Is it best work from standard or obtain a prepared template?

[Dennis Hellyar]

I'm new to archicad and have decided to use it as my main cad software for my practice. Can anyone advise me please - is it better to function using the standard uk template or would it be better to function using a prepared template, obtained from one of the more well known trainers, such as the US master template by Eric bobrow to name but one? Any advice on this would be appreciated.

[Stress Co_]

I think the U.S. out-of-the-box "template" is best described as ...
something you would need to scrape off the bottom of your shoe,
if you stepped on it sitting in the grass.

Check out Jared's template here:
SHOEGNOME

[Dennis Hellyar]

OK thanks for the reply. This would be a US template and I guess would follow US standards in terms layers, units, etc. Do you think the benefits of this outweigh the fact these standards would be foreign to me? I sought some advice from a licensed graphisoft agent here and they thought I should stick to AC v18 UK standard template. Any thoughts?

[Karl Ottenstein]

I don't see any US standards in the Shoegnome template. But, it is oriented towards the US library and Imperial measurements as would be the Bobrow template, too, I assume.

I've not seen the UK template... while I agree about the US out-of-box-template, it is possible that the UK one isn't as bad.

Also: any template made before 18 will NOT have the proper Cinerender surfaces or scenes set up. Another thing to consider.

[Dennis Hellyar]

The shoegnome template is based on v17. V17 standard template was identical across us and uk, indeed the world over.

Shoegnome's v18 template is not available yet as far as I know.

Ac v18 standard template is available in different versions - uk and us. I wonder though if v18 uk would still be regarded by you guys in the same way you see v17 standard.

Would be useful to see an experienced uk user's take on this.

[Link]

You would be better off with a template that is at least based off the standard UK template so that all the fills, linetypes, surfaces and building materials aligned with the UK ArchiCAD 18 library, translators, etc.

Any template not built using exact AC18 default attributes runs the risk of errors. And I doubt that Eric or Jared have upgraded theirs yet.

I'd recommend sticking with the default UK one or having one custom built to meet your needs.

Cheers,
Link.

[Dennis Hellyar]

Ok thanks for that. Not likely to have something built for the moment but it's clear enough I should stick with ac v18 standard for now until a uk equivalent to jared or Eric's comes along.

[Nathan Hildebrandt]

Dennis,

I would get a local to assist you to build your template. Someone that knows the local standards. The generic templates will get you most of the way there and I believe that for 90% of ArchiCAD users the ones on the net will give you the leg up you need, but if you want a system to meet all of your practices needs then invest in a custom template.

Nathan.

[Dennis Hellyar]

Nathan - thanks for that.

It's that 90% thing that I was thinking myself - getting most of the way there with templates available on the net, sooner than sticking with the UK standard v18 template.

But I get the impression from Link, and some others that using a 'foreign' template will lead to problems...better to stick with UK v18 STD.

The best alternative I could find is someone as generous as say Jared and Eric B, with their free or at least inexpensive templates, from the UK, using v18.

That may be a tall order!

Getting a custom template built is certainly tall for us at the moment!!

I think v18 standard will have to suffice for the moment.

Dennis