topic Re: Using SketchUP & ArchiCAD in Modeling

Using SketchUP & ArchiCAD

Anonymous — Sat, 24 Jul 2004 16:54:07 GMT

I've been doing a bit of soul searching lately regarding how to utilize these two outstanding applications. A little feedback would be much appreciated.

First a little about me, because my practice is not built like SOM J… I collaborate with other professions, even Joint-Venture with other architects on projects. However, I have no employees, just me to do all design and production work. So being able to use multiple applications and have them interface fluidly between each other is a must!

My problem right now is that I am using SketchUp more and more as a design tool than ArchiCAD. The reasons are not that important, except to say that if you have ever tried SU, you’ll know what I am talking about. The interface is simple and very narrowly aimed at making the Design phase exciting and intuitive… hat’s off to @Last for that.

Then reality sets in once the client is on board with the design. Now we have even less time to get out the Construction Documents. This is where ArchiCAD takes over. Unfortunately for me, most (if not all) effort spent during the design phase entering 3D data into SketchUp is repeated for the first couple weeks!

Does anybody else go through this? I know there is a plug-in, tried it, didn’t work for me. Ideally, I would like to use ArchiCAD like I use SketchUp, then I know I could save myself some valuable time. Am I dreaming?

+pablo

Re: Using SketchUP & ArchiCAD

Djordje — Sat, 24 Jul 2004 18:13:06 GMT

Pablo wrote:
I know there is a plug-in, tried it, didn’t work for me.

Why?

Pablo wrote:
Ideally, I would like to use ArchiCAD like I use SketchUp, then I know I could save myself some valuable time. Am I dreaming?

You are ... but I wish you were not!

Re: Using SketchUP & ArchiCAD

Anonymous — Sat, 24 Jul 2004 18:32:13 GMT

Why doesn't the ArchicAD - SketchUp plug-in work? Well it does technically speaking for SU ver. 3.1 (for now). However, once you begin to embellish the SU model, you will have an almost unusable import when you pull it up in AC.. hence, I end up redrawing. My hope is that the two can continue to work out the details.

+pablo

Re: Using SketchUP & ArchiCAD

Anonymous — Sat, 24 Jul 2004 22:41:37 GMT

sketchup is not a solid modeller, it works exclusively with planes

if you have a wall with a thickness in su then the su-ac plugin will read each surface of the wall as a separate wall

but i guess you know that already

have you tried importing the model as a (3d) dxf and drawing over that in ac in 3d window. might work

bill

Re: Using SketchUP & ArchiCAD

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Jul 2004 10:27:05 GMT

hi Pablo,

Check this link see if it makes sense

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=2987

Re: Using SketchUP & ArchiCAD

Anonymous — Tue, 27 Jul 2004 14:22:17 GMT

Thanks for the help guys. I am seeing that SketchUp is being used more and more in the academic setting. There are some exciting projects students are doing using this easy software. I guess until Graphisoft and the folks at @Last Software come up with a better translator, I will just factor in 2 more weeks to the schedule to redraw my 3D model. pity..

+pablo

Re: Using SketchUP & ArchiCAD

Eduardo Rolon — Tue, 27 Jul 2004 14:37:08 GMT

bill wrote:
have you tried importing the model as a (3d) dxf and drawing over that in ac in 3d window. might work

bill

Actually I export them as DWG's and trace over them. The reson I don't mind doing this is that it forces me to verify the dimensions, since it is easy to make small errors in SU that would not be caught until you start to dimension the model in AC.

Re: Using SketchUP & ArchiCAD

Anonymous — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 04:36:43 GMT

sounds a bit masochistic...

as you embellish the model you can GROUP the embellishments together, and it will NOT complicate the model anymore than adding an object in ArchiCAD.

Keep the stuff you want as walls, slabs, roofs UNGROUPED, and group (or make components of) the stuff which should be objects in ArchiCAD.

Retracing? Come on.....

While we are at it:

Use the paintbucket in SketchUp and even your colors will be right.

any progressive suggestion to the developer of the translator is welcome,
public or private...

ferenc@frozenpiano.com

Re: Using SketchUP & ArchiCAD

Eduardo Rolon — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 13:18:14 GMT

Retracing? Come on.....

It depends on the project and I use it as quality control...

Also I thought that this was a discussions about work methods between SU and AC

Re: Using SketchUP & ArchiCAD

Anonymous — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 16:48:26 GMT

I deeply respect the first amendment rights.

So yes, you are perfectly free to express or promote your preferred working method.

I just felt that retracing because you didn't get the expected result first time is little awkward as opposed to use some layers, groups or components to remove the clutter, but have your walls, floors, roofs, windows in place, components converted into library parts....
From surface model to solid building elements...

So don't take it as thought police

I wouldn't recommend drawing hatched areas and lines for representing walls in ArchiCAD, but anybody is free to do so and post about it.

Re: Using SketchUP & ArchiCAD

Eduardo Rolon — Fri, 30 Jul 2004 18:49:35 GMT

Ferenc wrote:
I just felt that retracing because you didn't get the expected result first time is little awkward as opposed to use some layers, groups or components to remove the clutter, but have your walls, floors, roofs, windows in place, components converted into library parts....
From surface model to solid building elements...

I have been able to use the SU plugin with no problems using your method. It is just that sometimes when working on an idea for a client I work on SU and when I switch to AC I just use the SU model as a reference, so exporting only the 2d info is enough. But that is the way I work the design developement phase of projects because it forces me to re-evaluate the decisions made in the schematic phase.
Usually when I am doing 3D work for other clients I will work some parts of the model in SU others in AC and get everything together in Artlantis or C4D.

Ferenc wrote:
I wouldn't recommend drawing hatched areas and lines for representing walls in ArchiCAD, but anybody is free to do so and post about it.

I'm in total agreement on this point

Re: Using SketchUP & ArchiCAD

Thomas Holm — Sun, 01 Aug 2004 22:16:34 GMT

I have to agree with Eduardo. Re-tracing is an important step in development and quality assurance of a project. If I was to skip that step, my creativity in Sketchup would be severely hampered - I would have to think of dimensions in detail all the time. Doing that, I could just as well skip Sketchup altoghether.

Sketchup is all about free-hand creativity. Archicad is primarily something else - it's all about realistic building modeling, to detail, and getting it documented. I would normally not use an early free-hand pencil study as a construction document.

Thomas