New user...best way to learn ArchiCAD 10??

[Anonymous]

I just got the student version of Archicad 10 and am trying to find the best way to learn it. I have medium experience w/ both Revit and VectorWorks, but have yet to be sold on either one. I used the interactive guide, and though it was alot of help, it didnt cover the more advanced modeling that I would like to get into. Any tips on how to proceed?

[Anonymous]

It depends on how intrepid you want to be and how much support you may have. I am guessing that you are going solo (otherwise your firm should provide training) and that you don't have a big budget (to pay for training). If there is a user group near you - go. This is one of the best resources available.

As far as the hands-on real-world experience...

If you feel comfortable with your ability to figure things out for yourself, I suggest that you try to model up a simple project on your own. Make a simple site model with the mesh tool, put in foundation walls, floors, walls, roofs, doors, windows, etc... Essentially get comfortable with the modeling tools. This should give you a pretty good feel for putting together a basic building.

For learning more advanced detailing I have found that a good exercise it to take a single architectural assembly like a cupola or a portico and try to work it out as precisely as you can. The limited scope makes it possible to go into small details without getting in over your head. I once had an intern model a cupola from a photograph of a Robert Adam building (the 18th-century one) and he did an extraordinary job of it in a couple of days time. (He then went on to do several variations - it was for an actual project.) The advantage of picking something from a book is that you cut out all the design time and focus on solving the problem(s) of how to model something that wasn't made to be easy for the software.

That said, there really is no substitute for training or working with others. Besides users groups, resources can include your local dealer, colleges, or companies using ArchiCAD.

Of course there is always this forum, which will start to make a lot more sense once you have used the program a bit.

[Djordje]

Also try the newish Archicad 10 Interactive Training Guide International 1.2 at http://www.download.com/3000-6677-10560271.html

Watch out, 774 MB

[Anonymous]

Djordje wrote:
Also try the newish Archicad 10 Interactive Training Guide International 1.2 at http://www.download.com/3000-6677-10560271.html

Watch out, 774 MB

Has there been an update to this training Guide?

The link above notes July 13,2006 as the "Date Added". I seem to have down loaded this file back in June 2006. (see Attached). Also the file size seems to be a bit larger???

[Steve Jepson]

I think a good way to learn ArchiCAD is to learn what you need to know, as you need to know it.

The things you will need to know as you proceed to make a set of working drawings are a very good guide for the things about ArchiCAD you need to know for a logical learning sequence.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Djordje wrote:
Also try the newish Archicad 10 Interactive Training Guide International 1.2 at http://www.download.com/3000-6677-10560271.html

Watch out, 774 MB

BUT...the movies will not play properly (automatically synchronized) on an Intel-based Mac, as GS has not released the plug-in for MacIntel yet....

The guide can be downloaded in smaller pieces from the GS web site:
http://www.graphisoft.com/products/archicad/ac10/ITG/download.html
(follow the link for INT, GER or USA) if you are low-bandwidth.

For example, the US (feet/inches) download page is:
http://www.graphisoft.com/products/archicad/ac10/ITG/download_us.html
where each chapter can be individually downloaded ... and where Mac users can find out when the movieplayer plug-in is available again. For at least the past week, it has said 'tempoarily unavailable' for both PPC and Intel Macs. An older PPC-Mac player is available for download on the GS US tech support site:
http://tr.graphisoftus.com/

No excuse in my opinion for this mess...if GS wants to sell the product, the training materials should be a top priority and we should never see 'temporarily unavailable' for more than a day.

Karl

[Djordje]

Steve wrote:
I think a good way to learn ArchiCAD is to learn what you need to know, as you need to know it.

The things you will need to know as you proceed to make a set of working drawings are a very good guide for the things about ArchiCAD you need to know for a logical learning sequence.

And how will you know what is it that you don't know?

The only way to learn Archicad is live training. Forgetting about drafting is also important.

However, the reality is different.

[Anonymous]

Hy evryboddy!
I am an Allplan user since this was the first architecture program we worked with at Bucharest University of Architecture - Ion Mincu... and the last to my knollage

I wish to transfer to Archicad (cuz' it's better knowend to the more primitive and comunist-mentality people hire in romania that hire architects and could find better jubs in my future cariere) but do not that much. For instance, in Allplan, the referance point automaticly shifted to the starting position of the element (wall, slab... whatefer) , so it was easyer to input a wal (ex) of 6 meter lengh. What is the equivalent function in Archicad? I mead do i have to muuuuve the origin point before i proceed any function (wall, slab... whatever)? please say no!

btw. one other aspect i would chouse archicad is that i sow the that ther are talks about archicad for linux. this is the major reason i didn't swap to unix platform. so... is it true is there hope for a linux-archicad :d

ps. didn't bother to spellcheck... so if i ware to stare at the teacher's boobs instad of learning english i guess this is the kind of situation that it shows... sorry

[TomWaltz]

I seriously doubt there will be a Linux version of Archicad.

As for your other questions, I recommend you download the demo version and spend a little time with a user manual or at least try the "search" function here on the forum before you ask the most basic of questions.

[Anonymous]

TomWaltz wrote:
I recommend you download the demo version and spend a little time with a user manual or at least try the "search" function here on the forum before you ask the most basic of questions.

in other words, don't bother us with stupid questions it's ok. I apologize...

i'm new to the forum aswell, not only to the program. My only defence is that I did try to search for answers in the programs itself but didn't feal like downloading the manual too. But if that is what i gotta' to learn it, than i guess i will. If there was another way, then probably i'm too retarded to know of it. Sorry...

[Djordje]

Just open the Help of the demo, and find coordinate input.

Or, the simplest way: click where you want to start the slab, type x200+y200+, hit enter, and you have done a slab 200 by 200 cm ... No, you don't have to reposition the origin every time, although it is also possible to do easily, and there are people in this world that are taught to do that.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Karl wrote:

Djordje wrote:
Also try the newish Archicad 10 Interactive Training Guide International 1.2 at http://www.download.com/3000-6677-10560271.html

Watch out, 774 MB

BUT...the movies will not play properly (automatically synchronized) on an Intel-based Mac, as GS has not released the plug-in for MacIntel yet....

A Universal Binary Movie Player plug-in for the Interactive Training Guide has been posted to the Graphisoft web site.

I imagine the download link appears on the page for each language/version of the guide. Here is the US version download page - the plug-in is the same for any version, so if you already have the ITG on your Mac, you just need the plug-in to enable the movie player functionality.

http://www.graphisoft.com/products/archicad/ac10/ITG/download_us.html

Karl

[Richard Morrison]

Djordje wrote:
Or, the simplest way: click where you want to start the slab, type x200+y200+, hit enter, and you have done a slab 200 by 200 cm .

Or for the even simpler simplest way, turn on the Tracker, pick the first point and type 200, TAB, 200, ENTER.