Policy on modifying standard library objects

[SenecaDesignLLC]

well I cant really ask for money for the cabinet as it is not my property. I could however send you a detailed step by step process to add the option yourself. Its really not to difficult, and it will give you some more indepth knowledge of gdl. maybe a small paypal donation? to compensate for my wifes anger ha ha? and i guess for the time to write up the how to? Hmm...


[Update by moderator: Since Archicad 23, library part licensing has been changed to :
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://Archicad-talk.Graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=47320&start=20#p315061]

[Laszlo Nagy]

OK, guys, so let me return to this topic.
After more in-depth consultation with Graphisoft, here is what I was told:

The most important point:
A person or a firm is allowed to freely modify any GDL objects within the default ArchiCAD library for their own purposes and use.

The other important question:
This licence type doesn't allow commercial redistribution. This means that if a person modifies a default ArchiCAD library object he may not resell it. So one is not allowed to get financial gain by modifying a default ArchiCAD object. If one wants to sell it, they have to create their own objects.

I hope this clears up questions about this topic.

Edit on Oct 22, 2014:
Another question: This licence type doesn't allow any redistribution of modified content, whether commercially or free of charge.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Thanks, Laszlo. To clarify your clarification.... 🙂 What I said earlier then is allowed, right?

Karl wrote:
Thus, people can still provide instructions here about what lines of code to insert, as I read this... as long as the reader does the insertion/editing themselves and does not distribute the result.

So, we can tell other users how to modify an existing object as long as we do not post the modified object?

[Laszlo Nagy]

Yes, correct.

[Richard Morrison]

Karl wrote:
So, we can tell other users how to modify an existing object as long as we do not post the modified object?

This seems an overly cautious interpretation of what Laszlo said. I read what he said as not allowing the redistribution for resale. (i.e. commercial gain) How would reposting a modified object for FREE violate the license terms? I don't think it would, at least as it has been presented here.

[Karl Ottenstein]

laszlonagy wrote:
The most important point:
A person or a firm is allowed to freely modify any GDL objects within the default ArchiCAD library for their own purposes and use.

I was focusing on the above statement, Richard ("own purposes and use"). So, maybe more is possible, but at least we can give the lines of code to modify an object which is mostly what has been done here over the years...

[Richard Morrison]

Well, I should probably clarify my statement a bit. While I stand by my interpretation of what Laszlo said, I think the governing authority is going to be what is embedded in the object itself. Generally, these appear to have been set with the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs license, which allows free redistribution of objects, but NOT redistribution with any modifications. So, Karl, I think your approach is the preferred one.

[Laszlo Nagy]

Yes, I think the better phrasing is that the licence does not allow redistribution of modified content, whether commercial or free of charge.
So content can be modified for one's own purposes, but not redistributed in any way under the current licence conditions.
So if someone modifies an object and puts it here or bimcomponents.com, that qualifies as redistribution of modified content.
If someone tells another person on ArchiCAD-Talk how to modify the object, then the other person modifies it, and does it for his own or his company's use, and does not redistribute it. So that is a good way of helping fellow ArchiCAD Users modify objects for their needs.

[Anonymous]

Hello,
i need to understand, if i want to make a new object, something complex like a window.
I don't want to overwrite the GS object so let's say i use save as and give it a new name. Doing so i can use some GS code parts (without the object won't even work).
The new object can be redistributed, and make profit from it?

[Karl Ottenstein]

Ilder wrote:
Hello,
i need to understand, if i want to make a new object, something complex like a window.
I don't want to overwrite the GS object so let's say i use save as and give it a new name. Doing so i can use some GS code parts (without the object won't even work).
The new object can be redistributed, and make profit from it?

If you mean you would use some GS macros, then if those macros are in the standard library and you do not re-distribute them and your object's code is 100% newly written by you, then yes, you can distribute/sell your object.

The problem is that the macros for windows/doors (for example) are not the same in all localized libraries. So, most likely, your object would only work for the localized library that you developed it for.

If you do not rely on other elements in the library and write an object 100% yourself, then nothing restricts your selling or distributing it.

[Laszlo Nagy]

Yes, Karl is correct.
But just to be safe I asked the guys at GS HQ about this last question specifically and I was told that this is indeed a permitted approach.
Also, this is a good and recommended way of using macro content already developed by Graphisoft (so one has to work less): script your own GDL object, but feel free to make calls from it to default GS macros (the code of called macros is not modified in any way). An object created in such a way may be distributed by its developer either free of charge or commercially (for a fee) since it contains no modified default ArchiCAD library content.
Developers are encouraged to use this approach so they can take advantage of available macro content.

One remark about Karl's post: my understanding now is that if you have not modified those macros then you can distribute them (since default AC library content may be distributed in unaltered form).