Wishes
Post your wishes about Graphisoft products: Archicad, BIMx, BIMcloud, and DDScad.

Ability to use math in tracker

Odd Goderstad
Booster
It would be nice if it was possible to use simple mathematics in tracker
Example distance/2 if i wanted half distance.. etc.
🙂 Odd Goderstad
GS Norge
Oslo, Norway
Always the latest version ArchiCAD mostly on Windows
twitter: @OddGoderstad
8 REPLIES 8
Chazz
Enthusiast
I remember that this was requested at least 10 years ago, so I would not hold your breath. Some other applications have this feature (a page layout app, I think, but I can't recall which one). It's one of those little things that can make using a tool feel very powerful and nice.
Nattering nabob of negativism
2023 MBP M2 Max 32GM. MaxOS-Current
Karl Ottenstein
Moderator
You have always been able to add and subtract in any coordinate box and in the Tracker, but division and multiplication is not possible AFAICT.

Addition and subtraction uses HP-style calculator "reverse polish" - that is, the + or - is entered after the number.

With the Tracker, you need to enter an extra letter or two.

For example, suppose you want a wall that is 2000 + 1500 mm long.
You would start the wall and then enter R2000R1500+

That's a bit lame, since you can do it in your head, but easy to try.

More typical would be that you want a new wall to extend past a known point by 1000 mm (e.g.). Start drawing the wall, press the shift key until you align the wall length with the known point by snapping the mouse cursor to the point and while still at that position, press "R" and then enter 1000+ in the Tracker (if visible - or the coordinate box if no Tracker but Coord box on). The math is completed with the "+". Pressing the Enter/Return key completes the wall.

Cheers,
Karl

PS This reverse polish addition/subtraction works in most places. For example, with the Info palette open and the Wall Tool selected, if you enter (using upper case just to make it visible here - either is OK):
T50+
then you add 50 mm to the top of the wall, making it 50 mm higher.
B50-
would extend the base of the wall 50 mm lower

Etc.

(US Imperial unit users have to use an extra "-" for subtraction to clarify that it is subtraction and not a foot-inch separator. So, to subtract a foot from the top of a wall, you would enter:
T1--
but to subtract 1'-1" from the top you would enter
T1-1-
where the first dash is the foot/inch separator and the last one is the subtract operator.)
One of the forum moderators
AC 27 USA and earlier   •   macOS Ventura 13.6.6, MacBook Pro M2 Max 12CPU/30GPU cores, 32GB
Anonymous
Not applicable
If you want to snap to a third or fifth of a distance try this method:
-Set the special snap values to the division you want.
-Place a manual guideline (shift + `)
-Snap to your division.
Odd Goderstad
Booster
A little more work than just typing /2(Enter) me think...
🙂 Odd Goderstad
GS Norge
Oslo, Norway
Always the latest version ArchiCAD mostly on Windows
twitter: @OddGoderstad
Anonymous
Not applicable
Indeed a feature we miss from our former Cad-app. Must be very simple to add for Graphisoft (about 5 lines of code I guess). + and - work fine, please add / and *. It's a little ridiculous you need a separate calculator for that.
Anonymous
Not applicable
That would be a nice feature to have in Archicad. I guess one could only hope for some improvements for Archicad 15
Anonymous
Not applicable
this would indeed be very handy. i cant imagine it would take a lot of effort to implement something as simple as this. hopefully the developers feel the same way. I hate having to switch to a different program for something as simple as this.

good request!
jorgebeneitez
Booster
Awesome request! maybe simplifying a bit this "reverse polish" to the regular a+b thing!
Jorge Benéitez

M.arch | Registered Architect | ARB
BIM Implementation | Graphisoft Registered Consultant.