Tag: Autodesk Site Designer Extension

Common Issues with Autodesk Site Designer and how to fix them

Luke Johnson

If you are having problems, try manually loading families like this:
“Hi Russ.
I believe the issue is that you first need to load the Site Designer families (from C:ProgramDataAutodeskSite Designer for Revit 2015Library) into the project before you try creating roads/walks/etc., and then convert your toposurface into a Base Toposurface (via the Set Base Toposurface  button).  After that, I was able to create roads, walks, retaining walls, etc.
Hope that helps.
Ross Kirby”
via
Revit 2015 R2 – Site Designer – Autodesk Community

or it might be visibility related:
“got it working.  I have mass unticked by default in visibility view graphics.  all works after turning on mass.
Russ Green”
(from the same thread)

I previously posted about Site Designer here.

You can also download an interesting review by Aaron Maller here (link from RFO).

You should be able to find your manual here:
“C:ProgramDataAutodeskApplicationPluginsAutodeskSiteDesignerForRevit2015.bundleContentsSite Designer for Revit 2015 Reference Manual.pdf”

Revit 2015 with R2 and Update 5 crashing when every file is closed? It could be one of your ApplicationPlugins …

Luke Johnson

Here is the persistent crash – it was happening when any RVT file was closed:
View Revit 2015 Update 5 crashes when closing any file 

Here’s what fixed the problem:
Renaming “C:ProgramDataAutodeskApplicationPlugins” folder (this disables certain integrations)

Upon further investigation, I had to move the AutodeskSiteDesignerForRevit2015.bundle out of the ApplicationPlugins folder (in other words, delete it) to correct the issue. Then, I installed R2 (Autodesk_Revit_2015_R2.sfx.exe , Autodesk Site Designer (AutodeskSiteDesignerForRevit.msi), and UR5 for R2 (Autodesk_Revit_2015_R2_UR5.sfx.exe).

Here’s what didn’t work:

  • renaming uistate.dat
  • renaming revit.ini
  • renaming  “C:ProgramDataAutodeskRevitAddins2015.ren”
  • reinstalling Revit 2015 using steps below
  • applying RVT2015UR4.msp
  • uninstalling Dynamo
  • running Revit as Administrator
  • uninstalling Sundial and other Citrix Revit versions
  • renaming Revit program folder and Addins folder and reinstalling
  • making a new user profile

Reinstall steps:

  1. Uninstall Revit 2015 from Programs and Features in Windows
  2. Start Setup from your Suite media (in my case, Building Design Suite Ultimate 2015)
  3. You will need to input your serial number
  4. Ensure only Revit 2015 is ticked (gray tick), and do not install Service Packs
  5. Also untick BIM360 addin under Revit 2015 (if it finds a newer one the setup may fail)
  6. Untick BIM360 addin under Navisworks 2015 (if it finds a newer one the setup may fail)
  7. After Revit 2015 is installed, start it up to ensure activation is ok
  8. Install R2 (Autodesk_Revit_2015_R2.sfx.exe)
  9. Install UR5 for R2 (Autodesk_Revit_2015_R2_UR5.sfx.exe)
  10. Start Revit and test closing a file

How did this bug happen? I’m not entirely sure, but I think the number of  updates and the confusion around which UR5 update is for which Revit version may have resulted in Revit 2015 getting sad. But, its happy again now… and its a good lesson to remember the ApplicationPlugins folder when diagnosing Revit problems.

Something from the journal:
ExceptionCode=0xc0000005 ExceptionFlags=0x00000000 ExceptionAddress=000007FEFCDE940D 

Most Powerful Subscription Release for Revit yet – Revit 2015 R2 and Autodesk Site Designer Extension (with download links and tips)

Luke Johnson

I hinted that this was coming a few weeks back, but now here it is! A massive Subscription Release, along with a giveaway of the Siteworks addin package to Subscription users.

Download the update at: Autodesk Revit 2015 R2
Download the Siteworks package at: Autodesk Site Designer Extension for Revit 2015, or on Exchange here
(Note: you will need to login to your subscription account to access these) 

A few quick tips…
To toggle between Perspective and Orthographic view:

  1. Go to a 3D view
  2. Turn on Crop View
  3. Turn on Show Crop Region
  4. Right-click Viewcube
  5. Select Toggle to… and this will show Perspective or Parallel depending on your current mode


If you are wondering what ‘quick adjustments’ you can do in Perspective views:
Basically, you can use some simple commands like Align and Move, that were previously grayed out in Perspective mode.

To search in the Type Selector:

  1. Turn on Properties pane
  2. Click in the top of the Type Selector
  3. The search box is the top row

You can now also set a custom background colour (that means ‘color’ to U.S. folks):

 
Enhancements list:
http://revit.downloads.autodesk.com/download/2015RVT_RTM/R2/Enhancements_List_RVT_2015_R2.pdf

Readme (Interesting point: The install of Autodesk Revit 2015 Release 2 will also install Autodesk Dynamo (0.7.1) and required component IronPython.)

My top 3 features in Revit 2015 R2:

  • Work in perspective views, making quick adjustments without having to change views with some modeling capabilities now available in perspective views.
  • Find content more quickly with Search capabilities in the Type Selector and all drop-down lists.
  • Navigate PDFs exported from Revit more quickly with hyperlinked views.

My top 3 features in Autodesk Site Designer (previously Eagle Point Siteworks):

  • More quickly add design elements to your site such as berms and drainage swales, minimizing the time required to mass grade a site and to try alternatives at the design development stage.
  • Special terrain families within Site Designer provide you with parameters that control widths, cut and fill slopes and other projection settings.
  • Locate hardscape components such as streets, intersections, sidewalks, curbs and walls that can follow the existing terrain and have controlled elevations and slopes – all while the toposurface is automatically maintained.

More info:
Autodesk Revit 2015 Subscribers Get Slew of New Capabilities with “R2” Update

Heads-up:
Revit 2015 R2 Release | Applying Technology to Architecture

A few notes on installation versions from the Readme:
This update requires either the initial release of Autodesk Revit 2015 (build: 20140223_1515) or Autodesk Revit 2015 Update Release 3 (build: 20140606_1530) . Autodesk Revit 2015 Update Release 3 will need to be applied to any installed Revit 2015 which has either Autodesk Revit 2015 Update Release 1 (build: 20140322_1515) or Autodesk Revit 2015 Update Release 2 (build: 20140323_1530) applied. Installation will also be blocked if Autodesk Revit 2015 Update Release 4 (build: 20140903_1530)) has been applied, a full uninstall followed by a new install of Autodesk Revit 2015 will be needed in order to apply Release 2.