Standards
Where Do The Keyboard Shortcuts Live?
Standards

In AC9, the keyboard shortcuts are part of the Work Environment. They are stored at 3 Resources : Work Environment : RND Profile.

Keyboard shortcuts are customized at Options | Customize | Keyboard Shortcuts, Tools tab. The settings are saved in a preferences file called ArchiCAD 8.1 Lasting.Prefs. The local version of this file is located at home : Library : Preferences : Graphisoft : ArchiCAD 8.1.0 vn, where n is the current version.

Ours are fairly highly customized, and it's a burden for everyone to change them by hand. To save you the hassle, we keep a copy of the preferences on the server. (Quit ArchiCAD before doing this, or no worky.) Simply copy the file from 3 Resources : ArchiCAD Program Files : Good ArchiCAD Prefs X : Graphisoft : ArchiCAD 8.1.0 v1 : ArchiCAD 8.1 Lasting.Prefs, and write over your local prefs.

Oops, it's not that simple. It used to be. For some reason, in AC8.1, a permissions issue has developed with ArchiCAD 8.1 Lasting.Prefs, making it hard to copy. (The other prefs are OK.) Here is the workaround:

Duplicate the file in place. (Drag and drop it in the same window while holding down option.) You get "ArchiCAD 8.1 Lasting.Prefs copy". Drag this file to your local prefs folder. Delete the old one. Rename "ArchiCAD 8.1 Lasting.Prefs copy" to "ArchiCAD 8.1 Lasting.Prefs."

Launch ArchiCAD, and all should be well.

by James | Dec 30, 2003 03:41 PM | Printy | Compact
Tips
Auto-Orientation For Dimensions
Tips

You have clicked some points for your dimension string. You have not checked the geometry method for the correct orientation, horizontal or vertical. Well over half the time, due to Murphy's Law, the wrong one is selected. You click to place the string, and get nothing. You have to start over. You are sad.

If you are dimensioning walls, you should be clicking on the line of the wall, rather than the corner, in order to dimension the core. (This isn't the tip; it is current standard practice. I hope someone is praying for you if you aren't dimensioning this way.) Choose the third, arbitrary angle, geometry method. With this setting, the string is forced to orient perpendicular to the wall, regardless of the wall's direction.

by James | Dec 30, 2003 02:34 PM | Comments (0) | Printy | Compact
Tips
Unify Dimension Strings
Tips

For two strings with the same orientation, select one, then Cmd+click on the other. The second string will disappear, and its points will be added to the selected string.

by James | Dec 30, 2003 02:16 PM | Comments (0) | Printy | Compact