QuickDisplay Plug-in for Graphisoft® ArchiCAD™ 9
SUMMARY: The free-of-charge QuickDisplay plug-in for ArchiCAD 9 is intended
to provide single key, or toolbar button, access to certain Display Options.
It
is available
for both
Mac and Windows. Users of ArchiCAD 10 and higher do not need this plug-in, as
the functionality is built right into ArchiCAD in those versions.
Why QuickDisplay?
Display Combinations provide an easy way to switch between different
sets of display options in ArchiCAD 9. But, often, you want to change
only a single display option, such as the hairline/true-weight toggle.
The only way to do that without QuickDisplay is to open the Display Options
dialog box, make the change, and click OK (3 to 4 clicks total). With
QuickDisplay, a single shortcut keystroke toggles the display option.
Or, if you prefer, you can make your own floating palette so that a single
mouse click performs the action.
This release of QuickDisplay provides eight functions, located
in the Display menu. Each command toggles (switches) one display setting:
- true weight or hairline
- showing section depths or not
- showing roof pivot lines or not
- showing fill handles or not
- showing text handles or not
- showing detail boundary polygons or not
- showing zone stamps or not
- showing markup content or not
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New to ArchiCAD 9?
This plug-in is very useful for speeding up your work, but it is
no substitute for the proper use of Display Options.
Display Options are an important part of Saved Views (which also include
layer, scale, zoom and other information). And Saved Views are what you
link into your Plotmaker layout books (or publish).
Saving a set of Display Options with a name (a Display Option Combination)
lets you use that named set of options easily in multiple views, and also
lets you quickly
switch
between
several
named sets (for example, floor plans, reflecting ceiling, drafting).
But, changing Display Option Combinations changes all Display
Options. What the QuickDisplay plug-in does is give you a fast way to
change a single option
while working. You'll see your Combination name become 'custom' after using
one of these commands. We strongly recommend that you not save any views
when either your layer combination or display combination reads "Custom":
save only named combinations for predictable drawing output. |
Download
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The QuickDisplay plug-in is free, but subject to the following terms:
By clicking one of the download links
to the right, you agree to hold Archispectives LLC harmless for any
problems that arise because of your use of this plug-in. For our part,
we guarantee that the plug-in
does not contain any code that observes or reports on any aspect of
your system (spyware), and that the plug-in does not examine or change
any geometric
elements in your project file. This plug-in only retrieves and changes
Display Option settings. If any other side-effects occur, they will
be due to the Graphisoft API code over which we have no control.
Permission is not granted to transfer the downloaded
files to anyone other than individuals within your own firm. Instead,
please refer any friends
and colleagues to this web page so that they may agree to these terms and
read the full installation and usage instructions. |
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Installation
Just copy the QuickDisplay plug-in file into your ArchiCAD 9 / Add-Ons folder
prior to starting ArchiCAD. (You can also add it to a running session by means
of the Add-on Manager.) Once you start ArchiCAD, you should see the following
sub- menu added at the end of the Display menu. (Since ArchiCAD 9 allows all
menus to be customized, your Display menu may not look like this one.)
You should never take the time to use these menus though – we want
speed after all! The thing is that only menu items may be assigned
keyboard shortcuts, or buttons
in a toolbar. Thus, this menu must exist even if you choose to hide it later.
Defining Shortcut Keys
To assign keystrokes to the commands, open the Work Environment dialog, go
to Keyboard Shortcuts, list "All commands by theme", as shown below, scroll
down to "Add-Ons" and expand that group (click the + sign if Windows, the triangle
if OS X):
Scroll down to the QuickDisplay menu commands
as shown, and assign your desired shortcut keys. Be sure to redefine your Shortcut
Scheme, when you are finished: otherwise these new key assignments will not
be permanent.
Creating a Custom Toolbar
You can also add these commands (with the icons shown) to any toolbar. To
create a new toolbar, select items as shown below, from left to right: Toolbars
(under Command Layout Schemes), then list "All commands by theme" as we did
above, click the "Toolbar Options" button and finally click "New Toolbar".
Next,
you'll get a dialog for naming your toolbar. Type anything you want.
I've entered QuickDisplay here: |
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OK! You have a new, blank toolbar!
Now,
similar to assigning the menu keyboard shortcuts above, expand the Add-Ons
group,
scroll down until you see QuickDisplay and expand it as shown at right.
Select the commands that you want on your toolbar (I suggest all except
for the About command), and click the "Add Selected" button.
(Optional) Finally,
redefine your scheme so that this toolbar is permanently part of one
of your work environment. |
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Now, to make your toolbar appear!
As
shown at right, click Toolbar Display under the Window menu
and then click on
the name of the toolbar you just created. This method works for both Mac
and Windows.
The toolbar may appear docked
or floating depending on your system.
Drag it to where you'd like it. |
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An
easier way of displaying and hiding toolbars on both XP and OS X:
...just right-mouse in your
toolbar area and you'll get a context menu that is
similar to the one at right.
(OS X one button mouse: ctrl-click)
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You can reshape any
toolbar in ArchiCAD!
The screen shots at right show the QuickDisplay toolbar after
it has been stretched to give a 2x4 grid of buttons.
Notice that mousing
over any button provides a helpful tooltip on either platform.
Note: This toolbar does not provide visual feedback as to the
current value of any of the display options; it only provides quick access
to the commands. |
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Usage
Each command is a toggle. For example, I have "H" mapped to the "Toggle
Line Weight Display" command. Pressing H repeatedly flips the display
between hairline and true weight. This is the only command that I use day in
and day out. I use the other commands only in bursts at certain stages of work,
and my personal preference is to use the floating button palette (toolbar)
during those times. Find what works for you! ;-)
Minor Details
The line weight options are only for true weight or hairline. The "Bold
Cut Lines" display option is not available to 3rd parties such as us at
this time and must be selected from the Display Options dialog.
The text handle toggle flips between text and text-with-handles. The two 'greek'
options are ignored.
Support and Updates
This plug-in is feature-frozen as it is only for ArchiCAD version 9.
Karl Ottenstein
Archispectives LLC
Copyright © 2004-2006 Archispectives LLC.
