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Archicad Launch icon – Can you spot the difference?

Adam Szimilko
Graphisoft
Graphisoft

Dear All,

 

Since Archicad 14, we've provided a new launcher icon for each new version. If you have several Archicad icons on your desktop, you should easily be able to tell which is which.

Recently, one of you posted a wish, saying that the last few icon designs are too similar … we'd love to hear more feedback on this:

  • What are your thoughts and experiences when navigating among different Archicad versions?
  • Do you find our method of distinguishing useful? What would you change?
  • What do you think about the current launcher icon designs? (AC 24, 25, 26)

Please add your thoughts below, in the comments! Thank you.

adam_szimilko_0-1670848672086.png

 

2 ACCEPTED SOLUTIONS

Solution
runxel
Virtuoso

Finally you're doing something about this!
In the old days™ we had the colorful icons, which was nice, but also had some cognitive load. Ver. 17 was brown, 18 was dark red and 16 green? But I already forgot the rest – ah yes... from 20 on everything was blueish.
So blue it is then, yes?! Please just add a number. It's not that hard. The differences between 25 and 26 are too minor.
Take a look at the colleagues over at McNeel, they are doing the same for Rhino.

 

And while you're at it: Make a button in the dialog for the custom file icon, which overlays the current Archicad version number. Makes it easier for everybody.

 

(There was even a thread here where someone made replacement logos every year... – with the best comment added by @Barry Kelly 😁)

 

 

Mostly AC 26 on Mac | Author of SelfGDL | Developer of the GDL plugin for Sublime Text |
«Furthermore, I consider that Carth... yearly releases must be destroyed»

View solution in original post

Solution
Adam Szimilko
Graphisoft
Graphisoft

Thank you all for your valuable feedback!

View solution in original post

17 REPLIES 17

Eduardo Rolon
Moderator

I use an app launcher and just type the version so no issues there but If I depended on the icons to see which version is which I would not be able to.

Eduardo Rolón AIA NCARB
AC26 US/INT -> AC08

Macbook Pro M1 Max 64GB ram, OS X 10.XX latest
Learning: VW, RVT
Teaching & Using: AC, Rhino, ACAD, RVT, SU, AI, PS, InD, TM, C4D, ATL

Lee Hankins
Mentor

I’ve had feedback from colleagues that they are far too similar and difficult to distinguish if they are represented in a small version in a list or in a small dock. I personally think changing the colour completely or adding the version number to the icon would be a massive help.

 

We even had a user manually change the icon in v24 for Mac and it triggered the application in to thinking it had been pirated. 

 

The .bpn file icon also needs to be updated to be completely different to a standard .pln. We have many incidents where users accidentally open and work on the .bpn instead of the .pln.

Lee Hankins
ArchiCAD 4.5 - Archicad 26UKI Apple Silicon 5003
macOS Ventura (13.4)

Lee Hankins
Mentor

The Apple Silicon version is easier to distinguish as it had the multi-coloured halo. 

Lee Hankins
ArchiCAD 4.5 - Archicad 26UKI Apple Silicon 5003
macOS Ventura (13.4)

Lee Hankins
Mentor

Archicad 23 is really easy to see (attached file), 24 is ok being round but 25 and 26 are almost identical except for the change to the drop shadow. 26 silicon is a bit easier to identify but only close up  C466C7A1-773B-42DE-A880-406C713D0308.jpeg

Lee Hankins
ArchiCAD 4.5 - Archicad 26UKI Apple Silicon 5003
macOS Ventura (13.4)

DGSketcher
Champion

If you are going to keep using similar icons then please add a release number to the icon. I have the last 3 versions of AC in my iMac Dock and still occasionally hit the wrong one due to the last two being almost identical.

Apple iMac macOS Ventura / AC26UKI (most recent builds)

Solution
runxel
Virtuoso

Finally you're doing something about this!
In the old days™ we had the colorful icons, which was nice, but also had some cognitive load. Ver. 17 was brown, 18 was dark red and 16 green? But I already forgot the rest – ah yes... from 20 on everything was blueish.
So blue it is then, yes?! Please just add a number. It's not that hard. The differences between 25 and 26 are too minor.
Take a look at the colleagues over at McNeel, they are doing the same for Rhino.

 

And while you're at it: Make a button in the dialog for the custom file icon, which overlays the current Archicad version number. Makes it easier for everybody.

 

(There was even a thread here where someone made replacement logos every year... – with the best comment added by @Barry Kelly 😁)

 

 

Mostly AC 26 on Mac | Author of SelfGDL | Developer of the GDL plugin for Sublime Text |
«Furthermore, I consider that Carth... yearly releases must be destroyed»

Barry Kelly
Moderator

Yes, please change the shape or colour of the icon.

Or just add the version number - that will always be different.

 

Barry.


One of the forum moderators.
Versions 6.5 to 25
Dell XPS- i7-6700 @ 3.4Ghz, 16GB ram, GeForce GTX 960 (2GB), Windows 10
Dell Precision 3510 - i7 6820HQ @ 2.70GHz, 16GB RAM, AMD FirePro W5130M, Windows 10

Numbers on the icons will make it so much easier.

Especially now the latest ones are so similar.

 

BarryKelly_0-1670908127883.png

 

Barry.


One of the forum moderators.
Versions 6.5 to 25
Dell XPS- i7-6700 @ 3.4Ghz, 16GB ram, GeForce GTX 960 (2GB), Windows 10
Dell Precision 3510 - i7 6820HQ @ 2.70GHz, 16GB RAM, AMD FirePro W5130M, Windows 10

I was basically typing this. Excactly the same problems here.

Erwin Edel, Project Lead, Leloup Architecten
www.leloup.nl

ArchiCAD 9-26NED FULL
Windows 10 Pro
Adobe Design Premium CS5

Unpin and re-pin icons after updating the application, that prevents new icons in the taskbar after opening the program.

If the branding dictates that the colour and shape must be consistent, I request that the release number is added to each release icon. Please.

Nathan Hildebrandt FRAIA
Director | Skewed
Skewed Website

Watch ARCHINTENSIVE 2023 sessions now on demand

AC6 - AC26 | WIN 11 | i9-10900K @ 3.7Ghz | 32GB Ram | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070

Jose Gradoli
Booster

Maybe AC25 and AC26 icons are almost identical because AC25 and AC26 are almost ide..

www.formaarquitectura.com
ARCHICAD 25 SPA

Ma_Scht
Contributor

"Nice" to read, that there are no other problems to decide in GS HQ.

Numbers are to easy. Just use roman numerals.

Arcadia
Contributor

Having different icons is useful. Version 26 icon is way too close to V25 for my liking. Please use a different colour or something.

V12-V25, PC: Ryzen 9 3950X, 64g RAM, RTX5000, Win 11

ARCH720
Booster

Yes please put the numbers back on them, its like asking a blind man to feel the icon with out any brail.  Make a plug-in or an app like the Apple Watch faces, so the user can change the icon to what ever color or background they like with the font of what ever number so the user as control of they're architectural Graphics for their computer.

ArchiCAD v25 (since v09)
macOS Big Sur (version 11.6)
iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2017)
Processor: 3.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel i5
Memory: 64 GB 2400 MHz DDR4
Graphics: Radeon Pro 580 8 GB

Solution
Adam Szimilko
Graphisoft
Graphisoft

Thank you all for your valuable feedback!

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