topic Re: Get the Modular Joinery object! in Libraries & objects

Get the Modular Joinery object!

Thomas Holm — Wed, 24 May 2023 09:58:37 GMT

I'd just like to push this http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=135321#135321
a little more.

Ralph Wessel has created a hugely flexible window/door/panel/storefront/curtain wall GDL object, called Modular Joinery. It was commissioned by Graphisoft U K and is distributed to their Archicad subscribers, and for similar purpose to other distributors.

I've been using it for a week or so now, and I find it extraordinarily good, and something I've been wishing to have for a long time. Not only is the object itself working very well, it also has a new, simple yet very creative and useful UI (user interface), and also comes with a 22-page user manual!

If you have an Archicad subscription, immediately ask your distributor to supply you with this GDL object, and if he/she doesn't have it, to get it from Graphisoft U.K.!

I'd also like to send my sincere thanks to Graphisoft U K who've had the wit to engage one of the most distinguished GDL programmers for this task, and to share it with the user community this way. And of course, to Ralph!

Re: Get the Modular Joinery object!

Anonymous — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 23:07:20 GMT

Tom,
How does it compare with CadImage Window & Door Builder?
Thanks,
Joseph

Re: Get the Modular Joinery object!

Dennis Lee — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 03:58:57 GMT

Is this object free for people on subscription?

Re: Get the Modular Joinery object!

Brett Brown — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 05:25:17 GMT

Hi Thomas, Perhaps you or someone else could post the manual so the world can have a look for themselves. Or could Ralph put it on his website.

Re: Get the Modular Joinery object!

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:35:54 GMT

Very Impressive, even though I only do residential work.
First look, looks adaptable for residential.

Hey G.S. USA, are you gonna let the UK GS make you look inept?
Hell no you say, we are going to hire Ralph for the most awesome stair
tool that every raves about! Right?
Now that could be a Revit slayer!!!
You goooo, USA G.S.!
Bier

Re: Get the Modular Joinery object!

Thomas Holm — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:25:49 GMT

To clear some things up:

As I wrote, the object is not free. Graphisoft UK has all the rights to it. It is distributed by Graphisoft UK among their Archicad subscribers, and made available to other Graphisoft distributors to do the same. If you want it, and have a subscription, contact your distributor. If not, not. I will not post it nor its manual.

This object does some things (check the image, it shows what it can do) that I've had a hard time to achieve with Archicad's standard windows and doors. I mostly do residential work too. For example, I frequently prescribe the Danish Velfac windows, and I've never before been able to mimic their special geometry and modular nature fully. (It's been either 3D or 2D, either elevation or plan, always one pane at a time, never all at once). And of course the object can do a lot more, it's not limited to Velfac. You can define other (your own) presets if you like.

But, this object is not a universal replacement for all standard windows and doors. You will still need (some of) them. So it's not a replacement for Cadimage's Window Builder. And not for the Curtain Wall tool either.

I like it not just because it works well. I also like it because of its simple yet sophisticated user interface. I think some other GDL programmers have things to learn here, since this is done in pure GDL and not with an API that has to be updated for every new Archicad release. It's also "dynamically resizing" which according to Ralph means that despite its capabilities, it will (for small sizes) redraw faster than a similar standard Casement window!

That's all. Check it out for yourself, get an Archicad subscription!

(And please note: I will not answer any more questions about this. Ask your distributor!)

Re: Get the Modular Joinery object!

Thomas Holm — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 20:35:05 GMT

I'd just like to push this Modular Joinery window/door object by Ralph Wessel once more, since I've now been able to test it thoroughly by using it as the only window object in a 22 apartment condo project. It loads and redraws faster and works with less problems than the standard library windows I used before in this project. It's very flexible and configurable, yet pure GDL. No add-ons. It covers most of my window needs, and I've found no bugs!

I can only thank Ralph and GS UK for sharing this with us. If you have an ongoing Archicad 12 subscription, I recommend you contact your reseller to get it, because GS UK has made it available for resellers everywhere.

Re: Get the Modular Joinery object!

Brett Brown — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 21:58:57 GMT

Thomas, How do you get anything that is not modular? ie not equal numbers top and bottom or left and right. For example, A full width single pane fixed across the bottom with 3 panes top hung across the top? Am I right that the tab to try and get this or any configuration is the "Detailed Specification"?

Re: Get the Modular Joinery object!

Ralph Wessel — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 23:10:45 GMT

Brett wrote:
Thomas, How do you get anything that is not modular? ie not equal numbers top and bottom or left and right. For example, A full width single pane fixed across the bottom with 3 panes top hung across the top? Am I right that the tab to try and get this or any configuration is the "Detailed Specification"?

I may as well chip in at this point. The object is modular in the sense that a wide variety of window/door/panel components can be plugged into a single unit in almost any configuration you please (including a mixture of frame types, materials, and glazing).

I've attached some images to illustrate how to construct the window you specified:

1) As you suggested, the Detailed Specification panel should be selected. This displays a preview of the joinery layout, where you might start by specifying the bounding window size.
2) I then lock the width and height of the frame to stop it resizing as I insert frames within it. We want 2 different configurations in this window - 1 window below and 3 above, so the frame is set to 2 rows down
3) The cell above should be a frame of 3 windows across, so I click on the the top cell, set it to a 'Frame', and specify 3 columns across
4) I can then switch to 'Overview' to see all the windows in the joinery layout, select a window in the top row, and set it to 'Top Hung'.
5) The 3D view shows the result at this point
6) It is difficult to convey just how flexible this object is, because you arrange frames within frame within frames, etc... to arrive at almost any layout. Each cell within the layout can be individually selected and specified

It is very simple to use in practice because it works on the basis of a very small subset of defaults which you can choose to override if you wish to. The UI always minimises the number of visible choice to keep the object fast and simple to use. As Thomas noted: this is pure GDL, the object redraws very quickly, and the object only allocates the minimum resources required to construct the object you specify.

Re: Get the Modular Joinery object!

Brett Brown — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 00:15:20 GMT

Thanks Ralph that explains it. What about stepped sides and sloping top and bottoms(to follow roof pitchs for example)?

Re: Get the Modular Joinery object!

Thomas Holm — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 08:56:40 GMT

Ralph wrote:
I may as well chip in at this point.

Not much to add now, is there

I have to admit that since I did not RT (very excellent) M enough, it took me some clicking to understand. And when I got it, I understood that it was much simpler than I'd thought and completely logical at that. It's just that in Ralph's settings dialog, every bit has a meaning. There is no crap. Or wasted space. Which means you have to check every bit! A true masterpiece of an object!

I just wish I had a brain as clearly organized as Ralph's!

(As for stepped sides etc, I want to add that if you can't do what you want in just one singular instance of these objects, you can of course combine two or more just as you can with the standard windows.)

Re: Get the Modular Joinery object!

Anonymous — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:45:35 GMT

Thomas wrote:
................
I can only thank Ralph and GS UK for sharing this with us. If you have an ongoing Archicad 12 subscription, I recommend you contact your reseller to get it, because GS UK has made it available for resellers everywhere.

With the 1st posting I called my resellar, he started the ball rolling and the ball stopped at GS US. Called several more times and no one could provide me with a way to buy it. It is funny but I though only money call not buy you love, but it must be true also about a good GDL!!!

Still, if any one could help me get it, would be appreciated, hint hint.

Joseph

Re: Get the Modular Joinery object!

Thomas Holm — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:44:23 GMT

The information I got is that GS UK has made it available for free for distributors everywhere (I'm sorry I wrote resellers previously). I got mine through Graphisoft Sweden. If you have an Archicad subscription, you should not have to pay for this object.

I have no idea what policy they have towards other customers. My hope is that they'll include it in the next Archicad version's standard library. It's possible that other distributors think it's too much work to concern themselves with it. Bad karma, if so.

Re: Get the Modular Joinery object!

Erika Epstein — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:54:45 GMT

Joseph wrote:
Thomas wrote:
................
I can only thank Ralph and GS UK for sharing this with us. If you have an ongoing Archicad 12 subscription, I recommend you contact your reseller to get it, because GS UK has made it available for resellers everywhere.
With the 1st posting I called my resellar, he started the ball rolling and the ball stopped at GS US. Called several more times and no one could provide me with a way to buy it. It is funny but I though only money call not buy you love, but it must be true also about a good GDL!!!

Still, if any one could help me get it, would be appreciated, hint hint.

Joseph

I have the same reseller as Joseph and am on subscription. So, Where do we get it? Is it only of UK and Sweden?

Re: Get the Modular Joinery object!

Thomas Holm — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:20:36 GMT

Seems you'll have to lean on GS US then

I've no idea if there might be a problem to use this object with your ancient obsolete Imperial units, though ...

Re: Get the Modular Joinery object!

Anonymous — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:17:37 GMT

If GraphiSoft is watching I hope they will choose to make this available to all. I am a Cadimage DWB user and that product has been a godsend. Modular Joinery appears from the images on this thread to have a very nice intelligent user interface.

cheers

Re: Get the Modular Joinery object!

Anonymous — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 19:53:46 GMT

Thomas wrote:
Seems you'll have to lean on GS US then

I've no idea if there might be a problem to use this object with your ancient obsolete Imperial units, though ...

May be Ralph could tell us if it is also available in Imperial units? May be this is the hold back who ever?
Thanks,
Joseph

Re: Get the Modular Joinery object!

Ralph Wessel — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:13:19 GMT

Joseph wrote:
May be Ralph could tell us if it is also available in Imperial units? May be this is the hold back who ever?

No, I don't think so. Like all GDL objects, it will adopt whatever units are set in your project preferences. It's preferable to have imperial defaults, but this is quick to do for a single object. I'm not sure what's behind the delay.

Re: Get the Modular Joinery object!

Thomas Holm — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:27:29 GMT

This object was mentioned there so I thought I'd add some more info here - I didn't want to hijack that topic.

Please note that I had to lean on GS Sweden to get this tool. Seems the distributors and resellers generally are not aware of it, or how useful it might be. (Not surprising really, since thay can't make money out of giving us this free tool, or marketing it. And as they generally are not AC users themselves, they don't really understand how useful and creative it is.

I find it interesting not only in the way it makes it easy to specify Velfac windows, but especially in the innovative user interface, which makes it easy to specify customized irregular window grids if you like. Much easier than with the standard windows, even if not as easy as with the CW tool - but you can't use that as a regular window.

Also, it is modularly programmed too, so it loads only the modules needed for the window you specify. That means that archicad doesn't have to parse numerous macros for each window, and that makes it faster to load and faster to redraw.

I have tested this myself in a condo project, where I originally had AC11 standard windows throughout, and some problems with them to (for instance, suddenly a wall would disappear because of a misbehaving window - I had coupled together a pair that didn't like each other).

I exchanged all of them with various windows based on Modular Joinery objects, and suddely redraws and 3D generating was faster and less problematic. I have no standard windows left behind in this project.
And I have yet to find a bug in Ralph's tool!

I'm not saying it couldn't be better, though. Two things come to mind:

- I'd like it to have some traditional window types and profiles pre-defined, not just Velfac. (I know I can do my own, but I'm lazy 😉

- I'd like it to allow slanted reveals like the AC12's standard windows do. Here in Sweden, insulated exterior walls are now reaching 40 cm thickness or more as a standard, due to rigorous energy consumption regulations. With the deep niches that follow, a slant to the reveals does a lot for the feeling in ahome, especially here where daylight is scarce in the winter time. Ralph? (I might have to add that I could have missed something )

Re: Get the Modular Joinery object!

owen — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:47:08 GMT

Thomas wrote:
This object was mentioned there so I thought I'd add some more info here - I didn't want to hijack that topic.

Please note that I had to lean on GS Sweden to get this tool. Seems the distributors and resellers generally are not aware of it, or how useful it might be. (Not surprising really, since thay can't make money out of giving us this free tool, or marketing it. And as they generally are not AC users themselves, they don't really understand how useful and creative it is.

This is a real problem with the way the whole ArchiCAD sales & marketing system works via local resellers. Some of them are great, but some are really shithouse (excuse the language). Resellers not being regular AC users really isn't good as they often have little idea of the day-to-day needs of users using ArchiCAD to actually design and document a building. Their job should be to actively seek out improved ways of doing things and relay these to customers ... but this never happens.

Ralphs window object is an example of this problem.

Graphisoft HQ needs to centrally manage all the content available via all their resellers and make it available to customers globally ... the current system just doesn't work IMO. We shouldn't have to hassle our local resellers to then get in touch with GSUK, etc ...