Service pack 3 released for Revit 2009 platform

As noted on AUGI as well as the major Revit Blogs, Autodesk have released a new web update for Revit Architecture, Structure and MEP, both 32bit and 64bit versions. The updated build reference is (Build 20081118_1045)  and the service pack can be downloaded from the Autodesk website at the following locations.

Revit Architecture Update

Revit Structure Update

Revit MEP Update

More zoom capable Windows / dialogues

Thank you to those readers that responded to my post on the ability to zoom in and out of the edit colour scheme dialogue. It would seem that this functionality is not just restricted to this dialogue window alone. A quick run through and it would seem that it is possible to zoom in and out of these windows as well.

managed links
view templates
element properties
view properties
worksets
export layers

Revit - zoom in and out of the edit colour scheme dialogue

I discovered this one by mistake yesterday and thought it would be good to share. When working in the edit color scheme dialogue it is now possible to zoom in and out of the scheme definition window in Revit Architecture 2009; although this is not possible in Revit Architecture 2008.

All you need to do is place your mouse pointer in the scheme definition window part of the edit color scheme dialogue, then hold down the control key on your keyboard and then use the middle mouse scroll wheel. On doing this you will find that you can scroll in and out, to view more or less of the values in the scheme definition.

Back after a short technical delay

A short delay after trying to use MS word 2007 to publish to my blog!!! Its good, but has issues with uploading images, so I have dropped this and am back to good old Windows live writer. However, Windows live writer will not run under windows xp64! So the workaround was download virtual PC 7, which is a free download from the Microsoft web site, then install this on windows xp 64. Then create a virtual machine running Vista 32 and then run Live writer from there. Amazingly this works really well.

Also, just a reminder to those that have my blog highlighted under reseller status, if you want you can move this to user status. :-)

This is a test post from word

This is a test post from word.

More Topmod and Revit

A couple of blog followers have asked whether you can convert a form created in Topmod into usable geometry within Revit, ie. a solid. At present this is not possible in Topmod, although there are a number of tools on the internet that will you to convert an obj file (Topmods file format) into a Acsi solid. Whether this will provide you with usable results, I couldn't say.

Nevertheless, what I did recently though, was create a form in Topmod open that within 3dsmax and then convert the mesh into a editable polymesh.

 

Once you've got a polymesh, you can then export this from 3dsmax as a DWG and then utilize this within a Revit family,  but you still aren't able to slice the geometry to get volume or floor areas like you can with an Acsi solid.

However, you are able to skin up the geometry with curtain wall systems and walls. This allows you to get some interesting geometric forms out of Revit! Below are a few renders from the Revit utilizing the geometry from Topmod.

This is certainly an interesting design workflow and allows you to produce some compelling results very quickly. Now, if only we had a tool which could convert a polymesh into a solid! then we'd be laughing.......

Managing Project Standards

A neat feature which was introduced into Revit a few releases back was the ability to transfer project standards between projects. Project standards includes family types, line weights, materials, view templates and object styles.

When you transfer project standards you must have open the file you want to copy the standards from and also have the target file open that you want to copy the standards into.

In reality the concept of a project standards is a great idea and they do work well until you have a large project with lots of linked files! The management of the project standards between the various linked projects can be extremely awkward to manage. If you then factor in that the linked files might be workseted, than it can be a real nightmare.

What would be a smarter idea would be some sort of seed file or shared template which allowed you to simultaneously distribute project standards between all the linked files. This would mean that the master could be updated and all the changes automatically filter through to all the linked files rather than having to open each link separately and transferring manually. You can obviously create a template master in Revit today, which holds all your standards for a project, but as highlighted earlier you have to manually transfer the standards.

The management and control of project standards has been highlighted to me on a number of occasions recently whilst working with clients. Also, having tried to manage the distribution and control of project standards myself, an automated process would certainly be a welcome addition in future releases or Revit. Interestingly, talking to a colleague of mine about the subject, he did mention that Autodesk Inventor does have this type of tool to control parts and assembles in Inventor.

Goodbye Excitech (and thank you); hello HOK!

Its been a few weeks since I've posted, but I've got some exciting news I'd like to share with my regular readers. I have managed to secure a post at HOK as their Revit Specialist for the London office. This is an exciting career opportunity for me and will once again place me firmly back within industry.

I have been with Excitech for that last five years and I must thank them for all the opportunities that they have given me. It has been an amazing ride; taking Revit from new kid of the block status to mainstream architectural solution. Those that still doubt, have yet to see the "light", but when they do, they will understand what the hype is all about.

Along the way I have managed to spread my passion and enthusiasm of the Revit technologies to others. Its such a great feeling to see users that you have trained and mentored reap the true benefits of Revit and BIM. As many of you know Revit is not without its challenges, it does some great stuff, but it also does some really annoying stuff, but once you "get it" ,the way you work as an architect or designer will change for ever.

I will continue to post to my blog on everything Revit and BIM, but I hope to apply an industry view to some of the posts. I look forward to meeting many of you that have posted thoughts and feedback to my blog at AU2008 this year, as I am now sit firmly on your side of the fence. :-) So, goodbye Excitech (and thank you) and hello HOK!