NBS Building and BIM integration

[Christiaan]

Don't know if you can read this webpage but it's a partial list of the latest updates to NBS Building, the leading specification tool in the UK:

http://thenbs.com/support/currentUpdate/softwareChangesCurrent/building.asp

It includes:

-Improved accuracy in annotations.

-Improved efficiency when annotating a CAD model from a specification.

-The first step towards BIM integration between NBS and leading BIM software packages from Autodesk and Bentley.

As far as I can tell, at this stage it means support for exporting compatible files of the entire specification which can then be opened or imported into the respective CAD/BIM programs (instead of having to add it all manually). Although it does have a feature which says "Check your annotations to ensure that the information in your model and your NBS project specification match." I can't see how this works at this stage.

Would be nice if someone from NNA could follow this up so we're not left out of the loop:

http://thenbs.com/corporate/contact.asp

[Christiaan]

Here's the more detailed information regarding the active integration:

http://www.thenbs.com/support/softwareSupport/supportNews/nbsAndCad.asp

(you can just enter gibberish and a false email to get past the entry page)

Note at bottom of page says:

Developers who would like advance documentation on the NBS Annotator component should contact Head of NBS Software Development Stephen Hamil through his blog: http://constructioncode.blogspot.com/

Edited April 20, 2010 by Christiaan

[NBS]

Hi Christiaan,

I found your post and thought it might be useful if I reply.

Just to let you know that the article you have referenced: http://www.thenbs.com/support/softwareSupport/supportNews/nbsAndCad.asp doesn?t require login and anyone can access this, so please feel free to distribute amongst your colleagues.

The NBS Annotator is a free NBS Tool that anyone working with an NBS specification can use to annotate their CAD models. At a basic level this works through copy and paste and therefore can work with pretty much any CAD package on a PC or Parallels on a Mac. You can download this by going to http://www.theNBS.com/NBSTools

Furthermore, our software development team have developed the Annotator so that it can be embedded into third party applications. You can find our more information about this on Stephen?s blog:

http://constructioncode.blogspot.com/2010/02/for-software-developers-nbs-annotator.html

[Christiaan]

To our great pleasure Stephen of NBS has been working on this:

http://constructioncode.blogspot.com/2010/07/exporting-nbs-annotations-to.html

Should be shipping in 2-3 weeks.

Initially the only option is to have the reference before the note (e.g. F10/500 LAYING GENERALLY), however I've requested that the option of using "LAYING GENERALLY AS F10/500", which they've added to their to-do list for the next release.

[Jeffrey W Ouellette]

Christiaan,

I think you ought to direct some of your pleasure to where it is really due, Peter Besley of Assemblage, for bringing the issue to our attention in a way that it could be addressed easily and simply by the NBS and Stephen Hamil's team.

[Christiaan]

Okay, thanks to Peter (he's been in touch with me too).

In what way did he bring it to your attention? Perhaps I can learn a thing or two from him.

[Christiaan]

Graphisoft, meanwhile, have already released there own plugin that allows for a direct link to NBS, including the ability to update and sync notes within Archicad:

http://www.graphisoft.com/community/press_zone/nbs-connection.html

Video demo here (second half):

http://www.tinyurl.com/nbslink

Graphisoft ahead of NNA. Shocking.

Perhaps they simply have better customers; bringing issues to Graphisoft's attention in a way that makes life easier for them? That's it, Vectorworks just needs better customers!

[Ozzie]

Probably does

Especially 'customers' who comment so much and expect so much when on old licences

Be good if they put their money where their mouth is

[Christiaan]

Well I certainly wouldn?t suggest getting rid of cult members like yourself. You?re almost the perfect customer. Upgrade when you're meant to. Nod and smile. But I have seen you voicing expectations here and there. Nobody is perfect though right. Remember, your main purpose as a customer is to keep the seller (and other cult members) happy.

Sometimes I just can?t believe the cheek of us not upgrading on time. You?d almost think we actually had reason not to!

[starling75]

Christiaan ... Archicad, Allplan and VW are now owned by Nemetschek.

It is possible, that Nemetschek wants to avoid direct competition between these products and leads their developement in slightly different directions... (Similar to for example Volkswagen strategy with its VW, Seat and Skoda branches which are designed to be complementary - not to compete ..)

Their capabilities, prices, and customer basis are and probably will be different.

I wouldn't expect some dramatical convergence of VW and Archicad in future.

[Christiaan]

That is a sensible thought. Just a pain to be caught on the wrong side of it.

On the other hand I don't know how NNA can keep pretending that VW is the "designer's BIM app" if ArchiCAD is continually one step ahead in terms of getting out of the way of the user.

Maybe the "cheap designer's BIM app" is more appropriate?

[VincentCuclair]

I can understand your hesitance C.

I have of late actually started wondering if upgrading VW is really worth the effort (and money) every new version lately seems to be lagging behind ArchiCAD more and more. Every new version also means creating new templates and symbols and props (once again!) etc. because the older versions are not 'really' compatible. One major issue is the shortcomings of the major PIOs ie. stairs, doors and windows which frankly at the moment get their ass wopped by ArchiCAD PIO flexibility. (I compare to ArchiCAD because it is the software of choice at my office as well as being the best mainstream CAD app for architects at the moment in my humble opinion.) It's true that you can do almost everything/anything with VW but there is a limit to justifying workarounds. This thread is an example of VWs growing shortcomings for 'standard' building problems that can not be solved efficiently at the moment.

http://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=143380#Post143380

Lets be a fair C. how about 'the complete designers cheap BIM app'....

Edited July 30, 2010 by Vincent C

[Christiaan]

A little surprised to hear you talking like this Vincent, although you're absolutely right, GS do seem to have their foot on the accelerator compared to NNA as of late (at least from our point of view as architects).

To be honest we do actually have v2010. We simply don't have the budget to upgrade our ageing G5s at the moment, so we can't run anything later than v2009. Hoping to upgrade them all at once to iMacs in a month or two.

Lets be a fair C. how about 'the complete designers cheap BIM app'....

Agreed.

[VincentCuclair]

GS do seem to have their foot on the accelerator compared to NNA as of late (at least from our point of view as architects).

Actually I think it's more a case of NNA having lost their way/focus somewhat (note I'm trying to be optimistic). Hopefully they get their act together soon or I might even lose interest completely. Every new version should imply an increase in effectivity, I have experienced that this unfortunately is not the case for the last few updates.

You know I'm a true fan of VW but there are limits when it comes to basic effectivity and efficiency! It's almost so that Sketch-up has become an effective budget alternative for the 3D modeling part (pity (for them) they don't have an option for 2D drafting).

To be honest, if you add a 3D modeling plug-in and introduce a 'lite' version, ArchiCAD would make VW almost redundant (for architects) at the moment. (It hurts to have to admit this.......)

Edited July 30, 2010 by Vincent C

[bc]

Precisely, Vincent, precisely.

[starling75]

It's almost so that Sketch-up has become an effective budget alternative for the 3D modeling part (pity (for them) they don't have an option for 2D drafting).

To be honest, if you add a 3D modeling plug-in and introduce a 'lite' version, ArchiCAD would make VW almost redundant (for architects) at the moment. (It hurts to have to admit this.......)

Sketchup users have options for 2D drafting .

Google Layout - simple but fully integrated with SU, and under rapid developement

Doublecad XT - free and you can use it for commercial purposes, it can import export dwg, skp and some other file formats

Doublecad XT PRO (cca 700 bucks)

You can attach SU files as Xrefs and create from the model sections, elevations, floor plans with hatches, gradients, dimensions, text annotations..

Its 2D drafting capabilities are fully comparable with VW

And finally Dassault released 2D drafting apps called Draftsight. It is based on Graeberts modern Ares code and it's free... (and will be available for Linux users probably in september)

http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/draftsight-overview/#vid1

Well, the future will tell ...

Edited July 30, 2010 by starling75