"Bricklyne Clarence As per the PM I sent you wrote:
Do you have a full-feature MEP modeller and functions to allow you to model and integrate HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical pipework, and ductwork right into the model from within the progam as opposed to using a 3rd-party program or plugin? YES. Perhaps you did not know about how this add-on that used to work with ArchiCAD has been disabled since Constructor came along. It still works with version 7.) Perhaps they have updated them since then. They are still just add-ons for Archicad.
Can you "zone", "split" or subdivide your model in ArchiCAD into different cosnstruction zones specifying what construction order will be followed during the construction phase, and using realistic construction constraints as contractors actually do? YES.Again all from within ArchiCAD? ( again that annoying 4D/5D scheduling thing) It is not all from with in ArchiCAD. It is done with different programs. (some one tell me if this is not so)Can you present an actual simulation (think video simulation of construction from excavation and foundation to MEP and roof top construction) of the actual construction process of your project based on a construction shcedule, scheduling rules and constriants and following a gnatt schedule diagram as is commonly used in a lot of architectural practices, both for scheduling their own internal design process and also for coordinating with consultants and engineers over the overall construction process? YES
Do you know about .csp files? "Construction Simulation Project"
ArchiCAD does this very well. How do you think Constructor does it? With ArchiCAD. Try it yourself. It's fun, and you don't need Consctructor for this. Its an ArchiCAD feature. Version 9 or so.
No? I didn't think so neither.
And unfortunately its not really possible to separate the whole 4D/5D aspect of the philosphy as you would like, since that is kind of integral to the whole idea and concept behind Constructor.
But I guess the really pertinent question or rather questions should have been
Have you even seen this demo video actually showing the program at work? (which would then ostensibly, or presumably allow one to see the differences from ArchiCAD)
http://www.vicosoftware.com/ftp/marketing/gsvcdemo/GSConstructorWebDemo/GSConstructorWebDemo.html
Have you even read this whitepaper?
http://download.graphisoft.com/ftp/marketing/vc/con2007_bro.pdf
Better yet, in your "research", did you happen to stumble upon this page, not too far from where we are right now and from whence the above mentioend links actually came, along with much more information?
http://www.graphisoft.com/products/construction/
Please! I have been watching Constructor evolve for years. You have not provided any informaion that is new to me.
My question remains the same and is very easy to answer I am sure.
Is there anything unique in Constructor or is it simpley Archicad configured with some add-ons bundled with other software?
ArchiCAD users beware. I think you will see several ArchiCAD features dissabled in the future (as in the past) to make Constructor look more unique.
I would like to see the special add-ons (if there are any) made available to ArchiCAD users.
Alternatively, you could ask Miki Woodie who actually uses Constructor right now ( the 2005 version though) and has extensive knowledge of the program. For my part, simple research sufficed and that took me all of 2 minutes or less to dig up those links above. Two min.? No wonder you are so much more uninformed than I am.
P.S. I should probably mention that, to the best of my knowledge Constructor 2007 has not been released yet ( scheduled for later this year) Constructor 2005 is available though. Any current user can correct me if I'm wrong on this. So your best bet for a review is either from a current Constructor 2005 user or a C2007 beta tester; but I doubt their NDA would allow them to do that.
Bricklyne wrote:Steve wrote:
..........
......Can you "zone", "split" or subdivide your model in ArchiCAD into different cosnstruction zones specifying what construction order will be followed during the construction phase, and using realistic construction constraints as contractors actually do?
YES.
Again, all from within ArchiCAD? ( again that annoying 4D/5D scheduling thing)
It is not all from with in ArchiCAD. It is done with different programs.( some one tell me if this is not so)........
Wow......You're incredible....(and that's not exactly a compliment).
I was referring to Constructor. What it does, it does not do with just one program. I also asked that someone tell me if that is not true) I don't know. That is why I am asking.
I asked you if one can perform some of the functions that I mentioned from Constructor 2007 (such as the one above) in ArchiCAD, FROM WITHIN THE PROGRAM ITSELF, and your response to most of the questions was that YES you can, but that you need to EXPORT the data to OTHER programs first or use non-native plugins.
( No, that was not what I said. Yes is still my answer. I can do those things with ArchiCAD and I can even make a movie of it using the Construction Simulator. For all I know, Constructor uses ArchiCAD's Construction Simulator to make it's movies for the 5d viewer. I don't know? Do you? Just like Constructor, I can import and export data for Microsoft Project where it can be processed in even more detail.
Keep in mind that Constructor is not A program. It is a group of programs. Only one of which is ArchiCAD.)
Essentially misunderstanding the question and then contradicting yourself in the answer which was basically wrong anyway.
If you can't do any of that stuff from within the program itself using native tools fro the program's tool-set, then logically your answer should have been NO, you can't do any of that stuff from WITHIN ArchiCAD, WITHOUT the help of additional third-party programs or plugins and WITHOUT EXPORTING data - unlike how you would do it in Constructor 2007. (What is it about those things that makes you think you could not do them in ArchiCAD? Constructor is using ArchiCAD to do these things.
It seems simple enough, but then again, that's just to me.
But in any case, it now becomes clear now, why someone who claims to be so knowledgeable regarding Constructor - having followed its development "longer than (I) have even known about it", - still seemed to have difficulty figuring out that Vico Software ( you know, Virtual Construction Software) was an offshoot company formed by former Graphisoft Executives to carry forward the development of Constructor separate from ArchiCAD's development; - even when the links informing one of this fact were in exactly the SAME page as the link that you yourself posted here.
( I have no idea why you would think I did not know that? Perhaps it is someone else you are thinking of.)
Or the fact that you still couldn't figure out nor didn't know that Constructor is actually built on top of or based on ArchCAD's BAM engine
(you must have imagined that I did not know this)
even when the same information is given, posted and published on the very same web-pages you claimed to have visited. Sharp perceptive skills you have there my friend - I humbly bow to your majestic powers of observation. Thank you.
So, at this juncture, to spare myself more annoying and insulting PM's, (What was it that made you feel insulted?)I hope you will allow me to excuse myself from this discussion and from having to try to help someone who claims to know more than I or anyone else on this board does, regarding a software that even he himself by his own admission has never used.
(I would not be asking questions if I had already used the soft ware.)
It obviously begs the question as to why one would still be asking all these questions on a subject that they seem to be, and almost even claim to be experts on, but I digress. Perhaps others here may be of more help to you - personally would suggest directing them to the source itself, you know, Graphisoft?
( They do not have anymore information than you do.
As opposed to looking for opportunities to annoy and put down users trying to help you,
I love this game! Anyway. I think I have found the part I was missing.
Vico Software Control 2007. This is what makes Constructor unique. It's the part that integrates all of the various programs together.
That's what you can not do in ArchiCAD.
We can export data from ArchiCAD to be used with Primavera and similar programs that with do anything Constructor can do, but we can not integrate them.
My question now is, do I need to have all of my construction software integrated in the way Software Control does it?
Probably not. The scale of projects I work on would probably not be worth the time it takes to produce the data.
I will probably never know since they don't have a demo and it is very expensive software.
Still looking?
