working between autocad and archicad

[Anonymous]

Hi all,


I would appreciate some advice please. Ive been using ArchCad for a number of years now for design work on my own. It looks like I might be working a building firm who will probably be using AutoCAD software. I have no experience of working with AutoCAD except a very long time ago at University briefly. I would like to think I can continue to work with Archicad but is this realistic if the my colleagues are all using AutoCAD? Will I be able to work effectivly with them or do I need to just bite the bullet and learn to work in AutoCAD? The work will prob involve mostly 2D drawings for renovation and new houses for a building firm. Im using Archicad 11 international and have no experience with transfering documents with Autocad software. Anyone who can give some advise on this or who is in the same position.

I know you CAN transfer files with Autocad but im wondering how this works in practice and if its too complicated if I remain the odd one out.

Paul

[Anonymous]

It is certainly possible to use ArchiCAD for 2D drafting in an AutoCAD environment, though not really best practice. If you do choose to continue with ArchiCAD you an expect to be responsible for making it work. This is not too hard but you also need to expect that any problems will be blamed on ArchiCAD (and you by association).

If you are quite proficient at ArchiCAD I suggest discussing it with your new employer and propose a trial period to see how it goes. The only argument you can make in favor of this is that you will be more productive using ArchiCAD and this will be to their benefit as long as it doesn't cause any problems with the office workflow.

In my experience ArchiCAD is superior to AutoCAD even as a 2D drafting program, so if you do get this to work maybe the office will end up switching.

[Anonymous]

Paul,

I use ArchiCAD in an AutoCAD environment. I use ArchiCAD to design and develop the design, I produce base drawings that are then X-ref'd into AutoCAD files and embellished by the draftspersons using AutoCAD.

Full model still exists in ArchiCAD and as sections elevs etc still 'live' I can overwrite AutoCAD base drawings and drafters will need to adjust embellishment to match revised base files. Not as efficient as doing it all in ArchiCAD yet still a lot better than doing it all in AutoCAD.

I have not tried the 'round trip' process of merging AutoCAD changes back into ArchiCAD but I believe it does work OK.

regards,
Scott

[Anonymous]

Thanks to you both for the replies, you have boosted my confidence to try and make it work. I understand that it will be my responsability to make sure it goes smoothly which will mean more work on my part but I want to stick with Archicad if I can. Fortunatley my first project for them is not a very big one so it will give me the chance to get the ball rolling without too much stree hopefully.

Im not sure I will be able to persuade any switch overs to Archicad until the insanely unintuitive structuring of the programs menuing layout is sorted out, why did they change everything so badley at v10??. please, if Graphisoft has any sense at all they will overhaul to a common sense layout.

[David Maudlin]

upintheclouds wrote:
Im not sure I will be able to persuade any switch overs to Archicad until the insanely unintuitive structuring of the programs menuing layout is sorted out, why did they change everything so badley at v10??. please, if Graphisoft has any sense at all they will overhaul to a common sense layout.

Paul:

You can use the Work Environment to modify the menu structure, and export these settings to other computers for a single environment for an office. As new ArchiCAD versions are released, you can import these settings to the new version, but then you will need to add the new commands to take advantage of some of the new features.

You should add a Signature to your Profile (click the Profile button near the top of this page) with your ArchiCAD version and operating system (see mine for an example) for more accurate help in this forum.

David

[Laszlo Nagy]

upintheclouds wrote:
Im not sure I will be able to persuade any switch overs to Archicad until the insanely unintuitive structuring of the programs menuing layout is sorted out, why did they change everything so badley at v10??. please, if Graphisoft has any sense at all they will overhaul to a common sense layout.

In v10 PlotMaker functions were integrated into ArchiCAD.
This meant that you did both design and layouting in the same program. Prior to v10 all kinds of new commands were introduced in ArchiCAD and these were placed on the menu structure where they felt would fit best.
V10 was a good point to rethink the menu structure to better communicate the proposed workflow (hence a separate Design and Documentation menu).

[Anonymous]

Thanks once again for the feed back re layout. I hadnt looked at rearranging the menu layout, Im going to have a go at it now and see what I can do. I feel a bit trepedation because my previous attempts to change preferences has just confused things for me even further. But thats because Im still not sure what im doing.

I appreciate the thinking behind the changes with the intergration of plotmaker, its just I dont understand the logic of the layout, its not how my mind works. Especially the Document and Design menus. My brain says that all 3D visualisation stuff should be in one place, including rendering. I go to Design menu and Ive got story settings, complex profiles and trim to roof and modify wall next to each other, I just dont get it.
What I feel would help and which I cant find is a good place to download different templates and layouts that have been developed by the different tastes and preferences of users over the years.