Description
GDL Toolbox is an ArchiCAD Add-On application, which enables
ArchiCAD Users to have access to the geometrical options offered by GDL
programming without any previous knowledge of GDL or programming, based exclusively on their knowledge of ArchiCAD and geometry.
GDL Toolbox provides solutions for two main tasks:
1. It supplements the Architectural tools of ArchiCAD with intelligent 2D/ 3D geometrical elements;
2. It allows the ArchiCAD Users smart and interactive generating and editing of most sophisticated GDL objects on the well-known editing environment of ArchiCAD.
Relationship between ArchiCAD and GDL Toolbox
GDL Toolbox is based on ArchiCAD 6.5, through the ArchiCAD API
(Application Programming Interface). The software operates only together with ArchiCAD, using its workspace user interface and interactions. Having the soft-
ware installed, a new menu item appears through which operational commands
of the program can be reached. The basic geometrical functions of the program can be reached through a Toolbox Œ similarly to the one in ArchiCAD.
The user applies one of the two Toolboxes depending on drawing geometrical elements or ArchiCAD elements. The palette of GDL Toolbox canbe turned on or switched off similar to ArchiCAD™s Toolbox or palettes.
Geometrical elements generated with the program can be used even if GDL Toolbox is not installed on the current computer. In this case elements can be used, but cannot be modified.
While the design and development process of GDL Toolbox we were striving to achieve that GDL Toolbox should fit well into the ArchiCAD environment within the limits set by API.
Although elements generated with the GDL Toolbox are physically standard Object-type library parts,Œ due to its own data structure Œ GDL Toolbox treats them as independent intelligent elements.
A smart collaboration and data transfer has been established between GDL Toolbox and ArchiCAD tools. The different elements may be converted into
each other very easily.
For example circles/arcs or fill elements drawn with ArchiCAD tools can be simply converted into GDL Toolbox 3D elements.
Object type library parts saved from GDL Toolbox can freely be used in any ArchiCAD project. However later they can only be edited or modified using GDL Toolbox.