Global Library

[Magdolna Marosvari]

Dear Technology Preview Community,

We are pleased to let you know that the Archicad Library went through a technology change that has the following benefits:

Content expansion

Until now, each Archicad language version (INT, USA, GER, JPN, etc.) had its own library collection. With the Global Library, all library content will be available in all Archicad language versions.

Cross-border collaboration

Regardless of which Archicad language version is used, the template will define the default language and standards (default sizes, attributes, surfaces, pens) of the library parts you are about to place.

Easier plan migration at future version updates

Until now, each Archicad version (…25, 26, 27) had its own library. To use the new Archicad version, users had to migrate the library objects of their existing projects to the new Archicad library.

The Global Library is compatible with all upcoming Archicad versions. Plus, when new library content is released, users can simply add any new Library Package to an existing project without having to go through a migration."

Faster delivery

The lighter delivery infrastructure allows Graphisoft to deliver library content faster and in greater quantities than before.

It is important to know that THE USAGE OF THE GLOABL LIBRARY IS OPTIONAL.

We recommend you to start using the Global Library when you completed your ongoing projects and you are about to start a new one, because the current Monolith Library and the new Global Library does not work together in the same project. Until then you can still update to Archicad 28 and keep using the current Monolith Library.

Archicad 28 comes with the Global Library by default, if you prefer keep using the current Monolith Library you just have to unload it and load your current Archicad version's library and template.

You can choose at each project start which library type you prefer to use, the Monolith or the Global one. 

Further fine tuning of the Global Library is on the way in upcoming Archicad 28 updates, but we are hoping that many of you will already be able to benefit from it in its current state.

For more detail, please read the release note attached below.

We are looking forward to your much valued feedback.

Thank you,

Magdolna

[Lee Hankins]

I have just spent a bit of time upgrading our Archicad 27 template to Archicad 28 using the Global Library and whilst it took some time and I had to work through several settings and stages it has not been anywhere near as painful as I thought it would be and can see the benefit of moving over to the Global Library. The only comment I have is that it would be great if the option to set the detail level of the doors and windows could remain at instance level and not only globally by the MVO setting. Either that or a new way to link the MVO to the Renovation status.

[JaredBanks]

I am running Archicad 28 on the fastest possible M3 Macbook Pro on the market and it takes an eternity to open Archicad now because of the time it takes to load the library packages. This is going to be a productivity killer and should never have made it to beta. What is GRAPHISOFT going to do to remedy the issue? A big selling point of recent Archicad versions was how fast it opened, especially on new Apple machines.

[mthd]

Yes the download size of Archicad 28TP for Apple Silicone is 3.34GB up from approximately 2GB for the previous versions.

To get around this you could just have a core library for 28 of the main components that are mainly used. This way you keep the file size small or around 2GB. If you need other components you simply download them and add them to your template as needed.

They do that with Chief Architect to keep the download size manageable and use extra library parts as needed.

[Barry Kelly]

The tech preview is much quicker than the beta.

Just seconds to open the default template.

Barry.

[Lee Hankins]

Hi @Barry Kelly,

I’d be interested to know your set up. I have migrated our own template and upgraded it to use the new global library set up. We store all of our libraries on BIMcloud Basic on premises and it still seems to take a very long time to open compared to 27 which was set up the same way. We’ve always put the Libraries on BIMcloud since Archicad introduced the warning about loading from a local network drive. Maybe we should be using the LibPacks from the local drive and only our custom libraries from BIMcloud. I’m not sure. 

[Magdolna Marosvari]

Hi @JaredBanks ,

The loading time performance issue is caused by a bug in Beta, please try the TP where it is fixed. According to our measurements, the library loading time in TP is almost equal to the Monolith Library's.

M

[Barry Kelly]

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@Lee Hankins wrote:

I’d be interested to know your set up.

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My machine specs are in my signature - nothing special.

I don't use BIMcloud though so can't comment on that.

The Tech Preview software is much faster loading than the Beta software, so make sure you are using that.

Barry.

[Karol Argasinski]

Hi,

I encounter the same issues on MBP 14 M3 Max 16C/40G + 128GB RAM + 2TB drive on Sonoma 14.5. It is slower than AC27INT/POL. Please fix it GRAPHISOFT. The reason why I bought such incredibly expensive machine was the fact how fast is the Archicad on Apple Silicon.

[Karol Argasinski]

Or at least be asked if you want to download the whole library or just use basic one (during installation).