I know most of the readers of this blog are already Revit black belts. However, if you, or some of your colleagues, are new to the concept of energy modeling, you may want to consider tuning in for our Vasari Talk webinar on Wednesday at 11:30 Eastern (-5 GMT.) This is the first part of a three part series. We will begin by covering inputs, then analyzing and interpreting outputs and finally creating a simulation strategy for your project.
Apologies for the late notice, but we are recording the sessions. Past sessions are available on our wiki site as well. Hope to see you there!
_tom
We are excited to announce the launch of the Autodesk BIM Workshop. This online experience was created to help prepare the next generation of architecture, engineering, and construction management students for professional practice. The site has an abundance of learning material, videos, and exercises designed to educate on BIM and sustainable design practices along with Integrated Project Delivery concepts.
Are you a Revit power user with an interest in automating and extending the capabilities of Revit. Are you also new to computer programming?
“My First Plug-in” is a self-paced tutorial guide for a smooth introduction into the Revit programming world. This is a “one-stop shop” learning path for users who know Autodesk products but are new to programming. In this guide, you will be working with the Autodesk Revit .NET API and the C# programming language.
The supported product version is Revit Architecture 2011 and latter versions. This guide assumes no previous programming knowledge and helps you build your first plug-in quickly. You’ll have a working application within an hour of starting this material, irrespective of your current level of programming expertise. The guide starts by reviewing the benefits of customizing Autodesk software then progresses onto lessons covering the use of the Revit API.
Ready to give it a try? Here is a link to the guide developed by the ADN Revit team.
_erik
The wiki help is now live and can be accessed via the following url:
http://wikihelp.autodesk.com/Revit/enu/2012
Under Add Knowledge, you have access to information contributed by Revit customers. (more on this below)
Other areas of the landing page show the Most Popular topics, Recent Updates, and Newest Videos.
When a video is available for a particular procedure or concept, we embed the video directly in the relevant topic. Click the + to expand the video, then play.
Note the Comments area. Any user who is logged in using an Autodesk SSO (single sign-on account) can leave a comment on a topic. (Anonymous commenting/editing of the wiki. is not permitted) This is also true of adding content or rating a topic.
On any WikiHelp page, enter a search term.
The Revit WikiHelp is available to all, so if you do a Google search (or use your favorite search tool), you will get search results here.
In the left pane of the search results, you can filter by version or by type of information (e.g. help vs. videos vs. information from blogs, etc.).
Customers are the experts. In the community section you can share what you know with your peers, adding your favorite tips & tricks, best practices, videos, etc.
Content will always be seeded by Autodesk but now customers have a means to enhance topic coverage and provide feedback.
In the Community > Videos area, Autodesk videos have been grouped into larger topics, so you can see a series of videos to learn about a particular feature set or workflow.
As part of an effort to enhance the online help the User Assistance team is collecting synonyms. Below is a list that illustrates terms used by different products and different locals. The collection is growing. What a diverse industry we work in!
If you know of a term that is consistently confused by people in your office or institution take a look below. If you see it great, if not share it with us so we can make our search better for you.
_erik
| If I enter this search term: | Also find these terms: |
| Common | |
| 3D | orthographic |
| perspective | |
| Default 3D View | |
| ACM | ArchVision Content Manager |
| RPC | |
| API | application programming interface |
| arrow | leader |
| arrow | tick mark |
| BIM | building information modeling |
| bubble | head |
| callout | |
| label | |
| leader | |
| bump | texture |
| change | choose |
| control | |
| modify | |
| override | |
| clash | interference |
| colour | color |
| constraint | relationship |
| lock | |
| dimension | |
| construction document | sheet |
| coordinates | position |
| location | |
| origin | |
| project base point | |
| coordination | copy/monitor |
| Coordination Review | |
| create | make |
| add | |
| place | |
| delete | unplace |
| remove | |
| drag and drop | i-drop |
| idrop | |
| import | |
| draw | sketch |
| element | object |
| family | |
| curve | |
| end point | endpoint |
| file | project |
| document | |
| flip | mirror |
| rotate | |
| foliage | plants |
| planting | |
| footprint | envelope |
| form | mass |
| massing | |
| glass | glazing |
| window | |
| glazing | window |
| glass | |
| opening | |
| head | bubble |
| interference | coordination |
| level | story |
| floor | |
| lighting | lights |
| lights | lighting |
| lock | pin |
| constrain | |
| mass | form |
| shape | |
| merge | join |
| union | |
| mesh | polymesh |
| 3D | |
| mirror | flip |
| note block | annotation schedule |
| text | |
| object | element |
| origin | coordinates |
| position | |
| location | |
| Project Base Point | |
| orthographic | 3D |
| 2D | |
| parameters | properties |
| perspective | 3D |
| orthographic | |
| camera | |
| pin | lock |
| constrain | |
| prevent | disallow |
| properties | parameters |
| RCP | reflected ceiling plan |
| ceiling plan | |
| relationship | constraint |
| remove | unplace |
| delete | |
| hide | |
| repeating unit | linked model |
| group | |
| array | |
| right click | right-click |
| shortcut menu | |
| save to central | synchronize with central |
| check in | |
| SWC | |
| SDK | Software Development Kit |
| setting | option |
| shadow study | solar study |
| sun study | |
| sheet | construction document |
| sheet list | drawing list |
| drawing index | |
| table of contents | |
| title sheet | |
| shine | gloss |
| sketch | draw |
| slab | structural floor |
| floor | |
| roof | |
| building pad | |
| storey | story |
| level | |
| story | level |
| floor | |
| structural floor | slab |
| text | note |
| annotation | |
| keynote | |
| texture | bump |
| image map | |
| tick mark | arrow |
| pointer | |
| title mark | viewport type |
| topographical surface | toposurface |
| contour lines | |
| topography | toposurface |
| contour lines | |
| window | glazing |
| glass | |
| opening | |
| workplane | work plane |
| AutoCAD > Revit | |
| block | family |
| by viewport | visibility |
| sheet | |
| canvas | drawing area |
| sheet | |
| drawing | view |
| project | |
| external block | project |
| freeze | visibility |
| grip | handle |
| control | |
| hatch | region |
| layer | category |
| ltscale | linetype |
| osnap | snap |
| align | |
| paperspace | linetype |
| plot | |
| sheet | |
| project navigator | project browser |
| psltscale | linetype |
| stretch | move |
| trim | |
| scale | |
| symbol | family |
| thaw | visibility |
| trace | underlay |
| xref | link |
| external reference | link |
| Architecture | |
| image | decal |
| picture | |
| stairs | stairway |
| staircase | |
| steps | |
| tread | |
| riser | |
| nosing | |
| stair tag | |
| run | flight |
| winder | |
| stringer | carriage |
| beam | |
| slope beam | |
| concrete stairs | monolithic stairs |
| cut mark | break line |
| cut line | |
| poster | decal |
| picture | decal |
| MEP | |
| air terminal | diffuser |
| cable tray | raceway |
| circuit | electrical system |
| duct | ductwork |
| ductwork | duct |
| electrical system | circuit |
| wiring | |
| pipe | piping |
| plumbing system | |
| piping | pipe |
| plumbing system | |
| raceway | cable tray |
| wireway | conduit |
| Structure | |
| foundation wall | structural wall |
| girder | beam |
| grade beam | beam |
| horizontal bracing | beam |
| howe | truss |
| i-beam | beam |
| joist | beam |
| kicker | brace |
| ligature | rebar |
| lintel | beam |
| load-bearing wall | structural wall |
| mat foundation | foundation slab |
| isolated foundation | |
| structural floor | |
| foundation | |
| metal deck | |
| monopile | isolated foundation |
| pier | isolated foundation |
| pilaster | isolated foundation |
| pile | isolated foundation |
| pile cap | isolated foundation |
| plate | stiffener |
| pratt | truss |
| purlin | beam |
| rafter | beam |
| reinforcement bar | rebar |
| reinforcement steel | rebar |
| retaining wall | structural wall |
| roof truss | truss |
| slab | foundation slab |
| structural floor | |
| slurry wall | structural wall |
| spiral | rebar |
| spread footing | isolated foundation |
| wall foundation | |
| stirrup | rebar |
| stirrup/tie | rebar |
| stringer | beam |
| structural floor | slab |
| foundation | |
| strut | brace |
| stud | structural wall |
| stud wall | strucutral wall |
| support | boundary condition |
| thickened slab | slab edge |
| tie | rebar |
| vertical bracing | brace |
| warren | truss |
Five new video have been posted on how to use the conceptual analysis tools available in the subscription advantage packs. Applicable to Revit Architecture and Revit MEP all videos can be shared on a single page here and are summarized below:
Choosing the Project Location and Weather Station
Describes how to specify the location and a weather station for the project, so the correct climate information will be used during energy analysis.
Using Automatic Form Rationalization
Demonstrates how intelligent energy settings are used to rationalize the mass form into mass surfaces and zones for energy analysis.
Changing Energy Settings
Demonstrates how you can modify energy settings to change zoning, glazing, and skylights before performing energy analysis on the model.
Customizing Form Rationalization
Demonstrates how to use custom form rationalization to maintain the design intent by creating custom zones and glazing layouts.
Performing Conceptual Energy Analysis
Demonstrates how to start a conceptual energy analysis and view the results.
_erik
Last week inside the factory we held our (mostly) weekly design pinup. These lunch time pinups give interaction and product designers the opportunity to pin up an unfinished design and have others throw darts. You know the drill. This particular pinup was not focused on a particular interface or feature design. Instead, we brainstormed on what constitutes the absolute essential skills for first-time Revit users to learn. Our colleagues in the Media & Entertainment division pioneered the concept of Essential Skills Movies back in 2002 when they released the Personal Learning Edition of Maya. This was a free version intended to introduce the product to new audiences. During usability testing, the user research team noticed common problem areas that made users stumble and sometimes even abandon learning the product. The team distilled these issues into seven 60 second movies that introduce the most essential skills needed to have a successful first learning experience. It is interesting to note, we have been talking a lot about in-canvas and more direct model interactions vs. "traditional" user interfaces such as toolbars, ribbons and menus. The problem is, our industry has not standardized most "direct" interactions, so they remain hidden to users. This technique is a nice way of lowering that initial steep learning curve and introducing features that may be, by there nature, hard to discover.
We decided that this method was intriguing and deserved some thought on how it could be applied to Revit. Below is the list we came up with. Note: the ultimate goal is to get this down to no more that seven movies. And each should be no longer that 60 seconds. The Maya team has done a lot of research and found that this combination of quantity and length strikes the right balance. In your experience learning and/or teaching Revit, which items would you add? Remove? Modify?
In the process of doing some research into model and symbolic graphic representation, and the various methods Revit uses to control these, I came across a feature I had forgotten about. As I refreshed my memory I thought I would share the details with you our readers since its a rather involved and obscure feature.
First the "Override Cut Line Styles" feature is located in the Visibility Graphics dialog. Since it is located here all changes are view specific.
Here you can set some controls on how Cut Edges in Host layers appear in views that cut the model (plan and section). The check box enables the behavior and the Edit... opens the Host Layer Lines Styles dialog where you can set the appearance:
The "Hosts" in the dialog title refers to walls, roofs, floors, and ceilings. These element types all have layers and each layer has an associated function. Here are some layers and their functions in the wall Type dialog:
Back in the Host Layer Lines Styles dialog you can assign line weight, color, and pattern to each of the layer functions (Structure, Substrate, Thermal/Air, ect...)
Common Edges
"Common Edges" refers to a line that is displayed between two host layers of differing functions. The example below comes from the wall type "Exterior - Brick and CMU on MTL. Stud".
So where are the "Common Edge" styles defined? Answer: Object styles. Now you know what that subcategory under all the host categories (walls, roofs, floors, and ceilings) was for!
Core Layer Cleanup
...back in the Host Layer Line Styles dialog there is a drop down at the bottom to control Core layer cleanup. This only affect the graphics where core layers come together - typically just a small line at the core boundary.
You can choose from the following Core Layer Clean-up options.
Here is an image where "Core layer cleanup" is set to "No Edge":
Finally, here is an image that shows how the various parts come together:
Feedback
After looking at all this I have to admit its very obscure and involved. I'm curious to know who is using this and how specifically? Where are you located? Is it satisfying your needs?
_Erik
In the previous post I talked about the roof cutoff properties. The same mansard roof from that example can be made using the shape editing tools and are available when you select a flat roof (must be flat). These tools were introduced more recently (Pleistocene) and represented an initial foray into some new manipulation tools. It doesn't enable super sexy curvy like the 2010 concept modeling tools can but something great for roofs and floors with drains. Using these one can also create most roof shapes including some interesting saddle shapes.
Below are the basic steps for the Mansard:
Click the image below for a video of the complete process:
BTW These 1st generation tools can also model 1st generation stealth aircraft like the F117.
Now that the 2010 conceptual modeling tools are out I need to try modeling the second generation F22 before Zach over at Buildz beats me too it.
_erik
In response to user comments, the Autodesk BIM User Assistance Team at Autodesk has been working hard to add more overview information to the online help. In this example, the team has added information to the Walls chapter to help explain conceptually how walls work in Revit. Note, this is the first few pages of a longer chapter.
Does this section clarify some of the concepts related to walls, specifically for explaining to a new user how walls work in Revit? What other areas of the help docs would benefit from additional conceptual information?
UPDATE (7/24): Walls Chapter (complete)
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