Data Management

Data management is something we struggle with constantly, and the more we collaborate across the globe and beyond the walls that contain a single office, the more complex it becomes.

I don’t typically post advertisements here, so I’ll keep it short and add my commentary (what, you thought I wouldn’t have anything else to say?!). Imaginit have made a free video available about this topic, demonstrating how Autodesk Vault could address multiple workflows. The first 15.5 minutes of this video are dedicated to an AutoCad workflow, whereas the rest address a hybrid workflow which also includes Revit Server and their related product, Clarity.

 

To be honest, Vault has never really struck a chord with me because it was built primarily to manage a multitude of files that need to be accessed by one user at a time. This issue goes completely out the window with Revit projects, where the only useable component becomes linked file control. We can already do this in a multitude of ways (ex: Newforma InfoExchange transfers) and Vault just seems like too much complication for in-house collaboration. The only thing that could have some promise is family management and the ability to reference “published” files (as opposed to “live” files) between office locations. For example HOK offices collaborate a lot amongst each other and we utilize a series of techniques, depending on team setup. A simple method entails server to server nightly file copies to be used for linking purposes. This simply automates the transfer of linked files between offices, whereas with external consultants, teams initiate file transfers on a weekly basis via InfoExchange. Vault appears to have some potential to achieve this as well, but just seems like too much technology to manage. Why complicate when you have something that is quite simple and works already?

In the last few minutes of the video, we see a glimpse of Clarity. I think the software has a lot of potential and nice features, such as the Room Data Sheet reporting functionality which is all interlinked with other reports, but unfortunately I believe Imaginit has slammed the doors shut for most companies thanks to the (excessive) price point. I think the enhanced security features that can be added to a Revit Server infrastructure are quite powerful, such as limiting external team access to certain projects. However it is much, MUCH cheaper to simply install a couple of additional virtual servers to host a dedicated Revit Server infrastructure to handle confidential projects.

Imaginit also have a nice e-learning portal called ProductivityNOW. They make some resources available free of charge such as white papers, seminars, tips & tricks, etc., while others are restricted to paid members. So go ahead and check it out, you might find something useful there too!

Data Management

Revit 2014 Essentials

I was recently contacted by one of the authors of Autodesk Revit Architecture Essentials 2014 and offered a few copies to review and mention here on this blog. So there you have it: disclaimer – check!

The copies have been put to good use around some HOK offices, so thanks to Tobias for that. As we ramp up on the use of Revit 2014, our users will surely consult this resource and find it of great value when brushing up on their knowledge and exploring new features.

There are also datasets available on the companion web page, which are very useful in supplementing the text (by the way, why is the price on the publisher’s site close to double that on Amazon’s?!). You can also get in touch with the Essentials series authors on the Mastering Revit Facebook page, where you’ll find other very well known authors of the Mastering series as well.

So who is this book for? To quote the authors:

“…for architects, designers, students, and anyone else who needs their first exposure to Revit Architecture or has had a an initial introduction and wants a refresher on the program’s core features and functionality…This book is designed to help you grasp the basics of Revit Architecture using real-world examples and techniques you’ll use in everyday design and documentation…”

Aaron Maller contributed some wise words in his Foreword. In general I like the approach to how chapters are laid out by discussing basic system family usage first and then moving on to more complex concepts, such as component families. I personally would have put the Rooms chapter before having that discussion. Don’t get me wrong, editing and creating component families is an essential skill to move from mere Revit “User” to “Ninja” status, but even prior to mastering it, one should be able to crank out useful floor and color plans, reflected ceiling plans and other types of views.

The desire to discuss component families early on is appreciated, but after dealing with Revit for a few years now, I find it useful to have an overall conceptual discussion about all types of families first so users build an awareness that everything in the model is in fact a family, but have the component family discussion later when they have mastered the essential skills to become productive in the office, capable of setting up views and composing sheets, annotating, and so on. It is not an easy task to agree on a sequence of chapters and to this day, I cannot get my brain to agree with itself on how it laid out the key chapters of my concise Revit beginners course, with moments of “what was I thinking?” still occurring from time to time.

On page 332 there is a good discussion on staffing a BIM project, followed by outlining the roles of the team members on subsequent pages. This is valuable in helping those that have yet to take the leap understand how their current process will be affected.

Anyway, if you are in charge of training users or have never touched Revit before, this book will be a good way to get you going. A digital edition is also available if you prefer. Good luck!

Revit 2014 Essentials

Plugs

No, this is not about Revit MEP. I just have a bunch of announcements/news items that are probably of interest to the Revit community and want to condense them into one post. I’ve been a bit busy and frankly don’t want to fill your inbox with a ton of infomercials. I receive a lot of “press releases” but don’t want to turn this blog into more spam so, since this is my blog, I get to decide what to post and when! And probably most of you have already heard those from other sources, so here we go…

Apps/Plug-ins/API

Kiwicode’s Family Browser has received some really great upgrades recently (thanks Phillip!). The browser window can now be re-sized without having to enable borders and we can now link families from various folders. I cannot wait to set aside time at work to assemble some custom palettes (favorites of sorts). There is also a Favorites tab where you can add/link families so they are literally at your fingertips. Say you are detailing for the rest of the day: you would use this tab to place the most needed components so you can be fast and productive. It’s a brilliant idea! The search function is also quite snappy now. The first time you click into the box, it indexes the families (takes a few seconds) and then, subsequent searches are almost instant.

As you can tell I’m really excited about these improvements, but in my opinion the best one yet is the revamped insert behavior. Now when you click on a family in the palette, it automatically previews with no need to click in the canvas. A single click places an instance, just like native Revit behavior. And if you click on another family while actively placing other instances, it automatically switches to the new clicked family and you can continue placing the new instances. This is also native Revit behavior and makes this plugin feel like it’s part of the software. These were real sticking points for users in the previous version (from personal experience) and now it feels completely seamless.

Kiwicodes really listens to user feedback. Check out my previous post on this topic and note the list of wishes; they’re almost all implemented and then some!

Steve Faust of Revolution Design has some really great apps too. I just want to mention Keynote Manager and the recent Selection Master. Steve has graciously given me a license for the latter and I plan on writing in more depth about his tools, but wanted to plug them now so you can check them out.

Have you ever had to delete unwanted levels in your project and couldn’t because it would have taken a lifetime to find all the families hosted on them? Thanks to the re-host feature, now you can with Selection Master. This tool is a must-have in every BIM Manager’s arsenal. More on these tools in future posts.

Digipara’s Elevator Architect is another tool I’ve been aware of for a while. Unfortunately I tried using it in a recent project but it has failed me. Due to time constraints I have not had time to troubleshoot in depth, although the authors have been very responsive in trying to collect data. Hopefully in the future we can get to the bottom of the problem and use it successfully. As always I might write more in depth in the future.

Learning Revit (and Vasari)

Renowned author Paul Aubin has a new Revit family building course on Lynda.com. You can read all about it here. If you want to sharpen your family building skills (and you know how important this is), you cannot go wrong using this great resource!

What!?! You don’t know what Vasari is? They are up to version 2.1 on Labs and I really wish I had an extra 10 hours a day to play with the cool features that are not in Revit. If like me you’re finding it hard to keep up with everything and don’t have time to test yet another application, you can go to the newly launched Vasari Talk (yep, another link for your bookmarks!). You can participate in live webinars after signing up, or you can watch past recorded sessions.

Navigating Revit

By now you all know that 3Dconnexion’s devices work with Revit. I have not had a chance to try one yet but it looks like it would be a great tool. In the meantime, they are having a drawing for a trip to Autodesk University in Las Vegas on Nov. 29 – Dec. 1, as well as airfare, accommodations and a SpacePilot PRO 3D mouse. You can click here to enter. And speaking of AU, I was lucky enough to make plans for attending this year (thanks AUGI and PhiloWilke!) and am looking forward to meeting up with some old buddies. See you at the AUGI booth!

Evangelizing Revit (and digital simulation)

Abstract submissions for SimAUD 2012 (the Symposium on Simulation for Architecture and Urban Design) are fast approaching. The upcoming symposium will be in Orlando, Florida and you can find more about it here. You can also go to this link for the proceedings from the past two years.

Plugs

Training & Avatech contest

Warning: Today’s post is promotional in nature, but I think it’s worthwhile.

First, respected author Paul Aubin has announced that he’s just made Revit Architecture training available on lynda.com. You can click here to go directly to the material. You can rest assured that the content of these video lessons will be very well put together.

Next/second/finally, Avatech has given me a license of their Revit Utilities to review and comment on here, and they are also giving away one license to the readers of this blog! So I’m going to run a little contest. All you need to do is download and install the free Lite version and do a 1 minute video (screen recording with voice) of how to use your favorite feature. Post it on YouTube, Vimeo, Screencast or wherever you wish, and then comment in this blog post with a link to your submission. Entries will be judged and a follow-up post will announce the winner (the winner will need to email me with their contact info. Look at my profile for my email).

If you already have the licensed version and are looking to win another one, you can do your one minute video on the other features.

Requirements:  Be witty, funny & concise. Make it entertaining and light-hearted. Let’s have some fun! Oh, and good luck…you have until July 31st 11:59pm CDT to submit.

I will also post some comments on the utilities when the winner is announced. Remember to take advantage of the promotional pricing before the end of the month!

Training & Avatech contest

Revit Training

During hard economic times, most firms commit the grave mistake of cutting their training budgets and support staff. It’s the easy way out and the easiest line item to justify. If I had my own firm, I’d figure out a way to keep it going and instead of laying half my staff off, I’d retain the good guys and invest in them so they’re even stronger when things turn around. You’ll need them more than ever when a wave of work hits your office.

This blog isn’t intended to advertize, but every once in a while something worthwhile comes by and you can’t help but pass it on, especially when asked nicely! So here goes a little bit of an ad for those who believe in the importance of training.

You surely heard of famous author Paul Aubin. Just don’t hold it against him for writing about AutoCad and AutoCad Architecture! He’s been teaching at Autodesk University for a long time and always has a very busy schedule. His Revit classes are very popular and so are his books. Lately he has been conducting online training and I’d highly recommend you to consider this option for your training needs. Here’s the pitch…I’m waiting for my cut Paul ;)

Paul F. Aubin Consulting Services began offering online live training classes earlier this summer. Several classes have been conducted and the reviews have been very positive. So far we have conducted a two-part Revit 2010 Conceptual Modeling Introduction (recorded sessions available for purchase now), a Tips and Tricks class and we are now in the midst of a five-part Family Editor Series (space still available).

I am writing today with exciting news. Session 1 of the Mastering the Revit Family Editor five-part class was attended by nearly 70 people! Initial feedback on this first session is very positive. We have switched to a new version of GoToMeeting software for this event that allows up to 200 registrants! Therefore we still have plenty of space available. Session 1 has been recorded and is available to all registrants now! Therefore, there is still time to sign up. Register today and view the recorded session to catch up before Thursday’s Session 2 airs.

These classes are conducted using GoToMeeting software. They are LIVE classes, not recorded and will be conducted by Paul F. Aubin using advanced materials from the latest edition of Mastering Revit Architecture (available August 7).

All registrants receive a 44 page handout and downloadable dataset with complete class notes and step-by-step tutorials from the class. These materials are not available any other way.

Mastering the Family Editor Series Class Information:

Five sessions will be taught in 50-minute segments every Thursday for the next four weeks.

A registration page has been posted containing complete details on each class. Please visit: http://www.paulaubin.com/GoToRAC/

Complete details are provided including, schedule, class size, pricing, registration information and secure checkout via PayPal.

Class Size:

The class size has been expanded to 200 participants! A registration is required for each computer that logs into the meeting. However, you are welcome to login on one machine in a conference room and use a projector. If you have any questions, please visit: http://www.paulaubin.com/contact.php, or reply to this email.

If you are interested in seeing the new release of Revit Architecture first-hand without having to leave your desk, sign up today for one or more of these information packed sessions. I Look forward to "seeing" you there!

Interested in what goes on behind the scenes in the publishing of CAD books? Visit: http://paulfaubin.blogspot.com/

Revit Training