Revit Zen

If Project Sparks makes a Revit model is it still a Building Information Model?

2011-09-09T12:30:00.000-07:00

What functionality does Autodesk’s Project Spark have? One of my favorite Revit expert & blogger, David Light, posted a great description of Project Spark and listed all of the things one cannot do; Project Spark – quick overview. In this post I’d like to explain what it can do. One can create RVT projects and RFA families. The most important item to discuss before we get started is the file version difference. One cannot open a RVT created in Project Sparks in the current 2012 version of Revit, it’s a newer format RVT. If you try to open a 2012 RVT into Sparks you will be stopped by a dialog offering to link the RVT instead. It will temporarily upgrade the RVT to be viewed within Project Spark. When Spark becomes a full-fledged product, then interoperability with the Revit family of products would certainly be considered.

With Project Spark one can create levels, grids, walls, doors, windows, floors, rooms and areas. We can do simplified phasing, what time is it? One can create all of the major Revit elements and some Structural elements . . . . but not a single massing object. We can create curtain walls but not massing so, no curtain systems. Remember the day of curtain system by lines? Where did that disappear to? We may not need curtain system by lines in our current version of Revit, but it sure would be nice in Project Spark. Back to what can be created. Almost all types of families other than the massing and pattern based families can be created and will be compatible with the other versions of Revit in the future. We all agree this is where Sparks’s future can shine, allowing content creators to create without purchasing the full version. I’m sure we’re all wondering what will a simplified version of Revit cost.

The main question I am posing to the AEC community is; “Can Project Spark create a proper Building Information Model. Are these tools enough? Project Spark offers designers the ability to create a very rich information model. We can create commercial, residential, interiors and any conceivable form of architecture. Can we create the same quality of space that we can create using a full version of Revit? It seems so. In summary, Project Spark could truly make a mark on the industry if it graduates from the labs. We shall see. How will you use it?

Give it a try then come back and leave your comments.

Getting Started

Thanks,

Roger

The Zen of Procrastination

2011-07-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Zen of Procrastination;

Live in the now, not in the later. I'm trying to avoid weighing myself down with the heaviness of a job not yet started or the looming project not yet completed. Like blogging ;-) Why wait? Write that post, share that thought. I am going to contemplate more on the things that stop me from blogging, and get down to doing. Please comment on this post with topics you'd like me to explore.

Thank you,

Roger

Introduction to Autodesk Navisworks Webinar Series, Appending Data and Creating Views

2010-10-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

One of the problems in explaining enlightenment is that we have to use words.

Words are only symbols and don’t give the real understanding.

. . . . Let's try videos.

Introduction to Navisworks Webinar Series

2010-10-27T06:57:00.000-07:00

I'm back from my hiatus;

I've been on a mountain top, deep in meditation, a never ending quest for enlightenment. ;-)

In order to advance oneself we must advance others.

Please find a link to my latest webinar in a series of videos

Introduction to Autodesk Navisworks Webinar Series

click the image below:

Worksharing for Performance

2010-04-28T07:19:00.000-07:00

Worksharing is my approach over Workset ownership. Why put undo stress on the team by taking ownership of entire worksets? Rather borrow only what elements you are working on and relinquish upon syncing with central.

When establishing worksets think performance over ownership. I recommend we use worksets to allow visibility control and more importantly to allow a local user to close the worksets they do not need to be loaded in their local file. Experience has proven this is an enormous opportunity to increase overall project performance.

More on this in the future. Please comment.

Change is Unavoidable

2010-04-08T13:40:00.000-07:00

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man."
-George Bernard Shaw

Effort

2009-04-24T09:38:00.001-07:00

As I continue to contemplate on “the Zen of Revit" I commonly return to the effort of using Revit. Most of my effort this month has been spent finding my tools within the ribbons, but that's another post. . . coming soon.

Effort and Revit

How much effort do I contribute and how much effort does Revit contribute? If you have used Revit for any amount of time at all you have noticed that Revit does a lot of the work. How can we optimize Revit’s effort?

Optimization:

The procedure or procedures used to make a system or design as effective or functional as possible, especially the mathematical techniques involved. In other posts we talked about simplifying the model, the views, etc. Here I will illustrate ways in which we can limit the amount of computational effort Revit has to perform.

Revit Architecture:

The effort of calculating volume, If you’re not scheduling volume in your room schedule don’t have Revit calculate it. Thankfully it’s off by default.

Revit Structure:
Analytical Model Management

If you are not using the analytical model features of Revit Structure or are not too concerned about the analytical model accuracy, you may be able to significantly improve model performance by turning these features off in the user interface or disabling them in the RevitStructure.ini file.

To turn off the features in the user interface, click Manage tab ➤ Project Settings panel ➤ Structural Settings.
Then, on the Analytical Model Settings tab of the Structural Settings dialog, under Automatic Checks, clear the Member Supports and Analytical/Physical Model Consistency options.

To disable these features, use Notepad to open the RevitStructure.ini file (located in the C:\Program Files\ RevitStructure2010\Program folder) and add the two lines shown below to the end of the file:

. .

. . .
[Misc]

DisplayRecentFilesPage=1

[AppFrame]

Theme=0

[Graphics]

InvertBackground=0

Antialiasing=0

[Recent File List]

File1=C:\Users\rliucci.MICROSOL\Documents\BSD Demos\Revit Structure\GASAI_Structure_2010.rvt

[Recent Workset List]

Config1=All

Config2=All

[Analytical]

DontUpdateAnalyticalSupportInfo=1

Change to 0 in order to re-enable the analytical processing

NOTE To disable the analytical support feature for a worksharing project, make the above modification to the

RevitStructure.ini file on all local computers that are used on the project.

To enable this feature again for the existing project or for a new project, either delete the above two lines from the .ini file; or change the value from 1 to 0.

NOTE After re-enabling analytical support on an existing project, you may experience a significant delay when opening the model or adding new structural elements, because Revit Structure must reload all the analytical check information into the model. After the computation is done, no further delays should occur. If possible, avoid excessive modeling of 3D connections in Revit Structure. For typical detail creation, use 2D detail component connections (such as connection plates and bolts) instead.

Revit MEP 2010 Software Optimization and Best Practices

View Performance

The Model Graphics Style settings have the largest impact on performance for view manipulation operations (scroll, pan, and zoom). Due to the requirement to dynamically generate gaps and hidden lines when elements overlap in the view, the Hidden Line style requires the most processing and thus results in a noticeable performance impact in views with many visible elements. The following best practices will help to mitigate this performance impact and streamline project workflows.

Modeling and Sheet Views

To streamline project workflow, it is recommended to create both modeling and sheet views for the same regions of the building.

Follow these guidelines:

■ Modeling views should be configured to use the Wireframe model graphics style.

■ Sheet views should be configured to use the Hidden Line model graphics style to produce the desired appearance for construction documentation.

■ For your sheet views, use dependent views, which allows you to have multiple regions of an overall level in different views, without requiring duplicate annotations.

■ Differentiate modeling views from sheet views both in the view name and sub-discipline to provide a

logical organization of the view for users, and help to ensure proper usage.

■ Use view templates to streamline the creation of these views and achieve consistency.

■ Use duct and pipe color fills only in modeling views where the Wireframe model graphics style is used.

Revit MEP 2010 Software Optimization and Best Practices

Optimizing Hidden Line Performance

Performance in views with the Hidden Line model graphics style enabled is directly related to the number

of faces displayed in the view. Although elements display as 2D lines in a Revit view, in the model they are 3D objects made up of faces. The faces are processed by the Revit graphics system and display in the view as 2D lines. Use the following best practices to optimize the performance of views with the Hidden Line model graphics style enabled.

■ Avoid using the Fine detail level when working in mechanical views unless necessary, as multi-line representations slow performance. Displaying pipes as 1-line at Medium detail level is usually sufficient when working with HVAC systems.

■ If using complex 3D components in your building service designs, turn off the visibility of the complex 3D geometry in your sheet views. In place of the complex 3D geometry, use model lines that convey the overall component shape in the family definition. Make those model lines visible at the detail level defined in your sheet views.

■ If not necessary for documentation when working with hidden lines in a view, setting the Mech Hidden value for Inside Gap and Outside Gap to 0 can provide substantial performance improvements.

Model Manipulation Performance

Revit MEP allows users to create models of building services, often in the form of large connected networks.

The powerful analytical capabilities of Revit MEP, in conjunction with the Revit Parametric Change Engine, allow data to flow throughout the connected network when manipulations are made. Improper structure and configuration of large connected networks has been shown to have a severe impact on model manipulation performance. In comparative testing, models have been shown to perform significantly better when structured properly. As a connected network grows, the performance of model manipulations (such as moving elements, changing flows, and connecting new elements) is impacted by a number of factors. Understanding these factors, and adhering to the best practices outlined below, will allow for optimal model performance.

Create Systems

Create logical systems for your connected networks, rather than leaving all elements on the default system. Associating elements into systems helps to streamline data propagation and facilitates the analytical uses of systems, such as in pressure drop calculations. Testing of customer models with all elements on the default system showed significant improvements when the connected network was restructured as logical systems.

Set Correct Connector Flow Directions

Ensure that the Flow Direction parameter for connectors on families in the connected network is not set to Bidirectional unless the family is placed in-line with connected networks like dampers and valves. The Bidirectional setting can make flow determination more difficult and thus impact regeneration performance.

In Conclusion:

Although Revit is one powerful database there are many many instances where we must manipulate the way we approach the way we use the tool. There are so many benefits and few issues that distract from design.

I was hoping that Revit MEP had a similar option for disabling the processing and diagnostics of built systems or networks. This is not the case in MEP 2010. Many engineers might say that to change their process to match Revit’s requirements in less than ideal. But as we in the BIM word have said before;

"It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory."
-- W(illiam) Edwards Deming

“If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.“
~Mary Engelbreit

Change - The passing from one state or phase to another

2009-04-23T07:20:00.000-07:00

It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory.

~W. Edwards Deming

If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.

~Mary Engelbreit

He who rejects change is the architect of decay.

The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.

~Harold Wilson

Visualization in Max takes practice

2009-01-06T06:11:00.000-08:00

There is no beginning to practice nor end to enlightenment;
There is no beginning to enlightenment nor end to practice.

Some things come easy. This is not the case when recreating reality within the computer.
I've been using 3D Studio Max for years. In order to create an image that is photo real one will have to work at it, practice, experiment, test, investigate options.
In my last Max class we came across what I thought was a bug.

Where is my sky?

How do we add a custom background to the “mr Physical Sky” environment? The mental ray sky is great but very generic. We should be able to use mental ray and get a custom background. It does not work as one would expect.

Here are the steps;

We start with a scene that has a daylight system, sun and sky.
When we add a daylight system to a new scene or a scene that had no daylight,
one receives messages suggesting the “mr photographic exposure” control or “mr physical sky”, choose YES.

We will now modify the environment to give us the ability to edit the sky and background map.

We do this by dragging the Map (mr Physical Sky) to the Material editor.

We will get a message stating copy or instance?
Choose instance, a clone of the same map in the environment.

We will edit the map in the material editor (mr Physical Sky Parameters) and all edits will affect the environment.

Most importantly “Use custom Background Map” choose the radio button and click none to browse the network for the appropriate background “bitmap”.

One would think this is all that’s necessary, but it still won't show up correctly.

In the Photographic Exposure Control dialog, we are modifying the Physical Scale, choose unitless and enter 100,000, without the “,”.

Almost there; now we need to adjust the image so it displays better in the rendering.

We will go back to the Material Editor and choose the bitmap we placed in the
Use Custom Background group;

Modify these settings to move the image into the right spot.
Or; edit the image and use cropping to alter what part of the image
You need to use as the background.

Opps
We can’t have the horizon line all fuzzy like the image below;

That’s a result of the Sky light. Edit the Daylight system and remove the check box
“Arial Perspective”

I know that was a lot of steps but, this is the Max way.
If you cannot find the truth right where you are, where else do you expect to find it?

After all of this the Brooklyn background looks terrible.
Time to pick another, If it has the same number of pixels as the resulting rendering it will look the best.

2008-07-24T06:48:00.000-07:00

Best Practices for Large Projects
in Revit Architecture, Structure and MEP

Some of the following tips are taken from many sites and forums. Some tips are evolved from our experience. Your project results may vary.

Don’t Over Model

Use simplified families, families with 2d view specific representation.
Constraints

Don’t Over Constrain elements.
Pin rather than using dimensional constraints

Design Options

Finalize and remove Design Options if possible

Groups; Use groups sparingly. Don’t use Groups comprised of walls at various levels and in different circumstances. (Wall joins, etc.)
Families; create families with 2 dimensional representations
Stairs and Railings; these elements can not easily be simplified. Minimize the visibility when ever possible.
Rendering; Remove cached renderings from the project, and export the rendered images for use elsewhere.
Raster Images; minimize whenever possible, large images scaled down for titleblocks for instance, retain the original size.

Simplify the display;

View Depth
In section and elevation views use view clipping to minimize the amount of geometry.
Work in simple views; minimize visibility, via Visibility Graphics dialog, Worksets or phases.
“Close hidden views” often
Create simplified 2D representations for display in plan and elevation views.

Use ‘Override Graphics’ sparingly - use VG (the Visibility/Graphics dialog) instead.
Use of the warped slab tool (edit elements) uses a lot of system resources.

Focus on your Family;

Create a family component rather than in-place families.
Do not copy in-place families
Limit detailed, nested, parametric families
Families use fewer resources than groups.
Avoid using voids in family creation.

Families that use voids to cut the hosts consume more memory.

Don’t use arrays or formulas unless necessary.
Use 2d symbolic representation instead of 3d geometry

One can make course, medium and fine levels of detail in a family
Hide the 3d geometry in plan and show the detail lines

Simplify sketches. The number of vertices in a sketch loop, as well as the number of entities in a sketch, effect performance when using lines.

Minimize CAD imports

Always link rather than import. Both for backgrounds and details.

However; Linking files from the network use more resources than imported geometry.
Linked file cannot be exploded, see next item.

Never Explode DWGs

Reduce fill patterns, line styles - exploding DWG files create enormous amounts of line types, text styles, fill patterns, etc. Never Explode DWGs.

Clean linked DWG files:

Purge or Wblock; removing unnecessary layers / blocks / etc - before bringing into Revit

Ensure objects are not too far from ORIGIN

Revit will not import geometry origin to origin when the geometry is very far away.

Worksets –vs- Worksharing

Create local files every morning. This reduces the time to 'reload latest' after opening a Local file every morning. However, "copying a central file and renaming it to create a new local file" is not recommended by Autodesk. Copying of databases can create errors.
Upon opening use “Partially open worksets”
On / Off worksets - project wide
On / Off worksets - by individual views
Make a Workset “not visible by default “
Create Worksets for Imported/Linked DWGs and one for Linked Revit files
Use Worksharing monitor for Revit
Use batch printing utility to print
Cylindrical / circular elements need more memory to render / refresh.

Hardware / Network;

Gigabit Ethernet cards at the desktop
Cat 5e or Cat 6 cabling
Gigabit switches
Server recommendations;

One or more gigabit Ethernet cards at the server hosting the models.
Fast hard drives on the server
Multiple processors
User Group comments;
http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=70735 (Desktop recommendations)
http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=71767 (Hardware benchmarking)
http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=70896 (ATI & nVidia Video Cards)

General Recommendations;

If possible split project, like core and shell, site etc. into smaller projects and link them.

Common Customer Practice is to break up the model when the file size becomes more that 160mb, and link them together. Having the link on its own workset allows one to close unnecessary worksets.

Review warnings periodically
Compact the model once a week for large projects
Window menu > 'close hidden windows’ often. It is best to create a shortcut in the file: "C:\Program Files\Revit Architecture 2009\Program\KeyboardShortcuts.txt" for this command.
Purge unused elements. (File menu > Purge unused...)
Uncheck “compute room volume” option in Settings menu > Room and Area Settings...
Use the Move command to move large numbers of objects, instead of dragging the objects.
Modify temp dims and use the align tool, instead of dragging components.
CTRL+ Drag will copy objects more quickly than copying and then pasting the objects by using CTRL+C and CTRL+V.

Volumes – Rooms and Areas

Uncheck calculate room volumes when not necessary.

Some of the aformentioned tips are taken from many sites and forums. Some tips are evolved from our experience. Your project results may vary.

Resources - References
AU 2007 - Effective techniques for large projects in Revit
James Vandezande
Robert Manna

Revitize - Another Revit Blog
Nicholas Iyadurai
http://revitize.blogspot.com

Autodesk;
Josef Kendsersky

Relative Collaboration

2008-01-18T07:22:00.000-08:00

Collaborate? Why?

What's my role in the design of this building?
How can I produce better design.
If I understood what the other members of my team where doing I could do my job better
What tools could I use for Collaboration?.

I first offered Revit's tools as a possible solution
See; Getting along Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Revit's collaboration tools are great but we very rarely find one single solution for every problem. When Revit's tools are not sufficient we find another tool.

JetStream from NavisWorks/Autodesk is the ultimate tool for collaboration when the BIM Models get too big or complex to explore efficiently.

NavisWorks is the developer of JetStream a software package with the following plug-in modules;

Roamer
Publisher
Clash Detective
Presenter
TimeLiner
RVM Reader

I'll be talking about JetStream from now on.

When I discuss BIM I always use terms like: query or interrogate.
We ask the model what is happening here, via schedules views, etc.

That's what we do with JetStream; interigate the entire BIM model.
Ask it questions. Within Roamer I can control how the 3d information is visible.
There is almost no limit to the way I can make selection sets and filter through the data.
It's dosn't matter where I get my information about the building or site; AutoCAD, Revit, Microstation, Catia, where ever.

more to come

Getting along

2008-01-15T18:27:00.000-08:00

What is the best way the architects, structural and MEP engineers can get along? I think communication is the key. The zen of collaboration can be achieved by sharing more information, often. File linking, copy/monitor, shared coordinates, these are the tools within Revit that can get us there.

Link in DWGs never import. That's an important discussion for another post however.

Revit Linking;

Option One:
Give all team members a site file. Maybe a dwg if that's what you have. Everyone links that file into there own project, origin to origin and we begin to work.
We all have the same origin. As soon as possible, we link each other Revit project files into each other project, origin to origin.
Yippee.

Option Two Copy / Monitor:
The architectural model of a building is ready for the engineers to contribute: each engineer links the architectural building into a blank project. Yes, origin to origin. The engineers should now use copy/monitor to copy the levels and grids from the architectural project. These levels and column grids will be in the engineer's new project. More importantly they will be synchronized with the architects file. The original levels and grids still remain we can delete the original datum (level 1, Level 2) later.

When the arch model is updated and or reloaded, Revit will suggest a coordination review. This report will list all changes of the monitored elements. Postpone, reject, modify. These are all legitimate steps available. Accept difference is not a good choice. This object will not be monitored anymore. Why didn't the designer / programmer just use "ignore forever"?

Another Option:
Shared Coordinates:
When we have a host file (Site.rvt for example) we should first agree that the internal location is this file's origin. All other files, like building one building two, etc, will be linked into site. The positions of these files will be recorded internally of Site.rvt. Cool huh? When one closes the project, Revit will ask if the location of these files should be saved. Revit will record this "place" in the buildings Revit project files. We can open each of the other building project files and make the new place current. We now have new and accurate views to study, analyze and render.

When you test the suggestions discussed here it, the picks and clicks will be obvious.
I welcome questions and comments, allow me to explain further if necessary,
Maybe someone else's ideas on how they might implement they tools might bring on an epiphany on how we could use them better.

What is the Revit Zen?

2008-01-02T07:05:00.000-08:00

BIM enlightenment.

I think it is the understanding that true BIM can be achieved with Revit, not over thinking what BIM can be, should be or is.

BIM as defined by Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building_Information_Modeling

There are other Building Information Modeling software programs out their. One can use AutoCAD Architecture, Gerhy Technologies, Generative Components, ArchiCAD and many others.
In order to achieve ZEN a designer should not be distracted by a complicated process but should be able to use a tool that allows them to be creative. The tool should allow the designer to create share and visualize. I believe the BIM tool of choice, should document, allow collaboration and not clutter the process with the need to configure abstract variables for standards and require obtuse setup requirements.

In my posts to "Revit Zen" I will do my best to create discussions on all topics of BIM as they relate to Revit (my specialty). As I do, I will always try to be sure that I take ownership of the ideas I put out there. Because true Zen is relative; what I think of as being the righteous path :- ) may not be yours or even accurate to some. If that becomes the case please post comments often.

I look forward to sharing ideas with you the Revit community, about new feature, needed tools and issues with the current process.

Right now I'm exploring the latest Revit; 2009 beta and loving some of the new features.

Talk to you soon.
Happy New Year

Meditation on BIM to achieve enlightenment

2007-12-18T06:55:00.000-08:00

ZEN; Realization by meditation or by a sudden flash of enlightenment.

Revit; The ultimate Building Information Modeling software

Revit Zen; Meditation on BIM to achieve enlightenment