From Autocad to Chief Architect to Archicad

[Anonymous]

So in January I started shopping for software for our little (but very busy) 2-person residential practice. I narrowed it down to CA and Archicad. For various reasons (and against my better judgement) we ended up with CA.

Oh how I rue the day I ever laid eyes on that program. It is buggy beyond belief and is not nearly as user friendly as it claims to be. I will be returning it as soon as the person in charge of returns manages to call me back.

Meanwhile I have spent 2 months trying to get a decent %$&&*%$ set of working drawings out of it. Autocad was easier to learn and use.

Now we are in the process of purchasing Archicad. We would have saved hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars had we sprung for Archicad in the first place.

I am in a remote area of Northern Cal. We are 6 hours from SF and 7 hours from Portland. Every CAD software has a learning curve that demands respect. So I am not sure how I am going to learn Archicad all by myself in the middle of the redwoods. My seller is supportive and I can go to SF for some training. I will get the tutorials and use them, but wonder if that will really be enough.

Can anyone recommend some books? Am I fool to undertake such a task? Should I just forget the whole thing, polish up my T-square, and power up my electric eraser?

[Richard Morrison]

While I think you're being a little harsh on CA (since I've used both CA and AC for a number of years), I can suggest the ArchiCAD 8 Training Guide by Lubomir Kulisev. It is outstanding for a beginner. This will teach you how to draw with AC. (I'm not sure if this has been updated for AC9 yet, but even the AC8 edition is worth it.) You will also want to get the Project Framework book, which will show you conceptually how to organize a project. There are also some video CDs that can help. (ArchiMaster and Virtual Tutor come to mind.)

If you're willing to put in the time, self-teaching is very doable.

But be prepared for the extra power that you get with AC will take some extra time to learn.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like we are in the same area! I live in Willits and work in Lakeport. I have a few years experience with Archicad and also some experience with Chief Architect (Can't stand that program). Maybe I can help you guys get going. PM me! I diddn't think there were any other Archicad users in the area, Cool!

[Anonymous]

Richard,

Really? Can you make CA work for you as a stand-alone product?

CA is seriously buggy. I can't get it do anything but the simplest of structures without needing serious work-arounds. The latest upgrade (version 10) is crashing all over the place. I'm not alone either. The problems I'm having are the same ones that everyone else has.

It works fine as a loose modeling software - but for working drawings?

Why on earth would a foundation layer refuse to show a slab foundation?
Walls which I don't want appear randomly. Joists space themselves even after I spec them out. aaaargh.

I had a tutor and even he didn't know why the kitchen ceiling disappeared. So I am redoing that house in acad. ugh

Anyway, I am hoping that AC is a more solid program that can be run mostly without work-arounds.

The final straw was a nightmare I had. I was inside the house that I was working on in CA experiencing all those bugs from the inside. scary.

Thanks for the words of encouragement though. I hear the tutorial CDs for 9 will be out in a few weeks and I will look into those books.

[Anonymous]

I don't know how much time you have spent reading this forum but you should read as much as possible, especially the wishlist just so you know what ArchiCAD(AC) will or can't bo out of the box. CA tries to automate a lot more than AC which probably limits CA once project are not simple. In skilled hands nearly anything is possible in AC.

As far as bugs.. AC is extremely stable..

[Karl Ottenstein]

quickdraw wrote:
I am in a remote area of Northern Cal. We are 6 hours from SF and 7 hours from Portland. Every CAD software has a learning curve that demands respect. So I am not sure how I am going to learn Archicad all by myself in the middle of the redwoods.

You should sign up for High Tech High Nature - 3 1/2 days of immersive ArchiCAD training from preliminary design through working drawings in the beautiful Yosemite Valley April 3 (arrival) through 7th. Ideally, work through at least the beginning of the step by step Training Guide (CD 2) from the ArchiCAD 9 demo beforehand. If you don't have an AC license yet, contact John Stebbins about borrowing a key for the seminar.

There are only a few spots left: a maximum of 30 participants with 5 instructors. John Stebbins' goal is that most time will be hands-on, with short presentations of material as needed and lots of personal attention. Read more about the program at:

http://www.hightechhighnature.com/

Karl

[Anonymous]

"Applicants must not be raw beginners, and should have taken some type of local beginning ArchiCAD class or equivalent."

Hmm, it sounds heavenly but expensive, and I am definitely a "raw beginner."

Maybe next year.