Autodesk Labs has done it again!!!

This time it's sustainable: Getting Green is getting Greener!!!

The Solar Radiation Technology Preview for Revit Architecture and Revit MEP looks as if the dream will be televised after all. You will a lot more from This Link to the Labs' Blog post on it... BUT FIRST; here's what the Lab says about this tool:

"Use the Solar Radiation Technology Preview to analyze the effects of solar radiation on various surfaces of your conceptual building model. Using the Solar Radiation Technology Preview during the conceptual design stage of your project can help you make fundamental design decisions about building shape, orientation, and surfaces early on, when changes are least expensive. The technology preview uses the geometry of conceptual massing elements from Revit and calculates the amount of solar radiation hitting the surfaces of the massing shapes, based on location and weather data. It is possible to display the distribution and availability of solar radiation over an entire building or even a city block. This can be particularly useful when considering shading requirements or assessing the best areas to place photovoltaics for maximum collection.

The output of the technology preview can be saved as images in the Revit project that contains the massing elements. After these images are added to the project, you can place them on sheets and print them. You can also export the images from Revit for use in presentations or for editing in external software applications.

// See demonstration video (YouTube)
// Read the Read Me (PDF)
// Read the Getting Started document (PDF)

To get started:

1. Verify that you are using Revit Architecture 2010 Update 1 or Revit MEP 2010 Update 1.
2. You download the installer ZIP file.
3. You unzip it. In addition to the setup file, it contains the Getting Started Guide and a ReadMe file with a list of known issues.
4. You run the setup.exe file. You must have administrative rights on your computer.
5. The next time you launch Revit, the technology preview is available."

Knowledge... He said base... Some Revit Best Practices

Looking for Best Practices? Shit, every helpful document on the Web-o-Blogosphere is part of that and I do have additions that you may have read in this Blog as well... Even ADSK has their own and here are a few:
Service & Support Top Issues with file maintenance in RAC 2010: A list of best practices from their Knowledge Base.

Modeling Best Practices Pretty clear what these all deal with, no?

Families Modeling Best Practices Wow, can this help with my family?

Template Creation Best Practices I could write a book on this as well!!!

Printing Best Practices Isn't that called CTRL+P?
I like using multi-page DWF's then print those with Adobe Acrobat Pro if anyone needs PDF's... I have found some PDF drivers suck and are in any case slower than DWF in my experience, even when figuring in the time to print DWF's into PDF's.

Improving Performance of Revit Projects Two extra thoughts on this...
1) Get a really really good $3,ooo to $10,000 computer and use it until it melts. It should be good (for Revit) for 2 to 6 years (+/- depending on your opinion of "good").
2) Get a $1,000 (+/-) computer every year.

I use something similar to the second method at home and the 1st method at work... the key to the first option: 2 to 3 year lease.

Benefits of using the 64 bit Version of Revit Duh, SPEED Man, SPEED!!!
A 32 bit processor can represent numbers from 0 to 4,294,967,295 (Billions of Numbers)
A 64 bit processor can represent numbers from 0 to 18,446,744,073,709,551,615 (Quintillions!!! FYI: An even better list and my favorite Math website Is Found Here!!!)

Moving RVT Central File to a New Location (Ughh) only let beginners fuck up your files please!!! Seriously, if you do it correctly it's ok and at some times necessary!!! I joke because I care.

Locating of Journal Files For those new to journal Files: Ever ask WTF a Journal file is? Try this fun trick (BUT NOT ON A WORK COMPUTER, NOR DURING WORKING HOURS!!!)...

BTW for newcomers to Revit, this is best done after a long days' working.
1) Close Revit
2) Find your newest Journal File
3) Copy that newest Journal File to the folder where Revit.exe is
4) Drag and drop that Journal file onto Revit.exe
5) Sit back and watch!!!
6) I suggest not saving the file created by this on top of the production file!!!

Another BTW for the 'newer-to-Revit' folks: Journal files can actually be used to push 'things' into Revit files for actual and useful purposes!!! Not just to fuck with your buddies minds.

Beware... AutoCAD Malware!!!

So "they" have (finally?) done it.

"They" have made a Malware that uses AutoCAD to run itself and as most of these it looks pretty fucked up!!! If you have AutoCAD installed on your computer then you are at risk!!! The following link will explain the issue and some solutions.

http://blog.webroot.com/2009/07/01/autocad-adware-trojans-target-techies/

Stay (safe) my friends
-said like the Dos Equis XX Beer guy

Update This

They're Heeeeeeere!!! (Not pregnant women) the New Revit Web Updates that is... and NO the UI hasn't changed, it is still the same so just get over it!!!

Architecture
RAC Update 1 if you need to choose your (poison) Language.
or The English RAC page Itself
or or just The RAC Update Enhancement PDF

Structure
RST Update 1 if you need to choose your (poison) Language.
or The English RST page Itself
or or just The RST Update Enhancement PDF

MEP
RME Update 1 if you need to choose your (poison) Language.
or The English RME page Itself
or or just The RME Update Enhancement PDF

Both the 32 bit and 64 bit Updates are there so do choose the correct version for your OS (obviously)... also on these pages there are the Feature Summaries and Known Issues documents, etc.

Related photo: Family Creation!!! -I hope there are no CAD imports in those families...

Image: http://www.study-in-china.org/Uploadfiles/IMAGE/2008101110211752.jpg

"Quick! Someone pull it back up before someone notices!"

The title of this post is taken from the replies/comments section of the original article FOUND HERE. I hope it's ok to use your comment seizurelitezrfun; let me know if not... There are so many possible things to say about this I'm at a loss... my brain is flooding (HA) at all the possible comebacks...

Dirty Old Architecture Made Beautiful

I don't recall where I found this (perhaps The Pregnant Goldfish) but I think this is a good way to market dirty old Architecture; enjoy.

____(1)fest 2009

____ing (2) in a ____ (3)can? Better than that!!!





First off to Virginia Gardiner, the Designer of the Loowatt, I apologize for the low-brow nature of this post; It's really ____y(4) of me...

I truly respect and advocate this kind of work. I am impressed and inspired by your expression of great creativity!!!

I just couldn't help myself.

Besides the articles and videos I linked to are so good on their own that anything additionally written should (I thought) be completely distinct.

That said I have to go (on). (5)

If you never have, already have or ever do plan on using a toilet then these articles will truly inspire -and if you have never used a toilet and yet are reading this please reply back and tell us how it is to have internet connectivity and yet have no toilet... really; I know there are some of you out there.

I am really trying to hold it in (6)... no, no, no (7), you know, all the ____(8) humor, uhh sorry... ____(9) humor... this ____(10) is no joking matter!!!

The Waste Opportunity (NOT wasted)!!!

The crapper reinvented Thanks also to Thomas!!!???

Made from ____(11) and ____(12) made into it and into energy too (all ____(13) puns intended ;-) after all)

Oh ____(14); ____(15) is no longer a dirty word YAAY!!! one down, six to go!!! See the more complete videos here...Part 1 and here, Part 2 and here Part 3. I am sure those who posted these all got legal clearances too!!! If not they are really up ____(16) creek with no paddles...

Finally perhaps we can tell Matt & Trey that (__)__'s(17) ok to say again!!! well I only came up with 17, not 162...

More Revit Components

Do you get the idea that Sketchup will actually be eclipsed by Revit for "Design" even by those who think life should be dumb and simple and inaccurate? Uhhh I mean those who use SKP.

Whether for better or not SKP is in most every Architect's hands and still has the perception (and to some degree reality) of usefulness due to the ease of creating those dumb, simple and inaccurate objects (and don't get me started on SKP adding parametrics... That does not make it BIM!!!).

Well, if you still find some people with reticence to fully use Revit because it's "too hard" to learn, or whatever -Boo Hoo- hey didn't they (almost) all go to University? or was that just an excuse for a prolonged Kegger?

But I digress; you may have begun to feel major recognition of the AEC industries' growing adoption of BIM; predominantly through the use of the Revit Platform; a shift in the industry punctuated by the exploding amount of content being created these days from Mfg's and more...

With that in mind here's another nice compilation of Revit Families for us and 'them' RevitComponents on blogspot is that place...there's also a fuller (?) pay site that you can get to from there. I like the links section too; though they could have linked to this blog ;-)!!!

Tweet Tweet: Twit or Twitter?

So I broke down and Twitted myself up. You can follow HERE, (or click the painting of the hand on the sidebar) if you like; I did and it's free...
Well truthfully, I am not following myself and really there will be costs to Twits everywhere!!!

More Twit Links:

The Python Folks

Twit TV

Miriam Webster's views

Python Scriptz

Pregnant Goldfish -Well, somewhere on this blog the word 'twit' comes up... like the main title.

Finally (I am over finding interesting twit sites for now) anyways, as I said; finally I searched for 'BIM and twits' and found among the throngs the following page (notice the $ amount of their services... yikes!!!) and then ask where the work is going... or not??? BIM services (from India)at affordable (I'd say ridiculous) rates (USD $10 to $15/hr) include: • 3D modeling • BIM • MEP • HVAC

Current (?) Revit Tools and Addons

I have added a few others at the bottom of this post. Thanks to all!!!

There is a lot of inquiry about Revit addons and tools, beyond the OOTB capabilities. So in an attempt at compiling an exhaustive list this post may grow in the future. I have not tried them all so beware and use at your own risk; as always let us know the good/bad&ugly... FYI, this post is not going to deal with full applications such as green Building Studio, Ecotect, IES, E-Specs, etc., as those types of Apps stand on their own.

Here we go!!!
Autodesk Labs Always have something new and exciting
Autodesk Labs RDB Link tool (link to external data)
Autodesk Labs STL Exporter 2010
Autodesk Labs Share Now
Autodesk Labs Dragonfly (to Revit also)

If you are an Autodesk Subscription customer (and some of us are) you should always login & check in to see what additions they have, like the Globe Link, Navisworks Exporter (don't forget to get the patch!!!) Worksharing Monitor, Batch Print utility (reorders printed order of sheets too!!!), etc.!!! Don't forget all of the other Arch, Struct & MEP Extensions they have there too...

BIMjet 4D Revit schedule linking to & from MS Project

StructSoft's MWF (Metal Wood Framer)...'nuf said.

Ideate's Ideate Explorer for finding Revit 2010 objects, etc.

Trelligence's Affinity for Revit Programming, Master Planning, etc.

AGA-CAD's tools4revit Truss 2010.2, Dynamic Legend, Sort&Mark, Sort&Cope, Rafter+, Rafter+FF (enhanced), Truss+, Building Interior Designer

Avatech's Revit Utilities; Room Renumber, Change Case, Door Mark Update, RevitShitty (check that) Revitcity content browser, Earth Connector (Autodesk has their own now too), Space Update

DotSoft's XL2CAD for Revit places DXF'd (Yikes) Excel spreadsheets into Revit. I guess if you "must"

EMC2 Architects have a Keynote Manager (I think)

Dr. Angéla Germán's reviTTools Door tag enhancements, element counts, manage linked CAD files (Yikes), manage sheet properties, DWG export, direct export to Excel, direct import Room data from Excel, Door-window-room renumbering,Transfer parameters to Doors

CDV Systems (London Infotech's Cyril Deluca-Verley) CodeBook linking program & equipment requirements to Revit

From an Augi posting Copy Schedule data from one schedule to another

That's it for now; if you have others please feel free to send them along and I'll include them and if I add more it will be below this. Cheers, -J

Thanks for this one Troy!!! CADwerx BIM & CAD Power Tools

One more (from Anonymous) Revit TV's Drawing Manager and Shared Parameters Managers.

Here's another one: EMC2's Keynote Manager!!!

More brilliance: Distance to Panels From Zach Kron. More Here too.

Resetting the Revit Architecture 2010 user interface

If you are one of those (us) who constantly fucks with their software & interfaces (at least as much as you can) and you do this to the point that they are not just self-customized, but all screwed up and perhaps unusable anymore...well are you? If so ADSK has a tool for you!!! Click on Resetting the Revit Architecture 2010 user interface for their Knowledge Base Search document explaining it all... including the all necessary .vbs file and everything!!!

Now just leave the interface alone and get to work!!!

Have a great weekend!!!

Gimme a beer, imbecile!

Enough Said. CLICK ME!!!

Do we need help! (That's not a question)

.chm files (searchable "help" type of file)...Hmmm; a good way to share ideas and whitepapers, etc.?

Since too many users don't read all of the standards files, style guides, user manuals, etc. that are created for their use, is the .chm idea workable or just another file full of usefull information to be ignored by users? Remember CAD & BIM Managers, most people still don't use F1 (Help) so...

Anyway; I think it is a great idea to explore (CLICK ME!!!) and I know my previous statement seems quite cynical but I will wait until I am proved wrong (?), in the workplace to recant.

BTW: the point I linked to the CAD Enhancement posting is that they once again spell strategies to get people learning and have a link to this Microsoft App that creates .chm's, etc.

Autodesk University 2009 Proposal Confirmation (Nice!!!) From Programming to Presentation

Dear Jay,
Thank you for your proposal to speak at Autodesk University 2009. We are pleased to inform you that your proposal has been accepted. Congratulations!

We received an overwhelming response to our request for proposals—more than 1600 submissions from over 700 individual presenters. This response demonstrates the value of AU to our community. Thank you for offering to become part of this important event.

My Class:
From Programming to Presentation: Planning with Autodesk® Revit®Architecture
90-Minute Class

Learn how to create outstanding Planning Projects in Revit Architecture. From single client T.I. to large scale Planning and Urban Designs you will learn proven concepts and techniques for creating high quality, Revit projects. We will cover several ways to efficiently integrate Planning requirements with downstream project designers and production teams. Learn how to setup projects and templates so you can prepare documents and presentations that are at once detailed, clearly informative, and convincing for your clients (not to mention downright beautiful). You may have new additional services after you leave this class! By applying the concepts of this course, you will be able to smoothly transition your existing techniques into a more powerful workflow and will be better suited to manage both large views, as well as large numbers of views.

If you have any questions, please contact AU Speaker Management .
* The Speaker Resource Center is scheduled to go live in late July.
* AU event registration for speakers will open on August 5.
* You may want to sign up for the AU Speaker Blog or follow us on Twitter to stay informed on all things AU.
...
Thank you for your proposal and the valuable contribution you will be making to this year’s Autodesk University. We look forward to working with you over the next few months and meeting you in Las Vegas at AU 2009!


The AU 2009 Speaker Management Team
Carol Nadler Speaker Manager
Patricia Lundberg Speaker Manager
Sophie Dupras Virtual Speaker Manager
Joseph Wurcher Content Manager

Thanks to everyone who voted for this and every session that will be presented and I will see you there!!! Thanks also to Joseph Wurcher and the entire AU Team!!!

Annals of Innovation

(He said Annal) -I know it's quite Beavis and Butthead...that's the point...He he he he... (I'm not cool enough to recall any South Park reference for this!!!).

On to business!

We can affect change, even as perceived "weak" individuals or small groups against larger more "powerful" groups... Take heed no matter what side of this you find yourself, at any given time...

Know the rules of the game independent of the known constructs and deal with problems with clear vision...NO EMOTIONS, NO SENTIMENTALITY, BRUTAL HONESTY, etc.

CLICK ME!!!

Get ready to read!!! Thanks (to the "unknowing that I quoted them") New Yorker and Malcom Gladwell

Organize This!!!

Do you remember this article from last year? Did you ever see it? Have you used it? If not you may want to... Organizing the Development of a Building Model by: Jim Bedrick

That along with These Documents cited in the article, from the IPD-CA folks as well as the AIA's IPD Guide can help fill your mind with possibilities; while these may overload you they still give insight into processes to verify and validate our progress into the Future of VDC.

Here's some Fear and Loathing ...And a bit of Hard Core M&Music

I don't know if you could tell but I've always liked Eminem's music... very original, creative and hardcore, honest etc. Well if you like his stuff check out THIS REMIX by Travis Barker of Eminem's 3am... Slam dem drums T... Great Groove; the kids love it and it's green too!!!

Revit 2010 to Navisworks 2010 Hotfix

So have you found Revit 2010 exports to Navisworks 2010 have some...well... little funny issues? Like not cutting walls where doors and/or windows exist? If so (or if you don't want to find out) you can get the HotFix Here.

What does ADSK say about the HotFix? They say that it..."Resolves issue with openings (e.g. windows and doors) being displayed as solid objects within Navisworks when using the Navisworks export plugin from within Revit."

Thanks to MM for cluing me in hours after this was made available!!!

Long Live the Sharpie

Yeah, yeah yeah, it's not Revit but we sometimes need inspiration. Plus dispelling myths about folks from the south is fun!!!

In case you never saw what $10.00 worth of sharpies, time and inspiration can do, just click the following link: Man decorates basement with $10 worth of Sharpie

Revit Content Ad nauseam???

It is minor but the groundswell has started. Yaay. Finally MFG's are not just using CAD Imports (those old Lazy asses!!!) as an excuse for Revit Families; now MFG's like A. O. Smith are getting on the Revit train and doing families right (mostly)...I say mostly because the hosted nature of many families goes against many (read as my) best practices.

Regardless of my thoughts on hosting, we do like "Firsts" and would like to congratulate A.O. Smith on their forward thinking and swift action, Many in the AEC world could use more of that!!!

From their site:
"A. O. Smith is pleased to be the first Water Heater Manufacturer to offer you 3D Revit models."

A special and personal note to everyone making families: STOP MAKING FAMILIES HOSTED UNLESS THEY REALLY (read as REALLY!!!) NEED TO BE. I know ADSK suggests (mandates?) that families be hosted but this is as flawed an outlook as making the size of a door be type driven. I know the door issue is arguable but a slab door is a slab door, is a slab door, no matter the size... Let's say my slab door is Type A1. why do I need a new Type that is for a 3'x9' and another that's 4'x9'? the TYPE of these doors (in reality) is the same...

Face based families will probably cause problems when the family forgets what face it was hosted to and falls on it's side, etc. I know hosted objects will move with their host but issues like this can (read as will) prove to be bigger than just simple location coordination!!! Especially since we can constrain families to a 'host' in other ways.

Has anyone ever had face based families lose their host when copies were pasted to other levels??? I have...

With all he MFG's creating content we now need wading boots, to navigate the ever expanding road of dissimilar Family & Type names, parameters, methods, modeling continuity, etc...

When does one break from the MFG conventions and align families with individual company necessities? ASATA... (As Soon As They Arrive)!!!

A Green Roof is a Happy Roof???

Are you going green and want to use a green roof? This nice little article may help.

The Revit API: A Great Place To Start

THIS LINK is a great resource for one's travels up or down the Revit API stream.

THIS LINK is a great resource for one's travels through life. -When stuck just pick one and go with that and see what comes of it!!! One of my favorites is: "Make a sudden, destructive unpredictable action; incorporate"

Do you really want to know where your command is now?

In my world the ribbon just reinforces (and will grow) my use of Keyboard Shortcuts but for those occasions where I do use buttons there IS a way to find the 2010 equivelent of previous Revit tools... So, for those who can't find the F1 key or who need extra spoon feeding (yes, I am just being mean but it's all in jest)... CLICK ME. Neat tool, I wonder about how much free time Mr. Iyadurai has...though sometimes we all give back...thanks Nicholas!!!.

Revit: The Unconditional Conditional Withholder?

Funny thing: at this month's Los Angeles Revit Users Group someone mentioned how absurd it is (OK it was me) that there can be found functionality in some Revits that aren't in others... Well Steve Stafford with the help of David Baldacchino has posted a nifty find of some hidden functionality that IS actually there. See Steve's conditional post and David's additional post.

Known Issues

Stuart said...

Revit download.... What drives me nuts about Revit 2010 download is the little pdf that is titled: Known Issues. Unfortunately, it is not accompanied with a pdf called: resolutions!! How in the world does Autodesk get away with that!?!?

Thursday, April 23, 2009

He said "Known Issues".

Comment on those Issues.

I've always found it enlightening (not to mention useful) that the (or at least some of the) "known" issues are published for Revit... Yeah, they could be fixed but you know how it is big ships turn slowly...

Wouldn't it be funny (or scary...) if people published their own "known issues" documents???

But alas we still buy the product and we still get married so...

The Revit Workstation: A Simple Formula

What is the best computer for Revit?

It’s all up to one’s budget; keeping in mind project type/size and what else will be done on the machine.

I would recommend that whatever manufacturer(s) you go with, when you spec out the Workstations you consider a handy equation that I use:

IF ($$$=Available) Then (Autodesk Recommended Specs * 4) ELSE (Autodesk Recommended Specs * 2)

...If you want to use that in a Revit "calculated value" :-) then I believe it would read:

IF $$$>Available, (Autodesk Recommended Specs * 4), (Autodesk Recommended Specs * 2)

Consider that what you want you need. Look down the road 1 year+...

BTW: I mean I would double at the very least, each of the specs individually, some I’d go beyond double… but double is my minimum.

In the past Video Cards did not make a big impact on Revit but everything else one probably uses (and now Revit more and more) use heavy GPU so I’d still go for the gold there too.

Look at the links below…Hmmm Multiple Xeon’s… I know only Rendering in Revit uses multiple processors but doesn't 8 sound very good to you?

I’d also check the AutoCAD Recommended Video Cards (yes: ACAD, they are somewhat GPU heavy)... perhaps use the Inventor or MAX, or Maya GPU specs and again get better than their highest recommendations, up to your budget's limit…

The better the computer the longer it's Revit Life Cycle (RLC).

Look into leasing vs. purchasing…

Anyways, ADSK says the black and I said the Red

J's Minimum System Recommendations for 64-bit Autodesk Revit Architecture
* Windows XP Professional x64 edition (SP1 or later) Vista 64 since XP 64 is...
* Intel Core 2 Duo 2.40GHz or equivalent AMD processor How much can I spend on Xeons?
* 8 GB RAM 8 minimum!!! 16 or 32 for really useful/heavily used systems.
* 5 GB free disk space Ha!!! 5 GB to install!!! maybe a couple of Terabytes is better.
* Dedicated video card with hardware support for DirectX 9 (or later) How many GB can I afford? (Hmmm maybe multiple SLI's)
* Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1 (or later) Mozilla for me but IE is there anyways, if ADSK needs it.
* Two-button mouse with scroll wheel Yeah, because someone won't let people like Logitec into the API enough to allow the Space Pilot, etc. to work with it... Oh sorry, I combine a Wacom Intous Tablet, and depending on where I am, a Space Pilot or Space Navigator with a Mouse and a Wacom Cintiq.

AutoDESK Revit Download

AutoDesk Discussions about systems...

AutoDESK Revit Architecture Specs

Revit mep Suite 2010 Specs

Take care!!!
-J

This is mainly to help me remember the way to negate the "Inconsistent Units" error but I am sure there are more people who will find this useful!!! From the real Revit master: (BTW: This can obviously be applied to many objects, not just walls as the example shows)...

Originally Posted by LRaiz (re-posted at the bottom of the discussion in this link)

"Let's assume that you are using Cost parameter available in Wall type as your unit cost. When you assign numeric value to to Cost Revit has no idea what is the meaning of this parameter. It could be cost per square foot, cost per square inch, cost per linear foot, cost per wall instance, etc. You are the only one who knows the meaning and you use your knowledge while writing a formula for calculated value in schedule. Revit just enforces that units of measurement are the same on the left and right sides of your formula.

Let say you want to compute TotalCost (number parameter) then taking into account the fact that unit Cost is also a number (no units of measurement) and Area parameter has units of length square you would write

If Cost is per square foot then TotalCost = Cost * Area / (1' * 1')
If Cost is per square inch then TotalCost = Cost * Area / (1" * 1")
If Cost is per square meter then TotalCost = Cost * Area / (1m * 1m)
If Cost is per linear foot then TotalCost = Cost * Length / (1')
If Cost is per wall instance then TotalCost = Cost

Makes sense?"