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

Grouping Over Stories

Anonymous
Not applicable
I have to create an estate of 100 houses, however there are only 4 house types which are replicated in various rotations and positions. Is there a way of making a house a group because it's a nightmare moving a duplicate of the house as it covers 3 stories and I can't seem to select all of it at once.

Thanks,
Richard.
(am hiding behind my desk incase Djorde reads this post )
7 REPLIES 7
Eduardo Rolon
Moderator
open the house in the 3D window make sure that it is on top view and save it as an object;

File-> Libraries and Objects -> Save 3d Model as…

This will create and object that you can place and rotate at will.

I will not tell Djorde.
Eduardo Rolón AIA NCARB
AC27 US/INT -> AC08

Macbook Pro M1 Max 64GB ram, OS X 10.XX latest
another Moderator

Link
Graphisoft Partner
Graphisoft Partner
Don't forget to remove all the crap (read polygons) you don't need, first.

Djordje sees all.

Cheers,
Link.
Anonymous
Not applicable
Thanks, creating a object was so easy! Just in case this helps anyone else:

ArchiCAD help says that you cannot group elements stored on different stories (which to me is silly!); however if you open the 3D window then select the whole model then press Ctl+G, or 'Edit -> Grouping -> Group' it magically groups the whole model regardless of which story it is situated.

Hope that helps,
Rich.
rocorona
Booster
You could use the "bold" Marquee, to select (thus move, rotate, etc.) multiple stories while in Plan view.
_________________

--Roberto Corona--
www.archiradar.com
AC18 - ITA full on Win10
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In these cases I don't like the Object idea at all, especially because you lose control of layers and model view options for the model elements.

If all you need is a 3D walkthrough thing (no site plans at the 2nd story level, say, in which case I think you are stuck with multiple stories) you could hotlink the second story, or a module published from the second story, to the first story in your 'house module.pln' and elevate it as necessary.

If you want to hide it for floor plan representation or screen representation when moving things around, you make some floor-plan-hidden layer the control layer for that module.

After that you only need to insert a single module to your site plan, that looks great at ground floor level and has all the stories above that will show only in sections, elevations, 3D. You multiply, drag, rotate that module to create all the units just as you would with an object, but you get great looking drawing-suitable site plans and enlarged site plans, and any change you make to your home design will update pretty much automatically, much easier than if you had to create an object every time.

That way you get the best of both worlds
richgwilt wrote:
Is there a way of making a house a group because it's a nightmare moving a duplicate of the house
And I had missed that part. You definitely want modules and not groups --you don't want to have to redo everything the next time somebody makes a change to the design of the unit.
Djordje
Ace
Depends what you want to do.

Anyway, you should keep the model down in size if you want to keep it manageable. The best way to do it is with the objects, while you keep the house PLN separate, and pull the plans/sections/elevations from that one.

Alternatively, use modules.

The documentation problem will probably be the level of the each of the houses, the foundations and the connection of the unit with the ground.

So the best way would be modules, as they are easily editable and update nicely. Place a storey at a time if you want the stuff to behave and to show all the first floor (second, roof ...) plans at once.

Good luck ...

... your horrible all seeing Moderator
Djordje



ArchiCAD since 4.55 ... 1995
HP Omen