Topography edge visibility workaround

Luke Johnson

In Revit, you can’t use the linework tool on the physical edge of a Toposurface.  Worse still, the edge has no distinct category of its own.

The only viable workaround that lets you consistently hide the edge of a Toposurface is to change its Object Style color to white.  You can still set you Primary and Secondary contours to show in black or whatever color you use.

This method creates its own problems – like if you draw a grey filled region over the edge of the Toposurface, the ‘white’ line may show through and print.  In any case, feel free to ask Autodesk for some better visibility control over Toposurface elements.

While you are at it, why not ask for Toposurfaces to comprehend phasing properly?

Tip via:
AUGI – View Single Post – Linework tool w/ Topography

Revit 2012 Hotfix – Error with linked model visibility with custom settings

Luke Johnson

Hotfix – Autodesk Revit 2012 – Error with linked model visibility with custom settings

This hotfix addresses issues related to a crash in RevitMFC.dll

Make sure that Update Release 2 has been applied prior to adding the hotfix. Verify that the build number of Revit 2012 is 20110916_2132.

The Readme contains the latest information regarding the installation and use of this update. It is strongly recommended that you read the entire document before you apply the update to your product. For your reference, you should save the Readme to your hard drive or print a copy.

revit2012_link_hotfix.zip (zip – 4433Kb)
Readme (htm – 86Kb)

via
Autodesk – Autodesk Revit Architecture Services & Support – Hotfix – Autodesk Revit 2012 – Error with linked model visibility with custom settings

Plan regions have no effect on Topography – workarounds

Luke Johnson

There are at least two ways to work around the fact that a Plan Region will not affect the viewing of Topography elements.  From the AUGI forums (2007):
Alex Page
What about having a ‘cut-plane’ of the view above the topography and doing a plan region around your house? (ie: reverse the logic)

Steve_Stafford
You could try creating a view of the toposurface from a higher vantage point that doesn’t include showing the building. Then overlay this view with the view of the building (overlay on a sheet that is) at the level you want without the toposurface. This way the two views give you the whole but permit the two different cut planes you really need. If you set the toposurface view to wireframe it should give you the look you want, guessing what that really is, though.

via
Plan regions have no effect on Topography?? [Archive] – AUGI

Lead the Way to Revit LT and Revit 2013?

Luke Johnson

Will Autodesk release more information on Revit LT (formerly Project Spark) at the upcoming ‘Lead the Way’ event?  BIMnova thinks so:

It is likely that later this month for the virtual event Autodesk Lead the Way , to be presented this year’s version for different Autodesk product families. That’s when you know new version brings Revit 2013 and hopefully will include more information about Revit LT.

via
Google Translate of BIMnova post

The event is 22 days away – it is scheduled for 29 March 2012.

Revit LT is official – pricing released

Luke Johnson

To further promote the BIM approach to those who think it is too complicated and too expensive, Autodesk will launch a version of Revit LT, which will be delivered at the same time that Autocad LT for 200 € more, or a total investment of € 1 500. “We have more than one million legal licenses of AutoCAD LT in the ACS in the world which we will propose a change and this bundle.” For the record, a license of Revit is worth about € 6,500. “For those who have complex needs but punctual, we will also propose in the course of a monthly rental for € 200 per month for a full Revit or € 40 per month for Revit LT”.

via Google Translate of (PLM: Autodesk at the forefront of BIM – Industry and Technologies)
of http://www.industrie.com/it/plm-autodesk-a-la-pointe-du-bim.12697

It seems that this information originated with Nicolas Mangon, Senior Director AEC Strategy and Marketing at Autodesk.

Heads-up from Revitez

Download old school Adobe Acrobat with 3D powers

Luke Johnson

When Acrobat X was released, most of the powerful 3D functionality of Acrobat was removed and placed into 3rd party tools.

However, you can still download trial versions of Acrobat 8 and Acrobat 9 that include the enhanced 3D functionality.  Links are provided below:

Adobe Acrobat 3D Version 8 (includes Adobe Acrobat 3D Toolkit)
http://te.hu/download/adobe/demo/acrobat/acro3D80_efg.zip

Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro Extended
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/tdrc/index.cfm?product=acrobat%5Fpro%5Fextended

You may be interested in my previous posts:
Create Adobe 3D PDF directly from Autodesk 3D DWF

Create 3D PDF files from Autodesk Revit for free