Parameter Naming and Formulas

Be careful of the characters you use when naming parameters or labels. Don't use hyphens because they act as 'minus or subtract' when inserted into a formula. As an example: a parameter called 'length-2' would automatically try to subtract 2 from the length every time you enter it in a formula. This would also be true with other characters like * or /.

Meeting Nov.14, 2007

When: Wednesday, November 14th from 6:30pm to 9:00pm.

Location: Alice Fazooli's, 294 Adelaide St W, Toronto ON. Click here for map.

AGENDA

Reception: Join us for hors d'oeuvres and drinks at 6:30.
Theme: Revit: LEED and Collaboration
Content: A Conversation with Erin Rae Hoffer - AIA, LEED AP, MBAAs
Industry Programs Manager with Autodesk, a leading provider of software for architecture and engineering, Erin Hoffer fosters the adoption of innovative approaches to design and practice. With twenty-five years of experience in technology and computer-aided design, Erin contributed programming for D.O.E solar energy analysis software in the early 80s, developed computer-aided design tools and techniques for architecture and engineering with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Prior to joining Autodesk, Erin served as Executive Vice-President with the Boston Architectural College and served on the board of directors of the Boston Society of Architects as Commissioner of Technology. She led technology and services organizations for Harvard, MIT, and Tufts University. She is a LEED Accredited Professional and member of the AIA. Erin received a Master in Architecture from UCLA, and a Master in Business Administration from MIT's Sloan School of Management. She is registered to practice architecture in California.

Revit and IES for LEED: Presentation - Special Guest: Chien Si Harriman from IES-Integrated Environmental Solutions Limited with Jay Polding LEED AP
Learn the secrets of extracting key LEED data from your Revit model. We will compare existing tools and techniques inside of Revit with the information required from the LEED Letter Template. Chien Si Harriman from IES will show us how daylighting, energy consumption and other important simulation data can be calculated using IES simulation software.

Revit Matchmaking Tables: Revit Architecture, Structure and MEP stations will be set up for those who are looking to collaborate on Revit projects.

Registration: Please email your interest in attending to Jay Polding at jpolding@cadmicro.com as soon as possible.

Get Paid to Test Revit...AGAIN

Autodesk is once again looking for Architects or architectural
technologists who are current users of Revit to help us with a new study
we will be doing during the week of November 5 to 9 in Toronto.

For this study, we will ask you to come into our office (at King and
Sherbourne) some time during the day or in the evening. You'll try out
prototypes of new software features while we watch and ask you
questions. The sessions will take no more than 2 hours, and you will be
paid for your participation. (Payment is $100 in the form of a gift
card from your choice of major retailers.)

To participate in this study, you must have at least six months
experience using Autodesk Revit. If you participated in the study we
did in August, you may still participate in this study.

If you are interested in participating, please call Kelly Ellis at 416-874-8536. We will
contact you to book a mutually convenient time for you to come in.

Official Revit Wishlist

Vote for you top ten wishlist items here...

http://www.augi.com/revit/ballot.asp

Make Impressions and Voids in Walls

This video shows how to make impressions of any shape into walls. This method can also be applied to other objects like roofs, floors etc.

Custom Door to Wall Family

This video explains how to adjust the door family to trim the wall connection. An example would be rounded corners of a CMU wall at entry locations.

Revit and LEED

Today I passed my LEED exam and, in a small way, I have Revit to thank. While practicing using the LEED Letter template I was amazed at how often I was able to pull up a needed site or roof area. Or if I needed totals for building materials, occupancy, plumbing fixtures, it was all at my fingertips. With a little practice with formulas in schedules, Revit Arch is a great LEED Tool.

And looking to the future, I can see Especs, Revit MEP with IES as having awesome potential. A dedicated project website like Buzzsaw would also help with the LEED process.(you might even apply for an ID point with all of the UPS and FedEX deliveries you would save!)

Wall Layer Lines

Can you edit the individual layers, or component, lineweights of a wall?

Yes. Here's how:

Go to the Visibility/Graphics window (type VV)
Click the 'Cut Line Styles' checkbox under 'Overrides Host Layers'
Click the 'Edit...' button
Change the Line Weight, Colour and Pattern of each wall funtion

This is something that you may want to save in a 'View Template'.

Lighting and IES in Revit Architecture

Can you import and IES file into Revit Arch?
No, only Revit MEP.

Will the IES file in Revit MEP adjust the rendering?
No, but it will adjust the Average Estimated Illumination table. You can also use IES files in VIZ for rendering.
check out this site.

What kind of lights can you make in Revit; incandescent, fluorescent etc?
You basically have only the power(lumens) and colour to play with. Start with a light family template and then wrap it in a 'solid' which contains an accurender material, like glass. Then adjust the lumen count for power.

Linked Export DWG Layers

Issue:
When you export a Revit file containing a rvt link to dwg, the colours of the link are set to BYENTITY instead of BYLAYER.

Solution:
1. Export, to CAD Formats
2. Click the Options button
3. Under 'Layers and Properties' choose 'BYLAYER, no overrides'

Pulling Wall Layers up and down

This video explains how to adjust the components of a wall. For instance, pulling brick down past a floor system to sit on the top of foundation.

Ontario Revit Users Group Meeting

Wednesday, July 11th 6:30
Alice Fazooli's, 294 Adelaide St.W. Toronto

Agenda

Reception: Join us for hors d'oeuvres and drinks at 6:30.

Introduction: Latest News of Revit Use in Ontario and Canada.
The new ORUG logo will be unveiled and Web address announced.
Manufacturer content available and most requested for Revit

ORUG Member Presentation: Discuss specific topics in-depth with experienced Ontario Revit users at four Topic Stations. At least one Revit expert with a computer will be stationed at each table.

The Topics discussed will be:
Families and Content
Presentations and Rendering
Sections and Detailing
What's New in Revit Architecture 2008 (and how to make best use it!)

Registration: Please email your interest in attending to Jay Polding

No Saving in Sketch Mode

This may seem trivial but when you save to in sketch mode Revit will save only what you did before entering sketch mode. My recommendation is to always save before entering sketch mode. If you're working on a very complex sketch you may want to occasionally exit and save if possible.

Missing Callouts Bug

The latest build fixes the following bug:

When upgrading a project from 9.1 to 2008 some plan Callouts disappear when the Crop Region is on.

Conditional Statements Translation..Part 1

You will find the following examples of conditional statements in the Revit help menu if you search for 'conditional'. I wanted to let you know what I learned from these...

First of all, the conditional statement goes into the Formula field of the parameter that you want to control. This formula will automatically fill out the Height value of the example below. Formulas are like a language and Syntax is the spelling.

Now to translate...

The example below is an either/or situation. It's saying 'If the Width is LESS THAN 3000mm THEN the Height will be 2000mm IF NOT (LESS THAN 3000mm) THEN it's 1000mm.

The commas are acting as a THEN and a IF NOT THEN.



This can be taken further by having multiple variables. The example below is found in the help files and provides the syntax for such a case..

Revit Architecture 2008 Tutorials Error

Have you tried downloading the tutorials for RA 2008 yet? If so you probably got an error. The reason is that the files are trying to replace 'read only' files found in your Revit install directory. Here's how to workaround it:
1. Download files
2. Extract to a different folder than the default

You could then overwrite the help file this was intending to replace but you may not want to. The previous file has the link to the site where these help files are supposed to be kept and updated.

It's unfortunate. The developement team could have avoided this issue by a simple test, trying it.

Sketchup 6 crashes Revit 9.1

I just had this happen to me and wanted others to know that Revit 9.1 (latest build) crashes when you import a Sketchup 6 file. To avoid this, save down to Sketchup 5 in Sketchup.

This is confirmed on this fine blog:
CAD Shack by Todd Shackelford

ORUG Members in the Globe and Mail

There is an article in the Globe and Mail Real Estate Section today about a Solares' Design Build project. Christine and Tom are both active members of ORUG and are 'sustainable design' advocates in practice.

You can read it on-line at:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story
/RTGAM.20070323.re-construction-0323/REStory/RealEstate/

ESpecs for Revit: Review Part 1

Especs for Revit promises to link the assembly code information from Revit objects with Masterspec in order to create a written specification package. In our initial testing we have found that it does what it promises in this regard. Getting there is not overly complicated as implied by the length of training needed; for the full package, a day and a half. As of today Masterspec is the only standard available which they said that they will be expanding to include CMS, NMS (Canada).


We are currently testing this product and I will post further reviews as we go.

There is a video demo on their site.
http://www.e-specs.com/

Structural Objects in Revit Building

Many wonder if the structural objects that come with Revit Building work in Revit Structure seamlessly. The answer is yes they do. You may use the Copy/Monitor function to copy them into the Revit Structure from a linked Revit Building model.

The Next Revit

Just saw this and thought you might be interested. This blogger is talking about some of the new stuff that is being developed for the upcoming Revit.

http://knowingwhatyoudontknow.blogspot.com/
2007/02/snooping-under-tree-for-revit.html

Welcome to 2007 ORUG Members!

Our first meeting of the year is scheduled for Feb.21, 2007, starting at 6:30pm

Please email your confirmation to jpolding@cadmicro.com

Location: Alice Fazooli’s

Toronto

294 Adelaide St. W.
(At John Street)
M5V 1P6
Tel. (416) 979-1910

Topics:

Revit in Production

A local architect will reveal techniques used to create a full set of construction documents within Revit. This will be followed by a Q+A discussion.

Toronto the Green- Advances in Sustainable Design in Ontario

There is an opening for this presentation. If you would like to present or would like to make a suggestion please email Jay Polding-jpolding@cadmicro.com.

Revit Implementation Techniques

The Autodesk recommended steps for a successful Revit implementation. This will be followed by a Q+A discussion.

The winner of the Revit Building NFR is Rosario Tan. The software will be presented at the next ORUG meeting. Thanks to those of you who sent in your input sheets!

Logo Design Competition Update:

So far, we have only one entry. Unless we get more we will have to plaster our lone entry all over our website and t-shirts (you might want to see attached).