SQL access from Plotmaker

[Anonymous]

Karl and I wish we could retrieve data from a database server such as MySQL or whatever...

Do you ?

[Anonymous]

From PlotMaker? What is the purpose? Names and addresses?

I am not questioning the value of this, I just don't know what it would be good for and am curious to find out.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Matthew wrote:
From PlotMaker? What is the purpose? Names and addresses?

I am not questioning the value of this, I just don't know what it would be good for and am curious to find out.

Actually I wasn't thinking of just PlotMaker. The original wish by Leo in a different thread
http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=5289#5289
was for custom autotext fields. I was thinking in terms of custom autotext that would be added in AC (or PM for that matter) ... but in the end, resolution of autotext happens in PM, so I suppose technically the wording of the poll is correct ... but perhaps Geoffroy might change it to just refer to autotext (unless he and I are thinking different things)?

I was imagining including all kinds of data - from simple things like more client and subcontractor information onto title sheets/etc to more 'interesting' things such as linking specification information into details - so that, for example, if an engineer changes the reinforcing schedule for a footing, or the size of a J-bolt, I would only have to edit the specification database table - and all of the detail callouts or free-flowing text blocks would instantly reflect the changed data. [Of course, being Christmas Eve, that gets me thinking of further wishes ... such as linking GDL parameter values to external database fields .... ah, sugarplums dancing in my head... ]

But, without getting carried away as I so often do (!)... I think that access to external database fields would allow for richer and more flexible templates than would be possible by just adding more 'user defined' fields to the Layout Book Info screen.

Not too clear-headed at the moment ... does that make any sense? 😉

Merry Christmas to all!

Karl

[Geoff Briggs]

Indeed it does, although I agree that the subject of this poll is not immediately clear.

As auto-text expands we just want more. Now that the loop has closed with drawing names/numbers we find ourselves between two eras of document production. Previous practice required a careful manual coordination of all the references in a set. We can see a future where we trust the software to perform this task the same way we now trust Quicken to produce a financial report without feeling the need to double check the calculations.

These discussions and wishes are important in shaping the necessary expansion of the ArchiCAD database, currently limited to the graphic and calculation areas of the program, into text, note blocks and labels.

[Anonymous]

I think this would be very useful,
The first time I opened the Layout Book Info I just assumed that I would be clicking on the "Client" to choose from an address book, clicking on the "Architect" and "Draftsman" to choose from a pre defined set of names! I really thought there was a bug with my plotmaker!
Do they really expect people to manually type that information every time? I mean that defeats the purpose of having Auto text fields if they aren't linked to a database.

[Anonymous]

Ok, SQL may be usefull. But it is extreamly new ability. They must be well stuctured - Autodesk provide them, but change every realease.

I think Visual Basic integration is more important. I want to have access to all draft objects and properties. I want to manipulate them, to create new, to change exists, to delete. And more - I want to add my own properties to objects, store in project file and analize them.

At the way, we can call MySQL, Access, Excel, Word. AutoCad etc. So, we can test different ways for SQL integration, try to create extention for ArchiCAD and PlotMaker.
It is much more usefull, then developer's API.

[Anonymous]

Karl wrote:
I was imagining including all kinds of data - from simple things like more client and subcontractor information onto title sheets/etc to more 'interesting' things such as linking specification information into details...

At the present time, I'm only wishing I could select the client n° and all the infos would comes automatically into PM and AC... as everything is organised around a MySQL database, the info would be put there only once.

But having access to an external database from GDL object is another thing !!!