The Global ARCHICAD Community

[Moonlight]

Architect, GDL scriptor and in the process of becoming computational designer

[Jp1138]

I´m also an architect, but interested in programming. But I think it would be a good move for the software, not because I would be able to acomplish a lot - but because others would and we all could take advatange of that.

[Braza]

Thank you both... and do you consider that the architecture practice (I mean dealing with clients, preparing drawings, schedules, quantities takeoffs, preparing presentations to local authorities, supervising construction, etc...) covers which percentage of your day?

[Jp1138]

100% in my case, at least when there´s job to be done

[Braza]

So Jp1138... You have zero time of your working day to learn API and coding, right?

[Braza]

My point is that since the 2008 crisis I have seeing lots of architects that due to the lack of project/job opportunities became software programmers. They are still architects, but are kind of loosing the real essence of the profession, which is design and build things.
IMO Architects should not be coding for the same reasons brain surgeons should not code on CAT scan machines.

[Jp1138]

What I´m trying to say it´s that making the API open doesn´t mean all architects must start programing, but that those who can o want to can do it easily for the benefit of everyone. Right now someone, architect, programer o whatever, that thinks can make a plugin for Archicad for some task has to pay 500€ upfront just to look around if it can be done.

That guy that had a great idea but did nothing because the dificulties Graphisoft puts on his way could had made a little beatiful program and sell it - or even launch it for free - for you to use.

Look how many applications are out there for revit. You can look its API just on the web https://www.revitapidocs.com/ , no registering, no fuss.

[Moonlight]

@Braza

I can understand that you don't see the benefits of coding, or that you may not want to code or don't like to code.

But reality is, coding is here, and is gaining momentum in the AEC fields, all of them ... and creating a cheap copy of the GDL editor to make it graphical, with the same inherently limitations of GDL, with limited resources at the disposal of Graphisoft in the R+D in front other BIM platform Gorillas, is suicidal.

If you have seen the webinar I have just shown you, you would understand that Front used the Revit as a documentation reference for the different offices that they worked for, not because they needed it.

You know BIG - Bjorke Ingels Group, they worked with ArchiCAD, and changed to Revit, because of the API and Grasshopper ... Would they have said the same if there were more ArchiCAD users had a better and easier access to ArchiCAD's API ? I don't know, but ArchiCAD would had a better chance of resistance

[Braza]

@Jp1138

I think we are talking about different things...

I agree that API could and should be open, but unfortunately it is not. And that is a Nemetschek strategic decision that we have to live with.

Ok. API is not open, so lets put some pressure on GS to inform them that we architects need Archicad to work better. It is not my job, or better, it should not be the Architect/user job "unleash the full potential of the program".

I am saying that Architects should do Architecture, and programmers do code. And GS should offer better solutions for both.

But when Moonlight says that "it's just a matter of time that architects would have to learn coding to find a job or be unemployed" is a little bit too much, don't you think?

[Moonlight]

Graphisoft was made by a team, and architects who knew how to code