Keynotes

[James B]

Hi All,

We have introduced a new documentation focused workflow for Keynotes in Archicad 28, to help simplify and consolidate tags and descriptions into one database and palette.

• Organise Keynotes into an hierarchical folder structure, with drag/drop.
• Import/Export Keynotes via XML or Excel format > we are currently investigating updating this Excel format.
• Each Keynote stores a unique Key, multi-line Description, Title and Reference.
• All Keynote fields are available as autotexts from Labels and Texts, in any viewpoint Labels and Texts are available. Mix and match these autotexts with any existing autotexts or manual text as necessary.
• Keynote Legend objects placed on Layouts, gathers all visible (or any from a selected folder) Keynotes from internal, external and PMK based drawings, and lists these in a customisable table.
• New Label frame shapes have also been introduced.

For more information:

https://community.graphisoft.com/t5/Graphisoft-Technology-Preview/Keynotes/ta-p/606482

[iggiv]

I recently transitioned from CadImage Keynotes to Graphisoft. The process was relatively straightforward, though not entirely seamless. Here’s what I did, and I hope I haven’t missed anything. Since I use a Mac, I had to take a few extra steps:

1. Export your keynotes to Excel. I had over 800 notes.

2. Open the Excel document (I had to open it in Numbers).

3. Before doing anything else, I created a new column A with a sequence number, which helped me shorten the file later.

4. I deleted all the columns except for the key, title, description, and reference.

5. I created a column “C” after the key number column (A) with a formula: IF(B1=B2, "X", "") and dragged it down to the end of the file. This formula searches for duplicate IDs. In CadImage Keynotes, a unique ID is available, so this didn’t seem to be an issue.

6. I copied column C and used “Paste Formula Results” from the edit menu.

7. I scrolled through to find the cells in column B marked with “X” and adjusted the key numbers to ensure there were no duplicates.

8. I sorted the data by column A.

9. Finally, I imported the data into Keynotes.

After that, I had to build the folders and organize all the keys into each folder. It sounds like a lot of work, but since I’ve structured my keynotes using the MasterFormat, it wasn’t too bad. There is a way to create the folders in Excel, but it gets complicated, so I opted to do it manually.

While CadImage Keynotes has some advantages over Graphisoft, I believe the Archicad tool in AC28 is very promising and just needs some refinement.

I also used properties to assign reference numbers to an external FileMaker file, which contains all the technical information for the construction manual.

So far, I’m very happy with the results. Hope this helps you.

[Tintifax2]

@James B Ok, had escaped me, or some other quantum effect ..

Regardless its lack of expression, schedule, autotext ... integration -

just in graphic terms: What data(formats) are expected to be structured? Tables only? And if so, why doesn't the keynote's table have at least the same functionality as the schedules table?

In other terms: Why aren't keynotes just a different way to place schedule(lists) on plans? (Filter: only display items that have a visible placed anker/marker. (--> See Changes management)

How I would have approached this: 

1. create/import keynotes. (arbitrary table) = already implemented
2. from such data choose/provide an ID structure/system/nomenclature = almost implemented
3. allow for that ID to become a property. "KeynoteID-Property" --> with an option set listing all created IDs
4. attribute "KeynoteID-Property" to elements ... --> map and export to IFC
5. lable those IDs on plans; create a graphic override rule for "KeynoteID-Property" ...
6. List "KeynoteID-Property" (with attached dataset) in a schedule and create a PDF documentation --> export/import .xls
7. OR keep it non BIM and just mark and place on Layout ...  = already implemented

WHY?

[James B]

Hi @Tintifax2 

Thanks for the added feedback.

If you have some examples of the type of legend you need to achieve, please share those examples (also on DM if confidential). By using the GDL legend object we could support filtering to visible keys used in Drawing. Which isn't possible with Schedules - and unfortunately not soon either.

We are still investigating ways to connect keynotes (and multiple keynotes) to elements.

[bimdo]

Thank you for this new tool, many of my clients will like that. Especially for 2D-details it will be a great tool! Some thoughts during testing from my side:

• Rename of a folder per double click or right click doesn’t work like in the organizer, feels like a different UI;)
• If the keynote is selected in the toolbar and you choose one in the floor plan, then you don’t see the selection in the toolbar anymore, because the selection in the toolbar is still on top.
• If I change the keynote (with a favorit), the placed elements change not… so I would like to have a connected element with a connected favorit too;) but that's a request for many tool.
• Why can I not place information from my elements into the legend? The functionality is different and that's okay, I think many of my clients will like this mix between perfect BIM and add information only with a keynote. Personally I would like to connect this information.
• Excel-Export/ Import working with Key and not with a separate GUID? I think this will work for my customer much better than a GUID, myselve would like to have a GUID;)

[James B]

Thanks for the feedback.

For the rename, we didn't support double click (rename in place) as we have 2 pieces of data - both ID and Name as the title for folders and keynotes. How would you expect to rename these 2 pieces of data? Just the name? Or somehow both at the same time?

[bimdo]

Ah, I see your point. It's actually in the layer combination and in the graphical overrides only in the rule settings solved with a double click. Yes, in a first step I wanted to change the name, but I see the logic, it's maybe more a general question:

Navigator: setup below or right click

Layer combination: rename with double click or right click

graphical override combination: rename only in the header

graphical override rule: header or double click

MVD: rename only in the header

renovation filters: rename with a button

pen-set: rename with a button

... and so on.

It's in each tool a bit different, for me that's something I get during supporting Archicad and it would be easier to learn Archicad, when it's similar in many tool-setups (general input). Double click has in my opinion three options: open something, select something in the floor plan or rename and in Keynote = start placing labels. So there's no place to rename, I understand;) Maybe to add some inputs to this start-option:
1) When I double click the keynote, I can directly start... in my opinion I have to check the chosen favorit anyway. I like the idea to double click and start directly, but it would be useful to save the chosen favorit in the keynote, that would speedup the process.

2) I would like to select all keynotes from one type, because if I've to change them (because they're not connected to the settings of the favorit), then I've to open find & select and save for each Keynote-type a favorit with a different layer, that I can choose all of them once.

3) I would like to create a schedule (doesn't work because we've keynotes on worksheets too), which is showing me, where I placed which type of keynote. This helps me to know on which plans I've to change all the keynotes, because of a new favorit.

[hmartell]

Some ideas:

Folder Naming Options
Rule naming for Keynote Folders: (apply to Key)

• Numbers (1, 2...n)
• Letters (A, B...X)
• Custom (07.1, 07.2, 08.1...)
• For all
  • (Custom prefix: P1, P2, P3...Pn)
  • (Custom suffix: A-cool, B-cool... n-Cool
  • Option to Add prefix by folder name (like layout names)

Keep it "clean" don't add dashes or dots unless by user.
Folder Sort Options

• Option to Auto Sort Keynotes by Key (00, 01, 20, a, b, LP...)

[Spencer Browne]

Thanks for the suggested workflow, I was finally able to get my cad image key notes list file imported into AC28 with minor hiccups using your directions.

[Spencer Browne]

I've spent the last few days using the new keynote feature and I have to concur with a lot of what already been expressed in this forum.  Overall it will work sufficiently well enough for more consistent documentation, but the current functionality makes it feel like just another text label.  The process to change what is displayed on screen in the keynote requires too many steps.  I think it would be easier if the user were able to quickly select whether the key, description or reference is displayed  in the keynote, or perhaps even link the information displayed by the key note to the drawing scale.  For example on a larger scaled detail view I may prefer to have complete written description available, as opposed to basic keynote.  I do agree that the inability to link the keynote directly to the object via the classification / property will lead to user annotation errors.  I'm hoping that there will be additional development to the feature over the next development cycle to address comments made across this board.     

[nathanburkholder]

I have an issue where i spent a lot of time typing up keynotes where when i came back to the file the next day all the keynotes were missing and i had to retype them all. Since time was of the essence, i just went back to text labels so I didn't lose them all again.