor to organize a set of construction
• Organize with Cloned Folders documents.
• Redefining Views 5 Navigate between plans, elevations, sections and details
using custom view settings.
6 Understand the procedures and reasons for cloning project
content.
7 Redefine saved view sets to update changes in project
information.
Starting the Step

Files folder.
PART 1: VIEW EDITOR MODE

In the View Editor palette (opened by clicking the top left
button of the Navigator palette), you can build and customize
View Sets based on the Project Map or another View Set. The Define the Construction Document View
View Sets are also the source used when adding ArchiCAD Set
views to a PlotMaker Layout.
The View Set definition and management controls are in the Level2-03-1 Movie
top right corner of the View Editor.
The View Set field shows the name of the active View Set.
Clicking it opens a pop-up menu allowing you to manage and
choose from currently defined View Sets. 1 Activate the pop-up button at the top left of the Navigator
palette and select the View Editor palette.
Note: By default, ArchiCAD includes three custom view

sets (Preliminary, Approval and Construction). You can
use these as the starting point for your own view sets,
modify, rename or delete them.
The Duplicate, Rename and Delete commands act on the
selected View Set, that is, the one whose name is shown in the 2 To create a new view set from scratch, choose the New
View Set field. These operations are not undoable; caution is View Set command in the pop-up menu at the upper right.
recommended.

Organize View Set Folders

1 The first step is to create a system of folders that reflect the
organization of a Construction Document set. To do this,
click the New Folder button and name it “Site Drawings”.
3 Enter the name “Construction Documents” and click the

Create button.
2 Click outside the Site Drawings folder. Click the New

Folder button again and name the folder “Floor Plans”.
PART 2: VIEW SETTINGS

View Sets can be organized by folders. You can replicate the
structure of the source set (Project Map or another View Set) 3 Repeat these steps to complete the following additional
by dragging entire folders into the editing area of the new View Construction Document folders:
Set and then modifying their contents. • Enlarged Plans
You can also add new folders by clicking the New folder • Ceiling Plans
button . The New folder immediately appears. Click its • Mechanical Plans
name to rename it. • Structural Plans
You can define the hierarchy of the • Furniture Plans
new set manually by dragging items
into folders, create subfolders and • Fire Rated Diagrams
drag items from folder to folder, and • Schedules
so on. New folders are always
created at your current location in the hierarchy.

4 To set the order of the folders simply click, hold and drag 2 Click the Fit in Window button from the zoom controls on
the folder to the desired position as shown below. the bottom of the Floor Plan Window or from the Display
menu.
3 Next, go to the View Settings and Stored Options at the

bottom left of the View Editor and set the following settings
as shown below:
• Layer Combination: Site Plan
• Scale: 1:200
• Display Option Combination: Construction
• Select Fit in Window from the Display menu and select
Zoom: Current Zoom
Manage the Drawings
Before assigning a drawing view to each folder, you can set a
number of options in the View Settings and Storing Options
on the left bottom of the View Editor. These options are used
to assign scale, display options, layers and the desired zoom to
each saved drawing. Once set, the items can be dragged and 4 Now select and drag the “First Floor” story from the Project
dropped from the Project Map directly to the appropriate Map to the Floor Plans folder on the right.
folder.
Level2-03-2 Movie
1 Double-click “First Floor” to open this view on the Floor

Plan.

5 Finally, in the Site Drawings folder click and rename the 7 If you want to reuse the settings of drawings as they were
saved view “Site Plan”. finished in the Design Development phase, select the
Design Development option from the Project Map pop-up
button on the upper left side of the palette.
6 Repeat the same steps to save views to the Floor Plan folder.
In this case, drag the First Floor, Second Floor, Third Floor
and Roof Plan to the Floor Plan folder after setting the
View Settings and Storing Options as follows.
• Layer Combination: Floor Plan 8 You will now see a list of drawings produced in Design
Development.
• Scale: 1:100
• Select the Zoom In command from the Display menu and
zoom to the Floor Plan and select Zoom: Current Zoom
9 To use the same settings that were set for each these
drawings, click and drag the Design Development drawings
from the left column to the appropriate Construction
Document folder in the right column.

10 Continue adding drawings to the appropriate folders until all

the drawings from Design Development have been moved
to the Construction Document view set.
Organize with Cloned Folders
You can create an exact duplicate of a folder of the Project
Map. This Cloned Folder will be automatically updated, which
means that you will not have to edit its contents manually.
For example, if you create a clone of the Details folder, new
detail drawings will automatically be added to this folder
without having to manually drag the detail drawings to a folder.
Level2-03-3 Movie
1 Select the Design Development View Set button in the

upper left of the dialog and change it back to the Project
Map option.
11 When finished, return to Project Map.
2 Go to the View Settings and Stored Options at the

bottom left of the View Editor and set the following settings
as shown below:
• Layer Combination: 3D Model All
• Scale: 1:100

• Zoom: Current Zoom 5 Repeat this step to create a clone of the Details folder,
changing the Detail clone scale to 1:50. Any details that are
created in future steps will automatically be added to the
Detail cloned folder with a default scale of 1:50. Each new
detail can also be set to an individual scale.
3 Click the Clone Folder button.
4 A dialog box appears, listing the possible folders to clone.

Select the Section/Elevation folder and click the Create
button.
Redefining Views
At any time, with a view selected, click the Redefine button
(second from left) or choose Redefine from the context
menu to change the definition of the selected item, using a
dialog box whose content is identical to the Save Current View
dialog box. You can also rename the view here.
1 Double click the Restroom Enlarged Plan option in the
The icon displayed on the new folder shows that it is a clone, as Enlarged Plans folder.
distinguished from a manually created folder.
You can move the entire cloned folder inside the hierarchy of
the View Set, but you cannot drag new items into it. If you wish
to delete an item from a cloned folder, you will be warned that
the entire link structure will be removed from the View Set.

2 Change the scale from 1:100 to 1:50.
3 With the Restroom Enlarged Plan view selected, click the

Redefine button.
Close the View Editor

When you are finished with the above steps, close the
Navigator. To do this, click the “X” button on the upper right
side of the dialog.

Step 4: Increasing the Building Detail
STEP 4:
INCREASING THE BUILDING DETAIL
• Part 1: Composite Structures At completion of this step students will be able to:
• Part 2: Wall End Tool and Settings 1 Understand the purpose of composite structures and the
• Part 3: Solid Element Operations types of tools that use composite structures.
• Part 4: Solid Operation Maintenance 2 Understand how to select and modify a Wall End object and
where to place it within the model.
Exercises 3 Understand the purpose of a solid element operation.
4 Understand how to create and place an element that can be
• Create a New Composite
used for trimming.
• Composite Selection Options
5 Understand the difference between a Target Element and an
• Set up and Place a Wall End Object Operator Element.
• Placing a Trim Element 6 Understand how to perform a solid element operation.
• Performing a Solid Operation
• Maintaining a Solid Operation
Starting the Step

Files folder.

PART 1: COMPOSITE STRUCTURES

Walls, Slabs and Roofs can be assigned a composite structure.
Composite Structures are defined in the dialog box by this
name (Options > Attribute Settings > Composites). Creating a New Composite
Level2-04-1 Movie
1 Open the Composite Structures dialog box (Options >

Attribute Settings > Composites).
2 The 3 buttons at top allow you to duplicate, rename and
delete composites. Select the “Gypsum Partition” option
from the available composites in the pop-up list, click
Duplicate and name it “Exterior Stucco Wall”.
The Composite Structure settings will affect any Wall, Beam, or

Slab for which the Composite Settings checkboxes have been
activated in these elements’ settings dialog box. (In the
illustration below, the chosen wall is a composite, which will
take its fill colors from the Composite Settings dialog box.)

3 In the Edit Skin and Line Structure panel, click the 5 Click the next skin and change the width to 30mm and
Gypsum Board skin and click the Insert Skin button. change the composite skin to Rigid Insulation.
4 Click the outer Gypsum Board skin and click on the Edit
Selected Item panel. Select the composite skin Stucco from
the pop-up list.
6 Select a line, then choose a line type and pen color in the
Edit Selected Item panel below.

7 Change the middle skin to Metal Stud and set this skin as the 2 Open the Floor Plan and Section panel. Select the Exterior
core by clicking the checkbox. Click OK to close the dialog Stucco Wall option from the composites pop-up menu.
box.
All composite structures include structural, load-bearing skins

called Core, which play an important role connecting Walls and
Columns. By default, the structural skin is the thickest one, but
you can change this setting with the corresponding checkboxes. 3 To activate the fill pattern and/or background color you
You can choose more than one skin as part of the core, but chose in the Composite Structures dialog box, click either
they must be located next to each other. the Composite’s Fill Colors checkbox and/or the
Composite’s Background Colors checkbox.
Composite Selection Options

1 Open the Wall Settings from the Wall Tool in the Toolbox. 4 To activate the line types you chose in the Composite
Structures dialog box, click either the Composite’s Contour
Line and/or the Composite’s Separator Lines option.

PART 2: WALL END TOOL AND Set up and Place a Wall End Object
SETTINGS 1 Select the Cased End Wall object from the available wall end
types in the Wall End Default Settings dialog.
The Wall End Tool allows you to create a correct wall end
profile with a single click. Wall Ends can be placed at either end
of a wall.
Wall Ends are parametric GDL objects,

similar to window and door objects.
Wall End parameters (such as width and
height) can be customized using the
Wall End Settings dialog box. Wall Ends are counted as objects
in list schedules. Depending on its type, a wall end might In the Parameters panel, you can adjust the size, thickness,
reduce the wall’s surface or volume, but does not add to it. and (where applicable) fills and colors of the wall end.
During a Trim to Roof operation, Wall Ends are handled as • In the Parameters panel click the Fit to Wall Height
part of the wall, just like windows. Wall Ends also remain in checkbox so that it is checked and enter 150mm for the Cut
place if a Stretch, Drag or Split command is executed. Depth.
Wall End Settings Dialog Box

The Wall End Settings Dialog Box is analogous to the
Object Settings dialog.
Level2-04-2 Movie • Where applicable, the Thickness panel contains a preview

to assist in setting the wall end’s thickness. Leave this set to
the default.

4 Drag the cursor to the corner of the wall and click to place
the Cased End Wall object.
2 Open the Second Floor Plan from the Floor Plan’s View
Sets.
3 Select the Zoom In command from the Display menu and

zoom into the wall end condition on the upper right side of
the floor plan.

PART 3: SOLID ELEMENT The operation remains in effect as long as the involved
elements are present. If you wish to keep the obtained shape
OPERATIONS permanently, save it as a GDL Object from the 3D Window.
Solid Element Operations allow you to create complex shapes Operation Types
by Boolean operations including subtraction, addition and
intersection. The result is associative: if you modify the location Five types of operations can be performed. The illustration
or the attributes of the elements that participate in the below shows the initial wall on the left, followed by each of the
operation, the linked elements will be updated accordingly. five operations’ effects to the right. The Operator element is
shown in Wireframe mode.
Solid Element Operations distinguish two roles:
• A Target is an element whose geometry will be modified by
the solid operation.
• An Operator is an element that affects the geometry of the
element it is linked to.
The operation does not modify or delete the Operator element.
You can hide the layers of the Operator elements after the
operation has been performed without resetting the modified
shape. You can also set the Operator’s layer to be shown as
Wireframe, which allows you to still see the Operator element’s
contour and adjust it as necessary.
In the illustration below, a Target Wall’s shape was modified by • Subtraction cuts the shape of the Operator from the
subtracting from it a Roof-type Operator shape. On the left, Target.
both elements are shown; in the middle, the Roof ’s layer has
been hidden; on the right, the Roof ’s layer has been set to • Subtraction with upward extrusion cuts both the shape of
Wireframe. the Operator from the Target and its vertical projection
upward from the bottom of the Operator.
• Subtraction with downward extrusion cuts both the
shape of the Operator from the Target and its vertical
projection downward from the top of the Operator.
• Intersection keeps only the common part of the Target and
the Operator.
• Addition adds the shape of the Target to the shape of the
Operator.

2 Click the Zoom In icon or choose Zoom In from the

Display menu and zoom to the elevator core.
Performing a Solid Operation

Solid Operations can be performed on elements in either the
Floor Plan or the 3D Window by choosing the Solid Element
Operations command from the Edit menu. It will open a
floating palette, Edit Targets and Operators, that can remain
visible on top of your worksheet as long as you need it.
3 Since we will only be working with one section of the
building, use the Marquee Tool to show only the elevator
Level2-04-3 Movie
and stair core. To do this, select the Marquee Tool and then
select the heavy Marquee option (“All Floors”) from the
Info Box.
1 In the following steps we will add a Wall Reveal to the third

floor walls at the edge of the elevator and stair core. To do
this, double-click the Third Floor Plan in the Floor Plans
folder in the Construction Documents View Set.

4 Draw a Marquee around the elevator and stair core as layer to “Operation Elements”. The color is important as
indicated below. View the cutaway in the 3D Window. this will become the color of the reveal.
7 Select the Rectangular Geometry Method from the Info

Box.
5 Go back to the Floor Plan Window.

8 Click outside the upper left edge of the wall and drag the
cursor to the opposite edge of the wall so that the slab
6 To create the reveal, we need to draw an element that can be intersects the center of the wall.
used to subtract the reveal from the wall. For this purpose
we will use the Slab Tool. Select the Slab Tool and open the
Slab Settings. In Slab Settings, set the slab depth to 500, the
distance to Story 2 as 2000, the color to red C12 and the

9 Go to the 3D Window to view the new slab and its 13 The top section of the palette is the New Operation panel.
relationship to the wall. It contains tools for the creation of a new shape.
10 To view the slab as hidden line so that we can see the

subtraction of the wall as we create the reveal, open Layer
Settings from the Options menu. Scroll to the Operation
Elements layer and click the Solid icon to change it to
Wireframe. Click OK.
14 First, you need to select the element(s) that you wish to

11 In the 3D Window you will now see that the slab has modify. Select the Arrow Tool and in the 3D Navigation
changed from a solid state to a wireframe state. Palette select the Edit Mode icon. Click on the surface of the
wall that we are adding a reveal to, so that it is highlighted.
12 Now it’s time to subtract the wall from the slab. To do this, 15 Then click the Get Target Elements button. The text field
open the Solid Element Operations from the Edit Menu. below the button will show the number of stored elements.

Clicking the red button next to the number of stored 20Finally, when you have made and checked all your settings,
elements selects the elements in the current window. click the Execute button to perform the selected Solid
16 Next, select the elements that you wish to use as Operators. Operation between the stored Target and Operator
You do not need to perform this selection in the same elements. You will then see the wall subtracted and a red
window as you did for the Targets, and even in Floor Plan color applied to the reveal.
view, you can select the Target on one story and the
Operator on another one.
To select the Operator, click the corner of the slab to highlight
it.
17 When you have made your choice, click the Get Operator
Elements button. For these, too, you can check the number 21 To turn off the wireframe of the slab used to create the
of stored elements and select them for verification. reveal, open Layer Settings and hide the “Operation
Elements” layer.
18 When both the Target and the Operator are identified,
choose an operation from the pop-up menu illustrated
below.
19 The two radio buttons

below define whether the
new surfaces of the Target
resulting from the Solid
Operation should take on the colors (contour Pen Color and
surface Material) of the Operator element, or keep their own
attributes. We want the wall to take on the red color of the
slab, so choose Inherit Attributes of Operator.

PART 4: SOLID OPERATION • Clicking the All Other Selected Elements cancels all
operations between the selected elements, whether they are
MAINTENANCE Operators or Targets. On the other hand, no change occurs
concerning the operations that link any of these elements to
The bottom panel of the Edit Targets and Operators dialog other, unselected Operators or Targets.
box is called Maintain Operations. Its controls allow you to
verify and cancel Solid Operations.
With the two buttons on top, you can make sure that when you
select an element prior to moving or transforming it, all the
elements that are linked to it through a Solid Operation are also
selected. Alternatively, you can group such linked elements.
You can also use these buttons to modify the targets and
operators associated to an element. For example, select all
operators, change the selection, and repeat the operation with
the new selection.
The three buttons in the bottom section allow you to cancel
Solid Operations. They only work if there are elements selected
in the Project.
• Clicking the All Targets button will cancel operations of the
selected Operator element on all its Targets.
• Clicking the All Operators button will undo all
modifications on the selected Target element by any other
element.

Step 5: Defining Detail with Objects
STEP 5:
DEFINING DETAIL WITH OBJECTS
• Part 1: Definition of an Object At completion of this step students will be able to:
• Part 2: Creating Objects 1 Understand how objects are created and how to create
• Part 3: Object Master Window custom objects.
• Part 4: Changing Detail with Scale 2 Understand how to create and save a 2D Object using the
Line and Circle Tools.
Exercises 3 Understand how to create 3D objects using the Wall and
Slab Tools.
• Create a 2D Object
4 Understand how to use the Extras menu and existing objects
• Create a 3D Object to create new objects.
• Create a Window Object 5 Understand the Object Window and how to add and define
• Create a Truss Object new parameters.
• Add Parameters to the Object 6 Understand that objects are scale sensitive and that they can
• Change Detail by Scale change detail with scale.
Starting the Step

Files folder.

PART 1: DEFINITION OF AN PART 2: CREATING OBJECTS

OBJECT Objects can be created using the basic tools in ArchiCAD. The
Toolbox is composed of basic drawing tools which can be used
GDL (Geometric Description Language) Object is a generic for more than their original purpose. For example, the Wall Tool
name for all types of elements that can be placed inside or can also be a vertical modeling tool which can be used to draw a
outside a building's structure, for instance pieces of furniture, window frame and the Slab Tool can also be a horizontal
office and computer equipment, sanitary ware or even special modeling tool which can model the glass for the window.
structural elements.
Create a 2D Object
In this exercise we will create a 2D electrical symbol and save it
as an ArchiCAD Object. This symbol will then be accessible
within the Object Tool.
Level2-05-1 Movie
From the technical point of view, GDL Objects are separate

files stored in external libraries. Each GDL Object can include 1 At the end of the last exercise we were zoomed into the
a scale-sensitive symbol representing it in floor plan view, a set Third Floor elevator and mechanical room. Select the Zoom
of parameters defining the possible variations of the product In command from the Display menu and zoom into the
family and a 3D script describing the complex geometry of the Mechanical Room.
element. The 3D view of the GDL Object is generated from
the 3D script that takes into account the parameter choices
made by the user.
Some GDL Objects do not contain any geometric data. For
example, macros are text-only files that other Objects can refer
to, without needing to include the same script in all of these
Object files, while Property Objects contain descriptive data
only that is used to calculate element quantities.
GDL Objects can be used several times in the same Project, or
even simultaneously by multiple Projects, from multiple
computers.

2 Select the Circle Tool, the centerpoint geometry method and to save the new object, name the new ArchiCAD library part
the A-OBJECTS.N layer from the Info Box. Draw a circle Electrical Symbol and click Save.
at the edge of the wall as shown.
3 Then select the Line Tool and select the single line method
and the Object Work layer from the Info Box. Draw two 6 To view the object, double click the
lines in plan to represent an electrical symbol. Object Tool. With the Object Settings
Dialog open, select the Electrical
Symbol object and click the 2D Plan
View button in the Preview and
Positioning panel.
4 Select the Arrow Tool, click outside the symbol, drag the
cursor across the symbol and click again to select the
elements.
Create a 3D Object
In this exercise we will create a 3D table and save it as an
ArchiCAD Object. The steps are similar to the previous steps,
5 Select File > GDL Objects > Save Selection As. When but in this exercise we will create the table within the Object
the Save dialog box appears, choose a folder where you want Development view set.
Level2-05-2 Movie
1 Select and double-click the “Object Development” View

Set option. This will set up a blank drawing on the first floor,

with all layers turned OFF, where you can develop custom 4 Select the rectangular geometry method from the Info Box,
objects. the Object Work layer and draw a slab 1500 mm x 1000 mm.
2 With the work area defined, select and open the Slab Tool.
The Slab Tool can be used to create any horizontal surface, 5 To create the table legs, select and open the Column Tool.
such as a shelf or a table top. To create a table top, select and Set the width, height, symbol, corner insertion point, fill
open the Slab Tool Settings. pattern, material and layer as shown. Then set the layer to
the Object-Work layer and click OK.
3 Set the slab size, height, fill pattern and materials as shown
below. Then set the layer to the Object-Work layer and click
OK.

save the new object, name the new ArchiCAD library part
Custom Table and click Save.
8 To view the object, select and open

the Object Settings from the Object
Tool.
Create a Window Object

ArchiCAD Tools such as the Wall and Slab Tool can be used
to create more than just walls and slabs. Think of these tools as
6 Place the 4 legs at the corners of the table top, changing the vertical and horizontal 3D drawing tools. The following
corner insertion point for each leg. example will show how these tools can be used to create a
custom window.
Level2-05-3 Movie
1 Open the Wall Settings dialog and set the wall type to an
7 As you did with the previous object, select the table Empty Fill pattern and set the width and height of the wall
elements with the Arrow Tool and go to GDL Objects and parameters to the frame size of the window. The 100mm
Save Selection As from the File Menu. When the Save height of the wall represents the height of the frame and the
dialog box appears, choose the folder where you want to 50mm depth of the wall represents the depth of the frame.

Set the material of the frame to Wood Oak, the layer to the 3 Select the Single Wall geometry method and change the
Object-Work layer and click OK. construction line to the center option. Select the Half
Marker option and draw two mullions.
4 Now open the Slab Settings dialog. We will use this tool to
create the glass for the window. Set the slab parameters to
the width of the glass and to a glass material, the layer to the
Object-Work layer and click OK. Draw the glass slab inside
the frame as shown. The glass width is 5 and the glass is
2 Now select the rectangular geometry method and the Object inset 25.
Work layer from the Info Box. Draw a simple window with
the measurements 1800 x 1500.

5 Again select the Arrow Tool and select the window 7 A new dialog, Save as Library Part, will appear. Select the
elements. When the elements are selected, select the 3D Window button in the middle and select Editable GDL
Projection Settings option from the Image menu. Create a Script. In this case the window will be editable.
3D parallel projection as a Side view and move the camera
so that it is a view from the top of the window (azimuth =
90).
8 Your new window can now be accessed with the Window

Tool.
6 Choose File > GDL Objects > Save 3D Model As.

Choose the ArchiCAD Object file (.gsm) from File of
Type, choose the folder where you want to save the new
window object, name the new ArchiCAD Library Part
'Custom Window', and click Save.
Create a Truss Object
The Extras menu has several options that can help you in
creating, placing and developing an object. The RoofMaker
option will automatically frame a roof with structural objects.
The TrussMaker option will automatically size a truss based on

an outline. The Accessories option contains special objects that 3 Finally, open the Line Tool again, set the pen color to a
can frame walls, create a wainscot or define a trim. different color and click OK. Draw the sloped structural
components as shown.
4 When you are satisfied with your design, select the Arrow
Tool and select the lines making up the truss. In the Extras
menu choose the Create Truss command from
TrussMaker.
A truss can be drawn in both the floor plan and in section. In
this exercise we will draw the truss in the Floor Plan Window,
but the same steps apply to creating a truss in section.
5 The TrussMaker Settings dialog box appears, allowing you
to choose a shape and define options for creating the truss.
Level2-05-4 Movie
1 Start by drawing the framework of the truss in the Floor

Plan window with the Line tool. Select and open the Line
Tool, set the pen color to represent the outline of the truss,
as seen below, and set the layer to OBJECT-WORK. Click
OK. Select the Rectangular geometry method from the Info
Box and draw a 6000mm x 600mm rectangle.
2 Open the Line Tool again, change the pen color to a

different color and click OK. Draw the vertical structural 6 The three large buttons on the left of the screen allow you to
components as shown. choose a construction type:

• Timber Construction: click this button to construct • The first tab page, Attributes, defines the appearance of the
wooden trusses. truss in floor plan, section and 3D views. This tab page is
identical for all three construction types.
• Hollow Section: click this button to construct rectangular

or circular hollow trusses. Choose a pen color, a line type, a material and set the layer
assignment to OBJECT-WORK.
• The Truss Profiles tab page has different choices according
to the construction type.
• Rolled Steel Profile: click this button to construct steel

trusses using a variety of profile options.
Because the pen colors used to define the different parts of the
truss are interpreted separately, in this tab page you can assign
distinct parameters (e.g., thickness, diameter or profile) to each
part.
7 The three tab pages contain a number of options for the

different types.

A black diamond next to the pen color icon indicates which Instead of width and height values, circular truss elements are
part of the truss you are defining options for. You can check defined by their diameter and resolution.
this in the preview area, where the given part appears thicker. It is possible to customize the thickness of the different parts
of the truss.
For the Rolled Steel Profile construction type, an even wider
range of options is available:
To select a part to work on, either click its pen color icon or its
outline in the Truss Preview.
For the Timber Construction type, you can set the width and
The two pop-ups next to the pen color icon allow you to
the height of the elements. The right side of the dialog box
choose among profiles and ways of positioning.
displays a preview of the cross section.
The third tab page of the TrussMaker Settings dialog box is
only available for the Rolled Steel Profile construction type.
8 In the Junction Plates section, T stands for the cross-section
value, L for the length of the junction plate from the
intersection point of the profile axis and M for the minimal
overlapping length of the profile and the junction plate.
In addition to the above, the Hollow Section type of truss has Depending on the geometry (the angle between the
a number of additional settings. You can choose between profiles), either L or M will be used to determine the actual
rectangular and circular elements (but you cannot combine the
two).

junction plate length - whichever results in a longer junction

plate.
PART 3: OBJECT MASTER WINDOW
The creation of new Objects and the modification of existing
ones is handled in a single environment: the GDL Object
Master Window. In this window, you can add or edit the
Parameters, Components, Descriptors, Scripts and the 2D
Symbol of the GDL Object.
9 When you have finished customizing your truss, click the

Save As button at the bottom right of the dialog box. You
will then be prompted to name the new truss object and
place it in your active library.
10 The new truss appears on the Floor Plan on the baseline of

the contour. With the Truss object highlighted, go to the 3D
Window to visualize it, and then drag it into its final location.
To open an Object’s Master Window, select the object, then

choose File > Open Object.
If the Parameters button is active on the left of the Object
Master Window, you can add and edit parameters for the GDL
Object in the right-hand part of the dialog box. You assign
values to these variables in order to define the attributes of a
particular GDL Object. The values assigned here will be the
default values found in the Object Settings dialog box when
you choose a tool that uses GDL Objects. These locally

defined Parameters can also be called by the different Scripts of 2 In the Open Library File dialog, navigate to the “Custom
the Object. Table” object you created and open the file.
3 With the Object Master Window now open, select the
Parameters button on the left and the 3D view button below
the object preview.
3D View button
Parameters button
The parameters that appear in blue are the obligatory

Add Parameters to the Object parameters that belong to the edited Object's subtype. Some
examples of obligatory parameters:
In the following exercise we will use this new environment to
add material parameters to the table object we created in an • x and z dimensions for Windows and Doors
earlier exercise. • x and y dimensions for Objects
Level2-05-5 Movie • x and y dimensions, on/off selection, color components and
intensity for Lamps
1 To open the Object Master Window, go to the File menu

and select Open Object from the GDL Objects menu. 4 To create a New parameter, press the New button at the top
of the Master Window. This will create an optional

parameter typically used to define such things as the number be typed directly into the value box, or set by clicking the
of window panes or door panels, or the materials of a part. checkbox at the right end of the parameter line.
• Text: specifies character strings up to 255 characters for uses
like defining changes in the GDL Object or typing plain
words instead of numbers in the parameter's value box.
• Material: Specifies a material as a GDL parameter.
• Line Type: specifies a line type as a GDL parameter.
• Fill Pattern: specifies a fill pattern as a GDL parameter.
Parameter Types button
• Pen Color: specifies a pen color as a GDL parameter.
5 Our new parameter will be used to describe the table top
6 In the Name column, enter “Table Top Material”.
material. Click the parameter types button to indicate which
type of parameter you wish to define. The pop-up list has 12
options described below. Select the Materials option.
7 In the Value column, click the button on the right and select
a material from the pop-up list.
• Length: specifies physical dimensions of the GDL Object
(and makes conversions to whatever units you are using).
• Angle: specifies angular values in decimal degrees for such
GDL operations as rotation transformations and defining
arcs.
• Real Number: specifies decimal non-dimensional values 8 We are now ready to assign this new parameter to the 3D
for uses like including a magnification factor in a GDL script. Go to the Variable column and highlight
calculation. “CustomTabl_A”. Select Copy from the Edit menu or right
• Integer: specifies whole numbers, dimensionless values for click and select Copy.
uses like defining the number of identical components in a
GDL description or the number of times to loop through a
part of the GDL Script.
• Boolean: the value of a Boolean parameter can only be 1 or
0, and is used, for example, to activate or deactivate an
action or an item in a GDL Object. These values can either

9 Click the 3D Script button on the left column to edit the 12 You have now scripted your first line of GDL code. To see
GDL 3D script that describes the table object. the effects, click the Parameters button again and change the
variable button to a different material. You will see the table
top change to a different material.
13 Repeat the above steps to create a new parameter for the

table leg material. Then choose Save from the File menu and
open the Object Settings from the Object Tool in the
Toolbox. The new material parameters are now accessible in
the object.
10 Scroll down to the bottom of the 3D script. At the bottom

you will see the following code. This is the material that we
chose to describe the table top in an earlier exercise.
11 To change the material from an exact material to a variable

material, highlight each material and paste the variable you
copied above.

PART 4: CHANGING DETAIL WITH 3 Now change the scale by clicking the Scale button and
change the scale to 1:5.
SCALE
Many elements can have a different appearance in 2D and 3D
view. In Floor Plan view, the degree of detail can be set to
depend on the current Floor Plan Scale defined for the
Project. This enables an object to have a simple appearance at 4 Choose Fit to Window from the Display menu or the Fit in
one scale and to have a detailed appearance at another scale. Window button and zoom back into the same window on
the exterior.
5 Notice the change in detail within the window frame.
Change Detail by Scale

1 Go to the Floor Plan view in the View Sets and zoom into a
window on the exterior of the building.
To return to the First Floor Plan, select and double-click the

First Floor Plan in the View Set.
2 Note that at a scale of 1:50 that the window shows a simple
appearance for the object.

Step 6: Extracting and Developing Building Details
STEP 6:
EXTRACTING AND DEVELOPING BUILDING
DETAILS
• Part 1: Definition of the Detail Tool At completion of this step students will be able to:
• Part 2: Detail Tool Settings 1 Understand the purpose of the Detail Tool and its
• Part 3: Creating Details relationship to the virtual building.
• Part 4: Detail Window 2 Understand how to input and create settings for the detail
• Part 5: Adding AutoCAD Details and symbol.
3 Understand how to place a detail symbol and how to modify
Exercises its placement.
4 Understand how to open a Detail Window, how to edit its
• Set up the Detail Settings content and how to link the detail to an existing detail.
• Create a Plan Detail 5 Understand how to merge an AutoCAD DWG file into the
• Create a Section Detail Detail Window.
• Adding Detail in the Detail Window
• Merge a DWG Detail
Starting the Step

Files folder.

PART 1: DEFINITION OF THE Detail Drawings can be generated either from details of the
floor plan, sections and elevations, or from model-based Detail
DETAIL TOOL Drawings. The content of the Detail Drawing can be generated
by using the clipping polygon surrounding the Detail Marker
The Detail tool places parametric Detail Markers on floor on the floor plan or section. Regeneration does not occur
plans, sections and elevations. These markers are linked to automatically. Similarly to Sections, Detail Drawings can be
Detail Drawings, just like Section/Elevation markers are linked regenerated by using the appropriate display menu commands.
to their associated drawings.
The Detail Drawing consists of drawing primitives (i.e. lines

and fills) similarly to Sections and Elevations. The user can add
dimensions and 2D elements. As in the case of a Section, the
drawing scale of the Detail Drawing can be set independently
of the Floor Plan scale.

PART 2: DETAIL TOOL SETTINGS a dialog box in which you choose among available Detail
Drawings.
Double-clicking the Detail tool opens the Detail Settings dialog • We will start with a plan detail. Click the Create New Detail
box which has four panels: General, Marker, Marker Custom Drawing radio button. In the Reference ID text box enter
Settings and Detail. “1” and in the Name text box enter “Restroom Detail”.
2 The Marker panel contains controls for the Detail Marker’s

2D Symbol. On the right, a preview area shows you how the
Marker will look when placed. Detail Markers are parametric
GDL Objects. If you have chosen a Marker in the pop-up on
top of the panel, any number of parameters can appear next
to the preview.
• In the pop-up menu select the “Standard Detail Marker”
option from the available list of detail symbols.
Set up the Detail Settings

1 The General panel contains the identification of the Detail
Marker and its placement angle.
3 The Detail Boundary panel includes a Line Type and Pen

Color setting for the frame of the Detail area.
• Leave the default settings unchanged and click OK to close
the dialog.
Two radio buttons indicate the two options for the detail
marker; if you choose Create New Detail Drawing
Window, the Marker’s Reference ID and Name fields are
editable and if you choose Link this Marker to an
available Detail Drawing, both of the identification fields
are grayed, allowing you to click the Browse button to open

PART 3: CREATING DETAILS

In the Info Box, there are four options
for drawing Detail Markers. Create a Plan Detail
When choosing the first icon, you can
We are now ready to define the detail location and marker on
only place a Detail Marker without
the floor plan.
defining a detail boundary. If you have
specified a Detail Drawing to attach Level2-06-1 Movie
before placing the Marker, it will be
linked to it. Clicking in the Floor Plan
or the Section/Elevation Window will place the Detail Marker 1 With the Detail Tool selected, double-click the First Floor
with the settings you made in the Detail Settings dialog box. Plan option in the Floor Plans section of the View Sets.
When choosing one of the other three icons, you will create a
Project-based detail by defining an area around the Detail
Marker. Provided that you have chosen the Create New 2 Select the Rectangular geometry method from the Info Box.
Detail Drawing Window option in the Detail Settings dialog Drag your cursor to the area of the plan you wish to detail.
box, the Polygonal, Rectangular or Rotated Rectangular area Click the cursor once to begin drawing the rectangle and a
you draw will be copied into the new Drawing Detail window, second time to finish.
together with the 2D-only duplicates of all elements inside that
area.
3 A hammer will appear indicating that it is ready to place the

detail symbol. Drag the cursor to the edge of the detail

boundary and when the cursor changes to a Mercedes 6 The Detail Boundary can be hidden using the Display
Cursor, click to place the Detail Marker. Options in the Options menu. However, the Detail
Boundary is never present on printouts.
4 Go to the View Sets and note that the new Restroom Detail
is now present in the cloned Detail folder.
5 To open this detail, double click the Restroom Detail. Note

that the detail window changes to 1:50 scale based on the
Create a Section Detail
scale that was set up when the cloned Detail folder was Creating a detail from the Section/Elevation Window uses the
previously defined. same steps as you did in the Floor Plan Window.
Level2-06-2 Movie
1 In View Sets, double-click the A/3 Section in the cloned

Section/Elevation folder.

2 In the Info Box, type “Stair Detail” as the new name for this 5 To reduce the radius of the curved edges of the detail
detail. boundary, select the detail symbol with the Arrow Tool and
and open the Detail Settings.
3 Drag your cursor to the area of the section you wish to

detail. Click the cursor once to begin drawing the rectangle
and a second time to finish.
6 Open the Marker panel and go to General Settings. Change
the Polygon Radius to 800. Click OK.
4 A hammer will appear indicating that it is ready to place the

detail symbol. Drag the cursor to the edge of the detail 7 Go to View Sets; the Stair Detail is now present in the
boundary and when the cursor changes to a Mercedes cloned Detail folder. To open this detail, double click the
Cursor, click to place the Detail Marker. Stair Detail.

PART 4: DETAIL WINDOW

A new Project-based Detail Drawing only contains drawing
primitives, that is, lines and fills. These originate from the
construction elements copied from the Floor Plan or Adding Detail in the Detail Window
Section/Elevation. Level2-06-3 Movie
1 Go to View Sets and double click the A/4 Section to open

the section.
All types of 2D information can be added to the Detail

Drawing: Lines, Fills, Hotspots, Text, Figures, Dimensions and
2D Symbols of Objects.
The contents of the Project-based Detail Drawing window can 2 Select the Zoom In command and zoom to the center of the
be regenerated by choosing Display > Rebuild Detail Drawing. section at the First Floor corridor where we need to detail a
Manually added data will be preserved, while the elements 1 hour fire rated partition.
originating from the Floor Plan or Section/Elevation window
will return to their original state.
Section Details reveal the elevation of the original construction,
which means the Elevation Dimensioning on Details Drawings
shows correct elevation values, unless you displace drawing
elements vertically.

3 Select the Detail Tool. In the Info Box, type “1 Hour 7 Next, change the scale of this detail to 1:10 and select Fit In
Partition Detail” as the new name for this detail. Window from the Display menu. Now redefine this view to
default to the new scale by selecting Redefine from the
pop-up menu in the Navigator.
4 Drag your cursor to the area of the section you wish to
detail. Click the cursor once to begin drawing the rectangle
and a second time to finish.
8 To develop the detail we will use the Object Tool, Line Tool
and Text Tool. First, select and open the Object
Tool Settings. Open the Metal Sections 9 folder within the
Project Library and select the “Mtl_Stud_CH_Shape”
5 Go to the Details folder in the View Sets and double click object. Select the bottom left insertion point, select the
the “1 Hour Partition Detail”. A-OBJECTS.N layer and click OK.
6 The red dashed boundary

indicates the crop line you
described in creating the
detail. You can use this as a
boundary or select the
Arrow Tool, or else delete
it: click on the crop line
edge to highlight it and
press delete.

9 Drag the cursor to the ceiling and place as shown. 13 Insert the object into the top edge of the wall where the wall
meets the concrete floor above.
14 To finish the detail, select the Line Tool with the Single Line
10 Open the Object Tool Settings dialog and select the geometry method, and choose a continuous line type.
“Mtl_Stud_E_Shape” object. Select the right lower corner
insertion point and click OK.
15 Draw 2 lines to represent the wire bracing as shown.

11 Insert the object into the intersection of the ceiling and
partition.
12 Finally, open the Object Settings again, select the

“Mtl_Runner” object and select the upper left insertion
point. Click OK.

16 In the Info Box, change the line type to a Cut Line and draw and the last click to describe the boundary of the text block.
a line at the left edge of the detail.
17 To add notes, select the Label Tool and click the first point
where the pointer is to be placed, the second click at the
start of the leader line, the third click at the start of the text
To finish, click outside the text box.

PART 5: ADDING AUTOCAD 2 In the New Independent Detail dialog, enter the Reference
ID as 4 and the Name as “Light Alcove Detail” and then
DETAILS click OK.
ArchiCAD is prepared to work in collaboration with other

CAD systems, including those supporting AutoCAD’s native
DWG and the industrial standard DXF formats.
You can merge DXF and DWG format files into the currently
open ArchiCAD Detail Window. Choose the file you need in
the directory dialog box. To choose a Translator to use for
3 Go to View Sets. This detail is now available. Double click
converting the file, click Settings to open the Translator
the detail named “Light Alcove Detail”; a blank detail
Management dialog box.
window will open. Click the scale button and set the scale to
1:10 and redefine this view to default to the new scale by
selecting Redefine from the pop-up menu in the Navigator.
Merge a DWG Detail

If you need a detail from your AutoCAD library or if a
manufacturer has sent you a DWG file, you can merge this
detail into a Detail Window. In this exercise we will create an
Independent Detail, which means that the detail does not
require us to use the Detail Tool to place a detail symbol.
1 Go to the Tools menu and select the Create Independent
Detail command.
4 To merge in the DWG detail, select the File > Merge

command and navigate to the Training Guide Level 2 folder.

Select the DWG file type option, then the DWG file named Choose the default translator and click the Save Settings
“Lighting Alcove Detail.dwg”. Click on Open. and Close button.
5 The Drawing Placement dialog will appear where you can set
insertion point, scale, rotation, anchor point, and story
placement, and also select a translator.
6 Unless you choose a different translator, ArchiCAD will use

the default DWG translator. To create a custom translator
which can contain specific rules about drawing units, pens &
colors, fonts, XREF’s and more, click the Settings Button to
open the Translation Setup dialog box. Creating a custom
translator is helpful when sending or receiving DWG files
from agencies or consultants with very specific standards.

7 Click the Place button in the Drawing Placement dialog.
8 Drag the cursor to the lower left corner of the detail window
and click to place the drawing.

Step 7: Linking Repetitive Building Components
STEP 7:
LINKING REPETITIVE BUILDING COMPONENTS
• Part 1: Definition of a Module At completion of this step students will be able to:
• Part 2: Creating & Managing Hotlinks 1 Understand the difference between an XREF from
• Part 3: Definition of an XREF AutoCAD and a Module from ArchiCAD.
• Part 4: Creating & Managing an XREF 2 Understand how a Module and an XREF are linked to an
ArchiCAD model.
Exercises 3 Understand how to create a Module file.
4 Understand how Modules and XREF’s are updated and how
• Creating a New Hotlink
to set automatic updates.
• Placing a Hotlink
5 Understand how to make a Module or an XREF a
• Managing a Hotlink permanent part of an ArchiCAD model and how to break
• Attaching an XREF the link.
• Managing an XREF
Starting the Step

Files folder.

PART 1: DEFINITION OF A MODULE of each instance can be different even though they share the
same Hotlink.
A Module is a set of construction elements placed on the Floor • The Modules’ content can be updated as the hotlinked
Plan using a Hotlink. source file changes.
A Hotlink is a logical pointer to a single story of an external • The Module can only be edited as an entity (similarly to
source file. It is an attribute of Modules. Library Parts or Groups).
Using Hotlinked Modules allows you to insert the contents of • Managing (modifying, updating, breaking, deleting) a
external ArchiCAD files (sources) into the currently open Hotlink will have an effect on all associated Modules.
Project (host). Elements inserted into the host follow all There is a difference between Modules placed in Projects and
modifications of the source files. Module type files.
Hotlinked Modules can be used, for example, to manage the Modules placed in Projects are sets of elements coming from
repetitive structures of buildings such as hotels or offices with a Solo Project, Team Project or Module type files.
large number of identical rooms by modifying all instances in a
single step. Moreover, the same structures can be used in
multiple Projects. This is also a good way to subdivide large
Projects into easier-to-handle smaller files.
• The source file can be a Solo Project, a Team Project or a

Module file.
• The host file can include any number of Hotlinks.
• The module elements are included in the Project. Even if the
hotlinked source file is not currently available, the Modules
are still present and visible, they just can’t be updated as long
as the referred source file is absent.
• Multiple instances of the same Hotlink can be placed, each
instance being a separate Module; the placement parameters

PART 2: CREATING & MANAGING

HOTLINKS
Existing Hotlinks can be monitored and new ones created by
using the Hotlink Manager command of the File > Modules Creating a New Hotlink
and XREFs hierarchical menu.
Level2-07-1 Movie
1 Before we place the linked module, go to the Navigator and

double click “Site Map” from the available drawings in the
Construction Documents view set.
The top section of the dialog box contains the list of Hotlinks
linked to your Project. You can see here the name of the
referenced file and the number or name of the stories that have
been used, as well as the number of instances placed in your
Project and the status of the various Hotlinks.
2 Go to the File > Modules and XREFs > Hotlink Manager.
3 In the Hotlinks Manager dialog, click the New Hotlink

button on the right.
4 In the Training Guide Level 2 folder, select the file named

“Site Map.pln” and click the Select button.

5 Click the OK button to close the Hotlink Manager dialog ArchiCAD files. Select the “Site Map.pln” Hotlink in the list
box. and click OK.
Placing a Module
1 After defining a list of Hotlinks, you can start placing
Modules in the Project. Choose the File > Modules and
XREFs > Place Module command.
4 The name of the chosen hotlink will appear in the dialog
box, and the Place Module button will become active. Click
2 In the dialog box that appears click the Choose Hotlink it to place an instance of the Hotlinked Module in your
button, which will open the Choose Hotlink dialog box. Floor Plan.
3 This dialog box lists the Hotlinks that have already been
established between the current Project and other A number of options are available for inserting Hotlinked
Modules, and some rules apply to them.
• Layers: The whole Module is placed on a Master Layer that
you choose from a pop-up menu when placing the module.
The Master Layer controls the visibility and locking of a
Module as an entity. This Master Layer is an ordinary layer of
the host file and can include any other elements. Set the
Master Layer to L-SITE.E.

• Height/Elevation values: Positions relative to the actual Site Map and note the element is not editable and responds
story of the original file are applied. When placing the with a warning.
module, you can type a value in the Elevation field to define
the height at which the Module will be placed, i.e., an
optional vertical offset added to the elements’ original
story-relative elevation. Leave as default.
• Type a value in the Orientation field to place the Module at
an angle that is different from the one defined in the original
file. Leave as default.
• Check the box next to the Orientation field to place a
mirrored Module. Leave as default.
5 Click the Place Module button to open the Pasting dialog
box. Choose Paste to Original Location and Zoom to
Pasted Elements. Then click the Paste button.
6 The Site Map drawing will appear.

Click anywhere outside the marquee
to place and link the drawing.
7 The hotlinked Site Map is now

referenced. It will be automatically
updated when the Site Map file is edited but will not be
editable in this file. Click on the edge of any element in the

• In the Hotlinks dialog you will now note that this new
hotlink appears with the status of Unused since this module
has not yet been placed.
Managing a Hotlink
1 Open the Hotlink Manager dialog again from the File >
Modules & XREFs hierarchical menu and review the
3 Use the buttons on the right to manage selected hotlinks or
options for managing the hotlink.
all of them. Clicking the New Hotlink button allows you to
add new items to the list of hotlinked files, clicking the
Change Hotlink button allows you to modify the link to a
placed module, clicking the Update button will update all
related Modules, clicking the Save as File button creates a
new Module file, clicking the Break Hotlink button will
break the link to the hotlinked file and clicking the Delete
button will delete the hotlinked module from the file.
• Select Site Map.pln from the list and click the Break Hotlink
button. This will change its status to Broken.
2 Selecting an item in the list will display all the information

about the linked file in the Hotlink Info area such as OK: the
referred file and story exist and the link is up-to-date,
Unused: there is no module using the hotlink or Missing
File: there is at least one module using the hotlink, but the
referred file cannot be found.
• Click the OK button and go to floor plan. Click on and
• Click the New Hotlink button and in the Training Guide highlight a section of the Site Map and Drag. Note that the
Level 2 folder, select the file named “Site Topo.pln”. Click
the Select button.

elements of the Site Map there were previously linked and

uneditable are now unlinked and editable.
PART 3: DEFINITION OF AN XREF
External reference files (XREF) are similar to hotlinked
modules, except that they are DXF or DWG files and not
ArchiCAD files. An XREF can be used to link your consultant
files such as civil, mechanical and structural to your model file.
In ArchiCAD, external reference files work the same way as in

AutoCAD. You can attach and detach XREF files in
ArchiCAD, unload and reload them, bind them to the project
file and view information about them. There are 5 options for
4 The Options button at the bottom of the dialog box opens managing an XREF:
an additional dialog box with three choices that affect file
operations; choosing the first radio button will ignore any • Attach an external reference file and choose
modification made on hotlinked files, choosing the second an attachment method. The difference
radio button will look for all hotlinked files and check their between the Attach and Overlay resides in
modification date and choosing the third radio button will the handling of nested XREFs which are
automatically update all hotlinked files. skipped in Overlay mode.
5 At the bottom of the dialog box, the Revert button allows • Detach an attached external reference file.
you to return to the initial state of the hotlink list without • Reload a modified (or unloaded) external
having to click Cancel, then close and reopen this dialog DWG or DXF reference file.
box. Click OK to close the dialog. • Unload from memory an external reference
file while still keeping it attached. The elements of the
unloaded file do not appear in the project, but can be made
to reappear at any time by clicking Reload, without needing
to attach the file again.
• Bind the contents of the external reference to the Project,
that is, definitely merge all instances of the reference file

with the ArchiCAD Project and remove the original external

file from the list of XREFs.
• Browse for a different XREF file with which you can
replace the selected one.
When an XREF has been linked, you can update the model file Attaching an XREF
with new information from the XREF whenever your Level2-07-2 Movie
consultants update the original file.
PART 4: CREATING & MANAGING 1 Go to File > Modules and XREFs > Attach XREF.
AN XREF
All XREF-related functions can be performed in the XREF
Management dialog box (File > Modules and XREFs > XREF
Management) opened by this command. 2 Click the Browse button in the Attach XREF dialog and
navigate to the Training Guide Level 2 folder. In this folder
select the file named “Landscape.dwg” and click the Open
button.
The dialog box displays information about the attached files,

including the name of the reference (usually the same as the
attached file), its status (Loaded, Detached, Reloaded,
Unloaded or Bound), size, type (Attach or Overlay), Date and
the number of instances.

3 In the Attach XREF dialog select and deactivate the Specify 6 Repeat the above steps and attach a second XREF. Navigate
on Screen checkbox in the Insertion Point section of the to the Training Guide Level 2 folder and select the file
dialog. named “Stairs.dwg”.
Managing an XREF
1 To manage an XREF it is necessary to open the XREF
Management dialog from the File menu by selecting the
Modules and XREFs/XREF Management... command.
2 When the dialog opens, you are presented with a list of the
DWG files currently linked to the model. Select the
Landscaping.dwg file within the list and click the Detach
button and in the next dialog select Remove XREF’s
4 Click the Attach button to link the XREF. Attributes.
5 The landscape drawing is now referenced. Click on the edge

of any element in the landscape drawing and note that the
the element is not editable and responds with a warning.

3 Click OK and go to the floor plan. You will see that the 5 Go to the location of the stairs and select the elements. Note
Landscape.dwg file that was previously linked has now that the elements are no longer linked and are now editable
dissapeared from the floor plan. elements in the model.
4 Open the XREF Management dialog again and select the

Stairs.dwg file from the list and click the Bind button. Click
OK.

Step 8: Calculating Project Data
STEP 8:
CALCULATING PROJECT DATA
• Part 1: Overview of Calculate Menu At completion of this step students will be able to:
• Part 2: List Types 1 Understand the difference between a List type output and an
• Part 3: Interactive Element Schedule Interactive Schedule type output.
2 Understand the three List Types; Elements, Components
Exercises and Zones.
3 Understand the calculation sources used to create the
• Create an Element List
information available to a List.
• Create a Component List
4 Understand how to create a custom Interactive Schedule and
• Create a Zone List how to edit the schedule.
• View and Edit the Interactive Schedule 5 Understand how to update the model through the
• Customize the Window Schedule Interactive Schedule and how the options for outputting
• Output the Window Schedule schedule information.
Starting the Step

Files folder.

PART 1: OVERVIEW OF CALCULATE creating, editing and customizing an Interactive Element

Schedule.
MENU
ArchiCAD's integrated database of construction elements, PART 2: LIST TYPES
accessible from the Calculate menu, can be used to display the
number, quantities and components of elements in a project ArchiCAD’s integrated Virtual Building construction database
and the elements' spatial disposition (zones). Displays can be in can reveal the number of elements in a project, the elements’
list format or in an interactive schedule format. spatial disposition or the quantity of the elements’ components
through the complex feature set of the Calculate Menu.
In the Standard profile the Calculate menu is structured into
three components, Lists, Element ID Manager and the
Interactive Schedule:
• The top three commands allow you to create lists of
elements, components and zones based on predefined list Create an Element List
schemes. The list types they generate are Element List, The Element Lists are best used for creating schedules and
Component List and Zone List. inventories, and to display the parameters of construction
elements in a project. Parameters, components and descriptors
can also be included in the lists.
1 Set the plan to display the elements you wish to calculate. In
View Sets, double-click the First Floor Plan option in the
• The Element ID Manager command allows you to set the
Floor Plans folder.
identification tags (ID numbers) of the project's elements
based on their characteristics (attributes).
• Using the Interactive Schedule, ArchiCAD allows you to

create simple tabular schedules with bidirectional update
capabilities. In the resulting schedule, you can summarize
and check element data and modify some of the values of
the elements concerned.
In this step we will use the Standard profile mode and focus on
the creating an Element, Component and Zone list as well as

2 To create an Element List, select the Basic list option from

List Elements in the Calculate menu. This will create a list of
every element within the project and display selected
information about them.
Create a Component List
The Component Lists are generated when bills of materials,
quantity takeoffs or price lists are required. Typically in these
reports, Component type properties are summed up and
displayed; however, certain element parameters can also be
listed.
1 To create a Component List, select the Basic list option from
List Components in the Calculate menu.
2 Scroll through the list and note that Descriptor Key Name
column at left contains descriptors of project components,
3 Scroll through the list and note the element such as Frame Finish and Frame Material that can be used
types that are listed on the left such as Walls, for material takeoffs.
Columns, Slabs, Fills, Windows, Doors and
Objects.
4 Then review the headings above and note the element

information that is calculated such as Cut Fill/Composite
Name, Section Pen, Internal ID, Material and Layer Name.
This basic element information can be edited to list the
information needed for your project needs. Create a Zone List
Zone Lists are generally used to create room schedules and
finish schedules. Zone Lists can include parameters of zones
and related construction elements.

1 To create a Zone List, select the Basic list option from List
Zones in the Calculate menu.
PART 3: INTERACTIVE ELEMENT
SCHEDULE
ArchiCAD allows you to create simple tabular schedules with
bidirectional update capabilities. In the resulting schedule, you
can summarize and check element data and modify some of the
values of the elements concerned.
The Interactive Schedule hierarchical menu located in the
Calculate menu has two commands: Preview and Settings.
• The commands are available only when the Floor Plan
worksheet is active.
• The commands work on either selected elements or on all
visible elements that conform to the current settings.
2 Scroll through the list and note that the left • The output is either a list type window or a spreadsheet
column organizes the zone list by story. placed on the drawing. On Windows only, you can also
obtain the list in Excel and Word format.
View and Edit the Interactive Schedule

3 The headings list the Zone Category Name, Choosing the Preview command opens an interactive preview
Zone Category Code, Zone Number, Zone of a selected schedule such as a Window Schedule, Door
Name, Zone Floor Level, Zone Height and Schedule, Equipment Schedule, Furniture Schedule, Wall Type
Measured Area. List and other list required for a project.
1 Select the Preview command from the Interactive Schedule
option in the Calculate menu.

2 The List Preview/Edit dialog will appear. Choose the are editing. In the List Elements section, click the Select on
Window List option from the pop-up menu within the Plan button.
Schedule Settings.
5 To zoom to the selected window, click the Zoom to

Selected button.
3 This will give you a list of the windows within this project
with information such as ID, Window Name, Quantity,
Width, Height, Manufacturer, Front View and Notes. Unlike
the List Types we reviewed previously, this list is an editable
list which is linked to a window within the project. Select the
first window with the ID “W01”.
6 In the Window List, change the width of the W01 window

to 1400 and enter the manufacturer as Pella Windows. Click
the Apply Changes button to update the changes within the
4 Parts of the selection for this window are editable text boxes Window object. In plan the window size has changed.
and parts are not. Items such as the window’s name and
quantity are fixed items within the list while items like ID,
height, width and notes are editable. When the editable items
are changed, the object is updated. Before we make any
changes to this window we need to know which window we

7 To see how these changes affected the Parameters within the 2 Select Window List from the Schedule
Window Settings, select the W01 window item again from Settings pop-up option. We will use
the list and click the Select on Drawing button. Click the this as a template for our custom
Close button at the bottom right of the dialog and then Window Schedule.
double click the Window Tool with the windows
selected.
8 In the Window Settings dialog, open the Parameters panel.
Note that the width of the window has been updated to
1400 and the Manufacturer information in the ArchiFM and
Listing Parameters section is now displaying Pella Windows. 3 Click the Duplicate button.
4 Enter a new name for the
Window List called “Project
Window Schedule” and click OK.
5 The first tab in the Schedule Settings is where you define the
type of element which will be listed in the schedule and
Customize the Window Schedule whether the list will be by rows or columns. Since this is a
Window Schedule, select Element Type as the Criterion
Choosing the Settings command within the Interactive Name as and Window as the Value.
Element Schedule opens the corresponding dialog box where
you define the schedule data you wish to display.
Level2-08-1 Movie
1 To format the Window Schedule, go to the Calculate Menu

and select Settings... from the Interactive Schedule option.

6 To list the schedule by Rows, select the Record by Rows the Width parameter. Repeat this for the W/D Nominal Sill
option from the Schedule Scheme pop-up menu. Height parameter and click OK when finished.
7 Click the Fields tab.
8 Open the Window/Door tree from the Available Parameters

list and select the W/D Nominal Head Height option and 11 Rename these two new listing parameters within the
click the check mark ON. It will then appear in Parameters Parameter Display section:
to List section on the right. • W/D Nominal Head Height as “Head Height”
• W/D Nominal Sill Height as “Sill Height”
12 To center the fields within the columns, click a Parameter

within the list and select the text center alignment option.
9 Scroll down further and select the W/D Nominal Sill Height
option and click the check mark ON.
13 To format the Schedule, click the Format tab.

10 In the Parameters to List column, select the up/down
arrows on the left edge of the W/D Nominal Head Height
parameter and drag it up in the sequence to appear below

14 This is where you can set the defaults for Header Text,
Footer Text, Value Text, Borders and Paper Size. To set a
default for the Header Text, select the Header Text option
from the Schedule Item pop-up menu. Set the font type,
size, row height and color as shown. Output the Window Schedule
To output the Window Schedule you can either place it on the
drawing or open a list window.
Level2-08-2 Movie
15 Repeat this step to set the font type, size and row height for
the Value Text.
1 Go to the Calculate Menu and select Preview from the
Interactive Schedule option.
2 Select Project Window Schedule from the Schedule Settings

16 To set the paper size for the list window, type in the page
pop-up option. The schedule will reflect the changes to the
width and height, then click the Resize Schedule to Paper
Settings dialog.
Width checkbox.
17 Click the OK button when finished.

3 Before we output the schedule, we may want to adjust the
column widths or the column titles. To adjust the header
properties, double click the column header name and edit
the properties.

The list can also be saved as a PlotMaker drawing (.pmk)

from the File menu.
4 To adjust the column widths, click and drag

your cursor at the top edge of a column.
Drag the column edge to the width desired.
5 To create an output to the ArchiCAD List
Window, select the ArchiCAD List Window option from the
Output To: pop-up menu and then click the Create List
button.
7 You can also place the

6 ArchiCAD will begin to process the information and will schedule on the Floor Plan
produce a schedule in a new window. When it is finished, and set a View Set that
close the Interactive Schedule and go to the List Window. zooms into the schedule. To do this, close the List Window
Since this project contains a large number of windows, the and select the Pan command from the Display menu. Pan to
list will appear stacked vertically. To view the schedule in the left of the Floor Plan so that there is an empty space to
more detail, select Fit to Page or the Zoom In command. place the schedule.

10 Select the Zoom In command and zoom to the schedule to

view it.
8 Open the Interactive Schedule again.

Select the Place button within the
Schedule on Drawing area of the 11 You can then save a view in the Schedules folder within the
dialog. Construction Documents View Set. Go to the Schedules
folder within the View Sets and select Save Current View.
9 Again ArchiCAD will begin to process the information and
will place a schedule within the Floor Plan Window. When it
is finished, close the Interactive Schedule and go to the
Floor Plan.

Step 9: Organizing and Managing a Layout Book
STEP 9:
ORGANIZING AND MANAGING A LAYOUT BOOK
• Part 1: Layout Book Structure At completion of this step students will be able to:
• Part 2: Master Layouts 1 Understand how to set up and organize a drawing set for
• Part 3: Title Types production drawings that utilizes Master Layouts, Subsets,
Title Types, Layout Sheets and intelligent linking.
Exercises 2 Understand how to set up a PlotMaker file with the linked
project information such as client name, project name,
• Set up the Book Info and Settings address, date of issue and date of printing.
• Set up Drawing Subsets 3 Understand how to configure the settings for auto-text and
• Set up a Master Layout auto-numbering.
• Create a Title Type 4 Understand how to set a file to print in Color, Gray Scale or
Black and White.
Starting the Step

Open the file named Level2-Step09.lbk contained in the
Training Guide-Level 2 Files folder.

PART 1: LAYOUT BOOK STRUCTURE

Layouts represent the pages of a Layout Book: one or more
physical sheets of drawing paper onto which you place
Drawings, as well as text, graphics and other images, to be Set up the Book Info and Settings
output to your printer or plotter. Layouts can be optionally When starting a project, it is recommended to fill in this form
organized in Subsets at an infinite number of levels. which contains the most important information related to your
Subsets are folders in the documentation. Later you can use this data as AutoText,
Navigator Palette, containing one without having to frequently retype these items.
or more Layouts. You create 1 Select the Book Info option within the Book menu.
Subsets as an organizational tool to
help you group and keep track of
Layouts while you work. Subsets
are also the basis for assigning
hierarchical numbering to your 2 In the Layout Book Info dialog, enter the project name,
Layout Book. company name, address and other additional information
PlotMaker's numbering function specific to the project and company. Click OK when
allows you to automatically number finished.
the elements of the Layout Book
or to customize the numbering of
either the entire book or parts of it.
The resulting page number is
usually a letter-number
combination, such as A1.01 and
A1.02 as shown in the screen shot
to the right.
The smart numbering system
automatically adjusts itself whenever the Layout Book is
changed (for example by the addition of new Layouts, changes
in the Layout order or in the document structure).
The numbering format can be set at every level of the
hierarchy: Book, Subset, and Layout.

3 In the Subset Settings dialog, first click the Custom radio

button in the Subset Numbering section and enter “A0”.
Set up the Drawing Subsets

Level2-09-1 Movie
4 Next, go to the Add a Prefix for the Subset section and enter
1 When a new PlotMaker project is started, it does not place a a period “.” in the text box.
subset folder in the Navigator by default. To create a subset,
click the arrow to the right of the Trees by Subset and a
pop-up menu will appear. Select the New Subset option.
5 Select the Numbering Style as 01, 02, 03... from the pop-up
option and click OK.
6 Now drag the Layout 001 into the Project Data subset
2 A folder will appear in the Navigator. At the bottom of the folder.
Navigator, type “Project Data” into the Name field and click
the Settings button to set up the subset.

7 To view the subset settings on the layout, select the pop-up

button Show Names at the bottom of the Navigator and
PART 2: MASTER LAYOUTS
select Show Names & Numbers. The Master Layout is a template that defines the size of any
number of Layouts in a Layout Book. It can also contain a
number of master items that will appear on all of the Layouts
that are based on it, including AutoText elements that are filled
in automatically. A Layout Book can include multiple Master
Layouts.
8 Now repeat the previous steps to add all the subset folders
required to organize this project. Use the diagram on the
following page as a guide to setting up the subset folder
organization.
To access a Master Layout, select it in the Masters Folder in the

Navigator's tree view and double-click it, or choose the Go to
Master Layout command in the Book menu.
Set up the Master Layout

One of the Master Layouts will be applied by default to newly
created Layouts. In the Navigator, the default Master Layout is
earmarked. Due to the size of this project, we need a larger
sheet size than is currently offered in the default Master
Layouts.
Level2-09-2 Movie

1 To create a new Master Layout, click the arrow to the right

of the Trees by Subset and a pop-up menu will appear. Select
the New Master Layout option.
2 A new layout will appear in the Masters list. Select the new
Master Layout called “Master 001” and double click it to
open the master.
5 Choose Fit in Window to see the full contents of the sheet.
6 Since we have a title block already created on one of the

3 Rename it “Master A0 Landscape” using the Name field at other master layouts, double click the Master A1 Landscape
the bottom of the Navigator, then open Master Layout from the Masters list and, with the Arrow Tool selected,
Settings using the “Settings” button. choose Select All from the Edit menu and then select Copy
from the Edit menu.
4 Select the A0 (ISO) Metric from the Paper Size pop-up

selection menu in Master Layout Settings. The paper
margins will be filled in by default, though these can be
adjusted as required based on your plotter. Click the Set to
Default for New Layouts and click OK.

7 Now double click the Master A0 Landscape that you just 10 Finally, let’s add an autotext for the drawing number which
created and select Paste from the Edit menu. will autonumber based on the Subset Settings we created
earlier. Select the Zoom In command and zoom to the
bottom right corner.
8 The title block is pasted into the new master layout, but
needs to be relocated. Select Drag from the Edit menu, click
on the bottom right corner of the titleblock and drag it to
the right edge of the master sheet.
11 Select the Text Tool and draw a text box in the Drawing
Number area at the bottom of the titleblock.
9 To stretch the top edge, select the Marquee Tool and draw a
boundary around the edge you wish to stretch. Select the
Stretch command from the edit menu, click on the edge of
the titleblock and stretch to the top edge of the master sheet.
12 The text editing window appears. Select the Insert AutoText
option in the upper left and select Layout Number from the
pop-up. Click outside to finish.

13 To see the results of this autonumbering, go to the subset A0

Project Data and double click the Layout within the folder.
PART 3: TITLE TYPES
Each drawing or image placed onto a PlotMaker layout can be
assigned a title containing graphic elements and information
14 Go to the bottom of the Navigator and in the Properties referring to the drawing data.
panel, change the Master Layout to the Master A0
Landscape.
15 Now zoom into the

titleblock and see that the
drawing number, A0.01,
reflects the number of the
layout within the subset
folder. Also note that other The title's format is determined by the settings and content of
fields such as the company its Title Type.
name, project name, Standard title types, including one earmarked as a default, are
address, checked by, drawn located in the Title Types folder in the Navigator. If needed,
by and date have been you can customize these or create new ones.
automatically updated with
the information you input
earlier in the Book Info.
You can assign a title type to several drawings or images: for

example, all the drawings on a layout might have the same title
type.

Titles are linked to the placed drawing: when the drawing is 3 Click on the drawing origin represented by the “X” and draw
moved, dragged, or rotated, the title will follow along with the a square.
drawing. You can also select an individual title and move it
around.
4 Select and open the Text Tool. Set

the text anchor point to the
Create a Title Type centerpoint, set the text size to
3mm, and Alighment to Center. Set
any additional settings such as font
Level2-09-3 Movie type, color, and others. Click OK
when finished.
1 To customize or create a title type, open an existing title type

in the title type window by double-clicking it in Navigator.
For this exercise, open the Simple Title. This title type
contains only a line and an auto text for drawing name and
scale.
5 Double click the cursor in the center

of the square and select the Drawing Number option from
the AutoText pop-up menu. Click outside the text box to
finish.
2 Let’s add a square to the left side of the title for the drawing
number. Select the Line Tool and the rectangular geometry
method.
6 Once you are satisfied with the title type content, open the
Title Type Settings to set its name, appearance and original

position. To do this, click the Settings button in Properties. In the next step when we insert and place drawings from the
In the bottom left corner of the dialog, check Set to Default ArchiCAD model file, the title type can be assigned to the
for New Drawings and click OK. drawings, automatically updated with the drawing number,
name and scale.

Step 10: Placing, Positioning and Viewing Drawings
STEP 10:
PLACING, POSITIONING AND VIEWING DRAWINGS
• Part 1: Set up the Layout Sheets At completion of this step students will be able to:
• Part 2: Compose the Drawings 1 Import and place a drawing onto a PlotMaker Layout.
• Part 3: Modify Drawing Attributes 2 Understand the differences in composing both a plan and
detail sheet.
Exercises 3 Understand how to compose a Layout using a drawing grid
that will link to the auto-numbering.
• Create a Layout Sheet Manually
4 Understand how to modify the drawing border, scale, pen
• Create a Layout Sheet Automatically
settings and layer settings in order to edit the drawings view.
• Compose an Elevation Sheet
5 Understand the importance of Attribute Update Rules and
• Create a Drawing Grid how they apply to a placed drawing.
• Compose a Detail Sheet
• Compose an Enlarged Plan
• Compose a Screened Background
Starting the Step

Level2-Step10.lbk contained in the Training Guide-Level 2
Files folder.

PART 1: SET UP THE LAYOUT You can place, arrange and transform drawings in the Layout
window, and manually add 2D elements as well as AutoText
SHEETS items. Drawings can be added and placed on the Layout using
the Import command (File menu). Any number of drawings of
The Layout window is the large window on the right in different formats can be placed on the same Layout.
PlotMaker. Several Layout windows can be opened at the same Imported drawings can be displayed with or without a frame, as
time. monochrome bitmaps or vectorized color objects. You can
• The blue frame shows the actual area of the Layout. scale, arrange, edit and manipulate them as needed. Basically,
• The white area represents the usable print area. two types of drawings (or other objects) can be placed on the
• The grey area represents the non-printing area (margins) of layout:
the paper. • Drawings (views) imported and placed from ArchiCAD
• The dotted blue line represents output pages (visible when a projects. These drawings can be edited in the source file by
single Layout will take up more than one printed page.) opening them directly in ArchiCAD.
The size and the margins of the Layout are defined with the • Manually placed drawings can be edited inside PlotMaker
Master Layout (as you did in the previous step). You can also either before or after they are placed in the Layout. Each
adjust these options in the Print Setup or Plot Setup dialog drawing can be opened in a separate Drawing window and
boxes when outputting the Layouts. you can then edit its individual graphic elements.
A hotlink exists between the imported file and the placed
Drawing. The links can be updated automatically or manually.
Create a Layout Sheet Manually

The layouts can be created in two different ways, by manually
creating a new layout within the PlotMaker Navigator or by
automatically generating a new layout when importing
drawings from ArchiCAD. The following exercises will review
how to create a new layout manually from the Navigator in
PlotMaker.
Level2-10-1 Movie

1 Select and open the Project Data folder in the Navigator. Set
the pop-up at bottom to “Show Names & Numbers.” To
create a new layout, select the arrow pop-up menu next to
Trees by Subset and select New Layout from the list.
2 Select the new layout and, in the Name field at the bottom of
the Navigator, rename this layout as “Cover Sheet”.
3 Repeat these steps for the second layout in the Project Data
folder and rename it as “Index and Map”. To change the
order of the layout, click the layout and drag it up or down
within the order.
Create a Layout Sheet Automatically

If the View Sets within ArchiCAD have been set up with a
proper organizational structure, layouts can be generated
4 Continue adding layouts to the subset folders as shown on automatically within PlotMaker as part of the process for
the following page. This is a typical organization for a importing a drawing.
construction document set. In the next exercise we will
automatically generate layouts for the remaining subsets: Site
Plans, Floor Plans and Reflected Ceiling Plans.

Before we begin this process, go saved your file, you can ignore this warning and click the
back to ArchiCAD and select Save Continue button.
from the File menu. This will allow
you to import the most recent work
from the ArchiCAD file.
Level2-10-2 Movie
5 The Import Drawing dialog will appear. In the Available
View Sets menu, select the Construction Documents option
you created earlier.
1 After saving the ArchiCAD file, return to PlotMaker and

select the A1 Site Plans folder.
6 Click the Site Drawings checkbox and select the radio button
next to Insert New Layouts in Current Layout Book
2 Select the Import option from the File Subset. Then click the Import button.
menu.
3 Navigate the file named
Level2-Step10.pln in the Training Guide-Level 2 Files folder.
Select the file, then press Open.
7 A new layout sheet will be created within the Site Plans

4 If the file is currently open, a warning will appear informing folder and the site plan will be automatically placed in the
you that the views to be imported are based on the last saved
version of the currently open ArchiCAD file. If you already

center of the new layout along with a Title Type which will 8 Repeat these steps to automatically create the layouts for the
be placed at the lower left of the drawing. A2 Floor Plans and A6 Reflected Ceiling Plans subset
folders.

PART 2: COMPOSE THE DRAWINGS Compose an Elevation Sheet

1 In the Navigator list, double click the layout named A3.01
Each Drawing is imported and placed on Layouts with its
Elevations in the A3 Elevations and Sections subset folder.
corresponding screen image or as an empty frame. Then, if
needed, the Drawing can be edited in the Drawing Window. A
hotlink exists between the imported file and the placed
Drawing. Every time you open or rebuild the Layout, the
hotlinks are updated.
PlotMaker supports multiple file formats, so drawings can be
added to a Layout Book from any of the following file types:
• PlotMaker Formats
• Supports PlotMaker Drawings, Layouts and Layout Book
file types 2 Select Import from the File menu and
• ArchiCAD Formats repeat the previous steps.
• Supports ArchiCAD Solo Project, Archive and Backup file 3 In the Import Drawing dialog, open the
types. View sets belonging to an existing ArchiCAD file are Sections & Elevations folder and click the checkbox next to
recreated in PlotMaker's Navigator Palette. the East, North, South and West Elevation options. Then
• Drawing Type Formats select the radio button next to Place Drawings on Current
Layout and click the Import button.
• Supports image formats such as JPG, GIF, BMP, PICT and
PSD
• Linked Drawing Object Formats
• Supports OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) Objects
coming from any OLE enabled application. OLE
applications include Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word,
CorelDraw and Photoshop.
• HPGL Format 4 The four elevations will be placed by default in the lower left
corner of the layout sheet. Select the Arrow Tool, click the
• Supports .PLT, the industry standard plot file type

edge of the first elevation and drag it to a new location on 6 To move the Title Type
the layout. that is associated with
this elevation, deselect
the elevation and select
only the Title Type.
Select Drag from the File
menu and move the title
to a new position.
7 Repeat these steps to
relocate the remaining elevations and the associated title
types.
5 To adjust the frame of the drawing, click the middle hotspot

at the lower edge of the drawing frame and stretch the frame
upwards.
8 Now zoom into one of the Title Types and note that the
information such as drawing name, drawing scale and
drawing number have been automatically updated within the
Title Type. This information is linked to the name and scale
you assigned within ArchiCAD.

9 To change the Drawing Number which is displayed within

the Title Type, simply select and drag the drawing up or
down in numerical order within the Navigator.
2 To create a copy of the Master A0 Landscape, select the

Masters folder and choose Paste from the pop-up menu.
This will create a copy called Master A0 Landscape (2) at the
bottom of the list.
A Drawing Numbering Grid placed on your Layout lets you

assign Drawing Numbers based on the grid’s cell numbers.
Drawings placed onto this Layout will be placed into the cells
of the grid (one Drawing per cell), and each Drawing’s number
is the same as the one in the grid-cell. This makes it easier to
find a specific drawing if you have layout with a large number
of drawings.
Create a Drawing Grid

Level2-10-3 Movie
3 With the copy selected, edit the name in the Properties panel
and change it to Master A0 Landscape with Grid. To change
1 We will use the Master A0 Landscape as a template to create its position, click and drag it up or down within the list.
a new Master Sheet with a drawing grid. To do this, select
the Master A0 Landscape in the Masters folder and select
Copy from the pop-up menu.
4 To customize the drawing grid, click
the Settings button at the bottom of
the Navigator while the “Master A0
Landscape with Grid” is selected.

5 In Master Layout Settings, click “This Master Layout should

use a grid to assign Drawing Numbers.” Go to the Grid for
Drawing Number panel and set the following settings:
• Number Method: Continuous (1,2,3...)
• Number of Cells: 5 horizontal x 4 vertical
• Start Numbering From: Bottom Right Corner
• Style: 1,2,3...
• Primary Direction: Vertical
• Distance from Margin: Left 30mm and Right 90 mm
When finished, click the OK button.
Composing a detail sheet is similar to the organizational

process used to compose other layouts and drawings within
PlotMaker. The difference is the use of the drawing grid which
will automatically arrange the drawings and input the drawing
number based on the position of the drawing.
Compose a Detail Sheet

Level2-10-4 Movie

1 Go to the A9 Interior Details folder and double click the 4 To place the partition details, select the Import button from
A9.01 Partition Details layout. the File menu.
5 Navigate to the file named Level2-Step10.pln contained in

2 With this layout open, change the Master Layout to the the Training Guide-Level 2 Files folder. Select the file and
Master A0 Landscape with Grid. select the Open button.
In the Import Drawing dialog, open the details folder and

check each of the partition details as shown in the list below.
3 The A9 Partition Detail sheet will appear with a 5x4 grid Click the radio button next to Place Drawings on Current
starting from the lower right corner. Layout and click Import.

6 The partition details will be placed onto the detail sheet at a layout, import and place the sections on the A3.02 Building
the center of each drawing grid and the drawing grid number Sections layout in the A3 Elevations and Sections folder.
will be input automatically into the Title Type for each detail.
8 After the sections are imported and placed, zoom into a

detail symbol and note that the detail drawing number and
layout number are automatically updated with the
7 To review the link between the detail symbol placed in information from the placement of the partition details on
section with the Detail Tool and the location of the detail on sheet A9.01.

PART 3: MODIFY DRAWING this approach, drawing attributes must be editable in

PlotMaker.
ATTRIBUTES
When using PlotMaker to create documentation based on
imported ArchiCAD views, you have two alternative
approaches:
• First Approach: The content of views is finalized in
ArchiCAD: once views are imported into PlotMaker, they are
already in final form and will not be further modified in
PlotMaker. In this scenario, you use PlotMaker only to arrange
views on the Layouts and organize the documentation set. You
will import as many views from ArchiCAD as the number of
drawings needed in the documentation. With this approach,
drawing attributes do not need to be editable in PlotMaker,
because they have already been defined in final form in
ArchiCAD.
• Second Approach: You will use PlotMaker settings and tools
to fine-tune drawings after importing them. You can place
several copies of a single imported ArchiCAD view in
PlotMaker, then assign different layer combinations or pen
color settings to each view: this allows you to create multiple
variations of a particular view in the final documentation. With
PlotMaker supports both of these approaches: you can define

your working method on the Drawing Attributes tab page of
Preferences, and henceforth your placed drawings will be
editable or not as defined here.
Moreover, you can make exceptions: you can redefine the
editability of attributes for any selected drawing in its Drawing
Settings dialog box.

edge of the enlarged plan and drag it to a new location on

the layout.
Compose an Enlarged Plan

On drawings such as enlarged plans or plans that require
multiple sheets to show the content, the drawing frame can be
adjusted to change the drawing view. Its drawing attributes
(Layers, Layer Combinations, Pens and Colors, and Scale) can
be modified.
1 In the Navigator list, double click the layout named A4.01
Enlarged Core Plans in the A4 Enlarged Plans subset folder.
5 Select the drawing frame of the enlarged plan to highlight it

and select the hotspot in the middle of the left edge of the
2 Select the Import option from the File drawing frame. Then select and move the Title Type to the
menu and repeat the previous steps. left.
3 In the Import Drawing dialog, click the
checkbox next to the Enlarged Plans folder. Then select the
radio button next to Place Drawings on Current Layout and
click the Import button.
6 You can also move the drawing within the drawing frame.
While the frame is highlighted, click inside the drawing
frame and move the cursor to change the drawing view.
4 The enlarged plan will be placed by default in the lower left

corner of the layout sheet. Select the Arrow Tool, click the

10 This will open a dialog which allows you to edit the

drawing’s Identification, Frame & Output Color, Title,
Attribute Update Rules and Attributes. Click the Attribute
Update Rules and click the radio button next to Custom for
this Drawing. In the three options below, click the checkbox
OFF next to Scale.
7 Now let’s create a copy of the enlarged plan which will allow
you to independently change its settings. With the enlarged
plan highlighted, select Drag a Copy from the Edit menu.
Drag the copy of the enlarged plan to the left and click to
finish.
11 In the Attributes panel, click the scale pop-up menu and

select 1:20. Click OK when done. The Elevator Core Plan is
now at a different scale than the Restroom Enlarged Plans.
8 Select the copy and resize the frame to focus on the elevator
core.
9 With the drawing still selected, select the Drawing Settings

option from the Edit menu.

Documents View Set) and place the layouts into the “A2
Floor Plans” subset of your PlotMaker Layout Book.
2 Select the Floor Plans folder in the Navigator and choose
New Layout from the pop-up menu.
Compose a Screened Background
Drawings from mechanical, electrical and structural consultants
will often create their own layer of information which will
overlay on a screened background of the architectural floor
plan. This can be accomplished by changing the pen colors of a
placed drawing to a gray color and printing the sheet to gray
scale or color.
3 Name this layout “Structural Plan” in the Properties panel.
4 Since we will use the First Floor Plan drawing as the

background, go to this sheet A2.01 First Floor Plans and
select the First Floor Plan drawing.
5 Then select the Copy command from the pop-up menu on

the upper right.
Level2-10-5 Movie
1) Using PlotMaker’s Import command (as described in Part I

of this Step), import the contents of the Floor Plan folder
of the Level2-Step10.pln project (use the Construction

6 To place the copied First Floor Plan drawing, select the 7 To display the First Floor Plan as a screened image, select
A2.05 Structural Plan sheet and select Paste from the the First Floor Plan drawing within the Structural Plan
pop-up menu. layout and select Drawing Settings from the pop-up menu.
8 This will open the Drawing Settings dialog. Click the

Attribute Update Rules and click the radio button next to
Custom for this Drawing. In the three options below, click
the checkbox OFF next to Pens and Colors.
9 In the Attributes panel, click the Edit Pens button. In the

Drawing Pens and Colors dialog, click the first color and

hold the mouse button as you drag across the remaining 10 Click the Edit Color button and select a gray color. Then
colors until all colors are selected. click OK in both dialogs. The First Floor Plan is now a
screened drawing.
11 You can now import the structural plan and place it on top
of the First Floor Plan. Select the Import option from the
File menu.
12 In the Import Drawing dialog, open the Structural Plans

folder and click the checkbox next to the Structural First

Floor option. Then select the radio button next to Place 15 In the Drawing Settings, click the Title panel and click the
Drawings on Current Layout and click the Import button. checkbox OFF for Append a Title to this Drawing. Click
OK and the First Floor Plan Title Type will disappear.
13 After the drawing has been imported, click the insertion

point in the upper left corner of the Structural Plan and drag
the drawing to the insertion point in the upper right corner
of the Floor Plan. The plans are now aligned.
16 To change the Drawing Number to 1, select the Structural

Plan in the Navigator and drag it upwards so that it appears
above the First Floor Plan.
14 In the bottom left corner, two title types are shown, one for
the First Floor Plan and one for the Structural Plan. To turn
off the First Floor Plan Title Type, select it and open the
Drawing Settings from the Edit menu.

Step 11: Publishing and Updating
STEP 11:
PUBLISHING AND UPDATING
• Part 1: Managing Linked Drawings At completion of this step students will be able to:
• Part 2: Publisher Definition 1 Understand how to use the Drawing Usage option within
• Part 3: Publisher Options the Navigator and how to update both individual drawings
and the whole drawing set.
Exercises 2 Understand how to set up a Publisher View Set.
3 Understand the four View Set Publishing options: Print,
• Review the Drawing Usage
Plot, Save Files and Upload to Internet.
• Create View Sets for Publishing
4 Understand how to set the options and format for
• Publish to Print/Plot publishing a document.
• Publish to a Local Directory 5 Understand the difference between Cloning an Item and
• Publish to the Web creating a New Folder.
Starting the Step

Level2-Step11.lbk contained in the Training Guide-Level 2
Files folder.

PART 1: MANAGING LINKED When opening a Layout Book that

includes drawings that have been
DRAWINGS modified, a dialog box is displayed.
You can either update all drawings,
The source files where Drawings are created may undergo none of them or choose to go to the
modification during project documentation. Therefore, you Drawing Usage view and select
need to be able to check at any time the status of the linked those drawings that you wish to
files. update.
At the center of the drawing Updating Drawings consists of two
management process is the steps:
Drawing Usage view of the •First, drawings whose hotlink type
Navigator palette. It shows the list is “file” (i.e. which have separate
of files placed in the Layout Book source files and are not part of an ArchiCAD project) are
and provides information about updated. This is the faster step, but while it is underway
the files' type, location and update PlotMaker cannot be used for other purposes.
mode. • Next, drawings whose hotlink type is “project” (i.e., views
Whenever you place a drawing or which originate from ArchiCAD projects) are regenerated
picture on the Layout from and saved. During this step, the user can continue working
another file, a Hotlink is created while the Drawing placed on the Layout displays a message
between the original file and the (Updating, To be Updated, Generated Drawing) indicating
drawing placed on the Layout. that a Drawing update is due or underway.
The Hotlink can refer to:
• A drawing or image file
• A View from an ArchiCAD
Project Review the Drawing Usage
• No external source (drawing
1 To open the Drawing Usage, go to the Navigator, click the
embedded in the Layout)
Trees by Subset button and select the Drawing Usage option
Using the buttons at the bottom of the Navigator palette you from the pop-up menu.
can break, reestablish or modify links to source documents. To
update linked Drawings from source files, use the Update
button.

2 Select one of the drawings and go to the Properties panel at

the bottom of the palette. Here you will find the drawing’s
PART 2: PUBLISHER DEFINITION
source name, location path, modified date and layout Part or all of a Layout Book can be printed, plotted, saved, or
name/number. uploaded to the Internet. The Publisher command is found in
the File menu. The left side of the Publisher dialog box shows
the Layout Book tree structure, while the right side contains
the Publisher settings.
3 Below this information you will find four buttons to manage

the drawings; Link to, Break Link, Settings and Update. If
the drawing has been modified in the original file, you can
click the Update button to refresh the image in PlotMaker.
4 If you select multiple drawings (by clicking and holding the

mouse button as you move the cursor up or down in the list)
you can update all the selected drawings or click the Settings
button and change the Title Type for all the selected
drawings in one action.
The save options used by PlotMaker are generally recognized

by ArchiCAD (EPS, DXF, DWG, DWF). PlotMaker supports
all the popular raster plotters and laser printers through specific
drivers and settings. Unlike most drawing programs, PlotMaker
speaks the language of plotters by dealing from the ground up
with high precision, floating point vectors.
PlotMaker uses a printing/plotting method in which the Layout
size (represented by the blue frame), optimized for a particular
printing/plotting tool and paper size, can differ from the actual
output produced by the printer or plotter. This means that you
can change the print scale. For example, a Layout Book

optimized for a plotter using A1 paper can also be printed, 4 Now click the "Consultants" View Set and select New Set...
properly scaled down, on an A3 printer. from the pop-up menu.
Create View Sets for Publishing

The Publisher function within PlotMaker is used to set custom 5 Enter "Client" as the name for the new View Set.
View Sets describing how to publish a drawing (i.e. for a client,
a consultant, or a presentation). In this exercise we will create
View Sets with custom settings for publishing to the client, the
consultants, printing and plotting.
Level2-11-1 Movie
6 Repeat this step and create 2 additional View Sets and name
them as follows: "Printer" and "Plotter".
1 Go to the File menu and select the Publish... option from
Publisher within the pull down menu.
2 Click the "Untitled" View Set and select Rename from the
pop-up menu.
3 Rename the View Set as "Consultants" and click OK.

PART 3: PUBLISHER OPTIONS

The purpose of Publisher View Sets is to create and save
settings for different publishing configurations. The view sets
can be saved for plotting, printing, saving to local directories
and to publish to the web. In the following exercise we will
assign drawings to the View Sets created in the previous
exercise.
5 Click and highlight the Layout Book in the right window.
Click the Plot Setup... and Plot Settings... buttons to
configure your plotter. This will configure all the layouts in
Publish to Plot/Print the Layout Book to your plotter in one simple step.
Level2-11-2 Movie
1 The settings for a plotter can be saved with the drawing. 6 When you’re ready to Plot the entire set, select the Plot View
Select the Plot view set from the View Set pop-up menu. Set and click the Publish button. To plot selected drawings
rather than the entire set, select the drawings you wish to
print individually and choose the Selected Items option in
2 Click the View Set Publishing Properties... button. the pop-up menu to the right of the Publish button.
3 Select Plot from the Publishing Method pop-up menu and

click the OK button.
4 Select and drag the Layout Book from the left side of the
dialog to the window on the right side.

7 The settings and setup for • Select Save Files from the
printing documents is Publishing Method
similar to the previous pop-up menu (this
steps for the plot setup. exercise could also use the
Upload to Internet option
if we wanted to upload the files to an FTP site).
• Click the Browse button,
navigate to your
computer's Desktop and
click the Make New
Folder button. Type a
folder name called "For
Consultant". Select the
new folder and click OK
and then click OK to
close the View Set
Publishing Properties
dialog.
• Select and drag the
drawings that will be
Publish to a Local Directory needed for the consultant from the Layout Book window on
1 When you set the configuration for a consultant, the view set the left side of the dialog to the window on the right side.
can be saved with the consultant’s file type defaults such as
AutoCAD DWG, Universal DXF or Microstation DGN, as
well as to the Acrobat PDF format.
• Select the Consultants view set from the View Set pop-up
menu.
• Click the View Set Publishing Properties... button. • Select each file and click the Format pop-up menu at the
bottom of the dialog. Scroll up and select the DWG format.

• When you’re ready to send these documents to your client,

simply select the Consultant View Set and click the Publish
button. You can then attach the documents to an email or
burn the information onto a CD-ROM.
• You can set the AutoCAD translation defaults (i.e.: version,
units, paper space/model space, etc.) by clicking the Options
button.
Publish to the Web
1 In the construction document phase you may want to send
updates to your client for review and comment using a file
format that can be shared over the Internet. For the purpose
• This will open the DXF-DWG Translation Setup Dialog. of this exercise, we will publish drawings and images to be
From this dialog you can save custom translator files that viewed with an Internet browser such as Netscape or
match the standards of your consultant. The settings can Internet Explorer.
help you match pen colors, fonts, layers, attributes and other • Select the Client view set from the View Set pop-up menu.
settings. Click Save Settings and Close when finished.
• Click the View Set Publishing Properties... button
• Select Save Files from

the Publishing Method
pop-up menu (this
exercise could also use
the Upload to Internet
option if we linked
these documents to an FTP web server)

•Click the Browse • Select each file and click the Format pop-up menu at the
button, navigate to your bottom of the dialog. Scroll up and select the DWF format.
computer's Desktop and
click the Make New
Folder button. Type a
folder name called "For • When you’re ready to send these documents to your client,
Client". Select the new simply select the Client View Set and click the Publish
folder and click OK. button. You can then attach the documents to an email or
burn the information onto a CD-ROM. To view these
•Click the option documents, go to the folder you created on your Desktop,
"Include Project "For Client", and double click the file "Client.html". This file
Reviewer web will open your default browser.
environment" This will allow the client to access the
documents and create markups through a web browser and
click OK.
• Select and drag the drawings you want the client to review
from the Layout Book window on the left side of the dialog
to the window on the right side.

Step 12: Reviewing a Project
STEP 12:
REVIEWING A PROJECT
• Part 1: Markup Concepts At completion of this step students will be able to:
• Part 2: Project Reviewer 1 Understand how to set up drawings and images to be
• Part 3: Markup Tool published with the Project Reviewer using ArchiCAD.
2 Understand how to mark up items within the Project
Exercises Reviewer.
3 Understand how a DWF file is used for viewing on the
• Publish a Review Document
Internet and how these files are important in using the
• Create a Markup in Project Reviewer Project Reviewer.
• Create a Markup Entry 4 Understand the difference and relationship between the
• Close the Markup Entry Markup Tool and the Project Reviewer.
5 Understand how to create a new Markup Entry and how to
edit, correct and highlight elements that are part of the
Markup Entry.
Starting the Step

Use your ArchiCAD file from the previous step or open the
file named Level2-Step12.pln contained in the Training
Guide-Level 2 Files folder.
PART 1: MARKUP CONCEPTS additions to your published project and incorporate them into
your design.
The Mark-Up features facilitates communication between Mark-Up Entries are view-specific. They cannot contain
designers during a Project. It allows you to point out elements belonging to different Stories, Section/Elevation
problematic elements with a color highlight or to add new windows or Detail Drawing windows.
elements intended. You may wish to mark up a design for many Mark-Up Entries can be shown or hidden one by one in the
reasons - for example to correct and manage a colleague's Mark-Up palette or globally with the corresponding control of
errors or deviations from a project's guidelines, or to make the Options > Display Options dialog box. If an Entry is
alternative design suggestions. hidden, the applied corrections will disappear and highlighted
elements will appear with their real Pen Color and Line Type.
PART 2: PROJECT REVIEWER

If you publish files locally or upload them to an FTP server,
consultants or clients can view them without having to install
or open ArchiCAD by simply launching their web browser
application, provided that you've included the appropriate web
More than one person can mark up a drawing. Project environment.
Mark-Up supports several different commentaries by allowing
the use of different colors for each separate redline.
When Project Mark-Up is switched on, you can use any tool
from the Toolbox to redline your drawing. There are also
special redlining objects provided in the ArchiCAD Library.
With the Teamwork functionality detailed in the next step, you
If the published files are saved in DWF format, then
can add corrections and suggestions to the workspace of other
non-ArchiCAD users can add further redlining notes and
members of the design team who can then check them and, if
information with the Project Reviewer.
appropriate, incorporate them into their part of the design. You
can also import redline data created in Project Reviewer as

Publish a Review Document

Level2-12-1 Movie
1 The Publisher in ArchiCAD works similar to the Publisher

in PlotMaker. Select Publish from the Publisher option in
the File menu.
2 In the Publisher dialog, select New View Set within the View
Sets pop-up menu. Type the name “Structural Review” and
click the Create button.
Redlined DWF format files can then be sent to you by the

reviewer using Project Reviewer. You can import the DWF files
as a new Mark-Up Entry into your project file.
3 On the upper left side of the Publisher, change the publisher

view from Project Map to Construction Documents.

4 In the Construction Documents list on the left, open the 8 To publish this set of review documents, click the Publish
Structural Plans folder and drag the plans into the Structural button at the bottom of the Publisher dialog.
Review View Set list on the right.
5 To set up the publishing options for the Structural Review

View Set, click the View Set Publishing Properties button.
6 From the Publishing Method list, select Save Files from the
pop-up list and click the Browse button to create a folder for Create a Mark-Up in Project Reviewer
the files. In the Browse for Folder dialog, click the Make
New Folder button and name the new folder “Structural Now that the Project Reviewer documents have been
Review” and click the OK button. published, we can share these documents through a web site,
email, a CD-ROM or the network.
Level2-12-2 Movie
1 For this exercise, go to the location where you saved the

Structural Review folder and double-click the Structural
7 Back in the View Set Publishing Properties dialog, click the

checkbox to ON for Include Project Reviewer Environment
and then click OK.

Review.html document. This will open the document within 3 Drag the cursor to the bottom of the plan and zoom to the
your web browser. shaft location that needs to be revised as indicated below.
Note: The dashed lines shown on the Structural First

Floor indicate the structure and floor openings above. This
2 In the Project Reviewer, select the Structural First Floor plan exercise will indicate the changes to the floor opening and
and the Zoom In command from the Toolbar. structure as it affects the second floor above.
4 To add Markup notes and graphics, click the Redline button
on the Toolbar. This will turn on the Redline Toolbar, with
tools such as Selection Tool, Arrow Tool, Line Tool, Text
Tool and Cloud Tool. Click the Cloud Tool and click in the
center of the revision area and create a cloud surrounding
this area of the plan.

5 Click the Labeled Arrow Tool and click the arrow start point 7 To save this revision so that it can be imported into the
at shaft and drag the line outside the cloud. Click a second ArchiCAD project file, click the Save As button on the
point to start the leader, a third point to start the text box Toolbar and save the document in DWF format.
and a fourth point to describe the size of the text box area.
When the Text Entry Box appears, enter the text
“Mechanical needs a larger shaft for ductwork. We changed
the structure to accommodate.”
PART 3: MARKUP TOOL

A Mark-Up Entry is composed of a logically related set of
Corrections, Highlights and Tags placed on the plan, and a
discussion consisting of comments made by one or several
users.
Mark-Up Styles define the appearance of Corrections or
Highlighted elements with Pen Color attributes. Each Mark-Up
6 Finally, select the Line Tool and draw lines to indicate the Entry can use only one Mark-Up Style. These styles can
moved beam and the larger area for the shaft. indicate the status of the Entry, for example “Drafting Errors,”
“Fixing in Progress” or “Fixed.”
You can draw Corrections marked by
different style appearances to suggest
the proper arrangement of Project
elements or to add any kind of 2D
graphics or text as annotations.
You can Highlight any existing
element to call attention to it, without
actually modifying it. Highlighting is
like applying a special skin of marking
attributes to elements without altering
their original ones.

3 In the Mark-Up Tools palette, open the Mark-Up Entries

panel and click the Add Entry button.
Create a Markup Entry

Before we import a DWF file, let’s move to the floor where this 4 In the New Mark-Up Entry dialog, enter the new name
revision will take effect. As a note, the markup created on the “Structural Review at Shaft” and then click the Import from
Structural First Floor was in reference to the structure and Project Reviewer/DWF file button.
openings above which effect the design of the second floor.
Thus, we will import the markup onto the Second Floor Plan
so that we can modify the walls, doors and shaft opening.
Level2-12-3 Movie
5 In the Open dialog, locate and select the DWF file you saved
1 Go to the View previously and click the Open button. Then click OK in the
Sets and double-click the Second Floor Plan in the Floor New Mark-Up Entry dialog. The review entry you created in
Plan folder. the Project Reviewer is now part of the ArchiCAD model.
Select the Zoom In command and zoom to the area of the
revision.
2 To open the Mark-Up Tools, go to the File menu and select

Show Mark-Up Tools.

8 To record which elements were affected by this change,

select the Arrow Tool and select each element, then select
the Turn to Corrections button. This will change the
elements’ color and register them within the Mark-Up as
6 In reviewing the changes needed by both structural and elements that have been revised.
mechanical, it appears that the closet space will need to be
removed but the architect has decided that the storage room
cannot be changed. To incorporate these revisions, first use
the Arrow Tool to select the existing lines, walls and doors
that need to be removed, then press Delete.
9 To enter a note regarding this change, open the Tag and

Discussion panel. Enter the text “Revised shaft size and
7 Then select the imported revision lines representing the duct

shaft space. Stretch these lines to show the new area for the
duct shaft.

removed closet” within the text box. When finished, click 12 To make the line and arrow a part of this Mark-Up
the Place on Plan button. discussion, select the line with the Arrow Tool and click the
Turn to Corrections button.
10 Your cursor will appear with a box. Drag the cursor to the
location where you would like to place the note and click. If
the text of the note appears too big or needs to be bolded,
select the text with the Arrow Tool and open the Text
Settings to change the text size, style or formatting.
11 Now draw a line with an arrow to communicate where the

revision note applies. Select the Line Tool and the Arrow
option. Draw the line from the revision note to the shaft. Close the Markup Entry
When a Markup Entry is corrected, the markup highlight and
notes can be turned off while retaining the history of the issue.
Level2-12-4 Movie

1 Select the Arrow Tool and highlight the entry wall by 3 Repeat this step to remove the correction tag from the two
clicking on its edge. lines describing the shaft opening as well.
2 Go to the Project Markup Tools dialog and click the Remove

Corrections button. This will restore the wall to its original 4 Finally, turn this issue OFF by clicking the Eye icon to
pen color and line weight. closed next to the Entry Door markup entry.

Step 13: Managing a Project Team
STEP 13:
MANAGING A PROJECT TEAM
• Part 1: Teamwork Definition and Roles At completion of this step students will be able to:
• Part 2: Sharing a Teamwork Project 1 Understand the purpose of Teamwork and the five roles of a
• Part 3: Updating a Teamwork Project Teamwork project; Administrator, Team Leader, Teammate,
• Part 4: Working on a Local Copy Mark-up and View Only.
• Part 5: Changing Workspace 2 Understand how to set up, share and update a Teamwork
project.
• Part 6: Signing Out of a Project
3 Understand the difference between a saved single model file
Exercises and a saved draft Teamwork file.
4 Understand how to change your workspace within a
• Share a Teamwork Project Teamwork file without signing out of the file.
• Review Project Sharing Info 5 Understand how to Send and Receive changes to the
• Save a Local Copy Teamwork file while receiving the updates from other team
• Change the Workspace members.
• Signing Out of a Project
Starting the Step

Files folder.
PART 1: TEAMWORK DEFINITION & and to leave a large amount of freedom in smaller practices,
where the people working on the same project are in
ROLES face-to-face contact.
There are five possible roles in
With ArchiCAD's innovative and award-winning Teamwork Teamwork: Administrator, Team
concept, teams of architects share their projects - entire Leader, Teammate, Mark-Up and
three-dimensional building models - across a local network or View Only. The first two have to be
intranet, without hassle or hierarchy. Teamwork relies on the defined in advance by the person
compact Virtual BuildingTM file, so design teams can divide up sharing the project who can either
parts of the building to work on, share changes with their allow free access by any teammate or
colleagues and view what team members are doing. set up a strict cast of members who
Ideal for firms and projects of any size, Teamwork is simple to may access the project with centrally set
set up and use. All building information remains stored in passwords.
ArchiCAD's object-based team project file, while teams are • Administrator: The person who
coordinated and controlled by an easy-to-administer coordinates the team and first shares
management system. the project. There can only be one
When a project file is shared, team members simply 'sign in' to Administrator. When signed in as the
the project over a network and define a workspace using a Administrator, it is not possible to work
combination of stories, layers and the marquee tool. A satellite on the project or reserve areas.
of the project is then created on the team member's computer, • Team Leader: The person responsible for the project. They
eliminating dependence on a live network. At any time - by can modify and create layers, stories, pens, units, etc. Only one
network or by modem - team members can send changes to the person can be signed in as Team Leader at any one time.
master project and receive changes that others have made. • Teammate: Any team member working on any part of the
shared project.
• Mark-Up: If you intend to solely Mark-Up the project, an
additional option is available to allow you to work in Mark Up
Only mode. In this case your contribution will be limited to
drawing corrections and highlighting elements.
• View Only: Anyone able to access the shared project through
the network, but their modifications do not appear in the Team
Project.
The team using the Teamwork functionality can be organized
along a wide variety of principles. The flexibility of the software
makes it equally possible to use rigorous sets of house rules by
defining strict hierarchical access privileges in larger offices,

PART 2: SHARING A TEAMWORK 2 Click on Set Key Passwords. Enter the Administrator Name
and then click on Set Administrator Password and enter a
PROJECT password. You will be required to verify the password.
When you have finished making the necessary preparations,

you can share the project with the other members of the team.
While the project setup was ideally done by the person who will
act as Team Leader, the actual creation (sharing) of the Team 3 Now click Set Team Leader Password and repeat the same
Project is the job of the Administrator. The two roles can be steps. Now click OK in the Set Key Passwords.
filled by the same person, but unique passwords must be
defined for both.
4 To enter the names of team members, click the Add New
Member button and type the name. A list of the team
members will appear in the Team Member window of the
Share a Teamwork Project dialog.
Level2-13-1 Movie
1 With the ArchiCAD tutorial file open, choose Share This

Project from the Teamwork Menu.
5 To share the project, click the Share button in the Project
Sharing Setup dialog.
6 Enter the required password as you entered earlier.

7 You are prompted to • Reserve Floor Plans: Click on the Next button to go to the
save the .PLP file. first option dialog box. Select the Stories and Layers you
Save the file in the wish to reserve. If you wish to reserve just part of the project
appropriate location. floor plan, click the Marquee Tool and select an area of the
This is the Team Floor Plan. You will have exclusive rights to the layers and
Project file. The marquee area that you reserve.
project can now be
signed into.
Level2-13-2 Movie
8 When the Sign In dialog appears, enter

the team name as you did earlier, select
the Teammate option and click the
Next button.
9 After signing in to a Teamwork project,

the Sign In Wizard offers a set of
options for reserving a part of the
shared project.

• Reserve Sections/Elevations and Marquee, a border will appear on the floor plan indicating
Animation/VRs: Click on the Next your name and workspace.
button to go to the
Sections/Elevations and
Animation/VRs dialog box. Select the
appropriate parts to access.
• Reserve Details: Click and highlight

the Details you wish to reserve, then
click the Next button to continue.
Working within a Reserved Workspace

Elements inside the reserved area can be freely modified or
deleted by the teammate who has made the reservations.
Elements that are locked, reserved by others or not reserved at
all cannot be modified, but can be viewed in all windows (Floor
• Review the Selected Workspace: Click Plan, 3D Window, Sections/Elevations, lists). These elements
on the Next button to go to the last can be selected, their settings dialog boxes can be viewed, their
option dialog box. This box displays a parameters can be copied from there or picked up by
summary of the selected options that Opt/Alt-clicking the element.
you can review before signing in. Make
any changes required by clicking on
the Previous button.
Review Project Sharing Info
During the course of being signed into a project, the status of
10 When you are certain of the Team Members’ access details and status can be easily checked.
Workspace options, click Sign In. If
you reserved a workspace using the

1 Check Project Sharing Info: Go to the Teamwork Menu and

select Project Sharing Info. A window appears that showing
PART 3: UPDATING A TEAMWORK
a list of Team Members and their sign-in status. PROJECT
Changes made by any team member are sent to the shared Team
Project by choosing the Send and Receive Changes command
from the Teamwork menu, or (optionally) when signing out.
Changes sent to the Team Project do not appear automatically
in other Teammates’ copies. To see changes made by another
Teammate, they too have to choose Receive Changes.
1 On choosing Send and Receive Changes from the
2 Select a Team Member to view sign-in details. Teamwork menu, a dialog box appears.
2 This dialog box allows junior members of the team to get

another senior team member to validate their work before
copying it into the Team Project. The person confirming the
changes must be a registered team member. Comments
written in the top part of this dialog box are added to the
Teamwork Notes window. Click the Send and Receive
button to send your changes to the master model file and to
receive changes from team members.
You can also opt to only Receive Changes made by others

without sending in your own to the Team Project.

PART 4: WORKING ON A LOCAL PART 5: CHANGING WORKSPACE

COPY If a teammate needs access to a layer or area you have reserved,
you can change your workspace by selecting Change My
Relying continuously on the network may sometimes be Workspace from the Teamwork Menu. When the dialog
troublesome, since the more people use the network appears, you may select new layers or release currently selected
simultaneously, the more it may slow down all of them. layers for other team members.
Moreover, some team members may need to work at home or
in a remote location. You may also want to save changes in a
state of the Project that is not yet ready for sending and
receiving changes and made visible to other Teammates. In this
case, the solution is to make a local Draft copy of the Shared
Change the Workspace
Project, preserving the Sign-In reservations made. 1 Select the Change My Workspace option from the
Teamwork menu.
Save a Local Copy

2 A new panel will appear asking if you wish to Send current
1 To create a local draft copy of the Shared Project, choose the changes before you redefine your Workspace. You have
Save as... command from the File Menu. three options: Do Not Send Changes, Cancel or Send
Changes. Select the default “Send Changes”.
2 Save the file as a name that identifies your work.
The created file can be opened similarly to a Solo Project by

choosing File > Open and the Draft option or by
double-clicking the file. This file contains all the relevant data
about the Team Project, including the reservations made by the
Teammate.

3 The Send & Receive Changes dialog will appear. Select Send
& Receive.
Signing Out of a Project

1 Make some changes to the model and go to the Teamwork
menu and select Sign Out.
4 Follow the same steps as you did when you signed into the
project, changing layers, layer combinations, marquee area,
sections, floors, detail, etc.
2 You have three options: Don’t Send Changes, Cancel and
Send Changes. If you choose Don’t Send Changes in this
dialog box, your changes will be lost. If you choose Send
Changes, your changes will update the master model. If you
choose Cancel, it will return you to ArchiCAD.
ArchiCAD will remember your last Workspace reservation and,

when you next Sign In, offer you the same options by default.
Signing into a Project

PART 6: SIGNING OUT OF A To sign into the project again, choose the Sign In option from
PROJECT the Teamwork menu.
Choosing the Sign Out command breaks contact with the

Team Project and releases your reserved workspace for other
teammates who may wish to sign in to it.

Step 14: Archiving a Project
STEP 14:
ARCHIVING A PROJECT
• Part 1: Archiving an ArchiCAD Model At completion of this step students will be able to:
• Part 2: Opening an ArchiCAD Archive 1 Understand the difference between an ArchiCAD model
• Part 3: Archiving a Layout Book archive and a creating an archive of a layout book in
• Part 4: Creating a PDF Archive PlotMaker.
2 Understand the three options available when you open a
Exercises model archive from ArchiCAD: Read Elements Directly
from Archive; Extract Elements to a Folder or Select a
• Saving as a Model Archive Library.
• Opening a Model Archive 3 Understand how to break the ArchiCAD drawing links
• Save as a Layout Book Archive within a PlotMaker Layout Book and save as a drawing
• Printing to PDF archive.
Starting the Step

Files folder.
PART 1: ARCHIVING AN ARCHICAD Saving as a Model Archive

MODEL Level2-14-1 Movie
ArchiCAD Projects may refer to a number of items called

Library Parts, stored as outside files in Library folders or 1 Choose the Save As command from the File menu.
directories. If you want to ensure that all files referenced in the
Project are included, you should save the project as an Archive.
Documents saved as Archives are stored together with all the
Library Parts and properties contained by and defined with the
Project.
Warning: If any Library Part of your Project is missing from
the current Library when you save the Project as an Archive,
it will not be included in the Archive document either. 2 In the Save As Type pop-up menu at the bottom of the
dialog, select the ArchiCAD Archive Project option.
The Archive format is recommended for:
• Moving a Project to another computer
• Storing the completed Projects
If you choose the Archive format in the directory dialog box
when saving the project, an Options button appears. Clicking
it opens a dialog box, in which you can specify which types of
library parts should be included in the archive. You can also
decide to save the entire library with the Project, even those
elements that have no placed instances. 3 Click the Options button and check the following options as
Because of the larger volume of information it stores, an ON.
Archive file is somewhat larger than the corresponding Project
document.
Important: Archives cannot store the descriptions of fonts
used in the Project. This means that if you wish to display
textual information the same way as it appears in the
original environment, you have to install the appropriate
fonts. Archives cannot store any Add-Ons that affect the
placed elements. 4 Select a location for the Archive and click the Save button to
save it.

PART 2: OPENING AN ARCHICAD saves a lot of disk space, but limits the modification
possibilities.
ARCHIVE
Archive (.pla) files are similar to Solo Projects, but they include
all the library parts used in the Project, not only references to
them. To save a Project in the Archive format, use the Save as...
command.
Opening a Model Archive

1 Open the archive that you saved in the last step. To do this, 5 Extract elements to a new folder - the external library
go to the File menu and select the Open command. parts required for the project will be extracted from the
archive and placed in a new folder that you can name. This
solution is recommended if you need to actually work on the
GDL Objects of the Project.
2 When the Open dialog appears, go to the location where you
saved the file, select it and click the Open button.
3 The Open Archive Project dialog will appear with three

choices:
• Read elements directly from archive
• Extract elements to a new folder
• Select a library
4 If you choose the first option, Read elements directly 6 Select a library - instead of extracting the library parts
from archive, this means that the library parts will not be saved with the project, you can indicate a folder that houses
extracted from the archive file. You can instantly access the the required elements. This solution is recommended if you
embedded elements, but you cannot edit them. This also wish to update the Project's GDL Objects with their latest
applies to list schemes used in calculations. This method versions.

PART 3: ARCHIVING A LAYOUT

BOOK
A PlotMaker Layout Book file contains imported drawings
from ArchiCAD with live links to the original model file. These
links provide automatic updates to the PlotMaker Layout Book
during the course of a project, updating the placed drawings as
the model develops within ArchiCAD.
To save a record set of the drawings, such as a 50% point in
the project or at the end of the construction document phase,
you can break the link to the ArchiCAD model and Save As a
7 Try each type and learn how they differ when opening an new file. When the links are broken, the file becomes a self
archive model file. contained set with no reference to an outside model or drawing
file.
Save as a Layout Book Archive

Level2-14-2 Movie
1 The first step is to save the PlotMaker Layout Book file as a

new file with a different name than the original. It is
important to Save As first because you do not want to
break the links and risk accidentally saving to the original.
Select the Save As option in the File menu.

2 In the File Name box type “Project Archive” and select a updated per changes to the drawing or project file. Select the
location to save the file. Click Save. Break Hotlink button.
3 In the Navigator palette,

click the Trees by Subset
button and select the
Drawing Usage option. 7 The status of the selected drawing now shows as embedded
within the Drawing Usage list.
4 This will provide you with a
list of the linked drawings
within this Layout Book. If
you select a drawing, the
Properties below will provide 8 Repeat the previous steps for
you with information on the the remaining drawings. To
file, location where the select all the drawings at once,
selected drawing is linked, the click and hold the mouse
date the drawing was button while scrolling across
modified and which layout the drawing list. When finished
the drawing is placed upon. with these steps, select Save.
The Layout Book now contains
embedded drawings of the
project which will not be
5 To unlink the drawing, click
updated and will remain as an archive of the all the published
the Break Link button at the
drawing sheets.
bottom of the palette.
6 A warning will appear informing you that breaking this link

is permanent and that the drawing will not be automatically

PART 4: CREATING A PDF

ARCHIVE
You can output data from both ArchiCAD and PlotMaker to Printing to PDF
the Acrobat PDF (Portable Document Format) using the Print
command. 1 To print a PDF archive of the entire Layout Book, choose
the Page Setup command from the File Menu.
This format offers the benefit of creating an archive and a print

document within one self-contained file. If the document is 2 From the Printer list in Windows, select the Amyuni PDF
printed from PlotMaker, the PDF file can contain all the sheets Converter or on MacOS choose the PDF option from the
within the project which can be displayed as a thumbnail list or print dialog. Set the paper size the ISO A0 841 x 1189 mm
a text list. option. Click OK.
3 Now choose the Print command from the File menu.
If you are working with Windows and have a software package

that includes the Acrobat Distiller or the Acrobat PDF Writer,
choose it instead of your printer driver. If not, install the
Amyuni PDF Converter that has been provided with your 4 In the Print dialog, select the radio button next to Entire
ArchiCAD package. Layout Book under the Layouts to Print option. Select All
On the MacOS X, PDF creation is handled on the system level.

Colors to Black unless you need to print in color, and click file. You can view the project drawings either by list or by
Print. thumbnail.
5 In the Output File Name dialog, select where you would like
the PDF file saved to and click OK.
6 PlotMaker will begin to processing the PDF file. When

finished, locate the PDF file on your system and open the

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ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide

ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2 3

ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2 5

Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

6 ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2

Create a Mark-Up in Project Reviewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141 Part 5: Changing Workspace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154

ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2 7

8 ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2

ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2 9

TRAINING GUIDE ORGANIZATION Level 2 - Intermediate: Commercial Project

10 ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2

Starting the Step

ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2 11

PART 1: PROJECT VERSUS WORK PART 2: PREFERENCES

12 ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2

• When finished setting the default for each dimension type,

ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2 13

4 Mouse Constraints and Methods: On the next screen, you

6 Zones: The next screen contains controls for defining the

14 ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2

8 Miscellaneous: The last screen of the Preferences dialog

7 Publisher: On the next screen, you can define options used

ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2 15

PART 3: FAVORITES • Choose Window > Palette Display> Show Favorites to

Saving and Using Favorites

16 ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2

• The palette will now show additional favorite options that

Using the Attribute Manager

2 The Favorites button in the top left corner of all Tool

ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2 17

5 Navigate to the “Training Guide Level 2” folder and select

6 This will load all the

18 ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2

Work Environment settings are saved in a local folder on your

ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2 19

As you work in ArchiCAD, you can customize any of the

20 ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2

5 Web Options: Click the Web Options icon to define

4 Dialog Boxes & Palettes: Click the Dialog Boxes &

ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2 21

• Click the Store As button. In the Store Scheme dialog, type

Shortcut, Tool and Palette Schemes

• Click on the Eye icon to show or hide the selected panel in

22 ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2

3 Palette Schemes: These schemes differ from the rest of the

• Reopen the Work Environment dialog from Options >

ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2 23

This can also be useful for enabling or disabling particular

24 ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2

• To change the location of the New and Reset All command

2 Menus: To create a custom menu or edit an existing menu,

• In the New Menu dialog, type “Production”.

• We will now add the commands that are critical to the

ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2 25

• To see the new Production menu, click the OK button to

26 ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2

2 Click the New Profile dialog button to define a new profile:

ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2 27

Starting the Step

28 ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2

PART 1: LAYER DEFINITION PART 2: LAYER SETTINGS

Layer Names and Extensions

ArchiCAD 9 Training Guide - Level 2 29