I began a thread over at the construction documentation forum about generating material take-offs in ArchiCad. My question evolved into a more general question of why should I switch from ADT to ArchiCad. Karl suggested this is a more appropriate forum for that question, so here it is. I welcome all responses. Here is my background info. I am a designer in a small residential (mostly remodeling) design/build firm. I currently use SketchUp for preliminary 3D design and ADT for design development and construction docs. I do not produce material lists or take-offs. Once construction docs are done, the general contractor does material take-offs, builds the project on paper and creates his bid. I like the wall, door, window tools of ADT, but I still really use it as a 2D drafting program. All of my framing plans, sections, foundation, etc., are simply made up of 2D lines. I've never found ADT to be useful as a 3D design/modeling tool. The interface is just too cumbersome. I would be willing to switch over to ArchiCad if there were enough compelling reasons. I know the shortcomings of ADT and I like what I've seen so far of ArchiCad, but I'd like to hear everyone's own opinion and experiences using ArchiCad in a real world situation. Particularly when it comes to creating construction docs. Thanks in advance and Happy Thanksgiving!
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I suppose I should also include Revit in this question. Why choose ArchiCad over Revit? I am looking for serious pros and cons here so I can make an informed decision. Thanks.
Djordje wrote:I found either no truth or at most half-truths, so we mostly agree, of course.
I find it hard to find any truth in any of Mr. Loreto's statements - the one about views not being dynamically linked made me smile. If he meant the rebuild times for the S/E and the 3D, then there is a point.
The half-truth that I thought he was going for in the statement about dynamic linking is this: in Revit, all windows are 'live' so you can see the effects of your actions instantly in any of them, much like many other traditional 3D solutions. For example, if you have a plan view, a section view and a 3D view in Revit and you select a wall, then that wall shows as being selected in all 3 windows at once. If you then move it, it moves in all 3 at once.
We do not have that ability in ArchiCAD (and obtaining that behavior in AC isn't just an issue of more horsepower - it requires some major software redesign by GS - not only in terms of multithreading, but also in terms of the concept of 'rebuilding' - which at the moment is a complete rebuild, and which must be an 'incremental' rebuild to support a feature like this, rebuilding/redrawing only the effected elements.)
Cheers,
Karl
Hi all,
I am a full time user of Revit, and I currently own and operate a design studio. I belong to Zoog Design forums and came to this board at Djordje's invitation.
First, I would like you all to know that I hold Archicad as being responsible for getting me into this industry. I started doing studies on building cases about 8 years ago using an educational copy of Archicad (forensic, as a building official). I loved it. I transfered the CAD skills I garnered in Archicad over to Autocad when I bought my first copy of a cad software. At that time, I had no need for bim (or awareness), and could not justify the expense for a tool used occasionally for analysis of existing buildings. At some point in the future, I would like to re-aquaint myself with Archicad, and really see what it is made of. I truly respect and admire the product, and so I feel I am in a unique position to respond here.
Second, I come here to try to straighten out some brewing misconceptions about the two softwares, and their devotee's.
I think it is unfortunate that visible (to potential buyers), vocal individuals are spreading mis-information and fud about both programs, in both camps. Over at Zoog, there are and have been numerous threads with titles like "More Archicad Propaganda", etc. Likewise, here, in this thread, I see comments and speculation about Revit that are blatant untruth's.
So, rather than "attack the man," or attempt to discredit individuals statements, I would like to open myself up to your
valuable questions in an attempt to create the mutual respect between the camps that Djordje refers to when he alludes that we are the only two true BIM products on the market and share a mutual vision.
Please, before you blow me off this board, or attack this man, allow me the opportunity to clear some air, as I am an invited guest.
Bill
I am a full time user of Revit, and I currently own and operate a design studio. I belong to Zoog Design forums and came to this board at Djordje's invitation.
First, I would like you all to know that I hold Archicad as being responsible for getting me into this industry. I started doing studies on building cases about 8 years ago using an educational copy of Archicad (forensic, as a building official). I loved it. I transfered the CAD skills I garnered in Archicad over to Autocad when I bought my first copy of a cad software. At that time, I had no need for bim (or awareness), and could not justify the expense for a tool used occasionally for analysis of existing buildings. At some point in the future, I would like to re-aquaint myself with Archicad, and really see what it is made of. I truly respect and admire the product, and so I feel I am in a unique position to respond here.
Second, I come here to try to straighten out some brewing misconceptions about the two softwares, and their devotee's.
I think it is unfortunate that visible (to potential buyers), vocal individuals are spreading mis-information and fud about both programs, in both camps. Over at Zoog, there are and have been numerous threads with titles like "More Archicad Propaganda", etc. Likewise, here, in this thread, I see comments and speculation about Revit that are blatant untruth's.
So, rather than "attack the man," or attempt to discredit individuals statements, I would like to open myself up to your
valuable questions in an attempt to create the mutual respect between the camps that Djordje refers to when he alludes that we are the only two true BIM products on the market and share a mutual vision.
Please, before you blow me off this board, or attack this man, allow me the opportunity to clear some air, as I am an invited guest.
Bill
Still looking?
