Changing original attributes of library parts

[Miquel Garcia]

I want to change the attributes (pen color, styles,etc.) of the original Archicad Library parts to adapt it at our drawing standards and not to have to change it manually every time, but I don't know how to do it to guarantee futures upgrades of librarys (and don't repeat the work every time). I have changed some of the 8.0 objects as a trial and I have lost my changes with the 8.1 Library.
How can I do that?
My first idea was to duplicate these objects with another name in a custom library, but it seems idiot to duplicate objects only for this reason and it will not solve the problem of the upgrade.

[david nicholson-cole]

If they are parametric, you will never have to change them in the code, your user will be able to change them whenever they want to in the settings. But using the Favourites menu, you can store sets of settings in the way you like, and you can export or import favourites between projects.
. if you want them to have certain pen numbers by default, open the object, set the colour of pen etc, then save the object.
make sure you have ticked the box for 'use objects own pens' etc etc.

Miquel wrote:
I want to change the attributes (pen color, styles,etc.) of the original Archicad Library parts to adapt it at our drawing standards and not to have to change it manually every time, but I don't know how to do it to guarantee futures upgrades of librarys (and don't repeat the work every time). I have changed some of the 8.0 objects as a trial and I have lost my changes with the 8.1 Library.
How can I do that?
My first idea was to duplicate these objects with another name in a custom library, but it seems idiot to duplicate objects only for this reason and it will not solve the problem of the upgrade.

[Miquel Garcia]

david wrote:
If they are parametric, you will never have to change them in the code
. if you want them to have certain pen numbers by default, open the object, set the colour of pen etc, then save the object.
make sure you have ticked the box for 'use objects own pens' etc etc.

I don't want to change code, only the pen numbers (and others parameters like styles of doors/windows) by default. Its easy to do, like you say, but if I do this work for a great number of objects I guess that I will need to redo it with the next Library upgrade. My question is how to maintain my changes (that does'nt affect code) and to be able to upgrade the library with new features in the future.
Favourites are pretty good, but not for 26 doors, 18 windows, 86 objects etc. (for example) I know that every user can change all the settings, but I prefer that everybody is concentred on the desing, leaving the representation issues as automatic as possible, and not to have to change every attribute of every object.
Or I am missing something ?

[James Murray]

Miquel wrote:
My question is how to maintain my changes (that does'nt affect code) and to be able to upgrade the library with new features in the future.

No way.

Miquel wrote:
...I prefer that everybody is concentred on the desing, leaving the representation issues as automatic as possible, and not to have to change every attribute of every object.
Or I am missing something ?

You're not missing a thing. To the contrary, you have nicely articulated the virtual building ideal. That quote should be the professional oath of object writers. It is the AC libraries and, especially, library management that are missing a lot.

I'd like to see a utility that could globally change defaults as you describe. It is of course possible to select many different objects and change the same parameters of all of them, provided the variables have the same names. We need a utility that could open the objects themselves and do the same thing to the defaults.

I suppose that belongs in the wish category, and it doesn't help you now, but you've brought up a good issue.

[Jochen Suehlo]

For ArchiCAD 7 and 8 there exists an API Addon, with which you can change the parameters of a whole set of library parts. It is called "Search and Replace in Library Parts" and is part of the GDL-Developers Kit of Graphisoft.
The Link is http://www.graphisoft.com/products/productivity_tools/developing_for_archicad/. I do not know if there exists an update to ArchiCAD 8.1.
But a warning: Do not use this tool without making a backup of the library before.

[Anonymous]

Miquel wrote:

I don't want to change code, only the pen numbers (and others parameters like styles of doors/windows) by default. Its easy to do, like you say, but if I do this work for a great number of objects I guess that I will need to redo it with the next Library upgrade. My question is how to maintain my changes (that does'nt affect code) and to be able to upgrade the library with new features in the future.
Favourites are pretty good, but not for 26 doors, 18 windows, 86 objects etc. (for example) I know that every user can change all the settings, but I prefer that everybody is concentred on the desing, leaving the representation issues as automatic as possible, and not to have to change every attribute of every object.
Or I am missing something ?

I have the same question. It amazes me that there is no way to globally change the basic parameters of objects like doors and windows. Must I really go through each and every object to set pens, trim sizes, etc . . .?

I see the post about the API add on from the developer's kit, but I really don't feel like paying $1500 to get something that should be part of the software to begin with.

Is there no other way around this?

Thanks

[Anonymous]

Ten years on...

After creating my own pensets, more geared towards using colours in an aesthetic manner (I have an A3 colour laser), I'm constantly having to change library part pens to suit my custom scheme. I too would like to "Save the current settings of this instance of a library part object back to it's original blueprint in its source library, to use as its default settings".

So has there been any advance on a "Search and Replace in Library Parts" GUI-based tool?

[Piotr Dobrowolski]

Try rather adapt the pen set - I mean check the pens used in lib parts and make them as You wish, - it is easier than the way around.

The other way is to create a favorite for the object and Your pen set.

Best Regards,
Piotr

[Anonymous]

Hello,

We have all our libraries converted to suit
our standards - pens, fills, fonts etc.
Conversions are made with ArchiCAD's
Libdev-toolkit.

With that you can convert objects to XML-files
and after that parameters can be mass
modified with a plain text editor.

Needs a little programming skills but is not rocket science.

Libdev-toolkit is free but you need to register

GDL Technical Standards contains GRAPHISOFT’s official standards for professional library developers; this information is part of ArchiCAD’s Basic Library documentation, and can be downloaded as part of the LibDev Toolkit from GRAPHISOFT’s website after registration:
http://www.graphisoft.com/support/developer/.

[Barry Kelly]

The problem with changing library parts to suit your template is you will need to do it again if there is ever a library update or new version.
Unless you want to stick with your modified library in the future.

It is by far easier (as mentioned) to make you template suit the library objects you are using.

Another option is to use favourites.
You can save those using the pen colours, line types, materials, etc., to suit you template without altering the default library objects permanently.
The upside with favourites is you can have more than one combination of parameters for each object.
The downside is the favourites list can get out of hand as there is no way to organise it other than by alphabetical order.
Also I am not sure if the favourites set up to work for one version (i.e.16) will then work for the next version (i.e. 17) - I haven't had need to test this as I don't use the default libraries.
But it wouldn't be too hard to redifine the favourites if need be.
Barry.