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ArchiCAD

Developed by	Graphisoft
Latest release	12 / 2008
OS	Windows,Mac OS X
Type	CAD,Building Information Modeling
License	Proprietary
Website	Graphisoft ArchiCAD site

ArchiCAD is an architectural BIM CAD software for Macintosh and Windows developed by the Hungarian company Graphisoft.

Development started in 1982 for the original Apple Macintosh, and it became a popular product for that platform. It is recognized as the first CAD product on a personal computer able to create both 2D and 3D drawings. Today more than 100,000 architects are using it in the building design industry.

ArchiCAD allows the user to work with data-enhanced parametric objects, often called "smart objects" by users. This differs from the operational style of other CAD programs created in the 1980s. The product allows the user to create a "virtual building" with virtual structural elements like walls, slabs, roofs, doors, windows and furniture. A large variety of pre-designed, customizable objects come with the program.

Archicad allows the user to work with either a 2D or 3D representation on the screen. Two-dimensional drawings can be exported at any time, even though the model in the program's database always stores data in three dimensions. Plans, elevations, and sections are generated from the three dimensional virtual building model and are constantly updated. Detail drawings are based on enlarged portions of the model, with 2D detail added in.

Third-party vendors and some manufacturers of architectural products have compiled libraries of architectural components for use in ArchiCAD. The program includes Geometric Description Language (GDL) used to create new components.

The newest version (2008) is ArchiCAD 12.

ArchiCAD can import and export DWG, DXF IFC and SketchUp files among others. Graphisoft is an active member of the International Alliance for Interoperability (IA), an industry organization that publishes standards for file and data interoperability for architectural CAD.

Contents 1 Platforms and license types 2 Version history 3 See also 4 External links 4.1 Graphisoft sites 4.2 Other sites

Platforms and license types

Archicad is available for Windows and Mac OS X operating systems.

Commercial, Educational and Full functional 30-day trial (BIM Experience kit) versions can be installed with the same installer. The installers can be can be obtained on the registration sites described below or they can be downloaded via Bittorrent [1]. The license type is to be chosen upon installation.

• Commercial version is protected by hardware protection key. If no key is present Archicad switches to Demo mode where Save, Copy, TeamWork features are disabled (printing/plotting is still enabled).

• Educational versions are protected by registration numbers which can be obtained at eduregistration.graphisoft.com. Note: Format files in educational version ArchiCAD not compatible with commercial ArchiCAD

• Full functional 30day trial (BIM Experience kit) is fully functional, 30-day limited version, can save, print and publish projects. File formats are fully compatible with the commercial version once the copy of ArchiCAD has been converted to a commercial licence. Protected by registration numbers which can be obtained at trialregistration.graphisoft.com.

Version history

• 1987 - ArchiCAD 3.1
• 1991 - ArchiCAD 4.1
• 1993 - ArchiCAD 4.12
• 1994 - ArchiCAD 4.5
• 1995 - ArchiCAD 4.55
• 1996 - ArchiCAD 5.0
• 1997 - ArchiCAD 5.1
• 1998 - ArchiCAD 6.0
• 1999 - ArchiCAD 6.5
• 2001 - ArchiCAD 7.0
• 2002 - ArchiCAD 8
• 2003 - ArchiCAD 8.1
• 2004 - ArchiCAD 9
• 2006 - ArchiCAD 10
• 2007 - ArchiCAD 11
• 2008 - ArchiCAD 12

See also

• Geometric Description Language
• CAD

External links

Graphisoft sites

• Graphisoft - The manufacturer's website
• ArchiCAD Wiki

Other sites

• Cigraph - ArchiCAD Plug-ins developer - Italian ArchiCAD distributor
• Cadimage Tools - ArchiCAD Plugins Developer.
• Objects for ArchiCAD
• 3D Models Archive for ArchiCAD
• ArchiFM Product Family Integrated CAFM solution.

• Profiles - Thomas A. Heinz, p. 1 (A case study of an ArchiCAD user.)
• Applecore Designs - ArchiCAD in the UK
• Bite Designs/ ArchiCAD in the UK
• Archicad East - An Archicad Blog
• ArchiCAD Russian community, forum, download archive (Russian)
• Archispa - Users blog (Spanish)

v • d • e Building Information Modeling Full Building Information Modeling Packages Graphisoft ArchiCAD | Bentley Architecture | Tekla Structures | Graphisoft Constructor | Autodesk Revit | Nemetschek N.A. VectorWorks Architect | GRAITEC Advance Building Information Modeling Compatible Packages Data Design System | NavisWorks JetStream | CodeBook by Project Blueprint | RoomData by Project Blueprint Building Information Modeling Related Topics Industry Foundation Classes

Wikipedia content modification information:

• This page was last modified on 18 November 2008, at 14:12.

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