RFA compatibility

[JGoode]

Too many RFA library parts, not enough GSM library parts. It would save so much time to just be able to use RFA parts in ArchiCAD without having revit available to export as an IFC.

[Link]

The RFA & RVT Geometry Exchange Add-on for ARCHICAD 21 is now available for free!

Check out http://www.bim6x.com/solutions

Cheers,
Link.

[Podolsky]

Yes, but this Add-On is actually crap.

[Eduardo Rolon]

Podolsky wrote:
Yes, but this Add-On is actually crap.

Not for what it does. Please be more specific if you want help.

[Professor Pickle]

JGoode wrote:
Too many RFA library parts, not enough GSM library parts. It would save so much time to just be able to use RFA parts in ArchiCAD without having revit available to export as an IFC.

I have down voted this because this is not the way to go about solving the problem. The problem is not that there are more RFA models out there. The problem is that it is extremely difficult for an average skilled technicians to produce ArchiCAD native objects. The whole GDL thing is a total barrier for the vast majority of people.

What we need is a visual object editor akin to Revit's family editor. Of course it doesn't have to be just like Revit. I'm sure that the fine minds at Graphisoft can come up with a great alternative.

[Jim Allen]

A simplified way of building GDL objects would be an excellent addition.

Sketchup's Dynamic Components Editor is simple and surprisingly powerful.

It relies on manipulating objects which are named and defined elsewhere. You can control x,y and z scale, rotation and position, with mathematical operators for more complex things. There is a copy function for duplicates which is formula-driven. There are also conditional statements.

Say for example you want to build a shelving unit, you can build everything with a version as a 1x1x1 cube which is scaled. You would have one version of this primitive for the sides (you could call it myshelf_side) with copies for every duplicated element, another for every horizontal duplicated element. If you want a plinth, again it's another scaled version of the a basic cube with a different name, but with the position controlled.

The interface could control the materials, pen sets and cover fills, and have them appear in a structured, consistent way in the same location/section for every component built with this approach

There are so many objects you can create once you accept the limitation of manipulating predefined instanced elements.

It's necessarily a whole lot simpler than GDL, but I have created shelves, cupboards, balustrades, fences, louvres, doors, windows, cladding - lots of things that we can't build in GDL without spending a couple of weeks learning everything. GDL is fabulous - but it's for programmers not typical users. Library Part Maker is both too limited and too complicated.

I wanted to build a simple spur shelving unit (simple vertical linear supports with a series of holes supporting modular brackets) using the curtain walling tool, like the Pompidou gerberette arrangement. Unfortunately this requires some GDL to do. It can't work 'out of the box' without scripting.

I did build one using the railing tool, but it didn't have an option for including the supports. The vertical wall supports were inner rails, and the shelves were ordinary rails. If there was an option for custom handrail supports, I could have used those as the support brackets. Given the potential flexibility for these tools, it would be really useful to be able to have some additional options for custom components.

However, the best approach in my view, having looked at GDL, been horrified; looked at Library Part maker, been disappointed, and having spent many hours successfully building SketchUp dynamic components - would be to use an approach based on the latter.

If you haven't made Sketchup DCs - you have missed out, Archicad could learn a lot from this. Almost perfect balance between power, simplicity and flexibility.

Come on Graphisoft, you can do better than this!

[Nader Belal]

I´m against this request, not because I´m not convinced for what ever use it may contribute but because I expect that ArchiCAD and Revit, have been designed differently (IT speaking of course), so it may cost a lot of energy and grey matter that is better invested on ArchiCAD itself.

On the other hand, you have the plugin of Bim6x ... or you can ask form an independent developer to create a Family plugin for ArchiCAD, which I see as feasible.