topic Re: Do you remember? Archicad History from Radar CH to Archicad in Modeling

Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to ArchiCAD

Katalin Takacs — Tue, 22 May 2012 07:47:18 GMT

On http://archicadwiki.com/ArchiCAD%20versions site you can find the list of all released ArchiCAD versions. We have also collected the release dates, supported platform, features, ArchiCAD file and hardware protection compatibility of all versions.
Do you remember on your first ArchiCAD? What was your favorite feature?

Re: Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to Archi

Laszlo Nagy — Tue, 22 May 2012 10:23:38 GMT

OK, let me be the first one.
My most favorite features were:
AC4.5 (my first version): GDL
AC6: 3D Editing
AC8: OpenGL and SEO
AC10: PlotMaker integration and AutoText
AC11: Trace Reference
AC12: Curtain Wall
AC13: Teamwork 2
AC15: Shell
AC16: Morph

Re: Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to Archi

Anonymous — Tue, 22 May 2012 17:47:21 GMT

I was first introduced to ArchiCAD 6.5 at university back in 1999. At technical college before we had been taught the basics of 2d AutoCAD, so seeing the 3d capabilities of ArchiCAD for the first time blew me away! I thought the Ghost storey function was amazing, and the rendering capabilities were incredibly realistic!

A little later I also purchased David Nicholson-Coles GDL Cookbook which really opened my eyes to the hidden potential. Very geeky, but still quite exciting!

Re: Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to Archi

Piotr Dobrowolski — Tue, 22 May 2012 22:22:57 GMT

There is a mistake on the wiki page...

The first PC version was 4.12 - I had demo of this version - and it was the firs AC I tried.

Than I used 4.5 on EASA in Zamosc, Poland that was co-sponsored by GS 😉

Than I bought a 5.0 full license being a student and working on my own....(I still remember some of friends asking if I am insane...they did not think of buying any software license on that time, and there was not free edu then)

I still think that AC 5.0 box is best of AC boxes on my shelf 😉

Best Regards,
Piotr

Re: Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to Archi

Anonymous — Thu, 24 May 2012 09:26:20 GMT

I started on version 11. Which I think was the last version to have a printed manual with it.

Reading the history I can't imagine having to work without some of the tools I use everyday such as Virtual Trace and Worksheets which came out with v11.

Re: Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to Archi

Anonymous — Fri, 25 May 2012 09:02:00 GMT

I started with start edition 2009, i think.
My favorite feature of release 15 is not shell (I never use this in my diary work) its the new roof tool. Its a power timesaver!!!

Re: Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to Archi

Anonymous — Sun, 27 May 2012 20:57:31 GMT

After using AutoCAD from its early days, my first Archicad experience was 6.5 and I just didn't get it. Changed jobs back to Autocad for a few years, then back to Archicad v8.1, but this time it clicked for me and there was no turning back.
Reflections in Lightworks renderings got me very excited.

Re: Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to Archi

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 07:26:31 GMT

Started with AC 4.16 for Mac at the university computer lab and later on my own computer with AC4.55 for PC.
The most impressive features for me are:
- Stories - the fact that they were available as a standard feature of the application was a miracle!
- Customisable shortcuts /for AC 6.0/
- Ghost story/trace and reference
- Being able to plot directly from the application /integration of Plotmaker/
- DWG attachment.

Re: Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to Archi

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 07:30:45 GMT

Shall I also list my favourite features, whish have been removed from AC?!?!

Re: Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to Archi

Anonymous — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 17:48:55 GMT

...and Laszlo you forgot:

ArchiCAD 9: when all the cool new stuff in 8 actually worked.

Re: Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to Archi

Laszlo Nagy — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 11:35:55 GMT

Matthew wrote:
...and Laszlo you forgot:

ArchiCAD 9: when all the cool new stuff in 8 actually worked.

Yes, that's right.

Edit: Sorry Matthew, I think I accidentally deleted most of your post because I wanted to quote this part and I clicked the Edit button instead of the Quote button. Admins are able to do that. Sorry about it.

Re: Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to Archi

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 17:13:36 GMT

I got my first version second hand, 4.1 Back in 1992 and ran it on a MAC IICX with all of 80 meg of memory. I had to turn off all of the mac functions to get it to run and plotted for hours at a time in the evenings on an Oce pen plotter. That was my second building down cycle/recession. Today I'm
Mac 10.5.8 PowerPC G5
Archicad 12
Maybe when things pick up from this third recession I've had to work through I can upgrade to 16.
I only mention the recessions to let the younger readers know that there will always be downturns so don't get discouraged and prepared for them.
Ron

Re: Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to Archi

Anonymous — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 07:58:35 GMT

laszlonagy wrote:
Matthew wrote:
...and Laszlo you forgot:

ArchiCAD 9: when all the cool new stuff in 8 actually worked.
Yes, that's right.

Edit: Sorry Matthew, I think I accidentally deleted most of your post because I wanted to quote this part and I clicked the Edit button instead of the Quote button. Admins are able to do that. Sorry about it.

As I recall I just said my favorite new feature of all was the Navigator/Publisher in ArchiCAD 7. I think that has saved me more time than anything else by far (though I may be a bit biased since it was partly based on my suggestion).

Re: Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to Archi

David Collins — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 10:22:58 GMT

I came to Archicad 5.5 from a dumb-as-mud flatland CAD program, so just about everything about it amazed me. What mostly blew me away was the fact that the thing was alive: make a change anywhere and it updated itself everywhere. My old program could barely tell one line from another, let alone coordinate drawings with a 3d model. I can remember sitting there with my mouth open.

I was also amazed by the sheer genius of having the section symbol in plan be the link to the actual section drawing. That wasn't obvious in those days. And there was a truly sublime moment when it dawned on me that the ability to set up stories was going to reduce the number of layers by a factor of... well, the number of stories in the building... Brilliant!

Still brilliant!

Favorite new feature: Profile Manager, which solved dozens of long term issues in one fully integrated tool, eliminating one or two earlier really dumb new features in the process.

Re: Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to Archi

Katalin Takacs — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 14:17:26 GMT

Let me share my story with ArchiCAD:
AutoCAD was the first CAD program I studied at the university. After using AutoCAD (and its command line) it was a bit difficult to get used to the ArchiCAD tools at the beginning. But it gave a great experience, when I saw the result of my 2d drawing in 3d. I was amazed how easy it is to create an architectural model in ArchiCAD 9.

One year later I started to work as a drafter for architectural offices and used ArchiCAD 7.0, so I had the opportunity to learn the basics of ArchiCAD (and PlotMaker). I liked the automatic dimension feature the most, and realized how important it is to create a correct 3D model.
It was the first important step for me to learn the software. During my studies I had the chance to test ArchiCAD 13's Teamwork (which was the greatest feature in ArchiCAD's history, as I think) and its new features. And I also learned to use ArchiCAD Help
Since ArchiCAD 14 I work for GRAPHISOFT. I give community support, teach ArchiCAD and write as many ArchiCAD Wiki articles as I can to share my knowledge with ArchiCAD users.

Re: Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to Archi

PB — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 17:49:43 GMT

Katalin, i am intrigued by your comment "And I also learned to use ArchiCAD Help".....I suspect I am missing out on a valuable aid !

Am I missing the obvious? Can you point out the best place to learn how to use AC Help to its best advantage, please?

Thanks, Patrice

Re: Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to Archi

Katalin Takacs — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 09:03:35 GMT

I heard about some tricks from experienced ArchiCAD users: e.g. the space activates/ deactivates the magnet button (Quick selection), how to align a texture, how to offset a line and where to find the offset command (it had a complicated workflow before AC14 as I can remember). If I couldn't find a command or didn't remember on the exact workflow, I just searched for it in ArchiCAD Help and got answer for my (quite basic) questions.
I liked to have a reliable (and hungarian!) aid in my hand which can be reached easily, directly from ArchiCAD.

Re: Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to Archi

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 06:39:47 GMT

Katalin wrote:
I liked to have a reliable (and hungarian!) aid in my hand which can be reached easily, directly from ArchiCAD.

Yeah, and I want a Bulgarian one too!

Being fortunate to know English I have no problems working with AC, but not all of my students know this language so well.

Re: Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to Archi

PB — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 18:52:50 GMT

Thank you Katalin - I'll try making more use of the 'Help' facilities !

Re: Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to Archi

Laszlo Nagy — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 19:05:54 GMT

Yes, I think it would good if more people were aware of just how many answers are actually there in the Help files. Lots of work in being put into it every year to keep it updated and helpful (that's why it is called Help isn't it?)