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

Rotating Wall Openings, Windows, Doors

Anonymous
Not applicable
Hi.
I did a search and combed for related subjects (I.E. chamfering reveals, etc.), but nothing helps so far.

Yesterday I stumbled across, somehow, rotating a door or opening in a thick wall. One point was anchored, and I was able to grab and rotate the opening, to cut through the wall at different angles vs. the normal stock 90 degrees.

Anyone know how to do this a SHORT and EASY way to do the below?

1) Anchor Node 1
2) Move node 2 to arbitrary point to change door/window/opening angle in wall


Clicking any of the nodes on any of the objects I've tried (I've worked through half the international library in the last 2 hours) does nothing except FLIP the window or door opening. I've delved deep in the reveals, but usually there's no options for angles there (despite threads on the subjects-is this a library issue?)...
HOW do we anchor a side and then rotate the opening in a wall (for windows and doors as well if possible)...??? Is it possible to anchor a note on a x,y,z axis and drag the angle by grabbing another node? I don't need to resize the door/window/opening, just angle it at the base, either in 2D or 3D- wherever it is currently (or if it is) possible.

Thanks in advance.


p.s. I think how I did it was somehow the original wall was gone (deleted? Deleted in 3D window?) but the door was there when I made a new wall at a different angle; I was able to resize the door and it "cut through" the wall in 3D at a non-90 angle. I even had a tracker showing me the angle and planes as I rotated...Maybe because the door/window/opening was no longer "part" or tied into a wall anymore? Hmmm....

20.jpg
13 REPLIES 13
Laura Yanoviak
Advocate
TangoGrandma wrote:
p.s. I think how I did it was somehow the original wall was gone (deleted? Deleted in 3D window?) but the door was there when I made a new wall at a different angle; I was able to resize the door and it "cut through" the wall in 3D at a non-90 angle. I even had a tracker showing me the angle and planes as I rotated...Maybe because the door/window/opening was no longer "part" or tied into a wall anymore? Hmmm....
If I'm understanding you... openings are associated to walls -- they will be inserted "parallel" to the wall's reference line, they cannot be rotated. I'm guessing you had an "original wall" in which the door was inserted, and you rotated the wall, not the door. To accomplish what you're (I think) describing, you'll need an "extra wall" for the door. You cannot have a door without a wall.
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Anonymous
Not applicable
Hmmm...
I did it again but I didn't realize until too late- and my PC crashed (some unrelated instability problems with other software I've running in the background)...

So what I did this time, was make a wall at an angle, put a door in it, then DRAG the size of the wall until the door was larger than the wall, (I think I dragged it to nothing? It was an accident). Then, since I couldn't get the handle to drag back (I selected everything but the node, and for the life of me I could not get it to select JUST the wall node- arghhh- which is another question, short of using the shift and selecting everything and hopefully de-selecting everything at a crossover point of nodes...which didn't work either)...
so I made a new wall where the old one was, and the door was free to move and be changed into an opening or window or different kind of door, and I could drag it past the wall boundaries, rotate the OPENING and the whole thing again.

I didn't experiment with casings or any details.
but still haven't found an easier method to make a rotating opening or door within the origional wall.

But obviously it CAN be done.
But is there a way WITHOUT all these long, cumbersome "tricks" (mistakes)????
Anonymous
Not applicable
Make the wall exactly the same size as the door (and frame). Rotate the wall. A door must have a wall to exist, although as you found the door can go beyond the door. But why?
Laura Yanoviak
Advocate
TangoGrandma wrote:
but still haven't found an easier method to make a rotating opening or door within the origional wall

Just out of curiosity -- why are you trying to do this? What's the application?
TangoGrandma wrote:
life of me I could not get it to select JUST the wall node- arghhh- which is another question, short of using the shift and selecting everything and hopefully de-selecting everything at a crossover point of nodes...which didn't work either)...

With the Wall Tool active, Shift + Select the desired node -- this should default to the Wall's node -- you can also Tab through the elements sharing that node in space.
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Link
Graphisoft Partner
Graphisoft Partner
Sorry mate, but you're only making mistakes. It can't be done and as Laura says, you're rotating the wall, not the door. Next time you rotate it, check the info box, I guarantee it will show the wall tool, not the door tool.

Sounds like you need some training. How long have you been using ArchiCAD and whereabouts in the US are you?

Cheers,
Link.
Anonymous
Not applicable
Naw it's rotating the door- as the wall supposedly no longer exists- there are no nodes for the wall anymore- I deleted everything and all I have is the door now, no wall.

The reason I'm doing it I've got a project with giant custom hand-made stonework base walls, and inexperienced teams working with things, and I need to exaggerate the way they need to open up the sunlight in the foundation of these old stones with the client's wishes. If I don't indicate it on the plans, they'll do what they usually do and square it with the wall, making the whole point for naught.

I've only been using ArchiCAD for about 4 months- grew up on AutoCAD and 3d programs for rendering and design (Autodesk) as well as some chiefarchitect on the side. I've DL the tutorial modules and am working my way through them for now.

I was based out of Seattle USA but I travel a lot. I'm currently abroad in the UK and Italy and meeting with clients in France this week, so I do this stuff on my laptop a lot. I'm all over the world. I need accurate drawing I can print and leave with builders, so such things as the correct angle on a window or door opening can be critical to my clients needs- and not having this option or some work around can mean using other software that does this- which I'd rather not, as ArchiCAD has so many nice features for designing- I'd rather just use it if possible.

Thanks again.
Link
Graphisoft Partner
Graphisoft Partner
TangoGrandma wrote:
Naw it's rotating the door- as the wall supposedly no longer exists- there are no nodes for the wall anymore- I deleted everything and all I have is the door now, no wall.
Well unless you are using a door object in your worldly travels, you may have stumbled across a small miracle.

I'd really love to see this wallless door. Maybe you could upload a module of it, so that we could help you further?

Cheers,
Link.
Djordje
Ace
TangoGrandma wrote:
which I'd rather not, as ArchiCAD has so many nice features for designing- I'd rather just use it if possible.
Your sentence should have said:

"I'd rather learn how to do it if possible"

Even if your wall is very, very small, it is still there - put a thin marquee over the door, careful not to touch other walls, activate the wall tool, CTRL A - and the wall will be selected. Now you can edit it ...

Stretch it to the ends of the door, and the door will be free floating in space.
Djordje



ArchiCAD since 4.55 ... 1995
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Barry Kelly
Moderator
I agree with the others that you must be actually rotating the wall so the door looks like it is rotating.
That's the only way I can get it to work in a normal wall.

How ever if you draw the wall as a polygon wall you can place any door or window and then rotate just the window or door to your heart's content.
The only problem with this is you can't use the composite fills if that is important to you.
But you can use any vectorial or symbold fill pattern.

Barry.
One of the forum moderators.
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