2009 and Beyond | Revisiting the Report on Integrated Practice (Repost)

Check out the following page to revisit the report. You can download interviews in mp3 format to listen to at your leisure.

In essence: "One of AIA's 2009 Integrated Practice Discussion Group’s (IPDiG) projects involves revisiting the "Report on Integrated Practice" released during the 2006 AIA National Convention in Los Angeles..."

Thanks to Eddy Krygiel at ArchTech.

FREE RevitTV.com Paint for Revit 2010 – Beta

RevitTV.com are offering a free 'Paint' plugin for Revit 2010.

The features are:

Import and automatically create Revit paint materials from existing AutoCAD Color Book (.acb) files.

Search and filter hundreds of Revit paint materials by colour name.

Manage hundreds of manufacturers paint materials in Revit with ease, including Resene and Sherwin-Williams.

RevitTV.com Paint for Revit 2010 - Beta (download page)
RTV Paint ver 2010 - Windows 32 bit Installer
RTV Paint ver 2010 - Windows 64 bit Installer, coming soon...

Search by Sketch

I had this great idea this morning - why can't we do a 'search by sketch' of images or other data?

In other words, you draw a small sketch of something, and then the search engine returns results that are similar to or related to that sketch.

First I thought 'quick, I better blog about this, before someone else does!', but then I thought, 'I better see if this exists yet...'

And, it does. Have a look at retrievr. I did not have great results when trying this out, as it is 'experimental'.

If you want to search through some 3D models using a 2D sketch and keywords, have a look at Princeton 3D Model Search Engine.

There is a paper written on the subject. It is called 3D content-based search using sketches.

The next logical question is - is there some software that I can download that can perform this search on my own images?

Check out the vid below:


For more information, check out http://www.chrisharrison.net/projects/searchbysketch/index.html.

I foresee a time (in the not too distant future) when a full blown image search engine will be available, that takes either a sketch or uploaded image as input, and returns a list of images in order of similarity. Perhaps you can also specify a 'tolerance' value, that filters out the least similar and simply does not show them.

If you know of any technology or software similar to this, please comment.

View Ranges (and TOLERANCES) Explained *REPOST*

There is a great video on View Range by Paul Aubin at the link below here: http://www.screencast.com/t/eCJaIgaevE

It is very well explained and I learned some things I had no idea about, like the 'tolerances' associated with various elements when using View Range. After using Revit for so long, I'm surprised this piece of important information had 'slipped through'! I did some searching, and these tolerances are listed in the Revit online help at this link and hinted at in the support information here.

For your convenience, I have copied the information from the Revit help page below:

Additional View Range Rules

• Model elements located outside of the view range generally are not shown in the view. The exceptions are floors, stairs, ramps, and components that stay or are mounted on the floor (like furniture). These are shown even when slightly below the view range. In addition, fascia, gutters, and edge slabs are shown when their bottoms are within a tolerance of the primary view range bottom.
  Floors located outside the view range use an adjusted range that is 4 feet (approximately 1.22 meters) below the bottom of the primary range. Floors are drawn with the Beyond line style if the floor exists within this adjusted range.
  
• Elements that are strictly below the cut plane, but are at least partially within the view range, are shown as viewed from above. Components display according to Family Element Visibility Settings for Plan/RCP. See Managing Family Visibility and Detail Level
  
• Walls shorter than 6 feet (approximately 1.83 meters) are not cut, even if they intersect the cut plane.
  The 6 feet are measured from the top of the bounding box to the bottom of the primary view range. For example, if you create a wall with a sloped top face, when the top of the wall is 6 feet away from the bottom of the primary view range, the wall is cut at the cut plane. When the top of the wall is less than 6 feet, the entire wall shows as projection even where it intersects the cut plane. This behavior always occurs when the Top Constraint property for the wall is specified as Unconnected.
  
• There are a few categories for which an element located above the cut plane but partially below the top clip is shown in plan. These categories include windows, casework, and generic model. These objects are shown as viewed from above.
  
• Visibility in RCP views is similar to plan views with the exception that objects are presented as viewed from below and mirrored.

You can view Paul Aubin's site at:
http://paulaubin.com/lrt/

I received the information about the screencast from Fear and Loathing in a CAD vs BIM World at http://cad-vs-bim.blogspot.com/2009/12/view-ranges-explained.html

Slanted Columns in Revit 2010 (Structural Tool)

We were given the 'Slanted Column' ability when some of the Structural tools were recently incorporated into Revit Architecture. If you have been pulling your hair out trying to place one of these slanted columns in a Plan view (where the tool is greyed out), the answer is simple. Go to a Section, Elevation or 3D View to place them!

You will likely need to set an appropriate workplane to 'draw' these slanted columns on.

The Brace tool is also quite cool - have a go at the '3D snapping' capability in the Options bar (try it in a 3D view, obviously).

If you are interested in reading further, check out:

http://revitclinic.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/04/slanted-columns.html

http://bimandbeam.typepad.com/bim_beam/2009/06/revit-structure-2010-slanted-column-parameters.html

Revit Hardware - compatibility and performance

Revit is a very acceptable OOTB (out of the box) tool. If you are using Revit OOTB, there are really only two variables that determine your productivity. Assuming you have zero customised content, these variables are:

• your own skill and ability
• the performance of your computer

We are all working to try and keep our skills on the cutting edge. But is your hardware keeping up its end of the bargain? Our company made a significant investment into some middle to top-of-the-line workstations a few months ago, for which I am very grateful. If you are looking to purchase a new system, or upgrade an existing one, you should definitely review the
Model Performance Technical Note (you may have accessed this via Subscription, but this is a direct link to the PDF).

The following AUGI forum links may also be of assistance to you:

Revit 2010 - Graphics Cards that work (and those that don't)

Happy with your hardware?

Video card D3D compatibility - Revit 2010 on Vista / Win7

Revit Running on Intel Mac

Non-Mac hardware benchmarks using the 2009 benchmark journal

Rendering speed in Windows 7 64 & Revit 2010 64bit

Feel free to comment if you have any thoughts or recommendations.

Large files and emails...they don't mix

Revit makes it very easy to produce a LOT of drawings. This can result in a large deliverable. In one recent case, our Tender Issue of drawings consisted of 132 A1 sheets. Using CutePDF (with a couple of handy tweaks), we printed these to a PDF file of around 48 MB.

Depending on your email size policy, a file of this size would take anywhere from 5 to 16 emails to transmit.

To avoid this eventuality, I have explored various options for uploading large files and making them available to our colleagues. FTP seemed to be the answer, but one of our Clients is behind a proxy or firewall system that doesn't allow FTP access - even with an anonymous account! So it was back to the drawing board...

Therefore, I decided to setup a HTTP server for file access. I downloaded Apache 2.2 (for Windows, without SSL). I took the following steps:

1. Allowed a port through our firewall and directed it to the PC running Apache. We have a static IP, so I could now access Apache by typing in xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:portnumber.
2. Ensured that the opened port setting matched the Apache port in the httpd.conf file
3. Disabled the 'Indexes' feature for a subfolder of the Apache 'root' folder (in my case this was C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Apache2.2\htdocs\FILES).
4. Created a password for this folder using htpasswd.exe
5. Enabled password access to the same folder using the following text in httpd.conf
   
   
   directory>
   Options FollowSymLinks
   AuthType Basic
   AuthName "Restricted Files"
   # (Following line optional)
   # AuthBasicProvider file
   AuthUserFile "C:/Program Files/Apache Software Foundation/Apache2.2/password/.htpasswd"
   Require valid-user
   directory>"
   

Now I can login to the PC running Apache, copy any file I want to serve via HTTP to the password protected folder, and then send a link to any of our colleagues that I want to gain access to this file.

I also setup Filezilla FTP Server on another PC in our network, and forwarded port 21 through our router to this PC. I setup a user for a folder on this PC, and disabled all rights apart from 'read'.

I can now send an email that contains two hyperlinks to any large file we wish to transmit, one for FTP and one for HTTP. Both of these links are password protected.

And all of this is done using free, open source software!

BIM Standard and BIM Example Drawings Sharing

In the interest of collaboration, I have started a thread for BIM Standards and BIM Example Drawings Sharing at http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=111047

If you need FTP access to upload data you would like to share, please contact me and I will make this available to you.

With what Attitude do you use Revit?

No doubt you would agree that our 'attitude' can have a big effect on our lives. If we look at things with the right outlook and viewpoint, we are more likely to feel successful and satisfied. So how does this relate to Revit?

There are a number of ways to approach Revit as a software platform. Consider some examples:

1. "Revit is a modeling tool, and I want it to be able to easily model any form I can conceive."
2. "Revit is a drafting tool, and I want it to be able to draft quickly and easily, and I demand absolute graphic control over every single visible 2D element."
3. "I believe Revit should be intuitive and easy to use. It should be able to guess what I want and deliver the result that I seek."
4. "I have to use Revit because it is becoming the industry standard. I don't have to like it or understand how it works."
5. "I want to understand What Revit Wants, so that I can use it in a productive and appropriate manner."

I would say that the first 3 are basically impossible, for any software tool. However, in some ways Revit can deliver the results that you seek when approaching it with the attitudes of 1, 2, or 3. It is capable of many things, but it does have limitations. Attitude Number 4 is a problem though. Why? Because you MUST understand, at least to some degree, how Revit works. Otherwise you will never succeed, and you will face a lot of frustration. Yes, you must grasp What Revit Wants.

You must try to think in the same way that Revit thinks. Why is it trying to join the walls this way? Why is object A masking object B? What is causing Revit to show this line dashed instead of solid? Instead of getting frustrated and angry, and instead of uttering unrepeatable phrases directed at 'Autodesk', just try and understand WHY.

It is a little bit like meeting someone you don't know for the first time. You may choose to judge them from first impressions. Or you may try to understand them, and why they act the way they do. If you come to understand them, you may be able to have a rewarding relationship with that person.

In conclusion, give Revit a chance. Try to understand. Try not to judge or lose your patience. Don't be afraid to find out What Revit Wants.

Revit Blog Directory with Embedded Reader

I have created a list of Revit Blogs using Google Sites. Have a look at:
http://sites.google.com/site/revitblogdirectory/

Please feel free to comment. If you would like your blog to be added (and it isn't on the list), please send me your details.

This may be useful for you if you are travelling and don't have easy access to your normal RSS reader - you can easily use this webpage to read the latest posts from these popular Revit, CAD and BIM related blogs.

Free IPD Guide

The AIA provides a Integrated Project Delivery Guide at this location.

Free BIM Standards and Guidelines - REPOST

There is some very handy BIM resources located on the Indiana University website at http://www.indiana.edu/~uao/iubim.html

Among other things, you can download the IU BIM Guidelines and Standards for Architects, Engineers, & Contractors document.

There are also some very handy links to other BIM resources.

Thanks to James Van of ArchTech for posting this one.

Copy Spreadsheet tool updated

If you are having problems with the 'Copy Spreadsheet' utility, it is likely because you are running 64 bit Revit or you have recently updated Revit. If you haven't heard of this tool, it is a simple program made in Autohotkey, and it automates the 'copying' of data from a spreadsheet into a Revit schedule. The Revit schedule will need to be a key schedule, and you will need to add the columns and rows before starting the utility.

Head over to http://forums.augi.com/showpost.php?p=950435&postcount=1 for the updated version.

Direct link http://www.nichitecture.com/downloads/Copy%20Spreadsheet%20for%20Revit%202010.zip

You may need to login to AUGI to access the above.

Autodesk Youtube Channel

Okay, I may be WAY behind everyone else, but I didn't know about the Autodesk Youtube Channel until today!

It appears that I may have been stuck in some kind of inanimate stasis for the last, well, I don't know how long.

In any case, if you too were confined in the 1950's jazz holodeck program while the Bynars stole your spaceship, head on over to:
The Autodesk Youtube Channel

Using Extended Characters in a Keyboard Shortcut (Repost)

In the Revit 2010 Subscription advantage Pack there is a issue with using extended characters in a keyboard shortcut in the new UI.
(Reposted from the Autodesk RSS Feed I subscribe to)

To get access to the Autodesk RSS Feeds, follow the instructions on this page.

Note Blocks - What are they??

A Note Block schedules the instances of a Generic Annotation (Symbol) in your project. They are useful for repetitive tagging of detail elements. I say 'detail' elements, because I feel that the use of tags should be in the following order of preference:

1. Tag of appropriate type for tagged element (eg. Door Tag)
2. Keynote Tag by Material where 1 is not possible
3. Note Block and Generic Annotation where 1 and 2 are not possible

(The above is based on the fact that you should be trying to make your Model as intelligent as possible - detail lines and text should be the exception when using Revit, not the rule).

Here is a crash course in using Note Blocks:

1. Create a basic Generic Annotation family.
2. Add Labels for Family Parameters to into the Generic Annotation family (for example, Note Number and Note Description).
3. Load the family into the project.
4. Create a Schedule - Note Block, and choose the family you just loaded. Add the parameters to the Schedule that you added in step 2.
5. Go to a view and place a 'Symbol' - use the Generic Annotation family you just added. Make sure to choose at least 1 leader for the note.
6. Type value/values into the Generic Annotation family.
7. Have a look at your 'Note Block' and you will see the values starting to fill.
8. If you change the schedule, it will change the notes (this is Revit, remember).

The Revit documentation shows this in use. You can label things with 'numbers' and then use the Note Block to refer these numbers to the appropriate text or note.

This Note Block can then be placed on a sheet, just like any schedule.

It is an interesting little tool, and it may be just what you need to solve that little problem that has been annoying you!

AUGIWorld Salary Survey Issue

Received this from AUGIWorld:
"AUGIWorld, Salary Survey Issue
Next up, you can download the latest AUGIWorld issue containing the 8th Annual AUGI Salary Survey. Find out how your AUGI peers from around the world fared financially this year! "

Have a look over at http://www.augi.com/publications/default.asp?page=63

Latest issue Low-Res PDF

Revit Architecture Wish List Ballot

You have until November 23 to vote in the Revit Architecture Wish List Ballot.

If you want to add a new wish, you need to Submit a Wish.

Free CutePDF Writer - setup and settings tips

After trying many free PDF Writers over the years, I have found CutePDF Writer to be the best.

In order to ensure you are producing the best PDF files you can (high quality while still keeping file size relatively small), please follow the steps below (when you have a chance, no hurry :-)

Install the updated CutePDF Writer from here

Change the setting in the printer properties (Preferences and Printing Defaults) for 'PostScript Output Option' to 'Optimize for Portability' as a default.

Change the setting in the printer properties (Preferences and Printing Defaults) for 'TrueType Font' to 'Download as Softfont' as a default.

Navigate to C:\Program Files\Acro Software\CutePDF Writer\ and open the file PDFWrite.rsp in Notepad. Change the line FROM
-dPDFSETTINGS=/prepress TO
-dPDFSETTINGS=/printer

(The path is C:\Program Files (x86)\Acro Software\CutePDF Writer\ for 64 bit machines)

Enjoy producing high quality PDF's for free everyone!

Copy File Name and Path using Vista - Productivity Tip

Did you know that in Windows Vista you can quickly copy the file name and path of a file, and put it into the Clipboard as text? Simply:

1. Select the file in Explorer


2. Hold 'Shift' and right-click


3. Choose the 'Copy as Path' option

You can then use this to 'paste' into a hyperlink, for example, in Outlook.

I found this at http://www.watchingthenet.com/copy-file-name-and-path-as-text-in-vista.html