topic Re: Google Connection / ArchiCAD Mac in Collaboration with other software

Google Connection / ArchiCAD Mac

rm — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 20:22:17 GMT

While watching an AC webinar today, they were demonstrating a great feature I was not aware, for good reason. If you run AC on Windows, you could import directly in AC any Sketchup models from Google 3D Warehouse.

The demo I was watching started on the Mac, but for this feature it was done in Windows. I figured they were just demonstrating parity between the Mac and Windows version of AC - not quite.

I was working on my Mac during the webinar. I went to GS to get the plugin to make it work with the Mac version of AC...... guess what, there is NO Mac version of the plugin, and according to the moderator of the AC Webinar, GS has no plans or time frame for creating the plugin for the Mac version of AC.

How could this be?!?!?!?! We all know ( including Graphisoft ) how dated and limited the available GDL objects and object libraries for AC are. Google has hundreds of thousands of objects available.

GS, PLEASE work with Google ASAP to get this plugin made for AC on the MAC.....this IS a greatly needed plugin.

If you use AC on a Mac, I would encourage you to contact your reseller and GS to let them know you would like have this feature built into the Mac version of AC.

Re: Google Connection / ArchiCAD Mac

Karl Ottenstein — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 21:51:37 GMT

Hi Robert,

See this (often heated) topic on this issue:
http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=16245

As of a year ago, the problem was that Google did not provide the necessary dev kit for Mac.

Karl

Re: Google Connection / ArchiCAD Mac

Dwight — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:26:57 GMT

Many developers aren't bothering to make Mac things since we now have VM Fusion and IntelMac to emulate Windows.

I was delighted to finally be able to create flowers in Onyx since they felt it too difficult to issue a Mac version.

No consolation to older mac operators, but there is a solution, even if it is a 'dark side solution.'

Now there's a name for a rock band.

Re: Google Connection / ArchiCAD Mac

rm — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 23:07:57 GMT

Dwight ( sorry about the name typo before )

I will get right on selling my ( 4 ) non-Intell PowerMac Towers, loaded to the gills with RAM, so I can buy AC 12, run it on Windows / Parallels, update all my software to Universal Binary to get the Google connectivity....that will work 😉 ...... oh and lets not forget Cigraph has gone AOL for AC 12 as well.

Some of you folks have a lot higher tolerance to broken promises and work-arounds than I do.

Too many years of hearing things will be fixed in with my main "axe" ( AC ) only to hear, lets say it together, ...." that will be fixed in v. ____ fill in number here".

OK, so is the work-around run AC in Windows, download the object, save it as an AC archive file in Windows, then open and use it on the Mac side.....does that at least work?

Thanks guys!

Re: Google Connection / ArchiCAD Mac

Karl Ottenstein — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 23:38:41 GMT

rm wrote:
OK, so is the work-around run AC in Windows, download the object, save it as an AC archive file in Windows, then open and use it on the Mac side.....does that at least work?

No need for archives or anything. The saved object is just a gsm. So, save to a shared folder if you are networking a PC and Mac. If running Parallels on your Mac, then just save from AC/Win on Parallels and then access the file from the Mac side.

Karl

Re: Google Connection / ArchiCAD Mac

rm — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 23:44:18 GMT

Hey Karl,

Thanks!!! Haven't chatted with you in some time, I see your massively active here with a lot of great input.

Now - can I interest you in some slightly used PowerMacs....only used on very small projects, by a little old lady

Cheers!

Re: Google Connection / ArchiCAD Mac

Dwight — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:14:22 GMT

That's okay, Ribbert:

When a matter has been "cooked": ie: pointed out by members, whinged at [at length] by members, solutions researched by members, sad OS-based problems discovered and a clear workaround established, that pretty much ends it.

But don't think me unsympathetic. I want everything to run flawlessly on mac, and it doesn't, because we still remain on the commercial sideline.

But let me tell you, last summer, before getting the IntelMac, I needed to export a substantial Archicad model to Google Earth. What a nightmare! Thanks to PC-meister Aaron Bourgoin for helping get the mac model into google earth via his PC.

But above all else, I want to be productive, and that means using whatever works for me today.

Re: Google Connection / ArchiCAD Mac

rm — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 01:16:53 GMT

Well it doesn't surprise me many of you stumbled on to my lightbulb discovery already. If you cared to look, I haven't been on this forum much in the last few years, been a little busy solving that whole global warning thing through creative "green" design solutions.....have you heard of it, it's going to be the new black! So, my bad for not using the the search engine

I have been complaining to GS for years about their lack luster effort to create consistent and current library parts. Now we really have an active community of very creative people populating sketchup objects up the yin-yang, and we on the Mac side are once again the step child here with GS. I don't believe for a minute that GS software engineers couldn't get this to work.....I think we all know they are some pretty smart folks.

Yes I agree there is a solution. However the solution is not available to everyone, just those that have Intel Based Macs. Seriously, I build some pretty complex models on my PowerMac G5s, and the machines are no where near end of life. I have been demoing AC 12 on them, and they are plenty fast.....so replacing now is just not an option for me, and I am guessing for a lot of folks.

I guess the question I have, and I did not see it answered in the link Karl provided, has GS REALLY tried to get this to work on the Mac side or did someone at GS just determine the return on investment was not big enough for them or is Google just not playing nice with Macs....

Re: Google Connection / ArchiCAD Mac

Dwight — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 01:24:25 GMT

I don't think that they would lie to us about it.

I know of others who complain that the mac platform challenges certain programming issues.

But, something that looks easy can turn out to be complicated. A good example is Graphisoft's implementation of LightWorks that everyone thought would take two weeks until they saw just how sunlight was created. No mere rainy weekend spent at GSHQ was going to fix that.

Re: Google Connection / ArchiCAD Mac

rm — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:38:44 GMT

Dwight / Karl:

Im guessing you are using AC11 instead of AC12 if you are using the Google connection plug-in, yes?

....sidebar, since plug-ins from Cigraph, and Google seem to be lagging quite a bit behind the release of AC12, it would seem jumping into AC12 right now might not be the best move if you depend on the use of those plug-ins.

.....perhaps that topic should be on a different thread.

Gentlemen, your thoughts......... Dwayne, you can chime in as well 😉

Re: Google Connection / ArchiCAD Mac

Karl Ottenstein — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:14:24 GMT

rm wrote:
Im guessing you are using AC11 instead of AC12 if you are using the Google connection plug-in, yes?

Yes, the plug-in for AC 12 is not posted yet:
http://www.graphisoft.com/products/archicad/solutions/ge_earth_connections_download.html

it would seem jumping into AC12 right now might not be the best move if you depend on the use of those plug-ins.

Yes, while some 3rd parties manage to release their add-ons with each new release - and GS does for some of their add-ons - there are yet others that do not arrive for some months. At least Cigraph gave a timeline (this month), although to me it is inexcusable since they were part of the beta process and could have released their add-ons on time just like Cadimage and Encina. [They are switching to hardware protection keys, too, which is why I no longer recommend purchasing Cigraph add-ons at all.] There is no timeline posted on the site above from Graphisoft for the Google Earth Connection.

Cheers,
Karl

Re: Google Connection / ArchiCAD Mac

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 17:16:10 GMT

I am finding the current discussion of keen interest. But can any one tell me why the roundtrip conversion doesn't seem work with the Google Earth Plugin?

After I've successfully uploaded a Model from ArchiCAD (version 11 + 12) to 3-D Warehouse, why is it not possible to bring that same Model back into ArchiCAD (V11/V12)?

Here is my Model example:
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=856e77238da5d7d1ed45e36cde4e53

I have tried everything from Importing directly from 3-D warehouse into ArchiCAD, as well as downloading the Model from Google Warehouse as a SketchUp 5 (.skp),Google Earth 4 (.kmz) and Collada (.zip) and then trying a File - File Special - Merge
No luck. It seems to try and start to place the object and then it just seems to fail.
Any insight would be greatly appreciated.