Tag: keynotes

Storing Assembly Code Resource such as Uniformat or Omniclass on BIM 360 Docs

Luke Johnson

If you have moved your project onto BIM 360 Docs, it might make sense to store related project resources (Shared Parameter files and Classification resources like Uniformat) in the same cloud as well.

 

Here’s how you can do it (using Revit 2018.3):

  1. Setup the BIM 360 connector still currently in beta
  2. Ensure you can see the BIM 360 (Preview) item in Windows Explorer
  3. Using BIM 360, create a suitable folder under the Project Files area, and upload your resource file, such as UniformatClassifications_2010.txt
  4. Browse to that folder in Windows Explorer:

  5. Open Revit
  6. Navigate to Manage – Additional Settings – Assembly Code Settings
  7. Click Browse
  8. Copy and Paste the folder address from Windows Explorer (which actually shows the local sync location for BIM 360 data, typically C:\Users\YourUserName\BIM 360\YourBIM360License\YourBIM360Project\Project Files\
  9. Back in Revit, after navigating to the correct BIM 360 folder, select the text file resource and click Open
  10. Revit detects that this resource is stored on BIM 360 Docs and you can proceed…
  11. Sync your model to save the settings

You should be able to use the same process to save other files like Keynote references and Shared Parameter files in the cloud. Keep in mind that you will still have to manage BIM 360 access control, as you probably don’t want multiple people actually be able to edit these files.

Assembly Code on BIM 360

Don’t forget you can also get the free Autodesk Classification Manager for Revit here.

 

Good Things and Not So Good Things About Revit 2017

Luke Johnson

(insert obligatory Revit 2017 blog post here…)

The annual Revit release schedule can become very tiring. Also challenging is the fact that you will probably not start running real, big, live Revit 2017 projects for around 6 months, so all of this new features noise will be a distant memory by then. However, it is good to be aware of the new abilities in the software, so that you can (possibly) stop using outdated workarounds and start using the software in the way Revit 2017 Wants.

By now, we should all be focusing on getting more useful data into our models. In accord with that aim, these are my top 3 new features:
1) Keynote Legends are better – Use Keynotes!
When a keynote legend is set to By Sheet, Revit takes into account whether a keynote is visible in the view as a result of View Range settings, Design Option settings, or Depth Clipping/Far Clipping settings.

2) Combined parameters in Schedules – Use the Data you Have!
Combine parameters in a schedule to display the values in a single cell. You can specify a prefix, suffix, sample value, and separator to display with each parameter. See Combine Parameters in a Schedule.

3) Schedule view templates – Templates are Good Revit
View templates for schedules and assembly views: To simplify the reuse of schedules, create a schedule view template. Schedule view templates include parameters for Fields, Filter, Sorting/Grouping, Formatting, Appearance, and Phase Filter. If the model contains RVT links or design options, Visibility/Graphics Overrides parameters are also available. See About Schedule View Templates and Create Assembly Views and Sheets.

The Help file:
Help: New in Revit 2017

The 1 minute video:

The playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLY-ggSrSwbZo26bEbxXCXJzSGjjutm5PY

Steve’s big post:
Revit OpEd: Revit 2017 – New Features and Enhancements

Top 5 from Sean David Burke:
Five Standout Features from Autodesk Revit 2017 | Architect Magazine | Software, BIM, Construction Software, Design Workflow, Architecture, Autodesk

The Revit Kid Top 3:
Revit 2017 – My 3 Favorite new Features | TheRevitKid.com! – Tutorials, Tips, Products, and Information on all things Revit / BIM

Tim Waldock’s Revit 2017 posts (very thorough as usual):
http://revitcat.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/whats-new-in-revit-2017.html
http://revitcat.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/installing-revit-2017.html
http://revitcat.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/elevation-depth-cueing-in-revit-2017.html

—–
Problems (these are the Not So Good Things) so far:

—–
Licensing, and the ability to switch from Network to Standalone after installation:

licensing.png

via Autodesk 2017: Changing From Standalone to Network | Microsol Resources Blog

Other posts:

Navisworks 2017 New Features are summed up here:
BIM 360 Glue + Navisworks 2017: Reinforcing Construction Collaboration

OmniClass and MasterFormat Keynote files available for download

Luke Johnson

If you aren’t using Keynotes in Revit, you probably should be. They are often one of those ‘hidden gems’ that people discover after using Revit for years…

In any case, @theoryshaw has kindly published OmniClass and MasterFormat keynote text files for download at:
https://github.com/OpeningDesign/OD_Library/tree/bba3f1d429ad724028310703fc22ecab5bd6da94/BIM/Keynotes 

 

Thanks Ryan  🙂

Some other goodies can be found at:
http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?134352-Revit-Genome-Project/page3

(you will need to login to AUGI)

Concurrent Keynote Editing, Instant Keynote Update and Keynote Search addin for Revit 2015

Luke Johnson

This new keynoting addin from Kiwi Custom Solutions stores per-project Keynotes in a database to solve concurrent access problems. Revit 2015 allows some interesting pathing to happen for keynotes, that looks like this:

Using this addin, you can either create a new set of keynotes for each project (based on a template), or you can “link” projects to one common keynote definition (allowing an entire office to work collaboratively on one master keynote file).

Any changes are updated instantly in Revit.

Here’s some steps:

  1. Download trial here
  2. Install
  3. Start Revit 2015
  4. You may be prompted to activate
  5. Open or Start a Revit project
  6. The Easy Keynoter setup wizard will start…
  7. and you will be prompted to select a local or network location for the database SDF file…
  8. and give your Keynote template a name, like Default
  9. Then import an existing Keynote text file. You could start with the Natspec version. Or import your office standard.
  10. From here, you can start using and modifying your Keynotes in the Easy Keynoter dialog.

You can close the Easy Keynoter pane with the little X (like other palettes), and open it with the button on the Addins ribbon.

There is also a search option:


 Summary of key features:

  • no problems with multiple users editing the keynotes at the same time as with other systems
  • keynote changes are reflected immediately in the Revit project
  • Drag and Drop Keynotes from the Palette
  • search function

    Find Orphaned Keynotes with this free addin

    Luke Johnson

    Download from Autodesk Exchange

    This app will generate a report of all keynotes in your Autodesk® Revit® model, with information about user, material, and element keynotes and which keynotes are orphaned.

    More info:
    Free Keynote Reporter now available on Revit App Store | Boost Your BIM – making Revit even better

    Heads-up:
    Revit Add-Ons: Free Keynote Reporter Add-in for Autodesk Revit

    Using Shared Parameters to access data from built-in Family parameters and allow them to be flexibly tagged

    Luke Johnson

    EDIT: This seems to be broken in 2014 at this point.  Even if you have it working in 2013, when you open in 2014 it will “break”.  I’m unsure if there is a good workaround yet…

    Absolutely awesome workaround from Dave Light!  He shows how to use an instance Shared Parameter to pass Keynote value via a Family formula to allow the tagging of Window Mark and Keynote in the same tag.  Read the whole post here.

    On a wider level, this method shows that you can formulaically reference System parameters (built in family parameters) and pass their value to a Shared Parameter to allowing tagging.

    Generic Annotation as Keynotes

    Luke Johnson

    BIM Aficionado posted a while back about using Generic Annotations and Note Blocks as a workaround for genuine Keynoting.  I have posted about similar things before, although I am more proud of my Keynote Legend workflow.

    In any case, he provides a full guide along with example files at this link:
    https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0B_caWTSMFC8cZC1TSXRoUTdRVjItTWVsSGpXdGdPQQ/edit

    Pretty interesting method, with the Excel CSV / Family Types too.

    Read more / via:
    BIM Aficionado: Generic Annotation Keynotes