ArchiCAD Basic Training – Module 2
2-4. Placing Columns, How to Drag and Multiply Elements

ArchiCAD Training –  (Quick Start Course – 2-4)

This 13 minute video lesson starts by showing how to choose the anchor point for a column in order to place it on the plan in the desired location.

Then a variety of methods are explored for dragging the element using the Edit menu, the right-click menu, keyboard shortcut, and a mouse gesture with the arrow tool. Variations are discussed including Drag a Copy (using menu command, or by pressing and releasing a modifier key – Option for Mac, Control for PC) and Drag Multiple Copies (pressing and releasing the combined modifier keys Command-Option for Mac or Control-ALT for PC).

Finally, many variations of the Multiply command (Edit or right-click menu > Move > Multiply; or Command-U or Control-U) are studied – Increment, Distribute, Distribute – 1, and Spread, as well as Matrix (two-stroke) options.

Thank you for visiting the Best Practices Course website. The video lessons are available for members only. If you are an active member and would like to watch the ArchiCAD training video on this page, please login to the website. If you are not currently a member, please visit the following pages for more information and to sign up for the Best Practices Course, the QuickStart Course or for the Best Practices ArchiCAD Coaching Program. Eric Bobrow, Creator of the Best Practices Course

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ArchiCAD Training:  Placing Columns, How to Drag and Multiply Elements

Let us know how you feel... (14 comments so far)

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  1. Derry shinkwin
    12 years ago

    Hi Eric
    1.On your floor plan you have numbers for your doors and windows do i need them
    on mine at this stage if so how

    2. When i go from floor plan to 3D it goes to a distant black spec i have tried window fit no good
    then i tried (INCREASE ZOOM) i got it back but it took a bit of time Ideas?
    you might get this twice due to sending error first time.

    Derry


    • Eric Bobrow
      12 years ago

      Derry –

      1. The ID numbers shown are not necessary at this stage. They will typically be added and shown in construction drawings when a door and window schedule is prepared, to help coordinate these tabular lists with corresponding elements on the floor plans.

      2. It sounds like somehow you’ve got an element very far away from the origin or from all the other elements. When you do Fit in Window ArchiCAD zooms out to show everything it can, and apparently you have something way off in space. Usually this will correspond to something that is far away on the floor plan, so do a Fit in Window on the plan and see if there is something way out there – if so, then delete it, Fit in Window again, and see if that fixes the problem.

      Eric


      • Derry Shinkwin
        12 years ago

        Hi Eric
        I done what you said Fit in Window and found a tiny spec in the abyss deleted it then i did
        Fit in Window sorted Thanks

        Derry


        • Eric Bobrow
          12 years ago

          Derry –
          I’m glad you were able to get it all sorted out.
          Thanks for letting me know.
          Eric


  2. MaureenBoh
    12 years ago

    Hi Eric, I’ve completed 7 videos today. Love them – they’re great and I look forward to the next one. If only I had started at the beginning of last semister at college instead of the forthcoming trisemister. Thanks a million!


  3. DavidParsons
    12 years ago

    Thanks Eric,

    The pieces of the jigsaw are now starting to fit together !


  4. AmmarRija
    12 years ago

    Really very nice lesson

  5. Avatar photo
    MariyaLilith
    13 years ago

    Hello,

    I knew there was a way to place columns with a grid, but not how. Thanks for explaining this.

    Mariya


  6. RajagopalaHathwar
    13 years ago

    Thank you, asking you sorry for questions which I asked in early stages of course.
    RAJAGOPALA


  7. RajagopalaHathwar
    13 years ago

    Placing,dragging columns are very nicely explained in the video course. But I found problem in applying materials to column,there is only one option for all sides. Please give direction how to apply color or texture for each face separately?
    Otherwise final display of model to customers very difficult.
    RAJAGOPALA HATHWAR


    • Eric
      13 years ago

      Rajagopala –

      Please understand that the QuickStart Lessons are a beginning course, so it cannot explain (in a short amount of time) all the concepts necessary to complete a model for presentation to customers.

      In the Best Practices Course, questions like this are explored in depth (although to be frank, we haven’t gotten to this point in my lesson development at this date; I’m aiming to complete the lessons by November). In addition to the actual lessons in the Best Practices Course, topics like this often are asked in the Coaching Calls, as I demonstrate methods for how to apply ArchiCAD in the real world of practice.

      All that being said, I will give you a short answer here to help you move forward with your work. It is important to understand that basic tools in ArchiCAD may be combined to create the complete model. For example, one might make the column itself a little thinner, and add a cladding using thin walls, each with their own setting for materials.

      There are other options that may be used as well that get into more advanced usage of Solid Element Operations with an Addition rather than Subtraction operation; or alternatively, creating the “column” with a different element such as a very thick slab (which in recent versions of ArchiCAD may have an individual material applied to each edge).

      Eric


  8. TheresaHatton
    13 years ago

    Hi Eric,

    Thank you for the quick start course. Thats been a big help, has joined many dots.
    It is all starting to make sense now.


  9. MattRichman
    13 years ago

    the key stroke for multiplying is a great tip. I never used that command
    – thanks Eric, thats going to save time


    • Eric
      13 years ago

      Matt –
      Glad to see you’re willing to go back over the basics to fill in some of the gaps!
      Eric