OMFGLOL-VL: A Discourse on Emerging Tectonic Visualization and the Effects of Materiality on Praxis. Or an essay on the ridiculous way architects talk

I was bumping about last night and while reading Doctor, Lawyer, Architect, Fail on the Architects 2Zebras site I hit the link for Witold Rybczynski's Slate article titled: A Discourse on Emerging Tectonic Visualization and the Effects of Materiality on Praxis Or an essay on the ridiculous way architects talk.

I won't even add my 2 cents, as the article I find spot on, so I find no need (it's perfect as is) I'll simply quote a part of it:

"The Urban Dictionary defines Archispeak as: "Large, made-up words that architects and designers use to make themselves sound smarter than you (you being the client or the confused observer of design). [hit the image above]

It does nothing to inform or enlighten the consumer of architecture and mostly serves to numb them into obedience or self doubt." That sounds about right.

F'ing hilarious because there is even a book on Archispeak!!! Plus the book is illustrated, so the irony continues!!!

I do live in a glass house here, so next time I drop methodologically, etc. I will give myself a little self conscious, inner chuckle...

Hello Nairobi

I often wonder how many Revit users per capita (Architecturally speaking) there are in the Countries & Cities represented in the readership of this (and other) Revit & BIM Blogs.


Nairobi is no different: I wonder if one (or more) of these firms is a fan...

Welcome nonetheless, whomsoever you are!!! We are glad you're around.

As always; have fun clicking the images...

Performative BIM (Revitcentrically that is)

Dr. Andrew J Marsh's take on Performative BIM. A good intro, if you still need one...

SkinPut for Revit Coming Soon (or Ever???)

When will released technology catch up with potential technology? Ever??? I guess our kids can look forward to these???

Have you used any SkinPut interfaces? I have ('nt).

Cool to see but actually cool only when we can use it for real!!! Read The Abstract Here.

Mobil BIM: Droids, iPods, iPads, Tablets: W(here)TF are the Apps???!!!

W(here)TF are the BIM Apps???
I ask that question since it seems obvious to me that some people in AEC & Software Development are still, seemingly in denial regarding BIM and our industries' future and present needs.

We (some people in AEC; not you of course) want our projects to be green, yet we leave the lights on... We want efficient processes, yet we fight BIM... don't even tell "those" people about IPD... their heads will explode and they will surely hide in their turtle shells and continue to hold AEC from an inevitable future (and for the rest of us "the present").

My point? BIM Apps are next to nonexistent. Go search Itunes for DJ apps. There's a ton... and most of the people who use them aren't DJ's, nor are there as many DJ's as there are AEC professionals who would flourish more if a host of apps designed for them (us) was available.

We REALLY have been lacking on the mobility front, except perhaps for dead (or dying I think) old Autocad, for which there is AutoCAD WS yet no BIM WS. I don't count drafting apps as BIM, since
A) They are not BIM
B) I view drafting as a dying art.

Now don't get me wrong: Let's look at painting portraits on canvas (you know: Art); it was said to be at death's door when the camera was invented and that wasn't exactly the case but look around your home: do you have original paintings of your family that you commissioned? Hell, how much original (not mass produced, or printed, etc.) Art do you have at all? Not wealthy=Not much (or any) original Art.

Not like it was in the 19th century!!! Painting may not be totally dead but it's mostly a luxury item now, not the only game in town and photography is arguably it's master for portraiture. -and I am an Artist that does still paint!!!

So while there may always need to be "widget" draftspeople we need only a few of them and only the most talented... What we need (read as NEED) is an assortment of tools built like my next major project: J'ZbimApp (name changed to protect the innocent).

It doesn't take a genius to understand that ADSK is working on their own but they'd better move fast since the competition already has the beginnings of an app that may be doing at least mobile model interaction.

Yes Sketchbook is a fantastic app but it's just a sketchbook afterall, though a fantastic one. We want (read as NEED) BIM Apps!!!

So until we have J'ZbimApp we can at least see our BIM models on our mobile devices right now! goBIM from Ian Keough of Buro Happold is an app That looks promising, though (IMO) it's a pain, since selecting model objects is required in order to export them (there are usually too many elements to be efficient even with moderately sized models, but a start I guess): a large model is yet really functional in my experience... although this app has it's possibilities it has so far fought me (and disallowed me) from loading my own models into it (it could be me though!!!???). I will hit the support pages and see if I can't get resolution but until then my iPad keeps just saying it is "writing" or "Unable to load file" :-(

BTW: Ian is speaking about "Tools" (the good kind!!!) February 17th in Los Angeles at the Los Angeles Design Technology Forum (no TLA for them!!!) So if you are in town do check this out!!!

Watching "Them" Watching Me

Hmmm. Looks like a good sign for Fear & Loathing...!!!
Checking the readership of this Blog, as I am want to do, I noticed a few things recently:

1) San Rafael, California arrived from standard.cotweet.com on "Fear and Loathing In a CAD vs. BIM World: Autodesk Labs Project Nucleus: Now it's on!!!".

CoTweet???

2) CoTweet looks like a good reverse(?)-snooping tool to use for, among other things tracking your company's mentions, etc. from 'out there'. As they, themselves say:

"CoTweet is a comprehensive Web-based social media engagement, management and reporting solution that helps companies of all sizes engage, track and analyze conversations about their brands across the most popular and influential social communities today, Twitter and Facebook."

I say: Welcome (back) Autodesk!!! Assuming that "San Rafael" mentioned above IS indeed Autodesk... and I think that's a safe bet. (An unknowing thanks to Aurgasm for the sounds... it's all theirs!!!)

Autodesk Labs Project Nucleus: Now it's on!!!

I just downloaded the Nucleus Technology preview from The Labs and can't wait to try it... Before I do, here is a taste for you, from ADSK Themselves... Hope this fills you up (for now) Updates to follow??? You can bet on it... Don't forget to click the image to get yours!!! And YES!!! it installs into Revit 2011... Mmmmmm Good.

A bit from The Labs' description: "Project Nucleus integrates the Nucleus simulation engine from Autodesk^® Maya^® into Autodesk^® Revit^® and Project Vasari. It allows designers to experiment with "form-finding" in the conceptual design phase by simulating forces directly in Revit and Project Vasari. (An upcoming technology preview of Project Vasari will include the Project Nucleus functionality.)

Project Nucleus can simulate a wide range of physical phenomena in real time, like wind, gravity, constraints, and collisions. These forces can help architects generate free-form shapes, many of which would be impossible to model by hand."

Time for a change of direction: The Z Direction!!!

Holograms... "to all my friends"

OK, I recently met with some dynamic BIM folks at Suffolk Construction and we discussed all things BIM including their work toward efficient coordination and communication practices... Great stuff. Part of our conversation led to technology and what tools are available (and what aren't) so a future post on mobile solutions is underway...look for that next week...

While we were talking I mentioned using holograms and they were pretty excited at the prospect for their use (unfortunately at the meeting I forgot the name of the holograph creators: Sorry Michael) ...Anyhow, I wanted to share a bit of info on Holograms, so here-goes...

See This previous posting for more on Holograms, LIDAR & Point Clouds (The post is 2 years old so you know there have been major advances (ok well moderate advances) in point cloud technology in AEC, though they are still a bit overly data rich without translation, they do have a prominent place in our lives).

Holographs for AEC: These folks are "The One"!!!
Zebra Imaging Home
Zebra Imaging Gallery

Check out the videos at the bottom of this posting + look at their entire gallery of videos & Images.

The first video below has unruly sound due to the convention atmosphere but you can get a good idea of what these things are; even though seeing them live is much more impressive.

The second video will show some possibilities of multiple images from distinct viewing angles. WOW... the sky's the limit!!! though more than a few image changes might get distracting... then again might not.

The first time I saw one of these AEC holograms it was on the floor and when I stepped over it I nearly fell over since my brain interpreted the hologram to really be sticking up, so it thought I would kick something and (my mind) made me lunge forward, almost falling.

Very big impact...and a good insight to where we experience our world: in the brain, not the eyes.

VERRRRYYYYY GROOOOVVVVVYYY

Revit Space Pilot Pro: Hello Ireland!!!

I suggest that it's time for you to look again at getting yourself some 3DConnexion products and it's time for me to cite an old post (Find it here) to get the conversation started...
Yes, I am going to review these devices and the applications they will support, vice-versa but...
The reasons for this teaser? There are 2:
1) I noticed that someone from Ireland was bumping around the web and Googled "Revit Space Pilot Pro" and found this blog!!! (Hello and welcome; I hope you find good info...)

2) Self, Pre-Redacted

(Revit ®) Families 101: An Excerpt

The following is an excerpt from a paper I am writing (and will post in it's entirety when completed)... The subject is Creating Revit Content and the first step in creating Revit Content is to NOT create Revit Content, rather see if you can't find it!!! Now I know that some firms have a "No Download" policy but others do not and the reality of our digital age is such that (IMO) closing down any possibly valuable assets just because there may be others that are liabilities is antithetical to the progress and efficiency of BIM. Just like we don't believe everything we read or see or hear, etc. we should be wary of found data but not fear it...yet(?).

Search
Many necessary Revit families already exist but unfortunately for many this existing content is oft overlooked or ignored. More and more content is available from a diversity of places (read as “The Web”), therefore if you first use the “I bet it already exists, since others have probably needed ‘it’ before” mantra you might just find that you do not need to build quite so much content after all. Though you may need to modify them and you surely need to test them before introducing to the project environment.


Dealing with found content
Assuming you find what appears to be appropriate content for your needs, “out there” it is advised to never (read as NEVER) bring content from outside sources directly into a live project environment. Test-drive it first.

The Test-Drive
Open a new, blank file and place the content in there; then test it by looking at it in all views it will show up in, change parameters (one by one), etc. Do this testing as fully as possible; to verify that both the aesthetics and functionality are correctly suited for your project or firm’s needs.

Once validated (purged out as well) then it should be safe for project use.

A few validation tests
• Do objects below get covered properly?
• Does it show up correctly in all views?
• Do all parameters flex correctly?
• Is it actually Revit Geometry or not?
• If it’s a Tag, does it pull the correct parameter?
• Is it too big (in MB)?
• Etc.

Well that should get your appetites whetted... See you soon...

Worksharing Need to Know(s) Please Save To Central (No Matter What It's Called Now)

Another helpful hint to build into your team processes... Sync to Central ...Now!!!

What's going on in Revit Worksharing, what's important? Firstly; the differences between a 'stand alone' project file and a Worksharing file need to be understood at least at a basic level. There are profound differences that many still miss: A) It is not recommended (read as "just don't do it) to set the "Backups" of a Worksharing project file to be less than the default of 20 and if you are like some people out there (Read as "some people out there") set it to 50.

No that does not create 50 complete files (like a standalone file would... Worksharing files create very scary EPERM, DAT, & WPERM files that should not be tampered with (read in a Nigel from Spinal Tap voice as: DON'T TOUCH THEM... DON'T EVEN LOOK AT THEM). Those files may be the best way to blow a project up.

That said what is happening in WS files, beyond all that (and more) is communication & the availability of Worksets (WS). AKA containers for discretely distinguished sets of objects. How many worksets to have all depends on project criteria but a few rules I follow are:
1) 1 WS for each linked file
2) beyond that it all depends... THIS LINK may be old but still in play; plus, MORE HERE on Central file protocols; after that Search away...

Want the Revit User Guides? Get your flavor at the following links: Oh and... READ THESE!!!
RAC
RST
RME

Now on to the initial reason for this post: I wanted to post the Image at the top of this post, so when I teach Revit 101 I don't have to redraw this map each time... That image basically maps what is going on in WS files: at least 'basically'.

It's not only important if you are a newcomer to Revit Worksharing it is equally important if you don't "play nice" with others... Revit Worksharing is (digital) communication and requires (Human) communication. That said the following is a normal guideline for keeping the file and team working together...nicely.

Note that the frequency of steps 2 & 3 will want to be discussed and devised perhaps for each project independently, as project & team size, location, etc. will all be defining criteria in setting the proper frequency and recurrence of STC's.

Communicate as Revit does...Round-Trip!!!
1) Communication of Central & User Files is constant and requires good network connections, etc. This is why you want to keep your files & network working nicely... well that and losing work is horrible, yet preventable.

Worksharing means Sharing the work, not hoarding it!!!
2) STC/REL Also known as: Save To Central & Relinquish. Generally relinquish everything. BTW: STC/REL EVERY TIME YOU LEAVE YOUR CHAIR!!! No matter the reason (for getting up).

What's New? Better get it!!!
3) RL (in my shortcuts, AKA Reload Latest) This is typically done by everyone on the team right after the final person completes step #2. Why? So everyone is working on the most current model.

Also, if you open a user model file and don't recreate it then step #3 is necessary to do immediately after opening...just in case someone did something after your last STC/Save.

Funny anecdote (???): I once joked to a large, dispersed team that that they should get a bell to signal when to STS/REL/RL... Well they did and it surprisingly lasted a few weeks before the annoyance became unbearable!!!

P.S. Did you find the somewhat hidden, virtual easter eggs in this post???

Happy New Year!!!

10 Revit files and where they are

THIS LINK will bring you to a post of 10 Revit files you may need to know of as well as know where they are.

Thanks Revit Clinic!!!

In case you were wondering about why I used the image at left?

Well, it's a painting I did, titled "The Mystery of..." and seeing how these Revit files may be mysterious... You can guess the rest...

Happy Winter here in the Northern Hemisphere and Great Summer to those in the Southern...

Revit Reunion: It's not a get together!!!

Hit the images for more...
So I was checking the map of locations (image above) that shows where people are hitting the blog from and found a dot in the middle of the Indian Ocean!!!






Well, it's not the Antarctic but Really Cool anyhow!!!











At first I thought one of you was Revit-ing from a ship but I zoomed in via Geo-Traffic and found that someone (you) were on the beautiful Island of Reunion!!!










Either a great Rev-vacation or a super place to work, I bet!!!










Anyhow I simply like to share some of the locations that we find Reviteurs at and perhaps we can have a Revit Reunion on Reunion!!!







Have a great Weekend all!!! Especially All of you!!!

More Families (and more) Polantis Has 'it'

Want some more nice MFG content in Revit, 3DMAX, OBJ and so many more formats? Go to Polantis and see what they have. You do have to sign up for a free user account to download but that's painless enough... The image above & below link to but one MFG each but there are many more...

I found the few I have tested are very acceptable RFA's and with a bit of modification the materials, etc. can be parameterized for project level manipulation... If you don't care that they may not make the piece with your materials, etc. that is... 'Depends on your needs, huh? If you simply need design objects then modify at will... If you need the actual MFG object to spec, I'd probably suggest AGAINST such modifications though...

Did I mention the files are free?
They are.

Did I mention the files look good?
They look good so far.

Not every object comes in every format, but having a lot is better than having a little... The download zip files can also include product data/cut sheets in PDF format, etc. So get to tying them into your specs now.

Hit the image below for their Catalog.

Pushing BIM Beyond (The Model as I see it)

Great article but I recommend the comments' section perhaps more.... there are some very good points to consider. Food for thought for BIMmers of all levels... (hit the image to go there)

Although even this blog cites a difference between BIM & CAD, in it's title CAD simply stands for Computer Aided Design, it's too bad that most of us in the AEC industries hear 2D CAD as drafting. (I even had to come clean on that HERE a while back) Oh well, we have bigger fish to fry...

AUGI Update

Looks like there is an update regarding AUGI reversing their debacle over the legacy postings.

Like many of us thought the data will be back... But I bet all the buzz that everyone who buzzed, buzzed was a substantial influence in their acting so quickly, as well as providing (all of the sudden) some communication as to their plans... I guess the idea of their getting spilled may have made the current BoD think more or think differently about the AUGI Membership than they previously have.

Click the image below for Steve Stafford's Update... Thanks Steve and all for your parts in solving this sooner, rather than (too much) later!!!

What does AUGI stand for?

New photo of the current Augi Board? If you haven't seen them in a while, all of the legacy postings on AUGI (no, I will NOT put a link to them) are gone.

My guess is the legacy data will be back in pretty short order... Or not...

There can be a lot of definitions of "AUGI" yet any of the ones that come to mind right now somehow have The F word in them.

What a shortsighted happenstance it was to change their website and not keep access to the years of legacy data that so many people use(d).

What AUGI did was akin to the porn industry taking internet porn away, in order to have a new porn site...without all the porn.

Yeah; that'll work.

Great job to the AUGI board of directors. Shows how ego's can destroy so quickly what so many others built over time!!!

The heart of the matter as I see it is, that if the legacy data stays gone then fuck AUGI; they would become no more than an irrelevancy from the "olden days": If the data does come back then let's all forgive, yet never forget and perhaps keep reminding them of their folly from time to time :-).

Anyhow,
In Steve Staffords fantastic blog & post HERE you can read his eluding to what happened and what may happen to all that gold. You can read some insights and more. I find that the best can be found in the "comments" section where Phil Read adds his own, with a bit more moderate, usercentric points and less politically correct apolo-gism... he also cites a petition to sign to spill the board and force new elections, so Get your vote on here.

We all may have thoughts on this, and perspective surely colors these thoughts but if you were to ask the person who used the AUGI legacy data as a resource, I am pretty sure they'd say that it shows a tremendous lack of imagination and as to the loss that AUGI may cause themselves; they'll deserve it.

Hey, I am not even sending my dues in this month... Oh wait, it's free... Hmmm... I think I have viewpoints on both sides of this!!!

Who cares what they do with that old stuff; most, if not all, should be on our blogs by now anyway, right? Let's decentralize our wealth of knowledge and really use the clouds and let AUGI go the way of the Dodo. Single point of access? That is the Ipad anyhow... I don't care where the data "lives".

Back to it...Toward the end of the Revit OpEd comments SS & PR have a tete a tete of sorts and I read their comments as commendable and polite contrariness; coming from two people trying to change each others' minds and while that is natural and human and all; I do not think they ever will succeed... nor should they!

We love them just the way they are, no matter their view or stakes in this...

AU 2010 Results Now & Later

Well, I am still shooting for 10 status but am glad to be a 9 :-) Great session and a great AU!!!

Thanks to all who came by and participated with us; The session went well it seems and outside of having no "Easy Button" for the guys with the 3,000 & 16,000+ sheet projects (there is just no easy within difficult projects, I do though suggest a team of BIM managers on these types of projects)... the ideas shared will surely be a help.

Everyone seemed to get something beneficial, so I am pleased with the results. I am also glad for everyone's input; that is what really makes these great; thanks!!! Coordinating is not just a visual audit of what's there, it's also planning for what wants/needs to be included, as well as planning what NOT to include in a BIM model (I say "BIM model" since a BIM is much more than simply a 3D model). Cartoon sheets, coordination views, settings captures & documentation and more were discussed and there was a lot of the obligatory business connections made.

As to those couple of people who thought that it was too little information and wanted a handout, etc. I must admit that I thought that such an un-conference, discussion based session made it impracticable to attempt a meaningful handout since most of the items discussed were going to be audience based. If this was a class I'd agree with that fully but these are advertised as discussion based...

That said I will make sure to have something of worth to hand out in the future, so everyone's concerns or expectations may be met (read as 'probably not in any case since we can't make everyone happy'); and honestly we all want our expectations to be satisfied, right? Even if it's not "from" a 10.

Bo, Thanks for the beauty for me to reference!!! You truly are 10... HEY WAIT!!! Is that what Bo Derek looks like now, or is that really Axl Rose???

Ahh that's better...

Vasari is now live on The Labs!!! (for Revit Designers & Wannabe's Alike)

Full Revit it's not but that's the whole point!!!

Designers who haven't yet gotten on the BIM train can get a start with Vasari and get to a place where SketchUp is no longer used (or used as much), since as a BIM tool SKP is; well... a tool.

Download Project Vasari for yourself from the photo at left!!! If you'd like a technology review look at D Light's blog posting Here.

If you'd like to see a teaser go to this post from a few days ago (well a few days ago from the time of this post)!!!

Need some Video Tutorials (in addition to the ones in the tech preview? Click Me!!!

Enjoy, now get to Designing!!!

A U Ready? Getting it together for Vegas Baby

You (Autodesk) Tube
AU Official Site
AU Classes
AU Event Schedule
Speaker Resource Center
Exhibitor Resource Center
AU Beat Casts
AU Blog
AU Twit (ter)
AU Facebook
AU Tech Talk
AU Virtual
AU Extension
Mandalay Bay
Excalibur
AU Japan
AU a Communist (China)
Odd Vegas Info

AIA NTAP Nationwide BIM

The AIA NTAP is having a New Technologies|Alliances|Practices conference November 12th 2010; Interactively in 10 US Cities simultaneously; so download the Hybrid Schedule Here or register at the AIA Site Here by clicking the image; hope to see you there!!!

What If Indeed!!! Project Vasari and Revit Conceptualizations+

In the following video teaser ADSK asks us a few retorical questions and I will open with a rhetorical answer: Hell Yeah!!! We'd use it and push it to the limits (and can hardly wait)!!! Thanks for the heads-up @davidfano



Gimmee, Gimmee, Gimmee!!! I do appreciate The Labs

1st Pricing™ Window & Door Toolkit for Revit®

If you are interested in finding out more on how or if you can track projected pricing of real world components, beyond estimates, then click the image (left).



Got Plugin? Although their site only notes a download for Revit 2010, in most of the documentation, if you click the image (left) you will be brought to a page to download their plugin for EITHER 2010 or 2011 (at the time of this posting).

As they say in an old press release: "...With the click of a button, the 1st Pricing technology accesses an internet portal and pulls comparison pricing of multiple brands to fill out a detailed bill of materials with all related content on demand...." There is a new press release for 2011 Right Here!!!

Did I mention these are free???!!! Well, they are so don't be upset if: "...Today, the Company is focused on building materials for residential construction but plans to add commercial building products. In the near future, 1st Pricing expects to provide pricing on virtually every building product used in residential construction while bridging the gap for subcontractors by including labor quotes...."

Something is better than nothing perhaps...

Feeding To Revit? RSS Feeds for Fingertip Information

At a recent (last night if you are reading this on the day of the posting) LARUG Meeting Cody Nowak presented a little tutorial on how to hook up Revit with your favorite RSS feeds. I trust you will use this for purely business purposes ;-)

If you'd like to keep in touch with said LARUG just check out and friend us up or follow us using these Twitter and Facebook pages and don't forget the LinkedIn page... Friends Rule!!! Communication Rules too...

BTW: If you can't download the PDF from Scribd use This Link.

C Nowak's Revit RSS How To

Download at will...

Are Revit Elevation Views Leaving You Flat? Another How-To-Solve-It with Filters

I want something like this:

HTF can we easily get Elevations (Sections, etc.???) to have distinctions in their graphic representations as they fall further into the distance from our picture plane? You know, get items to appear as if they are fading away or appearing lighter, the greater the distance away they are... without using cruel workarounds like the less than optimal ‘Linework’ tool (read ‘Linework tool’ as the “waste(r) of time and I will probably be forced to rework these over and over as the project progresses” tool) or the shunned Drafting Lines themselves (Please say you don’t use lines). SO how do we??? Hmmmm…

OK, you are about to get the answer to those questions and get one main Best Practice and another one or two solutions that are a less recommended due to their major documentation limitations. Therefore soon you’ll be able to say goodbye to the “flat, dead, fugly, OOTB elevation problem”. YAAY!!!

Although I have heard a lot of comments and complaints through the years about how dead, flat & frankly fugly looking Elevations and Sections can look in Revit, I think it reflects more on us, rather than solely on Revit (but both have been at fault, if you ask me).

I do not want something like this:

Oh, the reason I say it’s an ‘us’ thing is that there are solutions… If you haven’t found solutions or heard of any (yet) let this be a new beginning; but if you do know of some and one has been to use filters and you have not shared it with the Revit community at-large then I say shame on you!!! Where’s the love??? If you have shared it I could not find it on the weboblogotwitosphere so perhaps marketing needs work?

That diatribe now over, we can continue :) It’s time to buck up partner, there is a really powerful cure (Hint: #2 is the cure I am speaking about).

The two methods we will discuss herein include:
1) The Old School Glass Obstructer Method (See Image 1 below)
Not as recommended as the next method is for a CD set elevations, but useful for presentations and ancillary 3D views/3D elevations, etc.

And finally that Best Practice:
2) The Filter Method (See Image 2 below) Yes. There it is finally, your recommended Best Practice!!!

(Image 1)

The "Glass Obstructer” Method: Not bad, but perhaps not best either

(Image 2)

Filter Method: Best practice (at time of this post at least. :))

These two workflows (if you so choose to use) can also be visually pleasing when used in consort with one another… even though the glass-obstructers need a bit of management via Worksets; just test the output before committing to print the whole set or committing to pronouncing the Glass Method to be your firm’s best practice!!! Look out for the Annotation limitations listed further on, in the step-by-steps for creating The Old School Glass Obstructer Method also; that’s a huge problem with this possible solution.

(Image 3)
Hybrid Filter-3D Elevation/Glass Obstructer Method –Again, great if you don’t want to annotate the views!!! (Why? See Image 4)

(Image 4)

Text is the only Annotation available in flat oriented 3D views :-(

If you employ The Old School Glass Obstructer Method (step-by-step below) and think that you want to annotate the 3D “Elevation” views you have a harsh reality coming… You can only use Text. Period.

No Dimensions, no Tags, no Keynotes, no etc…

Why? Because Dimensions, Spot Elevations & Spot Coordinates are only available in 3D views set to a non-flat direction, such as isometric, that’s why. If we look at this logically the flat 3D views only appear flat, thus these tools would probably hit unknown parts of the project, not what we want.

The Old School Glass Obstructer Method Step-by-Step:
1) Create 1” thick walls with a new material that I like to call Glass Obstructer; In the examples herein the material is setup thus (See Image 5)

(Image 5)
Glass Obstructer Material Settings

2) Place these walls where they need to be (obviously)

a. Ensure that these obstructers are substantially wider & taller that the rest of the project (See Image 6)

(Image 6)

Glass Obstructers in Place (Yeah I know!!! Weird, huh?)

b. Place the obstructers in their own Workset (WS) that is created Off by Default (See Image 7)

(Image 7)

Glass Obstructers Workset settings

3) Create a set of 3D Views; one for each desired “Elevation” (similar to Image 3 above)
a. Set these 3D Elevation Views to be aligned with a corresponding, real Elevation View or use the view-cube and set to flat orientations.
b. Turn on the WS in all appropriate 3D “Elevation’” views to get that faded look.
4) – Shadows anyone???

Now That The Not-So-Recommended Way Has Been Explained Let’s Get To The Real Good Stuff!!!

The Filter Method: A (sort of) Step-by-Step:
1) Create a filter planning matrix (See Image 8)

a. This is a Word document, where filters will be planned, so they are made efficiently, predictably and clean Excel works well too.

(Image 8)
Filter Planning Matrix

2) Create Elevations (of course)
3) View Ribbon > Graphics Panel > Filters Tool (See Image 9)

(Image 9) The Filter Tool

4) Create Filters (See Image 10)

(Image 10) Filter creation

a. Use the info from your Filter Planning Matrix
BTW: This matrix can be scaled to be useful for any filter plus variants can be used to plan & manage every possible setting in Revit; especially useful since one should NEVER save their old template files into a newer version…Unless you want to lose functionality!!! Really!!!
b. Assign the filters to the appropriate objects; in this case I used only Walls
c. Setup the filter rules

OK get ready: In this scenario I am using an ADSK OOTB template so I simply used the Instance Parameter “Comment” for the assignment portion of this solution… On a real project I suggest that you setup custom/instance/Project Parameters corresponding to each elevation view, for the Objects to be overridden (walls in this case): perhaps they look similar to Image 11 & 12's List of Potential Instance Parameters for Walls to be overridden using the Filter Method:

1. Elevation Override East
2. Elevation Override North
3. Elevation Override South
4. Elevation Override West

(Image 11)
Parameter Setup Example

(Image 12)
Wall Properties/Parameter value Example

With these setups assign each wall’s instance parameters with the number that corresponds to the (to be) overridden line weight setting (1 for 1, etc.)

Are you with me so far? It is simpler than it appears after a while… Plus very powerful and should open your imagination up to use filters rather than the horrendous Override in View!!!

5) Open one of your elevation views
a. Type VV (Visibility Graphics… Yeah VG works too but I don’t like moving my finger that half inch :))
b. Select into the Filters Tab and Add all of the necessary filters (See Image 13) –That’s right: neither shift, nor Ctrl work here; to select these all just click them individually… *#@! Software Developers can’t seem to make their dialogues work consistently yet… Yikes!!!(Image 13)

Adding the filters to a view’s Visibility Graphics

c. Next, while still in the elevation’s Visibility Graphics Chose the corresponding override Weight for each filter (Projection Lines definitely, Cut Lines ??? Hmmm is that where we’d mess with our sections??? You bet!!!). (See Image 14)

(Image 14)
Choosing the overrides per filter

d. Click OK and you’re almost there…

I have to take a pause here and admire the strength of filters. Don’t worry, we’re almost Finished!!! (Let's take a look at the (now filter-overridden) View again)

AHHHHH... That’s a whole lot better!!!

Finally: Oh wow, there's more? Well, yes... we want to push these filters/overrides more methodically than by manually repeating the V/G, filter addition & overriding, don’t we? YES; you had better have said yes!!!

6) Go over to the Project Browser
a. Right-Click the view you just overrode the line weights for
b. Select “Create View Template From View”
c. Name the View Template with a useful name (follow conventions)
d. Un-check all check boxes except “V/G Overrides Filters” (See Image 16)

(Image 16)
Sweet 16: View Template

7) Apply this View Template to all necessary elevations and if you have set all the walls with the appropriate integer value for those parameters you created you will have similar results as these!!!

Good luck and let us know what great uses you use filters for that may be out of the ordinary.