CIGRAPH ArchiRuler 2

ArchiCAD plug-in tool for two-dimensional drawings

Description

ArchiRuler is a highly useful 2D drawing application that allows quick and easy management of the two-dimensional tools needed to create design details and working drawings for the building site. It satisfies the requirement often faced by designers of completing and refining their 3D models with technical and descriptive elements. 
 
Work method
ArchiRuler adds two extra palettes to the ArchiCAD working environment. These contain 2D tools that are not provided by ArchiCAD and a set of snaps located at geometrically significant points.
ArchiRuler's main tool palette is dynamic; in other words, the command displayed in the second column change depending on the tool selected in the first column. 

ArchiRuler's main tool palette is dynamic;
in other words, the commands displayed in the second column change depending on the tool selected in the first column.
The first four tools: lines, guidelines, polylines and arcs/circles, form the basis of 2D drawings.
ArchiRuler provides various methods for drawing these elements, all of which are easy to use and can interact with 2D ArchiCAD primitives.
In fact, the distinguishing characteristic of this plug-in is its close link with ArchiCAD.
For example, when you import complex DWG files into ArchiCAD, you can use the Simplify Polyline tool to reduce the number of nodes of the lines and polylines. Or, using the Transform into Polyline tool, you can transform groups of consecutive 2D elements into a single element.

The second part of the ArchiRuler Palette contains the tools needed for managing the 2D elements you create.

Using the Measurements tool, you can obtain information on the distance or angle of the elements on the Floor Plan, while, with the settings window, you can change the element sizes numerically.
Another useful tool is the Delete Area tool, which, based on an area you define using ArchiCAD's Marquee tool, allows you to cancel or cut elements according to various settings:
- cancel only the elements that are either completely inside or outside the area;
- cancel only the elements that intersect the area or cut and cancel everything inside or outside the area;
- cut and divide the elements inside the area and move them to another part of the drawing.
ArchiRuler's true strong point, however, lies in its Tools section, which gives the user access to powerful commands, such as:

- The Alignment tool, which provides various methods for aligning elements on the Floor Plan.
- The Distribution tool, which provides additional functionality with respect to ArchiCAD's Multiply command.
- The Asymmetrical Scaling command, which lets you resize a selection with different scaling factors for the X and Y axes.
- The Insulation tool, which allows you to insert and control a fill pattern that runs along two or more parallel segments.
- The Fill for Composite Walls tool, which lets you stack a 2D object on top of one or more composite walls in order to enhance the graphic quality of the fill pattern.
 
Detail 
- The Text on Polyline tool, which allows you to create text and position it along a polyline's path.
- The Fill Maximum Area tool, with which you can create a fill based on the largest possible bounding box surrounding a closed geometric shape on the Floor Plan.
- The Fill with Color/Material tool, which allows you to transform an image or add bicolor shading to geometric shapes defined on the Floor Plan.
- The Zigzag tool, which allows you to cut the elements you select by positioning a 2D object on the Floor Plan.