Leveraging Archicad Information

We have all read articles and blog posts, attended presentations, and watched videos titled (or about) “Putting the ‘I’ in BIM”. Often these resources talk about leveraging IFC, managing information sets, sending models back and forth, checking model information using programs like Solibri, building specifications or optimizing BIM for post occupancy purposes. Those topics are great, but not always super helpful for everyday use.


Pen Sets, Part Nine: Graphic Overrides

This is the ninth post in my endless series on Pens and Pen Sets in Archicad. In this article I’ll cover how Graphic Overrides have affected Pens and Pen Sets and then discuss a number of examples. I’m assuming you’ve read many or all of the previous Pen Set articles. If something I discuss below references a previous post, I’ve tried to note that. If you want to take the entire Pen Sets Journey starting with my views dating back to Archicad 11, here are links to all the previous posts:


Archicad Layer Theory Part 5: Attribute Names and the Tyranny of Alphabetical Order

Before we get to the official naming conventions article I’ve been teasing, I need to return to Layers. My post Pen Sets, Part Eight: Thoughts on Naming and a coincidental encounter made me realize that I was doing Layer names wrong, at least for how I use Layers. Below are the links to the first four posts on Layers (don’t forget to read the comments). These posts will catch you up on how I and others view Layers. You don’t need to read them all to understand this one, but together they are building an overarching concept of how to view Layers.


I want to learn Archicad, where do I start?

I get this question ALL the time. And because I am who I am, I often drop everything I’m doing and respond, whether I’m asked via the Internet, over the phone, or in person. If you’ve read all seven hundred(ish) blog posts and articles that I’ve written since 2010 (this is number one hundred and one on BIM Engine in case you were wondering), you’ve probably come across much of this advice.


Saying goodbye to Missing and Duplicate Objects

Our quest for fast and efficient files continues. Somewhat soon I’ll shift the conversation to theory and modeling strategies, but we’ve still got some ground to cover when it comes to happy files. If you are just joining us, here are a few posts for you to catch up on. Some of these posts go back a few years, so don’t worry if you don’t remember them all, or if some of the techniques aren’t the newest of solutions…


How to keep files running fast and lean

Even the smallest of projects can get bogged down, decreasing the speed of everything from selecting an element to generating the 3D window. While ArchiCAD becoming sluggish is bad in itself, this slowness often raises the potential for file crashes. Even if a project doesn’t slow down, an ill-maintained and operated project can also cause more crashes than you should have to deal with.


Archicad Archive Files: let’s talk about the .PLA

If you use ArchiCAD, which presumably readers of this blog do (or soon will), then you’ve created a .PLN file before. This is like saying water is wet, or that videos showing how to model a TIE Fighter in ArchiCAD are mesmerizing. Quite simply, a .PLN file is the standard ArchiCAD file format. Unless we are working off the BIM Server, we are unconsciously working with .PLN files daily.


Hyperlinks and Archicad (Part 1)

Did you know that the PDF sets you have been printing for years are WAY more powerful than you ever knew? In fact, after reading this series of posts, you might stop printing physical sets altogether. Well that might be a little extreme, but you’ll WANT to stop printing sets— and not just because you could be buying everyone iPads instead of printing mountains of paper.


The Powerful Google Earth/Archicad Connection

In this series of articles, we will focus on residential design/build using Graphisoft’s Archicad. Whether you are using Archcad 15 or the Start Edition, you will be able to offer more value to your clients by following the techniques outlined in this series. This month we will discuss how you can work with GOOGLE EARTH.