How to Open a PLN File Online

Open your PLN in five steps

1. 1

   Get the original PLN or PLA file

   Save the project attachment to your device. If it arrived in a ZIP archive, extract the .pln or .pla first so the browser can read the native file directly.

2. 2

   Open the browser viewer

   Visit innerscene.com/tools/archicad-viewer in your browser. You can also open the pavilion demo to try a known sample before selecting your own project.

3. 3

   Choose the file

   Use the file picker or drag the project into the viewer. The reader checks the file contents, decompresses the relevant records and prepares supported geometry locally.

4. 4

   Inspect the rendered building

   Orbit, pan and zoom to review the model. Look for the building envelope, openings, floors, roof and site geometry relevant to your task.

5. 5

   Save a useful output

   Use Export to save decoded geometry as GLB, STL or OBJ, or export the current view as PDF. Review the displayed coverage before choosing an output.

Try a real PLN before opening your project

The Innerscene pavilion demo opens the viewer with a real Archicad building already rendered. Move around the pavilion to see the door and window openings cut through its walls, the pitched roof and the terrace beams and columns. The terrain gives the building a site reference.

This is a useful first check for your browser and a way to learn the navigation. Once you are comfortable, use the file picker to load your project. Larger files and more detailed geometry require more processing time and device memory.

What happens when you choose the file

The viewer identifies the Archicad container from its contents, including the ROF FDB signature. It reads the active project records, expands the relevant compressed data and builds an interactive 3D scene from supported geometry. Your selected file is read locally.

The project preview is a separate image saved inside the file. When present, it provides a reference for the project. The navigable scene comes from decoded geometry: changing your viewpoint lets you inspect different sides of the building. The format guide explains the container, compression and object records in more detail.

Check the file and the scope of the model

If your PLN does not display as expected

First, open the pavilion sample in the same browser. A successful sample load confirms that the viewer can render its known building geometry on your device. Then select a fresh copy of your project, especially if the attachment download was interrupted or the file came through an archive.

A project can contain element representations beyond the reader’s current scope. When only part of the building appears, establish whether the visible portion answers your review question. For further detail, ask the author for a fresh save from a tested Archicad release or a separately exported model or view. The original project remains the reference for work in Archicad.

Browser memory and project complexity also affect loading. Close memory-heavy tabs and try the file on a device with more available memory if loading stops. A supported extension identifies the file family; the project’s actual stored records determine what can be rendered.

Choose an output for the next step

For a review document, save the current view as PDF. For a downstream 3D workflow, choose GLB, STL or OBJ to export decoded geometry. These outputs follow the geometry available in the viewer, so inspect the scene before exporting.

The PLN to DWG converter is also available. It prepares DXF geometry locally and sends that generated geometry to the server for the final DWG conversion. Your local PLN viewing session itself requires no upload or account.

Frequently asked questions