GSM file format spec

[Anonymous]

Hello to all,

Is there a detailed GSM file format specification in the developer support stuff?
It would be handy to be able to write GSM-file from other programming enviroments.
Information about header-structure, byte-offsets of internal sections etc. would be usefull for that.

I had considered to use the XML-converter, but a first test (l2x and back) failed.
Also it is quite big and I am not sure if it can be redistributed (license?) with an application.

[Karl Ottenstein]

This information, and more is available in the GDL Developers Kit.

The last we heard (a year ago), you can apply to Graphisoft to get a copy of this, describing the intended project, etc. Please see this message from Akos Pfemeter:
http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=19695#19695

Karl

[Ralph Wessel]

HPW wrote:
I had considered to use the XML-converter, but a first test (l2x and back) failed.

What was the nature of the failure? I use the XML converter a lot and it has been reliable so far.

[Anonymous]

I took for exsample the folder 'moebel' from obejct explorer 2.0 and convert it to XML and back. There I look at Armstuhl_4.gsm

When I the watch the GSM in GDL-explorer it always shows an error on displaying the 3DView:
Stiftnummer ist kleiner als 1 oder groesser als 255 bei Zeile 7 von Datei 4A4C_Armstuhl_4.gsm

Translation:
pen-number is lesser than 1 and bigger than 255 at line 7 of file 4A4C_Armstuhl_4.gsm

Why this error? I do not change anything.
Why '4A4C_' in front of the filename?

The UI interface shows up and worked.

[Anonymous]

Also strange:

When I convert the new GSM back to XML and made a diff between the XML from original and converted they only differ in the second version-GUID.

Also the 2 lines which cause the error are:

7 pen gs_cont_pen
19 pen gs_cont_pen

And a HEX diff between the 2 GSM show a slightly diff in some sections.
So the copy is definatly different form the original besides the version GUID.

[gerd]

I'm not a programmer, but here are some tipps, hope it will help:

general things:
- the files from the sample library coming with gdl explorer 2.0 are gdl version 20 (= ArchiCAD 8.x),
- the xml-gdl converter is for archicad 9; (gdl version 21), so differences between output and original file is not amazing, because the conversion brings also a conversion from gdl version 20 to 21

the problem with the gs_cont_pen: you should check, if the so named parameter is available in the parameterlist in the new version of the file:
- if not its value is 0 and then the problem appears
- if its there, but the standard value is set to 0 the problem will also appear
(pen 0 can be used for fill background, but not for lines and contures)

hope it will help a little, best regards, g

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the additional info.
In the meantime I found an older XML-converter in the archieves and got some doku about GSM-format from the graphisoft developer support.
Now it's time to learn more about it.
😉

[gerd]

HPW wrote:
... Now it's time to learn more about it.😉

it would be nice to get some short summaries from your cognitions!
best regards, g