topic Re: Objects to position according to coordinate list in Archicad Python API

Objects to position according to coordinate list

talmacsi_petrolterv — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 10:46:10 GMT

Actually I have a list of coordinates (in a text/csv/excel file), and I have to position object elements (800 pcs) to the coordinates in the list.

I thought that a python script could do this. I tried with the excel export/import script.

But as far as I can see: with this method I can adjust almost every property, but of the object coordinates.

I need help to solve this issue.

I'm not addicted to the python method, any other solution would be welcomed.

Re: Objects to position according to coordinate list

BerndSchwarzenbacher — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 13:34:13 GMT

To create elements you have two options:

Use the TAPIR Add-On to enable more python commands. Check the "CreateObjects" command here: https://enzyme-apd.github.io/tapir-archicad-automation/archicad-addon/
Or create an Add-On yourself (harder)

Hope that helps,

Bernd

Re: Objects to position according to coordinate list

talmacsi_petrolterv — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 15:04:35 GMT

Sorry, I'm not familiar with Tapir. I've heard about it, but I thought that it's some kind of rhino/grasshopper "upgrade".
I don't know whether it needs rhino, or works without it?
Do you know any beginner tutorial for tapir_without_rhino?

Re: Objects to position according to coordinate list

runxel — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 22:27:09 GMT

That's just a part of it. Don't worry! You don't need Grasshopper or Rhino for that!

Look at the Python examples in the GitHub repo, that should give you a good feel for it.

I'm not aware of any tutorials, tho. Still, with the documentation and the examples you can probably achieve already a lot.

Here, have this very rudimentary example on how to place one object:

import aclib libpart = "Armchair 04 26" coor_x = 4.0 coor_y = -3.0 x = 1.0 y = 1.0 z = 1.0 aclib.RunTapirCommand( 'CreateObjects', { 'objectsData': [ { 'libraryPartName': libpart, 'coordinates': {'x': 0.0 + coor_x, 'y': 0.0 + coor_y, 'z': 0.0 }, 'dimensions': {'x': x, 'y': y, 'z': z }, } ] })

Re: Objects to position according to coordinate list

talmacsi_petrolterv — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 08:30:48 GMT

Thanks for the advices!
But let me ask some questions:

I copied the script, named as a .py script; browsed in archicad tapir palette, run it - but nothing happened.

Is this workaround correct?

Is there a tapir console window somewhere, where you can get messages about the run of the script?

Re: Objects to position according to coordinate list

Mathias Jonathan — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 08:43:46 GMT

The archicad report window will provide some info.

Did you use archicad 26? If not, the script won't be able to find the object :

Armchair 04 26

You can also launch the script from visual studio code if you have only one archicad instance open.

Re: Objects to position according to coordinate list

talmacsi_petrolterv — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 09:16:40 GMT

"aclib" was missing!

But copied to the local folder - now it's working.

Thanks a lot!!!

I think I can use this, further on.

Re: Objects to position according to coordinate list

Mathias Jonathan — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 10:06:36 GMT

If you give the documentation and some examples to an AI like Claude AI, you'll have a lot of possibilities.

Re: Objects to position according to coordinate list

kuvbur — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 14:55:09 GMT

You can achieve this without scripting using the SomeStuff add-on and its property-based positioning feature. Here's the workflow:

Create Objects: Place your objects in the model (initial position isn't critical).

Export Properties: Export the objects' properties to Excel.

Set Coordinates in Excel: In the spreadsheet, assign your desired X, Y, (and Z) coordinates to specific custom properties (e.g., Coord_X, Coord_Y, Coord_Z) for each object.

Import Properties: Import the modified Excel file back into Archicad to update the objects' properties.

Automatic Placement: The SomeStuff add-on will automatically position each object based on the coordinate values stored in its properties.

Example File

Demo Video:

Re: Objects to position according to coordinate list

talmacsi_petrolterv — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 12:39:01 GMT

Dear Dmitry,

wow!!
That's almost perfect!
The only problem I encountered: when I want to set the element ID's, too (with this excel method).

I could set the Coord z parameter property.

I could set in the schedule, export the xlsx, set the desired values. But when I want to import the xlsx back, it shows the new element ID's, but there's no checkbox to update with the new values.

Do you know the solution?

Re: Objects to position according to coordinate list

kuvbur — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 12:54:53 GMT

If I understood you correctly,

SomeStuff add-on can write property values directly into an element's ID field using its Sync_to{ID} command.

I've updated the example file to demonstrate this specific functionality. You can download the latest version to see how Sync_to{ID} works in practice

Re: Objects to position according to coordinate list

talmacsi_petrolterv — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 13:14:23 GMT

Works perfectly.

Thanks!!

Can I find the possible other parameters/fields to sync, somewhere?

Re: Objects to position according to coordinate list

talmacsi_petrolterv — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 13:24:40 GMT

Dear Berndt & runxel & Mathias,

Thanks for the info about tapir - it will help a lot later. A long time ago I wanted to try it out - but I thought it is much more complicated; now I know it's not. Your quick & concise answers really helped me.

Re: Objects to position according to coordinate list

kuvbur — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 13:29:43 GMT

Yes, of course. Automatically translated help for commands is here