Creating importable walls/ceilings with custom properties

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I'm a relative novice to ArchiCAD trying to create a suite of systems in XML format (or similar if something else works better). So far I've managed to create composites (with line type, fill and surface) in XML that can be imported via the attribute manager. I am stumped on how to add a wall type with custom properties to an XML file that a separate user could import without any prework.

-I've looked into linking property objects to composites by name but I don't think this works with actual system properties like Fire Rating, it would just be attaching quantifiers (which are useless to me) or general descriptors.
-I've looked into the import/export property values option in the interoperability menu but this won't create new walls or assign new properties, only alter the already assigned properties.
-I've looked into the import BIM content option which almost always gives an error for containing material already in the project and requires the file be in PLN, PLA, BPN or TPL format which are nearly 10MB each and would accumulate to too much storage for the size of library I'm making.

Is there something I'm not looking into that could accomplish what I'm trying to do?

[Erwin Edel]

Try exporting to .AAT file format from the attribute manager in ArchiCAD. Composites should be able to export with building materials, fills, surfaces and such. I believe some manufacturers offer content through this for metal stud walls and the like through for example www.bimobject.com

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your reply Erwin,

As far as I can tell exporting to AAT from Attribute Manager accomplishes the same thing as XML. I'm currently able to create composites with their associated fills, surface patterns and line types perfectly. What I'm missing is the properties.

Say I open the property manager and create a new property called "FRL Basis" that applies to walls. I then place a wall in the project and give it a custom and unique 'FRL Basis' value of "Test No XYZ123". These properties are not linked to the composite (only to the wall, which in turn specifies a composite) and so don't get exported with it. I can't find a way that does do this short of supplying a PLN.

[alexsks]

I'm stumped on something similar. To alter/generalise a bit the question... Is there any way at all to create an actual wall (of an existing type) without doing it graphically on the UI?

As mentioned, the interactive scheduler and the import/export from the interoperability menu don't create elements and they don't allow editing of things like height or position.
From what I read, GDL can not manipulate native elements and the same goes for the new Python feature.
I assume the C++ API does it but I don't want to go through separate downloads, visual studio, compilations etc, and I can't imagine any shortcut to the time required.

Am I missing some other possibility?

[Laszlo Nagy]

The only other way I can think of where you can create Archicad elements is through the Grasshopper Connection.
There are probably lots of possibilities in Grasshopper.
Maybe Grasshopper can read the XML and then use the Grasshopper ArchiCAD Components to create elements in Archicad.

[alexsks]

Thanks, that is an interesting option, I hadn't realised GH could do this. I'm looking for a way that doesn't involve another installation or license, so my new idea is to attempt to export/import via ifc xml.

If I could parse the xml and end up with the minimum info/properties needed (and that Archicad accepts), I could perhaps write a non-Archicad macro/script that takes for a example a line of comma separated properties and then generates or modifies acceptable ifc xml (which can be imported into Archicad elements).

Which I guess sounds like a diy minimal "schedule"/ifc translator and a lot of work (for a doubtful outcome), but seems there are not other options or shortcuts...