What is new in ArchiCAD 10

ArchiCAD 10 is loaded with many excellent new features, some of which their rivals would be smart to emulate. We'll cover the key new features from the perspective of innovation and impact for architectural professionals.

Modeling Improvements and 3D

Graphisoft is hot to taut its new 3D and modeling capabilities in ArchiCAD 10. The new slanted, battered and complex wall modeling creation tools offer architects far more options with building design expression. (see image 11). Architects can fully create parametric walls using these new tools, complete with justification and alignment options for inserted windows and doors. Windows for example can be set to slope (associate) with a slanted wall, regardless of the degree of slant, or they can be set vertical within the slanted wall. (see image 12).

11 - New Slanting Walls Feature	12 - Navigation Control Options

Even more impressive is version 10's ability to work with complex wall section profiles. And there are new options for creating complex columns as well. (see image 13). There is, however, a limit with the new tools. Complex walls must be linear. So at the moment it is not possible to make a conical wall (curving in plan and sloping in section). Of course third-party tools such as MaxonForm could do this but those objects do not end up possessing all of the same intelligence and integration as tools such as the new canted wall tool.

13 - New Slanting Columns	14 - Priority on Beams-Beams

Other improvements in modeling creation include geometry intersection priority. Walls and beams can be given priority so that higher priority elements "cut" the lower priority elements at their intersection. (see image 14). ArchiCAD's zones technology has been improved in version 10 to interact correctly with the new complex geometry tools for walls so that spatial-volume data is accurately serving analysis needs.

Editing and Interaction in ArchiCAD 10

In the first section of this review we have touched on the new Tracker palette. This ties into ArchiCAD 10's new pre-selection feedback info tags and further improvements to the Pet palette. With these new tools in-hand editing and interacting with objects in 3D is a real joy. (see image 15).

Pet palette commands now address things pertaining to the slanted and canted walls capabilities. Stretch height, stretch slanted height and modify angle are all quick "Pet palette" commands to modify these new complex elements directly in 3D. Similar commands in the Pet palette are available for complex profile walls and for complex columns and beams.

15 - Tracker Palette editing in 3D	16 - New pet palette slanted wall tool

Lastly, ArchiCAD 10 features several improvements for openings in walls. Doors and windows do not need to be dragged by their hotspots. You can now click anywhere in the view to define starting and ending points for the Move operation's vector.

User interface and navigation in ArchiCAD 10 is improved. The menu structure now includes former PlotMaker functions and specific menu domains have been streamlined. We have already touched upon the new help system. Other aids in interaction include the Measure Tool and its ability to function fully in 3D views providing the user with both the Z coordinate value and "projection" (X-Y plane) values. Additionally, ArchiCAD 10's new Guide Lines greatly improve object interaction and creation and can be fully customized as to how and when they are invoked, in what degrees, and even their colors can be customized.

Finally, while there are far too many examples to point out, with ArchiCAD 10's new capabilities in regards to more complex walls, beams and columns, there are new graphical editing techniques and additional choices in the Pet palette. For example, it is possible to take a typical straight wall in ArchiCAD 10 and convert it graphically to a new "slanted" wall using a combination of the Tracker and Pet palettes, without having to edit the wall's individual settings. (see image 16).

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