2018 has received its first little update, but the 2017 is a bit more significant. More info and links below…

Revit 2018.0.1 Hot Fix
Download
Readme
Release Notes

Details:

  • Improved stability when using the pick line tool.*
  • Improved data integrity of the local project files after download operation when using Collaboration for Revit.

Revit 2017.2.1 Update 
Download
Readme
Release Notes

Details:

 

At the risk of stating the obvious, learning is an important part of being a knowledge worker. But learning can be boring, right? There are a whole bunch of ways to learn and improve in our work skills, and it can be really hard to know which way is best. When it comes to BIM, and future technology in general, there is something electric about putting a large group of like-minded people in the same room together. And if you do that for a few days in a row, well, anything can happen…

So, yes, I am excited about the BILT conference in Adelaide this year, for quite a few reasons. In fact, BILT (previously Revit Technology Conference) has been around so long now, and is so well respected, that I wonder a little about what I can add by writing about it! But I can share some of my personal experiences, and hopefully that may encourage a few of you to really consider heading to BILT ANZ this year.

A long, long time ago…
I had spent a few years as an Architectural Drafter in a small firm on the Sunshine Coast when RTC first came to my attention. It was the place to be! My job description had been steadily growing, to include more technology, hardware, software, and systems management. As BIM persons, we often have to wear various hats at various times, and usually at the same time. I really, really wanted to attend, so I made the suitable requests to my employer at the time and he was gracious enough to pay for the ticket and accommodation and allow me to attend. For some of you, that can be hard going.

You basically need to prepare to describe to your employer:
1.    Your current value
2.    Your desire to attend
3.    How that will increase your knowledge
4.    How that will help the business
5.    And ultimately lead to more profits than the ticket price

It sounds like a lot, but depending on your work situation it may be as simple as a cup of coffee chat, or perhaps you need to put some of those ‘return on investment’ benefits into writing and send it up the management chain. If you haven’t attended before, I do recommend that you make the effort… which leads me back to RTC 2011.

It was a really eye-widening experience for me. I was already a Revit blogger and ‘thought I knew stuff’, but trust me I still learned. And it wasn’t boring. I have this really vivid memory of sitting in a class with Phil Read out the front, talking about how Revit was used to design and document these intricate, beautiful designs on some famous movie sets. He also had schwag (gifts), and he had some really down-to-earth comments about how there is more to life than Revit (this came as a surprise to me at the time). With three kids now, I definitely get it. I guess I’m trying to describe this moment when the technology was exciting, the lessons were well delivered, and the speakers were real and practical. That is what you can expect at a BILT conference.

Fast forward to 2016
My work situation had changed a few times, and as with all of us, my knowledge and experience had grown. I had started to specialize in a few specific areas. Its funny just how ‘big’ BIM really is. You can spend years learning, but still just feel like you are running to keep up with others. Would BILT still be of benefit to me? This time around, I was part of two sessions and also had the privilege of delivering the Keynote Sponsor address. Also, it was interesting to see how the conference had widened its scope to include so many related fields, including lots of sessions for the ArchiCAD crew, Facilities Management, Quantity Surveying. I could see that, just as my experience had grown and the industry had changed, BILT had adapted to those changes.

RTC 2016 was overall an engaging and positive experience. I was looking for different things, but I still found them. I was interested to meet some of the key Dynamo users and developers that I had been following online, like Konrad Sobon, Adam Sheather, and of course Marcello Sgambelluri. I really enjoyed a well researched session by Joe Banks, where he compared different collaboration platforms in a dynamic and thorough fashion. Also, Aaron Maller showed us just how easy it can be to set up your own virtual hardware. What I’m saying is that there is a session for every hat that you wear as a BIM person. There are sessions that reinforce what you know, or challenge what you thought was best practice. And along the way there are some good laughs and great conversations with interesting people.

What about this year?
I was really happy to hear that BILT was coming to Adelaide, my home, in 2017. Adelaide has gone through a really accelerated learning and development period surrounding the massive nRAH project, and we are seeing the majority of significant projects now progressing towards a more developed and refined BIM flavour. At the same time, there is still some way to go, so hosting BILT will hopefully continue to energise that local market. What this means, too, is that there is a lot of ‘lessons learnt’ floating around. That is one reason why I chose to run a session called BIM Implementation in Real Life this year. I am going to interview people from a range of disciplines and job positions, and see what they have learned from the BIM implementation process in their office.

I’ll also be running a Lab where I hope to share a lot of real productivity-focused Revit tips. Enough about me! There is much more to see, like:

  • Dr. Louise Mahler will present the keynote address,
  • Dr. Daniel Davis will present a session on the research he is involved in at WeWork, and
  • Alain Waha will discuss digital transformation.
  • There is a new stream for Quantity Surveyors (first time with lab sessions), and
  • Some big announcements still to come in the Construction Stream.

This year the ArchiCAD sessions are fully integrated into the 3 day BILT program alongside the classes on Revit (and now also many other software packages, for example for QS and scheduling). The ArchiCAD program is here:
https://www.rtcevents.com/blog/?p=6401

Finally, you can win a free ticket to the whole show! You can register for BILT, and also register for the Golden Ticket here:

All the best for the next couple of months and I hope to see you at BILT ANZ 2017 🙂

biminterop2018-9409924

Check out the links below to learn more and install.

Model Checker for Revit
Overview (Vimeo)

Autodesk Model Checker for Revit 2018 shell install

Quick Start Guide pdf

Sample Files and other links

Online Help

How to (YouTube)

—–
Model Checker Configurator
Autodesk Model Checker Configurator V3.0 for Revit 2018 install

All 30 Sample Files (Element & General Checks) to help you build your own configuration files

Online Help

How to (Youtube)

—–
Autodesk CoBIE Extension for Revit 2018
Autodesk CoBIE Extension for Revit 2018 install

Sample Files to test the features of the COBie Extension

Online Help

How to (YouTube)

—–
Autodesk Classification Manager for Revit 2018

Main page

How to (YouTube)

—–
Autodesk Insight 360 Plug-in for Revit 2018 (energy analysis)
Insight plugin installer

Insight 360 Getting Started

Insight FAQs

—–
Main Page

Check it out at OpenRFA.

There have been some similar attempts in the past. It is a bit of a challenge, because there will often be these ‘custom’ shared parameters that one company needs that are just very unique. But I’m interested to see how OpenRFA continues to grow. No doubt its success will depend on the number of contributors and their engagement.

You can request an account login at http://openrfa.org/user/register

sharedparams-2012457

What’s New in Revit 2018 – Official blog:
Google Cache

whats2bnew-5840718

Coordination Model Link:
coordination model linking lets you use a Navisworks file as an underlay in Revit, making it easier to coordinate with outside teams that might not be working in Revit

Railings:
with Revit 2018 you can also attach railings to topography to model fencing, road barriers, or outdoor handrails

New Structural Features:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFL-YH4sFK8

Webinar on new features:
https://pages.autodesk.com/WhatsNewinRevit2018_RegistrationPage.html

Revit 2018 New API Features:
https://adn.autodesk.io/uploads/file/revit_2018_api_news/index.html

Download using the links at:
https://wrw.is/2017/03/autodesk-2018-direct-download-links.html

Massive free time saver for changing or swapping fonts in a Revit project!

Unfortunately, its not quite ‘everywhere’ – Generic Annotations need to be manually fixed. You can copy a text type to a Generic Annotation by first placing an instance of that text type on a Sheet in the Project.

Download at:
Sofistik Bimtools 2015
Sofistik Bimtools 2016
Sofistik Bimtools 2017

But what about SecretInternal Types?
This tool created another annoying problem for me… it exposed a whole bunch of  ‘secret internal types’ in Revit.

How do we solve the SecretInternalTypes?

Here is what it they look like, along with how to fix them by deleting selectively with Dynamo.

Arrowheads:

Fixing / removing SecretInternal arrowheads with Dynamo:

Dimensions:

Fixing / removing SecretInternal Dimensions with Dynamo:

Removing the arrowheads resulted in a broken Elevation mark:

To fix this, I deleted the broken types and families (the Elevation Circle and Pointer) using the Project Browser, and then Transfer Project Standards – Elevation Types from a known good project.

So, now my fonts are changed and my SecretInternalTypes are fixed 🙂

We all know Revit is the best, right?

But … there are a handful of people using other platforms 🙂 And I guess even the most dedicated Revit user has to use other content creation tools from time to time. That is why UNIFI has decided to develop and release multiformat support, initially for these platforms:

multiformat_support-1-9274348

Also, UNIFI are offering a free copy of their “How To Create and Maintain BIM Standards” guide to everyone who registers for their upcoming webinar. Here are the details:

  • full title is:  “Accelerating ROI from Your Firm’s BIM Investment By Leveraging Analytics To Effectively Implement and Maintain Your BIM Standards
  • date and time:  May 3rd at 11amPT

Find out more and register here

DWG TrueView 2018
http://download.autodesk.com/esd/dwgtrueview/2018/DWGTrueView_2018_Enu_64bit.sfx.exe
http://download.autodesk.com/esd/dwgtrueview/2018/DWGTrueView_2018_Enu_32bit.sfx.exe
For your language, replace “Enu” by “Fra” or “Jpn”

Autodesk Design Review 2018
http://download.autodesk.com/us/support/files/designreview/2018/EXE/enu/SetupDesignReview.exe
For language, replace “enu” by “fra”, “deu”, “esp”, “ita”, “jpn”, “kor”, “plk”, “ptb”, “rus” or “chs”

Autodesk Inventor View 2018 (X64) Standalone
http://download.autodesk.com/us/support/files/inventor_view2018/Inventor_View_2018_English_Win_64bit_DLM.sfx.exe
For your language, replace “English” by “French”, “Czech”, “German”, “Italian”, “Japanese”, “Korean”, “Polish”, “Portuguese_Brazil”,
“Russian”, “Spanish”, “Simplified_Chinese” or “Traditional_Chinese”.


Also refer to:
http://www.autodesk.com/products/dwg/viewers

Navisworks Freedom 2018
Navisworks_Freedom_2018_dlm.sfx.exe

BIM is supposed to make things easier and more efficient, right? Then why do we often have to re-do work in different platforms, simply to get the result we want? Surely, we can do better… especially when it comes to high quality rendering and presentation workflows.

One common scenario is that you might export a Revit model to some 3D editing and animation software, perhaps like 3dsMax. Then, you will do some work, modify materials, tweak some lighting perhaps, and then render an image. That image might go into Photoshop where additional Entourage and effects are added. And you do get a kind-of good result. But, what if you change the model? Well, you have to go through multiple steps just to update things. Or, what if you want to take the nice material from Photoshop and bring it back to Revit? That can be a real pain. However, now there is a better way…

I have written about Lumion a few times before. It is a incredibly powerful tool for Architects to present and share designs. However, it may still have suffered a little from the ‘endpoint syndrome’ described above. But that is no longer the case! Now, Lumion offers a Live Link to the Revit model, meaning that work does not have be done over and over again.

Getting started
To get started, install a trial of Lumion 7.3, and install the Lumion plugin 2.01 for Revit. Open up a Revit project. Then, simply go to the Lumion ribbon and press the ‘Play’ button.

 

You will be prompted to launch Lumion. Press Yes.

 

After Lumion starts, you will be prompted to start a new scene from the scene templates:

In just a few seconds, it launches showing your Revit model. Seriously, it is really fast! This workflow is so much quicker than an export – import method, and will be familiar to users some of the other popular realtime visualisation solutions out there. You can immediately start navigating in this rendered environment. And of course, you can start building your Lumion scene by adding content from the immense library. However, we really want to focus on LiveSync. How does it work?

Here is a list of some things that work really nicely:

  • you can move objects in Revit, and they immediately move in Lumion
  • you can add new objects to Revit, and they will show up in Lumion
  • you can edit Revit materials, and they will update in Lumion
  • delete an object in Revit and it disappears from Lumion immediately
  • you can use terrain tools in Lumion to merge in with your Revit topography

I have created a short video that describes how to get up and running with Lumion 7.3 and LiveSync for Revit. Check it out here:

Further, this new Exporter provides a much tighter integration between Revit materials and Lumion materials:

Workflow Tip
After you have completed an editing and model building session with LiveSync, what happens next? Well, you can close Revit and Lumion, and Lumion will prompt you to save. It does actually save the embedded LiveSync object. So, later, you can open Lumion and do some scene development work without using Revit.

How smart is this connection? To test it out, I did this:

  • closed everything
  • opened Lumion 7.3
  • opened a scene that included a LiveSync model
  • then, I opened Revit with the appropriate Revit model
  • for some reason, it didn’t update… until I realised that the LiveSync model uses the File Name and Path to determine which model it came from. Because I had used ‘Save As’ on that Revit model and put it somewhere different, the link was broken. I then used a Revit model in the correct location, and Lumion immediately updated the import

This means that using a Revit model in a consistent location will allow easy updating of the Lumion model. You can work independently in Revit or Lumion, and then at any time restart LiveSync to updated the model in Lumion with the changes from Revit. Nice!

Demo

LiveSync in action

Video – Moving Objects

Video – Editing Materials

Video – Settings

Further Considerations
It is interesting to note that Lumion materials are essentially ‘disabled’ for LiveSync Revit objects.

This makes sense of course, because we are trying to keep as much intelligence as possible in Revit, and leverage the strengths of Lumion for high quality outputs.

If you find that your Revit model is ‘too low’ and embedded into the Lumion terrain, you can globally move it, just as you would with other Imports:

Items in worksets that are closed or invisible by default will not show. What this basically means is that the Lumion LiveSync addin does not work on the specific objects you can see in the current Revit view, but rather it works in a more ‘complete’ sense, showing all objects that would typically be visible in any view.

Summary
If you are already using Revit and Lumion, these new additions will make designing much easier and more efficient. If you haven’t used Lumion before, now is definitely time to try it out! This improved connection to Revit, along with the already powerful content creation capability of Lumion, will truly allow design and present in ways you have never even imagined!

Download Links:

The Lumion plugin for Revit is available at the Lumion.com website https://lumion3d.com/revit-exporters.html and the Autodesk App Store https://apps.autodesk.com/RVT/en/Detail/Index?id=1257010617153832891&appLang=en&os=Win64
To try LiveSync for Revit for free, go to this page on the Lumion.com website were you can download the trial based on Lumion 7.3 PRO. This trial includes the LiveSync for Revit.

https://lumion3d.com/free-trial.html


From the Press Release:
Make changes in Revit​®​ and immediately see them appear live in Lumion!

Lumion LiveSync® provides a real-time high quality 3D view of your Revit® design. This plugin for Revit® creates a live connection with Lumion, so that changes in Revit® can be previewed in real-time in Lumion.

 

 

 

Live synchronization can help you work faster, for example in the early stages of design, when you are making frequent adjustments to your Revit® model.

 

 

 

Lumion 7.3 is a FREE update for Lumion 7 users and the Lumion® plugin 2.0 for Revit® is FREE of charge to anyone.

 

 

 

How does it work?

 

●     You need a ​Lumion 7.3 license

 

●     Download the FREE Lumion® Plugin 2.0 for Revit® from the Lumion website or Autodesk® App store (LumionPluginForRevit_2.0.exe)

 

●     For detailed information check out the Frequently Asked Questions and Tutorials.

 

 

 

LiveSync​®​ Tutorials 

 

 

 


Lumion

Lumion® is easy-to-use, fast, high quality visualization software for architects. It is compatible with almost all 3D CAD software packages such as ​Revit®​, ​SketchUp®​, ​ArchiCAD®​, ​Allplan® and many others. It offers a full package. With a CAD program plus Lumion you have all you need to make great presentations. It includes sky, water, an extensive library of materials, people, plants, cars and furniture and loads of special effects.

Before ​Lumion​®, rendering used to be really hard. Setting up and completing a render used to take days. With ​Lumion​® you can do it in hours. You can even make last minute changes before a meeting and update your renders in minutes. Anyone can sit down with ​Lumion​® and within 15 minutes learn how to create videos, images and 360 degree panoramas.


Lumion.com

For more information contact Linda van Wijk, Director Marketing Communications

Lumion.Linda@Lumion.com