ArchiCad DWF Publishing Setup & Web Tools for Redlining & Project communication

This sounds like a "mouth full" but here I want to show you how simple and very powerful this underutilized workflow in ArchiCad actually is.

Document Index
I.  ArchiCad DWF Publishing Setup & Tools
II.  ArchiCad DWF Web Tools & communication
III. Importing Mark-up / Redlining info from DWF Web files into ArchiCad

ArchiCad to online web with DWF Reviewer for Redline / markup

In this document you will get a basic understanding of when & how to use the built in export function in ArchiCAD to generate .DWF files of your project. This set of exported documents can be used to share project info with clients, and project teams for info, collaboration and interaction. The receiver will not need any BIM or CAD software or relevant experience to view these documents and interact with them. They will only need a computer or device that has w web browser. Notes can be made on the documents, saved and sent back to the sender for implementation to the project as needed.

I.  ArchiCad DWF Publishing Setup & Tools

What is .DWF file format?

Design Web Format (DWF) is a secure file format developed by Autodesk for the efficient distribution and communication of rich design data to anyone who needs to view, review, or print design files. There are several Viewer applications available with varying features & tools. 

What is Project Reviewer?

Project Reviewer is a Java applet that lets you view DWF, JPG, GIF, and TXT files saved in ArchiCAD using the Project Publisher command. It also allows you to add Mark-up / Redline information to DWF files without having ArchiCAD installed on your computer. This Mark-up / Redline information can again be imported directly into your ArchiCAD Solo / Teamwork project in an instant.
(This is particularly amazing if you notice that these tools & workflow has been available to ArchiCAD users at least since Version 7!)

Note:  It is important to note that ArchiCAD can only save 2D Views of your project out to .DWG file format. This means you can save plans, sections, elevations, detail drawings, lists, schedules, layout (title block with saved views), rendered images of a 3D view and 3D Document to the .DWF format and therefore not a live 3D Model.

ArchiCad Navigator Setup of Saved Views, Layout Book and Publisher

Navigator Areas

Example: 3D Document

Above is an example of a typical 3D Document or detail.

“3D Documents” is a saved project view of the 3D window in ArchiCAD that has been available since ArchiCAD 12. These 3D views are "live” automatically updatable 3D Documents complete with dimensioning and annotation.

How do you save your ArchiCAD drawings to .DWF file format?

There are two ways to save the different views of your project to .DWF file format.

Method 1:
The first method is a simple “File/Save As” procedure from ArchiCAD’s “FILE Menu”.

• Open the chosen view (view types listed above) of your project from the “NAVIGATOR”.
• On the “FILE Menu” click “File/Save As”.
• Select the new file location from the “Save in” drop-down list.
• Choose the .DWF File format from then “Save as Type” drop-down list.

Select DWF file format

• Type / Edit the “File name” as required.
• Click on the “SAVE” button and you are done.

This procedure have now saved this specific view / drawing in your project to the .DWF file format and you can e-mail it to the waiting recipient for review / comment.

Method 2:
The second method is by using ArchiCAD’s “PUBLISHER”.
This method is a looks more tedious to set up, but it offers many benefits:

• Saving time on repetitive operations: You do the setup once only
• Changes is fast & easy: Changing one setting for the set, automatically applies the setting to all the drawings in the set
• You have exact and predictable outcomes: The resulting files produce the same results every time you publish a complete set or a selection of drawings from within the set, as it is controlled by the pre-setup.
• You have control over the publishing outcomes: Any person in the office that has just very basic knowledge of ArchiCAD can follow your instructions via phone / e-mail to open the correct file and publish a specific set or a selection of drawings from within the set, without you even being present.
• ArchiCAD’s publisher can include the “Project Review Web Environment”: This feature offers an easy to use, user interface with navigation-, red lining & communication tools that makes it easy for your client or project consultant to interact directly with your drawings without having ArchiCAD installed or the need to learn ArchiCAD.

How do you save your ArchiCAD drawings to .DWF file format using ArchiCAD’s Publisher?

• Click on the “Window” Menu (1), click “Pallets” (2) and click “Organizer” (3) on the dropdown list
• or  Click the “Dropdown Icon” (A) at the top right on the “Navigator” then click “Show Organizer” (B)

Show the ArchiCad Organizer

The “Organizer has two column windows:

• the Left window shows all source views & drawings
• the Right window shows all destination for views & drawings

Read More

                                                                  Read the rest below.

Building the list of drawings to be published in this “Publishing Set”:

1. Activate the “Publisher” icon in the top above the Right window
2. Create the desired folder structure to organize your documents into
3. You can now drag any Folder with Saved Views, Selected Saved Views, Lists and Layouts, etc. from the different Navigator areas in the Left window over to the destination folders inside the new “Publishing Set” in the Right window

Organizing the Layouts for export

 4.   Select all Saved Views, Lists & Layouts in the folders for this “Publishing Set” and change
       the “Format” setting in the drop-down list to .DWF.

Settings for this “Publishing Set”:

1. Click on the “Arrow” to the right of the “Publishing Set” drop-down selector (1) list to move the list below to one level up.
2. Select the relevant DWF “Publishing Set” (2) in the list and click on the “Publishing Properties”  button (3) below the list window.
3. Set the “Publishing Method” to Save files and browse to the destination folder to select the file path.
4. Activate the radio button for “Create a real folder structure” then activate the Tick to ““Project Review Web Environment” and click the “Options” button (4) to open the “Index” window.
5. Type the “Index” name in the text box and select the “Style Sheet” type of your choice
6. (when you do this for the first time, you can publish the same “Publishing Set” with each different style to choose the one you best prefer).

Publishing the ArchiCad Document set

   7.  Click on both “OK” buttons (5) of the settings screens to return to the “Organizer”.

Publishing the ArchiCad Document set

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II.  ArchiCad DWF Web Tools & communication

In this second phase of the workflow, your client or colleague can now access your published drawings and comment on or give their feedback about aspects of your design or specifications for the project.

The resulting .HTML file (DWF_Publish_Test.html) has a corresponding folder containing the project drawing data (DWF_Publish_Test) and the Project Reviewer data in a separate folder (Reviewer).
Project Reviewer is a Java applet that lets you view DWF, JPG, GIF, and TXT files saved in ArchiCAD using the Project Publisher command. It also allows you to add Mark-up / Redline information to DWF files.

This .HTML file can be opened in any web browser on any Operating System with a JAVA platform installed.

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About MultiCad
MultiCad Design Solutions CC. was founded at the end of 2010 by Francois Swanepoel as the local ArchiCad Solution Centre for the Western Cape Region, working with Graphisoft South Africa. Francois is an experienced ArchiCad user (2001) and a qualified Graphisoft Registered Consultant since ArchiCad 13 (2010). "MultiCad" also serves end users as an accredited Graphisoft Trainer & User Support Center in both the Western & Eastern Cape. "MultiCad" is a national Reseller in South Africa.

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