topic Re: Opening a .rfa file in ArchiCad 14 in Collaboration with other software

Opening a .rfa file in ArchiCad 14

Anonymous — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 11:10:05 GMT

Hi everyone,
I was wondering : is there a way to open a .rfa file in Archicad?

Re: Opening a .rfa file in ArchiCad 14

Laszlo Nagy — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 13:07:43 GMT

As of today: not possible to directly open RFA files in AC.

Re: Opening a .rfa file in ArchiCad 14

Anonymous — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:31:16 GMT

Is there any chance this would change with the next version of Archicad?

Re: Opening a .rfa file in ArchiCad 14

Laszlo Nagy — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 15:32:48 GMT

I don't even know if this is technically possible.
I mean I don't know how good the Revit API is or how much the RFA file format is known.

Re: Opening a .rfa file in ArchiCad 14

Steve Jepson — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 02:15:43 GMT

Does anyone know of any way to get a Revit .rfa file in to any other 3d file format with out using the Revit program? Is there any program that can import a .rfa file ?

Can it be done with a Revit demo program? View .rfa in 3d view and export as .3ds or AutoCAD 3d....anything?

There are so many manufatures providing only Revit files. I hate that!

Re: Opening a .rfa file in ArchiCad 14

GAG — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 06:49:20 GMT

I recommend you try IFC format as universal industrial exchange format.
Simple algo:
Export Revit model to IFC format
Import IFC model to ArchiCAD

Read about IFC import/export in ArchiCAD help.

Re: Opening a .rfa file in ArchiCad 14

Steve Jepson — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 07:16:00 GMT

I was successful by opening the Revit .rfa file/part that I wanted in the Revit Demo and saving it as a .dwg, then opening the .dwg as a new library part.
Now I have it as a new .gsm.

It was a surgical lighting boom. Now I can turn all the Revit parts I want into .gsm parts until my demo runs out. ThenI will have to find someone who has Revit to send the parts to and have them saved for me as .dwg

It's manufactures parts that I am usualy after rahter than building files.
I haven't tried it yet by saving the Revit file as IFC and then open the IFC with ArchiCAD.

The reason I think I prefer to open as new .gsm is because I can do that with out closing the drawing I am working on or having to open another instance of ArchiCAD.

Re: Opening a .rfa file in ArchiCad 14

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 15:09:41 GMT

Enrico wrote:
Is there any chance this would change with the next version of Archicad?

Yes, a fat one.

Re: Opening a .rfa file in ArchiCad 14

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 19:57:25 GMT

Steve wrote:

There are so many manufatures providing only Revit files. I hate that!

Yes. I feel your pain. Trying to get a drain drawing now for a detail.

RFA & RVT Geometry Exchange Add-on for ARCHICAD

GAG — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 10:12:58 GMT

Just for info:
Since 2017 there is an add-on "RFA & RVT Geometry Exchange".
See description at BIM6x (publisher) site:
https://www.bim6x.com/blog/rfa-rvt-geometry-exchange-add-archicad-21

Download:
http://www.bim6x.com/store

The new Add-on supports the following workflows:

Importing 3D geometry from .rfa object files and creating GDL objects
Hotlinking 3D model geometry from .rfv project files
Exporting the 3D model geometry of ARCHICAD into the .rvt file format

More info about technology used (Teigha BIM):
https://www.opendesign.com/products/teigha-bim

Screens
Section of model, check empty walls: RVT view selection before import: Classification and Properties based on RVT model: