Import Rfa To Archicad

[Sinikka Curz]

Artlantisis the fastest, stand-alone rendering application developed especially for architects and designers. Archicad exports the model in the Artlantis file format through its dedicated plug-ins.

More details about Artlantis in this link.

SketchUp is a 3D modeling computer program. It is useful from the earliest stages of design to the end of construction.

Import: More details about SketchUp import on this link.

Export: More details about saving a SketchUp 3D Model File on this link.

Within Archicad, The Twinmotion add-on for Archicad allows you to export your Archicad 3D model to FBX. The add-on is installed by default.

The main purpose of FBX format is to provide interoperability between digital content creation applications. The .fbx files allow computer- based creations to be opened, edited, and modified across many applications and systems.

More details about Twinmotion in this link.

So I'm a surveyor. I can create a very accurate mesh of the existing ground surface (the perfect way to start a design). But there is no native way to import a existing TIN/Mesh into Achicad? Through DXF, LandXML or any other common CAD format?

So I can create a xyz points file and import it and create a mesh from it, but it is a bad mesh and is not accurate because it doesn't use breaklines. Breaklines control which points join to which ie a retaining wall has a top and bottom breaklines. If just using XYZ like the Interoperability > Place mesh from surveyors data method, then a retaining wall looks like a sharks mouth of bad triangles.

As you mentioned, XYZ or "Surveyors Data" is pretty simplistic: it takes the xyz values and generates a surface mesh joining the points based on the closest ones, generating a typical triangulated surface. No holes, Ridges (as in a retaining wall) nor vertical faces are possible.

That being said, if you have a Mesh - with its own ridges and holes... that is with not just the points but the actual triangulation already modeled in a CAD / DWG file, then this can be imported and regenerated into Archicad via Xref or Merge. You will need to know how to tweak some extra functions in the DWG translator in use.

Anytime I have that kind of data I create the mesh with all my points and then turn it into a morph and making it zero thickness setting the top or bottom at the current story and then multiply upward to distance you want to see the sloping lines then convert all morphs to lines delete the morphs and you will have the lines, although you would now need to use a mesh and set lines to recreate what you're after.

Thanks for your replies people. When my architects said they spent countless hour digitizing contours giving them heights to create site models off really good 3D surveys that have a surface in the CAD file, I COULDN'T believe it, and put it down to user error.

@NandoMogollon I agree, cant believe that you cant simply import an already created triangle mesh, although you do allude to it being possible from xref or merge with some tweaks? Can you provide any more detail.

I will try to make a video in the next few days as I don't think verbal or I guess textual explanation will give what's needed. If you would like I will try to show the different ways I've imported different information.

I have dwg, dxf, ifc, skp, 3ds, Collada, gdb, lazer data, but found no way to easy make a mesh from any of this in AC25. I have started the tedious process og making contourlines in Sketchup, save them as dwg and use this for tracing manually... it's a long process and should be easier to handle in AC.

@zoomer Funny story... I joined a design build firm as their director of landscape architecture back in August. My role was to lead a team and modernize the company's processes from concept to construction. Shortly after receiving the furniture and computer I ordered, I realized that the company would not be a good fit, so I resigned. Shortest gig in my life... the ink on my business cards hadn't even dried ?

This is a timely topic for me. We started working remotely with another architect in California a few months ago. He uses VW that is why we got the work. All is good when his work is all in house. But now we are working on a pretty big project where the client is in a business that is involved in the construction industry. So I am asked to send him Revit and IFC files. It takes a really long time to make the Revit file and when done some walls are missing. I filed a bug on this. For the IFC we don't use stories and I don't really know much about the format, so any input form others is welcome - like step by step how to setup my VW file for a good IFC export. Actually I am not sure the final client would even know what to do with it. We are in the process of asking.

I never have such drama when importing Revit or Sketchup from my architectural clients. I just create a new document to quarantine the architect's work, import the architect's work, and reference this quarantine file into my work. This keeps things pretty orderly and protects my work from any kind of corruption. At worst, I end up having to do a little housekeeping and delete objects I don't need. It usually take longer for VWX to import the Revit file than it does for me to put it to use.

On the topic of Ifc-Export, my experience was that we have a decent export. There is just to much expectation linked to it. People always expect it to turn automatically into a native format, no matter if they use Archicad; Allplan, Revit, etc. That was never the intention so far with either IFC2x3 or IFC4. They are mostly for referencing, hence "Reference View". If your software kind of manages to transform it into some native objects, good, but it's not a given.

Every use case has different demands for the ifc model. The structual engineer needs only the load-bearing walls as IfcWalls, the hvac engineers need mostly IfcSpace and for energy analysis you need to have one IfcWall with the different components as IfcMaterials and IfcSpaces (Eventhough here most BIM-Software is lacking in so far as you need, I think, at least 3rd level space boundaries for proper energy analysis)

In Archicad, save a 3D view that shows your model in the way you want to show it in SketchUp. Then export a SKP file. In SketchUp, do not open the file directly, but import it into your model as a component, and do not edit it.

Now when your Archicad model changes, you can just repeat the export process, using your saved view, and, then in SketchUp you can right-click your imported component and select Reload from the context menu.

I tried importing the Archicad file into twinmotion via datasmith file and also directly synchronizing with direct link, but the model does not appear after importing it. There is a layer of the file that appears with the materials, but no matter how much i zoom in or try to scale it up, nothing is there. I also tried importing it with different export settings in Archicad, but nothing seems to work... I also tried saving it as Wavefront file and when I look at the file on my desktop, you can see the structure, but once I import it, again, there is nothing there. I have never had this problem before and I am going crazy, trying to figure what I am doing wrong.

But I think it has something to do with visibility in Archicad... I merged 2 files in Archicad and the one I am trying to import in twinmotion (the screenshot one) is also invisible in Archicad 3d perspective of the merged Archicad files, even though, in plan there are walls, slabs... ( and all the layers are turned on.)

This is an old thread, but has a new and new-ish replies. To the OP and recent posters - you really need to include in your posts all of your software details - or include it in your signature as you can see several of us here doing. The OS, version of TwinMotion, version of your Datasmith plug-in, Intel vs Apple Silicon etc all matter for someone to reproduce and either confirm the issue or work with you to resolve it.

With AC 26 and TwinMotion both running and the datasmith palette displayed in the Archicad 3D window, I click Import in Twinmotion to create a new link to Archicad, I click the refresh button on the datasmith palette in Archicad and the model is transferred. NOTE: there is no zoom to your model! It could be anywhere in space, and potentially not even visible. In the model browser in Twinmotion, the easiest way to find your model is to select an element, right click, and zoom to that element. Then navigate back out to where you want to be.

I have a Lumion 11 Collada file that I'd like to import back into Archicad 26 to make some changes and edit some specific materials. I lost the original project PLN but still have the Collada file of the same. Is it possible to do so?

Same problem Here... Still looking for a solution. I could just import sketchup models into Archicad and keep as they where imported, but every time I export to Lumion the textures are renamed and they lose ther settings.

EDIT: I've used both Chief and ArchiCAD for about 20 years each, and go back and forth between the two all the time. It's kind of sad to give someone correct information and get downvoted for it. Reminds me of Jack Nicholson: "You can't handle the truth!"

I installed chief architect a while ago, i dont feel comfortable drawing a house plan using feet as a scale for both internal and external dimensions. So my question is, how do i change these scales from to metres in chief architect since a new plan opens with feet dimensional scale

.skp files are as useful as any to use for getting ArchiCAD 3D content into Chief Architect programs. And for the 2d content both programs have some sort of .dwg Translators which could be configured to work pretty well together. ArchiCAD can import a .pdf and explode it into lines, polylines, hatch, text.... and if the .pdf was generated with AutoCAD or ArchiCAD, layers, layer combos, and some other content is also available that way too. I have very little experience with Cheif Architect but what I have seen of it and the Home Designer program, I am not impressed too much. But I do like the user interface the Home Designer has. It seems pretty easy to use.

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