Category: Uncategorized

Changing the way that an existing Array adds elements

Luke Johnson

When you select an Array element (the line with the blue number), did you ever notice the little checkbox in the Options Bar?

By toggling this value, you can tell Revit to either add extra elements between the first and last element (thus squashing the elements closer together), or append elements to the end of the array using the current spacing.

Heads-up for this great little tip goes to Revit Family Planner:
Die Optionsleiste oder Neues (?) beim Reihe-Befehl

A little Memento and some Recap Photo

Luke Johnson

For some time, I have been looking for a way to get 3D geometry from any format, make it into a nice, Revit-friendly SAT and then use it in massing or visualizations.  Can Memento help me with this?  Answer – not really.

What it can do:

  • Import and Export formats: OBJ and RCM (Recap)
  • allows users to easily (?) fix meshes for digital use or fabrication
  • fix topology or texture issues (holes, spikes, tunnels, particles, etc.) prior to downstream use

First, download and install it:
Direct Download Link

Read more at:
Autodesk Labs Project Memento

Ok, now that you have installed it… I previously explored point cloud geometry workflows at:
https://wrw.is/2013/06/using-point-cloud-tools-to-convert-any.html

Upon opening an OBJ file, Memento will create an associated RCM (Recap mesh) in the same folder.  Here’s what I did (this is a failed workflow):

  1. Downloaded an SKP of something interesting
  2. Imported to 3dsMax, cleaned it up a bit, exported to OBJ using Deep Creator preset
  3. Imported OBJ to MeshMixer, exported to XYZ as per this guide
  4. Imported the XYZ to Recap, and used decimation at 50mm (note, there is a Recap update at http://updatesdl.autodesk.com/updates/files/autodeskrecap_sp1_for43.24_x64.msp)

I realised at this point that you can’t make an RCM file from Recap… What a pain!  So, looks like we need to make one using Recap Photo.  To use Recap Photo, upload some images to Autodesk 360.

This time, I sort of succeeded by:

  1. Importing an interesting model into Revit
  2. Making a Walkthrough that circled the object, and exported to a set of JPGs
  3. Uploaded them to Autodesk 360
  4. Selected them and clicked on the little Create 3D button (only 250 images will be accepted for processing)
  5. Waited overnight for the model to process…
  6. Opened Autodesk 360 and downloaded the file .obj.zip
  7. Now, use Memento to open and edit the OBJ – and try to fix the holes in it.

My first experience with Memento wasn’t great … I was expecting a Fix All button 🙁

  1. Opened the OBJ in Memento
  2. Click find defects (middle of top of the screen)
  3. After they are found, click next or previous, then click Fix
  4. Rinse and repeat thousands of times

Note: Memento will not run on Windows XP.


Heads-up via

Navisworks Tips for Revit Users

Luke Johnson

What is Navisworks Manage good for?

  • Model aggregation – either from pure Revit or from a mixture of 3D software
  • Clash Detection
  • Programme Visualization (timelining)
Some great things about Navisworks:

  • it is very fast to navigate around the model in 3D, and files are generally lightweight
  • you can easily switch between Orthographic and Perspective (its funny the things that impress you as a Revit user…)
  • SpacePilot Pro integration works very smoothly, even better than Revit (probably because the models are lightweight, so the SPP isn’t fighting your system specs to redraw things, as in Revit)

Note: this article based on using Navisworks Manage 2013, Service Pack 2 (10.2.0.91043) on Windows XP 64-bit.

Key things to keep in mind when exporting or opening Revit files for use in Navisworks:

  • Firstly, it seems most people recommend using the Revit add-in to export a Navisworks NWC from a dedicated Revit 3D view (rather than opening the RVT direct from Navisworks).  This way, you can have some certainty about the export result (the correct Design Option is exported etc)
  • If you have Shared Coordinates set up and working between your various Revit models, things will be a lot simpler.  There is an option in the exporter where you can specify that it uses Shared Coordinates.  If you are working with a set of RVTs where shared coordinates were never properly set up, you may need to pick a particular RVT and publish coordinates to all related RVTs in the set.  This may become tricky if there is no site / main host file and you have to play around by cascading coordinates into all related RVTs… you get the idea.
Some things that will help you:
  • Press F2 anywhere to rename
  • Navisworks has a Project Browser (View – Windows – Project Browser).  You can append a 2D DWF containing drawing sheets, and view these sheets in Navisworks from the Browser.  You can also select objects from these imported Sheets and find them in the 3D model! (more info on this below)
  • When clashing, you can group clashes related to a particular item by right-clicking on it and selecting “Group Clashes Involving Item”:

  • There are a few tweaks that I find useful on the Clash Detective – Display Settings panel.  I only set Item 2 to be highlighted (leaving Item 1 controlled by a previously applied Appearance Profile), and set the Viewpoint to Save changes.  Now, as I go through the clash list, I use my SpacePilot Pro in Fly mode to get the view looking nice, and when I switch away and back to that clash, my previous camera movement is preserved

  • If you do a search using the Find Comments tool, but don’t enter any search critera, you will be presented with a detailed history of your interaction with the project – very helpful
  • How to re-path NWC file links (basically just close NWF, slightly rename, open NWF, dialog will walk you through it):
    Revit .NWC files not updating

Here’s an idea I came up with for document aggregation:

  • As you know, Design Review can open almost anything and save it as DWFx.  And Navisworks can append / import DWFx data (append = 3D, import =2D).  So you can use this to create a combined project document that has a combination of different data – images, project submissions, markup sets, meeting minutes etc.

    Download Design Review install package from here (700mb).

    You can also download the 2D DWF writer (printer driver) from here.

  • The really cool part is if you create a DWF set from the same originating application (ie. if you export DWFx from Revit) as your geometry, you may be able to select an element on the Sheet View, and find that same element in 3D (see below)
  • I even went so far as to make a PDF of my Clash Report, then print to 2D DWF, then import the pages back into my Navisworks set – interesting way to store Clash report snapshots huh?

Importing 2D DWF data:
When trying to import a 2D DWF, don’t use the Append command (it won’t work, and will tell you it doesn’t contain 3D data).  Instead, use the Import Sheets button on the Project Browser:

Now, you can navigate to an item on the Sheet view, right-click and Find Item in Other Sheets and Models.  To make this all work properly, you should also click the Prepare All button at the bottom of this dialog…

Once you have found the item in your main NWC, click View.  You can then use Focus or Zoom commands to correctly visualize the item from that particular sheet.

You can’t easily put items in folders in the Project Browser, but when you import a new DWF, it puts all of those Sheets together (adding them to the bottom of the list)

You can save multiple viewpoints for each Sheet View.  If you draw redlines on one of these saved sheet viewpoints, be sure to finish the command or switch to modify to input the redline / text into the saved viewpoint.

Double-click on the toplevel NWC in the Project Browser to return to your model.

A note on Phasing:

  • I mistakenly assumed that Navisworks would understand if one object was demolished in a clash set, and thus ignore the clash (because at the time of New Construction, the clash would no longer exist, right?).  Apparently not, so…
  • I created a Rule based on two Search Sets, one of Demolished items, one where the Demolished Phase was undefined.  The rule type to use is “Specified Selection Sets” (pick the two sets).  This effectively excluded the problematic phasing condition from the clash results – and reduced clashes from 177 to 118 in one case…

When exporting a report:

  • I like the Tabular HTML option.  It also exports a folder with a set of larger images.  You can use a PDF printer like CutePDF or Distiller to print the report from IE into a PDF, thus making it easier to transmit
  • You can change the size of the images exported in a Clash Report – use the hold Shift+click on Options method:
    ‘Secret’ Settings: Changing Image Sizes in Navisworks Clash Detection Reports | microsolresources
  • After exporting a report for transmission, it might be a good idea to save the clash views into your Navisworks project, like this:
  • Now, using these viewpoints, you can arrange them into folders in Navisworks.  When you export to DWFx, the views will be available to someone using Design Review (or Navisworks Freedom).
  • Keep in mind than an NWF file retains links to NWC files and updates them accordingly, while an NWD is a single container of all data in a Navisworks file at a given time (a snapshot).

Sadface – There is no Tab key for selection cycling of objects under the cursor.

Download link for the free viewer (does anyone else find it funny that Navisworks – inherently a viewing program and not a content creation tool – also has its own viewing program?):
Navisworks Freedom | Free 3D Viewer Download

Further reading / resources:

Autodesk Navisworks Tutorial – Clash Detective

Navisworks Clash Course

Great class for new Navisworks users – download the video from AU:
Autodesk University – BIM for Contractors: An Introduction to Autodesk® Navisworks® Manage 2012, Part 1
Autodesk University – BIM for Contractors: An Introduction to Autodesk® Navisworks® Manage 2012, Part 2

A kind-of workaround for the selection cycling annoyance:

Other Navisworks classes from AU you may want to check out:
Autodesk® Navisworks®: Practical Tips and Tricks from Seven Years in the Construction Industry

Autodesk® Navisworks® Isn’t Just for Contractors: How an Architecture Firm Is Using Navisworks to Improve Its Process

Autodesk® Navisworks® in the A/E Design Firm

Want to give the free NanoCAD a try?

Luke Johnson
Check it out:

Download page

Quote:
“nanoCAD is a well-proven DWG-compatible CAD program that includes AutoCAD-like APIs. It’s totally free. No catches. No adware. No crippleware. No incessant nagging. Up until now, the free version has been the only version of nanoCAD offered to the USA. No doubt, the best value in the industry (even better than DraftSight [it lacks APIs in the free version]).”

via
Exclusive: Evan Yares on nanoCAD USA – WorldCAD Access

Revit to Showcase PDF guide

Luke Johnson

Some good tips on using the Revit Project Browser “Arrange By” setting in the Object Organizer in Showcase to make things a bit easier to manage…

PDF download link:
http://dccadd.com/bldg/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Building-Design-Suite-Workflows-Revit-to-Showcase.pdf

via
Building Design Suite Workflows – Revit to Showcase | Building Solutions

Heads-up: Belinda Thompson

New FBX Review app – is it finally 'easy' to share and view all of the 3D assets in a single exchange format?

Luke Johnson

What’s so good about FBX?
Geometry, materials, lights and camera assets are all contained in the file.  It also supports animation.

What formats can FBX Review handle?
.fbx, .3ds, .obj, .dxf, .dae, .bvh, .htr, .trc, .asf, .amc, .c3d, .aoa, .mcd.

From the App description:
Features
* Import and review 3D files without using full commercial 3D animation software.
* DirectX 11 enabled viewport for high-fidelity asset review.
* Toggle shading modes, animations, cameras, and scene lights.
* Familiar and intuitive playback controls to review animations.
* Formats supported: .fbx, .3ds, .obj, .dxf, .dae, .bvh, .htr, .trc, .asf, .amc, .c3d, .aoa, .mcd.

Essentially, an artist can work with whatever 3D software he or she prefers and then share the asset output without having to worry about compatibility or conversion.
(via View 3D models and animations on Windows 8 with Autodesk FBX Review | Windows Phone Central

 Download for Windows 8

Windows Store

 

Download for Windows 7

Note – if you are using XP, you will have to use the superseded FBX Converter:

FBX 2013.3 Converter for Windows (exe – 26335Kb)
FBX 2013.3 Converter for Windows 64-bit (exe – 26303Kb)

Heads-up via


Further reading: Autodesk ships FBX Review | CG Channel

Coordinate Scheduling add-in, a free and easy way to schedule Levels in Revit

Luke Johnson

The coordinate scheduling tool, developed by Excitech for the Revit Platform will allow accurate and simple scheduling of X,Y and Z coordinates from Revit model elements. This is suitable for a whole range of applications but particularly the easy production of Piling schedules. 

It is part of the free Excitech Revit Toolkit.  It has also been around for a long time, as Revit add-ins go.  The other key function of this tookit is the Element Renumber tool.

Download by clicking on appropriate version link at the bottom of this page.  You will need to register / login.

Other info:
http://www.excitech.co.uk/products/syndicated_content/revit-toolkit.asp

Heads-up:
Revit @ Waterman: Schedule those Levels – A Method (with a little help from our friends)