Favorites Tool Bars - Your Best Friend In ArchiCAD

This section covers locations and usage of the preloaded favorites in the INV template. When drafting in ArchiCAD, only use our favorites. If there is not a favorite for what you are requiring for your project, reach out to the template team for how to search for a custom solution.

INV Template Work Space:

When you open your new INV template file you will see the following workspace layout. There are 3 different ways to access the favorites that are preloaded in the INV template. We will break them down and show how to use each option below. 

For any favorite design tool you select, just double click on the item and then you are good to go to place in your plan.

INV Template Work Space

(1) Favorites Tool Bar

Location: Far right toolbar

This toolbar has 3 sections of looking for favorites: 

(A) is a searchable field where you type in the design tool you need (i.e. walls, doors, windows, objects, lamps, etc.) After you input your search and hit enter, the favorites we have created will show up in area (C)

(B) is a folder structure view of each design tool. Once you find the folder that contains the design tool you need, double click on the folder and the design tools associated to that folder will appear in area (C)

(C) is a folder structure view with enlarged icons.  Once you find the folder that contains the design tool you need, double click on the folder and the design tools associated to that folder will appear.

(2) Design Tool Bar w/ Favorites

Location: Far left toolbar

To access the favorites from this tool bar, all you need to do is find the design tool you need to use, and a "<" will appear on the right of the icon. Click on the "<" and a drop down menu will appear. See example below:

 Drop Down Menu

 While you are within the drop down menu, you can search for the favorites in a few ways. 

(A) A searchable field box.

(Note: The gear wheel to the right of this field box gives you viewing options for the drop down information.)

(B) A drop down box showing the breakdown of folders for that specific design tool

(Note: The folder icon to the right of the drop down will bring you up one level in the folder hierarchy.)

(C) Search for favorite needed by large icons. Double click on the folder and it will breakdown to the different design tools you can use.

(3) Design Tool + Command T

To access the favorites by this 3rd option, you begin by selecting your design tool on the far left toolbar noted in area (2), then instead of using the "<", you hold down the command "⌘" and "T". When you ⌘T a design tool, the tools setting dialog box appears. See example below:

Tool Settings Dialog Box

When you are within your design tool's settings box, you will see that each design tool has different options, but they always have a "⭐︎" in the upper left corner (3). That star is the universal symbol for favorites in ArchiCAD. 

After you click on the "⭐︎" our typical favorites selection structure pops up for your use in the (A),(B),and (C) formats. (Note: See previous sections for how each format is used.)

(Special Note: When you are in the door, window, object or lamp design tool settings, it is easy to accidentally not use the favorites. Make sure you always hit the "⭐︎" and then search. If you start typing in area (A) and don't have the favorites folder selected, it will pull up general archiCAD objects, not our standardized objects and will look/work different.)

Note: It is our recommendation for users to utilize the Favorites Toolbar (1) when drafting. This helps eliminate the use of non INV standardized design tools, and keeps our drawings consistent.