The Global Archicad Community

[NandoMogollon]

The Wish:
Have a Single Attribute Manager To modify attributes in Multiple Files at the same time.

Why?
Because it will offer a Tool to Keep the Consistency of Attribute Standards and with it all the Construction and Graphic Standards in the entire Office.

Because it allows to have another Cooperation Option to the Teamwork Workflow. One with multiple hot-linked Files for a single project and a single set of Standards (Attributes). This is specially useful when because of Hardware limitations you need to keep an Entire project among multiple files in order to distribute sections, views, schedules, 3D docs, etc... even Layouts.

Because it will offer a work around for the known attribute number Vs attribute name inconsistencies among File's layers, fills, profiles, etc...

The Cons:
Graphisoft appears to ignore the wishes on the Forum. There is no gentle Official Reply saying : Thanks for you wish, we will put it in our Code writer's "To Do" list and we will valuate the need for it in the market.

After the TW2 evolution, Cooperation improvements will be sent to the bottom in the priorities for next AC versions.

It only works for Offices with internal Networks.

Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude but I rather say this without any "anesthetics"

Best Regards
Nando M.

[Karl Ottenstein]

I think it would be challenging for Attribute Manager, as it is now, to be 'aware' of all files that use a particular attribute in any meaningful way, since the NAME of an attribute has nothing to do with its content ... it would be too challenging.

On the other hand, if attributes were stored in external files (not embedded within the project as now), then it would be pretty straightforward to know which files used which attribute set, and to make sure that that attributes for all hotlinks (etc) were identical... because those files would all refer to a common attribute file. The challenge here would be that all attributes are referenced today by index numbers, and managing index numbers across multiple external attribute files would be a nightmare ... so attributes-by-name (or something) would have to be addressed.

I agree with the general idea that we need something to allow better synchronization of attributes across multiple files - so am voting with you!

Cheers,
Karl

[Peter Clark]

Essential!

It would be a great idea to have multiple AC files sharing the same external attribute 'file'!

It would help solve a lot of co-ordinating problems with multiple files especially in practices whose attribute list is still a work in progress. I feel it is actually a limitation in the program that you need to have every attribute predefined before you start working in multiple files or else it becomes a maintainance problem. It wouldn't do ArchiCAD any harm if it was a little more flexible sometimes and helped people who actually work in a slightly less organised way!

I like the idea that in any of the files you could create a new complex profile, and it would be immediately available for use in the other files, without having to worry too much about index numbers. Something super-flexible like that would be brilliant!

I agree that it is important as well for GS to come up with a more user friendly solution to attribute management. The index number system just feels too 'rigid'. I wonder what the management consequences would be if it did just go by the alphanumeric name? I can't think of any off the top of my head.

[Erika Epstein]

It could be like exporting/importing other profiles in archicad such as project info, work environment...

[Rick Thompson]

The new "soft insulation" is a good example of now something like this (Karl's idea especially) would be very helpful. I have 100's of active files with the standard insulation fill in the composites. Now I have to open Attribute Manager for each and every file, link to my updated template pln to add the new fill over ride the fill for those composites. Not a huge deal each time, but linking to an external file would be so much nicer. I have posted a similar wish tears ago myself... o'well. (ha.. tears ago.. meant to say years ago, but tears ago is better:)

[Karl Ottenstein]

I have posted a similar wish tears ago myself... o'well. (ha.. tears ago.. meant to say years ago, but tears ago is better:)

That's probably where I got the idea of the external file. (I don't think it is original ... either you, Matthew or someone else did suggest it before I think.)

Tears,
Karl

[Rick Thompson]

Yeah, same with Favorites. I have a long standing wish to be able to link to an external as a default. I am always updating it, especially since the last version had a bug and arbitrary assigned Archicad as the layer. I just found 3 more that should have been "slab" but were Archicad. So, I change it in that pln.. save it replacing "myfav" file, but I still have to make sure I reload it in my other 400 pln's. What an unnecessary pain. That one bug has played havoc for my material list, which is ordered by layers.

[MarkMoscrip]

Rick Thompson wrote-

...I have 100's of active files with the standard insulation fill in the composites. Now I have to open Attribute Manager for each and every file...

What a perfect scenario for a macro script tool! One macro that opens hundreds of files and repeats the exact same commands on those files while you enjoy that ice cream break...

Mark

[Michael Rensing]

I would like to see this, or at the very least an "Expert Mode" to allow the manual manipulation of the attributes name to number mapping to help with synchonization. This has become a pain on some large projects with profiles modified in modules not propagating properly to the files that link them.

[Mark Reid Rowland]

I voted essential as well (some time ago now) Also voted Essential on a very similar wish today.

I'm faced with this issue once more (see below)

I have a large project setup with a Master Teamwork file with 10 hotlinked teamwork files(with nested modules) linked into the Master model. Working in AC17.5019 INT.

I have a query regarding management of layers and layer combinations - this project is still fairly early in the planning phase and we're already experiencing difficulties with layer duplication.

I anticipated that attribute management would be an issue on the project so I've been exporting layers (and other attributes) to .aat files and subsequently importing them into the other files and Overwriting all in order to maintain a tidy and consistent layer list. Unfortunately this doesn't seem to be working - as far as I understand things, ArchiCAD only recognises the Layer number, but I've got multiple layers on the same number and despite having replaced all layers in all of the files yesterday, when updating the HLMs, further duplication of layers occurs - see screen shot.

To further complicate things the HLMs have nested modules, which makes for rather difficult management! They all have the same original source - i.e they were all saved from a single file, but have since been edited and new layers and other attributes added.

Is there an easier method of layer management in large projects? Any tips would be most helpful!

Also, I believe this is something that GS needs to address - ArchiCAD needs a single Attribute management dialogue that can incorporate multiple files - .pln, .mod and Teamwork files in order to deal with this kind of scenario. I'm fairly sure I'm not the only person wanting this!