After longer than I would have preferred, the Shoegnome Open Template v28 for Archicad 28 is ready. If you want to jump right to the download link, click here.
The biggest change between Archicad 27 and Archicad 28 is the switch to Global Libraries. If you’re not family, GRAPHISOFT revised the way libraries worked so now every localization of Archicad has access to (and comes with) all the various libraries (almost, more on that below). While this is great news for future Archicad users, it’s an anxiety inducing nightmare for those of us updating templates from Archicad 27 to 28. For reasons not worth going into in this blog post, the switch is not one to one. Using the Favorite Converter Tool add-on, most Favorites convert, though not perfectly. Some settings need updating—MVO settings get messed up on a lot of Favorites—and some settings disappear: a genius at GRAPHISOFT decided to depreciate the extremely useful hide in 3D option for many Objects. As a result of the loss of the hide in 3D option, I quickly scripted a smoke/carbon monoxide detector that looks good in 3D, has a hide in 3D option, and can be rotated in 3D (one more reason to download my template). And since I was already remembering GDL, I also finally made a bathroom accessories object (currently with the options for towel ring and toilet paper holder).
Some Favorites need to be rebuilt from scratch and then there are Doors and Windows. Doors and windows all need to be rebuilt (at least for us USA Library users). And since we now have access to all the libraries and have to rebuild anyways, the question becomes: stick with the USA doors and windows or jump to the INT doors and windows. As is no surprise the INT doors and windows are better in almost every, but NOT every way. Going off the assumption that the USA doors and windows will be ignored by GRAPHISOFT and future improvements will only go to the INT doors and windows, I am making the switch. Overall I think I’m going to be happy. For any GRAPHISOFT employees reading this, here’s what I want to see in future improvements to the INT doors and windows so that there’s nothing I miss about the USA doors and windows:
- USA can do exterior and/or interior handles (closet sliding doors don’t need handles on interior). INT doors have handles on both sides of leaf or neither.
- USA door leafs can extend behind the door frame. INT door leafs always push in front of the door frame. My bookcase door leaf works beautifully with the USA doors, but with the INT doors, I either need to hide the frame or have the frame as thick as the bookcase door. Both are bad options.
- INT windows can have a board or casing at the interior bottom of the window. It needs to be able to have both. USA windows can have an interior apron and stool.
- INT Overhead Garage Door doesn’t have a casing option. Every other garage door (in the INT and USA libraries) do. This should be fixed.
- INT Sliding Folding Multipanel door doesn’t have a threshold option, it should.
- INT windows and door trim doesn’t work with Create Opening from Selection, meaning a window or door won’t cut siding or tile that its trim intersects with. This is horrible and shameful. And I’m shocked other Archicad users have been living with this failure for years. We need this fixed. The video below talks about the issue and the workaround I discovered.
I’ve collected all these items into a Wishlist post over on the Graphisoft Community Page. Please like it. We need all these items integrated into the INT doors and windows.
The only Library you might need to download and add to my template is the Archicad Legacy Objects USA.lcf. In their infinite wisdom, GRAPHISOFT decided that these library parts weren’t necessary. Of course they are necessary, but instead of adding them as part of the Global Libraries, they need to be added separately and are only included in the USA localization of Archicad. You can get the LCF here.
Usually I do a big list of changes to the template, but because of the Library change, we all need to make big overhauls to our templates. I’d recommend if you are using a customized version of my template, download my Archicad 28 template and re-add your customizations. I promise that will be the easiest and least frustrating solution. Alternatively, swap your Libraries (see my template for which to add), add all the Objects from my embedded Library (including the new ones), import my Favorites, overwriting all your Favorites, update your MVOs (or copy mine), then check out my Keynotes and Design Options. And probably do some other things I can’t remember… The switch from the old libraries to the new Global Libraries will suck—as will rebuilding your template—, and honestly there’s not much benefit on day one of the new Global Libraries (other than maybe the benefits of the INT windows/doors over the USA windows/doors), but long term it’ll be worth it and make future updates much easier. Allegedly.
Okay. Last thing before the download links. Here’s a video I did on my new template. It covers Favorites, Libraries, Design Options, and Keynotes. I’m not using Keynotes “properly”, but I’m finding them super useful.
DOWNLOAD THE TEMPLATE!
Ready to download the template? Click the big support button or go to the template page. As always the template is free; clicking the PayPal support button (below or on the template page) is optional. Every time PayPal sends me an email notification that someone clicked the support button—whether it’s for $2 or $200—it brightens my day. If you support my template with a contribution of $100 or more and send me an email with your address, I’ll ship you an 8 oz tumbler as a thank you. The PayPal button below will take you to the Shoegnome Open Template v28.
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If you aren’t using the current version of Archicad, you can download older versions of my template. If you use my template, I highly recommend you use my Work Environment as well. The two work together well and the Work Environment is designed to reinforce the best practices of the template. You can download my Work Environment here.
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2 thoughts on “Shoegnome Open Template v28 for Archicad 28”
It’s outrageously ridiculous how long many commonly used library objects, like doors and windows, have existed with major errors and/or omissions through so many iterations!
Agreed. I really hope the switch to Global Libraries means we start seeing regular fixes and updates to Library parts. I will be skeptical until I see it though.