Asta Powerproject 4D
If you have a licence for Asta Powerproject 4D, additional functionality becomes available within Asta Powerproject that enables you to build detailed projects using information that is stored within 3D models that have been saved in IFC format. This results in "4D" project plans that include time and planning information as well as detailed 3D information about the building or facility on which you are working.
When using Asta Powerproject 4D, you associate 3D models with your Asta Powerproject 4D projects, and build project schedules using the data from within the 3D models.
Architecture overview
You can use Asta Powerproject 4D with standalone or Enterprise versions of Asta Powerproject - ie with versions of Asta Powerproject in which projects are located on local or network drives, or in central data sources.
The following diagram illustrates the basic structure of the Asta Enterprise system, when you have a licence for Asta Powerproject 4D:
Hardware and software requirements
The following table displays the minimum requirements to run a locally installed version of the Asta Powerproject 4D client - and to run Project Viewer in order to view 3D models.
Information on running the Asta Powerproject 4D client using a remote access technology.
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system |
Professional or Enterprise editions* of the following:
|
Professional or Enterprise editions* of the following:
|
| Memory | 3 Gb RAM** | 16 Gb RAM |
| Hard disk | 150 Mb disk space | 250 Mb disk space |
| Graphics |
|
|
| Internet connection | Must be able to access Asta Powerproject 4D or Project Viewer's online Help via HTTPS*****. | |
| Web browser |
You must ensure that the current version of one of the following web browsers is installed. This is necessary in order to access the online Help:
|
|
* "Home" editions of Microsoft Windows operating systems do not include some of the technologies that are required to fully operate Asta Powerproject 4D and its activation technologies, so these editions are not supported environments for Asta Powerproject 4D.
** Larger 3D models may require more memory, which is why we recommend 16 Gb RAM for optimum performance.
*** To determine the maximum version of DirectX that a computer's graphics card can support:
- Launch the DirectX Diagnostic Tool by running dxdiag from the Windows Start menu.
- When the DirectX Diagnostic Tool appears, click the Display tab. The DDI Version field indicates the maximum version of DirectX that the graphics card can support.
**** You can download and install the required DirectX End-User Runtimes from the following location:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=8109
***** No proxy server settings should be necessary unless your IT configuration applies restrictions to HTTPS traffic. If you require further information on this, please contact Elecosoft's Technical Support department.
Technical briefing
Using software in virtual and remote environments
Asta Powerproject 4D is supported in virtual environments that support Microsoft DirectX® 10.0 or later, which is required for this application.
Microsoft DirectX allows Asta Powerproject 4D to utilise the power of the graphics hardware on a user's desktop machine. This is often referred to as "hardware acceleration" and is very important when using graphically intensive 3D applications. Generally, a server machine, such as that typically used to offer remote access to an application, has a basic graphics card installed because the only interactions with it are usually administrative. Even if the graphics card within a server is Microsoft DirectX-compatible, it will only provide hardware acceleration to a user that is logged in locally; someone accessing the server remotely would find that the graphics run in a lower specification mode. It is possible to buy a graphics card to be installed in a server machine that will support multiple users at the same time, providing each of them with hardware acceleration capability. Unless Asta Powerproject 4D is installed on a server that features one these graphics cards then it cannot be accessed via Remote Desktop, Microsoft Terminal Server, Citrix or any other remote access technology.
Supported types of IFC file
There are a number of different versions of IFC. Asta Powerproject 4D is able to open IFC version 2.3, 2.4 and 4 files.