Collaboration with other software
About model and data exchange with 3rd party solutions: Revit, Solibri, dRofus, Bluebeam, structural analysis solutions, and IFC, BCF and DXF/DWG-based exchange, etc.

Maxon Freeform in ArchiCad

Anonymous
Not applicable
"SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT – JUNE PROMOTION!

Graphisoft and Maxon are happy to announce a new partner solution for ArchiCAD called FreeForm. Based on Cinema 4D, FreeForm allows users of ArchiCAD to edit elements of building models as parametric primitives; with extrusions, holes, planes, points and paths; or with deformers and form generators, providing total design freedom!"


I'm not sure what this is, but it sounds pretty interesting. Total design freedom? I like that. Anyone care to comment.
111 REPLIES 111
stefan
Expert
Rashid wrote:
...It speaks to the great benefits of the whole BIM/modelling concept the software so expensive can have a thriving 3rd party industry for the most basic of tools.
This is what made AutoCAD so popular: adding functionality to the basic toolset: AutoLisp, DIESEL, scripts, Object ARX (C++), VBA, ...

The fact that it is possible to extend ArchiCAD in many ways is not a bad thing. The problem is that this should not lead to neglecting basic functionality and for that I agree: we need better integrated control over the 3D model: adjust and deform and manipulate elements that stay true building elements: walls, floors and roofs in the first place. And I don't think that GDL as such is the real limiting factor, although it is a "kernel" that is not like most other CAD applications, which rely on more 'traditional' geometric kernels like ACIS (partly/formerly? in AutoCAD) and Parasolid (e.g. in Microstation).
--- stefan boeykens --- bim-expert-architect-engineer-musician ---
Archicad27/Revit2023/Rhino8/Unity/Solibri/Zoom
MBP2023:14"M2MAX/Sonoma+Win11
Archicad-user since 1998
my Archicad Book
Anonymous
Not applicable
Stephan,

All good points.. That's why I said "basic tools".. However there is obviously a difference in what GS considers basic and what some of us consider basic... Stairs, Partial wall veneers, Eaves,... Some of these have been cried about way before I came to know AC.. I did not mind in the least buying custom library parts as GS can't be expected to deliver every vent and chimney cap type..

AC's extensibility is a great positive without a doubt.. but it's dependence on the third party is misplaced. The tasks GS face are large and I hope and pray they find the resources to address them as their hands seem to be tied by something.
Anonymous
Not applicable
It is actually in GS's best interest to leak info on great new features and I think they would, if there were. At this point protecting Ver 9 sales is moot really..
Yes, in fact I think that leaking some encouraging info. would enhance current sales and motivate some to get ready.
Karl Ottenstein
Moderator
outpostarc wrote:
Yes, in fact I think that leaking some encouraging info. would enhance current sales and motivate some to get ready.
Boy, we got off topic. 😉

I disagree, other than things that they guarantee will be in 10 on the delivery date perhaps. It is worse to suggest things that do not get delivered, or which are delivered late. (Vaporware or staleware.)

Take a look at the heat the Abvent received for suggesting early on that Artlantis R would be available in the fall of 2004, and yet it did not arrive until this summer. The delay in arrival was due to their efforts at a high QA level during beta testing, among other things. Yet, users were angry about repeated delays and features that they thought they would see. For the most part, people are happy now ... but they lost some momentum by getting people excited almost a year before the product arrived.

I would not blaim GS for not wanting to be in that position. Better that we know a new version is coming, and it will be like Christmas when we hear what it will actually contain. 😉

2 cents,
Karl
One of the forum moderators
AC 27 USA and earlier   •   macOS Ventura 13.6.6, MacBook Pro M2 Max 12CPU/30GPU cores, 32GB
Djordje
Ace
Karl wrote:
People who already own C4D can have the add-on link to the full version of C4D rather than MaxonForm.
Full MaxonForm is for the people who don't have C4D. The plugin is for those who do have it, and is much cheaper, of course.

The 2D has been adressed, believe it or not ... but I have to learn C4D now too ... DUH!
Djordje



ArchiCAD since 4.55 ... 1995
HP Omen
Wokka
Contributor
So does that mean if you have C4D full version and ArchiCad full version you can only have one-way transfer via the existing plugin and there is no way of purchasing or using the new plugin to import freeform modelling into ArchiCad?
I have to spend $500(US) to buy a plugin tranfers the data but I'd then have a full version of Maxonform that I don't really need?
I can't pay a nominal amount just for the ability to tranfer 3D objects back and forth with C4D?
Doesn't sound very user friendly to me.
Can anyone from Graphisoft verify this?
Warwick Lloyd-Martin
3 D E N V I R O N M E N T
http://www.3de.com.au
Windows 11 Pro 64bit
ArchiCad 4.55>27 AUS
Lumion 12.5/2023
D5 Render
Djordje
Ace
Wokka wrote:
I can't pay a nominal amount just for the ability to tranfer 3D objects back and forth with C4D?
Yes you can; that is exactly what I said.

1. Full MaxonForm at US$ 495 or whatever it is locally - gives you C4D modeling engine and two way street.

2. MaxonForm plugin that gives you two way street if you already have C4D; ask your dealer for the price.

Your mileage may vary; check with your local guys!
Djordje



ArchiCAD since 4.55 ... 1995
HP Omen
Petros Ioannou
Contributor
Djordje wrote:
The 2D has been adressed, believe it or not ...
What do you mean by that Djordje ???


Petros
ArchiCAD 22 4023 UKI FULL,
Archicad 21 6013 UKI FULL, ArchiCAD 20 8005 UKI FULL
iMac Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2017
4.2 GHz Intel Core i7
32 GB 2400 MHz DDR4
Radeon Pro 580 8192 MB
Anonymous
Not applicable
Karl wrote:

Boy, we got off topic. 😉

I would not blaim GS for not wanting to be in that position. Better that we know a new version is coming, and it will be like Christmas when we hear what it will actually contain. 😉
You are not wrong karl but i think GS for this version is in dire straits (hope that means what i want to say )

I (and perhaps many) expect fundamental improvements.
The most important of which is extending the 2d (or half 3d) way Archicad sees the cad world.
As a programmer you see that the main problem is how AC represents an object. AC started as a 2d app and then just added a 3rd value for the z axes but does not implement the 3rd dimention completely.
I guess if AC1 was written in 2004 then the choice would surely be a full 3d implementation.
And for this too be done gdl (the core object lagruage of AC has to be vastly enchanced)

Do you think that we will ever see a fully 3d aware AC?
Akos Bezegh
Graphisoft Alumni
Graphisoft Alumni
Dear Talk-ers,

Let me reflect to some of the comments, questions that have come up in this topic. Without any particular order:

What is MaxonForm, what is the Cinema4D eXchange plugin?

MaxonForm is a simplified version of Cinema 4D: all the modeling, but no rendering or animation.

The full MaxonForm package consists of 3 components: The “MaxonForm application”, the “MaxonForm add-on” for ArchiCAD and the “ArchiCAD plug-in” for MaxonForm. With these components you can establish a one-click bidirectional connection between MaxonForm and ArchiCAD

The above mentioned add-on and plug-in can also be used with standard Cinema 4D, if someone already has one. They will also work with Cinema 4D 9.5 to be released this September.

A completely different product is the ArchiCAD-Cinema4D “eXchange plugin”, which is a MAXON product, distributed by MAXON.

You might be confused now: “If I have ArchiCAD and Cinema4D, what is the difference between the “eXchange plugin” and the “Add-on Only MaxonForm” for me?”

“Add-on Only MaxonForm”
1. functionality focuses on organic modeling
2. one click connection between ArchiCAD and CINEMA 4D
3. data transfer is bidirectional
4. Virtual Building environment is also shown in CINEMA4D
5. jointly developed by Graphisoft and MAXON

“eXchange plugin”
1. functionality focuses on rendering
2. the link is only one way: from ArchiCAD to CINEMA 4D
3. the file has to be saved as an .AC4D file and imported into CINEMA 4D
4. developed by MAXON alone


Why GDL?
With MaxonForm you will be able to model any shape. This means absolutely any organic free-form object you can think of. ArchiCAD can only support free geometry in GDL objects (It is logical, that to be able create parametric elements, we have to know something about them - we are unable to know anything about MaxonForm objects because of the infinite geometric possibilities.) so elements created with MaxonForm can only be placed in the ArchiCAD model as GDL. This also means that in ArchiCAD these can only be stretched in the X, Y and Z directions, plus the materials are of course also parametric. But any other modification in the shape of the object has to be done with the organic modeling tools of MaxonForm.

For GDL experts: since MaxonForm creates a script and not a binary, with some copy and paste you can easily assemble one object that has even more parameters (maybe different levels of detail, or parts of the object individually resizable…).

2D representation:
The 2D symbol of the GDL object has edge and point status, so you can snap to them and dimension them. Another option is to set a “cutplane” for the object, if you need to represent something on the Floor Plan as if it was cut at a certain height. (Automatic 2D representation of an organic shaped object! – who else can do this?) This also works across stories.

3D:
In ArchiCAD by default objects get 3D hotspots at the edges of the bounding box. To allow exact placement and alignment in 3D, there is also a possibility to place additional 3D hotspots on the model anywhere you need.

Modeling freedom in ArchiCAD?
I have to emphasize that introducing MaxonForm does NOT mean that we stop developing ArchiCAD’s own modeling capabilities. MaxonForm was NOT developed to replace the freedom in modeling and editing ArchiCAD construction elements. MaxonForm is a tool to create free-form organic objects.
Akos
Bezegh

ArchiCAD
Product
Manager

GSHQ