Why Don't Files Appear After Publishing in Archicad?

If files appear to publish correctly from Archicad but don't show up in the specified location (and the path field may be left blank), the issue is usually related to the file name, the publishing path, the Publisher settings, or system permissions.

The recommended checks below will help identify the cause.

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Step 1 - Check the file name

Carefully review the name of the file being published.

• It must not contain special characters (for example: * & % / \\ : or other non-standard symbols).
• It must not contain spaces at the beginning or end of the name.
• Make sure the file name isn't too long, as this can also prevent it from saving correctly.
• Avoid starting the name with a period (.) (this can make the file "invisible" in some environments).

Note (macOS): On macOS, any file or folder whose name starts with a period (.) is treated as a hidden file.

If the published file starts with a period, it will be created in the destination location, but it won't be visible in Finder unless hidden files are shown.

To show hidden files in Finder, press Command + Shift + . (period).

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Step 2 - Check the publishing location

Make sure the path configured for publishing:

• Actually exists on the system.
• Is a valid, accessible folder.
• Does not point to a temporary or incorrect location.

Write permissions: check that your user has permission to create/save files in that folder. If you don't have permission, publishing may "finish" but the file won't be saved.

Network drives/paths: if you're publishing to a network folder (NAS, server, mapped drive), confirm the path is accessible and the connection hasn't been interrupted.

As a test, try publishing to a simple local folder (for example, the Desktop) to rule out path or permission issues.

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Step 3 - Check the Publisher set

Verify that you are running the correct Publisher Set and its destination folder:

• Make sure the selected Publisher set is the one containing the expected output configuration.
• Check that the destination folder defined in the Publisher Set is correct.

Recommended menu path: Document → Publisher Set. In Publisher Set Properties, confirm the output folder and path.

In some cases, files publish correctly but to a different location than expected due to a different Publisher Set.

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Step 4 - Check the output format

• Confirm that the output format selected in the Publisher Set is correct (for example, PDF, DWG, etc.).
• If there is a format mismatch or an invalid setting, the file may not be generated correctly.

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Step 5 - Check alternative locations (Auto-Save / temporary)

If the destination path is incorrect or inaccessible, in some cases the system may end up saving to an alternative location. Check Archicad's Auto-Save folder and/or the system's temporary file locations.

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Step 6 - Run as administrator (Windows only)

If you suspect a permissions issue, try running Archicad as administrator: right-click the Archicad icon → Run as administrator.

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Step 7 - Confirm and repeat the publication

• Check that the publishing process finished without errors.
• Review the messages or warnings shown during publishing.
• Re-run the publication after correcting the file name, path, Publisher Set or format.
• Make sure you're using the latest version of Archicad and, if applicable, install the latest hotfix/patch.

In most cases, files that "don't appear" are due to: a name with invalid characters or one starting with a period, insufficient permissions, an inaccessible path (especially over a network), a Publisher Set other than the one expected, or an incorrect format setting.