• Tag: aec

    CTC 2021 Revit Product Updates!

    Posted on by Rikki Kenzhebayeva

    CTC Software was actively preparing to release updates to our AEC tools for Revit 2021. This release took place on May 4th and affected all of our AEC offerings. HIVE has undergone a massive update, streamlining all aspects of user interaction and management. Our software suites have all been built to work on the new Autodesk 2021 platforms, and the SuperDoor Configurator and Casework Configurator content packs have been upgraded for 2021 as well.  All of these tools will continue to support the 2017 versions of Autodesk products and newer, so they will also fit into your workflows for any version from the last 4 years.  Additionally, the Mechanical Electrical Plumbing Productivity Pack content files have been upgraded to 2019, containing hundreds of updated families and a lot of new features and improved workflows.  These tools are purpose-built to support your entire workflow from beginning to end, putting the right tools in the right hands so all team members gain efficiencies every day.

    Contact CTC or one of our partners for more information about the 2021 updates to our tools!

    HIVE

    HIVE specifically has had major changes to the user interface of the content management system (CMS).  Many of you have provided feedback after extensively using the currently released HIVE system.  We listened!  The new HIVE has a major facelift, and the HIVE management portal on the web has been overhauled to make management easier, and to provide you with analytics for organization-wide use of CTC tools, project performance metrics and insights into how your teams are searching for content in the CMS.  As always, we strive to develop our tools alongside you, so you and your teams can work efficiently.  Feel free to share your experiences and ideas for how we can continue to improve.

    The other productivity tools in the software suites are all updated to work on the Autodesk 2021 platforms as well. This year we have decided to make sure that we support 5 version of Autodesk products, since we know many of our clients have projects with long lifecycles.  While Autodesk may not officially support 2017, we felt that we should continue to make our tools available for that release since some of you have let us know that your projects are still being managed in that version.  This new 2021 release of our tools will have the ability to communicate with the HIVE management portal so you can have a better understanding of the return on your investment this next year.

    CTC has 3 major Revit-based content packs.  The two that install into the ribbon are the SuperDoor Configurator and the Casework Configurator.  These, like our other suites, will be supported on Revit 2017-2021.  The other content pack, the Mechanical Electrical Plumbing Productivity Pack (MEPPP), has been heavily updated in its latest version. It will be supported on Revit 2019-2021 with the actual content delivered in Revit 2019 format.  We made this choice since most of the projects starting fresh in your firms will be on 2019 and later.  We did not see value in building on older versions, as existing projects in production do not see huge benefits in transitioning standards mid-production.  This MEPPP update has seen further standardization of the parameters used to help align our pack with metric users.  The first release will be in Imperial units of measure, but a metric pack will be coming soon.  This release saw heavy formula updates and further removal of unit dependencies.  The lighting fixtures, electrical equipment and mechanical equipment have seen major updates, improving face-based and level-based hosting in a single family, and general ease of use.  Many other categories have been touched as well, to ensure a uniform workflow and general consistent use.

    As always, we encourage you to contact us or our partners for more information on these workflow-improving tools.

    In the United States you can contact Applied Technology Group (ATG) at sales@ATGUSA.com. If you are are based in Canada, please contact:

    Mughees Altaf
    Account Manager — AEC Productivity Tools
    mughees.altaf@solidcad.ca 

    This article was created by CTC Software

    Working From Home with HIVE – CTC

    Posted on by Rikki Kenzhebayeva

    This article was created by CTC Software

    So, you need to work remote from the office and you have discovered it is a bit of a pain for production. Or, perhaps you have yet to discover the pains of extended remote work and you want to be prepared? CTC Software has tools to make all aspects of production more efficient, including the remote workforce.

    The biggest delay when working remotely in Revit, after the project model access, is getting and loading content. The project model has been properly solved by Autodesk’s BIM360 eco system. Sadly, that system is not very efficient at holding the content and allowing it to be loaded into project models. This content loading process typically involves someone using a VPN connection to remotely access the office network, then browsing across that VPN connection. When the time comes to load family content it is rather slow, but even worse is when system families or typical detail views must be accessed. These pieces of content are stored in project models, and these models can be rather large. Opening and transferring settings from these models is extremely slow across VPN.

    CTC has heard it said, “Well, I’ll just use Google docs, or Dropbox then…” Well, this may work, but keep in mind, small company libraries are about 1GB of content per Revit version so this could easily mean storing and syncing 4GB of Revit content, and this is estimating conservatively. Most firms have way more than that.

    So, what is the solution? CTC Has a toolset called HIVE. It is tuned to manage Revit’s custom libraries but can also be used for any kind of content. Since we are discussing Revit here, understand this, HIVE allows easy google-like searching of the regular loadable families, System families, typical drafting views, Schedules, and even fully assembled sheets. This all can be done with very minimal setup, and users get the content they need on-demand. All they need is an internet connection. This would not require any VPN for the content stored in HIVE.

    CTC has run demonstrations of HIVE from conferences like Autodesk University and BiLT. These conferences often have acceptable but certainly not speedy internet, and sometimes the internet at these events can be very unstable. While there, CTC often conducts HIVE demonstrations, browsing for any needed content with no perceptible delay.

    What does this mean for you? Well, your BIM Management team can easily configure HIVE to host all needed Revit Content, and your workforce can access it from any workstation connected to the internet. They will need the internet anyway to work on BIM360, so the system requirements and connections are already in place for them to use HIVE almost instantly.

    Contact your local CTC representative to get your trial of HIVE and understand how you can purchase this perfectly tailored solution for times just like the ones we currently find ourselves in.

    Contact:

    Mughees Altaf
    Account Manager — AEC Productivity Tools
    mughees.altaf@solidcad.ca 

    Manage drawings more efficiently with Batch Link | Revu 2019

    Posted on by Rikki Kenzhebayeva

    This article was originally published by Bluebeam, Inc. in the Knowledge Base.

    The Batch Link® feature automatically creates hyperlinks for a group of PDFs, like when you’re working with a multi-drawings set or details on drawing sheets. You can specify the criteria used to create these hyperlinks or automate the process using filenames, page labels or the AutoMark function.

    You can also use Batch Link to:

    • Create a navigational link on your title block that takes you to the sheet index.
    • Add Studio Project files to the Batch Link wizard.

    Learn how to take your batch linking to the next level with these tips!

    If the set of files you’re going to batch link contains a title block, you can use it to create a navigational link that takes you back to the sheet index, similar to a home button. All you have to do is swap out the search term generated in the Batch Link wizard (usually the sheet number) for your project number. If you don’t have a project number, you may use any text string found on the title block of every page.

    1. Go to Batch > Link  > New. The Batch Link wizard opens.
    2. Add the PDFs to be processed.
    3. Select Next. The second page of the Batch Link wizard opens.
    4. To generate your list of search terms, choose the Page Region option, then click Select.

    Next, define a region on the PDF and generate Search Terms

    1. Click and drag to define a region on the PDF. When the region has been defined, the AutoMark dialog box appears. Click OK when finished.
    2. When the correct sheet number displays next to Search Term in the Scan Preview section, click Generate. The Manage Links list is automatically populated.

    Lastly, look through the Search Terms and edit destination

    1. Look though the generated list of search terms to ensure they match their correct destination.
    2. Change the search term for your project number (or any text string from the title block).
    3. Select OK, then Run.


    Now you have a link on your title block that takes you back to the sheet index.

    Have you ever wanted to Batch Link your Studio Project? You can do this by adjusting your Studio Preferences.
    To enable Studio Project files for Batch Link:

    1. Go to Revu > Preferences  (Ctrl+K).
    2. From the sidebar, select Studio and then Options.
    3. Clear the Open and save files to Studio from toolbar only check box.
    4. Open the Project file.
    5. Go to Batch > Link  > New.
    6. Select Add Files and add your Project files.

    Now you can add your Project files to the Batch Link wizard.

    Roof Truss versus Rafter and Extending to Core tool

    Posted on by Rikki Kenzhebayeva

    I would like to point it out two tools that can make a big difference when designing roofs, the Truss or Rafter tool and the Extending to Core tool. They also affect the shape and size of the eave truss.

    Revit offers to options to justify the roof and the reasons why is because the bearing condition is very different between the two. The Rafter or Truss option is only available if we choose the Pick Walls tool.

    When we select Roof by Footprint, and the Pick Walls tool, we see at the Options Bar the Extend to wall core check box.

    The diagram below explains the different roof configurations that result from switching on and off the Overhang Extend to Core option and the Rafter or Truss option. When the Extend to Wall Core is activated, Revit will measure the overhang from the core. When it is not activated, it will measure the overhang from the exterior face of the wall. Also noticed how the Truss and the Rafter connections change. The Truss sits on the Exterior face of the wall while Rafter sits on the interior face of the wall.

    Another advantage of using the Pick Walls tool is to assure stability when editing the overhang. When we use the Pick Lines tool, Revit create a line that not attached to the wall. Notice that there is no option to change between Truss or Rafter. Below I draw a roof using the Pick Lines tool and another one using the Pick Wall command. See the difference when I change the overhang dimension.

    Notice that when using the Pick Lines tool, the roof and the wall are not aligned and to fix that we would have to drag the roof manually. On the contrary, using the Pick Walls command, the roof remains aligned to the wall. Whenever is possible, it is best to justify the roof using the Pick Walls tool when creating the roof footprint. By doing that we are avoiding future issues, saving time and getting the most out of Revit!

    Bluebeam: ESTIMATING BASIS

    Posted on by Rikki Kenzhebayeva

    A lot of people are still estimating on paper plan to quote their job on a project. So, why should they use Bluebeam for doing it? In fact, we’ve got the answer from the same people; faster, direct export to Excel, more precise than ever with the calibration integrated in the document (from Bluebeam or directly from the drawing software where the plan came from) and finally (maybe the most important) no printing.

    So, what do you need to know about Bluebeam to start estimating?

    In this article, we will see tools to be used in order to give you the basic knowledge to begin quoting on your PDF plans within Bluebeam.

    (1) Calibrate your plan

    The first step is to calibrate your plan. In order to be able to quote lengths and areas, you need to make sure your plan has been calibrated correctly and accurately to avoid any mistake (or at least, limit those mistakes)

    For this purpose, we will have to set the calibration by selecting Measurements and then, Calibrate.

    Then, we will use a measure already indicated in the drawing to calibrate our plan by using the side line as our guide.

    Then, we will use a measure already indicated in the drawing to calibrate our plan by using the side line as our guide.

    When you finish tracing your calibration line between the 2 extremities of the side line, click again and a Calibrate menu will appear. Now, write the same length as indicated in your side line and you’re done. Your plan has been calibrated. Pretty simple, isn’t it?

    You are now ready to start.

    Note from the author: I always double check after calibration by measuring another sideline length to be sure the date I used was correct. It could happen a drawer changed manually a length to have a rounded number in place of the real length.

    Most user rather use the calibration within Bluebeam instead of the scale indicated on plan because it’s more accurate.

    (2 ) The Measurement tools and their purpose

    Bluebeam has 13 default tools to do measurement. It’s more than what we need to estimate. I am personally selecting 3 of them to create my own tools set for estimating. You are free to choose depending of your need. In addition to those 3 tools, I also often use Dynamic Fill, but we will see that later.

    Linear estimates (imperial / metric)

    To be able to do precise estimates, we’ve got 2 choices: Length and Polylength.

    I prefer to use Polylength  for 2 reasons: I’ve got more custom choices that I can apply to my length and, above all, I can take of sidelines in extremities to be more readable and smooth (and you can’t do that with the regular Length tool)

    Now that we choose our estimating tool for measuring length, we will need to think about what we need to quote. Usually, an estimator doesn’t quote on a single product or job. So we will use our Polylength standard tool to create our different custom tools set of products/jobs we will need to quote on.

    On this purpose, trace a standard Polylength  on your plan (picture below).

    Then, in the customization quick menu above your drawing, you will be able to change color, width, line type… and finally, give a name to your custom Polylength and save it in a custom Tool Chest (you should have created before, obviously or select an existing one). For example, in steel estimating, people use to call their length as the type of beam they need to quote. This allows them to estimate on measurements AND count them at the same time. MEP sub-contractor are doing the same for HVAC duct or general pipping.

    Once you finish customizing, save your custom tools by clicking on Add to Tool Chest and select the one you have been created.

    You can now use the same line to create all products / jobs you need to quote and populate your tool chest by changing name, color, type of Polylength and add it to the right Tool Chest. It will not overwrite your first custom tool already created.

    Note from the author : This stage can be a bit long but once you’ve created all needed tools, your job will be really more easier than ever. The more developed your tools are, the less time you will spend after to organize your data and get your result. But, if it is your first bunch of tool, don’t overthink it too much. The more time you will use Revu, the more you will know and the more custom your tools will be.

    3. Area Estimate (square feet / square meters)

    For this part, we will use exactly the same process than previously done for Ploylength but we will do it by using Area standard tool.

    On a similar way, we will create areas to represent what we want to quote and name them. For example: Floor, Concrete Slab…

    Then we will customize them with different colors, fills and even being able to include hatch in them. Finally, we will save them in a tool chest the same way you did with Polylength.

    This is the conclusion of the first part of Estimating with Bluebeam. In the next post, we will see how to create layers and how to use them smartly and how to create, customize and use columns in Markup List to create quick and easy estimates.

    Revit Data Corruption

    Posted on by Rikki Kenzhebayeva

    Let’s talk about data corruption in Revit. In this post I will look at these 4 points:

    1. File crashes before opening
    2. Crashes when opening a new view
    3. Looking for corrupt families
    4. Higher level investigation

    As always you should make sure you save a copy of your file for testing while trying to resolve corruption issues.

    File crashes before opening

    Sometimes a file cannot open because of a simple issue that can easily be overcome. Each of the following actions have the potential to get past a different issue. If your file crashes when you try to open it ask yourself:

    • Can the file be opened with or without audit checked?
    • Will the file open without the worksets loaded? Can I narrow it down to a specific workset that keeps the file from opening?
    • Can I open the file in a different build, or a newer version of Revit?
    • Sometimes new name allows you to bypass the issue, copy-paste file to new location
    • Isolate the file from the network save to a location where the links cannot be accessed.

    Crashes when opening a new view

    If your file crashes when you try to open or create new views, try these suggestions:

    • Turn off hardware acceleration and try each location one at a time.
    • Reset Revit settings
      • Customized settings are stored in the app data folder, when removed from this location the defaults are regenerated.
    • Repair the installation
      • This won’t change any user setting.
    • Open Revit without add-ins
      • Locate the following folder: C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\[Version].
      • Temporarily move the add–in files from the folder above to another location.

    If any of these work for you take note, this is where the issue resides and you’ll want to know the exact cause whenever possible.

    Looking for Corrupt Families

    Sometimes the behavior you see in a file is caused by corrupt families follow this process to identify corrupt families.

    • Save a copy of the corrupt file
    • Open and save all families as a library, this process will fail when it reaches the 1st corrupt family.
    • Record the family named on the bottom left hand corner of the screen & delete the family and run again, repeat until the process completes successfully.
    • Open the original corrupt file and reload all the families on your list with versions that predate the corruption. If you’ don’t have a previous version of the family, you’ll need to recreate them.

     

    Higher level investigation & troubleshooting

    Many issues can also be fixed by returning to Revit’s original settings.  Try these steps one at a time, testing the file after each change.

    • Rename the .INI file (_old) which is in the AppData Roaming folder.
    • Rename App Data Folders (_old)
      • C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Autodesk\Revit\Autodesk Revit 201x
      • C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\Revit\Autodesk Revit 201x
    • Rename Workspace in the registry editor

    When these folders/files don’t exist, they are recreated the next time the user opens Revit. Be sure rename and not remove these files/folders, as they will server as backups for the user original setting including keyboard shortcuts and font maps.

    Happy Reviting!

    Be sure to check my other videos in this series for more information.

    While you wait why not follow us @SolidCAD on Twitter, check out our other videos on YouTube, and see what our experts have to say on our BIM Blog!

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Additional Reading

    AKN: Revit – What Causes data Corruption

    AKN: Revit – Alternative Uninstall Directions

    Revit Family Creation: Family with Adjustable Built-in Label

    Posted on by Rikki Kenzhebayeva

    Usually Tags are added separate from the Components we place, but in certain situations the “tag” needs to be part of the family. To push this further occasionally a request is made for flexibility in the placement due to text overlap.

    This post explains how create a family with a built-in label with adjustable positioning.

    Prepare the Model Family to Receive the Label

    • Open the model family that requires the built-in label.
    • Create a vertical and a horizontal Reference Line to mark the center of the default label location.

    • Create a vertical and a horizontal Reference Plane offset slightly from the reference lines. These will be the anchors for the label. Both Reference Planes must be set as “Not a reference” for the grips to show properly in the project.

    • Dimension between the new horizontal references, and the between the new vertical references. These dimensions need to be assigned separate instance parameters. To allow the label to slide in the project.

    • Choose which existing reference planes you will Align and Lock your anchor Reference Planes to. I prefer to lock them to the planes the model uses as origins. The plane you lock to must be stationary (not controlled by an instance parameter), the label will not be able to cross the horizontal anchor plane.
    • Save the family.

    HINT: To make working in a complicated family simpler follow a few best practices.

    1. Set the origin planes, then pin them.
    2. Name reference planes clearly and remove temporary planes ASAP.
    3. Dimension to the reference planes, not geometry.
    4. Flex the parameters of the family before adding geometry.
    5. Geometry to be locked to reference plans after confirming the parameters work as expected.

    Create the Label Family

    • Using the Generic Annotation Family Template, create a new “label” family.
    • Place a label, you will be prompted to create/assign a parameter to the label.
    • Edit the label type properties, so the text size & style meets the company standards.
    • Save the label & load it into the model family you started with.

    Combining the Two Families

    • Place the label family near the geometry in the project.
    • Align the horizontal reference in the label to the horizontal Reference line, and lock.
    • Align the vertical reference in the label to the vertical Reference line, and lock.

    • Select the label and Edit Type, associate the Family Parameter for the Label to the Family Parameter in the host family which will control the text, often Description or Type Comments.

    • If you have chosen to have a visibility Parameter to control the Label Visibility, associate those parameters to one another as well.

    Using the Family

    • Save the Model Family and load into a blank project to test the flexibility of the label location.
    • Select the family, the grips for the label location will become visible. Slide then around in turn.

    NOTE: Look for unexpected changes to the geometry or the overall placement of the family, this indicate the need to change the anchor alignment.

    Revisiting AutoCAD Basics: Shortcut Menu Hotkeys

    Posted on by Rikki Kenzhebayeva

    Many of us use keyboard shorts and aliases to keep our eyes on the drawing area and keep our thoughts on our design. Searching for commands on the ribbon, especially if it’s buried in the pull-down portion, is probably not our favorite things to do. The right-click contextual shortcut menus are one of the key tools for keeping ribbon searching at bay.

    Shortcut menus are great. They are fully customizable, and even out of the box they have some useful commands. What makes them even better are that each one of these can be selected with just a keystroke.

    Let’s look at the two core shortcut menus: “Default Menu”, which pops up if no objects are selected, and “Edit Menu”, which pops up if at least one object is selected.

    Default Menu:

    • R: Repeat
    • C: Clipboard
      • T: Cut
      • C: Copy
      • B: Copy with Base Point
      • P: Paste
      • K: Paste as Block
      • D: Paste to Original Coordinates
    • I: Isolate
      • I: Isolate Objects
      • H: Hide Objects
      • E: End Isolation
    • U: Undo
    • R: Redo
    • A: Pan
    • Z: Zoom (real-time)
    • Q: Quick Select
    • F: Find… (find/replace text)
    • O: Options

    So, pan command can be run with a simple right click followed by pressing A. In the above list, Isolate and Pan are nice. The rest have decent keyboard shortcut or alias options already, but things get much more interesting with the edit shortcut menu. The Edit shortcut menu hotkeys are listed below (except for those already listed above):

    Edit Menu:

    • E: Erase
    • M: Move
    • Y: Copy
    • L: Scale
    • O: Rotate
    • D: Draw Order
      • F: Bring to Front
      • B: Send to Back
      • A: Bring Above Objects
      • U: Send Under Objects
    • G: Group
      • G: Group
      • U: Ungroup
      • A: Add to Group
      • R: Remove from Group
    • D: Add Selected
    • T: Select Similar
    • A: Deselect All
    • S: Properties Palette

    Basic editing commands like copy, rotate and move are made significantly made easier with the shortcut menu hotkeys. Draw order hotkeys are solid, as are Group hotkeys (if you use the group feature). Add Selected is amazing (draws a new object of the same type and as if match properties were applied afterwards), as are Select Similar and Properties Palette.

    Best of all, whether you decide to throw more commands into the shortcut menu or not, you can manually add or edit the hotkey for each item. Let’s look at the Undo item in the “Default” shortcut menu in the CUI:

    Note how there is an “&” character in the name of the item in the shortcut menu. That designates the letter that follows (U) as the keyboard hotkey for that item.

    What this allows, essentially, is to open a second set of keyboard shortcuts that are accessed with the right mouse button.

    I know there are still many drafters who prefer to use the right mouse button to repeat the last command rather than access the shortcut menu. There is nothing wrong with that. If you are a shortcut menu user, however, it gives you all sorts of hotkeys through the right mouse button so that you can keep your eyes on the drawing area and your mind on design. Consider giving shortcut menu hotkeys a try if you don’t use them already.

    Path of Travel tool – Revit 2020

    Posted on by Rikki Kenzhebayeva

    Path of Travel tool is a new feature in Revit 2020 that determines the distance between two points on a floor plan. By selecting a start point and an end point, Revit automatically creates the path and calculates the length and the speed of the travel based on an average walking time. The tool also recognizes obstacles such as walls and furniture and create a path around these model elements. The tool will ignore some model elements such as demolished elements or elements that are hidden in the view.

    Some other categories can also be customized under the Analyze tab – Route Analysis Settings.

    Notice that by default the doors are not considered obstacles.

    You can also set an analyze zone and determine the top and bottom offset. Any object in this range will be considered an obstacle and the path will avoid them.

    Path of Travel

    To use the Path of Travel tool, open a floor plan view and go to the Analyze ribbon tab and select Path of Travel on the Route Analysis panel. Revit will ask to pick a start point and an end point.

    Once we have selected the end point, an automatic green path line runs along the building. Since we can tag the path information, I placed a tag to read the length and time parameters.

    The tool can also be updated in case we add a model element on the way. To update the path, select the path you want to update and under the Modify | Path of Travel Lines click on Update.

    Notice that it also updates the tag.

    If we select the path created and look under properties, we can find the instance properties calculated by the path. These are reporting parameters and when you modify the path Revit will redo the calculation. Notice that the Path of Travel is a detail line which means it is view specific. It is important that you create this in the view you wish to see it in, and it will not need to be filtered or hidden from other views.

    Reveal Obstacles

    This tool is very useful to figure out why the Path is not behaving properly and understand which elements are being considered as obstacles.

    After toggling it, all elements analyzed as obstacles will display in color and the rest will display in halftone. The categories can be changed at the Route Analysis settings.

    Schedule

    We can also schedule this information and set filters to analyze the content and see if it is code compliant. The Path of Travel Lines will be under the Lines category.

    Here is a sample of a schedule with all the parameters that are available. On my example I set a filter to highlight in red the paths that go over 30m.

    Filters

    We can also set filters to easily identify these paths on a floor plan view and make changes if necessary. In this example I set the filter to override the lines that are greater than 30m.

    Potential Issues

    One last thing I would like to point it out is that this path graphics are not fully customizable. We can change the line style from solid to dash for example, or create a new line style, but you cannot customize the arrow and dot at the start and end point.

    The other aspect that we cannot control is the distance the path takes around an obstacle. The calculation of this distance occurs in the background. It takes in consideration the width of a typical person and body sway while walking. If you want to read more information about the path travel calculation click here.

    Conclusion

    It is impressive in how automatic and smart the tool is. Even though there are limitations on how much customization we can do with the tool, it is very exciting the fact that it can goes around objects and that it automatically updates when a change occurs, also how you don’t have to draw the line yourself, it does it for you.

    BIM Project Suite – Free Valuable Tools for AEC

    Posted on by Rikki Kenzhebayeva

    Down below are BIM Project’s Suites best FREE tools:

    (1) Quick Select

    Gives users the ability to build or filter selections of Revit objects by specific categories or parameter values. For more click here

    Revit Filter Tool

     vs Quick Select Tool

    (2) Renumbering

    Provides a fast and simple way to renumber your rooms and doors. Auto-swapping avoids duplicates. Alphanumeric sequential numbering. Add separators and suffices to room and door numbers. For more click here