Revit Safe Mode - Wish Fulfilled

The other day I wrote about David's idea for a Revit Safe mode and Robert Manna responded in a serious way. He and the gang at Stantec created and have just shared an application to do just what we were suggesting. This is a screen shot of it running (from Robert's post).

It runs outside of Revit, prepares for opening Revit without the add-ins you choose to disable. It allows us to be fairly surgical in our troubleshooting even if it's akin to exploratory surgery ... "Hmmm, maybe we need to remove the appendix? No, that wasn't it...maybe the spleen?"

If you're curious head over to Robert's post on their blog for more information and to download the application.

Autodesk Installation and Updates Exercise Survey

Autodesk staff are reviewing the terms that are used for software installation and applying updates. They are looking for our help by performing a set of exercises that should take less than 15 minutes to complete. Your responses will help them organize and more clearly describe things that are delivered as part of the installation or update process.

Would you like to help? START HERE

Revit 2016 Trial Versions - Do Not Install the Wrong Version

A post of caution - If you are tempted to download a trial version of Revit 2016 please keep in mind that it comes in three trial flavors:

• Revit
• Building Design Suite (BDS) Ultimate
• Revit LT

Let's imagine you're anxious to check out the new release and just download and install a version that you don't already have a license for with the expectation that you will just activate it for your particular license later.

PLEASE DON'T DO IT!

If you do install a version you don't own then you'll get to REMOVE that version and INSTALL the version you really need instead.

The installation is perhaps the least of it since the download time (the installation files are large) can be significant so I'd be really sad if I downloaded BDS Ultimate thinking I could just install it and then authorize it against Premium.

NOPE... uninstall, download correct version and install. I'd be wailing and gnashing my teeth...

Don't go there, wait for your correct version to become available to you via the subscription center. Forewarned is four-armed (as I read recently)...

Installing Revit 2015 Standalone versus Building Design Suite

My friend Simon (works with Autodesk) wrote to let me know he's seen a number of support requests recently regarding the Web Update for Revit 2015. The current situation can be described like this:

• Building Design Suite (BDS) installation does NOT include the Web Update release
• Revit Architect, Structure or MEP installation DOES include the web update release.

If you download BDS and install Revit the update is NOT already part of the installation package and you need to download and apply it separately. Keep in mind that one of the available options for the installation is to download and let the installation apply it as part of the original installation.

If you download Revit Architecture, Structure or MEP separately (not BDS) then the update IS already included in the installation. As I understand it, the version or build that is packaged apart from BDS is different, including the update's changes.

Regardless of the version you install you may get a notice that there is an update available despite having already installed it (like I mentioned in an earlier post). Go with the flow, let the Autodesk Application Manager (APM) try to install the update. It (APM) will fail to do so if the update is installed. It (APM) will be in sync thereafter.

Building Design Suite Installation Readme

If you are preparing for installing the 2013 Revit products via the Building Design Suites then you might want to start with the System Requirements PDF documents for each version.

Standard
Premium
Ultimate

You'll also want to read the Installation Overview and FAQ

Dept. of Echo - Installing 2012 Products

David Harrington mentions this morning that it is easy to overlook the option to customize your installation.

See that little "down-arrow" next to the text..."Bring Building Information Modeling..."? That's the key, click that to expand the screen to offer configuration options for content and file locations. Since you may be "in-the-same-boat" you ought to read through his post before you get too deep?

Harlan and the gang at The Revit Clinic have posted a couple critical items for anyone who is about to deal with installing software.

First is that it is no longer "easy" to switch from Network to Stand-alone licensing types. You have to reinstall for one or the other. Honest reaction..."yuk". Better forewarned?

Second item is that some "Cheese-has-moved". Read through the post to see how it affects these items

• Journal Files
• UserDataCache and Revit.ini
• OmniClassTaxonomy.txt
• UniformatClassifications.txt
• shxfontmap.txt
• UiState.dat

As you were...no wait!!

Alan reminded me that he also wrote something about installation as well as referencing another Clinic post. They wrote to let us know that some content is still downloaded over the internet during the installation despite the initial sizable download to start the process.

Okay, now as you were...