topic Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users????? in Documentation

ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

Anonymous — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 14:45:55 GMT

Is there a "viewer" only software for non-users? All I want to do is view a set of drawings sent to me for reference. I don't need to modify or edit them. Can they be opened in AutoCad????

If Graphisoft offers one, it might be a good idea to put a link on their home page. I've been seaching here for an hour now!!!!

If they do not offer a viewer, where can I get a freeware viewer for the ".PLN" file extension. I do need zoom capabilities as I am not going to plot these drawings.

Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

Anonymous — Wed, 18 May 2005 10:42:04 GMT

If you are receiving these drawings from others the best way might be to get them to send you PDF files. Easy to create and much smaller file sizes too.

Cheers

Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

Anonymous — Wed, 18 May 2005 11:17:25 GMT

Thanks for the info S2ART.

The sender is not able to convert the files. I don't think they are using Archicad either. They are the GC on the job and I am a sub-contractor providing the shop drawings for the metal roofing and walls. These files were sent to them in that PLN format. We both use autocad. I just don't have enough time to wait for the originator to convert, get to them and then get to me. I gave them a quick completion date and did not know I would get these dwg's in PLN.

I thought with an Archicad viewer I could expedite what I am doing now to view them:
Using "PicaView32" in windows explorer, right click on PLN file, it shows a pic as a "tiff", choose "convert to BMP". Then I view in "INFANVIEW", which has limited zoom capabilities. A little lengthy in process and is the reason I thought an Archicad viewer would be easier.

Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

Anonymous — Wed, 18 May 2005 12:33:02 GMT

ddrdan wrote:
Is there a "viewer" only software for non-users? All I want to do is view a set of drawings sent to me for reference. I don't need to modify or edit them. Can they be opened in AutoCad????

If Graphisoft offers one, it might be a good idea to put a link on their home page. I've been seaching here for an hour now!!!!

If they do not offer a viewer, where can I get a freeware viewer for the ".PLN" file extension. I do need zoom capabilities as I am not going to plot these drawings.

Archicad will run in demo mode without the hardware key. I'm not sure if printing is an option in demo mode, but you should be able to view them.

Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

Anonymous — Wed, 18 May 2005 12:51:06 GMT

Thanks Mike !!!

I'll give that a try. So, I guess Archicad doesn't have a download for a viewer only???? That's a bad point for the software in an age when file transfer and review is "the" way of business.

Also, I did find if you change the "PLN" file extension to a "TIFF" in Win Explorer and then open the file in a viewer (I'm using Infanview) it will view & print. When I used picaview to convert and then open, it gave the pic a massive file size and a color base which was taking forever to print.

The TIFF file change will view & print black & white. I decided to print to 11x17 when screen viewing became a virtual memory problem.

Thanks to all who responded so quickly. If someone finds the Archicad viewer please post.

DDRDAN

Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

Ben Odonnell — Wed, 18 May 2005 18:35:57 GMT

ddrdan wrote:
Also, I did find if you change the "PLN" file extension to a "TIFF" in Win Explorer and then open the file in a viewer (I'm using Infanview) it will view & print.
DDRDAN

Mate that is the weirdest and most interesting thing I have ever heard. Changing *.pln to tiff being able to view it and then print it? That is very very strange, off to try it.

Cheers.
Ben

Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

__archiben — Thu, 19 May 2005 00:49:19 GMT

ddrdan wrote:
Also, I did find if you change the "PLN" file extension to a "TIFF" in Win Explorer and then open the file in a viewer (I'm using Infanview) it will view & print.
DDRDAN

WTF?

Ben wrote:
Mate that is the weirdest and most interesting thing I have ever heard. Changing *.pln to tiff being able to view it and then print it? That is very very strange, off to try it.

me too . . .

~/archiben

Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

__archiben — Thu, 19 May 2005 01:50:20 GMT

there's not a snowball's chance in hell that a PLN is going to open as a tiff in any viewer i have!

ddrdan - a PLN file is a database of elements rather than simply a vectorial representation of a plan. are you sure the file that you received was a PLN to start with? as mike said - using archiCAD in demo mode with allow viewing of the file, however you may want to talk to your archiCAD-using consultants about setting up a file transfer protocol - archiCAD can publish it's 'virtual building model' in a variety of 2D/vectorial formats to suit most flat-cadders!

~/archiben

Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

TomWaltz — Thu, 19 May 2005 02:24:48 GMT

I tried it and got a whole lot o' nuthin' on every program I had...

Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

Ben Odonnell — Thu, 19 May 2005 07:05:40 GMT

Just want to confirm what ben and Tom have already found. It does not work.

I think some one has been pulling our legs.

Cheers.
Ben

Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

Anonymous — Thu, 19 May 2005 16:29:35 GMT

Yes, the files are PLN files. I called the originator and checked. Sorry guys but it works???? These are 2 freeware programs that will view the PLN file.

PicaView - Works in Windows explorer. Once installed, right click on the file in Win Explorer. It will give you a thumbnail preview of the file and options for viewing or converting. (SHAREWARE - register nag screen)
http://www.freedownloadgraphics.com/viewers/picaview.html

IrfanView - it is a multi file extension viewer. Once I changed the file extensions on the PLN files to TIFF it opened them with no problems.
I am using version 3.5, this link is ver 3.97 should not be any difference in operations. (FREEWARE)
http://www.irfanview.com/

Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

SeaGeoff — Thu, 19 May 2005 17:08:38 GMT

ddrdan wrote:
So, I guess Archicad doesn't have a download for a viewer only???? That's a bad point for the software in an age when file transfer and review is "the" way of business.

This is an important point that I have been trying to make for years, corroborated here by someone who’s primary impression of ArchiCAD is now of an incompatible pain in the ass. True that the original author screwed up by not publishing in a format his clients could actually use. But a viewer would give non (i.e. prospective) users a glimpse of the real power of he virtual model. Something no flattened export can ever achieve.

Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

Anonymous — Thu, 19 May 2005 18:08:46 GMT

Geoff wrote:
This is an important point that I have been trying to make for years, corroborated here by someone who’s primary impression of ArchiCAD is now of an incompatible pain in the ass.

I whole-heartedly agree! I this on a wish list?

Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

Anonymous — Thu, 19 May 2005 20:12:56 GMT

Latest verison of Irfan View (and plug-ins) does not allow one to view .pln files if the extension is changed to either .tif or .tiff!!!

Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

Anonymous — Thu, 16 Jun 2005 13:46:45 GMT

I was wishing that I could give a contractor a copy of our virtual model for viewing and they would be able to view the model. (for design intent only of course.) If they maintained a computer at the job site, I could load the model and show a 3D view of an area in question to explain what was intended.
Would giving a contractor the Archicad disk without a key be illegal? They would be able to load the program in demo mode and view the file to determine intent in areas that are difficult to document in 2D.

Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

Nuge — Thu, 16 Jun 2005 20:35:31 GMT

I think you should have a look at this, download the demo and have a look

http://www.zermatt.se/index.html

Cheers Nuge

Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

Anonymous — Thu, 16 Jun 2005 22:38:32 GMT

Nuge wrote:
I think you should have a look at this, download the demo and have a look

http://www.zermatt.se/index.html

Cheers Nuge

Looks interesting, but I would like to give the viewer the option to marquee an area and look areas with a greater detail than just a walkthru.

Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

Richard Morrison — Thu, 16 Jun 2005 22:48:16 GMT

Umm, I'm looking at this thread and scratching my head. Wasn't this the whole point of the Project Reviewer environment?

Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

Aaron Bourgoin — Thu, 16 Jun 2005 22:54:15 GMT

yes I thinks so. If its drawings you want to share why not publish them as DWF and export the whole mess with the web based reviewer?

It works with internet explorer and, much to my delight, with Firefox 1.04

Re: ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

SeaGeoff — Fri, 17 Jun 2005 02:46:45 GMT

Reviewer is 2D only. Might as well just use PDF. The mythic ArchiCAD Viewer allows one to explore the model and extract information (or not) based on permissions. Ideally it would coincide with an overhaul of Teamwork. Then a team member with view-only or mark-up status could use the viewer and receive updates from the live model with no need for other team members to publish. In other cases the design team could send out a .pla with embedded permissions.