GDL Cookbook - requests, demands, ideas, testimonials

[david nicholson-cole]

GDL Cookbook - requests, demands, ideas, testimonials...[/size]

I am now into the task of writing the new GDL Cookbook. I have been sidetracked all autumn, but have now got down to it during the new year holiday.

Requests and Demands and Reminders. I am eager to hear from GDL users of things they would like to see covered or not forgotten.

Also, if you have done some cool GDL things that you would like to contribute, please make an offer, all good contributions are attributed in the book with bylines.
Short but powerful demos of techniques are the best. Dont worry about writing up the text or the theory, I can help you with that - it can be built around the germ of the idea.

I am also interested in updating the section on testimonials of why people use or like GDL and how they have found it useful.

I would also like to add to the "How do they do that?!" section, so will be grateful for contributions to that.

You can post things here, but if you have enclosures or longer things to contribute, or are nervous about airing your suggestions in public forum, email them, please, to:
davidnc@gdlcookbook.com

Don't miss ACUWest!
As long as the atlantic travel situation doesnt get even worse than it is, I intend to be at ACUWest in March, and will be offering some seminars on GDL, looking at advanced capabilities with ArchiCAD 8 and 8.1. (friends will be doing GDL for beginners.)

[david nicholson-cole]

david wrote:
I am now into the task of writing the new GDL Cookbook. I have been sidetracked all autumn, but have now got down to it during the new year holiday.

I am wondering whether its worth spending months of my life working on this when I have had no replies in this conference. It's not worth the risk if nobody will buy the book! or is it just that ACTalk readers cant think of things to add to the book?
By the way, as I work on it, it's a substantial rewrite in most sections. There is so much new material to write up. And better DTP. I dont know how much it will weigh in the end, I shall try to keep it to a kilo.
>>david

[Fabrizio Diodati]

Dear David,

This is my reply to your post (I already did it privately some time ago!) so, maybe, somebody else will reply and will take advantage from your kind propose!
Let me say that you did, do (and will do!) a very useful job for all the ArchiCAD users.
I started to learn GDL (let me avoid to “officially” say how many years ago!!!) just reading your first book: a masterpiece for all the GDL dummies… but also a good source of ideas for the experts!

Let me say (and this doesn’t come from our friendship, I’m convinced about this!) that GDL is the core of ArchiCAD and without it you loose a lot of powerful issues and I really think that if an user starts to learn it by using one of your book it will enjoy this learning that becomes simple and funny.

I will post here some suggestion and, once again, if you need help I’m ready!

Friendly
Fabrizio

[Anonymous]

David,

I am planning to pull some ideas together for you, though, as you know, I am very busy in my present position. Perhaps you should post some general outlines to get people thinking; maybe a working list of chapter headings and/or topics or perhaps some specific functions (such as interesting uses of PUT and GET) would help to get people's juices flowing. I am sure if you put a list in front of me I could drag quite a few gems out of the dark recesses of my mind, and I suspect that the same is true for many others here. It is just so much easier to respond to something than to start from a blank page.

As far as future sales of your book goes. I do think that there is a real and growing market for your work in this area. I know that at least a few of my clients and comrades (I haven't conducted a poll, this is just from casual conversation) are looking forward to the new and improved cookbook. I will be glad to promote the book to the people I know once it becomes available.

[david nicholson-cole]

I have asked Fabrizio to write a sort of idiots guide to what APIs are about - he cant actually do a cookbook section on API with great technical detail as GS would be unlikely to authorise it and the book isnt about C-plus-plus; but I hope he might expand on my minimal effort in the previous book to explain the idea behind API and its link with GDL (because most APIs produce GDL objects).
karl might do me something on XFORM (skewing objects). Sometimes, the things I have like most have been the unexpected offerings, eg Frank Chin's fountain and flag in the GDLCB3.
I have a weak point on Property Objects, and you might be good at writing someting like this.
I would also invite people to be part of a select group, like an editorial board, to whom I can send progressive PDFs for approval (not on proofreading, my wife is excellent at english, but knows nothing about GDL) on the technical and educational side. Dwight was wonderfully helpful on CB3 and has already made a useful response to a PDF i sent him only 12 hours ago (which has been acted on)..
In the last book, Laurent Godel wrote some chunks on data input/output, but I cant really use these again as he has gone to earth somewhere and those sections will need a fresh looking at.

Matthew wrote:
I am planning to pull some ideas together for you. Perhaps you should post some general outlines to get people thinking; maybe a working list of chapter headings and/or topics or perhaps some specific functions (such as interesting uses of PUT and GET) would help to get people's juices flowing. I am sure if you put a list in front of me I could drag quite a few gems out of the dark recesses of my mind, and I suspect that the same is true for many others here. It is just so much easier to respond to something than to start from a blank page.

[Djordje]

First - don't get me wrong, please! - I have to toss a bone to gnaw here.

david wrote:
I have asked Fabrizio to write a sort of idiots guide to what APIs are about - he cant actually do a cookbook section on API with great technical detail as GS would be unlikely to authorise it and the book isnt about C-plus-plus; but I hope he might expand on my minimal effort in the previous book to explain the idea behind API and its link with GDL (because most APIs produce GDL objects).

Writing a review of Cigraph APIs, I noticed how much of their functionality is embedded in ArchiCAD since they came out (Inspector in ArchiRuler - Object Info in 8, etc). Another heretic thought also appeared:

Are the modeling AddOns really putting people off GDL?

I will keep my opinion for the time being before I hear your answers. Let me just say that it is only one step (that ZoomGDL almost made) - parametrics and intelligence - that separate the scripted objects from the modeled ones.

david wrote:
I have a weak point on Property Objects, and you might be good at writing someting like this.

Might I point out that Karl might be the right person for this, too?

Whatever the outcome, I am still amazed by the first CookBook, now frayed and dried from mold (dysfunctional AC last summer), and the one with David's autograph that I am lucky to have. Good luck, keep on!

[david nicholson-cole]

Djordje wrote:
Are the modeling AddOns really putting people off GDL? I will keep my opinion for the time being before I hear your answers. Let me just say that it is only one step (that ZoomGDL almost made) - parametrics and intelligence - that separate the scripted objects from the modeled ones.

I do feel that Archiforma and Toolbox have saved a lot of people from developing GDL skills, the graph of sales of GDL Cookbook have almost exactly followed the curve of the growth of these helpful addons - in the opposite direction! (this could be something to do with the CB having saturated the market for 6.5 and 7 GDL - I am glad that 8.0 has created so many new things to write about!).
But i am keen on object building however people want to do it! This, and the pressure from GDL Technology has moved GDL onto a more expert level, for manufacturing of components. i am completely rejigging my GDL teaching module this year at the University - to get the students to make serious building products.

Djordje wrote:

david wrote:
I have a weak point on Property Objects, and you might be good at writing someting like this.

Might I point out that Karl might be the right person for this, too?

Whatever the outcome, I am still amazed by the first CookBook, now frayed and dried from mold (dysfunctional AC last summer), and the one with David's autograph that I am lucky to have. Good luck, keep on!

I agree, i hope Karl will help out there. Re the moldy old cookbook, I just hope you dont photocopy my signature for a cheque!!
Must be an old version 1 ! the one with the Red cover. perhaps i shall have to go back to that for nostalgic reasons!

[Dave Jochum]

David,

I am a relatively new user to AC (a year and a half or so). I am definitely interested in learning GDL. Along with AC (and various add-ons), I'm learning ArtLantis, Piranesi, and SketchUp, so just haven't gotten to GDL yet. But I'll definitely buy your book! (and hear you speak at ACU West)

[Djordje]

Dave wrote:
But I'll definitely buy your book! (and hear you speak at ACU West)

Prepare yourself to be amazed ...

[david nicholson-cole]

Dave wrote:
David, I am a relatively new user to AC (a year and a half or so). I am definitely interested in learning GDL. Along with AC (and various add-ons), I'm learning ArtLantis, Piranesi, and SketchUp, so just haven't gotten to GDL yet. But I'll definitely buy your book! (and hear you speak at ACU West)

I do hope you will let Duane know you are interested in coming to ACUWest, numbers are important. I am in the position of having to buy my air ticket in the next few days, and if not enough people register, I am flying over for nothing. So please take advantage of the early bird booking and let him know.
>>>davidnc