ArchiCAD vs. Architectural Desktop

[mzex]

I opened this topic few months ago.

In a meantime I started to work in a office that uses ArchiCAD, and one of employees is the official ArchiCAD trainner, so my work day is like a new ArchiCAD lesson.

ArchiCAD has a lot of hidden features that speed up your work. As original AutoCAD user, I had problems with getting used to object snapings and 2D drawing, but after 2 months I can say it is easier than in autoCAD. What I miss is commandline and good rendering plugin (eq. Vray). My opinion about it is that it helps you a lot whatever level of detail you need for you project.

Haven't been using Revit, just saw few thing about it. Revit has miles advatage when it comes to stair designing, but if you use Archistair plugin for ArchiCAD, then you are close to Revit.

 

The question I made here was AC vs ADT, not Revit, because, Revit and ArchiCAD are similiar software, while ADT is AutoCAD with some architectural commands, so I wanted to know which kind of software to choose to work with in order to produce good architecture and documentation for it.

My choice is definetly ArchiCAD. Not seen Revit, yo I don't know how it works compared to AC.

[fernando-1]

I’ve been using ADT 3.3 for 3d modeling because i like the simplicity of creating and editing walls windows doors etc. I find the ADT 3 dialog boxes simpler and easier to use than the post ADT2004 tool palettes which also occupy too much room on the screen. I have been using Sketch-up and love it but it is not good for larger multistory building 3d design which most of my work is now. I like the ease and elasticity in which one can manipulate 3d forms in Sketch up, stretching etc. I’m now ready for an upgrade... money is not an issue for me.

Which one of the three ADT2006, Revit or Archicad 9 would best emulate a combination of the ease/elasticity of Schetch-up and simplicity of dialog boxes of ADT3?

 

Thanks..

[alex100103]

What about ArchiCad vs Revit? I find ArchiCad can do most anything, but it is the most difficult piece of software I have ever tried to learn. A lot of my problem is a poor background in windows though.

 

Dale Anderson

[stefkeB]

[..]Which one of the three ADT2006, Revit or Archicad 9 would best emulate a combination of the ease/elasticity of Schetch-up and simplicity of dialog boxes of ADT3?

Thanks..

There is no such thing, I fear...

 

ArchiCAD is not as simple as it was these days. I feel that it's interface is the friendliest of the three and that might be from it's Mac-only roots, but it's workflow and ease of use have become less appealing with 8.x and 9.x, because of all the additions, some of which are visibly "bolted on" and not as integrated and smooth as they could be. Check out AC10 when it's released. Soon, I assume

 

The Revit dialog boxes are also quite crowded. The screen interaction though is pretty complete and visual rather then dialog oriented. But you still have to dig through quite some dialogs in dialogs in dialogs. And there is hardly any graphical info in these dialogs, which is worse then in the other two (ArchiCAD and ADT).

 

And ADT is still almost as complex as it was. But it has well thought-out bitmaps on some of it's dialogs. It did improve a lot since ADT3.3 IMHO, especially with screen feedback and more consistent dialogs, but it's still dialogs in dialogs for overrides on overrides.

[angelo]

Nothing out there has even come close to the ease of creating objects in SketchUp. It's pretty much the holy grail of intuitive interface and interactivity.

 

Mass elements in ADT and freeform modeling via a plugin (MaxonForm) have been sad attempts at emulating the ease of what SketchUp can do. They have a long way to go!

 

The UI of ADT, ArchiCAD, and Revit all leave a lot to be desired...

 

Revit's interface is not pretty to look at, but in my mind, it does have one positive that the others lack--consistency. Once you figure out how to manipulate an object, about 98% of the other objects can be modified the same way. Some see this as restrictive, but I see it as a way to figure out new features without massive brain damage.

 

ADT and ArchiCAD provide ten different ways to do the same thing. This only adds to the complexity and confuses new users.

 

 

 

Angelo

[Ace_Face]

Nothing out there has even come close to the ease of creating objects in SketchUp. It's pretty much the holy grail of intuitive interface and interactivity.

 

Mass elements in ADT and freeform modeling via a plugin (MaxonForm) have been sad attempts at emulating the ease of what SketchUp can do. They have a long way to go!

 

The UI of ADT, ArchiCAD, and Revit all leave a lot to be desired...

Angelo

 

It all depends on what you are using the software for. You need to evaluate the software based on your needs. For instance; If you are using BIM to it's fullest by modeling your building in 3D and expecting to use that information to produce not only the design drawings but the 2D construction documents then you should evaluate BIM Software like Revit and ArchiCAD etc. If you are looking only for modeling a building for just for presentation drawings and renderings / animations then evaluate SketchUp, Cinema 4D, 3DSMax, Lightscape, etc.

 

You can't compare Sketchup and ArchiCAD. You're either not going to get enough or buying too much.

[RAYMOND]

agree with tom,

 

sketchup is for quick presentation stuff..

not for serious modeling or for CDs

 

that is for the BIM software....

 

sketchup is nice but quite limited actually..

 

plus if you use the Bim software... you can then build on those models for the CDs or even vise versa...

 

my post modernist thinking anyway...

[angelo]

....

Which one of the three ADT2006, Revit or Archicad 9 would best emulate a combination of the ease/elasticity of Schetch-up and simplicity of dialog boxes of ADT3?

 

Thanks..

My response was directly related to the question above. Granted SketchUp has many limitations (surface modeling being the biggest for me) and is not and can not be compared to the BIM process.

 

For ease of use and pure interaction with the interface/creating objects, this is where I feel SketchUp is still light years ahead of the "front-end" tools in the BIM products.

 

ADT doesn't even let you manipulate objects in a perspective view, ArchiCAD is very sluggish when trying to work in perspective, and the navigation in ArchiCAD/Revit for 3D is pathetic from my experience.

 

I think the programmers need to get serious about 3D interface enhancements. If the BIM process is going to be intuitive, then working in 3D needs to feel like a natural part of using the software.

 

Angelo

[bricklyne]

.........., ArchiCAD is very sluggish when trying to work in perspective, and the navigation in ArchiCAD/Revit for 3D is pathetic from my experience.........

Angelo

 

 

 

Then you'll love working in the new ArchiCAD 10 3D window. Major improvements on the OpenGL 3D window user interactions as well as snaps and selections in 3D...........

 

Graphisoft - Welcome to Archicad 10!

 

 

 

They seem to have paid attention to lots of user request to make it more feasible to model and work almost exclusively from the 3D Window. I especially like the FPS-like 3D-gamer navigation feature that allows you to explore the building like you would if you were playing a First person shooter like Half-Life or Halo.

[stefkeB]

ArchiCAD 10 is a good step forward, but the 3D Window integration is still limited.

 

ADT 2007 and AutoCAD 2007 allow you to work in perspective (finally, after 10 years or so).

 

I agree: SketchUp can not be compared to any CAD and BIM application. It's not that and I hope they never try to turn it into a full CAD application. It feel the interface is allready bursting out of it's comfortable clean state from SketchUp 2 or 3. It's viewport interaction is among the best I've ever seen.

Some BIM applications are getting there in the 2D window, but not in 3D. ArchiCAD 10 which will be released in the beginning of may does not support the full 2D drafting aids of guidelines in the 3D Window, which came as a huge disappointment. They will get there eventually, but not now.

[IHAB]

http://www.cgarchitect.com/news/newsfeed.asp?nid=3176

archi 10

 

here it comes!!

[mzex]

Revit's interface is not pretty to look at, but in my mind, it does have one positive that the others lack--consistency. Once you figure out how to manipulate an object, about 98% of the other objects can be modified the same way. Some see this as restrictive, but I see it as a way to figure out new features without massive brain damage.

 

when you figure out how to manipulate object in ArchiCAD believe me 99% of others can be manipulated the same way, but you have to have someone to show you few tricks and then you can go as far as the end of the world :-)

I am using ArchiCAD in my office and for my degree project. I am with no problem creating construcion documetation (scale 1:50) and also I can draw details. So ArchiCAD is very powerfull tool. I tried Revit but I have given up the moment I opened it. For me ArchiCAD is more intuitive and easy to use.

I've been using it since 6.5 version for modeling my buildings and since version 9 as a professional software, meaning that I draw all the documetation I am asked for in AC.