The Revit Clinic

A local file a day, keeps support away.

We have all heard the expression "A apple a day keeps the doctor away", well a new feature in Revit Architecture 2010 helps you keep support away, if you use it every day. 

This enhancement is pretty easy to miss. 

 

When opening a Central file Revit now has a check box called "Create New Local".  This check box is checked by default anytime to attempt to open a Central file.  This check box only and feature is only available if you click on Central file after going to the Application menu to open a file and will not appear if you open a central file from the recent files page. 

This check box creates a new file on the users machine with the name of the file followed by the user name that is currently set in Options for your computer.  For example, in this case I am clicking on a central file with the name "Interior-Central.rvt", with this check box selected, Revit will create a new local file (and open that file) called "Interior-Central_brummh.rvt" (brummh is my user name).  It creates this file in the users file directory (that you can set in Options under the File locations tab).

If Revit runs into a case where a file with that name already exists, Revit will present you two two options in this dialog box:

 

I would always recommend that you choose the second option for appending the existing file (the old file) with a time stamp.  If you do this, then you will be creating backup copies of your local file in case you need to go back to an older version of your file. 

This new feature lets you avoid some common problems that can occur if you open a central file directly or forget to create a new local file. 

Creating a new local file everyday is a great way to prevent problems with work-sharing.  This basically makes sure that you are always working on the latest, greatest, version of the central file, and can eliminate problems with permissions that might occur if you are working in the same local file every day (eventually, the local and central files get out of sync, and you have problems reloading latest, or saving to central).  So, each morning when you come into the office and start your day in Revit on your work-shared project, create a new local file from your central file.  This will save you time and effort down the road and prevents a lot of problems.  There are some scripts out there that can do this for you (see these post on Do U Revit for a good script), but Revit 2010 projects all have this check box feature when you go to open a Central file. 

Revit 2010 Enhancements

There are a few enhancements I want to cover in Revit 2010 which may get lost in the shuffle behind the user interface and conceptual mass tools.

Gradient Backgrounds

In 3D views, there is a new option under “View Properties”, “Graphic Display Options”, “Background”, for “Gradient Background”.  Checking this box will allow you to specify a “Sky Color”, “Horizon Color” and “Ground Color”.

 

This is useful to add some additional depth to shaded 3D views:

 

Halftone / Underlay Control

You now have specific control for the level of halftone for objects or linked files.  Under the “Manage” tab, “Settings” pull-down, choose “Halftone/Underlay”.

 

The default is 50% brightness which can now be adjusted as needed.  This value will be utilized when objects or linked files utilize the “Halftone” checkbox throughout the project.

In the same menu you will find the “Underlay” variables for “Weight” and “Pattern”.  "Weight" specifies the line weight for underlays where “Pattern” specifics the line pattern for underlays.  These settings will become active when an underlay is utilized in a view.

Slanted Columns

The 2010 release of Revit Structure brings us some much-requested functionality - the ability to create slanted columns! This has been a big wishlist item for a while, and I'm sure many users will be happy to see the ability to add slanted columns implemented into the product. I'd like to try to address some questions that might come up:

Can I create slanted columns in Revit Architecture or MEP?

At this time slanted columns are only included functionality in Revit Structure.

Where is the slanted column tool located?

When you activate the Structural Column tool in the Structure panel of the Home ribbon, you will see options to create Vertical Columns or Slanted Columns. The Slanted Column tool will be selectable in views where they are able to be placed.

What views can I place slanted columns in?

Slanted columns can be created in Sections, Elevations, and 3D views. They cannot be placed in Plan views.

Will slanted columns appear in my Graphical Column Schedule?

Currently slanted columns will not report a Column Location Mark or appear in Graphical Column Schedules.

Am I able to Copy/Monitor slanted columns?

At this time slanted columns will not participate in the Copy/Monitor functionality.

Please feel free to comment with any additional questions you may have regarding the new slanted column functionality!

The Power of Subscription

Besides having access to Autodesk Product Support, Subscription offers some very good benefits when it comes to the Revit products. 

For 2010, we just released the Worksharing Monitor, Globe Link, Batch Plot, and Revit Extensions for all three Revit 2010 products are now available.  Besides these must have tools (specially the Worksharing Monitor!).

Subscription customers also benefit from additional documentation that is available for Download.  I highly recommend that all Revit subscription customers go download the 2010 Model performance technical note. 

This document, available on the subscription center, has been updated for the 2010 release.  The 2009 version provided many helpful hints and the 2010 release includes more and is specific for the 2010 release.  It was made available yesterday and it is already required reading.

Subscription has some great benefits.  Go to the Subscription Center today and check them out.

AU Call for Proposals

As you all know, Autodesk University (AU) is the premier annual event for Autodesk users from around world. Each year, this conference and exhibition offers outstanding training, exhibits, and networking opportunities that help design professionals advance their careers and gain a competitive advantage.

Attendees look to Autodesk University for Autodesk and partner solutions that can help their organizations achieve success in today's fast-changing industries. Each year, AU offers an excellent curriculum presented by outstanding speakers who are leaders in their industries.

AU 2009 will be held from December 1-4 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, NV—one of the world's finest meeting and convention facilities.

To be considered as an AU 2009 speaker, we invite you to submit a proposal online. We welcome multiple submissions from experienced presenters and also offer several different class types, such as classes, lectures, hands-on labs, and discussion panels, to suit whatever your speaking style is. Also, new this year is the addition of a 60-minute Virtual session.

We’re definitely in need of intermediate and advanced classes that speak to traditional course offerings for general, architectural, MEP, structural, construction, civil design and geospatial, but we’re also very interested in knowing how professionals like you are successfully using Autodesk tools collectively to solve critical challenges in the following industries: 

• Building – How are you using a model based design and construction approach, with BIM at the core, to capture opportunities in retrofit and renovation, and to meet building energy and sustainable design requirements? How is the Autodesk BIM portfolio enabling you to improve your existing construction management process and streamline communication with stakeholders ensuring projects stay within budget and time schedules?
• Civil Engineering – How are you using the Autodesk family of products for civil to address key issues within transportation, environmental and land development projects such as; road and intersection design, sustainable design, infrastructure renewal, and bridge design?
• Utility/Telco – How are you using the Autodesk family of products to address key issues such as smart grids and sustainable design, aging infrastructure renewal, substation design, plant design, and network design and management,  in the electric & gas, water / wastewater, and telco industry segments?
• Process and Power - How are you using Autodesk products to deliver plant design and upgrade projects, meet environmental regulations and increase plant efficiency? 

The deadline for submissions is April 30th, 2009, so there’s still time to join us in making this year’s AU the best ever!

Click here to submit your proposal.

Panels

With the new Ribbon we now have panels.  Panels are really groups of tools.  Panels can be dragged and placed anywhere within your environement, but they cannot be placed onto a different Ribbon Tab. 

Another thing about Panels is that they have titles.  These titles are not very big, but screen space matters so you can get rid of those panel titles if you want.

To do this follow these steps:

1. Right click on the area next to the tab names above the ribbon
2. Select "Show Panel Titles"

Here is a little video showing how to it.

Hot Issues Update

For the 2010 Revit Architecture product release, product support has gone through and updated the Hot Issues page.

 

These are the issues that we think in Product Support will be the most common questions asked about the new release.  We try and update these solutions regularly so that you know what the hotest issues are (as the name suggestions).  I would encourage you to check out these solutions on the page.  These are not the only solutions we are publishing for 2010, so I would also encourage you to search our Knowledge base if you have a question or have a problem. 

GBXMLing

With sustainability such a good thing (and hot topic) Revit Architecture has some improvements for exporting your Revit model analysis with GBXML.  With 2010, there is a new bit of User Interface to help you see your GBXML model before you export it from Revit. 

This can help you spot problems with your Rooms before you import them into your analysis tool. 

This is just a very simple example of the new dialog.  This dialog was in Revit MEP last year (as the heating and cooling loads dialog), but is now in Architecture to help Architects see their models.  This one falls into the "lets prevent problems before they occur" category.

New way to access tools!

There is a new method to access tools in 2010.  In previous releases you could use your keyboard to enter a keyboard shortcut key.  Like ZE to Zoom your view to its extents.  We still have these keyboard shortcuts in 2010, but we also have Key tips.

Open Revit and press the Alt Key.

You will see this:

 

Little letters appear above the QAT and the Ribbon Tab names.  These are key tips.  If you press them, you will open up additonaal key tips or use a tool. Here I pressed H to display the tips under the Home Tab.

 

This is just another way to access tools.  It is important to note though that Keyboard shortcuts are not the same as keytips and sometimes use different letters.  Also, Key tips are only available if you press Alt, while key board shortcuts are always available.

Quick Access Toolbar

In Revit 2010 products we now have a Quick Access Toolbar at the top left of the screen.

This QAT, as it is becoming known, is able to be customized.  You can add any Ribbon button to the QAT by right clicking on the button and choosing Add to Quick Access Toolbar.  You can also add seperators between Icons if you choose. 

One thing to know about the QAT though is that some times it seems like it might reset itself.  The QAT is suppose to be static from session to session.

What is happening though, is that the Quick Access Toolbar contains different modes for different editing environments. So basicly you are getting multiple QATs that you can customize seperately.

Each mode can be customized and maintain its state between sessions.  There are 8 different modes (including a project) for the QAT that can be customized separately.

Here are the different modes available outside of a project:

• Family Editor - General 
• Family Editor - Annotation
• Family Editor - Detail
• Family Editor - Profile   
• Family Editor - Rebar
• Family Editor - Truss  
• Family Editor - Conceptual Mass

So if you think it is resetting, you are probably in a mode that you have not customized yet!