Tips and Tricks Edition 44: Creating a Company Library

ARCHICAD can import doors, windows, objects and surfaces from a variety of different sources online including other software formats.

With all the variety, keeping everything in one place and maintaining office library standards can be tricky. Even small changes to folder paths can result in missing objects (black dots).

Fortunately, in ARCHICAD, users have the ability to create their own Library Container Files (.LCF). An LCF is similar to a zip file, although it can only be read by ARCHICAD. Because an LCF file cannot be opened by an external application a user is prevented from accidentally deleting folders or objects, changing objects names or the folder structure.

The LCF file can be stored on the local machines or distributed via a network / BIM server Library (recommended).

In this Tip and Trick you will learn how to compile a set of folders and objects from the library into a LCF file.

The first step is to make sure the library is organised as desired with a folder structure that suits your needs, then we need to add it to an open instance of ARCHICAD.

From the menu bar click on File > Libraries and Objects > Library Manager.

Click on the Libraries in Project tab at the top of the dialog, then click Add.

Navigate to the location of the library on your computer, click on the folder to select it and then click Choose.

The library has now been loaded into ARCHICAD and should be visible in the Library Manager dialog. Click OK to proceed.

From the menu bar, click File > Libraries and Objects > Create Container.

This will open the Create Library Container dialog. Select your library from the list of active local libraries then click Create. 

You will now be provided with an option to save your .LCF file to a desired location. Click Save to proceed.

You have now saved the .LCF file to the chosen location. Click Close to exit the Create Library Container dialog.

To test your newly created .LCF file, open the Library Manager again. Click Add to load the .LCF from its saved location.

To prevent duplicates you can now also remove the old loaded library by selecting it and clicking the Remove Selected Library. Click OK to finish.