What are the practical methods forImporting Archicad files into Vectorworks

[brudgers]

Last night, I met with a potential client who has preliminary drawings in ArchiCad.

Is IFC a practical way to import data?

What other methods are practical?

Thanks.

[Thom]

Have the archicad export to dwg, and then import dwg. Works fairly well for me.

[brudgers]

Wouldn't that take all the intelligence out of the Archicad objects?

[Jeffrey W Ouellette]

Last night, I met with a potential client who has preliminary drawings in ArchiCad.

Is IFC a practical way to import data?

What other methods are practical?

Thanks.

While VectorWorks and ArchiCAD are members of the same Nemetschek Group, we do not currently have a fool-proof, direct method of exchanging data formats that maintains native application parametric objects. The IFC method of exchange is currently limited and does NOT accurately translate all parametric objects in both/either direction. However, we are continually revising and improving IFC support. I cannot make any promises or predictions on when and if there will be such an ability to transfer data between the two platforms.

The results with DWG exchange may be more graphically complete than IFC, but, as you say, the "intelligence" of parametric objects is lost, as well as some, if not all, 3D info.

I suppose you could try merging files of both data formats (IFC and DWG) from ArchiCAD into a VW file to get more comprehensive results, but in the end, if they are preliminary drawings, it might be best to just trace over DWGs.

[brudgers]

Thanks Jeffrey.

The preliminaries are pretty detailed...enough for some fairly nice interior and exterior renderings...and the job has been sold, so I'd like to be able to reflect that as I carry the project forward.

Do you have any sort of map for an ArchiCad to VW conversion via IFC...I don't expect it will make a round trip.

[Jeffrey W Ouellette]

Sorry, I don't. I haven't spent much time getting into details. I just ran a few limited tests before we participated in BIMstorm LAX. I can tell you that right now, ArchiCAD's sloped walls don't come through and neither do their corner windows. Some other types of openings/windows also have problems making the transition via IFC.

[brudgers]

Thanks.

It's a Baptist church using a pre-engineered metal structure...very conventional [rimshot].

So I am more curious about how Vectorworks handles a typical building rather than the bleeding edge. Any thoughts on this?