Hotlink Modules and Libraries

[Eduardo Viana]

Hello,

I have big model in which I have placed some pre-existing buildings as hotlink modules. I have no experience dealing  with libraries or modules so I'm having some trouble with some issues:

When I open the main model in one of my colleague's computer the materials are not imported  - and they're all from Archicad standart library.

The pre-existing models that are placed as hotlink modules don't import the windows, doors and other objects properties. The window is there but not with all the characteristics I have previously defined.

How do I assure that all the info and libraries that are used in a model are imported when turned into hotlink modules?

Is there an easier way to work with different models?

Thanks

[thesleepofreason]

How the content of the hotlink module is displayed is determined by the settings in the main model.

Regarding the windows and doors. My guess is that you have a lower level of detail in the main model than in the original model and also showing opening lines in the original model but not in the main model so that the display gets overridden by the main model.

Regarding the material. My guess is that you have a surface with the same name in both models but different settings so that the display gets overridden by the main model.

So the solution is likely to go through the Model View and Surface settings in the main model.

[Erwin Edel · Accepted solution]

The surfaces being different means you do not have the attributes of both files the same.

For example the green door turning to a wood pattern (I think?): if you go into attribute manager you will likely see that these two different surfaces have the same internal ID number.

Working with different files and hotlinks requires some discipline with managing attributes: layers, fills, line types, surfaces, building material, composites, complex profiles, etc

Beyond that as already pointed out, there also model view options, but also graphic overrides that could make things look different. This is not always a bad thing, because sometimes you would like your model to be less detailed, without having to change the settings of elements (which you also can't do with a hotlinked module, without changing the module).

[Kaique Baeta]

Hi Eduardo,

Thanks for the question. I hope my answer will help you to solve this problem.

As already mentioned by Erwin Edel and thesleepofreason, your problem seems to be caused by attributes sent by the hotlink that already exists in the host file.

If any element in the Hotlink uses attributes with a name existing in the Host file, then the Host’s file attributes will be used instead. Also, once an attribute is part of the host file, that attribute will not be updated by any attribute modification in the source file. In your case, it would be better to create a new attribute for the window in the source file instead of the host file. You may find more about hotlinks and the Attributes rules here:
https://community.graphisoft.com/t5/Project-Management-articles/Hotlinked-Modules/ta-p/303819

My recommendations regarding Attribute Management when using hotlinks are:
1 - Try to always start from the same template file;
2 - Synchronize the changes between the users working on the project, by this way, everyone will be aware of possible changes affecting other parts of the project;
3 - Dedicate index numbers to the different companies or users (for instance, 1 to 100 - A company, 101 to 200 - B company).

Please let me know if I can help you with anything else regarding this issue. I am eager to receive your feedback.

Best regards,

[Eduardo Viana]

Thanks!

thesleepofreason - that was it. the view detail options.

The part about the different materials I knew, I guessed that the material ID would be the same but with different configs.

The only part I still don't understand is why, when I open the same file in a different Archicad (but same version and language) , the libraries don't sync and windows, doors and other objects, as well as material textures, don't load automatically. Any tips on that?