Modeling
About Archicad's design tools, element connections, modeling concepts, etc.

Strange behavior of ArchiCAD layer

kevin b
Contributor
So after importing some data from an AutoCAD file from a client, my ArchiCAD layer is all out of whack.

When I brought in the info it was all over the place as far as layers go, so I cleaned them up, deleted some, renamed some, moved things onto fewer layers to consolidate for what I needed, etc. A few of the layers were "0" which you always get, "building" and a blank layer, no name, just blank. I moved stuff off the building layer and deleted it, along with the "0" layer and the blank layer which appeared to have no info on them.

I now have an ArchiCAD layer that does not "stick" to the top of the list in the layer dialog box, annoying but livable. It still acts like the ArchiCAD layer, you can't hide or lock it. IN Atribute manager, the ArchiCAD layer is layer #1 and stays at the top of the list regardless of how you sort. In the info box, or any other object dialog box, there is no ArchiCAD layer. There is however a layer named "building" which appears to be the ArchiCAD layer and it happens to be alphabetically in the same location as where the ArchiCAD layer now sort in the layer dialog box.

This is all very annoying to me, and leaves me wondering what dangers are lurking.

It is a teamwork file, although at the moment I am the entire team, been signed in with exclusive access during all this.

Anyone run into this? Know a fix?
kevin s burns, AIA

massachusetts, usa



AC25 (1413), since AC6

Windows 10

Intel Core i7 -8700 @ 3.2 GHz~ 16 GB ram
19 REPLIES 19
kevin b
Contributor
I was able to merge the weird file into a new file I created and had deleted all but the ArchiCAD layer in it. Once I merged, anything that was on the old "building" layer was on the ArchiCAD layer. There was however a "building" layer now in the file, which I was able to delete. The problem is I lose all my viewsets and I am well into CDs so I don't want to recreate everything so this isnt so much a fix as an interesting tidbit of info to go along with it.
kevin s burns, AIA

massachusetts, usa



AC25 (1413), since AC6

Windows 10

Intel Core i7 -8700 @ 3.2 GHz~ 16 GB ram
Barry Kelly
Moderator
kevin wrote:
I was able to merge the weird file into a new file I created and had deleted all but the ArchiCAD layer in it. Once I merged, anything that was on the old "building" layer was on the ArchiCAD layer. There was however a "building" layer now in the file, which I was able to delete. The problem is I lose all my viewsets and I am well into CDs so I don't want to recreate everything so this isnt so much a fix as an interesting tidbit of info to go along with it.
Try using the Attribute Manager to Overwrite the Archicad layer from your new file into the existing one.
Maybe that will reset it properly?
Barry.
One of the forum moderators.
Versions 6.5 to 27
Dell XPS- i7-6700 @ 3.4Ghz, 16GB ram, GeForce GTX 960 (2GB), Windows 10
Lenovo Thinkpad - i7-1270P 2.20 GHz, 32GB RAM, Nvidia T550, Windows 11
kevin b
Contributor
Already tried it, no luck.
kevin s burns, AIA

massachusetts, usa



AC25 (1413), since AC6

Windows 10

Intel Core i7 -8700 @ 3.2 GHz~ 16 GB ram
Anonymous
Not applicable
I've encountered some additional strange behaviors that my be associated with bringing in AutoCAD drawings.

1. Arichcad layer not floating to the top (as mentioned above)
2. Linetypes replaced by autoCAD linetypes
3. Fill types mysteriously removed.
4. Items in drawing on layer that doesn't show in the layer dialog box.

Attribute manager resolved items 2 & 3. I was able to reassign those items from the mysterious layer to one in the list - so that wasn't too big a deal. And the ArchiCAD is more of an oddity than a hindrance to my workflow.

Something freaky is definitely going on.
kevin b
Contributor
So today, the mysterious blank layer has returned when I opened the file. It was deleted yesterday, I signed out last night, signed back in this morning and its back.
kevin s burns, AIA

massachusetts, usa



AC25 (1413), since AC6

Windows 10

Intel Core i7 -8700 @ 3.2 GHz~ 16 GB ram
Djordje
Ace
kevin wrote:
Anyone run into this? Know a fix?
Don't merge.

Bring the DWG in as an XRef, then you clear its attributes easily.

Bring the DWG in as a placed drawing, no attributes (layers, linetypes, whatever) are imported.
Djordje



ArchiCAD since 4.55 ... 1995
HP Omen
Anonymous
Not applicable
I typically bring .dwg's in as placed drawings. Problems begin when I explode them.

Is exploding a .dwg file inserted using the "Drawing Tool" the same as a merge?
Link
Graphisoft Partner
Graphisoft Partner
Dom wrote:
I typically bring .dwg's in as placed drawings. Problems begin when I explode them.

Is exploding a .dwg file inserted using the "Drawing Tool" the same as a merge?
I believe so. Have you tried using the Xref Manager?

Cheers,
Link.
Anonymous
Not applicable
I have used the xref feature. I guess it wouldn't be a problem to switch over to using it exclusively. It would be nice, however, if both functioned properly.