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NordicTools- using the add-on at the office

NORDICTOOLS IS THE ARCHICAD ADD-ON THAT MAKES THE WORK OF NORDIC ARCHICAD USERS EASIER BY PROVIDING MARKET-SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS THAT COMPLEMENT ARCHICAD WORKFLOWS. BUT HOW SHOULD IT BEST BE USED IN YOUR OFFICE? IN THIS GUIDE, WE'LL TELL YOU OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR USING THE ADD-ON FEATURES, AND AT THE END OF THE ARTICLE, YOU'LL FIND INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING INDIVIDUAL FUNCTIONS, THE TEMPLATE(S) AND THE OBJECT LIBARY.

NordicTools

NordicTools installation

First, download the plugin for your Archicad version, no license is required for installation.

Then run the installer.

Installed files

The plugin installs:

  • Into the Archicad Add-Ons folder (under the Archicad <version> folder):
    • In a 'NordicTools' subfolder
      • NordicTools.apx, .gdx and .bundle (MacOs) add-on files
      • into the 'Sample files' subfolder the Space programming sample Excel file
      • into the 'NordicTools Library' subfolder the extension's object library
    • NordicTools Add-On uninstall.exe and .dat (Windows) or .app (MacOs( files that will be used if the plugin is removed. 
  • In the Defaults\Archicad folder, the template files (.tpl)
  • In the Defaults\DXF-DWG- Translators folder the additional DWG-translators (.xml) that exist for your language version

                  The contents of these folders are usually automatically available up in Archicad, i.e. the addon and libraries are loaded, and the templates and translator setting are made available.

                  Open the addon

                  The NordicTools help window can be found in the BIMTools menu after installation. The NordicTools help window opens from the menu, where you can find other functions

                  Installing on all computers at the office

                  All users should have NordicTools installed in the office, so they have access to the libraries, templates and functions.

                  In a large office, it is not necessary to perform the installation with an installer, these files can also be directly copied to the corresponding directory paths – whichever is most useful for the administration at the office.

                  Further, it is not mandatory to install the NordicTools plugin on all workstations if the functions of the plugin are not needed by all users. Only the content of the object library is such that it must be available to all users, just like the shared libraries in general. However, in a teamwork environment, it is usually most practical to upload the NordicTools libraries onto the BIMcloud server as a library. In this case, the BIMcloud Library will take precedence, and the library will no longer be automatically added to the project from the Archicad Add-Ons folder.

                  NordicTools' free and license-required features

                  The functionality of the addon falls into two categories – free functionalities and the object library are available to all users without registration or license. Paid features require a license – if your office does not yet have a license, inquire here.

                  • NordicTools functions that are free of charge and operate without a license are identified be with the Unlocked lock symbol
                  • Functions that require a license are identified with the Locked Lock symbol

                  License management

                  To enter the license, open the NordicTools palette and press the License Information button. Enter your license code in the License number field. (If the company does not have a license code, you must first obtain a license – inquire here)

                  Reserving a license

                  Once the license code has been entered in the License Information help window, the license entitlement will be checked in the Licensespring license service.

                  Usually the licenses are so-called company-specific floating license, i.e. the licenses available to the company 'float' in the license service for all users of the company to be reserved with the same code (one license is then tied to one user). In exceptional situations, company licenses can also be designated as personal with their own license codes.

                  Releasing a license

                  Opening Archicad reserves a license, and closing Archicad release it.
                  By pressing the Disable button in the License Information window, the license is released to the company's license pool for other users., without closing Archicad

                  Features of Nordictools