What my employer says about Archicad....

[rob2218]

take it for what it's worth folks....but it appears he is getting frustrated.

We are trying to create "study elevations" with brick patterning.
seems that the windows/doors/trims/casings/shims, etc...are giving my client a hard time.

I'll need to somehow make this right....

Thanks Rob. To be honest, this file is not well-suited to working out the problem in autocad. I'd almost have to redraw the entire elevation. I'm really getting frustrated at how hard it is to use ArchiCAD as a design tool. It seems to be an obstacle rather than a tool in dealing with many of the problems that we need to resolve. I hope we can figure this out soon.

[Steve Jepson]

Trying out different brick patterns is something we can do in ArchiCAD in several ways. One of the newest ways is in collaboration with the Grasshopper plug-in for Rhino. We have a Grasshopper add-on for ArchiCAD now. Very interesting toy.

ArchiCAD seems like a great tool for trying out brick patterns.
What is the specific difficulty?
Can you show a picture of what you need?

[DGSketcher]

Less is more in AutoCAD!

I gave up trying to export my layouts for further editing. Best solution I found was to set up publisher to export DWGs with a stripped down export filter e.g. hatch off, from the VIEWs. That way only the basic and required information was being supplied. I did also include layout PDF's for the finished drawings so the recipient had a full set of information to reference.

AC does a pretty good job of exporting to DWG but it does have problems when exporting everything.

[rob2218]

is the "Grasshopper" add-on a free or paid add-on?
Also, is it more for 3D or 2D or both?
I'll see if I can post up a graphic screen snapshot to show you what is being requested of me.

Steve wrote:
Trying out different brick patterns is something we can do in ArchiCAD in several ways. One of the newest ways is in collaboration with the Grasshopper plug-in for Rhino. We have a Grasshopper add-on for ArchiCAD now. Very interesting toy.

ArchiCAD seems like a great tool for trying out brick patterns.
What is the specific difficulty?
Can you show a picture of what you need?

[Steve Jepson]

As of now it is free - And so is Rhino 5 for 70 days of trail use.

http://www.graphisoft.com/info/news/press_releases/graphisoft-introduces-rhino-grasshopper-archicad-...

http://3dmdarchicadobjects.tumblr.com/post/131810874516/wip-on-archicad-grasshopper-connection-using


http://www.graphisoft.com/archicad/rhino-grasshopper/

[rob2218]

free huh......umm....70 day trial use.
doesn't sound too "free" to me but I'll look into it.

Seems all software is going by way of Sketchup, "try it...for (ahem) free"...then once you have a grasp of it.....well, then pay up".

But thanks Steve. I'll certainly look into this software.
I'm trying to make sure I am able to provide my clients with the best possible service I can....so we'll see.

[rob2218]

So, here's a typical comments redline.
the lining up of the brick header to the brick sill...not a problem, that's an easy one.
The "making the door jamb and shim spacing" to be EXACTLY the same as the window shim and frame sizes...umm...well, so many different parameters between the door and window that makes it a bit tough finding that EXACT little dialogue box that adjusts what you need but that can be found.

Now, the BIG question I have is.....the architect wants to have TWO or THREE DIFFERENT BRICK PATTERNS shown side by side in views.

Now, My initial thought was, create 3 different model files, import the views from one to the other while adjusting the "brick fill" pattern that's being used in the specific surface I'm showing in elevation.

Because there's no way I can show 3 different brick patterns on the same model in ALL the walls...no way no how.
Fills wont cut it either cause I'd be filling around, on top of, in between, creating holes in the fills, just to show 3 different brick patterns.

So....how would you all show 2 or 3 or 4 different brick patterns on ALL the walls without having to continuously be adjusting the name of the building material and surface material each time?

See...this is the kinda demands I get and on top of that I get to hear "...in autocad we'd just copy the elevation 3 times and change the hatch pattern on three different elevations".........which here in archicad that aint cuttin' it.

Also I guess I could do a "detail" and create a 2D flat FAKE elevation of a portion of the fascade to "study" the brick pattern but then I'd be tripling my work because not only would i have to adjust the 2D detail elevation but I'd have to be messing with the model pattern until the client can get his act straight (the owner of the building I mean).

So folks....what say you?

[Steve Jepson]

rob2218 wrote:
free huh......umm....70 day trial use.
doesn't sound too "free" to me but I'll look into it.

Seems all software is going by way of Sketchup, "try it...for (ahem) free"...then once you have a grasp of it.....well, then pay up".

But thanks Steve. I'll certainly look into this software.
I'm trying to make sure I am able to provide my clients with the best possible service I can....so we'll see.

Delete from computer after 70 days. Download again to different email... ... Actually, Rhino takes a long time to learn and the grasshopper is not a simple thing to use. I don't expect that I will find it useful for what I am doing.

[Steve Jepson]

DGSketcher wrote:
Less is more in AutoCAD!

I gave up trying to export my layouts for further editing. Best solution I found was to set up publisher to export DWGs with a stripped down export filter e.g. hatch off, from the VIEWs. That way only the basic and required information was being supplied. I did also include layout PDF's for the finished drawings so the recipient had a full set of information to reference.

AC does a pretty good job of exporting to DWG but it does have problems when exporting everything.

There is a good Clean Template for that -- free

http://www.masterscript.nl/epages/78066077.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/78066077/Products/101

[Anonymous]

Rob

Don't ever use the same pen for material fills as the wall geometry mate!
It's the same philosophy as in autocad just assigned to the material itself
in lieu of an autocad fill!