25000 s.f. project taking 4 hours to update 3D document

[Martin Jules]

The standard BIM software used in Quebec is Revit even at the level of European firms based there. One of the fundamental reasons is that more time is spent drawing with ArchiCAD in projects from 25 000 to 200 000 square feet. ArchiCAD updates drawings anytime and the option to control these updates doesn't work properly. Time is so precious that these firms prefer using a BIM software that is much better suited to delivering projects on time.

Enclosed is a screenshot related to the power used by ArchiCAD for a simple project of 25 000 sqf. The second file includes an update, which can take up to 4 hours to generate the 3D document. No firm in Quebec can accept such time consuming.

bouhmidage wrote:
Hello !
i'm planning to move to Canada as Permanent Resident in the next year, i'm an archicad user since 2010, i use it for all my jobs, BIM modelling and coordination , and teaches it in the north american university
What are the chances of finding jobs in Canada?
Thanks !

[jl_lt]

I just checked a smaller project (without trees, and a much smaller rectangular terrain almost without SEOs) and it reached 380,000 polygones. The one im working now is about 4 times bigger so its safe to assume its around the million polygons (ill check later because it takes a little bit of time with the polycount tool). Still one third of your almost 3million polygons, but the time lapses just dont compare with what you mention

[Martin Jules]

Jl_lt,

Which ArchiCAD version do you use actually? According to my observation, it seems that something is really wrong with the latest version of ArchiCAD. By trying to turn off some layers including structural elements made up of the morph tool as well as the Mesh and the Curtain Wall tools, the file is getting a little bit less heavy. I can't even save the file as the previous version (ArchiCAD 24).

jl_lt wrote:
I just checked a smaller project (without trees, and a much smaller rectangular terrain almost without SEOs) and it reached 380,000 polygones. The one im working now is about 4 times bigger so its safe to assume its around the million polygons (ill check later because it takes a little bit of time with the polycount tool). Still one third of your almost 3million polygons, but the time lapses just dont compare with what you mention

[Karl Ottenstein]

Mjules wrote:
ArchiCAD updates anytime and the option to control these updates doesn't work properly.

Perhaps you could explain what you mean by ARCHICAD updating any time without any control. There is no automatic update process... you get a pop-up notifying you of an update and it is under your control when to download and when to install the update. Maybe you're thinking of some other software?

[Martin Jules]

I'm talking about ArchiCAD, Karl, a software I've been using since the version 10.

Karl wrote:

Mjules wrote:
ArchiCAD updates anytime and the option to control these updates doesn't work properly.

Perhaps you could explain what you mean by ARCHICAD updating any time without any control. There is no automatic update process... you get a pop-up notifying you of an update and it is under your control when to download and when to install the update. Maybe you're thinking of some other software?

[Barry Kelly]

Mjules wrote:
I'm talking about ArchiCAD, Karl, a software I've been using since the version 10.

So you don't mean Archicad is updating.
You are talking about sections and elevations re-generating?

So if you set the elevation to "Manual-rebuild Model" instead of "Auto-rebuild Model" in the section settings, it should not re-build (regenerate) until you right mouse click and choose "Re-build from Model".
Be careful with this as even your layouts will not show the correct information any more until you re-build the elevation from model.

Maybe switch the elevations to manual while you are working on the job but be sure to set them back to auto so you don't miss anything.
But I don't see the point of this option, as generally you will always want your elevation to be up to date.
Just use with caution.

Barry.

[Martin Jules]

Barry,

ArchiCAD updates drawings anytime even though we disable the corresponding options in the work environment.

As you said, we can also choose to control the section/elevation regeneration when there are no more major changes to be made in the whole model.

Barry wrote:

Mjules wrote:
I'm talking about ArchiCAD, Karl, a software I've been using since the version 10.

So you don't mean Archicad is updating.
You are talking about sections and elevations re-generating?

Barry.

[Barry Kelly]

Mjules wrote:
ArchiCAD updates drawings anytime even though we disable the corresponding options in the work environment.

Be careful of the terminology used.
Drawings are views placed on layouts - there is an option in the drawing settings to make them update manually or automatically.

Views are saved in the View Map from View Points in the Project Map.
These Views are placed on layouts as Drawings.
Sections and Elevations are View Points and can be saved as Views with various settings.

Sections and Elevations are not Drawings.
As mentioned before they have an option in the settings to make them manual or auto update.

The option in the Work Environment for "Auto-rebuild Model View Control" has nothing to do with views or drawings updating automatically as you open them.
It means when you are editing directly in a viewpoint (section or elevation), they will update automatically to reflect the changes you make.
If this option is manual, then as you move a wall in elevation, nothing that was behind it will update until you choose to rebuild from model.

So you can stop a section/elevation from updating automatically when you open it only in the section/elevation settings.
Likewise a drawing on the layout can be set to manual or automatic in the drawing settings.
But again a reminder, when set to manual use caution.


Barry.

[Anonymous]

Martin,
Alienware (Dell) computers are known to be not the same quality / performance / value that the brand portrays. Changes to Processor overclocking / RAM timings / SSD's cache etc through the changes in supplies to Dell can have a significant effect on performance.

For large / complex projects you would be much better served using a workstation rather than a gaming PC. Workstations are designed to work hard all day every day and are usually made from top quality, durable components that are tested and proven. They use workstation class video cards such as the Nvidia Quadro and Xeon processors, they are designed to crunch huge amounts of data and would have no issues with a 3M polygon model. A gaming PC is designed to a budget and is typically not maxing out both the processor and video card at the same time so when a software such as AC maxes out both the processor and the video card a the same time the system will throttle back performance.

Project I am currently working on is approx. 19200m2 (210,000 ft2) and at this stage has approx 21,5M polygons with all fitout shown, no view takes hours to process 5-10min at worst. There must be an issue with on object in your model or your computer.

Regrads,
Scott

Mjules wrote:
I work on an Alienware Gaming Desktop Computer: https://www.dell.com/en-ca/gaming/alienware-desktops
Because of my love for ArchiCAD, I've done everything to accommodate myself to its technical requirements.

[Martin Jules]

Thanks for the information, Scott!

I've found the root cause of performance issues. They're related to the structural elements drawn with the Morph tool supporting the glazing system. These morphs appear with more than 600 000 hotspots.

sboydturner wrote:

Martin,
Alienware (Dell) computers are known to be not the same quality / performance / value that the brand portrays.

Regrads,
Scott

Mjules wrote:
I work on an Alienware Gaming Desktop Computer: https://www.dell.com/en-ca/gaming/alienware-desktops
Because of my love for ArchiCAD, I've done everything to accommodate myself to its technical requirements.

[Martin Jules]

Thanks, Barry!

I use the word drawing in its technical sense in architecture, as generally recognized by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB).

Barry wrote:

Mjules wrote:
ArchiCAD updates drawings anytime even though we disable the corresponding options in the work environment.

Be careful of the terminology used.
Drawings are views placed on layouts - there is an option in the drawing settings to make them update manually or automatically.

Barry.