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About Archicad's design tools, element connections, modeling concepts, etc.

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Anonymous
Not applicable
I saw some documents to compare between Revit and AC.
I study Revit from own website.
It is just copy from AC!!

I used to work with AC (and very satisfied, and like many friends from AC-forum).
As AC-user I hope, AC must be better than Revit for Architects.

I have not used Revit, but just seen from Website.
The web-site from Revit is so nice, that I must believe, Revit should be better than AC.

I like to know your opinions and also opinions from GS.

Thanks
368 REPLIES 368
Anonymous
Not applicable
>until architects/designers have a thorough understanding of how any building goes together in detail, then they will never embrace documentation done with a tool such as Archicad.

I read it as your agreement that BIM should not allow "junk buildings", that is, in order for BIM to come to age, it must be further developed to include industrial-grade constraint satisfaction.
Anonymous
Not applicable
Rod wrote:
Miguel, took time for a small tour of your site. Enjoyed my visit immensely.
AH! So it was you!
thank you
Anonymous
Not applicable
As an ex Archicad user ("x" primarily due to lack of ANY automation), I can tell you Chief Architect probably goes down this automation route more than any out there, for better or worse... Automatic footings, dormers, house wizard.. etc. It is very strong where Archicad is weak and weak where Archicad is strong, to my chagrin.. but in the near future the balance will tip.

http://www.chiefarchitect.com/architects/

Don't let the interface, one of it's weaknesses, fool you. Ok for light commercial also...

Miguel, have you even heard of it?
Anonymous
Not applicable
Rashid wrote:

Miguel, have you even heard of it?

thanks rashid.
From what I have heard, and am trying to confirm via the link you gave me, this software is:
1- mainly for housing projects (20% of my work)
2- very USA oriented
Still, I would like to see it in action.
TomWaltz
Participant
Rashid wrote:
As an ex Archicad user ("x" primarily due to lack of ANY automation), I can tell you Chief Architect probably goes down this automation route more than any out there, for better or worse... Automatic footings, dormers, house wizard.. etc. It is very strong where Archicad is weak and weak where Archicad is strong, to my chagrin.. but in the near future the balance will tip.

http://www.chiefarchitect.com/architects/

Don't let the interface, one of it's weaknesses, fool you. Ok for light commercial also...

Miguel, have you even heard of it?
It's been a while since I've seen Chief Architect running. Last time I saw it (4 years ago?) it looked pretty nice.
Tom Waltz
Anonymous
Not applicable
Miguel,

As you see on their Gallery, it is hardly for Residential use only... though there is a 30 story structure limit at this time..

http://www.chiefarchitect.com/usercenter/usergallery.html

However, it is more suited to residential use (my work is 95% residential, hence my defection)

It is US focused but there is "some" non US use...

http://www.chieftalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=12

This focus is perhaps Chief Architects' Strength... That said I think it is easier for a US Residential focused program to be used for commercial than vice-versa as High end Residential is more complex.

I fully agree with you.. More mundane tasks must be left to the computer, especially the non-critical ones... Footings, eaves, cornices, multiple finish walls... etc... is there anyone that is against the PC handling these automatically with user specified defaults??
Anonymous
Not applicable
Rashid wrote:
As an ex Archicad user ("x" primarily due to lack of ANY automation), I can tell you Chief Architect probably goes down this automation route more than any out there, for better or worse... Automatic footings, dormers, house wizard.. etc...
Let me apologize in advance for going a little off topic here, but I'm really interested in Rashid's experience with Chief Architect relative to ArchiCAD.

Rashid,
How long ago did you make the switch to chief Architect? Hmmm, I wonder if I need to look at it again? It seems to have many features I wish ArchiCAD had for residential work...I've been waiting and hoping for Graphisoft to add this level of specificity to their tools... I'm not sure I'll ever see it because its too "Residential" specific.

How effective have you found the automatic wall, floor and roof framing tools? Are they as automatic as they are promoted. I'm not sure how the floor and ceiling framing tools could be smart enough to determine their direction. ..and how about the trusses? Does it make Hip and Jack trusses?

How about the cost estimation functions. It seems like they at least have a basic residential database. Are the reports user friendly and are they easy to maintian/edit?

I like the detailed "builder specific" prompts in the various tool interfaces. Probably a little too detailed for typical architectural work but very much welcome for building professionals and/or contractors.

Looking forward to any comments you may have.

Thanks,
Dan K
Anonymous
Not applicable
Dan wrote:
Let me apologize in advance for going a little off topic here, but I'm really interested in Rashid's experience with Chief Architect relative to ArchiCAD.
You can always start a new topic. It would be a good one to have in parallel to this. I wonder if there is still enough life left in Triforma, AllPlan or ADT for similar topics.
Anonymous
Not applicable
Rob
Graphisoft
Graphisoft
finally, I have seen Revit 9 presentation at our office (we have invited a reseller just to be informed what is actually happening out there).

A very interesting, although short 3 hours presentation went through the rough features and procedures, one more thing I should say, with a really small project so the speed and teamworking could not be checked. However, it seems to be a very capable solution in my opinion.
A completely different approach towards tools. RV9 tends to address all different structures such as curtain walls, foundations etc by specific separate tools as oppose to AC where the tools can be used in more flexible or creative, if you will, fashion. I personally consider RV9 approach more restrictive as you have to rely on the factory improvements of each individual tool not allowing you ‘improvising’ in case of some tool shortcomings (now how good we are at this one!). Nice window/door graphic editor, capable doing simple programming that actually allows you to get GDL functionality, a little bit clunky way: let say we have a window with mullions and transoms so if you want to show just the mullions you simple hide (turn the visibility switch off) the transoms + simple formulas for parameters, sort of the parameter script (limited though) as we know it in AC.

The linking of elements with constrains, well, I do not know, it just does not work on big projects and why would you bother. When you start from the scratch you do not know what is going to be linked to what, I like to keep the things a bit loose in the model and tied them down just before concrete poring….Yes but no…

The interface, oh my goodness, now I really appreciate GS effort in this field, RV9 interface is in deed dreadful and I do really mean it. Everything looks like an Excel spreadsheet when you are filling your tax declaration in. I am afraid that RV9 suffers from the intuitiveness of Windows 3.1. I have read somewhere on this forum that someone was complaining about cluttered AC interface, well, you’d better to not try this one mate…

As we are on the AC forum some thoughts and comments:

The AC navigator/publisher is far superior to RV9 (by default, I suppose, because RV9 has got a really poor intuitiveness).
A GDL graphic editor would be a very good answer to RV9 families editor, to make the scripting and creating elements available for more people in the office.
The AC Profile Manager could work for any profiles like mullions, frames, transoms or virtually any element (I believe that is a goal of GS)
The tracker is a substantial answer (for the start) to RV9 dynamic dims.
We need to have those independently movable wall skins no matter how much computing power it needs…
STAIRS!!!, I will not comment on this, we all know that is a shocker in AC… RV9 has got this sorted nicely I must say.

I can’t thing of anything else at the moment, may be later..
::rk