Import from Archicad

Studio does not read Archicad's .pln files. Instead it asks your own Archicad to save the open project as IFC, and imports that file as a new project named after the Archicad one.

What you need

• Archicad, installed, licensed and running on the same computer as Studio, with the project open. Urbium does not bundle, sell or license Archicad: you need your own copy and licence. Archicad runs on macOS and Windows, so on Linux use the export by hand on the computer that has Archicad.
• The Tapir add-on, installed in that Archicad. Archicad's own commands cannot save IFC when another app asks, so Studio asks through Tapir, a free, open-source (MIT) add-on made by its own authors, not by Urbium. Urbium does not bundle it either: install it in Archicad yourself, then restart Archicad.

Without Archicad you can still bring in any IFC file with Import IFC… (⇧⌘I). See IFC and ifcxa.

Import the open Archicad project

1. Open the project in Archicad.
2. In Studio, choose File › Import from Archicad… (⌥⇧⌘A). It also runs from the Command Palette… (⌘K).
3. A job, "Asking Archicad for IFC", runs while Archicad saves the file. A large project can take minutes.
4. Studio then imports the file as a new project, named after the Archicad project, and opens it. An untitled Archicad project comes in as "Archicad project".

Both jobs have Cancel. Cancelling while Archicad saves stops Studio waiting, but Archicad cannot be interrupted and finishes the save on its own.

The command is greyed out while a project is opening or importing, and while an Archicad or Revit export is already running.

When Archicad does not answer

Instead of an error, Studio opens a dialog that says what is missing:

• "Archicad isn't open": no Archicad answered on this computer. Open your project in Archicad and click Try again.
• "Archicad needs the Tapir add-on": Archicad answered, but Tapir did not. Install Tapir (the dialog links to it), restart Archicad and click Try again.

Both dialogs also explain the export by hand and offer Import IFC…. Esc closes the dialog.

Export by hand instead

1. In Archicad, choose File > Save As.
2. Pick IFC as the file type and save.
3. In Studio, click Import IFC… in the dialog (or press ⇧⌘I), and pick that file.

The project is named after the file.

Limits

Limit. An Archicad project comes in as IFC: what Studio gets is what Archicad's IFC export writes. Studio never changes the .pln, and nothing goes back to Archicad.

Limit. Each import makes a new project. Importing the same Archicad project again does not update the one you imported before.

Limit. With more than one Archicad running, Studio takes the first one that answers, which may not be the one you mean. Keep only the one with your project open.

Limit. If you open another project while Archicad is saving, Studio drops the Archicad file rather than switching away from the project you chose.

Limit. If Archicad has not finished saving after 30 minutes, the job fails. A Tapir error, or a save that writes no file, also fails the job, with the reason in its row.

For your IT

Studio talks to Archicad's JSON API on 127.0.0.1 only, trying ports 19723 to 19743, the range Archicad listens on. Nothing leaves the computer. The IFC file is saved into a folder of its own in the system's temporary folder, and that folder is removed the next time the same Studio window imports from Archicad.