Upgrade 7-9: best strategy?

[Anonymous]

We are expecting our 9.0 upgrade to arrive any day - very excited. Also, wondering a lot about the best way to start being productive in the new work environment. We never upgraded to 8, so the whole Plotmaker workflow will be new to us, along with many other things (details, new gdl). New tools and their capabilities I expect to be the least of our concerns.

Does anyone have any suggestions for tackling the learning curve? Tutorial? RTFM (I expect this to be my prefered approach) ? Just start using it (could be hairy)?

Always eager to learn from the mistakes of others...

[Aaron Bourgoin]

Ask your ArchiCAD rep for a copy of Project Framework (2nd ed. for 8.1). Its not a long book, but full of workflow related stuff.

See also the freebies for download on the GS web site under the products:publications tab.

[Jefferson]

Hi Robert

I am not familiar with RFTM, but here's my 2cents. For starters put in your time with the Framework as suggested. However the real productivity, which make you feel as though you just got a LARGE raise, and I'm sure 9 is even better, comes with the implementation of well thought out template system LINKING ArchiCAD to Plotmaker...........and how to drive it efficiently.

So................I would suggest emailing, or calling the fellow who turned things around and filled in the "gaps" for me, Link Ellis, ArchiLINK. This will be some of the best money you'll spend, IMHO.

[Karl Ottenstein]

RobertNichols wrote:
Does anyone have any suggestions for tackling the learning curve?

IMHO, jumping from 7 to 9 in an efficient way (that doesn't interupt your practice and avoids costly back-steps) is best done with the help of an experienced teacher / trainer. A number of us are available for travel (me, Link, Matthew, Dwight, among others), and of course your reseller should be a good resource as well.

Classic trade-off of time vs. money. There's the updated Project Framework (which I haven't seen) that should bring someone up to the 8.1 level of linked plns. But, other than the new step-by-step and manuals and this forum (all good resources if you have the time and inclination!), the only resources for 9 right now are the people with months of experience with 9.0: the Beta and Hatteras testers - which include the guys listed above.

Feel free to contact me or any of the other guys by PM to discuss costs for hands-on or phone/email/web support.

Karl

[glenn_peters]

Here is a question that some may be able to provide a heads up on...

Moving pre-ArchiCAD 8 projects into AC 8/8.1 was typically discouraged and our office has therefore kept the large number of projects (dating back to AC 4.01 circa 1991) input prior to that release in ArchiCAD 7.0.

Problem is, much of our work involves returning to these older files as we do repeat work for clients (Hospitals, Care Facilities & Schools) -- we always have renovations/additions/upgrades on-going at many of these buildings.

I'm getting used to the features in AC 8.1 and with AC 9.0 on order from GSCNE (and the new G5 iMac now on the desktop) I'd love to make the move permanently into AC 9. What is the advance recommendation on importing AC 7 projects into AC 9?

[Anonymous]

My suggestion is simple and hold for any learning task.
1. Let you self 1-2 hours per day for one week.
2. First read that what is new.. Fast read to get an idea what is new.
3. Split your exploration in parts. Walls Openings Roofs. Calculation.
4. Learn the basic staff. Never try to learn ALL the features. You will never comprehent them.

5. IF stuck. Post here. .

I learned AC on my own in about 10 days, while doing a real medium sized project. Of course i would have organized my work differently now, after 15 or more projects BUT like swimming, you should not wait to be Thorp to swim .
By the way i still have not found time to learn the lists discriptive langruage.

As for moving i guess first archiving.. then open in vers 9 so all libraries are packed with the archive (.pla)

[glenn_peters]

The problems of importing older projects may have been primarily with ArchiCAD 8 (not 8.1?), but they were sufficient to scare most away from taking AC7 jobs into the newer version.

I recall discussions on the earlier ArchiTALK forum which discussed concerns over the libraries. Recommendations were to save a template with the usual libraries loades as a PLA, then update the library parts from the Special menu, then save again as PLA.

It was also recommended to replace all the AC7 and older library parts with the corresponding ones from the new library (lots of work).

What is the recommended procedure to bring AC7 files direct into AC9?

[Thomas Holm]

What is the recommended procedure to bring AC7 files direct into AC9?

While I do think you get more than your money's worth by engaging one of the experienced guys, Dwight, Link, Karl et al., this subject must of course primarily be Graphisoft's responsiblity. I think they lost many a good sale because of the AC8 problems, among them me. We've stayed in AC7v3 until a few weeks ago..

Now I got AC9 last week by upgrading late (I've just used AC8.1 for a week or so) and I think I've got more than my money's worth.

However, there ARE issues. Yesterday, AC9 crashed repeatedly (bug report sent) when I tried to open an AC7 .pla. But when I tried it in AC8.1, it opened fine, only reporting that a skylight object would lose its intelligence (whatever that means). Then, 9 would open it!

I thought just saving the .pla in 7 and then opening it in 9 and checking the Convert option would be sufficent. Perhaps not. To give us the best procedure is certainly a Graphisoft responsibilty!

[Greg Kmethy]

ArchiCAD is backward compatible so opening your old projects in newer versions of ArchiCAD shouldn’t cause any problem. However there is one rule that you have to comply with:
Always use the original library that your project was started with. Also in certain cases it is advisable not to use different versions of the ArchiCAD library parallel. Please also read related articles on ArchiGuide:

Updated Library Object Globally Unique Identifier (GUID)
http://www.graphisoft.com/support/archicad/archiguide/guid.html

Library Object file extension changes in ArchiCAD 8 and later
http://www.graphisoft.com/support/archicad/archiguide/Libpartextensionchanges.html

Working with older Libraries in ArchiCAD 8 (and later)
http://www.graphisoft.com/support/archicad/archiguide/WorkingwitholderLibraries.html

7.0 Doors/Windows placed in Composite Walls and opened in ArchiCAD 8
http://www.graphisoft.com/support/archicad/archiguide/WorkingwitholderLibraries.html

These articles were originally written for AC8 but also apply to AC9.

HTH,
Greg

[Anonymous]

Greg wrote

Also in certain cases it is advisable not to use different versions of the ArchiCAD library parallel

What cases are those. It seems like in a best case scenario one could transition their projects to the new version using library parts from the old version and adding library parts from the new version as work proceeds. Not having parallel libraries from two different version precludes this possibility. I guess my question is, when is it OK to have libraries from two different versions loaded? Will the ability to transfer parameters between different library parts exist for non version 9 libraries?