Template or seed file

[Eric Milberger]

I am looking at purchasing a template - I have played with a couple and realize if I start a new file Many things I have in another are not available.  Trying to plan ahead and want to grow what would be my template not have to import into it somehow those changes.  

Most of my project would be very similar but each time I would work I would improve and perfect what I have.

I don’t want to get where I am working on multiple jobs and then ca’t remember that one material to add or that one group of settings that I added last week to these two projects.

This spans from settings to materials, patterns, etc etc etc.  Hard to keep up with changes in one job into another.

IS this a concern - or am I looking at this wrong.

Example - I started to play with a new tool in a trial file that does not save.  So I will play for a few days then close and lose everything.

Here is where the challenge began.  I wanted to do basic things but my template is not updated to a couple projects I had started.  So I spend a bunch of time just redoing settings and recreating things like walls that I had on the last project.  In reality I want a live template.

When I use my current BIM software - All materials, patterns, single walls, compound walls etc sit in a folder or folders for organization.  My SW points to those locations and they grow as I use them.  Yet they have gotten huge over 15 years but I can fix that with by moving a file.

I never go backwards or have to recreate.  Suggestions or education with this is appreciated.

[David Bearss]

I have danced around with a template file and have found the best template is your most recent most complete project. I just open that project file, save as new, then delete what I don't need and then dive in. That way if I update settings or a schedule or something there is no need to go to a designated template and copy those updated settings or whatever. Its just me around here so may not work so well with a larger office.

[Eric Milberger]

I was doing the same.  The problem is I typically have multiple projects going on at the same time.  So it is hard to pick which is the best and lose items from the others.

[JaredBanks]

Centralized attribute management is a long standing wish of many Archicad users. Maybe someday we'll get there. In the meantime, the best method is a variation of this:

1) take time out of your billable work (or pay someone else) to create your template from your current best practices.

2) as you use the template on live projects and learn things/make things, either add those items to your template for future projects or create a running list and then bulk add those items all at once.

3) creating things in project A and wanting them in project B is a frustration. But once everything is on the same template, copying between files gets easier as things align.

4) templates take work and management. But they are totally worth it.

The diagrams in this blog post say it all: http://www.shoegnome.com/2015/12/09/bim-still-bankrupting-firm/

Lastly, if you are looking at templates, you absolutely want to download my template and see if it aligns well with your work:
http://www.shoegnome.com/template/

[David Bearss]

Jared,

Thanks for that info and advice. 

And thanks for making your templates available as I have incorporated that as my base plan several years ago and tweaked for my own personal setup many times since while revisiting your template on occasion to readdress and incorporate other aspects.

[SenecaDesignLLC]

I keep my template file open most of the time and always add new things to it and then copy them with the attributes manager.