Calculation

The Calculation function - ARCHICAD’s integrated database of construction elements - can be used to display, in list format, the number, quantities and components of elements in a project and the elements’ spatial disposition (zones).

Note: The Calculation functionality is considered legacy, and is unlikely to support new developments in ARCHICAD – for example the Stair and Railing Tools (starting with version 21) are not supported. To list these elements, use the Interactive Schedule.

The report-generation process described in this section is a simple output function; use predefined list templates to generate simple lists. Use the options in the Calculation Units and Rules dialog box to set calculation preferences.

See Calculation Units and Rules Preferences.

Advanced users may wish to use customized formatting and define customized filtering properties.

The entire process is described in detail in the “Calculation Guide.pdf”, also available from the ARCHICAD Help menu.

Note on the Interactive Schedule Feature

Most users will prefer ARCHICAD’s Interactive Schedule. Interactive Schedules are part of the Project Map, and the schedules produced can be saved as views and output on layouts. As its name indicates, an Interactive Schedule is a two-way editable item which is linked to the project elements that it contains.

See Interactive Schedule.

Topics in this section:

Calculation Setup

List Types

Displaying Lists

Element Information

ID Management

Related Topics:

Interactive Schedule

Project Indexes

Calculation Setup

Some of the commands referenced in this section are not visible in ARCHICAD’s default work environment profiles. If you plan to configure lists (recommended for advanced users only), first use Options > Work Environment > Menus to add the following commands to an existing menu (i.e. Document > Listing Extras):

Set up List Schemes (this dialog box can be reserved in a Teamwork project)

Note: List Schemes will function in Teamwork projects only if you save them to the project’s Embedded Library.

Edit Database (this dialog box can be reserved in a Teamwork project)

New Properties

Edit Properties

Last Selection’s Properties

Link Properties to Criteria (this dialog box can be reserved in a Teamwork project)

List Types

ARCHICAD can generate three types of calculation reports: Element Lists, Component Lists and Zone Lists.

Element Lists are best used when creating schedules and inventories, and to display the parameters of construction elements in a project. To generate Element Lists, ARCHICAD filters the project or the selection set for construction elements according to the configuration of the selected List Scheme. Elements matching the filter settings will be listed together with element Parameters, Components and Descriptors, if so defined in the List Scheme.

ElementList.PNG 

Component Lists are generated when bills of materials, quantity takeoffs or price lists are required. These reports typically sum up and display component type properties; however, certain element parameters can also be listed.

CompList.png 

Zone Lists are generally used to create room schedules and finish schedules. Zone Lists can include parameters of Zones and related construction elements. When related construction items are listed, the report is in fact an Element List where the range of calculated elements is limited by the Zones they belong to.

Depending on what you want to appear listed in your list, you may choose the type of List you need to use. Some common examples are:

You want construction elements listed with basic data and parameters about them listed

Element List

You want parameters specific to construction elements (such as: Door Sill Height, Number of holes in Slab) listed

Element List

You want to create Door/Window schedules

Element List

You want quantities of components associated with construction elements listed

Component List

You want descriptors associated with construction elements listed

Component List

You want to create room schedules

Zone List

You want Zones or detailed Zone parameters (such as: Zone Extracted Area, Zone Area Reduction) to be listed

Zone List

You want main Zone parameters (such as: Zone Name, Zone Number) listed for Zones where listed construction element is located

Element List

Displaying Lists

The range of elements that will be used in calculation depends on the current selection made on the Floor Plan.

If there is no selection made, all elements will be used and filtered by the listing command’s List Scheme by type or other criteria;

If there is a selection made, only selected elements will be used.

For more specific element ranges, use the Setup List Schemes command and define filters.

The entire process is described in detail in the “Calculation Guide.pdf”, also available from the ARCHICAD Help menu.