custom windows & doors - no parametric options available!
I just tried SHAPE and I am missing the following, in order to consider Shape a serious software, and not just a toy to play in 3D:
1) all standard windows & door do not display their parameters:
- their positioning in the wall section (how far from the one side and the other)
- the dimensions of their profiles (thickness of frame, of glass, etc.)
2) when producing a custom win/door, there is no possibility to set the above mentioned parameters. Instead, Shape uses the SAME unknown parameters from the STANDARD components (win/doors).
3) there is NO documentation available for SHAPE, as for how to seriously setup such customised parameters.
I hope some community member could explain how to solve this in a simple manner (as simple as Shape claims to be!)
Is there perhaps any way to control, detail and CHANGE these missing parameters when importing a SHAPE 3dmodel into "Bricscad BIM"?
Otherwise, all this seems simply like a joke! I now understand why Shape is free.
No documentation (except videos and their transcripts), no possibility to easily change the parameters, and being locked into them (as you cannot specify different ones).
In fact, the creation of "custom" win/doors is just a play with their shape, not with their technical details.
No serious architect or engineer would use this Shape to really plan a building, at least not in the way it is described in the videos.
By starting to do something else (like defining custom components, building them from scratch, etc.), the SHAPE software becomes useless, as its point (the claimed "simplicity") turns out to be not of any use, when needing custom elements. If you use any other software (like Archicad, Revit, Nemetschek or cheaper ones like ArCADia, etc.) you can always set the parameters of a window, in an extremely simple and fast way. Not by starting a 3d-modelling task (in order to create some general custom object from scratch), but just by indicating some dimensions of that window.
By the way:
i measured the frame of the standard windows components: it is 5cm wide. I ask where did Bricsys find european windows with 5cm thickness of the frame? Perhaps in Holland, where there is mild weather and no cold winters? Any usual isolating window from the EU is about 8cm thick. So why not start with usual dimensions, if shape wants to keep "simple"?
Some windows are positioned 7cm away from the exterior facade plane, others 9cm. You cannot know it in advance, except you use them and measure each of them.
If you start to move the window in the opening of the wall (to change its distance to the facade plane), it starts to behave erratically (the wall gap disappears, or is partially closed, etc.
Comments
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Yes, Shape is a Sketch Tool and is free.
For detailing you need full Bricscad BIM.
The intention is to sketch in Shape and be able to open the file
directly in Briscad BIM to go on BIM tagging, detailing and
generate plans.
I also miss the Property Palette for various reasons in Shape.
That is where you would change Windows depth in the Wall
and some other parameters. Or build any kind of custom
parametric Window (if you can).There isn't much documentation as it is thought to be easy
and self explanatory (?)
https://help.bricsys.com/hc/en-us/articles/360006627453-Welcome-to-BricsCAD-ShapeBut all Tools in Shape are also available in the Bricscad Help System.
https://help.bricsys.com/hc/en-us/articles/360006523994-Starting-a-Project-0 -
Horia,
If you look at Shape(free) as being a replacement of Revit (±3.000/year) or even ArCADia (±500 Euro /year) then no wonder you're disappointed.
However, I'm not sure why you would think Shape is anything other then a rough modeler.Professionals use Shape to make a rough 3D, a quick outline. Something to see if the concept is acceptable. It can then be loaded in Bricscad and used to start making actual 3d/2d models and details.
For instance an architect can make up a mock-up 3d model really quickly without considering any of the actual technical design details or considering tolerances, shrinkage - expansion, stress, load bearing........ and without needing to learn a program in debt.
You might as well complain that SketchUp doesn't have the toolset of a Catia.
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Thank you, @Michael Mayer , for your so kind answer and recommendations for reading!
@Peter_DV: yes, I understand the idea of being a rough modeler. I also like very much the fact that it offers all basic commands that one knows from all Autocad clones (so, the "international set of shortcuts for CAD drawing"
).However, if it offers you windows and doors, then why not give you the freedom to set them once and forever in the way you prefer them? (by allowing you to creat REAL custom windows, and not that kind of surrogate).
I mean, Sketchup does not offer these things, you have to import them from somewhere (or with a plugin), so I would not come to the idea of complaining about it.
But, for Shape: I watched a video showing that:
1) you start by modeling everything in Shape
2) you import it in BIM and add details.So that video left me with the impression that Shape is intended to be a kind of "Archicad light" (or Allplan light). Why would I set up windows, which I then have to correct, because they are not quite the right ones?
Ok, it's fine to have SOME kind of windows there, but why something approximative?
It feels a bit like arCADia, that also offers you "theoretically" a lot of window details, but when you draw them, it's NOTHING there, just two lines
If you see such a bunch of window and door versions (in Shape), you automatically think "cool, they are cleverly setup and I may configure them further". But then you are disappointed, as it's some very simple 3d-solids, with no detailing. And if I could make myself the ones I prefer, I would not complain.Thanks again for both of your replies!
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It is hard to decide where to stop with the free Shape.
Some asked for Dimensions or other things.
At one point it would make paid Bricscad obsolete.But I think Shape's feature set is constantly validated by Bricsys
and may change here and there in the future.
So it is no problem to send a Feature Request about your wishes.
Maybe there is something they will agree to add.Asking for same or real world Dimensions for Window Frames
and Depth in Wall for Insertion Components Defaults may likely
not be such an issue.
(Also I would prefer the prettier slim 5 cm Frames)1 separate Support or Feature Request for each wish at best,
official Requests are mandatory bureaucracy that someone
is allowed to look at and care of. Forum is meant more for
Users helping Users.0 -
@Peter_DV said:
and without needing to learn a program in debt.Avoiding debt is one of the main reasons to use the lower-cost Bricssys software.
... Sorry, I couldn't resist. :')
-Joe
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