BasicWindowPanel Macro

1. General Description

A window can use this macro to draw its panels in 2D or 3D in ArchiCAD. The panels can be fixed as well as non-fixed. The images in the following table represent a 4-panel (3 top+1 bottom arrangement) straight window in different kind of walls shown in 2D floor plan and in axonometric 3D views.

2. Parameters

This macro has similar input parameters as a normal ArchiCAD window:

Name	Type	Description	Mode used in
A	Width	Width of window panel.	2D / 3D
gs_widthTotal	Length	Total width of opening.	2D / 3D
B	Height	Height of window panel.	3D only
WOD	Length	Distance of the wall-origin from the chord of the panel.	2D / 3D
gs_IsCurved	Boolean	Does the panel follow the curvature of the wall?	2D only (yet!)
gs_bWallOnLeft	Boolean	Is there a wall on the left side of the panel?	2D / 3D
gs_bWallOnRight	Boolean	Is there is a wall on the right side of the panel?	2D / 3D
---	---	Frame and Sash Definition
gs_bFrameLeft	Boolean	Should draw a frame on the left side of the panel?	2D / 3D
gs_bFrameRight	Boolean	Should draw a frame on the right side of the panel?	2D / 3D
gs_bFrameTop	Boolean	Should draw a frame on the top side of the panel?	3D only
gs_iPanelType	Integer	Type of the panel (0 - fix, 1 - casement, 2 - edwardian/double hung)	2D / 3D
gs_frame_thk	Length	Frame thickness of the panel.	2D / 3D
gs_frame_width	Length	Frame width of the panel.	2D / 3D
gs_sash_thk	Length	Sash frame thickness of the panel.	2D / 3D
gs_sash_width	Length	Sash frame width of the panel.	2D / 3D
gs_angleOpen	Angle	Sash opening angle.	3D only
gs_glass_thk	Length	Glass thickness.	3D only
bOpeningDirection	Boolean	Opening Direction 0 Inside 1 Outside	2D / 3D
gs_2D_representation	Title	2D Representation
lod2D	Integer	Level of detail in 2D (0..4)	2D only
gs_pen_2D	Pencolor	Panel pen.	2D only
gs_frame_pen_cont	Pencolor	Pen of the frame contour.	2D / 3D (Section View)
gs_fillFr	Fillpattern	Frame fill pattern type	2D / 3D (Section View)
gs_penFr_fg	Pencolor	Frame fill foreground pen	2D / 3D (Section View)
gs_penFr_bg	Pencolor	Frame fill background pen	2D / 3D (Section View)
gs_fillSh	Fillpattern	Sash fill pattern type	2D / 3D (Section View)
gs_penSh_fg	Pencolor	Sash fill foreground pen	2D / 3D (Section View)
gs_penSh_bg	Pencolor	Sash fill background pen	2D / 3D (Section View)
gs_fillShCover	Fillpattern	Sash fill pattern type for bottom side	2D
gs_penShCov_fg	Pencolor	Sash fill foreground pen for bottom side	2D
gs_penShCov_bg	Pencolor	Sash fill background pen for bottom side	2D
gs_3D_representation	Title	3D Representation
lod3D	Integer	Level of detail in 3D (0..2)	3D only
edgeMask	Integer	12 bit mask of visible edges.	3D only
gs_frame_pen	Pencolor	Frame pen.	3D only
gs_sash_pen	Pencolor	Sash pen.	3D only
gs_glass_pen	Pencolor	Glass pen.	3D only
gs_window_material	Title	Materials
gs_frame_mat	Material	Frame material.	3D only
gs_sash_mat	Material	Sash material.	3D only
gs_glass_mat	Material	Glass material.	3D only
ac_details	Title	AC Details
ac_left_oversize	Length	Left opening oversize (width of Trim).	2D / 3D
ac_right_oversize	Length	Right opening oversize (width of Trim).	2D / 3D
ac_upper_oversize	Length	Upper opening oversize (width of Trim).	3D
ac_lower_oversize	Length	Lower opening oversize (width of Trim or Sill).	3D
gs_window_stack	Title	Windows can be combined to form a large glazed units. In this case the following parameters allows the user to turn off generating Trim, Sill and Board elements on the related sides.	-
gs_stack_left	Boolean	Connection on the Left	2D / 3D
gs_stack_right	Boolean	Connection on the Right	2D / 3D

Thickness and width values

To clear the meanings of the thickness and width parameters used in ArchiCAD windows, see the following picture:

Abbreviation	Corresponding parameter
T	gs_frame_thk
W	gs_frame_width
ST	gs_sash_thk

3. Usage

Parameters sent to the WallLogic macro

The gs_widthTotal value is is usually the A value of the caller window. It is used by the WallLogic macro to calculate the side angle of the radial wall-cut which is required to achieve correct frame-wall angle for straight windows in curved walls (if either gs_bWallOnLeft or gs_bWallOnRight value is nonzero).

The caller must transform the local coordinate system to the center of the chord of the panel (CE line). Hence, the macro assumes the current local origin is at point D , and the (x', y') axes are already transformed to (x, y). The following example represents a 2-panel curved window in a curved wall, bisecting the wall opening:

The implementation of the desired transformation can be read at the WallLogic macro, too. Drawing the left panel of this sample window in 2D is done this way:

WOD = abs(WIDO_ORIG_DIST) call "WallLogic" PARAMETERS gs_macro_version = 10, EPS = 0.0001, A = SYMB_A_SIZE, ! this is the total width of the sample window WOD = WOD, RETURNED_PARAMETERS mirrorX, ! WOD is the OA distance mirrorY, curvedWall, wallIsLeft, angOrig, iRadius, ofsX, ofsY mul2 mirrorX, mirrorY ! (x', y') => (x, y) if curvedWall then ! the OD distance dOD = WOD / cos (angOrig) * cos(angOrig / 2) ! the chord of the panel dCE = 2 * WOD / cos (angOrig) * sin (angOrig / 2) add2 ofsX, ofsY ! move to 'B' rot2 angOrig add2 0, -iRadius ! move to 'O' rot2 -angOrig / 2 add2 0, dOD ! move to 'D' else dOD = WOD ! the OD distance dCE = A / 2 ! the chord-length of the panel add2 -A / 4 endif call "Window Macro" PARAMETERS A = dCE, gs_widthTotal = A, ! pass the total width WOD = dOD, gs_IsCurved = 1, ! draw a curved panel if possible gs_bWallOnLeft = 1, ! frame fits to the left wall side gs_bWallOnRight = 0, ! right side touches an other panel gs_bFrameLeft = 1, gs_bFrameRight = 0, gs_bFixedSash = 1, ! only fixed panels can be curved gs_frame_thk = gs_frame_thk, gs_frame_width = gs_frame_width, gs_fillFr = gs_fillFr, gs_penFr_fg = gs_penFr_fg, gs_penFr_bg = gs_penFr_bg, gs_sash_thk = gs_sash_thk, gs_sash_width = gs_sash_width, lod2D = lod2D, gs_pen_2D = gs_pen_2D del top

Hotspots

The macro places hotspots only at the frame corners of each panel it is called on:

Frame toggle

The gs_bFrameLeft, gs_bFrameRight and gs_bFrameTop parameters controll the existence of the left, right and top frames, respectively. By the way, the sash frame will never dissapear in case of non-fixed sashes. Note, that the following example panels will always fit the A x B sized rectangular opening, irrespectively of their omitted frames:

Level of detail in 2D

The lod2D value controlls the panel's level of detail in 2D drawings. If it is zero, no panel will be drawn at all. The following figure shows the available values (and the suggested scales of usage):

lod2D	Scale	Panel with fixed sash	Panel with non-fixed sash
1	> 1:100
2	1:100 - 1:51 (type_A)
3	1:100 - 1:51 (type_B)
4	< 1:50

The width of the visible frames are different in lower details depending on the gs_bFixedSash value: it is "gs_frame_width" for fixed panels and "gs_frame_width / 2 + gs_sash_width" for non-fixed ones.

Note, that the frame fill appears only at the highest level of detail.

Level of detail in 3D

The lod3D value controls the panel's level of detail in 3D views. If it is zero, no panel will be drawn at all. There are only two detail levels (1 or 2):

1 (Simple)	2 (Detailed)

Note, that fixed panels always use the simple manner in 3D.

Mask of edges

The edgeMask value controls the visibility of the frame edges of the panel in 3D views. This is a 12 bit length integer, each bit controls one part of the frame perimeter. This figure shows a one-panel window without its sash for easier intelligibility:

The numbers are the bit positions in edgeMask. For example: if there are two neighboring panel that are adjacent horizontally, then the left one has to clear the edgeMask at position 6, 7 and 8, while the right one should have 0., 1. and 2. bits cleared. If you call the macro this way, then the result won't have any exasperating lines between the frames in 3D views.

4. Remarks

The A and WOD input values are immediately passed to the WallLogic macro (now it is called on panels as virtual windows).

It returns the required information to draw the panel and place the hotspots:

call "WallLogic" parameters EPS = EPS, A = A, WOD = WOD

Curved panels

There is no use placing a curved panel in a straight wall. Now only the 2D representation can be drawn for curved panels: that is only straight panels will be drawn in 3D at the moment.

Note, that only fixed panels can be curved (according to the assumption based on real windows).