The possible ways of using the model data, CAD drawings and reports received from another application in ARCHICAD are the following:
Merge
Use Merge to add the model or drawing content (or part of it) to the currently running ARCHICAD project. Merged model data are converted into native ARCHICAD elements, which can then be used as a protected or editable reference. The imported content, used as a reference, is separated from the host project elements, and can be displayed together or independently from the original project data by choosing a visualization technique.
See Visualization of Imported Content.
Merged IFC data are converted to native ARCHICAD properties, so they can be searched, listed, and used in the model.
The Detect IFC Model Changes command applies the merging algorithm for the detected geometrical differences between two (old and new) states of received models (two IFC files exported from the same application).
See details at Detect IFC Model Changes.
Note: Before merging a file, you should save the running ARCHICAD file.
For details on ARCHICAD’s Merge function, see Merging Files to ARCHICAD.
For details on merging an IFC model to ARCHICAD, see Import IFC Model to ARCHICAD.
Link
As another “reference” possibility, you can directly hotlink any IFC file to an ARCHICAD host project, managing it like other Hotlink Modules. Hotlinked IFC content is imported using an IFC Translator for Import, saved within a template file, so that you can maintain control over the attributes of the Hotlink Module file.
See also Hotlink IFC File.
CAD drawings and reports (PDF) can be directly linked to the current ARCHICAD project. Depending on the file formats, use XREF and/or Drawing connection.
See XREFs and Importing PDF Files As Drawings.
Open
The Open command launches a model or CAD drawing as a separate ARCHICAD file, independent of any other project currently open in ARCHICAD.