ArchiCAD on the iPad, iPhone and iTouch?

[Anonymous]

Since official details about the iPad came out I have been wondering about it as a laptop replacemnt for client presentations. The main drawback is that I would not able to view a 'live' 3D model on it (orbiting etc).
Someone had mentioned that VBE should be on the iPad - I agree (well a re-written one anyway)
Now Rhino has taken the lead.
Robert McNeel and Associates amazes! I hope they don't become Autodesk.

[Karl Ottenstein]

sdb wrote:
There are also some VNC apps that link back to your main computer, so you could display ArchiCAD in full, but you would be relying on the speed of your network or internet....

For those that don't know the term VNC - it is a cross platform method for screensharing.

I tried a VNC viewer on my iPad to launch and use ArchiCAD 13 on my Mac Pro desktop over wifi. Very clear image and just made sense to connect to a high horsepower 'server' that was doing the heavy lifting.

The free viewer that I tried did not have the equivalent of a middle button, function keys, etc., so it was a little awkward. I'm probably going to try the $9.99 app from RealVNC which simulates all of these other things, including all of the other keys for Mac or Windows that are missing from the iPad virtual keyboard (e.g., ctrl-alt-del for Windows, opt/cmd Mac, etc.).

For Mac users, VNC is enabled via System Preferences > Sharing. Enable Screen Sharing and under options, enable VNC with a (secure) password.

For Windows users, there are various free VNC servers that you can download.

I thought I saw an article for a VNC server/viewer that could toggle to fill the iPad screen with ONLY the active app window on the remote machine, rather than the whole desktop. Haven't found that, but it would be ideal.

It is cool controlling ArchiCAD (or anything else) via touch instead of a mouse. 😉

(There is no Skype screen sharing or iChat-like screen sharing on the iPad yet that I know of. Hopefully soon.)

Performance over the internet should be adequate. And, since the iPad supports VPN (virtual private network), you should be able to VNC into your remote machine without opening any firewall or router ports other than for the VPN.

But...

I agree with Ralph, of course. Someone looking to the future must start planning for a tablet based viewer and more for ArchiCAD now, so that the software is ready when the faster hardware arrives.

Cheers,
Karl

PS A couple of other things about iPad useful for ArchiCAD that people might find interesting. There is an app called air display that lets the iPad become a virtual second monitor for a Mac, which would be really useful for ArchiCAD road warriors with Mac laptops, giving a second screen for palettes/etc when needed. And, the announcement this week that the next release of iBooks will handle PDF files means that all of our ArchiCAD manuals (and Dwight's books) can be loaded into iBooks for reading anywhere, or next to an otherwise small monitor that can only fit ArchiCAD onto comfortably. (Goodreader, or other viewers can be used until then.)

[Anonymous]

I really like the VNC idea - potentially a very simple and elegant solution. Now to get an ipad to try it out.
Following on in the 'remote access' paradigm - what about using the BIM server and a 'slim' ipad client app to view, annotate or more ..
... or a slim 'pack and go' ....

[Stuart Smith]

Karl wrote:
It is cool controlling ArchiCAD (or anything else) via touch instead of a mouse. ;-)

That's what I thought when I first saw the iPad.
Started daydreaming about when the multi-touch paradigm gets integrated into a full-power desktop OS and apps, combined with a huge flat screen monitor with print-like resolution (>300dpi like the new iPhone) that becomes LITERALLY your desktop/drafting table...

Wonder if anyone at GS is experimenting with multi-touch interfaces for ArchiCAD?

[Anonymous]

Karl i think the VNC you were thinking of is http://wormholeremote.com/ as i have looked at a few, it looks good because it uses the active window, rather than you having to navigate your full desktop....

second screen option looks great to! working on something, then just throw that active window to your iPad & walk across the room...

[Karl Ottenstein]

sdb wrote:
Karl i think the VNC you were thinking of is http://wormholeremote.com/ as i have looked at a few, it looks good because it uses the active window, rather than you having to navigate your full desktop....

Thanks for the link! That was it. Reading the reviews, though, it sounds pretty slow and buggy at the moment, so might try, might wait...

Cheers,
Karl

[Anonymous]

yes i was talking to a friend & they said it isn't quite there yet. I do think it is a great concept though, as i think it will be a more user friendly way of doing it.

[Anonymous]

What I can see as 2 useful points to an iPad app.

1. I have to do a lot of existing measures on site so a simple 2d app that I could carry on site would be useful. The iPad seams ideal as I have tried doing this kind of thing with a laptop but you really need two hands and it isn't always convenient to put the laptop down all the time as you move around.

2. as has already been said, a fast 3d model that can be loaded for client presentations.

[Anonymous]

Update to my post yesterday following the Apple announcements.
Take a look at the free app demo of the new game "Epic Citadel". If we could present a 3d model like this on a mobile device...

[Anonymous]

Autodesk is going to offer autocad for mac, iphone and ipad. I think that graphisoft must do a viewer at least for archicad.

[Gerald D Lock]

Rumour 'down-under' has it that Graphisoft are in beta-testing for an iPad version of VBE. It will be called something different, but it's not far away...