topic Re: SketchUp for Archicad 10 in Collaboration with other software

SketchUp for Archicad 10

Anonymous — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 23:37:32 GMT

There was a really great plugin for ArchiCAD 9. Is there one for ArchiCAD 10 yet? I looked all over the Graphisoft website and I cannot find it. My graduate studio at the University of Maryland is actually using ArchiCAD 10 for studio this semester and the Sketch Up plugin would be great.

The semester starts Wednesday. Any chance I it will be released before then?

Thanks for making ArchiCAD 10 free!

Re: Sketch Up Plugin for ArchiCAD 10?

Anonymous — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 21:36:52 GMT

Hey there,
in the same situation myself here, but doesn't seem to attract too much attention on the archicad forums. Maybe it's just me, but I think that Sketchup-to-Archicad 10 import (including sloped walls) is the biggest thing that's happened to archicad since the introduction of sloped walls (which in turn is the biggest thing to happen to archicad, ever). It gives it the potential to be a design tool, as well as merely a project organiser.
If you're interested, see my rant at:

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=11436

Re: Sketch Up Plugin for ArchiCAD 10?

Anonymous — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 22:09:21 GMT

That's a good rant. Hope Graphisoft is paying attention.

Re: Sketch Up Plugin for ArchiCAD 10?

Piotr Dobrowolski — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 07:30:24 GMT

You should rather put such wish also on Sketchup forums - as the development of the plug is on Sketchup's side.

Best Regards,
Piotr

Re: Sketch Up Plugin for ArchiCAD 10?

Ransom Ratcliff — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 13:25:07 GMT

Good point, but @last may not see this as being as close to the front burner as we do.
Didn't GS have a role in the AC9 version?

Cheers,

Ransom

Re: Sketch Up Plugin for ArchiCAD 10?

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 20:11:53 GMT

Thanks for the replies guys.
About the plugin itself - this is created by archicad (see http://www.sketchup.com/?sid=37 ), pity they didn't buy up sketchup when it was available.

Re: Sketch Up Plugin for ArchiCAD 10?

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 22:05:25 GMT

Sure, it`s not good, there`s a big ad about sketchup plugin for archicad and then it does not work with the current AC version...

we want SU plugin for AC10!!!

Kisses!

Re: Sketch Up Plugin for ArchiCAD 10?

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 16:04:24 GMT

I sent the following to SketchUP:

>Hello,
>
>I am sorry if this is a FAQ. Are you going to
>release an update plugin for Archicad10?
>
>Thank you

I had the following answer:

> Sun, 17 Sep 2006 20:54:14 -0600

> Hello,

> I'm afraid I don't know much about the ArchiCAD plugin and future development plans, at it was developed and released by Graphisoft. You can probably fill out this form on their website to find out more information.

> http://www.graphisoft.com/products/archicad/solutions/su_plugin.html

>Jen Kartchner
>SketchUp Team at Google

So, not only ArchiCAD did not purchase SketchUP when it was available, it also has no interaction with them, and there are no signs of an updated plugin for AC10. One more bad action in Graphisoft's black book. Is GS falling apart? Someone should advise them on how to make investments.

Bob

Re: Sketch Up Plugin for ArchiCAD 10?

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 17:30:34 GMT

I doubt that GS could have competed with Google for the purchase of SketchUp, so the idea that they missed an opportunity seems silly.

I also don't think that the SketchUp plug-in is that important. I have two clients who use SketchUp in preliminary design phases and we have decided that it is better (and faster) to remodel the design in ArchiCAD than to import it.

For one thing the Project Architect/Principle/Designer does not want the responsibility in the preliminary Sketchup model to be concerned with how it will import to ArchiCAD.

For another it is often (usually in my experience) faster and more accurate to input something from scratch in ArchiCAD than to fix something that isn't quite right.

Finally, my clients and I agree that it is good practice for the ArchiCAD operator to go through the process of modeling the building as this serves to both get it into their head and to turn up problems in the design sooner.

Re: Sketch Up Plugin for ArchiCAD 10?

SeaGeoff — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 20:47:24 GMT

While I generally agree with your conclusions with regard to modeling an entire project, Matthew, I disagree on the importance of the SU plug-in. SU is much simpler and more widely distributed than MaxonForm for component/object modeling (e.g. doors and windows). And with a little added intelligence (e.g. enclosed volumes within a certain range become same sized—not ultra thin—slabs, walls, roofs) I would likely change my mind about structural elements as well.

Re: Sketch Up Plugin for ArchiCAD 10?

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 23:19:23 GMT

Geoff, I am with you on this one.

I don't disagree entirely with modeling in AC as a good idea, but the more time I spend in SketchUp the more impressed I am with it's abilities. I have also seen some things being demoed by Google that will make it even better.

At least for me, this all meas that I am likely to take the SketchUp model further and further up the process and being able to bring that data into AC will be even more valuable.

David,

Seattle, WA.

Re: Sketch Up Plugin for ArchiCAD 10?

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 19:39:31 GMT

Glad to see this is provoking some debate,...
Matthew, you're right, the rant about GS not buying @last was completely talking through my hat.
However, for you to say that it's adequate to simply rebuild an object in Archicad is, I think completely missing the point. By extending that argument, we would be all printing off dimensioned autocad drawings from collaborators so we could redraw them, line by line in Archicad, instead of just importing as x-refs.
Maybe it's a personal workflow issue - my position, now that I've returned to college, is that I'm perfectly used to leapfrogging through multiple programs to get the project data I need.

For example, how about scanning building plans into Photoshop;
importing into Adobe Streamline to automatically convert to vectors lines; then importing into Illustrator so I can export to .dwg or .3ds;
then importing the vector data into 3ds max or Viz;
before extruding them into into meshes...
(and then possibly exporting these meshes into Sketchup to finally bring into Archicad!)
That's an extreme version, and I hate to imagine the total cost of these programs if I wanted to do the same thing in a commercial environment, but that's where the industry is heading.

My main issue is with the fact that Archicad has no equivalent to Revit's Massing Tools. And the way that these are integrated with the rest of the Revit workflow (ie. being able to convert blobby masses into, say curtain walling) is way beyond what we can do with even the Sketchup-to-Archicad workflow, or even with the new slanted walls.
(however, I spent yesterday evening tinkering with an old demo copy of Revit 5 from 2003 I think, and it just seemed plain UGLY - don't think I could convert)

Ha!, I've spent so long typing this, I see David in Seattle has added another post.
This seems to be striking a chord with people.

One last thing, and I feel bad writing this here, but these forums are for the dissemination of useful knowledge for Archicad users...
Maxonform would be a great addition to the Archicad user...if it was FREE. (or at least offered at a nominal price)

To charge a few hundred, (or is it more than a thousand euros?) for this kind of plugin is just taking the p*ss out of users.
I suppose different corporations have different policies, but to compare:
Next Limit (the creators of Maxwell Render) offer a 3ds Max interface for Maxwell at no extra charge, however, E-On Software (the makers of Vue Infinite) charge almost the same amount again as the full cost of Vue Infinite, for X-Stream, their 3ds Max interface.

I think I'm obliged to point out that Archicad users can download any Open-Source 3d program (eg: Blender
http://www.blender.org/cms/Home.2.0.html ), export their Archicad data to it, manipulate it the same way that Maxonform would, and import back into Archicad using the .3ds in add-on, whilst still retaining materials.
I'd feel worse posting this on Maxon's website, but I guess as this Graphisoft.com, I'm only informing Archicad users of their rights.

Re: Sketch Up Plugin for ArchiCAD 10?

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 19:59:07 GMT

Last thing,
I really think there should be a single forum topic that deals with these sorts of things:

-Things like Sketchup integration (some posts are placed into the Data-Sharing Forum, and others into the Other-Products Froum, for example)

-How to achieve more progressive (eg. "blobby") forms (ie. workarounds to that end)

-integration with programs like ecotect

-anything to do with progressive, wildly ambitious B.I.M.

Basically, the sort of forum that Frank Gehry or any young trendy Dutch firm (or students like myself) would browse (if they were Archicad users). That probably sounds glib, but innovation leads to progress.

And I don't think that www.architectsjury.com is sufficient. Being a student is no excuse for poor design skills, or inappropriate use of thousands of euros worth of rendering software (that probably sounds glib, too)

Re: Sketch Up Plugin for ArchiCAD 10?

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 12:30:54 GMT

this is not good....especially when I am trying to convince my company to move over...it worked in 9, but not in 10...c'mon......is this really true

SKETCHUP TO ARCHICAD 10 plugin ????

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 07:08:22 GMT

WHEN????????????????????

Re: SKETCHUP TO ARCHICAD 10 plugin ????

Rafal SLEK — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 08:26:20 GMT

watch (the same topic, five lines below):
http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=12000

Re: SKETCHUP TO ARCHICAD 10 plugin ????

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 06:59:11 GMT

Rafal wrote:
watch (the same topic, five lines below):
http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=12000

ok,

Re: Sketch Up Plugin for ArchiCAD 10?

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 07:08:20 GMT

I think that sketchup plugin for AC10 is very important, and i give my vote for it. If in future AC become something like sketchup in modelig walls, slabs etc then archicad will be right tool for archtect.

Can u believe that even if WE asked for 3d rotate command we still have to rewrite gdl elelements to be able to do that. I was checking AC 10 and yes it has good things but that is cosmetics, nothing much important. Still u have to buy addons if u want to create someting different. But i must say its better then any other ac.

-anyway, i love connection between ac and sketchup SO GIVE IT TO US !

Re: SKETCHUP TO ARCHICAD 10 plugin ????

Ransom Ratcliff — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 14:46:05 GMT

My two cents;
SketchUp is widely used in Architecture schools in the US. It fills a legitimate role in the pedagogy that is different from Matthew's points about professional practice.

Getting the plug-in to import SketchUp models into AC10 would help us greatly in getting ArchiCAD adopted by Architecture students. This, in turn, will have the greatest possible effect on gaining market share in the next five years in the US. When one considers the cost of updating the AC9 plug-in, there hardly is a better investment that GS can make, IMHO.

Re: Sketch Up Plugin for ArchiCAD 10?

Anonymous — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 16:44:25 GMT

Geoff wrote:
While I generally agree with your conclusions with regard to modeling an entire project, Matthew, I disagree on the importance of the SU plug-in. SU is much simpler and more widely distributed than MaxonForm for component/object modeling (e.g. doors and windows). And with a little added intelligence (e.g. enclosed volumes within a certain range become same sized—not ultra thin—slabs, walls, roofs) I would likely change my mind about structural elements as well.

I hadn't thought of it for custom content creation, just schematic design. You have an interesting point.