Archicad interaction with other databases

[Anonymous]

My office is interested in getting to use Microsoft Access to be the interface for schedules with Archicad. It has the advantage that its easy to format, and you don't need to know how to use Archid to do it.

Has anyone done this?

Ideally, the Access user would input data (Plumbing fixture Mfr in plumbing schedule, or model number/finish etc. ) Then it would update to the model, much like the interactive scheduler.

Thanks.

-Nathan

[TomWaltz]

If anyone knows, it will be Karl Ottenstein, Archicad-Database extraordinaire.... \

I'm pretty sure Archicad's database system is "extract-only" though, that you can only extract information from your model into Access, not from Access back into the model, but I could be wrong

[Karl Ottenstein]

Thanks for the kind words, Tom.

Nathan, yes, as Tom states, the ArchiCAD information is read-only. However, this is still quite powerful. You can download the free (Windows only - but you are asking about Access and not FileMaker) ODBC driver from the GS web site. This permits you to directly link an Access database to a PLN/PLA file and read/query/report on any of the data that is exposed via ODBC.

As with the PlotMaker's drawing update function, this data access is via the on-disk version of the project. To have any changes reflected in Access from an open ArchiCAD session, the file must be saved.

If your concern is that the Interactive Scheduler does not provide sufficient formatting power, then you can export your IS data directly to Excel or CSV and have an Access database that is linked (pre-linked) to the exported files. Another option is to use the element/component lists which can be Published to CSV .. and linked to Access.

This presumes that the 2-way interaction is via IS, but that the superior reporting is via Access.

If you want external 2-way interaction with an ArchiCAD project, that is not a possibility with the tools that Graphisoft provides today other than via an add-on (using the API) that runs from within ArchiCAD itself. With such a custom add-on, and appropriate synchronization code, you could create a 2-way interface. It would require that ArchiCAD be running on the same machine as Access ... or would require RPC interfaces to allow the add-on and ArchiCAD to be on one machine in a network and Access on another. All of this of course moves the discussion to the Developer forums...

Regards,
Karl

[Aussie John]

Karl - Filemaker has ODBC drivers for Mac (I think). What else holding up database interaction?

[Karl Ottenstein]

Aussie wrote:
Karl - Filemaker has ODBC drivers for Mac (I think). What else holding up database interaction?

There is no ODBC driver for ArchiCAD for the Mac (discussed elsewhere on the forums). Without this driver from Graphisoft, there is no access to the data contained inside a PLN/PLA. (Think of the GS ODBC driver as ArchiCAD without a UI.)

Another problem on the Mac side, as of FileMaker 7 (I haven't had a reason to upgrade to 8 ) is that FM cannot link to CSV files (only other FM files)... so the trick of publishing data to CSV via Publisher and having it automatically linked into a database doesn't work with FM. (Linking is different than ODBC.) Access, on the other hand, can link to almost any file. While FileMaker has made strides (particularly as of v7) in catching up to Access, Access is still quite a bit more powerful.

Regards,
Karl

[Aussie John]

Thanks Karl
(gratuitous post to push toward 1000)

[Anonymous]

Aussie John,

Don't forget about adding a Add gratuitous attachment too.

Sorry, I could not resist for some reason. I do not usually contribute to adding useless information to posts. I also forget to use those cute Emoticons.

Okay I am treating today like a Friday.... Look at that word count soar....... (do ........ count for words?)

[Rick Thompson]

Karl wrote:
via an add-on (using the API) that runs from within ArchiCAD itself. With such a custom add-on, and appropriate synchronization code,

Regards,
Karl

Karl, if you need something to do tonight, I (and others I would think:) would pay graciously for an API, or APJ, anything that would allow me to eliminate the steps of publishing AC's list/tab data (7 or so separate list)>>> importing them to an Excel template (for presentable formating and a few tweaks).. , then print to pdf each Excel sheet (on my Mac version I can't print a PDF of a work book?) >> then combine them into a pdf book to generate a good material takeoff. Next is realizing I have a property object that needs adjusting.. so redo the whole thing. That's compounded since I have over 300 active list!

Internal would save so much time.

I am not encouraged AC10 will bring any relief, based on what the Russian spy divulged:)