!Restored: AC12 observations

[Sam Wheatley]

David Lee wrote:
I've been using AC12 for a couple of days, and here are my observations so far...

1. Advanced 2d draw options - hardware acceleration causes my text to look a bit 'rough', less anti-aliased and more 'bold' at certain zoom levels. I decided to turn off hardware acceleration for now.

2. Speed - I have a core duo (2 cores), and so far am pretty happy w/ overall speed in day to day work.

3. Favorites window - There are nice horizontal separator lines between each item in the favorites, which makes it easier to scroll through. Little but nice improvement.

4. 3d document and the 3d dimensions - really cool!

5. curtainwall tool - still exploring.

6. splash logo - like it a lot more than v11. No offense to FLW, but that image was way too boring and way too calm...

_________________

1. I see speed increases, but I'm not on a new fast computer ( speed is always a welcome addition)

2. 3D documentation is a nice addition, I will use it alot.

3. Curtain Wall - I have no use for curtain walls in my practice, but I see possibilities for this tool to be used with any repetitive item handrails, fences, framing plans as I was just informed, etc. I look forward to other users in Architalk adding to this discussion on this item.

4. text wrapping in zone stamps, a small but very useful addition, I will now use zones for room labels. I am disappointed that the zone tool did not improve its accesability to scheduling information in its dialog box. I also had hoped for 3 options in ceiling height types (actual height 9'-0", Typical, or Varies) if I new GDL I could probably do this myself.

5. Dimension tool upgrade is very nice.

6. I will continue to use 3rd party windows and doors because the current ones in AC don't allow me to stack windows as many horiz. and with transom or fixed units above, recognized as one window type such as a group of windows mulled together are one type and to be scheduled as such. (so disappointed with the current windows)

I have alot more to say - to be continued

[Anonymous]

Karl wrote:

Link wrote:
I'd like to know more about that spell checking on the fly. First I've heard about it. Is it a Mac OS thing or ArchiCAD?

AFAIK, this is an OS X thing. Might be new in Leopard; can't remember! Anything I type anywhere, even inside a Google search box, is spell-checked automatically.

Cheers,
Karl

It's been in OS X from the beginning. Over time more and more software is starting to take advantage of it. I'm pretty sure it's new to AC12.

[Anonymous]

Here is another good review of AC12 by AEC Magazine -

http://www.aecmag.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=254&Itemid=32

Doesn't really say anything that hasn't been said already, but an interesting read nevertheless for any potential new users.

It would be nice to see something different than the same old examples everyone else has been touting, just as a way of keeping the interest up. How about creating a new thread with some nice examples of 'traditional' drawings and diagrams of the new functions? (Not renders for once.)

I thought Steve Jepsons stair was pretty nice demo of the 3D document tool - here

I haven't seen any creative examples of what the new curtainwall can do, other than GSs example. Anyone care to post some?

[Chazz]

Karl wrote:
AFAIK, this is an OS X thing. Might be new in Leopard; can't remember! Anything I type anywhere, even inside a Google search box, is spell-checked automatically.

I thought this was just the case in the more modern apps using the Cocoa API's:

url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocoa_(API)

(the Google search box in your example does it because it's in Safari or Firefox, both developed with the Cocoa API). You may notice that system wide spell check does not work in older apps like MS Word 2004 or MS Entourage, which use there own internal spell checkers.

I don't know enough about this to type authoritatively but this was my memory of how it worked...

[Greg Kmethy]

Peter wrote:
I haven't seen any creative examples of what the new curtainwall can do, other than GSs example. Anyone care to post some?

How about this one:
http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=126957#126957

If you have other good examples, please post it there!

[Link]

Another observation: The new 'Pointer with Underlined Text' option in the label tool.

Pity we still can't have the leader coming into the center of the top line of a multi-line text block.

Cheers,
Link.

[Anonymous]

Hmmm been working on AC12 for about 2 weeks now and Im not sure why theres such a hype surrounding its supposed fast rending capabilities.

I have an Asus Intel Core 2 duo laptop 2ghz with 2gb ram WinXP Pro which is only 3 months old and was expecting my renderings to be remarkably faster than AC10 that ive been doing my projects on. However its absolutly CHOWS my memory and slows down my laptop considerably, not only while rendering but after working in it for a while even plan view starts lagging a lot.

I assumed due to its use of multi-core processors I could render with highest setting at around 1500 x 900 but after waiting for about 6 hours and the program not responding I have to restart the laptop.

So Im not sure if im expecting too much or if it only really works best on Macs with more than 4 processors but so far I hardly see the great rendering improvements.

[Bricklyne Clarence]

Valaskjalf wrote:
Hmmm been working on AC12 for about 2 weeks now and Im not sure why theres such a hype surrounding its supposed fast rending capabilities.

I have an Asus Intel Core 2 duo laptop 2ghz with 2gb ram WinXP Pro which is only 3 months old and was expecting my renderings to be remarkably faster than AC10 that ive been doing my projects on. However its absolutly CHOWS my memory and slows down my laptop considerably, not only while rendering but after working in it for a while even plan view starts lagging a lot.

I assumed due to its use of multi-core processors I could render with highest setting at around 1500 x 900 but after waiting for about 6 hours and the program not responding I have to restart the laptop.

So Im not sure if im expecting too much or if it only really works best on Macs with more than 4 processors but so far I hardly see the great rendering improvements.

......yeah, um, it might have something to do with the fact that there's really been no hype about its 'fast rendering capabilities' as you put it, since there's a difference between how rendering in ArchiCAD (which is run through the Lightworks module and is completely separate from the modeling engine) is handled and how the rest of the program functions with regards to modeling and refreshing capabilities. The improvements to the AC engine (i.e to be multi-thread aware) only affect the latter as Lightworks is only licensed by Graphisoft and not actually developed by them.

Although Lightworks is generally a multi-thread aware engine, you are unlikely to see any improvements in its performance since Graphisoft haven't upgraded it since it was introduced in version 9. I'm not even sure why one would want to do high quality renderings from within AC or using the antiquated LW module, but to each his own.

Furthermore, even with the regular ArchiCAD functions handled by AC's own internal engine, you are not likely to notice that dramatic a jump in performance with your hardware setup ( dual core with 2GB RAM - 1GB of which is Windows dedicated, leaving you with effectively far less than 1GB RAM after you subtract the shared video memory and other overhead). AC12 only truly sings and flies (IMHO and in my experience thus far) when you run it on a minimum of a quadcore (4 cores) with at least 4GB RAM ( with separate dedicated video memory.). Otherwise it will run just as slow as AC11 on a less powerful set-up, which I'm sorry to say yours seems to be.

But you have to separate the rendering function and engine from the modeling and building engine which is the one that was improved.

[Greg Kmethy]

Bricklyne is right - strictly speaking the rendering speed has not changed significantly, as Lightworks engine has been multithreaded before, except for certain settings when it's not. (read more: http://archicadwiki.com/LightWorks) However, the first phase of a rendering is converting the 3D model, which is multithreaded too now, which does make the whole rendering process faster. It's also true that to exploit the benefits of multithreading, you need as much RAM as possible. 2GB is not bad, but more RAM means more speed, if you work with large, complex models. How much RAM Lightworks needs also depends on settings. Read: http://archicadwiki.com/LightWorks%20memory%20usage

[Geof Gainer]

Sam wrote:
I'm interested in the curtain wall tools potential. If it were more a multi purpose tool for repetitive items that each can be customized. instead of calling it curtain wall tool, more a general purpose tool that you open the dialog box and see selections like curtain wall, fence, trim (such as trim with both vertical and horiz. definition), handrails, etc. items which extrude won't create. It could have predefined shapes for each individual usage, much like those for complex walls. Not taking away from what they did but just thinking ahead.

I wish the people who named it thought as far ahead. A number of presets would be nice: railings, some standard fences, paneled wainscot.

With a round mullion feature it would be perfect for a tubular hot water solar collector that comes in multiple widths.

Barring presets, is there a place one can upload favorites to share?

[Anonymous]

Geof wrote:

Sam wrote:
I'm interested in the curtain wall tools potential. If it were more a multi purpose tool for repetitive items that each can be customized. instead of calling it curtain wall tool, more a general purpose tool that you open the dialog box and see selections like curtain wall, fence, trim (such as trim with both vertical and horiz. definition), handrails, etc. items which extrude won't create. It could have predefined shapes for each individual usage, much like those for complex walls. Not taking away from what they did but just thinking ahead.

I wish the people who named it thought as far ahead. A number of presets would be nice: railings, some standard fences, paneled wainscot.

With a round mullion feature it would be perfect for a tubular hot water solar collector that comes in multiple widths.

Barring presets, is there a place one can upload favorites to share?

As I understand it the curtain wall tool is intended as the first in a line of assembly creator/editor/manager tools. The fact that it is relatively easily repurposed to other assembly types is great but I am looking forward to more purpose built and well tuned assembly tool types rather than GS promoting workarounds with the curtain wall.

The CW tool can be used to make rails, fences and panels as you suggest as well as pergolas, process plant equipment and ceilings, and probably even roof and wall assemblies. Exploiting these workarounds is for us users to pursue while GS focuses on improving the existing tool and adding more types.

We do need a CW tool that is specially suited to making curtain walls, and while I could use it to make ceilings it will still lack functions that I want in a ceiling tool and the elements will still be considered part of a "curtain wall". Hardly a BIM solution since IFC will not recognize this as a ceiling.