Wish List (underlay in Drafting views)

Okay , I'm ranting a little bit here, and maybe somebody knows a neat trick that could resolve this problem. I go to create Drafting views for my project, so that I can use the view again on future Projects. However, I have always wondered why cant i have a detail view as an underlay for my Drafting view, then turn it off once i am done drafting? this would make the process of the Creating a Drafting view more Exact, and more efficient. This Detail View above could be used an underlay to Draft over and get cleaned up in a Drafting View.

I am finding sometimes people are bringing me Hybrid versions of Detail Views that have some Detail Components Drafted on to them, other people Try to Build absolutely everything in 3-d, and avoid Drafting Views with the same disdain they now have for autocad after learning Revit, and Some people use drafting Views like its going out of Style, building super rough Model Geometries and using Drafting views for Every possible Detail.

thoughts, comments?

" Behind every great fortune is a great crime"-Balzac

Selection Filter Tool

Ok, this a great tool that can help you select tricky little objects hiding in your model from time to time. I find alot that when I go to select a Building Pad, Finish Floor, or some other Object in Plan, that will tend to overlap with many other objects, sometimes hitting the Tab key just gets really old, and once in a while, you still cant get the object you want selected.

Once you select multiple Objects in your Model, the Filter tool Icon will pop up on the upper left hand corner of the Screen. Click on the Filter Button, then turn on and off the categories that you want to work with. Tadaa!

Revit City has a really good Forum Regarding this tool as well

http://revitcity.com/forums.php?action=viewthread&thread_id=17209



" With every problem comes the opportunity to learn"

B.S.A. B.I.M. Roundtable

I attended the BIM roundtable at the BSA (Boston Society of Architects) this morning and heard a presentation on Model Progression Specifications by Vico Software. The presentation explained how Vico Software can be implemented to be used for Coordination between the Contractor, Owner and Architect through the course of the project.

It seemed like this software becomes viable to a project somewhere around the 10 million plus range.

www.vicosoftware.com

The presenters spoke of WebcorBuilders using this system and how all Objects in the BIM have different Levels of Detail (LOD) . Why we always have to put things in our industry into three letter acronyms I will never know. It seems like a Good system for large Office Buildings/ Hospitals etc. , but may be too complicated of a network for smaller scale projects like Residences/ Historical Renovations and others. Does anyone have any experience with this software?

Autodesk Labs Ecotect analysis Revit Plug in

07-27-09

I downloaded and used the ecotect analysis plugin for Revit this past week.

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/ecotect/

you have to get the Revit Update from Autodesk before you can install this plug in

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=12828862

The Tool itself is pretty simple to use. You have to create a form in the Conceptual Massing environment, then Run it through the Plug in to see the solar radiation displayed on the faces.
you can right click on the faces of your Geometry before Running the Radiation tool to choose

1. Shadows Only
2. Ignore
3. or standard

I went to the Tutorials on Designreform.net and watched the two videotutorials that they offer on that site. those were really helpful for getting started using the tool.


I have tried it on a few residential Projects in our Office and Plan to try it on some of our Larger Institutional Projects later this week. Good luck playing with it and please email me with any insights, ideas, or questions.

"exactly where we are going, is just where we should be"