AC Version & Library Transition

[Dave Jochum]

Please forgive me--I know this has been discussed in the past, but a search of the forum didn't turn up any answers. I started a project in AC 8v3. Now I want to work in 8.1. What is the correct procedure for making the transition and avoiding library problems?

[Jacek]

Dave,
I am in a similiar position, just started on 8.1 and opened a project from 8.0.3

Here is what I did:
Save the old project as "Archive" pla - give it a slightly changed name so that you still have the old file intact.
Start AC 8.1 while holding "Command (Apple) - Option keys, this will open the Special menu.
Select the previously saved file and open it.
In the Special menu select "Update Library parts" and let the program upgrade them.
Then check your Library Manager for missing/duplicate libraries and load/remove them.
Don't forget to load the 8.1 library folder from the recently installed update. You will not have all the parts that you may want to use in the future.
HTH
Jacek

[Piotr Dobrowolski]

I would at first try loading just the new lib (along with the custom ones of course) and check if there is anything missing..
I did such thing with a project started on 8.0r2.
It worked on INT libs both 8.0 and 8.1
Most of the parts in those libs are named the same...so I use the new parts from the "switching point"


Piotr

[Dave Jochum]

Thanks Jacek and Piotr for your input. I had only placed 3 windows and a few dozen doors in my model using 8v3. I tried Jacek's method first and got 220 or so duplicates due to the door and windows. Was going to be somewhat time consuming to delete the extras from the archive. Piotr's method worked fine--all doors and windows came up in 8.1 exactly like 8v3. I thought the 8.1 library folder naming conventions would screw things up, but the objects themselves all have identical names as the originals in 8v3. Maybe if I had had many different types of objects placed in 8v3 the results would have been different. I haven't checked the libraries to see how many names have changed. If I remember correctly (very possible I don't), library objects changed names often in past upgrades. No?

[Jacek]

Dave wrote:
Maybe if I had had many different types of objects placed in 8v3 the results would have been different. I haven't checked the libraries to see how many names have changed. If I remember correctly (very possible I don't), library objects changed names often in past upgrades. No?

Dave,
I had a project with a little over 800 parts, plus textures, etc.,
and dating back to 6.5!
Following the procedure that I have described I had only 20 or so duplicates, all textures that were not culled from the previous file, and just 'came along for the ride' in the previous version. With 20 or so library parts it is probably worth to just replace them with new ones. Just so that they will not come back to haunt you later...
Jacek

[Anonymous]

Dave wrote:
Piotr's method worked fine--all doors and windows came up in 8.1 exactly like 8v3. I thought the 8.1 library folder naming conventions would screw things up, but the objects themselves all have identical names as the originals in 8v3..... If I remember correctly (very possible I don't), library objects changed names often in past upgrades. No?

Since AC 8 was introduced the priority for the program when searching for lib. parts is (in chron. order below):
1) by the GUID number and Revision ID number given to the lib. part
2) by the GUID number of lib. part
3) by the name of the lib. part

this step (I believe) was taken to get around the duplicate library parts syndrome if some lib. parts had the same name set to them, or if a library part got a somewhat different name to it.

[Anonymous]

I have to repost this here :

At the beginning of my relation with ArchiCAD after listening to the sales pitch of the GS salesman I have asked this question:
Jus for long this library parts will remain compatible with the program.

The answer was : As long as there will be ArchiCAD. I called GS and was reassured of this as a fact,

And this is the way it was version after version. Since many of us modified library parts and the new version just whipped them out we had a common wish; Name the folder with the version number.

Using this as a subterfuge GS started to name each object with the version number and through “agents” let us understand that there area compatibility/speed problems with the old ones. This is inadmissible and counterproductive to the dream of GDL being embraced by the industry,
_________________

[Dave Jochum]

Yeah, I agree Adalbert. Though, I have to say, after opening the project in question (started in 8v3) in 8.1 I have had no problems. The new objects took the place of the old seemlessly.

[JCovarrubias]

FYI:
GUID's: Opening ArchiCAD 7.0 or AC 8 files with ArchiCAD 8.1

posted in FAQ's Rec# 671
http://tr.graphisoftus.com/

Regards.

[Anonymous]

Jacek wrote:

Start AC 8.1 while holding "Command (Apple) - Option keys, this will open the Special menu.
Select the previously saved file and open it.
In the Special menu select "Update Library parts" and let the program upgrade them.
HTH
Jacek

Having used this feature on a number of occasions I have yet to see that it does anything to specific objects (like updating scripts, names, etc.) loaded in your libraries, so I have come to the conclusion that this feature is intended to update libraries located on an FTP server. Can anyone at GS provide some insight to intended function of this feature?

TIA