Architectural ArchiCAD exchange plug-in for CINEMA 4D adds functionality of transfering and synchronizing Your design from ArchiCAD to CINEMA 4D for further editing, rendering, animation. In other words- adding CINEMA 4D Architecture Edition functionality to CINEMA 4D.
I'm working on AC and C4D every day. MAXON proposes CINEMA 4D R10.5 Architecture Edition for the task of joining AC with C4D... but I already own full CINEMA 4D package! This is wrong. And I don't want to buy the standalone export/import plugin. Alternative- a free plug-in for everyone!
Requirements
ArchiCAD 9, 10, 11
CINEMA 4D R10.111, R10.5
Mac OS 10.4.11., 10.5. Intel / PPC
Installation
- Quit CINEMA 4D and ArchiCAD.
- Unzip AC-C4D.zip
- Copy the contents (there are two folders) of CINEMA 4D R10 plugin folder into CINEMA 4D Plugins folder
usually /Applications/MAXON/CINEMA 4D R10/plugins/ - In ArchiCAD plugin folder choose your AC version and architecture:
ArchiCAD 9 (PPC)
ArchiCAD 10 (PPC)
ArchiCAD 10 (Intel)
ArchiCAD 11 (PPC)
ArchiCAD 11 (Intel) - Copy the add-on file (either ArchiCad.bundle or C4DExporter) into ArchiCAD Add-Ons/Import-Export folder
usually /Applications/Graphisoft/ArchiCAD [9, 10, 11]/Add-Ons/Import-Export/
Open ArchiCAD project...
...in 3D window (perspective) mode.
File : Save As - Choose Cinema4D file format
The options given on export.
Opening in CINEMA 4D (or drag to dock icon).
Opened file. Material groups.
CINEMA 4D import preferences.
Usage
Export from ArchiCAD
In ArchiCAD open the project in 3D window perspective mode Window : 3D Window, then File : Save As and choose file type CINEMA 4D file.When proceeding an options window will be supplied. Elements can be grouped by materials or classes (Wall, Beam, Column, Slab, Roof, Mesh, Object, Window, Door, Lamp).
Further light source and camera export can be chosen as well as geometry scaling factor.
The file will be saved as .ac4d.
Opening the file in CINEMA 4D
Once CINEMA 4D is launched, you can open the “.ac4d” file exported from ArchiCAD with the normal Open command. When you save the file, the name is changed and is replaced by the standard “.c4d” extension. The file becomes independent from ArchiCAD, but still can be updated by any modifications made in ArchiCAD.Structure of the file
There could be different ArchiCAD files in one C4D file if they are imported separately using the Merge command.Each ArchiCAD file contains sub groups. One of them contains the stored camera(s), the second one contains the exported lights, and then one group for each material group.
It *is not* possible to find and access to the original ArchiCAD model geometry. All objects within the same material or class are grouped and *cannot* be ungrouped.
You can add new objects using CINEMA 4D’s modeling tools; these objects should be placed outside the ArchiCAD container if you want them to stay in place when you update the ArchiCAD part of the file.
*My note: it is possible to modify the original geometry, to do whatever you want; and cannot be ungrouped doesn't mean it cannot be ungrouped by other tools and ways that C4D supplies. A simple truth- You must master CINEMA 4D for working efficiently in this workflow and making the magic happen:) !
Updating an existing CINEMA 4D file
The process is similar to the exporting and importing processes described above. After you have worked on a file in CINEMA 4D - perhaps you have assigned materials and created animations - you have the original ArchiCAD model and a CINEMA 4D file.You can still modify the ArchiCAD model - both the geometry and the material assignment - by modifying the class/color assignment. If you want to transfer these changes to the existing C4D file, follow these steps:
- Export the ArchiCAD file in the .ac4d format again. (You can erase the old .ac4d file.)
- Open the old C4D file in CINEMA 4D.
- Choose Merge from the CINEMA 4D File menu.
- Select the new .ac4d file.
- A dialog will open and give you three options:
- Add Objects: The file will be added to the existing scene and a new ArchiCAD tag hierarchy will be added in the Object Manager.
- Update Folder: From a list, select the ArchiCAD tag hierarchy that should be updated.
- New Scene: The imported file will be opened in a new scene.
CINEMA 4D Preferences menu
The CINEMA 4D ArchiCAD import preferences are located in Edit : Preferences : Import / Export.Default Texture Projection
Use this setting to define how materials and textures should be projected onto objects upon import. These are the same projection types available for any Texture Tag and can be changed after import, if desired.Scale Factor
Use this setting to scale the imported geometry.The Material Exchanger plugin
To call this plugin in CINEMA 4D, choose Plugins : Material Exchanger.What does the plugin do?
Well, suppose you’ve exported a scene from your CAD package complete with various materials. You import the scene into CINEMA 4D. You then decide that you want to replace the materials with better quality CINEMA 4D materials - that’s exactly what this plugin does.
First you need a CINEMA 4D reference scene that contains all the new materials you want to use in place of the original materials. Note that these new materials must be named exactly the same as the original materials they are to replace.
When you call the plugin, you’ll be prompted to select this reference scene. After doing so, you can then choose to replace either all like-named materials or you can opt to replace specific materials only, in which case a dialog will appear, allowing you to choose exactly which materials will be replaced.
This text is taken from the manual CINEMA 4D AND ARCHICAD © Writers- Tamas Hinsenkamp (ArchiData), Oliver Becker, Layout- Oliver Becker, Luke Stacy, Translation- Oliver Becker. Full original can be found here.
Is this legal?
It is totally legal and this isn't a crack of any kind. Just enabling already existing functionality, which is hidden by MAXON. Look at the souce for the information.
MaxonForm R.I.P., NewFormOfMaxonForm welcome
MaxonForm Discontinued, March 28, 2008.
To ensure that creating free-form shapes continues to be possible for our users, we are releasing a free CINEMA 4D add-on that allows seamless data exchange between ArchiCAD 11 and CINEMA 4D R10–10.5.
This add-on has the same design workflow and interface that we developed for MaxonForm. The add-on is available immediately (..) as a free download.
The add-on can be downloaded here.
First thing to say - ArchiCAD exchange plug-in for CINEMA 4D does not conflict with this NewFormOfMaxonForm!
If You haven't used MaxonForm before then a question arises- what's the difference? NewFormOfMaxonForm is a tool to take an object(s) during modeling/design process within ArchiCAD, edit (unlimited times) it in CINEMA 4D (shape, nurb, melt, angle... You name it), make it all feel as a smooth workflow when switching between applications (it fails), add slices, material ID's, hotspots to object, bring it back (save as GDL) and even try to make it look correct in plans, sections etc. NewFormOfMaxonForm is for modeling, creating shapes that aren't possible using ArchiCAD's built in tools.
ArchiCAD exchange plug-in for CINEMA 4D is meant for exporting the whole scene (although You can use marquee tool, cut-planes, layers to export a specific part of the model), for editing*, rendering, animation. Editing is scene editing such as adding trees, interior/ exterior objects, topography, surroundings and so on. This plugin allows settings for scaling, grouping, materials (see screengrabs above).
Surely functionality overlaps- it is possible to select all model and push it through NewFormOfMaxonForm to CINEMA 4D to save it as C4D file... but that means loosing those export options.
Try both, stay with what suits Your needs.
Warranty
None.
Hope it will come in handy!
Regards,
kroko
ArchiCAD © 2008 - Graphisoft R&D Zrt.
CINEMA 4D © 1998-2008 MAXON Computer GmbH, MAXON Computer Inc., MAXON Computer Ltd
CINEMA 4D Architecture Edition © 1998-2008 MAXON Computer GmbH, MAXON Computer Inc., MAXON Computer Ltd
CINEMA 4D AND ARCHICAD © Writers- Tamas Hinsenkamp (ArchiData), Oliver Becker, Layout- Oliver Becker, Luke Stacy, Translation- Oliver Becker
This IS redistribution of material found in maxon.net. And?
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— steve · 17.07.2008. 12:40 · #
wow….only saw this now-have been looking for something similar for weeks!
this has a universal tag so i assume it works on windows?
— kroko · 23.07.2008. 01:32 · #
Haven’t tried this on windows.
Just download the source – a pdf explaining how I made this happen. Follow the instructions; when downloading the stuff mentioned there choose windows versions instead of osx. And obviously the locations You need to copy the files differs on windows -_~
Comment here if it works.
— Ebrahem · 12.09.2008. 11:39 · #
Hi
I was wondering if you were thinking of updating your pluging for Archicad 12. I’ve tried it on AC12 and it doesn’t seem to work.
Thanks, and bravo for your skills !
— kroko · 13.09.2008. 16:35 · #
When MAXON updates their original plugin to work with AC12 I’ll update also this if possible.
— dinnye · 15.06.2009. 21:46 · #
I write plugin archicad12 windows version. visit my site. I can’t compile the Macintosh version due to the lack of Mac, but if someone compiles it, I gladly put it on the site as well.
— expressionist · 06.01.2010. 12:59 · #
Thanks a lot!
really good add ons, you make me happy! )
