Modify Element Sizes

Different element types have different characteristic dimensions: length, width, height, thickness, opening angle, etc. Some of these are easiest to modify numerically, by selecting the given element, opening its settings dialog box and adjusting the relevant values.

Some dimensions, however, cannot be modified numerically (for example, the length of linear elements or edges), while some others need to be fitted exactly to other elements (walls to roofs, for example) which may make numeric adjustment a tedious calculation task. You may also need to change the overall dimensions of several elements at the same time while keeping their relative proportions.

In such cases, ARCHICAD allows you to modify element sizes using splitting, stretching and trimming operations.

Most of the operations can be performed in three ways:

Edit menu command

Keyboard Shortcuts

Commands from Pet Palettes

In some cases, only the pet palette is available.

Some general considerations:

You cannot stretch Hotspots, Cameras or Detail Markers.

Some GDL Object type elements are programmed to allow only specific sizes, or include smart editing hotspots to edit their shape graphically.

Stretch is available for most types of selected elements in both the Floor Plan and the 3D Window. Only drawing elements can be stretched in the Section/Elevation/IE, 3D Document and Detail/Worksheet windows.

The Stretch command cannot be used on polygonal elements, but you can stretch their edges or displace any of their nodes graphically.

Stretching Walls

Modifying Slanted Walls and Columns

Modifying Beams

Trimming Elements to Intersection Point(s)

Reshaping Polygons and Chained Elements

Stretching with the Marquee Tool

Stretch Height

Resize (Enlarge or Reduce) Elements

Offset All Edges

Splitting Elements

Adjusting Elements

Adjust Elements to Slabs

Intersect Two Elements

Create a Fillet or Chamfer

Adding Element Nodes

Move Nodes

Curve/Straighten Element Edge