ASCENT Blog

What’s New in Autodesk Revit 2014? – User Interface and Selection Updates

By Martha Hollowell

It is that time of year again… Spring is here (at least in my part of the world) and so is the latest version of the Autodesk Revit software. Each year Autodesk smooths out any kinks in the software, improves existing tools and adds new tools that improve productivity and accuracy. This year is no different, with several user interface and selection upgrades, significant changes to modifying schedules, a new exploded view tool, and discipline specific enhancements to architectural stairs and railings, MEP systems, and structural reinforcement. This article looks at several of the user interface and selection updates that impact all flavors of the Revit platform. We have included these updates and many more in each of our Revit training guides that are out now.

Docking Palettes

To save screen space, you can now dock the Properties and Project Browser palettes on top of each other, as shown in Figure 1, and then use the tabs at the bottom to switch between the two. If you are using the Autodesk Revit MEP software, you can also add the System Browser to this group.

Figure 1

Material Browser Updates

The Material Browser and Material Editor are combined in one dialog box with tabs identifying the various options. You can sort the materials by class as shown in Figure 2. The dialog box has also been simplified with options to show or hide the Library list and collapse the Material Editor panel.

Figure 2

Non-Rectangular Crop Regions

Non-Rectangular Crop Regions answer a request that has been made by numerous users. Instead of having to work with complex masking regions on top of a rectangular callout you can now sketch a callout or modify plan, elevation, and section crop regions so they follow the contours of the portion of the building that you want to display, as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3

Selecting Elements

Another update that makes it easier to work in the Autodesk Revit software is the ability to modify how elements are selected. You can now specify whether or not you can select linked files, underlay elements, and pinned elements. You can also set the option to select elements, such as walls, floors, and roofs by face, rather than just by the edge. The Drag elements on selection option can also be toggled on and off using this interface. These tools are available in both the Select panel under the Modify command or on the lower right of the Status Bar as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4

Conclusion

While at first glance none of these enhancements look like big changes, they add up to a more functional and adaptable way of working with software that is already a pleasure to work with.

Using the Space Naming Utility in Autodesk Revit MEP

by Martha Hollowell

It makes a lot of sense for the names and numbers of spaces in the Autodesk® Revit® MEP software to match the room names and numbers in the architect’s model. However, if there are hundreds of rooms it can take way too long to type in each one. That is why the subscription service bundle for the Autodesk Revit software includes the Space Naming Utility.  This is worth its weight in productivity gold when used with Place Spaces Automatically. To help you use it well, here is a cool hack that helps you identify spaces without room names as you match the spaces to rooms.

• Don’t forget, before adding spaces you need to set the linked architectural model to Room Bounding in Type Properties.

 

How to use the Space Naming Utility with Place Spaces Automatically

1. Click  (Space).
2. Click inside the first space in the floor plan.
3. Click (Modify) and, in Properties, change the Number to X-1 (or whatever you want to use).
4. Click (Space) again and, in the Modify | Place Space tab>Spaces panel, click  (Place Spaces Automatically).
5. The spaces are created.

 
6.  Click .

7.  In the Add-Ins tab> External panel, expand (External Tools) and select Space Naming Utility. (You need to load it through the Subscription program before doing this.)

8. In the Autodesk Revit MEP Space Naming Utility dialog box,  set the options as needed and click .

9. Roll your cursor over one of the spaces. You can see that it now matches the name of the corresponding room.

Why did I recommend that you name the first space before applying the spaces automatically? Take a look at part of a space schedule created from this example.

Because spaces are placed in every possible location, including many that are not “rooms” (such as plenums and shafts), it helps to separate them as you add the spaces. To do so, number the spaces with a sequence that you know is not used by the architects (such as X-1). Therefore, there is no question about where there are spaces rather than rooms. Using 
(Highlight in Model) these spaces can quickly be reviewed and renamed.

Repeat this process for each of the levels in the project.

Make your job easier by using all of the available tools, including Place Spaces Automatically, the Space Naming Utility, and schedules.

Teaching the new Stair Assemblies in Autodesk Revit Architecture 2013

By Martha Hollowell

By now you have probably discovered the new stair assembly method of creating stairs that came out in 2013. But, don’t despair; the old way is still there, you just don’t want to emphasize it anymore. Instead of giving you yet another step by step on how to create assembled stairs I thought I would gather a few tips and tricks together that can help you teach this new tool.

First of all it helps to outline the components of the stair as shown below. Then, when the students click the Stair command and move to the busy ribbon with all its options they will at least have a clue about what they are looking at.

 

Work within at least 2 views so that you can see the stairs as you are creating them. As you complete each run it displays in the 3D as shown below.

Judge your audience. If you don’t have any residential designers in the class they probably won’t be drawing winder stairs (as shown below). If you don’t need them… don’t teach them. The same is true with spiral stairs. There are plenty of things you can teach about the basic stair runs.

 

 

Do teach all of the shape handle controls, such as those shown below, which are great for manipulating runs and landings. Additionally, show how you can use Modify tools such as Align, Mirror, Move, Rotate, and Copy on runs while you are still in the Create Stair Assembly mode.

 

 

Finally, (though there are plenty of other tips out there) show how to convert custom components into a sketch. This is most helpful for landings and odd shaped stair runs. When working with runs make sure the students remember to extend all of the riser lines (as shown below), when that is needed.

 

Have fun teaching and working with stair assemblies.

By Martha Hollowell

 

What’s new in Autodesk Revit 2013? Onebox...

By Martha Hollowell

Every year Autodesk rolls out a huge number of updated programs. It is getting harder to keep up with what it coming out. But there are always “flagship” products, such as AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, and my favorite, Autodesk Revit.

I used the name Autodesk Revit without any of the discipline specific endings on purpose. If you are using the Autodesk® Building Design Suite, you will find the new Autodesk Revit “Onebox” option. This is Architecture, Structure, and MEP rolled into one program. Any company, especially those with all three disciplines working together, can benefit from this. Training centers can also benefit from this by having to load only one version of Revit even if they are teaching different disciplines.

The naming structure for the tabs and buttons has been streamlined to suit this option. For example, the Home tab (shown in Autodesk Revit Architecture 2012 in Figure 1) has been exchanged for discipline-specific tabs of Architecture, Structure, and Systems (shown in Autodesk Revit 2013 in Figure 2).

 

Figure 1

Figure 2

You can set up the interface of the Autodesk Building Design Suite version of Autodesk Revit for your specific discipline. Since all of the tools for these disciplines are installed in one copy of the software, by default, all of the tools, templates, and sample files are available as shown in Figure 3. Most users only need their specific set of tools and the interface can be tailored to meet those needs.

 

Figure 3

The ASCENT training guides are designed to be discipline-specific and therefore the graphics match the discipline of the course. For example, for Autodesk Revit Architecture classes the tabs and default templates are setup for architectural projects while the Structure and MEP courses show their tabs and templates.

If you are teaching a discipline-specific class and want to match the “OneBox” interface to the discipline we include a document at the beginning of each book called “Setting Up the Interface”. This outlines the changes you need to make to the interface so it matches up with the graphics in the book.

How to Set Up the Autodesk Revit Interface to suit your needs.

1. In the upper left corner of the screen, expand   (Application Menu) and click   .
2. In the Options dialog box on the left pane select User Interface.
3. In the Configure area, under Tools and analyses (as shown in Figure 4), clear all of options that you do not want.

 

Figure 4

• When you clear a selection you are not deleting these tools, just removing them from the current user interface.

4. You can also specify the templates that display when starting a new project. In the left pane select File Locations.

5. In the right pane (as shown in Figure 5), select and order the templates you want to show. Typically, these are set up by the company.

 

Figure 5

6. Click   . The interface and template locations update for this installation of the software.

• You might also want to move the tabs to a different order. To do so, select the tab, hold down <Ctrl> and drag the tab to the new locations.

Check back later and we will post information on the new assembly stair feature in Autodesk Revit Architecture, enhanced rebar in Autodesk Revit Structure, and some advanced pipe routing preferences in Autodesk Revit MEP. Have fun using the new tools.

Martha Hollowell

Intelligent Families in Autodesk Revit

By Martha Hollowell

As people start using the Autodesk Revit software they probably first like the way it can do things for you – like automatically fill in schedules and update changes across the full project. However, there comes a time when they need to get more out of it. One of those ways is to build “intelligent families”.

Actually, all Autodesk Revit families are intelligent, it just depends how much intelligence you want. This can be built up over time. A basic example of this is to add the connectors used in the Autodesk Revit MEP software to an existing architectural family as shown in the example below.

Not only has this made the Architectural family usable in the Autodesk Revit MEP software, but it also adds intelligence to the connectors. For example, one connector “knows” it is a cold water pipe connector of a specific size and flow direction and another connector “knows” it is a sanitary pipe connector.

If an architect uses the same basic family, they can add parameters for color and manufacturer that can then be included in the related schedule. Another option would be adding a simplified 2D sketch that displays a coarse detail plan view rather than the full 3D complexity of the family.

While a lot of people want to start creating families right away, it might be helpful to use the Autodesk Revit software for a while and find out what is already out there. Then, when you come to a place where you are comfortable with the Autodesk Revit software and see a need to use them, learning to create families can be a great benefit.

 

By Martha Hollowell

 

 

Creativity Using CAD

By Elvis R. Sverko

 

It’s a new year. So Happy New Year everyone!

Now, how do we make this new year, a better year than last year? Well, one thing that seems to be a hot topic everywhere I look is “Creativity”, and creativity in anything and everything, ( “Use the Kindle Fire as a Creative Device” from December 2011 from Wired.com;  “Buff Your Brain” from the January 9, 2012 edition of Newsweek; “How to Lead a Creative Life” from the December 2011 edition of Fast Company.)

To make anything new, you need to be innovative. To be innovative, you need to use your creativity.

Most engineers/designers/architects/etc. know they need to be creative to make new products, or make older products better. They have many tools at their disposal, from pencil and paper, to wood or metal, to CAD. But mostly they use their imagination to come up with the new idea, and then use these tools to bring them to life.

But sometimes, it’s not just about using a tool to make something new and innovative. Sometimes you have to use the tools in a creative way.

CAD is no exception. There are specific functions that CAD can perform, from drawing lines and circles, to making 3D solid models, to performing simulation such as Finite Element Analysis. Some CAD packages include libraries of standard parts that you can use in your model (such as with Autodesk Revit, you have a library of types/shapes/sizes of windows to include in your architectural design). There are also standards that in many cases at many companies that must be met. These standards might be in the styles used for drawings, or industry standards that need to be met.

But in many cases, you can be creative in the way you use CAD.

If you need to make a cylinder, you have different methods of doing so. You can extrude a circle, or rotate a rectangle (as shown using Autodesk Inventor below). Or there may be other ways as well. But both of these methods create identical cylinders. The difference is in their method. Your choice may come down to what information you currently have, or may need to change, or it’s just completely up to you. But the point is, you can be creative in how you model something in CAD.

 

It doesn’t have to be in the tools you use, that you can be creative. Sometimes it’s simply in how you look at a model. In many 3D solid modeling CAD programs, you can turn the visibility of objects off, change the view style, rotate, or adjust snapping methods to more easily see and select an object in the model. The point is, there isn’t only one way to perform a specific task using CAD. Use your creativity in the process to make it better.

We’ll look at other creative ideas in using CAD, and CAD training in future posts. But until then, use your creativity in not only what you design, but how you design it, to make this new year a better year.

 

“Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.” – Theodore Levitt

 

Teaching BIM

Teaching BIM

by  Martha Hollowell

Last week Elvis posted some thoughts on Teaching CAD  so I thought I would add my two cents worth on teaching Building Information Modeling (BIM). Teaching BIM has its own variations and complications. One of the biggest challenges is moving people from 2D thinking to 3D thinking. I must admit I was part of the problem for a while. I knew 2D AutoCAD inside and out and could do everything I thought was needed. Then I took the time to really understand 3D and my drawings were never the same.  Moving from 3D modeling in AutoCAD and even AutoCAD Architecture to total building modeling in Revit was also a revelation. This one didn’t take me as long to grasp because a lot of it “just happens”.  I was thrilled to have my schedules automatically populate and for elevation views to automatically apply the changes from the plan.

But that is still not all there is to BIM. I was still thinking in a 2D Construction Document way. I was looking at the output rather than a new way of working.  A lot of people coming into Revit fundamentals classes will feel the same way. They might be comfortable with how they have done things and don’t want to change. Even more experienced users might be focusing on the 2D views and not caring about the full features of the program. Our job as instructors is to get them excited about the full world of BIM in Revit.

There is no question that people need to know the basics to be able to work successfully in Revit. If you don’t know how to sketch a linear element you can’t get too far. So, how do you take the basics and help people see the whole model? By working back and forth (or side-by-side) in 2D and 3D views.  It is critical to get 3D views up in front of people from the very beginning because it shows the whole “building model” rather than just a floor plan or elevation. 



Tip: When you want to see more than one view on the screen close all views that aren’t needed and type WT (Window Tile) to show the views evenly on the screen.

 

How do you help your students understand Building Information Modeling?  I invite you to tell us your insights on teaching BIM. If you have any ideas you want to share through this blog that would be great. You can post replies in the comment section below and we will incorporate your ideas in future posts on this blog.

 I am also leading an “unconference” (discussion) class about this at AU 2011 in Las Vegas this year. It is titled “The Brainy Bunch: Teacher Training Tips for Revit Architecture, MEP, and Structure”. The class is scheduled for November 29, 10:30 am. Right now it is full but you can list it in “My Interests” and check back later to see if any openings have come up.

Martha Hollowell

 

September.... the Time for Personal Development

By Jennifer MacMillan

Wow, September already! Wasn’t it just March with all the new 2012 software being released?

What amazes me about September is that after so many years being out of school (No Hints!), September still always feels like the start of a new year. It gives us a second chance to look at things or set another New Year’s Resolution and start off fresh again. I started September by cleaning my desktop (actual and computer) and even that gave me a renewed sense of energy. Okay, maybe it is that I have started drinking coffee. Hmmm...there is my next resolution. I will save that one for January.

The idea of September and starting a new school year got me thinking that new beginnings should also be considered in the working world. Why not! We love learning. We are all back from holidays, are refreshed, and in a lot of cases our managers are looking at spending the rest of their budgets so they don’t lose them. To me this is the perfect time to focus on personal development. When was the last time you had training? I am not talking about the YouTube video you watched. It is really incredible to think how far training has come in the last 10+ years. There are so many training options available. Here are some ideas:

• Open enrollment training classes with a professional trainer and curriculum.
• Personal one-on-one consulting with a consultant.
• Live over the web training classes.
• Purchasing a hard-copy or e-book training guide for self-study. (Highly recommend ASCENT, great company! Had to say it!)
• Purchasing an on-line training course for self-study. (Again, ASCENT material rocks!)
• Accessing learning content through a searchable learning management system. (Wouldn’t you know, ASCENT offers this as well!)
• YouTube videos (I know, I kinda slammed this earlier, but it really is a great, economical way to learn something new. I wouldn’t recommend it for learning new software as there is a lot of smoke and mirrors included in these videos to help sell software, but there is some great information.)
• Custom classes for an entire company or team. (ASCENT is starting to get lots of requests for these. It gives companies the opportunity to create a course that is geared to only them. It can cut down on the number of days, focus on a specific workflow, or be written with the companies own models. I always tell customers “the sky’s the limit”.) 

So... along with cleaning off your desktop, get a good idea of where you want to be in the next 6-12 months with your software skills and get some training. Have fun learning and have a great September!

Jennifer

Out of the Box

By Martha Hollowell

Following up on Elvis’ post “Preparation with Hotfixes” I started thinking about what you can and can’t do with software out of the box. You can do tons of incredible things. Today’s CAD/BIM software is amazing. From the Revit side you can draw walls and put doors in them, add HVAC systems down to the smallest detail and coordinate structural columns with architectural ones – all out of the box. But…

When it comes to which walls, which windows, which HVAC equipment, which structural columns that is where out of the box breaks down. While Revit comes with tons of choices they probably aren’t the ones you want to use (of course). So, you need to acquire the right ones. Some manufacturers have their elements posted on Autodesk Seek. That is a good place to go first. When you get manufacturer information you get all of their expertise and time wrapped into a nice package, downloadable and ready to use.

You can also create your own types and families (Revit speak for blocks). That is of course more time consuming but it does get you what you want.  Plus, it is a lot of fun to figure out. If you start with a family that has already been created and modify it; then you save time as well.

I’m a big fan of creating templates to solve the issues when outside families can’t be used. In Revit Architecture, for example, a window is a separate family while a wall is a system family that needs to be created in the project/template.

So, while our fundamentals courseware focuses on using “out of the box” software so everyone is on the same page it is always good to get beyond the fundamentals and start thinking out of the box.

ASEE - 118th Annual Conference and Exposition

By Paul Burden

I am just back from beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia where we attended the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference and Exposition. ASCENT was one of over 100 exhibitors in the Exposition Hall this year. Thank you to everyone that stopped by to speak with us – there were some familiar faces and a lot of new faces for us at this year’s event.

Here are a few observations I gathered while speaking with attendees of the conference this week:

• There is a wide variety of CAD software being used by schools and institutions providing engineering education. Among the software being used by people we spoke to are AutoCAD, Inventor, Pro/ENGINEER, CATIA, SolidWorks, NX, Revit Architecture, Civil 3D, MicroStation, and the list goes on.
• The educators we spoke with are passionate about ensuring that the curriculum they use when teaching courses involving CAD software provides students with usable skills and modeling strategies.
• Courseware that is modular is preferred so that topics can be reorganized to fit the scope of a class.
• Some educators develop their own tutorials for CAD software, but find it very time consuming to keep up to date.
• Interest in using digital versions of textbooks, such as eBooks, is growing.

In a number of sessions and events, I also saw incredible cooperation between corporations and schools to ensure that those enrolled in engineering programs are developing the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in industry. To continue this theme, educators should feel welcome to provide feedback to us and other publishers of textbooks and training courseware so that these offerings can address the unique requirements of academic institutions.  So at events like this conference and anytime in between, tell us how we’re doing and what you need. Within the realm of CAD software, we want to ensure that the engineers of tomorrow can graduate with skills that will enable them to use these tools immediately.

Finally, we had a lot of fun passing out our Brain Age Testers. Hopefully, it reported an age you were happy with.  

By Paul Burden