BimRv SDK : reading and writing RFA files from any application

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone,

I just came across this website https://www.opendesign.com/products/bimrv and I wanted to "throw"it in here to start a discussion.

I must say I am very surprised by the potential of what they are offering : the ability to read, write and create Revit families inside other applications. This is both a frustrating and amazing idea : giving more credit and power to Autodesk but at the same time, creating a standard for parametric objects and facilitating the life of manufacturers and architects.

I have no sufficient technical coding knowledge to judge what they are offering but maybe someone here can give us a professional opinion about the technical stuff? (limitations, compatibility risks over the years, ...)

What do you think about this?
Could it or should it be explored by Graphisoft to replace GDL objects?
Is it already being explored for a future version of Archicad?
Should we wait for a more OpenBIM solution based on the IFC standard?
Will the IFC standard be able to be as or nearly as powerful as RFA files within the next 2-5 years?

Archicad objects are becoming a real limitation for Archicad. Revit Families on the other hand offer a lot of power and flexibility and anyone can create an object with just a little bit of training.

I would personally love to see Archicad objects evolve toward the RFA model or any other more flexible model.

What do you think?
What does Graphisoft think?

Cheers

Johan

[Podolsky]

First at all IFC was creation of AutoDesk and continuation of file format STEP, that arrived from US military. It happened way before Revit appeared and became famous.

That RFA became international file format for BIM objects - this is a fact. But I cannot say - this is as powerful format as GDL in ArchiCAD. GDL objects have much more possibilities including programmable User Interface, that can be product catalogue quality.

Graphisoft tried to make GDL as international standard 20 years ago in Pre-BIM era. Was created even plug-in for AutoCAD. But probably it was too early.

I think it's a good idea to have fully functional RFA objects in ArchiCAD. Current Add-On opens RFA - but quality can be much-much better. I also noticed that most of RFA objects have very poor quality. Unfortunately nobody is controlling BIM libraries quality.

I also think that in next several years we will continue live in a mess of different standards, systems, libraries, incapabilities, file exchange problems etc. Too many different systems and companies, that prefer to develop their own product and not to look what happens around. As I know - even AutoCAD developers team do not like Revit developer team. In theory it looks just fantastic (it did look fantastic 20 years ago too!) but human and financial factor just slows everything down.

I also think, that automation and AI will be involved more and more into process of BIM. So, probably problems that we facing today - let say with manual IFC import / export - will be handled by algorithms. Computers are building computers.

At the end of this BIM journey we, humans, probably will have more free time to spent on ourself instead of sitting in front of computers all day.