Minnesota Revit User Group (MNRUG) Meeting - April 20, 2011: Autodesk Revit 2012 New Features

Last Wednesday night at the MNRUG meeting, amongst the endless buffet bar of pizza deliciousness, topics discussed ranged from new Revit Blog sightings to Revit 2012 new features to meeting hosts Ryan Companies discussing what they like to see from us as the Architects when collaborating on a project.

Revit 2012 New Features:

Revit Server Integration
Faster work sharing in a WAN environment

Citrix

• Autodesk partnered with Citrix to provide better, more stable RDP/Cloud computing performance

Direct Point Cloud Support

• Directly import Point Clods into a Revit file
• Cuttable, traceable and can identify work planes within a Point Cloud

Linking Improvements

• Open linked files in the SAME SESSION!!! Yeah, that's right.
• Tag rooms in linked models - among other tagging improvements
• Keynote linked models
• "Sort By" options in the Link Manager

Work Sharing Improvements

• Integrated editing request modifications - no more instant messenger or phone calls - Revit provides balloon notifications now for editing requests.
• Color coded workset options - Color code by workset, owner, etc.
• You can now detach and discard worksets

Exporting to .dwg enhancements

• Specify, override and/or modify exporting layers
• Map Revit lines, patterns, texts and fonts, colors and solids to AutoCAD types
• Save multiple Export Setups in a project and transfer to other projects via Transfer Project Standards
• Dimensions now export AS DIMENSIONS! Not, as dumb, cruddy liens and text.

Enhanced Graphic Display Options

• Ghost Surfaces - make elements semi-transparent - by category, by view or by element
• Show Edges - You can show edges in any view style - no more "Shaded with Edges" style
• Show Ambient Shadows - formerly known as Ambient Occlusion except that Revit will now print/save ambient shadows.

3D View Enhancements

• Lock 3D view orientation
• Tag and note 3D views
• Lock and Restore options - You can lock and tag a 3D view, then move/pan/zoom around and Revit will remember the locked orientation and restore it back to the locked orientation with Tags and all.

3D Connection mouse ready
Revit now supports 3D mice

Create Tab
The Create Tab as a couple new features added onto it this time around:

• Create Parts:
• Allows you to select walls, etc and peel back layers, etc. This functions directly in a working view as well as more easily and freely than the Modify options within the Assembly Editor
• Create Assembly:
• Automatically (well as automatically that can be expected from a 1.0 feature) create "shop drawing" or assembly views of selected elements (Curtain mullions, etc.). This automatically creates section view, plans, elevations of the selected assemblies and categorizes them under their own "Assemblies" section of the Project Browser

Adaptive Components

• Adaptive components are no longer limited to mass families and curtain panel families. They can now be placed into a project.

Keyboard shortcuts

• Keyboard Shortcuts now support single key commands

Families

• Families can now cut other families within a project
• Export/Import Type catalogs
• Export/Save families from a selected family, group or view to your library

Miscellaneous User Interface Enhancements

• Starting View - Specify a view that the project opens to every time it is opened to improve performance
• Option to make elements appear semi-transparent upon selection
• Improved Grip display - crisper and gradient fills for better visibility
• Rotate Tool - You can now place the center of rotation without finding it and dragging

Mr. McCluskey's Method

I came across this nifty little short over at Revit3D.com, produced by Autodesk. This may be my new introduction for my training sessions.

It's sure to become an instant classic.

Wall Function Trickery

As I was chugging away at my model today I came across a rather aggravating little trick within a wall's type properties. Maybe some of you know this already, maybe some don't but you learn something new everyday. Apparently within the wall's type properties, if your wall is set to a "Foundation" function you can't use a level above as the "Top Constraint."

Example: I can't have a 12" Concrete basement wall (with a "foundation" function) using the First Floor Level as a top constraint. You will get the "Top Constraint  is invalid for the Level" error message, and boy is it aggravating! It must use the Basement Floor Level. Now I can offset it until my heart's desire but it can't associate with a level above.

Just a random factoid for the day!

Interactive Web-Based Model Viewing - Part Tres

After over a year of sitting idle, I had been fiddling with this app a bit more today. It should be working in the live now in the second post in this series. It uses one of the sample projects from RAC 2011 - Check it out.

Note:
If you are unable to see the model in the window - try signing out of blogger an viewing it as anonymous - I have had a little trouble viewing when I am signed in but it works like a charm when I am not.

BIM Implementation, Adaptive Re-Use, Multi-Firm Collaboration and FM Prep - In 6-9 Months? I must be crazy!

I'm nuts. Is this even possible?! Well I'll let you know in 6-9 months!

I've been asked by a Fortune 500 Bio-Tech company in Minneapolis to implement BIM in their facilities department with the ultimate goal of a sustaining Facilities Management Program.

Here's the immediate ultimate goal:

In 6-9 months...

• Implement Revit - AutoCAD Standards conversion, staff training, etc.
• Survey and document existing conditions of 200,000 sq ft warehouse for an adaptive re-use project
• Assist in-house design team with design process
• Coordinate between in-house design team and architect of record's firm as well as design consultants
• Post-construction surveying and documentation
• Implement facilities management tools

In the coming weeks I'll expand on these goals as well as in the next few months I'll post my progressions (more likely my aggressions) as I go through this process.

Toodles!