CADclip - REVIT Parametric Massing Study

I am VERY EXCITED about REVIT 2010 Massing and particularly the fact that you can create parametric Loadable Masses.

This effectively allows you to create a parametric prototype of a building, load it into a project, copy it around and manipulate each instance of the mass. Then for each instance of the building Mass you can generate and schedule floors, walls, curtain systems, roofs, floor areas, volumes, surface areas and much more.

It's all demonstarted in the CADclip below !

REVIT Void Geometry Trick

Below is a great CADclip on how to work around the fact that you cannot turn off the visibility of void geometry in a family. Instead you just use a parameter (instance) to move the void outside the solid geometry.

REVIT 2010 Massing Study Demo

The CADclip below demonstrates just how slick and simple it is to mass out a building with a curtain system and schedule floor areas, perimeters, volumes and wall surface areas in a matter of minutes.

REVIT - Placing Model Text on a Curved Wall

You cannot place model text on a curved wall but you can place model text on reference planes so the work around is to create a series or reference planes tangent to the curved wall and place one letter on each reference plane. Takes a little bit of time but it works.

In the example shown above I named each reference plane according to the appropriate letter ie: ‘M’ ‘O’ ‘D’ ‘E’ ‘L’, then 'set the current reference plane' before placing the model text letter.

You can fine tune the ‘plan’ positioning by moving or rotating the reference planes after the letters have been place. You can also nudge the letters around within the reference plane.

I changed the ‘material’ of each letter to achieve the color effect.

See images below.

CADclip - REVIT Family Type Catalog Files

The majority of REVIT families should take advantage of 'Type Catalogs'.

This can be used in all 3 REVIT disciplines as follows:

1. You can quickly create 10's to 100's of family types.

2. You can load only the types you need when you load the family.

3. It keeps the project file size down.

ENJOY !

CADclip - Solid Sweep Tips

Have you even come across the error above?

Below is a CADclip on a tip when applying a solid sweep where a straight segment in the sweep path transitions to a non tangent arc. The underlying tip is, if you keep running into the "can't create sweep" where you have a "path" and "profile" that do abide by all the rules, use "sketch path" instead of "pick path" and you find the sweep works ok. I suppose if you ever get the error anytime using solod sweep swith from 'pick' path to 'sketch' path anyway and see if it solves the problem. Always remember to check your work plane as well.

CADclip - Eyebrow Dormer by Sloping Solid Blend

Below are a couple CADclips on creating the Eyebrow Dormer shown above.

Canadian Unemployment Rate Up to 8.6%

October 2009,
Following two months of moderate growth, employment decreased by 43,000 in October, all in part-time jobs. This drop pushed the unemployment rate up 0.2 percentage points to 8.6%.

Most of October's employment decline came from retail and wholesale trade, "other services" and natural resources. These losses were partially offset by gains in transportation and warehousing.

US Unemployment Rate Reaches 10.2 %

Currently 11,000,000 (legal workers) out of work.

November 06, 2009
In October, the unemployment rate rose to 10.2 percent, the highest since April 1983, and nonfarm payroll employment continued to decline (-190,000). The largest job losses over the month were in construction, manufacturing, and retail trade.

OUCH !

AU and Budget Cuts

I've been talking to alot of architectural companies over the last month or so. It appears to me that the cost of attending AU is just not in the budget for most people / companies this year?

According to Lynn's talk every year, AU attendance has been going up progressively each year. To the point that the only place that can host AU is Vegas. No longer could Orlando accommodate AU. With wide spread lay-offs, construction halts and overall global economic hard times I will be interested in the attendance numbers this year.

The education at AU is second to none, (if you can filter out the crappy sessions). But I wonder if this is going to be the year of the 'fat cats'.

I suspect the slow migration to REVIT 2010 isn't helping either.

If you will be one of the privileged attendees at AU 2009, be grateful. Very grateful.

Definition of CAD

CAD or CADD is an extremely generic term that means Computer Aided Design (Drafting).

That's it !

If you use a computer to create design drawings or forms then it's CAD. It doesn't matter if the software uses Parametrics, 2d, 3d, surfaces or solids.

CAD does not stand for 2d or vector based software.

I keep hearing and reading people refer to CAD as an acronym for AutoCAD or the DWG or DGN or even SKP.

For someone to say "The project is done in CAD not BIM". Makes absolutely no sense. You cannot compare the definition of CAD to BIM (Building Information Modeling). CAD is just a big part of BIM.

Spread the word.

CAD means Computer Aided Design. It does not mean 2d or vector based file format.

REVIT Masonry Door Family

I had a request for a Masonry door family with typical 2" x 4" metal tube frame.

Surprisingly REVIT does not have this type of door.

The door for example is 30" x 84" but the M.O. needs to be 34" x 86" when dimensioned.

I basically edited the out of the box Single Flush door to look and behave as shown above.

Here is the family file Masonry Door Family

REVIT Architecture 2010 Scheduling Door Swings

Below is a video tutorial on how to schedule the door 'swing' in a door schedule. This is not fool proof but a very usable workaround as the software does not provide a means to do so.

First we have to make a 'shared parameter' called 'swing'.

Then we add that shared parameter to the door family.

Load the family into a project.

Then we have to 'manually' apply the swing LH or RH to he door instances.

Create a schedule from the View tab of the ribbon.

Select the 'door' category.

Add in the new 'swing' parameter.

Bob's your uncle !

It would be nice if when you use the 'flip' control of the door it automatically applies the swing but it does NOT, so due dilligence is required on behalf of the user to check that all doors actually have the correct 'swing' applied.

Update:
I have since been informed that my RH, LH designations are incorrect in the video. So I suggest you use your own expertise for the RH, RHR, LH and LHR designations.

REVIT and US Bill HR 2454

My friends at the CADD Centers of Florida (above) have brought to my attention some extremely interesting information. Being up here in the great white north I was completely unaware of this bill and the impact of it's implimentation across the land.

Here's the bill information HR 2454 - American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009

What this means is all new US buildings are going to have to meet specific energy efficiency requirements. This is where the REVIT suite of products are going to come shining through.

The field is developing so the sooner you learn REVIT and the BIM (building information modeling) it brings to the table the better off you are going to be ! (after we get over this wee ribbon problem that is)

Lines, polylines, ACA walls and the dredded 'Project Navigator' are not going to make the cut.

For more trusted information on REVIT and BIM you can contact Greg at the CADD Centers Of Florida at 1-800-222-4889 ext 127 or email garkin@caddcenters.com

Here is Greg's blog post HR 2454

Autodesk uses egg timer approach to releasing software

I am no software developer but programming is done when it's done right? Not when the egg timer goes off.

Could you imagine trying to run a business and setting a 'drop dead date' where your product went out the door whether it was usable or not and then actually followed through with shipping a non usable product?? You'd be out of business or you would change the release date.

I have said it 100 times and I will continue to repeat myself.
Autodesk is simply not capable of meeting their own predetermined 12 month subscription / release schedule with either a) stable software or b) something worth upgrading for.

12 months is just not enough time and they have proven it themselves.

Further more the 12 month release schedule is designed 101% for share holders (4 quarters right) and not in the best interest of their revenue generating ‘customers’.

CAD managers definitely do NOT want to have to implement new CAD software every 12 months.
A 24 month cycle would be MUCH better.
This is precisely how ‘AutoCAD’ has ended up with customers spread across 5 different releases.
Autodesk simply cannot keep up to their own 12 month cycle.

So people tell me, 'Well Daryl don't install your subscription paid software then. Just shelf it and it's still cheaper than having to pay extra for out of date upgrades when it finally is ready".

And my answer is always the same 'Yes of course and that's because they set the prices dummy'.

I have made a decent living using, selling and teaching Autodesk products for which I am very thankful but sometimes I just don't understand them.

REVIT 2010 Update 1 Released

Well I really hope this doesn't turn out to be a flash back of AutoCAD R13 (the desaster release).

Remember to read the readme.txt file before doing anything.

REVIT Architecture 2010 Update 1 - English

REVIT Structure 2010 Update 1 - English

REVIT MEP 2010 Update 1 - English

It appears they have improved stability when printing to PDF which under certain conditions was actually 'excluding' certain objects in the PDF output. YIKES !

REVIT Ribbon makes my neck hurt

Ok, I have clearly indicated my interest to keep everyone on the same, most current platform of REVIT. That has not changed but OMG the new ribbon 'by design' is NOT geared towards REVIT. The new ribbon by concept just doesn't apply to this type of CAD application.

Seriously, I think the Autodesk developers need to sit down beside a seasoned REVIT user with the old interface and take a lesson on speed and flow. Once you got going with REVIT it really was like music but all the keys need to be in the same place. Now it's like trying to play the piano and all the keys keep moving. Or dare I say 'Whack a Mole'.

Take the copy/ paste buttons for example. If you can manage to stop clicking the regular copy button by mistake (or visa-versa) good luck trying to track those buttons down as they move around like a couple mice on benny's.

I'm not even sure this can be fixed because to do so would be to abandon the ribbon and that's just not going to happen. Right ?

It just goes to show. No matter how many people you have working for you and no matter how much money you have and how large your market share is you can still somehow manage to totally screw up what was already a good thing.

It boggles the mind.

The Ribbon is fine. It's the 'dynamic' part that has to go. How about a more 'static' ribbon?

AUGI AEC EDGE Publication

Well I received a link to the new AUGI AEC EDGE Publication below and it sure looks yummy. Especially because the issue is titled 'Make Room for REVIT'.

Just thumbing my way through quickly I see tons of juicy information.

WELL DONE !!

Ok, a little dissappointed in the article titled 'A Trainers Perspective, Key Requirements to a Successful BIM Implementation'. More of a product push than a trainers perspective in my opinion. Yes we all know you have to get the company partners and product managers on board. Tell us something we don't know about REVIT training besides your company resume .

The Yas Hotel

Ever wonder if anyone actually uses the freeform massing design tools and curtain systems that REVIT (and others) have to offer?

I cannot varify which Software Asymptote Architecture uses but this sure looks like the cover of the REVIT DVD case to me.

You just have to look to Abu Dhabi, UAE to see just how imaginative the archiotects of today can be.

"New York based Asymptote Architecture nears completion of The Yas Hotel project in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The Yas Hotel is a 500-room, 85,000-square-meter complex now under construction. Asymptote was awarded the commission to design the buildings and environs from a closed competition two years ago targeting an opening date of October 30, 2009 to coincide with the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix".

REVIT 2010 Opens ArchiCAD IFC File

Above is a 3D Camera view of an ArchiCAD IFC file opened in REVIT Architecture 2010.

You do this by using the 'Open' button on the new Application Pull Down Menu. This is not an Import it is 'Opened'. Then you can save it as an RVT file.

I got two warnings when I opened the file. One for detaching certain elements and one where I had to click 'delete' on some 'cut out' objects.

Then there was some massing objects I could not figure out so I deleted them.

All the wall, door, roof, window, furniture objects etc get converted to Families and organized by category in the Project Browser which are usable.

The walls stretch with grips etc. but I could not get them to 'attach' to the roof.

The hosted objects like doors and windows are usable as they are but not really modify-able even if you 'open the family' for editing.
Materials do not seem to come through either hence the 'default' material everything is inheriting.

The floor plans look good.

The Levels come in ok and the views all get setup in the Project Browser.

I don't see any annotations or dimension so I will have to check with my ArchiCAD source.

I also opened this IFC in REVIT Structure which looked the same after I did some discipline related changes.

So in summary, I am somewhat impressed and depending on what you needed the file for, it is usable as is. I would still re-create my new objects with native REVIT objects. Be it Architectural or Structural objects.

Accoustic Accordion Door Curtain Family

I just made this basic REVIT Architecture 2d Accordion / Accordian Door Curtain and thought I would share.

Below is an image of the two families that represent a 10' and 20' accordion door panel. The families are generic line based of category 'door'. Use grips to stretch the door end points. You cannot stretch them beyond their intended maximum length.

When you place one of these families in a plan view, make sure you are set to Work Plane base and not Face based. If you see the stop sign icon that means you are attempting 'face based', so you need to check your option bar.

Below are the 2 2d model families.

If there needs to be some tweeks, let me know.

10' Accoustic Accordion Door

20' Accoustic Accordion Door

* We could also turn these into 3D families using the exact same back bone but use an extruded solid instead of symbolic lines.

REVIT 2010 - revit rendering library not installed - assetlibrary_base.fbx

For some strange reason my RAC 2010 software started giving the the following warning when I started up my REVIT.

"revit rendering library not installed"

After some minor investigation I noticed that REVIT was looking for the librabry file named "assetlibrary_base.fbx' file in the wrong place.

So under the REVIT 'Options' > 'Rendering' tab "Render Appearance Library Location'

I reset the path from:

'C:\Program Files\Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010\Program\"

TO

"C:\Program Files\Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010\Data\Rendering\assetlibrary_base.fbx'"

AND PROBLEM SOLVED !

YEAH !

RAC REVIT Architecture 2010 Parking Garage Tutorial

Below is a fun video tutorial that quickly teaches you how to use the floor 'shape editing' tools to create the sloping slabs of a multi-level Parking Garage or 'Parkade'.

Create the flat floor, add some points, change the elevations then copy and paste the floor up to the other 3 levels.

Video TIP:
1. Click the Play button.
2. Then click the 'HD' button,
3. THEN click the 'Full Screen' button . . . .
Youtube is still working on this feature.

REVIT 2010 - Orient View

In REVIT 2010 you will notice the 'orient view' tools are gone. Yes, gone from the pulldown menu and gone from the help menu too. That worried me. I searched for the word 'orient' everywhere and NOTHING. Vanished.

I used to use these tools to orient a 3D view to an elevation or plan type viewpoint (Shaded glass looks better in a flat 3d view than a true elevation view).

I just came across the new 2010 solution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . drum roll please. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . it's gone.

No just kidding. . . .. now you use the 'View Cube' to orient a 3d view !

Makes sense but just proves another 'clickflow' change that we are going to have to get user to.

REVIT Users Unite

I say to all REVIT users "Move to REVIT 2010".

One of the biggest strengths of REVIT has always been 'file compatibility' across consultants. Up to this point it has been a non issue but it's about to show it's ugly (dwg like) face.

If REVIT is actually unstable or impedes productivity to a degree that cannot be recouped, then by all means, stay with 2009.

But to say that you will not move ahead to 2010 on the grounds that the interface is not what you wanted or the features you wanted didn't make this release I say to you "Move to REVIT 2010". To do otherwise is to contribute to the beginning of the end of one of REVIT’s best assets.

If you think the new ribbon is slowing down your productivity try dealing with a different, non-compatible, version of REVIT.

To split up the REVIT masses weakens us as a community. We must band together like '300' and shield ourselves from eminent file compatibility issues !

Join me now and embrace this new 2010 interface !

(even though you cannot rearrange the icons on the quick access toolbar)