New to ArchiCAD; What the hell is GDL?

[dcerezo]

Hey guys,

I have been trying to make the switch from Revit to ArchiCAD for several reasons that I won't go into here.

I am trying to recreate a project I completed in Revit, in ArchiCAD.

In the project I have some 4 panel folding doors by NanaWall. Boy was I floored when I dug into how I would recreate these doors in ArchiCAD.

GDL? Dude. Really. What the f*$% is that! I mean, really, c'mon, you have to learn to program to create a window or door that currently doesn't exist in the library.

This fact alone has me really reconsidering whether I should stick with Revit.

Is Graphisoft looking at abandoning this? Is importing Sketchup models a workaround? Are those imported Sketchup models parametric once inside ArchiDAD?

[Anonymous]

So does Revit have any weaknesses?

[dcerezo]

Oh yeah it does! Some of my personal favorites:

1. Dimensioning tools are undeveloped at best.
2. The Site tools are pretty limited and you have to use workarounds to do basic things like curbs, gutters, etc.
3. The text tools are ho-rri-ble! I mean Wordpad has better text tools than Revit.
4. No 3D Documenting like ArchiCAD.
5. Materials Editor is straight from 1989.
6. No framing tools (other than modeling each stud individually, etc). Then again, I don't know if ArchiCAD does this either.
7. Presentation tools are limited.

There are a bunch of other things, but they have more to do with "how" revit does things. Not always the best.

Oh yeah, and this new ribbon interface that it has now has turned out to be a true disaster. Even Autodesk admits that.

[Anonymous]

Right, I see what you mean. Sounds rather grim. I hope you're finding ArchiCAD is better in these areas. To answer your question about wall framing: while it's not a standard part of ArchiCAD, you can get an add-on from Cadimage Tools.

[dcerezo]

I think I will definitely be making the switch. Getting used to a different interface is challenging, but not a show stopper.

I checked out the Cadimage website and that looks promising.

BTW, I noticed on there something called Keynote Manager. How does ArchiCAD handle Keynotes now? Are they just typed in with the text tool or are they parametrically tied to the item (like wall material, or detail object) like in Revit?

[Anonymous]

There are a few options when placing notes. ArchiCAD has a text tool and a label tool.

The simplest approach is to type text directly into a label. Alternatively you can use a label to automatically display the ID of a placed element. With some basic GDL you can create smarter labels that automatically display more information about the elements to which they are attached.

Cadimage's Keynote Manager allows you to import standard notes (from an Excel spreadsheet) to ArchiCAD. You can then place these notes as independent labels, or you can link the notes to ArchiCAD elements.

If you link key notes to an ArchiCAD element, you can then attach a label to that element in any view in which the element appears. The label can display all or a selection of the linked notes. Perhaps that is similar to Revit's approach?

For plans, sections, etc. the notes can be displayed as simple keys, and then scheduled. For details the notes can display the full description.

[dcerezo]

Ooh, I think Revit may have ArchiCAD on this one.

In Revit, when you set the structure of a wall let's say, for example, 2x4 studs, with 1/2" gypsum on either side, and batt insulation, the keynote information is "built in".

So let's say you cut a section of a wall, and you're detailing it, you click on the "keynote" tool and just click on the portion of the wall that you want to keynote. If you hover over the insulation and click to place the keynote, the text will appear (R-19 BATT INSULLATION, for example). Or if you want a number instead of text, the number will show up in a box. Then all you have to do is just drag a keynote legend onto the sheet. A keynote legend automatically updates itself to only show the actual keynotes on that sheet. If you were to click on that insulation keynote and delete it. It would automatically disappear from the legend on that sheet only.

Very cool actually.

[Anonymous]

Yes that sounds cool. It sounds similar to Cadimage's approach, but of course integrated directly into the base software.

Oddly, though, many of our clients find it more intuitive to simply place an independent keynote onto a drawing. So its nice to have both approaches available.

[Brett Brown]

Here's an example how the Revit keynote system works Andrew. http://www.cadclips.com/Revit9-KeyNotes.aspx
I would think it is a GS job to make labels/keynotes work like this? A bit better than your "Attach notes"

[Anonymous]

Of course an add-on will never be as slick as what Graphisoft could do. But on the other hand, the Keynotes Manager provides a good deal of intelligence to the process.

While the Revit keynotes look good in a demo, it would be interesting to know how good they are in practice?

[dcerezo]

Well, at our office, we use keynotes and they work great. Every now and then we have to edit the keynote file in order to add a note that doesn't exist (like if we're going to call out a product name, etc).

We really have no complaints.