Wishes
Post your wishes about Graphisoft products: Archicad, BIMx, BIMcloud, and DDScad.

3d in worksheets

sityu
Booster
Full featured 3d in worksheets, like an independent story (with all the possibilities of the story, but without the strict order).

My feature suggestions:
  • -possibility of placing the 3d-worksheet onto a storey, like an object, or like a hotlinked pln; left mousebutton: go to the hotlinked independent story (context menu item);
    -even the possibilitiy of multistory worksheet;
    -possibility to rotate or mirror, like an object (even with rotating in 3d window)
    -worksheet save as pln, and open a pln as worksheet (could provide as flexibility as the components in sketchup - and even more: if not just local files could be hotlinked, but URI-s too)
    -placing in sections/elevations window, too (even with 3d representation)
Additional infos:
  • -if I knew a little of c++ I could almost do this add-on;
    -with graphisoft's ac12 sdk it's not impossible to solve it;
    -and this function could help to minimize the different functions of archicad. And as fewer the number of generic functions a software has, as better and easier the use of the software is.
A help with programming knowledge is welcomed (to do this add-on)!
Talmácsi, István, architect (AC user since 1997, ac4.5 - now: ac18)
10 REPLIES 10
Anonymous
Not applicable
Some questions about this feature:
What is your primary goal for this feature?
Can you give some examples?
Why are objects and modules not good enough?
sityu
Booster
I think, almost all of the answers are written in my topic starter, but I try to answer (providing further information):
Master wrote:
Some questions about this feature:
What is your primary goal for this feature?
"flexibility as the components in sketchup". & make possible to draw walls in worksheet-like (details, sections/elevations) windows; e.g.: for improving section-based details (it's much more easier to draw details with multi layered wall-like entities (which is usual), than with lines and fills.
Can you give some examples?
See above. A case-study: How you create archicad (gsm) object from the part of archicad model? You draw with walls, and/or slabs etc. On a separate layer, somewhere in the stories. And save the selected from the 3d window, or the floorplan. If you can draw in worksheet, you can draw freely (on every layer, with virtual trace; and the objects won't in be the model of the house). And if you think about, there is no need to save the worksheet as gsm object, if you can use it like the hotlinked module (and the possibility of rotating in 3d is just a 'rotx' command, and some 'hotspot' away - you can rotate and move the hotlinked module in 2d, yet).
Why are objects and modules not good enough?
Not flexible enough. I use those functions, too, but I feel the lack of doing more. (if you know the possibilities of componets of sketchup, you will know what I mean: everithing in sketchup can be a component, and you can do with component, what you want (not just the part of the functions; component can be a separate file or the part of the sketchup modell; and the reconfigure of the component is graphical, and without any restriction).
And this feature would be coherent to archiCAD's main philosophy, doesn't bring a completely new feature. And would eliminate some incomprehensible restrictions, like: the usable drawing tools in sections/elevations; placing worksheets (you cannot place inner worksheets/details to floorplan, just to layout page, but you can place external dwg file onto floorplan). By the way: I don't know the reason of separating sections from elevations...

And this feature may fit to existing structure of an archicad plan; of course it may cause some circular references, but it's a solvable problem.
So, after all, I can't find why not to have this kind of function (causes no real conflict).
And I would prefer to have a community of extending/expanding the functions of archicad (like the developing community of other softwares - e.g.: firefox, greasemonkey etc.).

And finally: the title of this topic is 'Open ArchiCAD Wishes'. And this function can open the archicad, really. But doesn't punch a hole on the ship of archicad.
Talmácsi, István, architect (AC user since 1997, ac4.5 - now: ac18)
Anonymous
Not applicable
I'm surprised this hasn't provoked more interest, as a 3d worksheet is an amazing idea! 100% essential IMHO!

I could definitely see this being used as a replacement for modules for creating 3d details of components for use in the project, like steelwork, custom joinery, or bathroom layouts for example.

Their usage would be more-or-less identical to modules, but just be built into the model - not an external file. You could then 'place' as many of these in the main model as you need and all would update automatically if the original was updated. It would also share an identical attribute set and loaded libraries to those used in the main model which would solve several problem.

This would even give you the opportunity to use them as a type of Option Manager where different design options could be easily swapped out for easy assessment - all within one file!

Documenting the details would also be simpler as any sections/elevs and 2d details produced would appear as just another item in the viewmap, so keeping everything relevant to that project in one place.

This functionality must be built-in though as it would form such a fundamental part of the workflow. It couldn't just be 'added on' for those who thought they needed it.
jameshart
Newcomer
I am also kind of surprised at the lack of excitement for this suggestion!

A 3D worksheet would be a great place to make custom objects, store alternate design options, or keep the source for hotlink modules. This feature would keep the plan nice and clean and organized.

I worked at one firm where their office template had all these typical layouts off to the side, so every time I panned or hit the zoom extents button it was very irritating because the center of the pan or zoom was skewed by all these misc. conference tables and white boards off to the side. That really irked me, and I suggested other ways to do it, but the existing staff seemed to like it the way it was. I feel it would have been much better if those standard layouts could be properly sequestered in an independent 3D workspace instead of outside of the building!
ArchiCAD 22 (6021 USA Full), 2.5 GHz Intel Xeon W iMac Pro, 64 GB RAM, MacOS 10.14, AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64
Barry Kelly
Moderator
jameshart wrote:
I feel it would have been much better if those standard layouts could be properly sequestered in an independent 3D workspace instead of outside of the building!
Have you tried using a separate storey?
Above or below your main model.
You can filter your 3D view to ignore those storeys you don't want and you can limit the height of your elevations and sections to do the same.
Copy & paste from one storey to another will preserve the element heights relative to the storey.

Barry.
One of the forum moderators.
Versions 6.5 to 27
Dell XPS- i7-6700 @ 3.4Ghz, 16GB ram, GeForce GTX 960 (2GB), Windows 10
Lenovo Thinkpad - i7-1270P 2.20 GHz, 32GB RAM, Nvidia T550, Windows 11
Da3dalus
Enthusiast
My firm uses extra "underground" stories for our "Visual Favorites" lists, which double as symbol Legends that are actually printed on the sheets. They also work as module workshops:
http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=218878
http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=42207

However, those subterranean stories always seem like a work-around, requiring us to constantly filter out those stories in 3D, and it limits our options when importing or exporting IFC models. I would LOVE to have 3D worksheets to use for these purposes!
Chuck Kottka
Orcutt Winslow
Phoenix, Arizona, USA

ArchiCAD 25 (since 4.5)
Macbook Pro 15" Touchbar OSX 10.15 Core i7 2.9GHz/16GB RAM/Radeon Pro560 4GB
DGSketcher
Legend
I've always considered the 3D component editing in AC to be a weak point. Launching another instance of AC to edit a small component is stupidly time consuming. Much like the complex profile editor it would be good to be able to edit 3D components in their own editor / workspace.
Apple iMac Intel i9 / macOS Sonoma / AC27UKI (most recent builds.. if they work)
jorgebeneitez
Booster
This would be a great idea, although I think the main message is that we need something as flexible and user-friendly as the SketchUp components. I've been using Archicad for 15 years and this is the only thing I really miss from SketchUp.
Jorge Benéitez

M.arch | Registered Architect | ARB
BIM Implementation | Graphisoft Registered Consultant.
JaseBee
Advocate
Yeah, great idea!

Would actually give the worksheet a purpose, instead of just being another detail tool.

While they're at it they will need to update the schedules to recognise elements not on the plan space... or the ability to choose what regions of a project to include in the schedule (stories, sections, details, worksheets, ect.)

Might as well throw in the ability to schedule text and other elements while they're at it!

But really love this idea!
AC 24 5004 AUS
iMac OSX (10.13.6) 4.2ghz i7
8gb ram/8gb vram