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Libraries & objects
About Archicad and BIMcloud libraries, their management and migration, objects and other library parts, etc.

Archibaseplanet

Anonymous
Not applicable
Hi Everyone,

I am very new to Archicad and just trying to work out how to download a 3d object from Archibaseplanet. I have downloaded a music instrument. It is a zipped file. What do I do next, please? How do I unzip it, please? Could someone write down for me step by step instruction, please? Many thanks in advance.
5 REPLIES 5
Gerald Hoffman
Advocate
You don't say what OS platform you are on. On a Mac you can just double click on the zip file to decompress it. On a PC I think you should be able to right click and chose an option to unzip or decompress the file. I have not been on a PC for a few years so don't know the latest Windows OS's. The zip format has nothing to do with ArchiCad. It is a file(s) compression format.

Once you have the file unzipped it should create a folder with several files in it. If there is a .GSM file that is a native object for ArchiCad. This is the one that is preferable.
They also usually include a .3DS file which is 3D Studio object. This can be imported into ArchiCad but will not be parametric. Same applies to an .OBJ file.

Hope this helps
Gerald Hoffman
“The simplification of anything is always sensational” GKC
Archicad 4.55 - 27-6000 USA
2019 MacBook Pro-macOS 15.0 (64GB w/ AMD Radeon Pro 5600M GPU)
Anonymous
Not applicable
Hi Gerald,

thanks for the quick reply. I am working on PC. I followed your instructions. I have unzipped the file. Now I can see the .gsm file. I did not know how to import it, but I could find instructions on the Graphisoft help centre. Thanks again.

Roberta
Gerald Hoffman
Advocate
Roberta,

The .gsm file type is the basic library part in ArchiCad. I would suggest you put it in a folder that you will be able to locate and that you could use for other library parts in the future.

Once you have done that, start ArchiCad and load your new Library folder in the File/Library Manager Dialogue box. Once the folder is loaded you will have access to the part as a object which you load with the "chair" icon in the Toolbox.

You should put in some profile information in your signature as the answers may be different depending on what version of ArchiCad you are using and what your OS is. See mine below.

Cheers,
Gerald Hoffman
“The simplification of anything is always sensational” GKC
Archicad 4.55 - 27-6000 USA
2019 MacBook Pro-macOS 15.0 (64GB w/ AMD Radeon Pro 5600M GPU)
Anonymous
Not applicable
Thank you, Gerald, for your kind suggestions.

Roberta
Laszlo Nagy
Community Admin
Community Admin
Another method is to simply show the folder in which the GSM file is located in your operating system's file system.
Then drag the GSM file and drop it onto the ARCHICAD application window.
The object will be added to the Embedded Library of the Project File and it will also be placed immediately.
Loving Archicad since 1995 - Find Archicad Tips at x.com/laszlonagy
AMD Ryzen9 5900X CPU, 64 GB RAM 3600 MHz, Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB, 500 GB NVMe SSD
2x28" (2560x1440), Windows 10 PRO ENG, Ac20-Ac27