w out of the functional and aesthetic requirements of a project. Yet ArchiCAD constrains one to work in plan from the start; from this the other views are created. This is great for documentation but very constraining for the design process.AutoCAD bypasses this problem better by showing a simultaneous plan, multiple elevations and sections, and of most importance, make the editing tools available in all views. For example, a parapet wall can be created by shaping the wall in an elevational view, where as in ArchiCAD, one can either create it as a shaped library object to be inserted where required or construct a false roof of the right height and pitch to which the wall can be trimmed. This demonstrates that AutoCAD is easier to use in this aspect. The current sections and elevations in AutoCAD are only usable to trace over because they are missing a proper layer structure and the possibility to be edited while still linked to the model. For instance, one should be able to add the windowsills on the elevations, even if they do not appear in the three-dimensional mode. Or one should be able to compositionally crosshatch an elevation and have the hatch adjusted if the model is changed. One should also be able to add things such as dimensions and annotations without having to add them in paper space, have them displayed in the plan view, or incorporate them in a different layer. This works well in ArchiCAD; multi stories are kept in the same file and can be toggled between floors using a menu command or a keyboard short cut. This makes it easy to edit things like the overall dimensions of a building. It also simplifies the insertion of objects common to floors, such as stairs. It also simplifies the insertion of elements, such as windows, in a stairwell that may span across two stories. Creating the second floor when the first one is done, is just a matter of copying what is needed from one floor to the next. Overall, ArchiC...
