Compatible ArchiCAD versions
Summary by versions:
ARCHICAD 20: officially supported
ARCHICAD 19: officially supported, no major issues, few minor issues
ArchiCAD 18: officially supported, no major issues, few minor issues
ArchiCAD 17: officially supported, no major issues, few minor issues
ArchiCAD 16 and older: major issues, upgrade not recommended
Start Edition users can consult the ArchiCAD Start Edition article to see which edition of ArchiCAD is their Start Edition based on
Start Edition 2014: officially supported, few minor issues
ArchiCAD 18 Solo: INT, UKI, JPN versions officially supported with Update 5011. For the KOR version upgrade is currently not recommended, a compatibility Update package is planned to be released
ArchiCAD 17 Solo and older: major issues, upgrade not recommended
Supported versions:
GRAPHISOFT is maintaining compatibility for ArchiCAD 17 and 18 and connected products (BIMcloud, BIMx, BIM Server, BIM Server Manager) on OS X 10.10 Yosemite. Based on GRAPHISOFT’s first tests ArchiCAD 17 and 18 generally work well on 10.10 with some issues that are detailed in this article. BIMx desktop users should note, that BIMx cannot be run until the first compatibility update for ArchiCAD. The compatibility update for ArchiCAD 18 has been released.
Not supported versions:
ArchiCAD 13-16 version can run on Yosemite, though these were designed to work well with older versions of the operating system. As a result there is no technical support for operating system specific problems, like the ones explained in this article.
Incompatible versions:
ArchiCAD 12 and older versions cannot run on OS X 10.10 due to technical limitations. (The ArchiCAD 10 file converter package has been updated to work well with OS X 10.9+)
Upgrade checklist
Study this article for any known issues, difficulties
Back up all of your ArchiCAD / BIMcloud / BIM Server specific data before upgrading the operating system
Export all BIM Server Projects, Users, Roles in case these backups will be needed
Make sure that you have a copy (source folder) of all BIMcloud BIM Server libraries
Allow yourself enough time for the upgrade, do not upgrade the OS close to a deadline
Install all current operating system updates and ArchiCAD updates prior to the upgrade
Upload all Software keys to the License Pool
Return all borrowed licenses
Please upload the borrowed licences back to the pool before saving with Time Machine.
Upgrade the operating system
Install all updates for the new system
If migrating to a new computer please see Transferring data between computers with Apple’s Migration Assistant topic of this article below.
Startup issues
ArchiCAD license was not found error message appears after updating to OS X 10.10
ArchiCAD 18 and older versions may give “ArchiCAD license was not found” error message.
To address this problem you need to re-install the Wibu/CodeMeter driver.
Remove your USB key from the computer
Download the CodeMeter or Wibu key driver software from here
Once downloaded open the DMG file to view its contents
If you have a sliver CodeMeter key, right-click on CmUninstall.app and click Open. Then click “Remove” and wait for the “Successful” message. Then click Quit.
Next run CmInstall.mpkg from the CodeMeter folder
If you have a green – Wibu key, run WKInstall.mpkg from the WIBU folder
Restart the computer after the installation has finished and re-insert your USB key
BIM Server doesn’t start after migrating to Yosemite
For detailed description how to fix your Bim Server see this article.
Known issues
The CodeMeter driver bundled with ARCHICAD 16-18 cannot be installed on OS X 10.10.3
Affected versions: 18 and older| Severity: workaround applicable
The CodeMeter driver included in ARCHICAD installers can’t be installed. The installer recognizes 10.3 string from 10.10.3 as and older version of OS X, which is not compatible with the driver.
The error message below is displayed when trying to install the driver:
Please note that the error message is erroneous therefore using this old driver version will not solve the issue. Instead the newest CodeMeter 5.21 driver solves the problem, which can be downloaded and installed manually from our Protection Key Driver Downloads page.
Publishing or Saving PDF in AC 17 from Yosemite client to SMB mounted Yosemite server results in 0 KB PDF file
Affected versions: 17 | Severity: not our bug, workaround applicable
Please note that the special ArchiCAD 17 hotfix 9 Build 8004 is dedicated to fix this issue.
This issue is related to changes to the SMB protocol in OSX10.10. In ArchiCAD 18, with the new PDF engine included, the problem does not occur.
Workaround: Instead of SMB, try mounting with CIFS or AFP protocol
Hotlinks turn missing and can not be relinked in Teamwork
Affected versions: 18, 17 | Severity: workaround applicable
Please note that this issue is fixed in ArchiCAD 18 Update 5100
Please note that the special ArchiCAD 17 hotfix 9 Build 8004 is dedicated to fix this issue.
Links get lost/damaged when the hotlinks are on a mounted drive. This issue is related to the alias algorythm behaving differently in OS X 10.10 compared to previous OS versions. We are planning to correct the new behavior in the next ArchiCAD18 Update which is planned to be released in March.
Workaround: Use “one dummy user login” to access the file server. The SMB/AFP/CIFS connection to the mounted server should be established with ONE and ONLY ONE login info. (In teamwork all users can use their own account this is only important for mounting the server!) The hotlinks have to be relinked once the users are all using the “dummy user login” but then on the links will stay stable.
BIMx cannot be run
Affected versions: 18, 17; StartEdition 2014 | Severity: there is no workaround
Please note that this issue is fixed in ArchiCAD 17 Hotfix Build 8000, in ArchiCAD 18 Update 4020 and in StartEdition 2014 Hotfix Build 8002
BIMx 17 and 18 cannot be run on OS X 10.10, the application crashes at startup.
BIMx 16 doesn’t respond on Yosemite.
BIMx 16 not being usable on Yosemite, no menus or keyboard commands appear, or even scrolling is not possible.
Workaround: left-click the mouse button on the screen (the BIMx model screen) then click Esc, the Esc button now works and so do all the other keys that had been unusable before.
Browse function in installers
Affected versions: 18 , 17 | Severity: workaround applicable
The browse function to customize the target folder for the installation will not open the file dialog. As a result GRAPHISOFT products can only be installed to the default locations on 10.10.
Workaround:During the installation you can use the Change option the specify a different folder within the GRAPHISOFT folder. When you install an update or hotfix, the target path can be changed manually in the path bar.
Usernames are missing in the Japanese and Russian versions
Affected versions: 18 , 17 | Severity: workaround applicable
Please note that this issue is fixed in ArchiCAD 18 Update 5100
User names are not visible in the Teamwork palette using the Japanese or Russian versions of ArchiCAD.
Workaround: They will appear if you set the the language to English in System Preferences.
Palettes disappear / turn transparent after using the “Application Windows”
Affected versions: 18 , 17, 16 and older | Severity: workaround applicable
Please note that this issue is fixed in ArchiCAD 18 Update 5100
When using Apple’s Application Windows or Mission Control (formerly called Exposé) to switch between ArchiCAD windows, all palettes can disappear or turn transparent after returning from the overview. This phenomenon occurs when the cursor was left on an element before entering to the Application Windows.
This issue has surfaced because of the changes Apple made in the Mission Control for OS X 10.10. GRAPHISOFT reported this problem towards Apple.
Workaround: This glitch can be circumvented in ArchiCAD by turning off the Info Tag in Work Environment:
Cursor Disappears in BIMx While Saving
Affected versions: 18 , 17 | Severity: workaround applicable
Please note that this issue is fixed in ArchiCAD 18 Update 5100 and in ArchiCAD 17 Hotfix Build 8000
The mouse and cursor disappears in the Save BIMx Model dialogue box. It is not possible to select the destination of the file in the appropriate field.
The issue occurs with version 17 and 18 when:
opening BIMx from ArchiCAD
opening BIMx independently of ArchiCAD.
You can save your file to the default folder by hitting Enter, then you can move your file to the desired destination.
Workaround: switch to another application by using Command+TAB on your keybord then switch back to BIMx, you will find the cursor reappear.
Hotlinks are indicated as missing
Affected versions: 18 , 17 , 16 and older| Severity: workaround applicable
If hotlinks are linked from a network share that gets unmounted in the background, ArchiCAD is not mount the share back.
Workaround: Re-mount the share in Finder and re-start ArchiCAD.
Mounted drives disappear in the ArchiCAD file dialog
Affected versions: 18 , 17 , 16 and older| Severity: workaround applicable
Mounted volumes can disappear from the left panel of the ArchiCAD file dialog (e.g. open file dialog, add library dialog, hotlink dialog). The problem crops up when the file dialog is brought up again after browsing into a folder of the mounted drive. The roots of this issue lie within the changes Apple made in the mounted volume handling for OS X Yosemite and it is not specific to ArchiCAD.
The mounted drive is still accessible via the Devices section. (Devices section can be turned on in Finder Preferences by ticking the checkbox next to the local drive.)
App Nap
Affected versions: 18, 17, 16 and older | Severity: workaround applicable
App nap is a great feature to help to save battery life. When this feature gets enabled, applications that run in the background will be slowed down.
There are situations when ArchiCAD works in the background (e.g. drawing update) and you would like to run it on full speed.
Workaround: To keep ArchiCAD alive in the background; disable App nap for the ArchiCAD.app. This is highly recommended for all Teamwork (BIMcloud, BIM Server) users.
search for the ArchiCAD applications in Finder: \Applications\GRAPHISOFT\ArchiCAD <version>\ArchiCAD.app
select the app an pull up the context menu, by right click or ctrl click
select Get Info
check Prevent App Nap checkbox
App nap should be turned off for BIM Server Manager and BIM Server Control Center (applications in the BIM Server folder) because App nap might prevent the server to run smoothly.
v18 BIM Server and BIMcloud is not affected.
Installer is damaged and can’t be opened
Affected versions: 17, 16 and older | Severity: workaround applicable
In certain cases OS X will give the following error when you try to mount an ArchiCAD 17 or older GRAPHISOFT provided dmg downloaded from the Internet: <Installer name>.app is damaged and can’t be opened. You should eject the disk image.
Workaround: This problem can be easily circumvented by setting the Gatekeeper setting to Anywhere. After that the dmg should mount fine. The installers on the installation DVD are not affected, this issue seems to be related only to downloaded packages.
The installer hangs showing a spinning wheel
Affected versions: 17 | Severity: workaround applicable
ArchiCAD 17 can only be installed using Java 7 on Yosemite. If there is no Java 7 installed on your computer, Java 8 has to be downgraded to Java 7. More info about ArchiCAD and Java.
In certain cases the installer may stop at the very beginning of the installation process and show a spinning wheel. A possible solution is to open System Preferences, Language and Region and change the Time format to 24-Hour Time. The same needs to be set if uninstalling the software is not possible.
Based on the latest tests this only affects Regions, where the default is the 24-Hour format, but the settings is later changed to 12-Hour format. Reverting the original setting helps to resolve the problem.
Frequent crashes when shortcuts are used with OS X Yosemite Beta members
Affected versions: 18 , 17, 16 and older | Severity: fixed
Update 5100 for ARCHICAD 18 fixes this problem.
For members of the beta program an extra menu item is available in the Help menu: Help send <application name> feedback. The presence of this can result frequent crashes when shortcuts are used in ArchiCAD. (e.g. opening the 3D window with (fn-) F3 key)
Workaround: either of the following can help to avoid this:
Install a fresh copy of 10.10 instead of upgrading your current beta installation to the final one. (and migrate all of your data over)
Delete the Feedback Assistant app (/System/Library/CoreServices/Applications/Feedback Assistant.app) and restart your Mac. Note, that as a result of this Feedback Assistant’s functionality will no longer be available. If you happen to have multiple partitions having this App, you will need to delete it from all drives.
Dialog boxes may close automatically in ArchiCAD 16 and older versions
Affected versions: 16 and older| Severity: there is no workaround
Dialog boxes, for example Object Selection Settings may close automatically. As a result selecting or changing library objects can be extremely difficult.
Updating the operating system under BIMcloud and BIM Server
General recommendation
It is wise to hold off upgrading the OS of a BIMcloud, BIM Server computer unless there is a specific reason or need to do so. Do not upgrade the operating system of the BIMcloud or BIM Server until you have time to properly backup all projects, users roles and libraries. Be prepared for unexpected situations, to avoid any potential downtime that affects all Teamwork users.
Version 18 BIMcloud and BIM Server
The new versions were designed to be compatible with the built in version migration of OS X, though make sure you have a full backup before the migration.
Version 17 and older BIM Server versions
Based on our tests these versions survive the migration without any major problems, though from previous years’ experience sometimes repairing the BIM Server is required.
If there are more modules installed (like 16, 17) or if you want to be on the safe side, the best is completely re-installing the BIM Server.
backup all of your BIM Server data (projects, libraries, users, roles)
uninstall all BIM Server modules
upgrade the OS to Yosemite
install the BIM Server, only install the modules that you are actively using – this might be the prefect time to archive old projects or migrate them to recent versions
import back all data
Transferring data between computers with Apple’s Migration Assistant
Warning: Transferring user data to another computer via Apple’s Migration Assistant to another computer with a newer OS X version (i.e. Computer A running OSX Mountain Lion 10.8 to Computer B running OS X Mavericks 10.9) is not advised and may result in corruption of ArchiCAD and BIM Server software.
The recommendation is that you first back-up your project files and Teamwork data, then uninstall any GRAPHISOFT software from the original computer, perform the Operating System migration, then re-install GRAPHISOFT software on the new computer. Failing to do so may result in you having to fully re-install your operating system on the new computer and install all programs from scratch along with user data.
Apple hardware
Retina Display compatibility
How to use Magic Mouse in ArchiCAD
How to use Magic Trackpad in ArchiCAD