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

window/door documentation

Anonymous
Not applicable
Is the archicad 10 USA door/window pdf still the best documentation of these library parts? I can't find an AC15 version of this doc - surprising given the complexity and number of objects in the standard door/window library.
6 REPLIES 6
Laszlo Nagy
Community Admin
Community Admin
Are you aware of the Basic Library Documentation?:

http://download.graphisoft.com/ftp/techsupport/documentation/developer_docs/BasicLibraryDoc/14/

http://download.graphisoft.com/ftp/techsupport/documentation/developer_docs/BasicLibraryDoc/15/
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
Anonymous
Not applicable
Lazlo thank you for your reply - the Basic Library Documentation looks very informative, we'll be looking at that.

What I was looking for was less a gdl technician's manual than a detailed user's manual, making it easier to select from within the bewildering variety of separate window objects by explaining their differences, as well as moving smoothly through the bewildering array of toggles and tweaks within each window. Same for doors.

In the Thinking Out Loud department, there are so many windows and doors now, that it seems a simpler approach might be possible - a single uber-opening that can do anything and includes some presets to get a new user started.
Anonymous
Not applicable
leporello wrote:
In the Thinking Out Loud department, there are so many windows and doors now, that it seems a simpler approach might be possible - a single uber-opening that can do anything and includes some presets to get a new user started.
Check out Cadimage Doors and Windows, I haven't used standard Archicad doors or windows for years. Alternatively you might be able to get hold of the Modular Joinery Object mentioned in this thread.
Karl Ottenstein
Moderator
s2art wrote:
Check out Cadimage Doors and Windows, I haven't used standard Archicad doors or windows for years.
Coincidentally, I just gave the trial version of Cadimage Doors/Windows a whirl to see if it got me past some glitches in the AC lib. Alas, it had its own limitations vis a vis the US library - most notably not having the ability to use different sized trim pieces for verticals vs horizontals, and not having different wall insertion modes (called 'wall closure' in our UI), with the ability to automatically cut back skins for insertion of exterior trim. I continue to find Doors/Windows consume an inordinate amount of time due to fighting with bugs and limitations.

The US library would mostly satisfy my needs, given all of the options in it now, if only the bugs were cleaned up. A strong feature of Cadimage's product is the creation of window shapes not in the standard library. I was particularly impressed with the ease with which it could create a window with a partial ellipse head, fully framed and trimmed.

Cheers,
Karl
One of the forum moderators
AC 28 USA and earlier   •   macOS Sonoma 14.7.1, MacBook Pro M2 Max 12CPU/30GPU cores, 32GB
Laszlo Nagy
Community Admin
Community Admin
leporello wrote:
What I was looking for was less a gdl technician's manual than a detailed user's manual, making it easier to select from within the bewildering variety of separate window objects by explaining their differences, as well as moving smoothly through the bewildering array of toggles and tweaks within each window. Same for doors.
Unfortunately, I don't think there is such a document. This Basic Library Doc is the closest there is.
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
Anonymous
Not applicable
Karl - I agree with you the US library is almost there. The bugs are very frustrating, and not all of the opening objects act the same in terms of matching overall dimensions when ganging windows of different types, some have ganging controls, some do not. Sometimes the skin features work, sometimes not. One sees ever-so-slightly different behavior or characteristics within the Class of ArchiCAD Openings, like finches evolved on separate islands over time.

And like Darwin it's up to us to figure them out.

In the meantime, I needed a trapezoidal ganged window, and none existing, created my own using columns and beams for trim that as Karl says clip our skins from the wall, and SEO operations to create separate sashes within the window opening. Not that hard, really, but now I have a window that doesn't properly appear in window schedules and so forth. So yes, please, wishing the Graphisoft D+W project would get finished already. When these objects work they work quite well, until you bump up against one that does not...