Cadimage Tools Plugins - For Archicad 19

CADimage Tools is a suite of productivity plugins developed to extend and streamline ArchiCAD’s functionality for architects and BIM professionals. For users of ArchiCAD 19, CADimage Tools offered a set of targeted enhancements focused on drafting speed, documentation quality, and workflow automation. This essay describes the main features, practical benefits, typical use cases, installation and compatibility considerations, limitations of the ArchiCAD 19-era tools, and the broader context of plugin ecosystems in BIM software.

ArchiCAD 19’s labeling system was basic. Markers+ transformed this.

It is important to note that CADimage Tools are largely considered "legacy" software today.

The technology and intellectual property behind CADimage Tools were eventually acquired, and the developer team evolved their offerings. Today, the successors to these tools are found primarily in the ENCINA plugins (ENCINA Frame, ENCINA Keynotes, etc.). CADimage Tools Plugins For Archicad 19

For users still running Archicad 19 (often due to legacy hardware or project retention requirements), finding licenses for CADimage Tools is now difficult, as they are no longer actively sold or supported by the original vendors.

Archicad 19 was a 64-bit application, allowing users to utilize more RAM for large projects. Despite this power, creating specific construction details—like fences, cabinets, or site context—often required manual GDL scripting or tedious workarounds.

CADimage Tools addressed this by providing parametric "super-objects" that behaved like native Archicad tools but with expanded logic and intelligence. CADimage Tools is a suite of productivity plugins

CADimage Tools was designed to fill gaps in ArchiCAD’s out-of-the-box toolset by providing small, well-focused utilities that improve repetitive tasks, annotation consistency, and coordination between model and documentation. Rather than being a single monolithic extension, CADimage Tools comprised multiple modules addressing areas such as line and label management, drawing composition, schedule and list automation, and quality-control checks. The goal was to reduce manual effort, minimize human error in documentation, and speed up the production of construction drawings and schedules.

1. The Elevation Magic The star of the show in v19 was, without question, the Cadimage Elevation tool. Native ArchiCAD 19 elevations were fine... until you had to draw a brick soldier course, a complex stone lintel, or parametric cladding panels. CADimage let you draw 2D elevation details that actually looked like architecture, not vector soup. The "Drag and Drop" library of parametric objects (windows, louvers, vents) was so intuitive that it made the native Object tool feel like a DOS program.

2. The Door & Window Superiority Complex Let’s be honest: ArchiCAD 19’s stock windows were ugly. CADimage’s Door and Window tools weren't just prettier; they behaved. You could get a sliding patio door with a transom, side lites, and realistic 3D hardware without diving into the GDL labyrinth. The scheduling was robust, and the 2D linework on output looked like a traditional architectural drawing—heavy lineweights where you wanted them, light where you didn’t. ArchiCAD 19’s labeling system was basic

3. The "Stair" That Didn't Suck ArchiCAD 19’s native stair tool was famously clunky. CADimage’s stair tool allowed for winders and landings that didn't require a geometry degree to fix. It was a lifesaver for residential multi-story projects.

ArchiCAD 19’s native roof tool is powerful for standard pitched roofs, but it struggles with complex hips, valleys, and unusual intersections, especially when dealing with multiple roof planes at different pitches. RoofCAD emerged as the definitive solution. It allowed users to:

An annotation powerhouse.