ArchiCAD - Plotmaker tip ?

[Anonymous]

To avoid having to close a project in ArchiCAD while I verify that Plotmaker is functioning properly and picking up changes ...

With both ArchiCAD and Plotmaker running. I've found that if I do a forced SAVE while still in ArchiCAD, and do an update in Plotmaker, it picks up the changes, and it's back to work in AC.

Now if only Graphisoft would just combine the two programs into one to avoid the merry-go-round entirely .....

Happy summer

Naftali

[Link]

Something tells me you're not kidding! 😉

This is how the two programs are designed to function together. In fact if you have the ArchiCAD project open while trying to update the linked PlotMaker layout book, PM will present you with a warning and a last chance to do a hard save so that it picks up the very latest changes. As soon as you do this hard save, the hotlinks in PM's Drawing usage will instantly change from 'OK' to 'modified'. (And with build 2256 you aren't able to update just one view, without the rest updating )

The combining/keeping them separate debate has been discussed time and again! I still like having them separate myself - especially given the size of the new layout books!

Cheers,
Link.

[Anonymous]

Link wrote:
The combining/keeping them separate debate has been discussed time and again! I still like having them separate myself - especially given the size of the new layout books!

Cheers,
Link.

I agree. I don't want to be burdened with having to open a huge layout book when I'm only working on the model. And then there are the projects with multiple interrelated ArchiCAD project files and PlotMaker layout books. The more I think of it, the more the idea of combining them seems a nightmare.

[Anonymous]

I'm going to weigh in on this one. I agree on keeping plotmaker and archicad separate if for no other reason than plotmaker doesn't require a key to open and work on a file. There are several times that drawings need to be updated or just printed and these can be done from any station in the office.

[Anonymous]

Millard wrote:
I'm going to weigh in on this one. I agree on keeping plotmaker and archicad separate if for no other reason than plotmaker doesn't require a key to open and work on a file. There are several times that drawings need to be updated or just printed and these can be done from any station in the office.

Unless you need to update direct linked drawings. BGArchiCAD requires the key.

[SeaGeoff]

Matthew wrote:
Unless you need to update direct linked drawings. BGArchiCAD requires the key.

It would be quite the gift for GS to make BGAC free from the key. Even for solo users it would allow a retired workstation to serve as a print center.

This brings up something I had been thinking about. If PlotMaker tools and object technologies, specifically those relating to annotation, were improved as we all want them to be. Would it be reasonable in a team setting to do all the annotation in PM? I know it goes against the current grain of doing just about everything in AC, but it does provide some of the freedom that Matthew envisioned in his Multiple Plan Views concept. And it enables the fairly typical task of annotating many sheets consecutively without disturbing work on the model or interfering with an established Teamwork set up. Just a thought.

[Anonymous]

Link wrote:
Something tells me you're not kidding! 😉

This is how the two programs are designed to function together. In fact if you have the ArchiCAD project open while trying to update the linked PlotMaker layout book, PM will present you with a warning and a last chance to do a hard save so that it picks up the very latest changes. As soon as you do this hard save, the hotlinks in PM's Drawing usage will instantly change from 'OK' to 'modified'. (And with build 2256 you aren't able to update just one view, without the rest updating )

Cheers,
Link.

Far be it from me to argue with an AC guru, but if this is the way the two programs are designed to work together, shouldn't the WARNING be changed into a REMINDER to do a forced save ???

As it now stands, it sounded to me like this is the last thing Graphisoft wants you to do !!

Regards,

Naftali

[Link]

Far be it from me to argue with an AC guru, but if this is the way the two programs are designed to work together, shouldn't the WARNING be changed into a REMINDER to do a forced save ???

As it now stands, it sounded to me like this is the last thing Graphisoft wants you to do !!

Maybe a 'WARNING!' is Hungarian for a 'friendly reminder'?

This brings up something I had been thinking about. If PlotMaker tools and object technologies, specifically those relating to annotation, were improved as we all want them to be. Would it be reasonable in a team setting to do all the annotation in PM? I know it goes against the current grain of doing just about everything in AC, but it does provide some of the freedom that Matthew envisioned in his Multiple Plan Views concept. And it enables the fairly typical task of annotating many sheets consecutively without disturbing work on the model or interfering with an established Teamwork set up. Just a thought.

Hey Geoff - sorry I missed you at the Seattle user group meeting last week. I agree that PM's fuctionality needs to be updated to meet ArchiCAD's (and then some), but I prefer to keep all my master sheet layouts linked from ArchiCAD too, so I have the updateability across many layout books at once. With a sheet on each story it is great to make changes to them all in one project and have them update in all layout books. Having said that I think PM needs better layer management, so that we can switch between different layer combinations in drawings placed on our *master sheets*. That'd help solve a lot of the current limitations with PM IMHO.

Cheers,
Link.

[SeaGeoff]

Link wrote:
Hey Geoff - sorry I missed you at the Seattle user group meeting last week.

My apologies as well. I replaced my water main the previous weekend. Any daylight remaining after work that week was spent filling holes and repairing the yard. Next time for sure.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Geoff wrote:
It would be quite the gift for GS to make BGAC free from the key. Even for solo users it would allow a retired workstation to serve as a print center.

Hi Geoff,

PM doesn't require a key ... and so if the drawings have been updated in the LBK by someone with a key, then any workstation can be used to open that LBK in PM and print/publish/etc. Update on yours/save...then open/adjust positioning/etc and print on the retired machine.

Currently BGAC is basically the real AC, so making it keyless invites hackers to easily create free licenses ... but I can certainly see your wish for a "new" form of BGAC (basically it would be the guts of AC but with all user interface removed ... so that all it could do is update drawings). Would be handy.

Karl