Favorites Palette 2.0! – Free add-on for Archicad 29

[Allan_Fx]

Hey everyone!

This is my first post here, and I'd like to kick things off by sharing something I built with AI — a tool I've been missing in Archicad.

You know when you put together a furniture set or a "kit" of objects that keeps repeating across different projects, and there's no native way to save all of them as a reusable favorite? That's exactly the problem this add-on solves.

What it does?

You select a group of objects and/or lamp in plan, give it a name, and save it all as a single favorite!

Afterward, just double-click the favorite and place it wherever you want — with the option to rotate 90° before dropping it (spacebar).

You can replace an already-placed group with another one in the same spot, search by name, rename, move between folders, and even import favorites from someone else in your office.

What gets saved in each favorite isn't just the geometry — it also includes size, parameters, classification, and properties... everything comes along, identical to the original.

The palette is dockable on the side of ArchiCAD, just like the native palettes.

Why I made it?

In my opinion, this is a feature that could easily exist natively in ArchiCAD — saving a favorite made of a set of elements — but since it doesn't, I decided to build the tool myself.

Requirements

Works on ArchiCAD 29 on Windows, with the latest update installed.

Only saves Objects and lamps (other element types in the selection are ignored).

Installation

Open the Options menu > Extension Manager > Add

Look for the "Favorite Groups.apx" file below for download

The palette will appear under a new menu called "RGM"

Download the Add-on!

I also attached a short video of it in action!

Hope it's useful to someone,

Enjoy!

P.S. I can't attach the .apx file directly to the post, so I put it in a Drive folder for download.

[Patricia Angelim]

That's so cool Allan! Thank yout for sharing. It will be a really time (and life) saver! 
It would be very cool if GS could incorporate this feature for all users.
Already voted! 

[Lingwisyer]

Have you ask over on the C++ or Python API sub about drawing walls and other elements.

[Allan_Fx]

I didn't ask I just need to insert the objects for a project I'm working on right now.

I might consider implementing other elements in the future!

[Botonis]

This is going to be really usefull for grouped furnitures of different rooms. Kitchen furnitures cupboard etc. come to my mind.

In another approach this feels like what has been discussed for so long about "Internal Hotlinks" which exist inside the project and not in external files.

There are great potentials here as It opens a new workflow. 

Great work @Allan_Fx !

Link is not working for the wishlist....

[Allan_Fx]

Thank you, @Botonis!

I'm not sure why, but the wish I created no longer existis, so I made a new one and updated the link.

[Barry Kelly]

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@Allan_Fx wrote:

I'm not sure why, but the wish I created no longer existis, so I made a new one and updated the link.

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The wishes have been removed because you were not making a wish.

You are promoting an add-on that you have created.

The wish list is for something you would like Graphisoft to consider.

Barry.

[Allan_Fx]

Well, that wasn't my goal!

What I made has its limitations, and my wish was for this to become a more robust tool, native to ArchiCAD — allowing more elements to be saved, not just objects.

Either way, the post is here and available for anyone who wants to try it out.

[Barry Kelly]

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@Allan_Fx wrote:

Well, that wasn't my goal!

What I made has its limitations, and my wish was for this to become a more robust tool, native to ArchiCAD — allowing more elements to be saved, not just objects.

Either way, the post is here and available for anyone who wants to try it out.

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The wishes you made were basically the same as you first post in this thread, saying that you had created an add-on already.

Not wishing that Graphisoft could incorporate this into Archicad.

That is why the wishes were removed.

If you want to enhance your add-on to include other elements other than just objects, make a post in the Developer hub C++ API forum asking for help for how to include them, or even if it is possible.

But then I think you would just be re-inventing hotlink modules.

Barry.

[scottjm]

Love the potential of this! Would love it to work for numerous element types too, like walls, slabs, annotation even!  My brain goes to using this for accessible toilet layouts, including the internal elevation markers. 🤩🤩

[Ahmed_K]

very good job , i can see this to evolve toward a great new tool in the toolbar , : Group tool , we can assemble for exemple a window with custom jambs , or a set of table +  chairs etc