Archicad 28 Publisher guide: Preparing PDF, DWG and IFC exports

In Archicad 28, Publisher is the publishing workspace for exporting views and layouts using selected methods and file formats. According to Graphisoft’s Archicad 28 help documentation, Publisher sets are stored with the project and can be edited and published again later. This guide covers the basic steps, from creating an output set to delivering PDF, DWG, IFC and BIMx files.

1. Create a Publisher set and select its contents

1. To open Publisher, select the Publisher Map in Navigator or Organizer, or use the Document > Publish command. This opens Organizer in Publisher mode.

2. In the set list, click New Publisher Set to create a set.

3. In the left pane of Organizer, select a view from the View Map or a layout from the Layout Book. Drag the item into the Publisher set, or use the Add Shortcut command.

4. Note that items in the set are shortcuts pointing to the source view or layout. The selected Publisher item inherits its properties from the source item, and those properties can’t be edited in Publisher.

How you add a Layout Subset matters. When you add a subset with Add Shortcut, a corresponding folder is created in Publisher, and changes to the source subset are reflected in that folder automatically. A folder added by dragging and dropping is not a clone; changes made to the source are not automatically reflected. Choose the method based on whether the set structure needs to stay up to date.

2. Choose a publishing method and folder structure

Use the Publishing Properties button or the relevant drop-down menu to select one of three publishing methods for the set: Print/Plot, upload a BIMx Hyper-model, or save files. Print/Plot may open dialog boxes for page layout and print settings. The BIMx Hyper-model method creates a Hyper-model for review and collaboration in the mobile app, desktop viewer and web viewer.

With the save files option, you can send outputs to a local folder or BIMcloud. The single-file option is available for PDF and BIMx Hyper-model. You can also save files in a hierarchical or flat folder structure; enter a destination path or use Browse to choose a location. Decide on the folder structure in advance, taking into account how the receiving team will need to find the files.

If you’ve configured the publishing settings but don’t want to start publishing yet, you can close the palette without clicking Publish. According to Graphisoft’s documentation, Publisher settings are saved with the project, so you can reopen the set and publish it later.

3. Choose the right file format for each item

The output format for Publisher items is set on the Format tab. Available formats may vary depending on the type of view being published; 3D models, 2D schedules and layouts may not all have the same options. Depending on the selected format, you may need to choose a translator or configure additional settings under Options.

PDF format includes Document Options and Page Options pages. For DWG or DXF, choosing a DXF-DWG Translator helps control the published content. IFC export content is also defined using an IFC Translator; the Translators button provides information about translator content.

The Merge to one DWG file option appears if all items in a folder are Layouts and the entire folder is set to DWG format. The resulting file contains as many Paper Spaces as there are Layouts in the Publisher set, allowing the contents of a Layout Book to be combined in a single DWG file. Before using the merge option, confirm that the folder contains only Layouts and that its format is set to DWG.

4. Import PDF markups with Bluebeam

The Bluebeam Connection workflow involves publishing 2D views or layouts as PDFs, marking them up in Bluebeam Revu, then importing those markups into Archicad. Imported Issues appear in their corresponding locations on the source 2D view or Layout. This connection is not available in Archicad 28 Solo. The documentation states that it is compatible with Archicad 21 and later and any version of Bluebeam Revu; download conditions for the add-on may vary by language version.

1. Prepare the Publisher set for Bluebeam as a PDF. The publish button won’t be enabled if not all items in the set are PDFs.

2. Select the PDF marked up in Revu using the Import Issues command in Archicad, and set the file type to PDF.

3. In the import options, start a new Issue sequence or, if one is open, create a reply to the selected Issue. You can also specify how fills, line types, fonts and layers are handled.

4. Use the filters to skip duplicate, modified or unrecognized Issues. When the import is complete, open the report to review a summary of the Issues added.

What changes for architecture and visualization workflows?

Architecture and interior design teams can use Publisher sets to organize views and layouts from the same project in advance for different delivery formats. PDF may suit layout delivery, DWG/DXF CAD-based exchanges, IFC sharing BIM data, and SAF transferring a structural analytical model. Which formats are available depends on the item being published. PMK may also be worth considering for projects split across multiple files.

The Archicad 28 documentation doesn’t specify hardware requirements or performance gains. So when choosing a format, prioritize the recipient’s requirements, translator settings and the accuracy of the set structure. Teams using Bluebeam should check version and add-on compatibility, and review how layers, fills and line types imported from PDF are converted for the project.

Common mistakes

• Leaving some items in the set as formats other than PDF: For the Bluebeam workflow, make sure every item in the set is a PDF.

• Adding a subset using the wrong method: If you need automatic updates, add the Layout Subset with Add Shortcut rather than dragging and dropping it.

• Skipping translator settings: For DWG/DXF and IFC exports, the translator is part of controlling the published content.

• Overlooking the DWG merge requirements: The option appears when all items in the folder are Layouts and the folder is set to DWG.