Collaboration with other software
About model and data exchange with 3rd party solutions: Revit, Solibri, dRofus, Bluebeam, structural analysis solutions, and IFC, BCF and DXF/DWG-based exchange, etc.

3ds and ArchiCAD

Anonymous
Not applicable
Hi All,

Do any of you have any experience on importing geometry from Studio Max and using them as objects in ArchiCAD? Any advice?

Cheers,

Matts
5 REPLIES 5
Chazz
Enthusiast
Discussed many times here before so a search will pay you some dividends.

But I will summarize all of them for you here: the beset way to import 3ds data into AC is to follow these steps:
  • 1) Print out some pictures of the object, showing all aspects of its geometry. Dimensions help.
    2) Hold these printouts up next to you computer monitor.
    3) Use ArchiCAD's modeling tools to create the object (this part can be hard and time consuming)
    4) Save the result as a .gsm (this is the easy part).
The beauty of this approach is that it's fully cross-platform supported and because it takes so damn long, it guarantees a large work backlog in these tough economic times.

HTH, good luck
Nattering nabob of negativism
2023 MBP M2 Max 32GM. MaxOS-Current
Erika Epstein
Booster
Hi Matts,
When you are new to a program relying on bringing in objects you created in another program can help you stay on schedule (and budget). Also, there are some freeform shapes which archicad doesn't do well, so use these other programs.

Bring them in as objects (library parts). They won't be parametric, but that might not be required. At some point you may want to learn some GDL.

As you have the time, as Chazz notes, challenge yourself to recreate the objects using just archicad. You archicad modeling skills will grow exponentially as you explore and you will have fun

HTH
Erika
Architect, Consultant
MacBook Pro Retina, 15-inch Yosemite 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
Mac OSX 10.11.1
AC5-18
Onuma System

"Implementing Successful Building Information Modeling"
Chazz
Enthusiast
I was, of course, being completely facetious. There is a way to import Max stuff using the free (but not included!) ArchiCAD plug-in. It's just that you probably won't like the result. Again, other threads have much more info on this and I have spoken my peace there (too). Good luck.
Nattering nabob of negativism
2023 MBP M2 Max 32GM. MaxOS-Current
Anonymous
Not applicable
Does anyone know how to import .max files that are for sale on the internet without having the 3D Studio app.?
I use SketchUp to import 3ds (clean up to reduce the polygons before loading in AC) but I have no idea about .max
Anonymous
Not applicable
Thanks for the responses guys.
@ Erika - see, you've been able to help me out already )

Joeri,

as far as I know .max files can only be opened in Studio Max.

Cheers!

Matts