BIM & BEAM

Autodesk Revit Structure 2010 Update 1 is available!

All,

I am pleased to announce that Update 1 for Autodesk Revit Structure 2010 is now available at http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=12856705.

 

You can also get to it by going to http://www.autodesk.com/revitstructure-downloads and selecting English.

The Update can be applied to all languages of Revit Structure. Currently, only the English download page has the update, but the other language download pages will be available in the next few days.

Here is the list of improvements made in Update 1 build (20090612_2115):

 

Autodesk^® Revit^® Structure 2010 Enhancements

·         - Enhanced the ability to properly export the analytical model from in-place family of category walls and floors to 3^rd party applications.

·         - Allowed user to cancel the error message when creating a wall using invalid parameters in the pre-created version of the element.

·         - Improved stability when the slanted column attached to floor above is snapped to beam.

·         - Improved UK Cellular/Castellated Beam with un-Equidistant End Holes.rfa.

·         - Added ASB/SFB-Beams.rfa into UK Corus Advance library. 

 

Autodesk^® Revit^® Platform Enhancements

·         - Dragging a ribbon panel near a view no longer causes the view to pan.

·         - All reference callouts, sections, and elevations will mirror when project is mirrored.

·         - When the sheet view is active, ribbon commands display the correct UI state.

·         - “Is Reference” Instance Property is available for reference points.

·         - Commands in Print Preview mode can now be accessed by keytips.

·         - Improves stability when printing.

·         - Disables the “Add to Quick Access Toolbar” option when tool already exists on Quick Access Toolbar.

·         - View Control Bar no longer shows old and new state of commands until the view is redrawn.

·         - Improved detail level icons in the View Control Bar.

·         - Improvements to form creation and editing of conceptual masses.

·         - Improvements to divided surfaces on conceptual masses.

·         - Improved graphic performance when using View Cube^® navigation tool.

·         - Images will now display in print preview and print correctly.

·         - Improved stability when printing to PDF.

·         - Type Selector preview images update for types created by Duplicate Type command.

·         - Type Selector will remain added to Quick Access Toolbar when opening a new Autodesk Revit Structure session.

·         - When multiple contextual tabs are available, the proper contextual tab will be displayed when clicking on the Options Bar.

·         - Improved stability when multiple sessions of Autodesk Revit Structure are running.

·         - Duplicate icons from ribbon and application frame no longer appear in the Options Bar.

·         - Improved stability when plotting or exporting.

·         - Alt+Numeric keypad entries will create the expected special text character.

·         - Improved ribbon display issues.

·         - TIFF images will display correctly in plan after project is reopened.

·         - Relinquish all when closing a local file now works if there is a new view, family, or workset in the project.

·         - Selecting Boundary when creating a ramp or stair no longer reverts back to Run option.

·         - Flip controls are now available in the Detail Component family editor.

·         - ADSK file from Autodesk^® Inventor^® software no longer loses custom UCS information in Autodesk Revit Structure.

·         - Application frame size is saved between sessions.

·         - Reveal Hidden Elements and select keyboard shortcut enabled in family environment.

·         - Select previous keyboard shortcut is now available.

·         - Raster export to DWF^™ format will follow quality settings.

·         - On Quick Access Toolbar, moved Sync to Central command next to Save command.

·         - Improved visibility of Tab highlights when in thin line mode.

·         - Modified section and elevation command icons.

·         - Keynote Tag and Component/Repeating Detail/Legend Component drop-down buttons on the ribbon will now reflect the last-used command.

·         - Improved precision of parameters in families using type catalogs.

·         - Improved display of shadows.

·         - Improvements to IFC export.

·         - When exporting to TIFF or PNG, the sky alpha channel will now properly drop out.

·         - Improved wall-by-face creation on imported masses.

·         - Wall wraps will display correctly in detail views.

·         - When exporting wall joins into DWG with shared coordinates, all collinear lines are now merged.

·         - Improved stability when using parallel wall join cleaning switch described in the Revit Performance Technical Note.

 

Autodesk^® Revit^® API Enhancements

·         - Suppressed Revit inaccuracies warnings during transaction when generating geometries using massing API.

·         - Associated LinearArray's NumMembers property with Family parameter.

·         - Dissociated FamilyParameter from Label property of BaseArray and Dimension.

·         - Provided a tool to update reference path of RevitAPI.dll for samples.

·         - Provided an update to DistanceToPanels sample.

·         - Improved stability when creating NewReferencePoint with PointOnEdge that references a ModelCurve.

·         - Floating point values are no longer reset when crossing from managed code to unmanaged code.

·         - In the Print API, ViewSheetSetting.Save() no longer raises an InvalidOperationException when the user removes all views.

·         - A meaningful exception will be raised when incorrect sketchPlane is used in NewSweep(,,SketchPlane,,,).

·         - FamilyManager.Set() can now assign ElementId value to parameter.

·         - Improved stability when using DocumentOpened event and linked files.

·         - Improved stability of VSTA.

Regards,

__________________
Wai Chu
Product Manager,
Revit Structure

Updated CSIxRevit for both Revit Structure 2009 and 2010

 

 

Hi All,

Computers and Structures, Inc., has officially released a new version of CSIxRevit that is compatible with both Revit Structure 2009 and Revit Structure 2010. Since it supports both versions of Revit Structure, CSI has officially renamed the product CSIxRevit.

A list of some of the new enhancements is below:

- Several enhancements have been made to CSIxRevit handle the situation where ETABS and Revit use different standard names for the same frame section property and no mapping file has been provided by the user for this section: (1) European and British sections names are mapped between the two programs in cases where the correspondence is known. This mapping is automatic and two way.(2) When no corresponding section name can be found, a new section or family is created with the same name and given default properties. The user can then define the correct properties for the created section, and the correspondence will be maintained for all subsequent data transfer using that same model. (3) A new ETABS section database file CISC9.PRO has been provided for current Canadian steel sections.

- CSIxRevit for ETABS has been updated to support both Revit Structure 2009 and 2010, and is available in either 32- or 64-bit versions.

- The “Frame Section Mapping” and the “.PRO Files” forms used to show the mapping between Revit models and ETABS models have been enhanced to make it easier to see the location of the ETABS section-property database files.

- The CSIxRevit documentation has been updated to better describe the mapping of deck section properties/families between ETABS and Revit Structure.

- An enhancement has been implemented that allows material properties that have been created or modified in ETABS to be updated in Revit when exporting the model from ETABS to Revit.

For more information about the link can be found here: http://www.csiberkeley.com/Revit/

Thank you

Wai

Concrete Beam Hidden Line Display Parameter

In Autodesk Revit Structure, we can get different hidden lines by setting a parameter called: Display in Hidden Views

Use the following case to explain how to:

There is a floor and a T shape beam under the floor (See Figure 1).

                                                (Figure 1)

Select the beam and click edit family. In beam family editor, open family category and parameters dialog, for parameter "Display in hidden views", there are 3 options (See Figure 2):

1. Edges Hidden by Beam Itself

2. Edges Hidden by Other Members

3. All Edges

 

                (Figure 2)

Let's apply the 3 parameters and compare the differences:

1. Edges Hidden by Beam Itself, only show beam edges in hidden line which are hidden by beam itself (See Figure 3)

                                                (Figure 3)

2. Edges Hidden by Other Members, only show beam edges which are hidden by floor (other member) (See Figure 4).

                                                (Figure 4)

3. All Edges, represents edges including 1 & 2 (See Figure 5):

                                               (Figure 5)

You can also find this parameter in concrete column family editor as well.

New version of SI Xchange for Autodesk Revit Structure 2010 and STAAD.Pro

Structural Integrators, LLC has released the new version of SI Xchange for Autodesk Revit Structure and STAAD.Pro.  The Link for Revit Structure 2009 release was ready about a month ago and they just posted the 2010 release couple of days ago. 

 

This version includes a number of enhancements, including sending walls, load cases, load combos, point and line loads to STAAD.Pro, bringing size changes back from STAAD and it now works even if STAAD and Revit are installed on different computers. 

 

 

For more information: http://structuralintegrators.com/products/si_xchange.php

 

Thanks,

 

Wai

Revit Structure 2010 Slanted Column Parameters

Slanted columns are becoming more and more common in larger high-profile structures. The architectural forms that engineers are being required to support are getting more complex.

Engineers and drafters can now create slanted columns using the same column families they have used for vertical columns, which include not only physical characteristics, but also analytical as well.

The avi: http://revit.downloads.autodesk.com/download/Structure2010/Blog/Slanted Columns Parameters.avi will demonstrate how to utilize the tool and explain the parameters within the element properties to show how they will affect the location of the slanted columns to the supported members.

These new Slanted Column properties include the following:

- Column style parameter

• Slanted – Angle Driven
• Slanted – End Point Driven

- Column Cutback

    Beam/Column Joins editor

- Column Joins parameters

• Top/Base Attachment Type
• Top/Base Attachment Distance
• Top/Base Attachment Referenced End
• Top Geometry Treatment
• Base Geometry Treatment
• Offset From Attachment at Base
• Offset From Attachment At Top

- Column Attachments parameter

• Move Top With Grids
• Move Base With Grids

- Cross Section Rotation parameter

 

Black Level vs. Blue Level

When importing structural model, the levels show black as Fig1. In the project browser, Level 3 & Level 4 will not show up.

 

What's the difference between black and blue levels? How to turn the levels from black to blue?

The black indicates the level is not mapped to any floor plan, while the blue means the level is mapped with a floor plan.

To map a floor plan to a level, here are the steps,

• Go to the View tab> Create panel> Plan Views> Structural Plan

• From the New Plan dialog, select the levels for which you want to create new Floor Plan Views.

 

Go back to South View, the black levels turn to blue, and in the project browser, the Level 3 & Level 4 will show up.

  

“Do Not Break At Inserts” type parameter for a wall foundation with continuous footing

Hi All,

Just want to share a little tips & tricks with you.

One of my users was trying to create some openings touching the bottom of a wall foundation with continuous footing. The methods that he used to create the openings were:

1) Wall Opening tool

2) Edit Profile on Wall Sketch

He then went to the Wall Foundation Type Properties and try to use the "Do Not Break At Inserts" parameter:

 

However, as illustrated below he realized that regardless of whether this "Do Not Break At Inserts" is checked or not, he did not see a difference in its behavior. So both of his previous methods of creating openings by thinking that would be an insert and the footing would not break at them if they broke the bottom of the wall, but it appeared to have no effect:

So what does this parameter actually do?

This user approach and thinking was good, except that currently the Wall Opening or Edit Profile on Wall Sketch tools will not be affected by this "Do Not Break At Inserts" parameter.

Currently, this "Do Not Break At Inserts" parameter would only work if the openings are created by using the Windows and Doors .rfa family, for example:

3) Door-Opening.rfa

4) Window-Square Opening.rfa

5) Opening-Door.rfa (as Generic Model)

6) Opening-Window-Square.rfa (as Generic Model)

Thanks

Wai

What effect this Cap family parameter has on a Structural Foundation family?

In the last several months, I got some emails from customers asking what effect this Cap family parameter has on a Structural Foundation family?

 

This parameter is designed to determine the elevation of the bottom of the footing.

If Cap is selected, the Bottom Elevation will be taken from the "Topmost Bottom-facing Face".

If Cap is not selected, Bottom Elevation will be taken from the "Bottommost Bottom-facing Face".  To see this, refer to the following picture:

 

 From the below picture which is captured from the project file, we can easily find that the value of  "Elevation at Bottom" is different between the "Cap" checked and unchecked.

Autodesk Assistance Program Networking Event

 

Meet, greet, and learn.

 

Join Autodesk and Ideate for a networking event at the Autodesk Gallery at One Market.

Date: Tuesday, June 9
Time: 6 p.m.–8 p.m.
Location: One Market, second floor

In partnership with Ideate, Autodesk is hosting a networking event for job-seeking architects, engineers, and designers in the Bay Area. Meet potential employers in your field, network with peers, and learn more about how you can benefit from the Autodesk Assistance Program.

Please RSVP to Angela Simoes at +1-415-547-2388 or angela.simoes@autodesk.com.

Export a Dragonfly model to Revit

Hi All,

Back in March 2009, I wrote a blog post about Dragonfly which was available to download for testing at Autodesk Labs. The site has seen very brisk traffic since its launch in March.

I recently learn that Dragonfly has the ability to export a model to Revit using the Revit API.

What is Dragonfly?

Dragonfly is a web-based application for home improvement projects targeting entry level "designers" like the homeowner.   Dragonfly's intuitive design tools help you rapidly create and furnish a floor plan, experimenting in real time with your ideas in 2D and 3D before making it real!  Dragonfly also enables you to share any saved designs with others by simply clicking the "Share" icon in the upper left hand corner of the Designer window.

For professional designers who use Dragonfly, you can export the floor plan and furnishings as a Revit RVT file.

All you need to do is log onto Dragonfly:

http://dragonfly.autodesk.com

Below are some screen captures of how to export to Revit:

 

Select Export to Revit:

 

Then open the model in Revit:

 

Enjoy!

Wai

Share the Value of Autodesk University (Special AU Online Offer Ends Soon)

 

Hi All,

 

There is a special offer for you to share the value of AU content with your co-workers and friends who do not currently have full access to AU Online.

It's easy. Just forward this message to your co-workers and friends who might benefit from the thousands of hours of training screencasts and session materials on AU Online. When they click on the following link, they can register and get immediate access to all AU Online content. This offer is good until June 1, 2009.

http://au.autodesk.com/?nd=promo&code=5n1_116473_09

Thanks for helping us spread the word about the value of learning, sharing, and networking on AU Online.

Wai