Modeling
About Archicad's design tools, element connections, modeling concepts, etc.

Archicad 14 New Features

Dennis Lee
Booster
See what's on youtube!

http://www.youtube.com/user/Archicad#g/c/5C1926DD91A70C7B

Personally, not much in it for me at all!
ArchiCAD 25 & 24 USA
Windows 10 x64
Since ArchiCAD 9
310 REPLIES 310
TMA_80
Enthusiast
laszlonagy wrote:
whatever wrote:
I Don't really agree here Laszlo .. yes it is a minor portion of buildings, but actually that is where people are expecting the real huge benefits of BIM and BIM collaboration . the other thing is ... ok lets say we only need it 10% ( or even 2%) of the time ... so I agree it is not the most focused part of the development .. but dropping tools that we already had ? dropping Maxon form and the link with Sketchup ?
I pesonally think the big benefits of BIM do not come from modeling special shapes. I always saw most of the benefit in the construction documentation and collaboration with engineers phases, with benefit I the areas you mention too, of course.

By the way, the Google Earth connection does import SketchUp models. So there continues to be a link to SketchUp.
I'm sorry to disagree with you on the construction documentation part Lazlo:
Construction doncumentations document a "modeled building " whatever shape it has. regardless it was modeled in ArchiCAD (Ac is doing a good job but it is rather limited in some modeling areas) or outside ArchiCad (for instance Sketchup, Rhinos...etc)
And as for sketchup: yes we can import objects from Sketchup but they are not "documentable" : a lot of triangulations and above all SKP files become dumb GDL objects once imported in ArchiCAD , And are no more intelligent as it was possible with the old "discontinued Sketchup plugin" (this doesn"t mean it was perfect 😉 ). further more the triangulation problem seems obvious With the IFC exchange plugin when seeing the revit MEP exchange demo video...

I do however agree on the collaboration part
AC12_20 |Win10_64bit|
Anonymous
Not applicable
Braza wrote:
Bricklyne wrote:
So out of all I typed in that response, all you got out of it, was what you perceived to be personal attack against you and your son?
Seriously?
Ok its official... Bricklyne you are a troll. A well versed one... but still a troll.
There is no shame on this... I myself am a troll in redemption.
So... Lets start with the first step. Repeat: "My name is Bricklyne and I'm a troll".
Now seriously: I guess we all got your message. There is no need to massacre our minds with your destructive point of view.
In my opinon this thread contain a lot of fat Autodesk trolls.
Anonymous
Not applicable
Bricklyne wrote:


A developer actually did respond in that thread (imagine that, a GS developer responding to users in a thread) :
Laci wrote:
Following the discussion I must admit you are right Stairmaker needs improvements. At its current state it serves more German, European (Continental) needs rather than the standards of Anglo-Saxon traditions.
Some of your quotes are really useful for us, but would be better if you could exactly highlight what you are missing. We have a good idea but there can never be enough examples. If you could enclose drawings, pictures of stairs that you are unable to do by stairmaker would be ideal!
Thanks a lot!
but this part about meeting european standards with stairmaker is a lie. I am from Croatia and stairmaker meets none of my needs. It is rubbish.
Anonymous
Not applicable
Master wrote:
This will not excite the sole practitioners, but in order to get to the larger firms this a good step. By laying this foundation I reckon GS can focus more on the architect and their needs in the future.
I work in a small company. We used teamwork once in a two years, but I think improvements in modeling department would be as much appreciated in large companies just as in small. Step forward to larger companies would be improvements in modeling. Since todays architecture tend to be more and more free form (not just blob).
But what AC lacks is editing in sections and elevations. For equsample curtain wall would be easier to edit in elevation. Just try to creat triangle curtain in 3d with exact mesaures.
I don't need to mention really bad stairmaker.
Second there should've been option for a composite walls, in which every skin could be editable (in both section and floorplan). Let say concrete is up to height of 270 cm, while insulation goes up to 300 cm. Or to be able to define manually conncetions between skins in two different objects (wall-wall or wall-slab wall-roof slab-roof). So I click on concrete on one wall and on concrete skin on another, and I want to establish connection and that connection to remain. I really hate skin priorities, since sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. A lot too often skins are connected the way I don't want to be, while those which need to be, are not.

Those are things that would bring benefits to small and big companies. We all need that.

Limited resources are just an excuse. Employ more programmers and you'll have resources. I know it is economical crisis now, but that is why is more easier to find cheaper employees.
Anonymous
Not applicable
laszlonagy wrote:
whatever wrote:
I Don't really agree here Laszlo .. yes it is a minor portion of buildings, but actually that is where people are expecting the real huge benefits of BIM and BIM collaboration . the other thing is ... ok lets say we only need it 10% ( or even 2%) of the time ... so I agree it is not the most focused part of the development .. but dropping tools that we already had ? dropping Maxon form and the link with Sketchup ?
I pesonally think the big benefits of BIM do not come from modeling special shapes. I always saw most of the benefit in the construction documentation and collaboration with engineers phases, with benefit in the areas you mention too, of course.

By the way, the Google Earth connection does import SketchUp models. So there continues to be a link to SketchUp.
Ok ... I do agree that Construction Documentation is a huge benefit of BIM ... but really I didn't get it ... how can I get a Construction Documentation if I can't model it in the first place ?..so basically .. instead of having a model .. and hard time to document it with the old solution that we had .. now with discontinuing all the options ..we end up with .. you can't model it .. and sure can't document it .. for me ? I will go with the first (old) option .

and .. sorry .. the Sketchup link now ... is not the link that was existing where it converts the shape to ArchiCAD elements ... and I truly believe that you know that . no use of a SKP file that is just an object ! .. ( not to mention that I can use it for nothing as SEO won't work with it ) .
Anonymous
Not applicable
So succinct and apropos
Right-on Paulo!
lec
Anonymous
Not applicable
whatever wrote:
and .. sorry .. the Sketchup link now ... is not the link that was existing where it converts the shape to ArchiCAD elements ... and I truly believe that you know that . no use of a SKP file that is just an object ! .. ( not to mention that I can use it for nothing as SEO won't work with it ) .
I never saw a case where the conversion to ArchiCAD elements produced anything useful. And as far as I've seen no other program is importing SketchUp as anything but plain geometry with materials. Perhaps I have missed something. If so, I would be delighted to know.

SketchUp is a non-parametric, non-BIM, surface modeler. This is changing with the addition of named components, parameter-like features and Ruby script add-ons, but from what I've seen this has a ways to go before being a serious BIM solution. Since it does not produce solid models they cannot participate in SEOs.

I do find it quite useful for finding and creating one-off parts for inclusion into ArchiCAD, Revit and Navis. Aside from that and its utility as a sketch modeler I don't see much use for it in BIM practice right now.
TMA_80
Enthusiast
Hi !

Here is probably one of the first AC14 version review ( a light one )

http://aecmag.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=354

The only additional info is that ArchiCad now includes animated car objects ...
AC12_20 |Win10_64bit|
TMA_80
Enthusiast
Matthew wrote:
I never saw a case where the conversion to ArchiCAD elements produced anything useful. And as far as I've seen no other program is importing SketchUp as anything but plain geometry with materials. Perhaps I have missed something. If so, I would be delighted to know.

SketchUp is a non-parametric, non-BIM, surface modeler. This is changing with the addition of named components, parameter-like features and Ruby script add-ons, but from what I've seen this has a ways to go before being a serious BIM solution. Since it does not produce solid models they cannot participate in SEOs.

I do find it quite useful for finding and creating one-off parts for inclusion into ArchiCAD, Revit and Navis. Aside from that and its utility as a sketch modeler I don't see much use for it in BIM practice right now.
HI!

While waiting for "Whatever" answer, here is what i can tell, many modellers (BIM or not) are importing and exporting to skp format . As you use revit too there is an option to import skp files as a mass and then reaffect walls, slabs...to each sketchup surface ( it's not perfect however, the curved surfaces are not well translated in Revit). In archicad it was an automated process as you can see hereand here

Moi3d which is a nurbs modeler import and export to skp format . 3DS import skp format ( ok... these two are a sort of classical modelers); and i would like to see what could vectorworks do as well...

the only viable and clean option now to import skp file is to import them as a 3ds files ...

However Skp is just an example of :
1- how Graphisoft deals with plugins...we don't how long would they will "survive" and they could disapear with no annoucement.
2- while expecting to see this intelligent translation extanded to other formats with some refinements (including c4d exchange plugin_ex maxonform plugin) every thing stopped suddenly.

While i admire the Graphisoft work i have to say that the way GS dealt with skp plugin as an example was not really something good to remember 😉...
AC12_20 |Win10_64bit|
Anonymous
Not applicable
NStocks wrote:
pinchu71 wrote:
I'm still in shock...
¿no mention to 64 bits for mac?
I really hope that this leak is incomplete, we need more features in the final version.
This new features don't make me happy, only two of them looks useful for my work.
regards
There is ! I had to double check it too.

http://www.graphisoft.com/products/archicad/productivity_improvements.html

Scroll to the bottom of that page... ArchiCAD 14 has some improvements I really like :

The ability to see shadows in the 3D window means I don't have to wait all day for the render and I can choose a nice angle of where the shadows will be cast.

64 bit for Mac - Well what can I say, it will run faster and smoother ( at least I think it will )

I will defintelty be upgrading but then I'm a student so I don't pay for it.
for fast renders you have Artlantis. Those shadows in AC14 are foolish and rubbish feature.