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Tutorial: lay out a building grid

Also the S3c acceptance checklist.

Build: the BimStruc-windows-x64.zip artifact of the latest build-installers run on main. Tick each line; anything that does not behave as written becomes an issue.

Laying out a building grid from drawings

  • [ ] Geometry › Grid Editor: under Base Grids, New → a child grid; type the X lines as spacings ("4@7.5") and the Y lines ("6, 6, 9"); Apply. Bubbles with A–E and 1–4 appear at both ends of every line.
  • [ ] New again with that grid current → a nested child (the core): set its origin and a rotation; give it a colour and Append X "'" so its labels read A', B'. Base Grids current shows both, the core alone shows one.
  • [ ] Extension 2 m lengthens the lines beyond the outer ones; Bubble size 1 doubles the bubbles; Dimensions (Geometry › Grids) writes the spacings along the outer lines; Swap labels puts numbers on X.
  • [ ] Display grid off on the core: it disappears from the union and from snapping; on again it returns.
  • [ ] Levels: Base 0, L1 4, Roof 8. The plane selector moves the grid to each level.

Building from the grid

  • [ ] Member tool with Base Grids current: columns from Base to L1 on the grid points only, beams at L1 by clicking grid points. Joint tool + a dragged box at Roof: a joint at every grid point inside.
  • [ ] Extend Grid Scope on: a beam drawn from a grid point to where grid line C crosses an existing beam ends on that beam (a joint appears on it). Off: the crossing is not offered.
  • [ ] Auto Generate Grid Set on an empty child grid at L1 reproduces the lines through the beams' joints.

Moving the grid

  • [ ] Lock joints to grids on the main grid. Grid Definitions tool: drag line C by ~1 m; the columns and beams on C move with it; one Undo puts everything back. Shift-drag line B: B and every line beyond it move. Ctrl-drag line 2: a copy "5" appears. Ctrl-click that copy: it is deleted.
  • [ ] Lock grids on: drags are refused with a message; off again they work. The X/Y increments (Databar) round the moves.

Files

  • [ ] Save As… the grid definitions; File › New; Open… them again in the new structure.
  • [ ] Save the structure, restart, reopen: the grid tree, options and colours are back.