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AEC

Get a Google Object (ArchiCAD Insights Tutorial)

30 Jun, 2007 By: Angi Izzi

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How to insert a Google Warehouse Object into ArchiCAD 11.

Graphisoft recently announced bidirectional connectivity between ArchiCAD 11 and both Google Earth and the Google 3D Warehouse. Users can now download 3D models from building product manufacturers to use in their projects, plus they can publish their designs for the world to experience via Google Earth. The installer is available for download from the Graphisoft Web site.

ArchiCAD's Google Earth Connections tool enables seamless communication between ArchiCAD and both Google Earth and the Google 3D Warehouse, offering bidirectional data communication with the programs in an integrated solution.

Google 3D Warehouse is a Web site that lets users search, store and share 3D models. The models in the 3D Warehouse include everything for the 3D world: buildings, houses, bridges, statues, sculptures, furniture, cars, people, pets and much more.

Get Started
Under the File menu in ArchiCAD, choose Google Earth Connections/Import Model from 3D Warehouse as shown below.

Google Warehouse stores many buildings and objects already created in Google SketchUp. You can easily import these into the ArchiCAD environment. Below you see a variety of object types available for download. Be careful when using these objects because they include a lot of polygons, so your project size will increase the more you add.

When choosing elements, you may want to choose elements that are created for Sweets 3D or Building Products, as shown below. These are updated often, so you should check back frequently for new content.

After you've chosen the element in the Google Warehouse that you want to apply to your project, choose Get Model, as shown below.

The user selects the object in Google Warehouse browser window and chooses the "download model" link. ArchiCAD automatically converts the element to GDL object and asks for an anchor point.

The user defines the anchor point on the floor plan by clicking somewhere on the floor plan. ArchiCAD places the three dimensional GDL object in the given location and adds it to the active object library. The user can check the object geometry in the 3D window.