Virtual Building Explorer for ArchiCAD 13

[Tibor Szolnoki]

Dear Talkers,

I’m glad to announce that the English version of Virtual Building Explorer for ArchiCAD 13 is available from today. Further language versions are coming in the following weeks.

This new release introduces Virtual Building Explorer to our Macintosh users as well. Supported operating systems now are Mac OSX 10.5, 10.6, Windows XP and Vista 32-64-bit. The Windows 7 version is currently under testing. First results indicate that performance on Win 7 highly depends on the driver of the graphics card so compatibility check before purchase is highly recommended.

New features of VBE for AC13 include:

• Option to save self-running application cross platform (Win/Mac) project files
• Option to measure distances in imperial or metric units
• New Ray-tracing rendering engine (“Headlight”) with optional sun shadows (F3)
• New rendering styles (“Goraud” and “Metal”) for quick navigation in larger models
• New Background Options: Sky, Black, Gradient
• Option to display the Sun Flare during navigation

The upgrade for VBE for AC13 is free for all VBE for AC12 customers. VBE for AC13 is downloadable from the VBE website:
http://www.graphisoft.com/products/virtual-building-explorer/.
VBE for AC12 customers can use the same license serial number and password to run VBE for AC13 but first they have to deactivate their VBE for AC12.

The 7-days trial version and the updated sample project files are also available on the VBE website.

For pricing information and order please contact your local ArchiCAD reseller:
http://www.graphisoft.com/purchase/

[Karl Ottenstein]

I've reported this multiple-pointing device weirdness.

Ben wrote:

Karl wrote:
Not even cmd-tab (Mac) or alt-tab (Windows) will let you switch to another application.Karl

Karl if you have two monitors you can switch applications (on PC anyway). But you can't switch on a single screen. Zermatt was the same.

Nothing let's you switch away from VBE on a Mac.

I'll have to plug another monitor into my laptop to see how this works on Windows, since alt-tab does not work there. Sounds like you're saying that you can move your mouse out of the VBE window/monitor and onto the other monitor. Not possible on VBE Mac.

Thanks,
Karl

[Anonymous]

I don't know about you but I can only see advantages in the VBE. I would absolutely advise anyone to get VBE.
Pros for the client:
-Clients can walk through the Building themselves, without any CAD-knowledge!
-Stereo view for a true sensation of spaces
-Viewed on MAC or WIN
-Can run predefined routes through the building

Pros for ArchiCAD users:
-Directly made from AC model
-Fast generation of Unlit, Shaded, Cartoon and Shade Cartoon
-Created on MAC or WIN
-Only one license needed per office (de- and reactivate via internet)

Cons:
-Global Illuminiation takes a while to create, but after that it is superfast.
-When your architectural design is bad, the client will know. Because with the VBE, the client experiences the building far better than any drawing or rendering. I do know architects who use the VBE in their designstage instead of drawings to communicate with clients.


BTW switching on WIN is possible, so why not on MAC. Does this work? Use cmd-tab to activate the other monitor(2 monitor necessary), and move the (invisible) cursor to the second monitor and click to activate the window.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Ben wrote:

Karl wrote:
Not even cmd-tab (Mac) or alt-tab (Windows) will let you switch to another application.Karl

Karl if you have two monitors you can switch applications (on PC anyway). But you can't switch on a single screen. Zermatt was the same.

Ben, thanks again for posting that! I was completely wrong about Windows. My apologies to the group for the inaccurate information earlier in this thread.

VBE 1 as well as 2 on Windows will let you switch to another running application using alt-tab. Don't even need a second monitor. But, if you want to do something else - including running another program while VBE generates the GI solution, you need to have an Explorer or something window open to switch to ... then you get control back and do whatever you want while VBE continues to compute the GI solution. This is really important, as the GI solution for a small home on my laptop takes about 6 hours.

The Mac behavior, though, must be a bug. Since they managed to let VBE recognize alt-tab and send that to the OS, they probably just forgot to let VBE Mac recognize cmd-tab.

Hope it'll get fixed soon.

Karl

[Chazz]

Quick note that the installer did not work here in Snow Leopard land because I had the ArchiCAD 13 app name changed (to ArchiCAD13.app, so I could distinguish it from the other 4 versions I have on the machine all with identical icons). Changing the name back to the factory default (ArchiCAD.app) allowed the installer to finish.

[Anonymous]

After i set the scene global illumination and vbe show the remanining time (about 2 hours) instead ALT-TAB i use CTRL+ALT+DEL to open aplication manager select archicad or other app. and mouse_right_click_menu select - bring to front .

[Karl Ottenstein]

archibaldo wrote:
After i set the scene global illumination and vbe show the remanining time (about 2 hours) instead ALT-TAB i use CTRL+ALT+DEL to open aplication manager select archicad or other app. and mouse_right_click_menu select - bring to front .

Reasonable alternative on Windows. But, there is still no capability to switch applications on Mac. 😞

Karl

[Anonymous]

That sounds great!
We'd love to purchase a commercial licence of the VBE for AC13 on Mac, however the Italian reseller doesn't carry it. Is it possible to buy a licence online?

Thanks!

Enrico Bonilauri

[Anonymous]

Is it really worth getting the VBEg, the global illumination version of VBE?

Is there a really nice, noticeable difference ion the quality of the output?

Cheers.

Mike

[Paul King]

Unfortunately, VBE (for ArchiCAD 12) has a tendency to corrupt ArchiCAD geometry during export and you very often get VBE models with lots of stray polygons stretching off into the distance. A great idea, but rather poor implementation.
I reported this to GS a long time back, with no response whatsoever, so presume nobody is at the development helm for this product.

[Anonymous]

Hi Paul,

One time I had these 'stray polygons', they were generated from a SketchUp file I had imported. Once I cut the SketchUp files in smaller pieces, it worked fine.