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Strange mr. Graphisoft’s Python implementation

Ivan @ 03 / 09 / 2020 @ Blog / ArchiCAD / BIM / Архитектура
(ArchiCAD / ArchiCAD API / Graphisoft / Python)

Время чтения: ~ 7 мин.

Recently, I was looking deeep into the ArchiCAD’s python realisation for AC23 and 24. What I found out and what was the result of my research reflected in a post I wrote at the Graphisoft dev forum and people there agreed. So I just put it here:

… I absolutely agree with your point! <not sure which point it was, but let’s assume it was great>
Personally I am an architect, with 6+ yrs of archicad exp. BUT I have some years of web experience (PHP, JS (love it so much, so flexible one), HTML+CS, xml, etc., ActionScript and other Ecmascript realisations) and some Pascal/Delphi and little bit of C from «soviet school». Not to mention the crappy GDL/Basic stuff. Is that usual for an average architect? Not at all. Why I’m learning Python now? Because we need some simple processes automated. We use Grasshopper in our ArchiCAD shop drawings, and I wrote some simple Python for that too. It was helpful, yes. But I am also new to Py and some things just not that straightforward as in JS.
«Auto-generated» is the word!!
I tried to understand the C++ API, but it has too high entering threshold, I just don’t have time for it now.
As to make my change markers change their name 1,2,3,… sequentially — which should’ve been don in 5 lines of code — that’s not worth spending a month learning the AC C++ API. I didn’t realise that is could be so hard to understand with all my previous background. I need to know C++’s overall structure very well to dive into that crappy graphisoft’s C++ api reference. And yes, no support from GS, as I called their Moscow office. Pay us money, that’s all we can help you with.
I like our nice webdev docs, they are so clear. Lots of examples. Lots of explanations. So cool. I’ve used to do some AR in JS. That’s a complex thing, but thanks to the clear docs and mighty community I was able to make it.
My points are:
— If you don’t know C++ professionally, you can’t enter the C++ API dev, as it’s too complicated.
— If Graphisoft makes scripting available, they have to make it clear, simple, useful. Make a proper docs. (When I needed to make a script for Adobe InDesign, I just went and did it in a 30 mins time. I could direct any object on a page the way I needed. Nearly the JS+HTML style: change text, chage position, size, etc., address any object directly). I spent a day yesterday to figure out I can do nothing with the text in a text box in ArchiCAD from Py.
— It’s all about hype, nothing more. I used to use revit while working in another firm. It’s also crappy, but if they do a proper 2d drafting tools — then farewell AC, no regrets.
— The only reason why the practice I work in, still uses AC — is the inertia. It’s not that easy to change 60+ work places and the whole pipeline, set in the past 20 years.

So what we have today with ArchiCAD evolving fast (no it’s not) and the communism soon to be reached (no it’s not)? Graphisoft’s support in Russia sucks 100%. They cant direct anywhere on the programming topic. Graphisoft itself does sell an unfinished product as is, without any proper reference. The new Param-O doesn’t replace the crappy GDL. So by all parameters — BUT the 2d drafting and the making of construction stage drawings — it sucks. Revit is way better at the concept stage. It has a way better parametric objects which are easy to create. (Yes, it suck elsewhere, we got some comparison why they all are crap). But this is the first time I see a very expensive programme, which says: ‘I have this new feature’, and then it turns out it is not ready at all. Thank you, Graphisoft. Going this way you will eventually loose the market the same way it happened to QuarXPress earlier.

PS. Have you seen this: https://archicadapi.graphisoft.com/browser-control-and-javascript-connection?

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Strange mr. Graphisoft’s Python implementation

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