Archicad 29 Hotlink Modules: A Guide to Managing Repeating Spaces

Graphisoft’s Archicad 29 help documentation describes Hotlink modules as a way to add content from external files to the open project while keeping it linked to its source. This guide brings together the steps for creating sources, configuring placement, updating modules, and breaking links for teams using the feature in architecture, interior design, and visualization workflows.

PLN and MOD project files, as well as 2DL, IFC, Rhino 3DM, and RVT files, can be used as Hotlink sources. A Teamwork project on BIMcloud is also an option; according to the documentation, it must be in the same Archicad version as the host file.

1. Prepare the repeating structure in the source file

If the same room, office unit, or other building component will be used multiple times in a project, organizing it in a separate source file helps manage changes centrally. Edits made to the source can be carried through to placements in the host project when its Hotlinks are updated. The same module can also be used in other projects.

As long as the link is active, elements inside a Hotlink cannot be edited individually in the host project; the module is treated as a whole. For this reason, prepare shared content carefully in the source file and manage its placements in the host project accordingly.

Check library parts in advance for Archicad-based modules, too. Libraries linked to the source file are not automatically added to the host project when you place a Hotlink. Use the same libraries in both projects, or add the libraries used by the source to the host project. Embedded library parts from the source may be found in the host file’s Library Manager, in the automatically created Hotlinks folder. The documentation recommends not placing objects in this folder in the project independently of the module; they may also be removed from the library when the Hotlink is deleted.

2. Choose placement settings to suit your needs

When placing a module, Hotlink Settings options let you configure its layer, orientation, ID, and design options. Different placements of the same source module can use different settings. Master Layer is a regular layer in the host project that controls the visibility or locking of the entire Hotlink. Elements within the module retain their own layer assignments. Using similar layer structures in the source and host projects helps layers map as expected.

1. Set the scope of nested modules. If a Hotlink contains other Hotlinks, select Skip Nested Modules in the Module panel of Hotlink Settings to exclude them from the selected placement. This setting applies only to that placement. To include or skip nested modules in all placements of a module, use the Nested Modules options in Hotlink Module Manager.

2. Set the ID and orientation. An optional Master ID can be added to the Element ID information of elements in the module. For example, an ID used as a room number can help distinguish elements belonging to the same module in the host project. The Orientation field places the module at an angle relative to its source orientation; the checkbox next to it provides a mirroring option.

3. Check design options and stories. You can select which of the source file’s Design Options to place, and use different options for each Hotlink placement. If the module has more stories than the host project, module stories without a corresponding story in the host project may not be visible. You may need to add stories to the host project to make the required stories visible.

3. Map story heights and vertical position

When the source file’s story structure differs from that of the host project, the options in Hotlink Settings under Elements Settings are key. Adjust Elevation to Story Structure of Host Project can change element elevations to match the story levels in the host project. This setting follows differences between story levels, but may cause elements to shift vertically. Keep Elevation as in Story Structure of Source File preserves the elements’ vertical positions from the source file relative to the placement point.

Graphisoft specifically recommends using Keep Elevation when adding IFC files as Hotlinks. Using the other option in a host project with a different story structure may cause imported model elements to become misaligned. Check the stories and model integrity after placing an IFC file.

If you prefer to match the host project’s story structure, the Adjust Height to Story Structure of Host Project option for Top Linked Elements can extend or shorten the height of top-linked elements to suit the host project. To preserve source heights, use Keep Height as in Hotlink Source Story Structure. Selecting Relink all Doors/Windows to Wall Base removes the story link from door and window sill or head elevations and links them to the wall base in the host project. If the option is not selected, the sills and heads remain linked to stories in the host project.

4. Check source status and update the module

Open Hotlink Module Manager from File > External Content > Hotlink Module Manager. Here you can view the selected module’s source file, the number of placements, and linked stories. An OK status in the source list means the file is up to date; Modified means the source has changed and the Hotlinks in the host project need to be updated.

1. Select a source marked Modified. Use the Update command to update placements from that source. After the update, you can open the Model Compare window with Update, then Compare to review the changes.

2. Relink a source marked Missing. If the source file cannot be found, use Relink to specify its new location. The module cannot be updated while its source remains Missing. This works for top-level Hotlink sources; if the missing link is in a nested module, fix it in the file that contains it. Not Accessible is a separate status: the documentation describes it as being unable to access an older Teamwork project on BIMcloud using a Demo version or a non-Teamwork network key.

3. Pay attention to warnings before proceeding. If the new source has a different story structure, a warning may indicate that some dimensions and labels could be lost. Relink also clears the project’s Undo queue.

5. When should you break the link for visualization?

If you need to edit elements inside a Hotlink individually, you can use Break Link in Hotlink Module Manager on a copy of the project. This embeds the module elements in the host project; the elements become grouped and editable, but the connection to the source file ends. Graphisoft’s documentation gives the example of using this approach in a project copy for visualization, to access elements individually and use Surface Painter.

Break Link does not work on Hotlinks on locked layers or on nested modules. Therefore, rather than breaking the link in the main file where the shared source still needs to be updated, working in a separate copy is a more controlled approach.

Impact on architecture, interior design, and archviz workflows

Keeping repeating room and office layouts in a source file provides a workflow for carrying the same change through to multiple placements. This approach is especially useful for teams managing shared space components. However, access to the source file, library compatibility, and story mapping should be checked regularly. If individual elements need to be modified during visualization, remember that breaking the link ends the ability to update them from the source.

Common mistakes

• Assuming a module will update automatically when the source file is moved: if its status is Missing, you must first use Relink.

• Not checking vertical positioning when adding an IFC Hotlink with a different story structure: Graphisoft recommends using Keep Elevation.

• Forgetting to add the source’s linked libraries to the host project: this content is not transferred automatically with the Hotlink.

• Treating Break Link as a routine update: after the link is broken, the module is no longer updated in sync with the source file.