CAD Manager Channel - Are you using it?

Just curious if ANYONE is using the CAD Manager Channel. If you are, please let me know. You can email me at bsg at atkinsglobal dot com

Navisworks 2014 Service Pack 1 Released - July 30, 2014

I'm a few days late, Navisworks 2014 Service Pack 1 has been released.

Revit OpEd: Overlay VS Attached

Revit OpEd: Overlay VS Attached: A question posted at AUGI started out simply by asking if this concept is the same at AutoCAD. I replied, "Exactly the same concepts&q...

Revit OpEd: It is a Training Problem

This is a really good article by Steve Stafford at RevitOpEd.

Revit OpEd: It is a Training Problem: I frequently get involved in conversations that start with someone wishing Revit would help resolve "x" problem. The essence of &q...

AIA: Autodesk introduces computational modeling tool Dynamo for its BIM workflow

AIA: Autodesk introduces computational modeling tool Dynamo for its BIM workflow

IMAGINiT Utilities for Revit

IMAGINiT has updated their Utilities for Revit. The tool that really interested me is the LinkFixer. It allows you to re-path models.

Revit : Modelling Best practise tip

Revit : Modelling Best practise tip: One of the most interesting aspects of using Revit for model authoring is often there is more than one way to skin a cat. Let me provide you...

Revit OpEd: Three Laws - Family Content

Revit OpEd: Three Laws - Family Content: This is repost of a post that I wrote in September 2008. I thought of it as I was working through some content tasks. Not to be confused ...

Working with DWG files in Revit

It might not seem obvious, but it is very important clean up DWG files before importing or linking into AutoCAD. Revit is not AutoCAD and it is important to note that Revit will not behave like AutoCAD. So we need to take this into account when working with DWG files. Spending a few minutes cleaning up a DWG file before importing or linking that file can prevent real problems from occurring down the road.

Here are some items to consider when working with DWG files in AutoCAD.

1.     Be aware how far the CAD geometry is from 0,0,0. Different versions of Revit get squirrelly if the geometry is either greater than 2 miles or 20 miles from 0,0,0 in AutoCAD. While you are checking this, look for scratch or unnecessary geometry that might just be hanging out somewhere. If you don’t need it, get rid of it. Use Zoom extents in AutoCAD to see the extents of the geometry.

2.     Review the layers in AutoCAD. Make sure you are aware of what is on/off or frozen / thawed. If there is geometry on layers that are hidden or frozen, consider deleting that geometry and purging the layers. Put the DWG file on as much of a diet as you can.

3.     Be aware of blocks that are using in the DWG. If you are experiencing display issues in Revit, the issue might be with the block. It’s only been a problem for me a couple of times and exploding the blocks in AutoCAD corrected the issue. The simpler the CAD file, meaning few blocks, xrefs, etc that are in the DWG file, the better.

4.     Put the DWG on a Diet. Purge ANY and ALL unused layers, blocks, styles, etc from the DWG. The less Revit has to track the better.

5.     Verify your units of the DWG file before importing.

6.     Watch out for really small geometry. Revit will generate a warnings for lines that are smaller 1/32” or 0.75mm.

7.     Consider linking or importing DWG files onto a separate workset.

8.     If you only need to see a DWG in a single view, always use the Link to Current View Only option.

9.     I think this goes without saying, but worth repeating. To everything possible to avoid exploding imported DWG files.

Network Deployments - Include Additional Software

If you are working with Revit then you at some point must have dealt with the issues of installing these add-ons. For the Revit 2014 releases, I decided to incorporate the installation of several add-ons such as:

• DB Link
• Model Review
• Batch Print
• Worksharing Monitor
• Revit Extensions

The documentation on how to incorporate this information into the network deployment is a little weak. I initially went down the road of determining how to create silent installs for each of these add-ons, but I was was over thinking it.

As you are creating your network deployment, you will notice that one of the sections is to "Include additional software" (see below).

This allows you to add additional .msi and .exe software to your deployment. If you adding the Autodesk Revit add-ons (with the exception of Revit Extensions), you just need to click the "Add..." button and select the add-on. You do not need to specify any Command Line Parameters.

For Revit extensions, you first need to extract the install package from the executable zip file that you downloaded from the subscription site. If you accept the defaults, the files will be extracted to C:\Autodesk\REX_2014_dlm\. Back in your network deployment, Include additional software, you want to add either the REX_x64.msi (64-bit) or REX_x86.msi (32-bit) depending on the Revit deployment you are creating. You do not need to add and Command Line parameters.

When you are done adding your additional software to include in your deployment, you can close the "Include additional software" and complete your network deployment. As your network deployment is being created, the add-ons that you have selected will be copied from the location you selected to the ...\Img\ADDONS\ folder of the network deployment. Once the network deployment has finished copying all the files, hold off on performing a test installation.

The Revit Extension addon only copied over the .msi file of the installation.We need to copy over the rest of the required installation folders from C:\Autodesk\REX_2014_dlm\REX\ to ...\Img\ADDONS\ADDON_REX_X64_0\

Your ...\Img\ADDONS\ADDON_REX_X64_0\ directory should now look as follows

Revit OpEd: Copy Then Paste a Level

Revit OpEd: Copy Then Paste a Level: Ever have someone want to use Copy to Clipboard and then Paste Aligned to create a new level? I haven't but it is technically possible t...