Creating RFI reports with screen captures directly from ArchiCAD 16

Good Morning Everyone!

Today we have a great video!

 Image from FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Creating RFI reports with screen captures directly from ArchiCAD 16!!! Some of the features we used were introduced with ArchiCAD 16 so it may not be as smooth as this video in older versions.

This is the standard we established for our own BIM Service Projects and the video is created for our internal training.

Of course we are happy to share it with you guys:)

I hope you will find it as useful as we do:)

Enjoy and feel free to share!

Diyane Koseoglu
Jothi Shanmugam
www.bimes.com

bimcomponents.com Webinar, ArchiCAD 16 Receives a New Award and Vico 3.3 is Out!

Good Morning to Everyone!

It is the start of a new week today. At least for the ones living in the Middle East. I am kind of jealous of he ones who are having a lazy Sunday in the rest of the world:))

Luckily I have quite a lot to tell you today!

Well, the first thing I would like to share is the BIMcomponents.com Webinar on the 19th June, Tuesday. The timings are as below:

·       "UAE time" (Tuesday, June 19, 2012 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM GMT +4)
register here: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/672078998

·       "Cairo time" (Tuesday, June 19, 2012 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM GMT +2)
register here: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/672078998

·       "KSA, Kuwait and Qatar time" (Tuesday, June 19, 2012 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM GMT +3)
register here: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/672078998

Webinar will introduce the new BIMcomponents.com portal which is the latest cloud solution of Graphisoft.

I am quite excited about it as it will make our lifes much easier when it comes to searching for furniture, equipment etc.

Type it to the "search box" in objects settings and find the object from Papua New Guinea:))) Yes, there is a country like that so no need to googling it. trust me:))) Even better news, English is one of their official languages so probably the parameters will be in English as well:))

Papua New Guinea Map

Anyway, enough of empty talk! Let me get back to some serious stuff again:))

The second thing I wanted to share is a new Award that ArchiCAD received. ArchiCAD 16 is awarded as 1st "BEST of SHOW" for AIA National.

The third one is about VICO!

VICO 3.3 is out!

New features can be categorized into 4:

Multi-User Environment: As many customers deploy Vico Office on larger and larger projects, it is inevitable that their team sizes increase as well. So instead of few Estimators working on a bid or deadline for a cost plan, there are now larger teams divvying up the workload. The teams can log into the same project and progress in parallel with the various tasks that need to be completed. One team can focus on reviewing the takeoff quantities; another group can work simultaneously on a different section of the cost plan; and still start work on the required set of tasks for the project schedule.

The result is continuously updated data for the entire team, better communication, and estimates created much faster with better detail.

Localization: Now when system administrators first install Vico Office, the question they will be asked is, In which language would you like to use Vico Office Version R3.3 introduces our support for the standard default of American English, but now offers UK English, Finnish, and Swedish. This means that all the database field names, field values, and navigation is in the user’s native language.

Cost and Quantity per Location Report: As everyone knows, the Reporting Engine in Vico Office is absurdly powerful and capable of drawing in data from every field in the database structure. One new report, specifically requested by customers working on staged projects like high-tech campuses, office parks, and even very large single building projects, is the Cost and Quantities per Location Report. This report powers the critical cash flow per stage analysis and helps Owners AND GCs organize their projects.

Caption: This report template, along with all the others, are ready for you to use just check the installation folder; in most cases the structure is C:\Program Files\Vico Software\Vico Office (x64)\Report Templates.

Enjoy!

Diyane Koseoglu
www.bimes.com

ArchiCAD 16 with EcoDesigner Built-in

Architects no longer have excuse to design non-sustainable buildings!!!

EcoDesigner comes out of the box with ArchiCAD 16.

Yes, performing energy evaluation of your design is no more a luxury. Even a junior architect can understand how EcoDesigner works and perform Energy Evaluations.


If you are still not very confident about using EcoDesigner, Graphisoft created an excellent Playlist where every and each function of EcoDesigner is explained in detail. Here you go:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA200C89E9E1D1280&feature=plcp

I think integrated Building Energy Information Modeling is the most important benefit that ArchiCAD 16 brings to us and deserves 5 BIG Stars:))

How many stars for BIMcomponents.com?

BIMcomponents.com

When I first started working as an ArchiCAD trainer, I decided to download GDL objects from internet and make a library DVD for our clients. It was my mission for 2 weeks in the office. Whenever I was free I was working on my little project.

What was the result?

Well, I downloaded 3-4 thousand objects and made a DVD that we were giving the the clients with the purchase of ArchiCAD. (It costed me red eyes during these two weeks though)

A year after we started delivering this DVD, I went to the software "bazaar" where they sell pirated copies to check how is the demand for ArchiCAD etc:))))

I asked the price of ArchiCAD. It was 20 Lira.

Then I asked the price of AutoCAD. It was 10 Lira.

I asked why this ArchiCAD is so expensive and the reply was hilarious. They said because it comes with an extensive extra library.

Yes, you are right!

They were even pirating my library to add value to their business:)))

That was the day I understood how important content is!

 Now, Graphisoft released BIMcomponents.com and you no longer need a poor little new graduate to stay in front of the computer and download objects, categorize them etc.

Just go to your Object Settings, search for what you want and you can directly download it into your project. I believe the amount of content will be a lot more than before since it is so easy to upload objects now. It is directly from ArchiCAD. I think it is very cool.

The objects will be free. This is another great advantage.

Though I would like to have paid objects in the long run. It can be like iTunes inside ArchiCAD. You make your search and you can filter as per the pricing.

Am I crazy? Why do I want paid objects?

I see a business opportunity here:)))

Airport and hospital projects! They require quite complex equipment to be modeled and the users are ready to pay but they can not find any proper content. So here I see a big opportunity for ArchiCAD experts. They can work with manufacturers, model their content and sell through BIMcomponents.com. Graphisoft can get their share on them as Apple does. Here Graphisoft's role is important. They have to make sure that the paid objects are "quality" objects.

We went through a  lot of headache with hospital equipment in Najaf Hospital Implementation. Curious ones can read it from here.

So how many stars does BIMcomponents.com get?

Well, it is a great feature but not as impressive as Morph Tool. So if Morph tool gets 5 starts, BIMComponents.com would get 4 Stars.

Maybe I will change my mind in 43 days:)))

Diyane Koseoglu
www.bimes.com

It looks like SkecthUp is in ArchiCAD 16!

Good Morning Everyone!

As you might already know Graphisoft announced ArchiCAD 16 yesterday.

In my previous posts, I mentioned how impressed I was with the new features of ArchiCAD 16 and I am planning to share my opinions on each new feature in the next few days.

Image from 3DVIA

Today's topic is MORPH TOOL!!!!

I knew GS was still working on free form modeling tools but my expectations were nowhere near what they actually came up with.

Watch ArchiCAD 16 - Morph Tool - Pushing and Pulling a MORPH Face Video here
(This blogger is very annoying with Youtube videos. it does not find the videos which are uploaded within the last 8-10 hours. I am sorry but if you want to see how it works you have to click the link and watch it on Youtube)

It looks like SketchUp is inside ArchiCAD!

What else can an architect want?

Please do not say "What is so special about Morph Tool's push-pull surface feature? We already had it in SketchUp?" !

Yes, you had it in SkecthUp but it was a dummy model. It was lacking the "I" in B(I)M.

However in ArchiCAD it is an integrated part of the Building Information Model, a native element.

You can get it's volume, area information or add further data that you might be using for conceptual planning.

I think this features deserves a 5 STAR!

Have a great day and nice weekend!

PS: I received an email from a Turkish architect who was not sure if I am Turkish or not. Let me clarify the confusion created by my strange name. I am 100% Turkish, born in Turkey, grow up in Turkey, studied in Turkey. Basically "Made in Turkey".

Yes, my name is not Turkish since my mother has Circasssian (Cerkez) origins.

Yes, I do speak Turkish very well! Feel free to email me in Turkish:))

One more thing I could not stop myself from mentioning. We do not have any problems with Greeks on the contrary to the general belief:)) They actually have very nice islands:))

Now I feel much better:))

Diyane Koseoglu
www.bimes.com