ArchiCAD File Types Saved by ArchiCAD

ArchiCAD Projects (.pln)

ArchiCAD supports unicode file names of essentially unlimited length.

Archive (.pla)

For details, see Archive Files.

ArchiCAD Project Template (.tpl)

Choose this option if you want to save the current project settings for future use as a template.

For details, see Template Files.

Archive Options

For details, see Archive Files.

Project (.pln) in an earlier ArchiCAD version format

ArchiCAD 18 can back-save project files in ArchiCAD 17 format only (among previous ArchiCAD file formats).

Important: When saving an ArchiCAD 18 project as an earlier version project, an alert will appear warning you that elements and information not supported by the older version will be discarded.

Backward Compatibility Supported for Library Parts

When back-saving your ArchiCAD 18 project to version 17, any library parts that were revised for 18 will be automatically replaced by their original counterparts in version 17.

Note: If the object in ArchiCAD 18 has acquired additional parameters or functions compared to the version in ArchiCAD 17, those new features will be lost when you back-save the object to ArchiCAD 17.

Module File; Module File from Clipboard (.mod)

For details, see Create Module.

GDL Script (.gdl)

This option will save your model in GDL script.

For details, see GDL Object Editor.

ArchiCAD 2D Lines (.2dl)

These files are vectorial drawings saved from ArchiCAD’s 3D Window (using the Internal 3D Engine). These drawings contain no model information and can be touched up in the Floor Plan with 2D tools.

Important note: In the 3D Window, this option is only available with the Internal Engine - not available in OpenGL mode.