9/29/2014

ArchiCAD Template Update - Renovation Filter and Status

I have created an updated version of the CJMW ArchiCAD Template for starting new Projects.  The biggest change is that all of the pre-set Views in the View Map are set to Planned Status by default and the Renovation Status button is set to New Status (the red construction crane).  So whether you are starting a New Project that is all new construction or a renovation of an existing structure, the Template is the same and anything that we are designing as new should be classified that way and anything that already exists should be set to Existing Status.




Note that the 1st Floor Plan is set to Renovation Filter 05 Planned Status by default now.  Also notice that the Renovation Status Default for newly modeled elements is set to New (the red crane).

Previously, the Template was set so that the Views in the View Map were all set to Existing as a default, which meant that if you were working on a Renovation Project, you would need to go through the View Map and reset many of the Views to look at Planned Status and take care to set the Default Status for new elements appropriately whether you were modeling the existing conditions or the new elements for what you are currently designing.

One of the primary reasons for doing this is that it is consistent with logic.  If we are designing an all new Project for a client, why would we classify everything as Existing?  Secondly, when exporting IFC files, we don't want elements we are designing as New to be classified as Existing.

Attention to appropriate placement of modeled elements as either Existing, To Be Demolished, or New Status is still crucial.

To point your installation of ArchiCAD to the new version of the Template, when you are about to start a new Project in ArchiCAD 17, do this:

File > New:



You’ll be asked to select a Template.  Pick Browse Template from the bottom of the drop-down menu:



Navigate to V:\ArchiCAD\CJMW Project Templates and select Arch 17 Template CJMW 2.0.tpl:



To hopefully avoid confusion, I've moved the v16 Templates and the v17 1.0 Template into that folder z_old so that they are still available for reference if one needs them.

Once you've selected the v2.0 Template file, you can also select your preferred Work Environment here as well:



Then, once the new empty file opens, you’ll see that the 1st Floor Plan View opens and is already set to look at Planned Status and that the red crane for setting the next modeled Element to New Status is already highlighted, as pointed out in the image at the top of this post.

As always, there may be things I’ve overlooked, but you should find that any Elements that exist in Worksheets are already set to New Status, Schedules, Project Indexes and all other Views should already be set to Planned Status.  If you do find errors or if you have questions, please let me know.