ArchiCad Viewer for non-users?????

[Anonymous]

Is there a "viewer" only software for non-users? All I want to do is view a set of drawings sent to me for reference. I don't need to modify or edit them. Can they be opened in AutoCad????

If Graphisoft offers one, it might be a good idea to put a link on their home page. I've been seaching here for an hour now!!!!

If they do not offer a viewer, where can I get a freeware viewer for the ".PLN" file extension. I do need zoom capabilities as I am not going to plot these drawings.

[Anonymous]

If you are receiving these drawings from others the best way might be to get them to send you PDF files. Easy to create and much smaller file sizes too.

Cheers

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the info S2ART.

The sender is not able to convert the files. I don't think they are using Archicad either. They are the GC on the job and I am a sub-contractor providing the shop drawings for the metal roofing and walls. These files were sent to them in that PLN format. We both use autocad. I just don't have enough time to wait for the originator to convert, get to them and then get to me. I gave them a quick completion date and did not know I would get these dwg's in PLN.

I thought with an Archicad viewer I could expedite what I am doing now to view them:
Using "PicaView32" in windows explorer, right click on PLN file, it shows a pic as a "tiff", choose "convert to BMP". Then I view in "INFANVIEW", which has limited zoom capabilities. A little lengthy in process and is the reason I thought an Archicad viewer would be easier.

[Anonymous]

ddrdan wrote:
Is there a "viewer" only software for non-users? All I want to do is view a set of drawings sent to me for reference. I don't need to modify or edit them. Can they be opened in AutoCad????

If Graphisoft offers one, it might be a good idea to put a link on their home page. I've been seaching here for an hour now!!!!

If they do not offer a viewer, where can I get a freeware viewer for the ".PLN" file extension. I do need zoom capabilities as I am not going to plot these drawings.

Archicad will run in demo mode without the hardware key. I'm not sure if printing is an option in demo mode, but you should be able to view them.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Mike !!!

I'll give that a try. So, I guess Archicad doesn't have a download for a viewer only???? That's a bad point for the software in an age when file transfer and review is "the" way of business.

Also, I did find if you change the "PLN" file extension to a "TIFF" in Win Explorer and then open the file in a viewer (I'm using Infanview) it will view & print. When I used picaview to convert and then open, it gave the pic a massive file size and a color base which was taking forever to print.

The TIFF file change will view & print black & white. I decided to print to 11x17 when screen viewing became a virtual memory problem.

Thanks to all who responded so quickly. If someone finds the Archicad viewer please post.

DDRDAN

[Ben Odonnell]

ddrdan wrote:
Also, I did find if you change the "PLN" file extension to a "TIFF" in Win Explorer and then open the file in a viewer (I'm using Infanview) it will view & print.
DDRDAN

Mate that is the weirdest and most interesting thing I have ever heard. Changing *.pln to tiff being able to view it and then print it? That is very very strange, off to try it.

Cheers.
Ben

[__archiben]

ddrdan wrote:
Also, I did find if you change the "PLN" file extension to a "TIFF" in Win Explorer and then open the file in a viewer (I'm using Infanview) it will view & print.
DDRDAN

WTF?

Ben wrote:
Mate that is the weirdest and most interesting thing I have ever heard. Changing *.pln to tiff being able to view it and then print it? That is very very strange, off to try it.

me too . . .

~/archiben

[__archiben]

there's not a snowball's chance in hell that a PLN is going to open as a tiff in any viewer i have!

ddrdan - a PLN file is a database of elements rather than simply a vectorial representation of a plan. are you sure the file that you received was a PLN to start with? as mike said - using archiCAD in demo mode with allow viewing of the file, however you may want to talk to your archiCAD-using consultants about setting up a file transfer protocol - archiCAD can publish it's 'virtual building model' in a variety of 2D/vectorial formats to suit most flat-cadders!

~/archiben

[TomWaltz]

I tried it and got a whole lot o' nuthin' on every program I had...

[Ben Odonnell]

Just want to confirm what ben and Tom have already found. It does not work.

I think some one has been pulling our legs.

Cheers.
Ben