Knowledgebase
Hardware recommendations
We’re often asked which Apple Hardware we recommend for Architects – so here is our shortlist… INFO > Apple has discontinued the ageing (yet powerful) intel based 27-inch iMac – at this stage it is unlikely they will bring this model back into their line-up. The new M1 24-inch iMac is not considered here, as […]
Daniel
Adjust LAN IP Address Range
For a successful remote server connection via VPN, your home internet router must use a different IP address range to your office network setup.For example, if the office router IP address is 192.168.0.1, your home router IP address cannot be 192.168.0.x To check please do the following: Step 1 When connected to your home internet, […]
Daniel
VMware Fusion missing .vmx repair
If for some reason you can not start a virtual machine in VMware Fusion and it instead throws the following error message about a missing .vmx file at you, here is what you can try to get it going again. Open VMware FUSION, then go to File > New and in the opening window click […]
Daniel
Password Security
To avoid major pains with hacked user accounts, ensure you do the following: A. use a password manager to create ‘memorable’ passwords, e.g. a sequence of words, some upper and some lower case, separated by hashtags and with all letter ‘E’ changed to 3… could have an entropy of 110bits, typically anything above 50 is safe […]
Daniel
Oculus Quest in Architecture (on macOS)
Finally we have found some VR hardware that we think is suited to architectural offices – the Oculus Quest. You might rightfully wonder why we have been waiting for so long to jump onto the VR train? It is simple really, we have seen a many expensive VR systems come and go and were not […]
Daniel
Adobe Acrobat optimisation
If you find either Adobe Acrobat Reader or the full Adobe Acrobat DC version to be terribly slow adjust the following settings to improve performance: Step 1 Preferences > General > untick ‘Make Hand tool read articles’ – and whilst you are at it, untick most other items… Step 2 Preferences > Page Display > […]
Daniel
Smart Custom Trees
If you are already using our Smart Tree object for Archicad, you can create your own custom Trees, via the following process. CAUTION > You must only use the Fill and 2D line tools (i.e. not the spline, arc or circle tools) for the below to work properly. A. Plan View On a new worksheet […]
Daniel
Apple vs PC Hardware Cost comparison
As Apple’s lineup recently has changed significantly we thought we check, how the new ‘Macs’ compare to PC hardware… INFO > As Apple Silicon is highly optimised, RAM capacity is not easily comparable, i.e. 32GB of RAM with a M1 type processor should provide better overall performance as the same amount RAM with an Intel […]
Daniel
Twinmotion ‘missing image file’ solution
Problem: “missing image file” when opening a Twinmotion project file on another computer; Solution: Use “Resource collector” feature on the computer before saving your project file; With project opened, go to Twinmotion menu bar > Edit > Resource collector; Select destination path – ideally a folder on your regular file server; You will end up […]
Daniel
Synology file server access problems on macOS 14 – Sonoma
It seems that macOS 14 (up to at least macOS 14.5) – Sonoma, has a bug preventing users from accessing Synology file servers. It seems this is caused by a malformed Keychain entry, created when your password changes or is entered incorrectly. Hot to fix this – temporarily… disconnect from WiFi and connect via […]
Daniel
Signing Into Microsoft For The First Time
Due to the unfortunate rise in identity theft, Microsoft is continuously beefing up the ID creation process. Consequently, this presents more and more hurdles for the user to navigate, especially if you are unfamiliar with the interface. Hopefully this step by step guide will help. Setup Initial Login This is critical. Without logging in for […]
Kevin
Identifying malicious email
ADVICE UPDATE 22/06/2020 > updated with best cybersecurity practices. Best practice approach to cybersecurity Since any defence mechanism is only as strong as its weakest link (typically the human involved), we recommend everyone to follow the below principles: DO NOT click on links or download attachments from people:– you DO NOT knowand/or– you are NOT currently […]
Daniel
Wall Schedule Label
Overview Over the years through ArchiCAD’s development, there have been a number of solutions for the production of wall schedules. In the earlier stages of CAD software, wall schedules were typically created manually, requiring meticulous attention to detail and extensive time investment. ArchiCAD introduced a paradigm shift by enabling architects to generate dynamic and data-rich wall […]
Andrew Kim
Activating and Licensing Microsoft Apps
In order to edit and save .docx and .xlsx files, you will need to licence your Microsoft apps. After signing into Microsoft for the first time, you are now ready to do this. Fortunately, you only need to do this on 1 app and all others will be licensed. Sign-in To Your Microsoft Apps Open […]
Kevin
Restart your Mac properly
Why should I restart? To keep your Mac running at its best, a restart often helps to set things straight. If your Mac is managed by an IT admin, e.g. via jamf, Mosyle or our own RADAR service, it is crucial to restart your Mac before you leave for the day, so the management system […]
Daniel
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