Default library objects- why do they have different names?

[Anonymous]

We have been using ArchiCAD for years and have found that every time we need to upgrade to a new version the old libraries need to be used. This seems to be an issue with all the objects being named after the version they are in so for example a window in v9 will be called 'window 09' whereas exactly the same window in v10 will be called 'window 10' or something similar.

Why is this? Why arent the archiCAD versions that use the same symbols keep the same names? This would make ugrading between versions painless whereas at the moment its impossible. I never had this kind of problem upgrading between AutoCAD versions! Is this just to make things deliberately difficult for us or is there some reason behind it?

And if it is being done for some reason does anyone know of any batch utilities around that will update all the libary elements from one version into the new one. This would make things so much simpler!

Nats

[__archiben]

nats wrote:
Why is this? Why arent the archiCAD versions that use the same symbols keep the same names? This would make ugrading between versions painless whereas at the moment its impossible. I never had this kind of problem upgrading between AutoCAD versions! Is this just to make things deliberately difficult for us or is there some reason behind it?

there have been many discussions about this. i would prefer (as would you it seems) the names to remain the same.

there are several reasons. one raised its head when the 'special edition libraries' were released for AC9 earlier in the year: there are problems when objects have been overhauled so dramatically that their internal parameter names no longer match.

imagine you have a large project using a basic window and GS go and overhaul that window in such a way that its legacy parameters are no longer relevant. and then you go upgrading and all of your windows change size, shape . . . maybe even position.

i'll bet you'd be even more pissed off having to review your entire model windows and doors than you would just using the legacy library and updating those objects as and when you need to . . ?

that's just one of a few reasons. i have had it all explained to me, but i don't recall enough to relate it all back here. it made sense at the time. one thing's for sure... library and object handling in archicad is in serious need of a review for future future-proofing them . . .

~/archiben

[Aussie John]

For the coder, it is not that hard to get around the legacy naming. Master script code newparameter=Oldparameter seems to keep the legacy going.

[Barry Kelly]

nats wrote:
We have been using ArchiCAD for years and have found that every time we need to upgrade to a new version the old libraries need to be used. This seems to be an issue with all the objects being named after the version they are in so for example a window in v9 will be called 'window 09' whereas exactly the same window in v10 will be called 'window 10' or something similar.

Why is this? Why arent the archiCAD versions that use the same symbols keep the same names? This would make ugrading between versions painless whereas at the moment its impossible. I never had this kind of problem upgrading between AutoCAD versions! Is this just to make things deliberately difficult for us or is there some reason behind it?

And if it is being done for some reason does anyone know of any batch utilities around that will update all the libary elements from one version into the new one. This would make things so much simpler!

Nats

I believe it goes something like this - but I could be wrong as we use our own customized library so don't come across this issue.

If you have an old file using an old library, you can also load the new library as the parts all have different names.
You then have the choice of which library parts you want to use.

However if you have an old job and (in Library Manager) you remove the old library and add the new one, then your existing parts will automatically switch to the new named parts due to them having the same internal GUID code.

This is my understanding of how it is supposed to work.
Barry.

[Anonymous]

Barry wrote:
[However if you have an old job and (in Library Manager) you remove the old library and add the new one, then your existing parts will automatically switch to the new named parts due to them having the same internal GUID code.

This is my understanding of how it is supposed to work.
Barry.

I dont think it works like that at all. When I load an old project using an old version library in a new version of ArchiCAD and then try to replace the library with the later one all of my windows and doors disappear and are replaced with a load of dots.

Its bloody ridiculous and laughable that a professional CAD program is so badly programmed!! And people are paying £1000s for this!

Nats

[Barry Kelly]

nats wrote:
I dont think it works like that at all. When I load an old project using an old version library in a new version of ArchiCAD and then try to replace the library with the later one all of my windows and doors disappear and are replaced with a load of dots.

Its bloody ridiculous and laughable that a professional CAD program is so badly programmed!! And people are paying £1000s for this!

Nats

The new library must be based on the old one - it can't be a newly created library with similar part names.

The old library parts must simply be re-named so they keep the same internal GUID code.
Even doing a "Save As" will change this code I believe.

So if the new library you have is not simply a "Re-named" version but is a "Re-saved" version then it won't work.

I don't know about the library that comes with the UK / INT versions but the latest V90 SE library (I think it is called) is set up to be compatable with the equivalent V10 library.

Try an experiment for yourself.
Create two new folders on your machine - one called "old lib" and the other called "new lib".
Grab any object and place a copy in both folders (must have been created in V8.0 or later as ther were no internal GUID codes before V8.0).
Now simply re-name the object (in Windos Explorer - not sure what the MAC equivalent is).

Open a plan and load the "old lib" library and place the object on the plan.
Now go into the Library Manager and remove the "old lib" and ad the "new lib" library.
Re-load and the object in your plan will have the new name automatically and shouldn't show up as a dot.


I would be guessing that the new library you have is completely new and is not a copy of the old one renamed.
The re-named copies can be worked on and amended / improved and re-saved in the new version of Archicad if you are into GDL scripting without affecting their usability (internal GUID code will stay the same) - so long as you don't do a "save as" and give a new name.


I don't think this knowledge will help you much as obviously the two libraries you have are not compatible - but trust me it does work if the new library is updated properly in the first place (library makers responsibility - not yours).

Barry.

[Laszlo Nagy]

There is an article about GUID and when it is changed:

http://www.archicadwiki.com/GUID