"MacTel" refers to the Intel-powered Macintosh platform. Apple abandoned the previously used PowerPC processors in favor of the Intel chips in 2006. This new platform also requires software vendors to release a new version of their products that run "natively" on the new platform. It is, however, possible to run old applications in the so-called Rosetta emulation environment.
The first Archicad to run natively on MacTel machines is the Archicad 10 MacTel version
Version compatibility
ARCHICAD 10
ARCHICAD 10 has a native version for the MacTel platform, which was released later than the PowerPC version, therefore it is not a "Universal Binary" application - the MacTel and PPC versions are shipped on separate CDs. Read more
ARCHICAD START Edition 2007
ARCHICAD START Edition 2007 is not a native application, but runs in Rosetta emulation. The installer and protection module is compatible with the MacTel platform.
ARCHICAD 9
ARCHICAD 9 was released before the Intel-Mac era. It runs in Rosetta environment, but the Protection module has to be upgraded to WIBU version 5.20 or higher. You can download this from http://www.graphisoft.com/support/archicad/downloads/WIBU.html
FAQ
Question
If I am using AC10 on a Mactel machine how can I save the file so that it can be opened in v9 without going to another computer to save the file? AC10 does not appear to have legacy support from the Mactel side.
Answer
Mactel version cannot save version 9 PLN due to technology problems. In fact on every platform ARCHICAD writes different file formats: On MAC it writes MAC format, On PC it writes PC format, On Mactel it writes Mactel format. It is the Open function which was prepared to open files from different formats. Since ARCHICAD 9 is a finished version we cannot change ARCHICAD 9 for being able to open ARCHICAD 9 files of Mactel format.
Workaround
There is a workaround if this mactel machine can be connected to a PPC in the office: after installing AC10 on that PPC the ARCHICAD10 folder can be copied onto the mactel machine, and so it can be started (in emulated mode by Rosetta). And this version can save AC9 files.
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