Archicad Tutorial #92: Copy and Paste, Embedded Libraries, and Master_GDL Viruses

You'd think copy and paste isn't something that needs a tutorial video. But it does. In this Archicad tutorial video I talk about copying between different templates (hopefully making clear why it's a bad idea), moving objects between files, and Master_GDL Objects. You might not know what Master_GDL Objects are, but if you've used Archicad long enough, you'll recognize the names PIIROINEN, from Archicad Library 13, from Embedded Library, Whalen3_16, and Log Home Demo.
00:00 Intro (why I did this video)
00:24 Two Templates: identical models
01:45 Attribute Pollution: copying elements between files
09:12 Copying Objects between files: linked and embedded Libraries
13:49 Master_GDL: Archicad Viruses
22:12 Outro (Thank you and a reminder to get the Shoegnome Open Template)
The original blog post this video is here:
www.shoegnome.com/2023/08/03/a...
This video was created using the Shoegnome Open Template and the Shoegnome Work Environment for Archicad 26. Links below:
www.shoegnome.com/template/
www.shoegnome.com/work-environ...
As always the template and work environment are free; a good Archicad template (and work environment) is too important to horde. If you want to click the PayPal button on the template or work environment pages to support my endeavors and encourage future development, that's wonderful. Whenever people do that, it makes my day.

[@andrewkleidon913]

Another great video. Very helpful demonstration of the issues associated with copy and paste between files. I think there are two types of people in the world: those that care about maintaining a clean listof attributes, and those that don't.

[@Shoegnome]

You mean those that care about maintaining a clean list of attributes and those that are wrong!!!

[@andrewkleidon913]

Ha! Yeah. or" those that care about maintaining clean attributes and those who cannot be trusted"!!@@Shoegnome

[@Shoegnome]

@andrewkleidon913 yes!!

[@hpenbeoglu]

Great video! And once again, I learnt something new.

[@Shoegnome]

😁😁

[@JeffKogut]

Thanks Jared, I thought we were the only ones with the Master GDL issue. We have all those you showed, as well as one called Postpartum Room. And on our workstations they do hit a point with 30+ Master GDL instances that it does slow down the file where every operation takes a 1-2 second beat before continuing. Annoying and if we notice it we nuke them.

[@Shoegnome]

No one escapes!

[@MikeMontgomery1]

Whomever created the MasterGDL scripts should be properly flogged in a public forum

[@Shoegnome]

Yes. And just removing them from copy/paste would go such a long way to making them less damaging.

[@clumsywithwords]

I find that "delete and replace" doesn't work as intended in Teamwork projects 😢

[@Shoegnome]

With teamwork projects you need to do the cleanup (delete/replace, removing master GDL objects) when you have exclusive access to the project and no one else is in the file. Otherwise you'll delete stuff, someone else will send changes and it'll come back.