Mouse shortcut - Zoom Extents

Straight from the desk of David "insert clever nickname here" Thompson:

If you double click the scroll wheel you will zoom extents.
Works in Cad and Revit although no-one in the office is using AutoCad though, right?

Adding this blog's RSS feed to your Outlook Email

We've gotten some comments such as "When is the blog updated?" and "We have a BIM blog?" that have resulted in this little tutorial for adding the Perspectus Bim Coordination Blog RSS feed to your Outlook email so that you receive some sort of notification that the Blog has been updated.

These instructions are based upon the version of Outlook that I am saddled with, so bear with me, the general buttons should be the same.

Open Outlook

Click “File”

Click “Account Settings” – click “account settings”

Select RSS Feeds Tab

Click “New”

Put the following address in the URL location box

http://perspectusbim.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Click "Add"

Ignore the giant dialogue box and click "OK"

Close the Account Setting dialogue box.

If this has been emailed to you you will have to copy the URL feed link above prior to starting to work in Outlook's Account Settings. Feel free to gripe about Outlook to yourself.

Viola! Updated blog notification in your outlook.

Graphic Flowchart - New Stair Families in Revit 2013 via What Revit Wants via BIMopedia

"

New stair families in Revit 2013

This blog has been translated into English from a French post on the Revitez blog I saw a translation request from Lukey Johnson on Linkedin. Although I've forgotten most of the French I once learnt many years ago in school, with a little help from Google translate it goes something like this (I hope!):

In Revit 2012 we only had 1 stair system family that we could use, with all the parameters loaded into a single system:

With the new method of creating stairs in Revit 2013 we now have 11 family systems:

All of these new systems are connected together via different relationships to make a staircase. The diagram below, which I have translated from the original shows the relationships between these systems. (Click on the image to see a full preview.)

For example, the family "One Peice Stair" or One Peice Run is used in the following systems: Assembled staircase, Cast In-Situ Staircase and Prefabricated Staircase. Which can only be modeled via the "Stair by component" tool. But a variety of "One Peice Stairs/Runs" may be shared between several different versions of these families. This item is an extract from the course material: Mastering Revit stairs. Being prepard and coming soon.

You can view the original un-translated version of this entry on the Revitez blog here. "

Revit Roundtable Wrapup - 2013.02.07 - Detailing

This week Bernard brought to us the exciting world of Detailing via an Autodesk University class directed by Paul F. Aubin (AB3744) where we learned the in and outs of creating details as model based, detail component based and hybrid.

High points of the class were "Edit Cut Profile" and "Show Hidden Lines" command (both under "View" tab and both worth remembering about). There was also some discussion about keynoting which of course led to the need for a smaller project team to take the lead with implementing a new keynote standard (more on that later I am sure).

Class handouts for those that missed the roundtable can be found here:

S:\BIM-Revit\EDUCATIONAL INFO\Revit Roundtable\13.02.07 Detailing

AB3744 - Detailing in Autodesk Revit Architecture (the video we watched today)
319-2 (another handout)

In addition, you should have created an account with Autodesk University to easily access the videos and information whenever you need.

Autodesk University Classes

You will need an account to access the following links:
AB3744 class (from today)
AB2080 Class - Creating Construction Details in Autodesk Revit Architecture
AB2080 Class Handout

2013 Materials Editor

I won't go into a frustrated rant about how much I think the "new and improved" Revit 2013 materials editor is a step up from the old 2012 version. Even though it is due and quite apt.

Instead, a helpful link to using the new 2013 Materials User Interface including what most of the new buttons mean and how to make the default windows actually useful.  Crazy, I know.

The New Materials User Interface in Revit 2013 by Dan Stine

Putting Perspectus Content folder in "Load Family" popup window as default

When you go to load famlies or components into your Revit model typically the default is for you to start your search in the Revit Imperial Libraries folder which means you have to find the path to the illustrious S:\BIM-Revit\Content folder where all the good stuff is. What if I told you that you could make the Perspectus Content folder your default folder?

Now you can!

Big "R"
Click "Options"
Select "File Locations"
Click "Places"
Add the "Content" folder and move it to the top.

What if you wanted to add folder locations in the vertical gray toolbar in the left of the "Load Family" pop-up window?
Simply right mouse click in the gray vertical frame to the left. There you can edit the folders that will appear when this pop-up window next occurs. Simply add the S:\BIM-Revit|Content folder and slide that guy to the top in the order you would like to see them. Feel free to remove any of the folders you don't think you will need or want from this shortcut bar.

Viola. Minutes shaved from your task!

Revit Roundtable Wrapup - 2013.01.24 - Casework

During this Revit Roundtable the ever prolific RevitMaster Bernard walked our motley crew through using our casework blocks and using wall sweeps. Here is a highlight of all the things you missed.

*Perspectus "approved" family content is located in the S:\BIM-Revit\Content folder.

Casework:
- Base cabinets (how to place in plan, move in elevation and change families)
- Placing sinks
- Upper cabinets (how to place in plan, move in elevation and change families)
- Filler panels (placing, moving, resizing)
- Counters (the fun time of "L" or "U" shaped counters, resizing and moving in plan and understanding the parameters that control the sizes)

Wall Sweeps:
- Adding, moving, changing profiles and dimensioning wall sweeps.
- Changing size/length of wall sweep
- Editing profiles of wall sweeps

The wall sweeps handout is located in

S:\BIM-Revit\EDUCATIONAL INFO\Revit Roundtable\13.01.24 Casework + Wall Sweeps

Keyboard Shortcuts

Bernard has shared his Revit Keyboard Shortcuts in the S:\BIM-Revit\PROJECT TEMPLATES\Keyboard shortcuts as an .xml file so that you can parse through it (my goal is to memorize Bernard's shortcuts so I can get in his head).

To adjust your own keyboard shortcuts simply type "KS" or take the long path under "View", "User Interface" (to the right of the ribbon).

Revit Resources - Tutorials

We have acquired some Revit training books in the office for additional reference and study.  There are also tutorial files that accompany each book. Bernard will be the knowledge library master, coordinate your acquisition of hardcopy materials through him.

• Autodesk Revit Architecture 2012 Essentials
• Autodesk Revit Architecture 2012 No Experience Required
• Introducing Autodesk Revit Architecture 2012
• Mastering Autodesk Revit Architecture 2012

The addtional tutorial files are located in the S [standards] drive.  See below:

S:\BIM-Revit\EDUCATIONAL INFO\2012 Tutorials\Autodesk Revit Architecture 2012 Essentials 

S:\BIM-Revit\EDUCATIONAL INFO\2012 Tutorials\Autodesk Revit Architecture 2012 No Experience Required 

S:\BIM-Revit\EDUCATIONAL INFO\2012 Tutorials\Introducing Autodesk Revit Architecture 2012 

S:\BIM-Revit\EDUCATIONAL INFO\2012 Tutorials\Mastering Autodesk Revit Architecture 2012