The Difference Between Join and Attach

There are two kind of messages that Revit shows you regarding how walls, floors and roofs interact.

The first kind (Attach) occurs when the geometry of a wall touches a floor or passes through the floor. If you edit the sketch of a floor, when you finish the sketch Revit asks you if you'd like to attach this wall (or any other walls that intersect too) to the underside of the floor.

The point of this is to establish an "automatic" relationship between the underside of a floor and various walls. If the floor type (thickness) changes the top of the wall(s) will change as well. If the level the floor is assigned to is raised/lowered the walls adjust accordingly too. It's meant to be "quicker" than manually doing it yourself by selecting walls and using the Attach Top/Base tool. However you may want some walls to do it and others not so much. Many times the "correct" answer is NO.

Here are the results for yes and no responses (note that there is no "joining" of geometry, just the wall height is changed).

Same thing happens when a wall and roof geometry intersects except the dialog message is slightly different.

The second kind (Join) is when a floor intersects a wall, like at exterior walls. Revit asks if you want to join geometry so the cut/projection lines that it draws better represent how these elements would really intersect.

The first message does appear too, just before the second message appears. It's good to choose NO to the first so the wall does not get attached (which would change its height) and then YES so the geometry joins nicely. If you aren't cutting a section through this part of the building then you could argue there is no need to join geometry since nobody will see the clumsy connection between wall and floor.

Now for this message to appear it is necessary to "Pick Walls" and use the "Extend into wall (to core)" Option. If you don't use these then you just get the first message.

If you choose NO for both "questions" you can always use the Join Geometry tool later between any elements that need to "clean up" better. Again the point of this second kind of question is to provide a "speedier" way to end up with a better section(s) when you cut one later.

Application Development - Building a Case for It

I was approached by Mike Shell recently. Since he is interested in developing a software application intended to support viewing Revit models via a 3D PDF Converter his need is a bit broader than just my opinion. He needs interest from bigger organizations than mine.

He is seeking statements from firms that support his business plan. Here's one of two sample letters he provided:

To Mr. Michael Schell or to whom it may concern,

Our firm uses Autodesk Revit for our architectural and 3D CAD design needs. We are currently using another product for viewing and illustration for sharing our model requirements and for printing documents, but not aware of 3D PDF format, for printing or illustrating our models.

If this product is available I would be interested in purchasing the product, if the value was in the $________ price range. It would be valuable for us to be able to distribute our 3D Revit designs in a neutral 3D format like PDF… since the Adobe viewer is free and everyone has it already on their PC.

Integration of 3D views within the construction set as the next step in the evolution of construction drawings would be beneficial. Having an Adobe 3D PDF that a contractor can use during the construction phase would further enhance our communication with the clients.

Sincerely Yours,

Your Name

If you and/or your firm are interested in learning more contact him via EMAIL. He's also hoping you'll provide such a letter to demonstrate how interested you are, and thereby demonstrating overall interest in the project.

Patterning Plug-In Teaser

Via a Tweet today HLJacobs posted a video at You Tube demonstrating a patterning tool.



Looks interesting! I suspect that HLJacobs is none other than Hiroshi, founder of RevitCity. Could be a coincidence?

And this one too:



This one too:

What Happened??

I couldn't keep up. The month of June and running into July was over the top for me. When I returned from RTC Australasia at the beginning of June there were many distractions preparing for RTC North America. Then the event itself.

The Revit part of it didn't worry me...it was the drumming part! ;)

Steve Shell and his band Shell Shock were nice enough to let me play for four songs! Thanks to the guys and especially Chaz for letting me take a little more life out of his drum heads and sticks! Next time you find yourself in Tuscon be sure to check them out!

The week after RTCUSA left me and the family with one week to prepare for moving house. Our lease was up for renewal and we decided to split the difference between our kid's schools. One advantage of leasing over owning anyway, besides when we moved to California there was no way we were getting into the crazy housing market here.

All that is behind me now so I'm attempting to fall back into routine, not that the life of a consultant is ever really routine. It's kind of like being a keeper (soccer goalie), periods of extreme boredom (looking for work) mixed with periods of terror (having more than one can handle)! With the economy (Aussie's just refer to it as the GFC - Global Financial Crisis) the way it is a little more terror than boredom is a good problem to have!

At least there are many other active bloggers to fill in the gaps when I get too distracted! Others like: (check them out!)

Luke Johnson - What Revit Wants
Jason Grant - Arch in 3D
David Light
The Revit Clinic (Autodesk)
Zach Kron - Buildz
Jay Polding - Revit in Plain English
Phil, Eddy and James - Arch | Tech
Jeffrey Pinheiro - The Revit Kid
Greg Arkin - Revit 3D

Revit 2012 Update - What's Fixed

When I mentioned the availability of the new update the other day there wasn't the usual "list of stuff we fixed" to go along with it. I can sympathize, it takes a lot of effort to compile that stuff. As a contributing author, blogger etc... it takes time to put things together. I think Mark Twain is credited (although variations are attributed to a good many others) with saying, "If I had more time I'd have written a shorter letter". Even this little post has taken more time that it might seem. Here's the links to the PDF files:

Revit Architecture 2012 enhancement list
Revit Structure 2012 enhancement list
Revit MEP 2012 enhancement list

Don't Ever Edit a Central File?

I regularly read the Southern Arizona Revit User Group's blog. A recent post poked me in the eye and I thought I'd respond to it here. Here's the bit that poked me:

...snip
1. Make sure no one EVER edits a Central file directly, once local files have been created. If you do, you will need to recreate all the local files from the new Central file.
...snip

It's good advice, don't work in a central file.

The second sentence is what concerns me, it isn't accurate. If someone does work in the central file no harm is done by doing so. The worst thing that will happen is Revit will force that person to save the central file as a local file before allowing for synchronization to occur. If other people are actively working in their local files and someone opens the central directly they are very likely to get this message (after doing some work for awhile) when they attempt to save.

This dialog isn't guaranteed to appear no matter what. It only shows up when there is some conflict between the central file that is being edited and changes made in a local file. The more users there are the more likely it will show up.

The dialog title (Local File not Synchronized) is a little confusing because it appears when editing the central file and trying to save. It's the central file that couldn't save. The solution is to use Save As to create a new file (local file as a result) and then use Synchronize with Central (SwC) again.

Assuming it is necessary to work in the central file, the only way to completely avoid running into it is to only work on a central file when there are no other active local files in play.

Why would it be necessary to work in a central file? Read an earlier post.

Marcello's New Blog - Simply Complex

Marcello recently presented classes at the Revit Technology Conference in Huntington Beach, CA. In his spare time he's done some pretty amazing modelling with Revit, such as an elephant, a cow, a telehandler and others. He posted his elephant on You Tube awhile ago.



He's decided to start blogging and calls his blog: Simply Complex. I encourage you to check it out and to encourage him to keep posting!

Workflow Audit

Seth Godin wrote a brief post today called Time for a Workflow Audit. It explains very simply one way people like me (Revit consultants) help others (and their firms) with Revit. As a consultant I tend to call it mentoring.

Seth wrote:

Go find a geek. Someone who understands gmail, Outlook, Excel and other basic tools. Pay her to sit next to you for an hour and watch you work. Then say, "tell me five ways I can save an hour a day." Whatever you need to pay for this service, it will pay for itself in a week.

Substitute Revit and/or Navisworks for gmail/Outlook, Excel and the rest, though I've occasionally even helped out with those "mundane" applications.

An aside... geeks and nerds combined are: a neek, a gerd, a gerk? I heard someone say that Nerds talk/think about doing cool techy stuff while geeks get cool techy stuff DONE. At least that's how I remember hearing it!

Fonts and fonts

I recently traded emails with David Edwards of TC Fonts regarding Revit's ambivalence to .shx fonts and the issues that arise when we import from dwg files and export to dwg files.

Initially he was interested in my thoughts on something he is considering working on. I think my opinion is too narrow in this case and he agreed to let me open it up a little more, to this blog's readers.

David writes:

I'm working on 2 sets of fonts intended to make importing DWG files that use SHX fonts into Revit work better. This means that the fonts will match more accurately, at least when it comes to their height and line length. I was thinking about making the characters not look identical (except for stroke) width to Romans or Simplex for more like Arial or Helvetica, so that when using Arial in Revit, the old details wouldn't be so "different" in look. Alternatively I could make them very similar to the plot look of the SHX.

Any thoughts on what might be preferable?

He also wrote:

Revit really screwed up on the DWG export. It only allows Truetype fonts to be specified in the DWG whereas most of the AutoCAD world still uses SHX as their standards. I'm also thinking of doing an SHX that matches with the look and width of Arial.

If you've got an opinion on this subject please respond in a comment. If you'd like to have a longer conversation with David about it I can connect the dots! Thanks!

Autodesk Labs - eTransmit for Revit

Anyone who has to share their Revit project files with another entity knows that it can be a little tricky if you want them to have all the ancillary data that might be associated with the project file itself, like imported dwg files. Autodesk Labs released (yesterday) a new candidate for your consideration called eTransmit for Revit.

From the Lab's description:
...snip

With eTransmit for Revit, you can:
• Copy and detach a Revit model and associated files to a single folder for internet transmission. This removes the typical error messages when you copy central files using the operating system.
• Locate dependent files automatically and include them in the transmittal folder, reducing the possibility of error. All dependent files are automatically converted to use relative paths to ensure that the dependent files can be located by the model.
• Choose to include related dependent files such as linked Revit models, CAD files, DWF markups, decal images, and external keynote files. You can transmit any Revit (.rvt) model that has been upgraded to Revit Release 2012.
• Transmit models that are using file-based worksharing or server-based worksharing. eTransmit for Revit will also work with non-workshared Revit models.

...snip

They've got a Known Issues PDF you can check out too.

Model Medic 2012

I wrote about this diagnostic tool when it first appeared. The 2012 compatible version is now available. You can download the new features pdf HERE.

You can watch their promo video below:

Revit 2012 Update Available

I was able to download web updates to Revit 2012 products via Communication Center this morning (well when I turned on Revit anyway). I also saw that Luke Johnson posted links at his blog What Revit Wants. RevitForum.org also has a thread dedicated to the subject.

If you fire up Revit and visit the communication center you should find a notification. You can also follow the links provided at What Revit Wants or RevitForum.org but those seem to take you to the 64bit versions whereas the Communication Center will download the version you need on your pc. Of course if EyeTee has your computer locked down such that you can't update it yourself, time to chat with them I suppose?

New build number is: 20110622_0930

According to Matt Mason's post at his Cadd Application Development blog the update fixes a point cloud issue. A new option to place updated cloud import files called: Auto - Origin to Last Placed (meaning that it would make sure that the origin matched the origin of the previous model) was added for these files...but it didn't work. It does work in the new Web Update!

Low Walls

I was positive I wrote about this in the past but I can't find a post in the pile of posts I've made since the end of 2004. I suppose it could be buried in a post at AUGI...

If a wall is less than six feet (or 2000mm, no not exactly equal to six feet) it will NOT use the Cut line weight, it will only show using the Projection line weight. You can "force" Revit to show it as Cut by setting the Top Constraint to the level above and using a negative Top Offset value to drop it back down to it's intended overall height. A bit obtuse but it works! [Added this: Chris mentioned in a comment, "you can set the Top Constraint to the same level as the Base Constraint and then use a positive value for your Top Offset value."]

I posted this because it came up in a session at RTC (during Harlan Brumm's Troubleshooting class) and then was tweeted.

Mastering and Essentials - Revit Books at RTC

Wiley/Sybex provided six copies for RTC to give away to attendees today (Saturday). The books were so excited this morning that I found them lined up at the door waiting to head to the conference area at the hotel!

Thanks to Willem and Wiley/Sybex for the books...oh the authors too, for writing them!! Eddy Krygiel, Phil Read, James Vandezande (also their special chapter contributors).

Revit Technology Conference - USA 2011

A bit more than two hundred and eighty people are about to begin their third day at the conference. I've neglected posting because I'm a slacker blogger lately! Fortunately others are not so slack. So this post is a listing of those who aren't (slack), to which I add...ditto! and Thanks!

First, David Light (Mr. Reliable) has done a nice job of writing about his experience so far. He's also be a mad Twittererer and I'm sure those that couldn't attend and follow the hashtag #RTCUSA appreciate his "madness".

Jason Grant also wrote about his experiences so far.

Steve Bennett mentioned it on his blog.

Chris Price (aka Mr. Spot) also wrote about the conference.

Chris Heinerata (works for DIALOG) wrote about RTC too!

Jay Zallan too! Post, Another Post

Craig Barbieri has joined the RTC blogging adventure with his contributions. He took pictures of Jim Baldings collection of Revit distribution discs,

A few from before the first public release.

The folks who contribute to AUGI's blog, BLAUGI posted something too. AUGI has been very supportive of RTC and the conference is very grateful. RTC has always been supportive of AUGI too, a "mutual admiration society".

It's no secret that I've been working to help bring RTC to the North America. The committee that I've been part of has worked very hard to make it real, and it is very gratifying to walk around and see that it IS real...a bit melancholy on the morning of Day Three that it is nearly over.

There are conference photos at the Facebook page for RTC if you are interested. Jim Balding installed Revit 1.0 on the demo lounge computers. Quite cool to see that. It's an interesting "paradox" with that version running on a couple computers that have Wacom Cintiq's attached to them!

The time here goes by so quickly! All for now, must prepare for our last day together here.

The Extensions are Coming

They've arrived! Revit 2012 extensions (subscription only) have been posted so have at them! The Revit Clinic and The Building Coder both offer some detail about each as well as for downloading them.

Dept. of Flashback - Mark and Type Mark

This subject pops up now and then as I encounter people doing the implementation "thing". I wrote this little piece in March 2009. I've clipped it out and posted it here again:

...snip
Language...with Revit's parameter naming the follow is true:

Door Number = "Mark" (not the person but the signature, ID or identifying "mark")
Window "type" = "Type Mark"

Out of the box, Revit's tags are assigned to these as described above. A door number is unique for each door so its tag is using a label assigned to the "Mark" parameter. Windows, for the most part, are defined according to a "type", a common letter or number designation for each window of a given "type" or configuration, therefore a window's tag is assigned to the "Type Mark" parameter.

"Mark" is located in the Element properties dialog while "Type Mark" is located in the Type Properties dialog. Most of Revit elements have both. Some Mark values are automatically supplied based on the "last" value entered and many are not. Type Mark values are not supplied with the assumption that each project will have its own needs and will be defined accordingly.

If you don't approve of the out of the box setting, you can create your own tag so that you can properly identify an element according to your needs.
...snip

RTC Competition

Just a reminder to readers that are attending the Revit Technology Conference next week in Huntington Beach. There is a competition segment to the event that offers some very nice prizes. To enter the work you and your firm has done you need to review the information on the web site regarding the competition.

Here's one of this year's RTC Goldcoast winner, Tony Hoffmann with Humphrey & Edwards Architects:

For reference you can take a look at the recent Goldcoast RTC competition as well as some images of previous submissions. You can also review the past RTC events: RTC 2010 - RTC 2009 - RTC 2008 - RTC 2007 - RTC 2006

The prizes have not been listed yet but they involve significant hardware and software I'd be very happy to win, but I'm not eligible...but "you" are!

Revit Content Standards - ANZRS

The Australia New Zealand Revit Standards (ANZRS) has been formally released. In March this year I wrote that they were drawing close to releasing it and that they hoped to do so at the Revit Technology Conference in Goldcoast. They did hold a meeting there but held off on the formal release a bit longer.

They made their first digital public version available for download. You need to register with modest information before you'll be able to download it. It is delivered in a PDF package that is comprised of these sections:

• L1 Introduction
• L2 How to use the pack
• L3 Generic vs Specific
• L4 Glossary of Terms
• C1-C8 Compliance
• R1-R2 Advanced Features and Best Practices
• Full Pack for printing including shared parameter txt files

Dept. of Off Topic - Signage

At a school nearby I saw the following sign regarding "Revitalization".

Their choice for the "swirl" logo reminds me of the original RTC (Revit Technology Corporation) logo.

It's also what the Revit Technology Conference logo is based on too.

Speaking of which, the conference opens in slightly over a week! Still some time to register if you haven't yet. Online registration remains open until Monday the 20th at the standard rate. Afterward it will be possible to register on-site at 4pm on Wednesday at the higher on-site rate.

Neat Dimensions

I received a comment on an earlier post. The essence of the comment was that they like to dimension like this, where the dimension's witness lines don't extend to the model to keep things neat.

A friend's office does this too and they use the following settings to achieve the "look".

I find the technique a bit frustrating in the field because I can't tell what the lines are referencing sometimes. For particularly busy documentation they'll add a prefix/suffix to values so it becomes a bit clearer. Neat drawings still take skill and attention to detail even with Revit/BIM.

Dept. of Events - Extreme BIM at USC - July 8, 2011

The Fifth Annual USC Symposium on Extreme BIM: Parametrics and Customization

EXTREME BIM: Friday, July 8: (very, very small fee) – we noticed that if we don’t charge a small fee, some people sign up and then forget to show up. If you really can’t afford the $25, email kensek@usc.edu, and I will have it waived. DO NOT use the online system if you want to get your fee waived.

Please reserve your spot soon; our BIM Analytics event filled up last year.

The speakers for EXTREME BIM 2011 were instructed to give presentations that advance the idea of building information modeling, show things that most of the audience may not be aware of, and demonstrate that BIM is cool and cutting edge! We have put together a slate of speakers that includes representatives from architecture, engineering, construction, education, and owners. Explore a side of BIM that you have not seen before!

Speaking/presenting are: Mario Guttman, Ian Keough, Nathan Miller, Joseph Burns, Chandler Ahrens, Michael Kilkelly, Bradley Hardin, Team Gensler, Brian K. Stewart, Robert Cull, and Team CCC.    

Dept. of Echo - Revit Roles - The Freshman

Quick post, sorry for being quiet but activities at RTC have been dominating my attention.

Back in May 2007 I wrote The Freshman post. It was written after writing a little longer document, called Revit Roles.

I decided to track down the post because the concepts came up a couple of times in the last two days while chatting with attendees at RTCAUS. I thought it would be easier to find if I mentioned it again. It doesn't feel like it has been four years since then...time flies...

We all start out as freshman with Revit...here's to graduating!!

RTCAUS 2011 - Getting Underway

It's midday Wednesday in Australia while it's late Tuesday in the USA. We are well underway getting the conference ready to kick off tomorrow in Goldcoast. We've posted some pictures at the Facebook page for RTC if you are curious. It's quite a beautiful view from the hotel, took this from a committee member's room.

This image is from the meeting rooms and general session spaces combined before dividing walls are moved into place. Attendance this year is very likely to reach 450, quite a difference from the modest beginnings in 2005 in the Blue Mountains.

If you have been mulling over attending the conference here, you can still just show up and register. If you've been waffling attending in the USA then waffle no more! The block of rooms set aside at the Hyatt are running low so if you want to stay at the Hyatt you'll need to act quickly. See you here and/or there!!

If interested you can follow the tweets for both conferences:
@RTCAUS
@RTCUSA.
Follow at Facebook!

Dept. of Echo - My First Revit Plug-in

The Autodesk blog BIM APPS revealed a new website aimed at helping people who want to get started with the api.

Emile Kfouri writes:
Are you an Autodesk Revit power user with an interest in becoming even more productive? Would you like to automate or extend the capabilities of Revit, but are new to computer programming? Are you envious of all the really cool add-ins that others are developing and you want to join the fold or show them you can do better. If so, then this guide is designed for you.

“My First Plug-in” is a self-paced tutorial guide for a smooth introduction into the programming world. This is a “one-stop shop” learning path for users who know Autodesk products but are absolutely new to programming and are thinking about taking the plunge. In this guide, you will be working with the Autodesk Revit .NET API and the C# programming language. The supported product version is Autodesk Revit Architecture 2011 and succeeding versions.

Check it out and give them feedback via EMAIL.

Filter Dialog - Hey Me Too!

Quick request, in the recent releases more and more dialogs are become flexible/stretchy. Unfortunately the Filter dialog remains steadfast and un-flexible, boo! We'd (well me and a few others at least) like it to be stretchy too! Thanks in advance!

Revit Technology Conference - Australasia - iTunes App

I suppose the word is getting out when a blogger (Revit3D) that is attending the Revit conference in the USA (RTCUSA) manages to let people know about this before the conference marketing committee members do?

Three enterprising fans of the conference have conspired to create an iPhone, iPad app for the Australasia conference that begins next week. These enterprising fans are Kingfisher Recruitment, Atlas Industries and Rod Howarth (programmer and app author listed at iTunes).

The app features a welcome screen, schedule, site information and app sponsor page. We've asked them to add a sponsor page to list all the conference sponsors too. Here's the main screens in the app.

If you are one of the over four hundred Revit/BIM savvy people coming to RTCAUS in Goldcoast next week then you might want to take advantage of this free app!

Augmented Reality - Check this out at The ANT Group

Jim Balding (The ANT Group) tweeted about this the other day and I just didn't get a chance to mention it as quickly as I wanted. Robert Manna posted about it today too.

AR Media provides a free authoring plug-in, with limited functionality, it doesn't cost much more to take it up a notch. Jim's site has big button on the left of his logo to download his demo kit. AR has more demo files on their site too.

Here's a photo of paper "plans" (printed and cutout) for hotel rooms on a table (printed out and placed by hand), like cutouts that you can move around to experiment with the best arrangement.

Then you can run the AR tool to see how they work in 3D too.

I'm not sure if Jim is planning to include it during the Glorious Gadgets session at RTCUSA or not, but sure looks like a candidate to me.

Watch this video for a quick demo too.

Revit Conferences Draw Near

Are you attending one, the other, or both conferences this year?

Planning to attend but haven't registered yet? Time is "running out"!

RTCAUS 2011 is one week away in Goldcoast, Australia. So little time left to register that you'll have to register on-site if you don't do it quick.

RTCUSA 2011 is just one month away. Come to Huntington Beach California to spend three days with other Revit users, getting your fill of information and meeting and greeting!

As a friend on Facebook shared today:

Ya know... There are three kinds of people:

1. The ones who learn by reading...
2. The ones who learn by observation...
3. And the rest of them who have to touch the fire to learn it’s hot...

Come to RTC to learn by all three!!

North America

Australasia

Dept. of Rumor Mongering - Vasari Technology Preview 2.0

A little birdie told me that we might be seeing another release of Vasari in the not too distant future. Hopefully the birdie isn't a canary in a coal mine?!

Here's a video preview!

Dept. of Echo - Four Causes for Revit 2012 Angst

From this morning's post at The Revit Clinic, worth a repost!!

1. WSCommCntr3.exe Process

For 2012 products, the Autodesk InfoCenter launches with Revit as a WSCommCntr3.exe process in the Windows Task Manager. The Revit.exe process could potentially wait on this WSCommCntr3.exe process. If you find Revit not getting past the splash screen, open the Windows Task Manager > Processes > WSCommCntr3.exe > End Process.

2. System Tray Applications

Verify if you have an application installed on the workstation, which allow the ability or attempt to minimize an application to the system tray. One example would be 4t Tray Minimizer. If present on the workstation I would test temporarily ending the application \ process to see if Revit 2012 launches as expected.

3. Corrupt WSCommCntrData.xml File

If the WSCommCntrData.xml file becomes corrupt, Revit may hang when attempting to read it at startup. First verify the file exists at the location below and if so move WSCommCntrData.xml when Revit is closed:

Windows Vista & Windows 7 ...\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\Revit\Autodesk Revit Architecture 2012\ENU\Components\WebServices\WSCommCntrData.xml

Windows XP ...\Documents and Settings\%username%\Application Data\Autodesk\Revit\Autodesk Revit Architecture 2012\ENU\Components\WebServices\WSCommCntrData.xml

4. Corrupt UIState.dat File

This could also be potentially related to a corrupt UIState.dat file. While Revit is closed, move or delete the UIState.dat file at the location below: Windows Vista & Windows 7

...\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\Revit\Autodesk Revit Architecture 2012\UIState.dat Windows XP ...\Documents and Settings\%username%\Application Data\Autodesk\Revit\Autodesk Revit Architecture 2012\UIState.dat

New Product - SAuBIM Code Calcs v1.0

SAuBIM Code Calcs v1.0 is a code compliance tool to help deal with toilet room and fixture documentation. Revit doesn't permit showing calculated values in tags so this application is intended to smooth the way to calculate and document what is required.

From the site:
...snip
SAuBIM – Code Calcs v1.0 for Autodesk® Revit® Architecture is a compact, easy to use, and time saving program. Autodesk® Revit® Architecture is a BIM (Building Information Modeling) program and can be very powerful when pulling the right information in and out. SAuBIM – Code Calcs v1.0 takes advantage of the information in your BIM model and saves you hours of time.

Also from the site:
SAuBIM will create the required schedules to automatically calculate the following items:

• Occupancy Loads (Per Room)
• Required Male Water Closets
• Required Female Water Closets
• Required Lavatories
• Required Drinking Fountains

The tool appears to use a journal to accomplish some of its work because when I ran a test on a file that happened to have some missing links it dumped me into "interactive mode" which is the result of a journal that can complete its "run". I haven't asked but wonder if it isn't possible to accomplish the scope of work without a journal? You can watch a couple videos they've provided for your consideration. Looks promising though I'd like to see it happen within Revit without having to close Revit to run the application.

Overview Video

Prepare your office Template
Prepare your Project
Edit your "Use Groups"
Using the Use Group Schedule
Working with SAuBIM Tags

By the way, Jeffery Pinheiro (aka The Revit Kid) teamed up with a programmer to bring SAuBIM to life

Poll Count - Where Did They Go?

I left the RTC post up for a few days to improve the odds of someone seeing and voting. Sorry to go "silent" in order to allow for that. Over the weekend I saw a high of 156 votes but was shocked this morning to only see 92. Apparently Google (Blogger) has been having some issues with polls losing votes over the last few months. At least there are numerous posts regarding this at Blogger help. I don't know if they will all come back or not. As it happens Jay Zallan posted a screen shot on his blog, pitching for keeping RTCUSA on the West Coast. Boston has been leading the rest most of the time. Oh, back to the image...it shows 160 votes. At least this can help establish a higher value than what shows right now. Thanks for posting Jay and the screen capture!

Revit 2012 Parts and Roofs

Via Help: Parts can be created from:

• Foundation Slabs
• Floors (no shape editing)
• Walls (not stacked or curtain walls)
• Ceilings
• Roofs (that do not have ridge lines)

This last item, roofs, is the focus of this post. I find that if a roof ever had a slope, causing a ridge/valley line to appear, it will not activate the Create Parts tool even if the slope no longer exists. If you use the Shape Editing features for the roof it too will "kill" the Create Parts tool. If you use the Reset Shape button Revit will restore the Create Parts tool.

Revit seems to retain the ridge/valley information whereas it will forget it if you use shape editing instead.

The work-around is to recreate the roof. You can use the same sketch by copying it to clipboard and then pasting it into the sketch of the new roof. Just make sure you remove the Defines Slope option before you finish the Roof sketch otherwise you'll end up with the same problem.

Revit Technology Conference - USA 2012 - City Poll

[- The poll is now closed (closed on May 20th), the image below is a screen capture of the poll, not an actual poll, sorry for the confusion it has caused -]

We haven't finished the first RTC in the USA yet but we are already considering where the next one should go. The poll you'll see at the top right corner of this blog offers the cities we've been considering.

There are some "obvious" ones we've considered but decided to try this list first to see what sort of response we get. We'll be sending out a survey to those who are already on the conference mailing lists as well as attempting to get a poll at the Linked In group too. Please take a moment to cast your vote for one of the cities listed or choose "other" and respond to this post with a comment for the one you'd prefer. ~ THANKS!!

Dept. of Subtle - Opening Transparent in Elevation or 3D

Quick one tonight. The opening element in window families is designed to offer either transparent or opaque behavior when seen in elevation/section views. Normally we like to "see" through glass in 3D views so we can see inside the building. In elevation/section views however seeing the "innards" of the building might be really confusing to the reader. This subtle setting determines how the opening should behave in either condition.

If you want to see through your openings in elevation, check the option for Elevation. It's usually not checked which is why you can't see through them. If you'd rather obscure them in a 3D view to then remove the check for 3D.

In the past we couldn't have more than one Opening element in a single family so we often removed them and used a void instead. I find in 2011 and 2012 that Revit doesn't mind multiple openings in the family. You can't however have a void and an Opening in the same family, one or the other. To be more accurate you CAN create a void but you'll get this message if you try to CUT the host with the void.

Is a Single Model Viable?

I have a couple clients that have done this with some varying opinions on how successful it was.

Pros:

• Great to have live interaction between trades
• Issues were much more obvious and forced resolution sooner.
• Less linked file updating issues Helped minimize copy/monitor and redundant content

Cons:

• Plot day conflicts between trades, arch printing for meetings and MEP trades printing offset and difficult to have teams "stop working" long enough in advance to freeze development of the model so trades could "catch up" with design.
• Performance...fairly obvious...file sizes became an issue so only really feasible on modest sized buildings
• More worksets required, more views etc... browser became difficult
• Warnings increased because everyone had to "see" other trade warnings

One outcome from attempts was the less obvious choice to merge A and E models, they shared one model for Arch/Elec because so many devices were "redundant" in separate models. This put A/E staff in the same model so they could share lighting and devices etc. Kind of obvious logical pairing but not as obvious to think of initially.

A truly single model can work but project size and the way teams interact can greatly affect how much "fun" it is.

Dept. of Off Topic - Masters of Reality

Could be the name of a new BIM product?

Years ago (1981) a band called Masters of Reality got started in Syracuse, NY. I didn't work for them but I had a few friends and fellow roadies in common with them. I saw them once or twice live in a club called The Lost Horizon, a somewhat legendary venue there. An amazing number of bands played on their way up the charts and back down. You know, like Bon Jovi, Guns-n-Roses, Bad English, Arc Angels, John Kay & Steppenwolf, The Stray Cats...and so many more...

Back to MoR as they were also known, they released an album called "Masters of Reality". The second album featured Ginger Baker (yeah, Cream and Blind Faith's drummer)on drums replacing Syracuse native Vinnie Ludovico. The founder Chris Goss is still at it with a somewhat changing lineup over the years. This group is one of those that makes me wonder how they didn't get "huge"...distinctive sound and melodies, different yet familiar.

I've added a number of videos that you can find at You Tube yourself to my Favorites on my You Tube channel for this blog. My favorites? John Brown, Domino, She Got Me...not necessarily in that order. The oldest stuff is my preference but there's something for "everyone". See what you think?

Here's "She Got Me" featuring Ginger Baker.

Revit 2012 Adaptive Components and RTC Teaser

Check out this short video demo of using adaptive components on a facade to experiment with color fin treatment. Especially appreciate the plug for attending Revit Technology Conference to learn more about how to do it!

The Factory - Where Did That Come From?

It is fairly common to hear someone refer to the folks at Autodesk responsible for Revit as someone at the "Factory". Greg Demchak, a product designer who's been working on Revit since before Autodesk bought Revit Technology Company, told me that the idea of working in the "factory" resonated (found it funny and interesting) with him and others. In fact for Autodesk University he wanted to have people wear lab coats which, if I recall correctly, materialized at The Lounge one year during Autodesk University. Greg's avatar at AUGI is inspired by the term too.

The oldest post I can find at AUGI (actually dating back to Zoogdesign) referring to the Factory is by David Conant and his post was on December 11, 2003.

Does anyone remember who the first person is that used the term "Factory" in connection with Revit and its "people"?

It's possible that we started using the term before the forums at Zoogdesign which would place them at the original RUGI forums or even alt.cad.revit newsgroup. Incidentally my response to David was the next reply in that thread just 11 minutes later the same day. Followed by another factory worker, Steven Campbell 27 minutes later. I joked about them wearing their safety glasses and he confirmed that he does!

Writing about alt.cad.revit made me curious and I found that I can search some of that data still via Google Groups.

Rumor is True! - Upgrade Path to Suites

For a limited time, customers who have a current Subscription for select Autodesk products may upgrade to a new 2012 Suite at no upfront cost. To take advantage of this special opportunity, the Contract Manager on your Autodesk Subscription agreement will have to fill out a REQUEST.

Please note: When you renew your Subscription, you will be offered the renewal rate for the suite you select. The Subscription renewal rate for the suite will likely be higher than the renewal rate for your standalone product. Please contact your Autodesk reseller or sales representative for pricing information.

Thanks to Sean at USCAD for letting me know as soon as he knew he could tell me.

Revit 2012 Materials and Property Sets

I like it when someone at the Factory chimes in with some insight like David Conant did at the AUGI forums the other day. Regarding a members confusion about the new material concepts added to Revit 2012 he wrote:

Think of the Material as a container. It contains sets of information that represent different aspects of materiality: Appearance (what it looks like in a rendering), Structure (how strong it is), Graphics (what it looks like in a non rendered view), and general information about the material. In some cases (appearance and structure) the information can be provided to the material by linking to a seperately defined property set (by Property Set), or can be input directly into the material (Independent). This allows several materials to share a single set of properties and changes to that property set to propagate to all those materials.

Imagine you are working with several materials of different types that are all covered with the same finish, green paint for example. In that case you would create as many Materials as needed and assign the same green paint appearance property set to each. To change the paint tint on all, change the definition of the appearance property set. The appearance of all those materials will change together.

Conversely, you might have four kinds of concrete with the same strength but different appearances. In that case you would create the four concrete materials linked to the same Structure property set, but with different appearances.

If you need to tweak the appearance of an individual material without changing any others, set its appearance property to Independent. Your changes will then be confined to that material only.

Dept. of Off Topic - Holy Number of Views Batman!

One of my earlier posts (The Tale of the Dancing Ribbon Tabs) has a video that goes along with it. I just noticed how many views that video has generated at Screencast - 49,393 - Wow! I guess when you create a little video that has a subject broader than the niche that Revit is some serious numbers can show up! I can only assume that the ribbon being in other products like Office apps accounts for this spike. As you were!

Ready for Hard Work?

Seth Godin wrote yesterday that there is a difference between Long Work and Hard Work. I immediately thought how his comments related to how I worked in the past (using AutoCAD and Microstation) and how I work today (Revit and Navisworks). The long work meant showing up, doing repetitive tasks and not really challenging how or why we did things. The hard work is hunting for something better, being dissatisfied with just doing yesterday again today. It took effort to start using Revit back then and it takes effort today. Interested in doing Hard work? It's necessary... Btw, there's Hard work to do even if you've been using Revit for many years too.

As it happens Phil Read also wrote something interesting yesterday, about where "we" stand today after ten years of Revit existence. The hard work I'm referring to is what he is suggesting is needed now/next, where do we go next, what solutions are required next? Read on...worth your while!

Rumor Mongering - Building Design Sweet Deal

Read elsewhere on the internets tonight that Autodesk may be offering a nice upgrade deal for existing subscription Revit customers. Essence of the deal...free short term offer to upgrade to the Premium level with the catch that the yearly subscription fee will increase at renewal time later. I'm hopeful that this rumor will come true!

Follow Up Post - Family Puzzler

I recorded a quick video to demonstrate how I constrained a nested beam family using the Reference and Shape Handle elements of the beam as well as how it breaks when I use the Family Type data type feature to change beam sizes.

Chris Price at Revit Rants just happened to post a video tonight about his effort to constrain nested columns. Related issue and I suspect that if he tried to make the column type swappable with the Family Type data type that it would compete with his technique to solve the problem. Overall I would like to avoid editing the stock content to "make-it-work".

Family Puzzler - Beam and Family Type Parameter

I'm opening up this issue to my clever readers out there to either enlighten me or corroborate my situation. Imagine a structural support that we'll refer to as a pipe support. If it helps, something like this:

I'm referring to the green "column" and "beam" with the tabs at the ends of the beam to counter potential "roll-off" in a seismic situation. The obvious way to make a family for this is to nest a column and beam family, use a Family Type parameter to swap between sizes when they are placed in the project. I write obvious because it would be nice to be able to use the standard framing families and types to choose the relevant form and configuration.

Everything is pretty straightforward until I attempt to change the type. The length of the Beam resists being constrained if I change the Type. I've managed to get it to work but it tends to break as soon as the beam size is changed.

The puzzler is... has anyone been able to get nested beams to behave when managing the "in-use" type with a Family Type parameter?

Working around the issue, a couple solutions come to mind.

If the Structural Framing beams are not used I can get it to work easily so that suggests a conflict with the category behavior (the structural framing template). If I build my own beams and columns using the same profiles and type catalogs it will work. Unfortunately that means we'd end up with "different" beams/columns than the other "real" beams and columns when we think of schedules.

The other solution might be to use the API to get the information that the user needs to supply and let the API create a custom family from the parts and build/insert on-the-fly. Like the Frame Generator extension does for Revit Structure.

Comments?

Dept. of Echo - Subtle 2012 Type Selector Improvements

Erik posted today at Inside the Factory to share some subtle improvements in how the Type Selector works. It would make my Dept. of Subtle department but it's his post so it's an echo...

Check it out!