Materials assigned to external Archicad GDL objects are lost after model update

Workflow Archicad
1

I am experiencing a consistent issue with material assignments in D5 Render when working with Archicad 28.

After assigning D5 materials to objects from external Archicad GDL libraries (.gsm) , everything works correctly while the project is open. However, after reopening the project and reconnecting LiveSync, or after updating the model, all D5 materials assigned to external library objects are reset to their original Archicad materials.

This issue affects all external GDL library objects , regardless of the library vendor.

Objects from the native Archicad library keep their assigned D5 materials correctly.

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open an Archicad 28 project.
  2. Connect the project to D5 Render using LiveSync.
  3. Assign D5 materials to objects from external GDL libraries.
  4. Save both the Archicad project and the D5 project.
  5. Close both applications.
  6. Reopen the D5 project.
  7. Reconnect LiveSync (or update the model).

Expected result

The D5 material assignments should remain unchanged after reconnecting LiveSync or updating the model.

Actual result

All D5 materials assigned to objects from external GDL libraries are reset to the original Archicad materials.

Objects from the native Archicad library keep their D5 materials correctly.

Additional information

  • The issue occurs with external GDL libraries from multiple vendors, not with a specific manufacturer.
  • External library objects use internal GDL materials that do not appear as standard Archicad Surfaces.
  • The project (.PLN) is stored in Google Drive .
  • Both the native Archicad library and all external object libraries are stored locally on the computer’s hard drive (HD) .
  • Geometry, object position and object instances remain unchanged. Only the D5 material assignments are lost.

This behavior appears to affect only external GDL library objects and is fully reproducible in my workflow.

Software versions

  • Archicad 28
  • D5 Render 3.1
  • Latest D5 LiveSync plugin for Archicad
2

Hi @pedroafonso47

we recommend trying the following:

  • Move the .PLN file to a local folder instead of Google Drive, then test if the issue persists. Cloud-sync services can sometimes interfere with LiveSync.
  • Reassign the D5 materials , save both the Archicad and D5 projects, then reopen them and reconnect LiveSync.
  • Test with a simple project containing only one or two external GDL objects to determine whether the issue is project-specific.

If the issue persists, please send us:

  • A video recording demonstrating the issue
  • Sample ArchiCAD file