coming from Revit and need some info...

[Anonymous]

Hello
this thread is not to spark a "mine is better than yours..."
I have been using Revit for the past 2 years and I dabbed in Archicad back in version 5 for a short while... I wonder if you could answer a couple of questions for me:
1. Is creating families (or blocks) is easy enough to do? do i just use extrude, blend and so forth? are they fully parametric in the project?
2. Is information in the project can be controlled from any place? i.e, can I change the model on the sheet or change a door in the door schedule and the change will carry through?
3.how do you find documentations in Archicad? if you used Revit and can compare....
4. is it possible to control depth in elevations and sections with more than one plain? (there is no depth control in Revit atm)
5. If you used Revit before, why are you using Archicad now?

I will probably have some more later
again, I don't want to create a debate, just need some info.
thanks in advance.

[Rob]

1. yes, it is possible to create an object (alias library part, block, family) from 2D or 3D elements by simply drawing/modeling them up. However, to make them fully parametric (so, yes they can be parametric in the project), you have to define internal logic/parameters in GDL. That would be in GDL editor (a part of AC). Some can see that as disadvantage, but I do not. It basically allows you to control fully 2D appearance independently on 3D representation, definition and interaction of parameters like when parameter A="calculate them" you can define an action like B=F*tangent(angle)+P, R="calculating..." etc. +!!! what Revit does NOT have is that you can create your own interface with illustrative images and, for example, tabbed layout of parameters etc. It is a vast land of possibilities and customizations.

2. yes

3.we have been using AC for documentation for quite large projects at our office and I think we have gone through that without any major problems. I haven't used Revit for CD though.

4.yes. in fact AC has one of the most advanced section/elevation tool I have ever seen with AEC software.

5.N/A

[stefan]

1. Is creating families (or blocks) is easy enough to do? do i just use extrude, blend and so forth? are they fully parametric in the project?

Programming in GDL or drag'n drop drawing elements. The first gives full control, the latter is easier, but static.

2. Is information in the project can be controlled from any place? i.e, can I change the model on the sheet or change a door in the door schedule and the change will carry through?

From most places, but not all. schedules -> only partly

3.how do you find documentations in Archicad? if you used Revit and can compare....

Don't understand the question

4. is it possible to control depth in elevations and sections with more than one plain? (there is no depth control in Revit atm)

Yes

5. If you used Revit before, why are you using Archicad now?

Not applicable to me.

[Anonymous]

thanks for the reply guys, running the demo atm trying to get a grip on AC,
I seem to be missing somethings
is it possible to draw a wall and enter length just by typing? do i really have to enter it in the box??
what about keyboard shortcuts? it's looks very complicated if i just want to trim or extend walls right now... (I'm a newbie so be gentle)
Stefan, according to the list of software you used, you know Revit, how do you find documenting a project in AC compare to Revit?harder, easier, more complicated?
thanks again

[stefan]

eldados wrote:
thanks for the reply guys, running the demo atm trying to get a grip on AC,
I seem to be missing somethings
is it possible to draw a wall and enter length just by typing? do i really have to enter it in the box??
what about keyboard shortcuts? it's looks very complicated if i just want to trim or extend walls right now... (I'm a newbie so be gentle)
Stefan, according to the list of software you used, you know Revit, how do you find documenting a project in AC compare to Revit?harder, easier, more complicated?
thanks again

From the limited experience I have with Revit, it's documentation process is quick and direct.
Once the ArchiCAD publisher is properly set up, the documentation process is straightforward and re-publishing a full documentation set in ArchiCAD is automatic from then on. The initial setup can take some work, but it's not that difficult, once you have some idea what you need to deliver.

The 2D drawing in ArchiCAD is a bit slower then what I was used to in AutoCAD and especially in VectorWorks, but since the ArchiCAD workflow doesn't require that much 2D drawing anyway, this is no real hindrance.

I have not made a full documentation project in Revit, so I don't dare to give a real opinion about it. I did make a few projects untill construction drawings in ArchiCAD, so I'm more familiar with that.
(I'm into Academic research now, so no full projects at the moment. Maybe when I finally buy some property and start my own house, but that's a bit expensive now).

The deciding factor for me would be the ease of making modifications to the project and for that Revit is hard to beat. But ArchiCAD is capable and there are examples enough of users finishing complete projects in ArchiCAD, without any additional CAD-software.

Because AutoCAD is sometimes added to Revit, you might think Revit is not capable for 2D drawing, but I don't think so.

[Djordje]

stefan wrote:
The deciding factor for me would be the ease of making modifications to the project and for that Revit is hard to beat. But ArchiCAD is capable and there are examples enough of users finishing complete projects in ArchiCAD, without any additional CAD-software.

No experience on Revit, but I am doing full projects in ArchiCAD for the last decade. The main advantage over anything else is the change control and the publishing - if set up properly - is a blessing.

Unlike Stefan, I have never found a problem in modifications to the project using ArchiCAD, just the opposite. Maybe I did too many projects?

[stefan]

Djordje wrote:

stefan wrote:
The deciding factor for me would be the ease of making modifications to the project and for that Revit is hard to beat. But ArchiCAD is capable and there are examples enough of users finishing complete projects in ArchiCAD, without any additional CAD-software.

No experience on Revit, but I am doing full projects in ArchiCAD for the last decade. The main advantage over anything else is the change control and the publishing - if set up properly - is a blessing.

Unlike Stefan, I have never found a problem in modifications to the project using ArchiCAD, just the opposite. Maybe I did too many projects?

Experience is often worth more then software features.

I have done a few projects in ArchiCAD from start to finish, but when working in architects offices, it was AutoCAD and VectorWorks. I was only able to use ArchiCAD for my own projects, but I stopped my practice when I joined the university.

Because I could only 'practice' ArchiCAD on my own time, while I was using VectorWorks in the office, it did enable me to deliver a full documentation set in less time then I would need to spend in AutoCAD 2D or VectorWorks 2D. And that was with fully generated sections and elevations with little 2D drawing needed to finish them off. But I never did a big project in ArchiCAD.

[Djordje]

stefan wrote:
Experience is often worth more then software features.

I would say - always.

If we all were made to switch OSs now, the productivity drop would be significant. Until we learned.

Bottom line - everything can be done using this and that. The real questions are:

- do we know how
- how easy it is
- how fast it is

There is also a mindset to consider; some people just can't grasp the VB idea, and that's it.