Model/3D Formats Saved by Archicad
IFC (.ifc), IFCXML (.ifcxml), IFCzip
IFC stands for Industry Foundation Classes.
To read more, see Working with IFC.
Structural Analytical Format (.xlsx)
Use this to export the model to structural analysis programs.
See Collaboration with Structural Analysis Software.
Not available in Archicad Start Edition 2023
From the 3D window, use Save as Rhino 3D Model (.3dm) to export part or all of the Archicad model to Rhino.
See also Working With Rhino 3D Models.
Revit 3D Model (.3dm) - Save
From the 3D window, use Save as Revit Project file (.rvt).
See also Export 3D Model as Revit 3D Geometry.
You can save 3D models and their surfaces in the WaveFront format, a photorealistic rendering/animation system.
Two output files are generated: one for the geometry and one for the surface material definitions, according to the WaveFront standards. The .mat file is automatically created in the same folder that was selected in the Save as dialog box for the .obj file.
The document you save will include the following information:
•3D model geometry (.obj file): All geometric surfaces. No edges in the WaveFront format.
•Archicad surfaces (.mat file): All surface attributes used in the model, identified by name, with full characteristics.
After choosing the .obj file format, click Save. The WaveFront dialog box opens:
•Layers-Surfaces: Click this radio button to create groups in the WaveFront file for each Archicad layer, and within these groups, create internal groups for each surface.
•Elements-Surfaces: Click this radio button to create a group in the WaveFront file for each Archicad construction element, and within these groups, create internal groups for each surface.
Set drawing unit to: In this field, you can define the distance in the WaveFront project that will be translated into a drawing unit in Archicad or vice versa. As Archicad works with metric data internally, setting the drawing unit to 1 meter (=1000 mm) will result in a 1:1 model after the conversion.
3D files can be saved in 3D Studio format. The Add-on required for this is part of the Archicad package.
3D files in 3D Studio format can be opened by Archicad only if you install the Goodies for your language version of Archicad.
See Goodies.
With the 3D window in front you can save 3D models of your projects in Autodesk’s 3D Studio 3DS photorealistic rendering and animation file format.
The resulting document will include the following information:
•3D model geometry: All surfaces and all edges.
•Surfaces: All surfaces used in the project, including the name and the characteristics.
•Light sources: Both the sun and the additional light sources are included. Sun will be handled as a spotlight very far away from the project.
•3D projection: The current perspective settings and Fly Through paths are included.
•Shadow casting information: The current shadow casting setup in the PhotoRendering Settings/Effects dialog box of Archicad is included.
•Smooth (welding) information: The smoothing setup in the PhotoRendering Settings/Effects dialog box of Archicad is included.
After choosing the .3ds file format, click Save. The Save 3D as 3D Studio object dialog box opens:
•Construct 3D Studio objects according to Archicad objects: Click this button to create a 3D Studio file without grouping.
•Construct 3D Studio objects according to Element types and Surfaces: Click this button to create a group in the 3D Studio file for each Archicad construction element, and within these groups, create internal groups for each surface.
•Construct 3D Studio objects according to Layers and Surfaces: Click this button to create groups in the 3D Studio file for each Archicad layer, and within these groups, create internal groups for each surface.
•Construct 3D Studio objects according to Surfaces: Click this button to create a group in the 3D Studio file for each surface.
•Drawing Unit: In this field, you can define the distance in the Archicad project that will be translated into a drawing unit in 3D Studio. As Archicad works with metric data internally, setting the drawing unit to 1 meter (=1000 mm) will result in a 1:1 model after the conversion.
•Colors: You can choose either the Archicad pen colors, or match the Archicad colors to a similar 3D Studio color.
•Archicad texture information: You can select whether to include surface texture information in the 3D Studio file.
•Object = Group Name: You can select whether the object’s name should be a generated unique ID or the group’s name.
Note that 3D Studio works with names up to 10 characters. For names generated by Archicad the convention is the following:
•Chars 1 to 7: unique ID or clipped layer/surface name.
•Chars 8 to 9: used for a distinctive number to avoid identical names generated by clipping. Up to 100 variations of the same name are allowed this way.
•Char 10: used for slicing information. 3D Studio can handle up to 65,536 polygons by object. If an object has multiple polygons, Archicad will split the object into several objects and put the segment number into Char 10.
You can save 3D models of your projects in the FACT format for ElectricImage Animation System (EIAS), a photorealistic rendering/animation system.
The document you save will include the following information:
•3D model geometry: All surfaces. (No edges in the FACT format.)
•Surfaces: All surfaces used in the project, including the name and characteristics.
•Light sources: Both the sun and the additional light sources are included.
•3D projection: The current perspective settings are included.
With the 3D window in front, choose File > Save as, or Document > Creative Imaging > Create Fly-Through. The Save 3D FACT Document dialog box will appear:
•Grouping hierarchy according to Archicad Layers: Click this button to create groups in the FACT file for each Archicad layer.
•Grouping hierarchy according to Archicad Elements: Click this button to create a group in the FACT file for each Archicad construction element. Do NOT use this grouping option for large models. EIAS is not very efficient when working with a large number of groups.
•Grouping hierarchy according to Archicad Surfaces: Click this button to create groups in the FACT file for each Archicad surface.
•Color Blend, Super Sample, Self Shadowing: Of the numerous FACT group attributes, these three can be controlled from within Archicad. To learn more about these and other group attributes, see the EIAS documentation.
•Output Format: You can choose to save your file in either ElectricImage 2.1 or 2.9 format.
•Set Drawing Unit to: In this field, you can define the distance in the Archicad project that will be translated into a drawing unit in ElectricImage. As Archicad works with metric data internally, setting the drawing unit to 1 meter (=1000 mm) will result in a 1:1 model after the conversion.
Note: You do not need to use the Transporter application required for previous versions. Archicad automatically transforms the coordinate system to match the EIAS specification.
You can save 3D models of your projects in the VRML format. VRML is an acronym for the Virtual Reality Modeling Language. Using VRML you can build your own three-dimensional virtual worlds and link them together on the World Wide Web. To view VRML worlds, you need a VRML helper application (or plug-in) called VRML browser. Check both your HTML and VRML browsers manual to see how to configure them.
The document you save will include the following information:
•3D model geometry: All surfaces as IndexedFaceSet elements including surface attributes.
•Surfaces: All surfaces used in the project. Texture data is included; texture coordinates will be computed by the VRML browser. Check your browser manual to see what texture image file formats it supports.
•Light sources: Additional light sources are included. If no additional lights are placed you have to use your VRML browser’s default headlight.
•3D projection/Animation path: The current perspective settings are included.
Set up a 3D view and with the 3D window at the front, choose Save as from the File menu and choose the VRML format, or place any number of cameras on the Floor Plan and choose Create Fly-Through and set the Result to VRML File, then click Save. The Save VRML 3D Document dialog box will appear:
•Copy textures to destination folder: Check this box to export the surface textures used by the Archicad model.
•Write vertex normals: Check this box to export normal vectors.
With these options active, you can export a sophisticated and complex model. If the viewer application does not display the model correctly, try exporting again with one or more checkboxes inactive.
You can save 3D models of your projects in the native file format of Lightscape, a visualization system for generating lighting simulations of three-dimensional models using a radiosity algorithm.
The document you save will include the following information:
•3D model geometry: All surfaces.
•Surfaces: All surfaces used in the project, including the name and characteristics.
•Textures: Exported surfaces will refer to the appropriate texture according to the current settings of the surface dialog. Texture images are not included in the output file: however, the path of the first texture file is included. If all the image files are collected into a single Archicad library folder, the visualization system will automatically locate them. Otherwise, you will have to collect and copy these image files into the appropriate folder of the visualization system.
Note: Use DOS filename conventions for naming texture image files when working with Lightscape. Before saving the Lightscape model, open the Surfaces dialog box, check the image names and make the necessary changes.
•Light sources: All light sources used in the project, except the sun. Shadow casting information is also exported according to the current settings of the PhotoRendering effects dialog box.
•Projection information: 3D projection data exported as the default view in Lightscape. Only perspective views can be used. If you choose an axonometric view, the saving process will report an error.
Set up a 3D perspective view in Archicad, generate the view, then choose File > Save as. In the list, choose the Lightscape document format, and click the Save button. The Save as 3D Lightscape Object dialog box appears:
•Construct Lightscape objects according to Layers: Click this radio button to create groups for each Archicad layer in the Lightscape file.
•Surfaces: Click this radio button to create groups for each Archicad surface in the Lightscape file.
Decompose elongated triangles: Check this box if you want to decompose elongated triangles into smaller triangles. This will generate a more detailed mesh, which is useful for Lightscape‘s radiosity algorithm.
Note that in the case of very large scenes, it may excessively increase the number of polygons (and the file size).
U3D File (Windows Only)
See 3D Content in PDF.
From the 3D window, use File > Save as to save the Archicad model in .skp format.
In the appearing Sketchup Export Options dialog box:
•Check which elements and layers to export; use these options to optimize the size of the exported model
•Choose the particular Sketchup format you want to save to.
The resulting SketchUp file’s global location coordinates will correspond to Archicad’s project location coordinates.
The pin in the SketchUp file (the location reference point) corresponds to the Archicad project origin.
See also SketchUp: Export and Import Limitations.
There are two ways to save an Archicad model to Google Earth:
1.Use File > Interoperability > Send Model to Google Earth.
The model is saved as a .kmz file and opened in Google Earth in one step. You must have Google Earth 4 or newer installed on the computer.
Note on Altitude: Use “Set Altitude as” options in the 3D Model Export Options in Google Options to determine how your Archicad model will be placed into Google Earth.
2.From the 3D window, use File > Save as to save the Archicad model in .kmz format.
In the Save as dialog box, click Options to see export options specific to .kmz format:
•Choose whether to export the active Archicad camera as the ‘look at viewpoint’ in the kmz file.
•Set altitude using one of two methods: Absolute Altitude (above sea level) or Clamped to Ground. “Absolute” means that your model will be placed at its exact altitude, as defined in Archicad. “Clamped to ground” means that your model will be placed on the ground at the defined location (similar to Archicad’s “Gravity” function).
See also Google Earth: Export and Import Limitations.
Use the File > Save as dialog to save an Archicad model to STL format.
STL files only carry the surface geometry of a 3D model without any additional information such as color, surface etc. It contains the surface divided into triangles.
The format is usually used for rapid prototyping, 3D printing, and computer-aided manufacturing.
1.Open 3D window with only those elements visible that you wish to export.
2.Go to File > Save as
3.Select Stereolithograpy File as file type
4.Browse for the destination folder
5.Enter the file name
6.Click Save
7.In the Save 3D as STL dialog, choose from Binary or ASCII representation.
–ASCII STL
An ASCII STL file lists the triangles with the coordinates of their nodes in a readable format for any text editor application.
–Binary STL
In a Binary STL file the data is compressed but only readable for the appropriate STL application/machine.
Binary representation is more commonly used due to its smaller file size.
More about STL format: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STL_(file_format)
For information about opening or merging an STL file to Archicad, see Stereolithography (.stl).
Limitations
1.Archicad does not check the exported STL file for errors, e.g. in terms of solidity. These are usually done by the 3D printer.
2.STL file does not store the scale and unit of the model, these have to be set in the viewer/printer. Archicad always exports 1 m as 1 STL unit.
Twinmotion
Save the Archicad model to Twinmotion, using the Save As… Twinmotion (.tma) command from the 3D window.
Artlantis
Export the 3D model to Artlantis version 2020 or later (*.atl).
See Export to Artlantis.