Hello,
I have been using ArchiCAD for 8 years now, so naturally, learning GDL seemed to be the next step. I have been learning GDL scripting on and off for the past two years and while I enjoy creating custom objects in my personal time, I keep coming back to the same question... is it worth it?
Having recently graduated University in Sydney, Australia, I was exposed to Rhino + Grasshopper which I also enjoy using (especially with the ArchiCAD - Grasshopper Live Connection). The benefit of Grasshopper is that it is relatively user friendly for architects given that it has a visual interface. Similarly, Revit Families appear to have some type of visual interface (although I have not had much exposure to this). GDL on the other hand seems to be dated and not as user friendly, not to mention the lack of available learning resources (other than the obvious ones).
I guess my question is, has GDL had it's day? Should I really be investing so much time in learning something which seems to be out of sync with what is being taught in Universities? Of course this might not be the case for other Universities overseas, however in Australia, this is most certainly the case. It is also worth mentioning that I work for a small practice, however, GDL scripting does not appear to be a desirable skill that Architecture Practices are actively seeking. Is this also the case for large practices using ArchiCAD in Australia or elsewhere?
Furthermore, it is my understanding that GDL is a proprietary programming language, this also appears to be on a downwards trend with other programming languages such as Python becoming widely adopted and integrated into 3D modelling softwares such as Rhino + Grasshopper. Would my time be better spent learning Python?
Feel free to post your thoughts below. I am interested to know where people stand on this? And I welcome any advice that experienced ArchiCAD users have to offer.
