Importing new building material

[Loutro]

I have downloaded a collection of metal building materials from the bimobject website, but I cannot figure out how to import it into my Archicad file.  Two files were downloaded, a .icf file and a .aat file.  I tried to bring them in via File/Interoperability/SAF, but the files were not recognized when I attempted Add/Merge from File.  What is the correct procedure to import a building material in these file formats?

Loutro

Archicad 26

Mac Intel Chip | OS Sonoma

Operating system used: Mac Intel-based

[Ricardo Lopez]

Hi @Loutro 

Library Container File (.lcf) can be imported with File> Libraries and Objects> Library Manager... and Add...>Add linked library... 

You can Import Attributes (.aat) with Options> Element Attributes> Attributes... and then click on the Import button and Browse...> Browse for file...(see image)

Regards.

[Loutro]

Thanks for the helpful information.  I am able to import the files as you described, but not able to see the new materials in the building materials list.  I do see a list of new items in the Surfaces list.  I will try experimenting with applying them to an existing building material, but I thought that what I had downloaded were new building materials.  In any case, please let me know if there is a next step that I need to take to be able to see the materials in the materials list.

[Ricardo Lopez]

Hi @Loutro 

Surfaces are only part of the attributes needed to define building materials. Anyway, could you share the BIMobject link so I can try to help you?

For instance, I downloaded a random material (https://www.bimobject.com/es/axalta/product/fine-textured-ral-1023?software=archicad), imported a .lcf containing a bunch of surfaces images and a .gsm macro object.

When opening that object a Usage information appears how to load the attributes of the product (see the image)

I guess it will depend on the files you download how it will work for you.

Regards.

[Loutro]

Here is a link to the material set on Bimobject.com: https://www.bimobject.com/en/wilsonart/product/wilsonart_dm

Just for background, I am trying find a perforated metal material for use as a guardrail in my project.  A search on Bimobject.com for "perforated metal" returned a number of results, but this is the only one I saw that looked like it might supply just the material--the other options were finished products/objects.  

In any case, if you have some success importing the Wilson Art Material, please let me know how you did it.

Thanks for your help!

[Ricardo Lopez]

Hi @Loutro 

I had to download also the .zip file from BIMobjects with materials and textures (besides .lcf and .aat); some of them had to be renamed to properly be loaded as textures within the surface's settings because they appeared as missing images, but it worked. I mean, after importing .lcf and .aat as explained before.

Anyway it was not easy at all, to be honest.

Regards.-

[Loutro]

Hi, ok I will try what you tried over the weekend and post back here.  It does seem complicated.  Thanks very much for your help with this!

Loutro

[EthanWalker]

Have you tried it?

Spoiler

To import the .icf file, open it directly via File > Open or drag and drop it into Archicad. For the .aat file, go to File > Library and Objects > Add Library, select the .aat file, and click Open. This adds the object or material to your project. SAF is for structural files, not these formats. My friend as a business management student, was looking for information or help with their dissertation services, I suggested an e-platform https://ukwritings.com/dissertation-services which provides customized academic writing, from research question development to final discussion sections. UKwritings has a team of experienced writers with graduate degrees in various fields, offering help on different dissertation stages, including the literature review, methodology, results, and more. They also guarantee plagiarism-free content, on-time delivery, and revisions.