Do you remember? ArchiCAD History from Radar CH to ArchiCAD

[Katalin Takacs]

On http://archicadwiki.com/ArchiCAD%20versions site you can find the list of all released ArchiCAD versions. We have also collected the release dates, supported platform, features, ArchiCAD file and hardware protection compatibility of all versions.
Do you remember on your first ArchiCAD? What was your favorite feature?

[Laszlo Nagy]

Matthew wrote:
...and Laszlo you forgot:

ArchiCAD 9: when all the cool new stuff in 8 actually worked.

Yes, that's right.


Edit: Sorry Matthew, I think I accidentally deleted most of your post because I wanted to quote this part and I clicked the Edit button instead of the Quote button. Admins are able to do that. Sorry about it.

[Anonymous]

I got my first version second hand, 4.1 Back in 1992 and ran it on a MAC IICX with all of 80 meg of memory. I had to turn off all of the mac functions to get it to run and plotted for hours at a time in the evenings on an Oce pen plotter. That was my second building down cycle/recession. Today I'm
Mac 10.5.8 PowerPC G5
Archicad 12
Maybe when things pick up from this third recession I've had to work through I can upgrade to 16.
I only mention the recessions to let the younger readers know that there will always be downturns so don't get discouraged and prepared for them.
Ron

[Anonymous]

laszlonagy wrote:

Matthew wrote:
...and Laszlo you forgot:

ArchiCAD 9: when all the cool new stuff in 8 actually worked.

Yes, that's right.


Edit: Sorry Matthew, I think I accidentally deleted most of your post because I wanted to quote this part and I clicked the Edit button instead of the Quote button. Admins are able to do that. Sorry about it.

As I recall I just said my favorite new feature of all was the Navigator/Publisher in ArchiCAD 7. I think that has saved me more time than anything else by far (though I may be a bit biased since it was partly based on my suggestion).

[David Collins]

I came to Archicad 5.5 from a dumb-as-mud flatland CAD program, so just about everything about it amazed me. What mostly blew me away was the fact that the thing was alive: make a change anywhere and it updated itself everywhere. My old program could barely tell one line from another, let alone coordinate drawings with a 3d model. I can remember sitting there with my mouth open.

I was also amazed by the sheer genius of having the section symbol in plan be the link to the actual section drawing. That wasn't obvious in those days. And there was a truly sublime moment when it dawned on me that the ability to set up stories was going to reduce the number of layers by a factor of... well, the number of stories in the building... Brilliant!

Still brilliant!

Favorite new feature: Profile Manager, which solved dozens of long term issues in one fully integrated tool, eliminating one or two earlier really dumb new features in the process.

[Katalin Takacs]

Let me share my story with ArchiCAD:
AutoCAD was the first CAD program I studied at the university. After using AutoCAD (and its command line) it was a bit difficult to get used to the ArchiCAD tools at the beginning. But it gave a great experience, when I saw the result of my 2d drawing in 3d. I was amazed how easy it is to create an architectural model in ArchiCAD 9.

One year later I started to work as a drafter for architectural offices and used ArchiCAD 7.0, so I had the opportunity to learn the basics of ArchiCAD (and PlotMaker). I liked the automatic dimension feature the most, and realized how important it is to create a correct 3D model.
It was the first important step for me to learn the software. During my studies I had the chance to test ArchiCAD 13's Teamwork (which was the greatest feature in ArchiCAD's history, as I think) and its new features. And I also learned to use ArchiCAD Help
Since ArchiCAD 14 I work for GRAPHISOFT. I give community support, teach ArchiCAD and write as many ArchiCAD Wiki articles as I can to share my knowledge with ArchiCAD users.

[PB]

Katalin, i am intrigued by your comment "And I also learned to use ArchiCAD Help".....I suspect I am missing out on a valuable aid !

Am I missing the obvious? Can you point out the best place to learn how to use AC Help to its best advantage, please?

Thanks, Patrice

[Katalin Takacs]

I heard about some tricks from experienced ArchiCAD users: e.g. the space activates/ deactivates the magnet button (Quick selection), how to align a texture, how to offset a line and where to find the offset command (it had a complicated workflow before AC14 as I can remember). If I couldn't find a command or didn't remember on the exact workflow, I just searched for it in ArchiCAD Help and got answer for my (quite basic) questions.
I liked to have a reliable (and hungarian!) aid in my hand which can be reached easily, directly from ArchiCAD.

[Anonymous]

Katalin wrote:
I liked to have a reliable (and hungarian!) aid in my hand which can be reached easily, directly from ArchiCAD.

Yeah, and I want a Bulgarian one too!

Being fortunate to know English I have no problems working with AC, but not all of my students know this language so well.

[PB]

Thank you Katalin - I'll try making more use of the 'Help' facilities !

[Laszlo Nagy]

Yes, I think it would good if more people were aware of just how many answers are actually there in the Help files. Lots of work in being put into it every year to keep it updated and helpful (that's why it is called Help isn't it?)