Archicad Extension and Automation Technologies

[Doreena Deng]

Archicad has several ways to extend its functionality or automate your workflow, so you have to choose the tool that best fits your needs. This article will summarize the possibilities to make you easier to choose.

Add-On API (C++)

The Add-On API is the ultimate tool to extend Archicad. You can access almost everything in Archicad and there is a wide range of possibilities to create new functionalities or automate your workflow. Of course, you need to be an experienced developer to use this one. More information…

 

Automation API (JSON/Python):

The goal of the Automation API is to support workflow automation. A Python wrapper is provided by Graphisoft, but you can use any programming language to access this API. At the moment it focuses on documentation automation. More information…

 

Library Object API (GDL)

GDL is invented to create fully parametric objects inside Archicad. You can create furniture, doors, windows and much more. GDL is a very powerful technology, there are a lot of possibilites. You need to know some programming to use this technology, but it’s not as hard as C++. More information…

 

Grasshopper Connection

The Archicad-Grasshopper Connection is the main tool to support generative design by creating real BIM elements in Archicad. The goal here is to create elements and set their parameters based on some rules without any programming knowledge. More information…

 

PARAM-O

The goal of PARAM-O is to create parametric Archicad objects without scripting. It utilizes the node-based method to create objects, and the end result is a fully functional GDL object. It means that everything you can do in PARAM-O is also possible in GDL, but with PARAM-O you don’t have to write a single line of GDL code. More information…