topic Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC in Installation & update

Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Anonymous — Sun, 18 May 2008 06:34:12 GMT

I understand that ArchiCad is available for both the Mac & PC and am wondering if there are any differences between running ArchiCad on a Mac vs a PC? I assume that the program is functionally the same but am more interested in if the Mac OS/computer does things differently, better or worse than the PC OS/computer?

If things are basically the same why would someone chose a Mac over a PC?

Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Anonymous — Sun, 18 May 2008 10:58:26 GMT

Because of system and hardware

The only one advantage to choose window system:
You can buy much cheaper older hardware from ebay (really big advantage without joke).
If I want to buy new workstation with high performance equipped with Xeon, I would buy MacPro.
Compared to HP or Dell workstation MacPro is simply too good with own systemsoftware.

Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Ralph Wessel — Sun, 18 May 2008 16:15:41 GMT

Mark wrote:
If things are basically the same why would someone chose a Mac over a PC?

The functionality of ArchiCAD on Mac and Windows is basically the same, so no buying advice from that point of view. However:

- If you buy a new PC, it will come with Vista. The developers at GS still do not recommend Vista for use with ArchiCAD (although it will work).
- Apple always scores highly in consumer reviews for support and recommendation of product
- Macs enjoy excellent integration between hardware and software
- The Mac OS has a huge level of attention to detail and ease-of-use. Something like the difference between an iPod and a typical MP3 player.
- The Mac still has no virus/malware problems.
- If you're interested in add-on development, you get all the software you need free with the Mac OS
- You can run any OS you like on a Mac

Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Karl Ottenstein — Sun, 18 May 2008 18:05:26 GMT

I switched to Mac this year after 18 years of Windows. I agree with everything that Ralph said. There are lots of other things that I like about OS X vs Windows and only about 1 or 2 things that I miss from Windows. I could go on about dozens of productivity features, stability, and the value of all of the included software vs what you would have to pay extra for with Windows. But, you asked about AC....

For your specific question on AC - Expose on Mac is a big productivity improver for me. On Windows, you have to close/minimize or go to a menu to find and display hidden windows. On Mac, Expose instantly tiles your screen with open windows letting you choose what you want to switch to - plan, section, GDL, etc.

There are lots of OS X features that make one more productive IMHO. In Leopard (10.5) and ArchiCAD, one such feature is that the Help menu of every application - including ArchiCAD - includes a spotlight-like search which not only searches the entire menu hierarchy of the application- but even highlights the searched-for menu item. A single click does the action. So, if you can't remember where Align 3D Texture is - if you just type Align 3D, up pops the proper menu to tell you where it is (if you care) and a single click invokes the command.

One small change in the switch to Mac is that I did use function keys F8 through F12 (and variants) to do things inside AC under Windows. I prefer to keep the standard Mac OS global settings for those keys now, and so have redefined my shortcuts for those old tasks - only 3 of which I ever used much anyway.

Cheers,
Karl

Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Dwight — Sun, 18 May 2008 18:52:24 GMT

Karl:

Could you please compare the machine experience between Mac and PC?

The feel, the ease of changes - RAM insertion, etc?

Adding new devices, etc?

Exactly how much better is the MAc?

Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Thomas Holm — Sun, 18 May 2008 19:40:37 GMT

Dwight wrote:
Exactly how much better is the MAc?

Exactly 8.

or was it 25?

To be honest. There are a couple of Archicad things missing on the Mac. The Google Sketchup and Google warehouse connections, for example. They might come eventually. And Giovanni's 'Vitruvian Studio' viewer that uses the VRML format. Maybe some more.

But since it's possible to install Windows on the Mac, either virtualized (so you can run it at the same time) with Parallells or Fusion, or in a bootable hard disk partition with Apple's Boot Camp, you can have Archicad's windows version installed as well, for the occassions when you need those options. It will run with the same Wibu key and license.

Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Anonymous — Mon, 19 May 2008 09:49:33 GMT

Anyway we can install in Window and in Apple with one dongle, with ONE CD!
This is very big advantage.
I have many Adobe programms but in Window version.
They can not run in OS system.
The hardware is not so expensive compared to software.

Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Brett Brown — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:04:45 GMT

Karl wrote:
For your specific question on AC - Expose on Mac is a big productivity improver for me. On Windows, you have to close/minimize or go to a menu to find and display hidden windows. On Mac, Expose instantly tiles your screen with open windows letting you choose what you want to switch to - plan, section, GDL, etc.

Karl,just to clarify the mac expose, all the open tiled windows stay on screen when working on the active one? Do they each keep there own layer combo when activating each window?
Also has OXS the ability to drag one or more of those tiled windows onto a second monitor?
I imagine a 30" monitor would be better for tiled views? Any recommendations on 30" monitors. I see the HP one has been discontinued. I think Mathew recommends these.

Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Brett Brown — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:53:28 GMT

Any Mac user explain how Expose works and answer the above questions please?

Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Karl Barker — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:27:59 GMT

Expose is a method of quickly changing windows in either an application or through all windows currently open on your computer.
If you are working in AC in a section and want to quickly get to the detail that you were just working on, hit F10 and all the windows currently open in AC will tile across your screen. You can then click on the window you wish to work in, the detail window, and the screen will return to normal.
For more, go to:
http://www.apple.com/nz/macosx/what-is-macosx/expose.html

Far better than alt tab.

Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Brett Brown — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:34:53 GMT

Thanks for that Karl, Do each window open keep there own layer combo and not the last active window combo in Expose when changing the active windows?

Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:26:25 GMT

Normally I work on a Windows. To switch between screens I prefer the short cuts, F2, F5 or the ALT-TAB.

I don't get used to the messy floating windows of the MAC. Also whenever I am behind a MAC, I miss the cross button on the top of the dialog boxes.

Beside that there are no real differences to me. But there is the issue of the missing SketchUp add-on, the 64-bit support and the MAC-development seeming to be one step behind.

Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Rick Thompson — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:59:52 GMT

I am generally working on 2 ac's at a time, with many windows up, plus other programs. I have the scroll wheel set to Expose so all I have to do is click it and I see every single window easily… plus docked windows. I couldn't imagine working efficiently without it.

Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Brett Brown — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 03:24:21 GMT

Could someone please confirm with expose that if you have Plans, sections, elevations, detail windows all open at the same time, when you switch between them using expose, they all keep there own layer combo and do not use the combo of the last active window?

Also just talking to apple store about the graphics cards on the Macpro and they said that if I put a Quadro in it after I purchased it, that would void the warranty. Is this correct?

Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Karl Barker — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 03:38:27 GMT

1, expose will use the current operative windows layer and view settings. It does not save the different settings for each window. Although that would be nice. It is simply a convenient and graphical method of switching windows.

2, If you put the graphics card in yourself, I don't blame them for voiding the warranty, however if they supply and install the card, then they should honor the warranty.

Would you give a warranty to something that someone else has tampered with?

Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Anonymous — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 09:03:27 GMT

Hi all!

I'm not sure that writing a right topic but I need some help.
So the situation:
I would like to buy a mac but I don't know how will archicad and artlantis use the files that I made on pc. Will be changes in the file if I open in mac?
Thanks in advance!

Alex

Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Ralph Wessel — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 13:40:51 GMT

Kar wrote:
I would like to buy a mac but I don't know how will archicad and artlantis use the files that I made on pc. Will be changes in the file if I open in mac

In almost all cases, the file format is the same irrespective of the platform. So an ArchiCAD file produced under Windows will open and work in the same way on a Mac (and vice versa). You don't need to change anything for this to work. Move all your fonts to your new machine to ensure your typography still looks the same too.

Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Erich — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 15:11:55 GMT

Ralph wrote:
Move all your fonts to your new machine to ensure your typography still looks the same too.

However, you might want to take a look at this Wiki article before moving all you fonts. www.archicadwiki.com/SnowLeopard#ArchiCAD_crashes_on_start-up

Ralph, have you experienced any of these font issues?

Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Anonymous — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 15:25:07 GMT

Erich wrote:
Ralph wrote:
Move all your fonts to your new machine to ensure your typography still looks the same too.
However, you might want to take a look at this Wiki article before moving all you fonts. www.archicadwiki.com/SnowLeopard#ArchiCAD_crashes_on_start-up

Ralph, have you experienced any of these font issues?

If you've stuck to standard fonts like Arial there's no problem. If you're using big brand fonts like Adobe make sure you either have OpenType which is cross platform, or versions of TrueType or Postscript for each.

Re: Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

Ralph Wessel — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 09:54:20 GMT

Erich wrote:
Ralph, have you experienced any of these font issues?

No, I haven't. I use Font Book to validate all recently installed/upgraded fonts, which may have helped. It flags up any fonts that are incorrectly formatted, duplicated, corrupt, etc.

I mentioned the fonts issue simply because it's the first issue most people flag up when moving from Windows to Mac. If you forget to move your fonts, your documents don't look the same. Thankfully, its a very easy to do.