Revit Structure 2008 new functionalities (Part 2)

In the previous post, I presented the new modeling functionalities as well as the improved construction drawings. For this second part, I am going to present the 3 following themes:

• Extensions for Revit
• New content families
• Usability and performance

Extensions For Revit

Extensions For Revit is a new concept that Autodesk and Robobat develop together. The 2 product management teams work together to create additional value to RST user. The Extensions come in 2 versions. All of the Extensions have a free component that solve real user problems and help them to be more efficient in their daily work. Some of the Extensions also have an enhanced version that can be purchased for a minimum fee. For instance one of the Extensions is a macro to generate reinforcement in concrete columns. The base version (free) works for rectangular/square columns and the enhanced version will also include circular ones.

You can download the Extensions from www.extensions4revit.com but don't forget to download first the Extension Engine that will manage all of the Extensions in RST. Once the Extensions are installed, you can access them from a pull down menu or from the toolbar:

As of today 7 Extensions are available:

• Beam reinforcement macros
• Column reinforcement macros
• CIS2 Export that allows you to send a physical model to a steel detailer/fabricator
• CIS2 Import that allows you to get a physical model from a steel detailer/fabricator
• Excel based model generation allows you to define a structure in Excel using formulas or to copy and paste coordinates from another source
• Link to the flagship Robobat analysis software Robot Millennium
• Free limited version of Robobat analysis.

I encourage you to go to the website and see by yourself all the cool functionalities that Robobat has developed for RST.

The Robobat team is working really hard and they will be producing these Extensions on a regular basis, so stay tuned as I will announce them when they are available. By the way, if you have Extension suggestions, please let me know…

New content families

In this release we developed quite some content such as Structural Stiffeners, Pan joist, Pan joist with ledges, Pile Caps and Trusses:

This year we will also have the flexibility to develop new content that will be available for download on a regular basis. Just like the Extensions for Revit, just let us know what your wish list is

Usability and performance

• Groups improvements
  • New Group creation dialogue box
    • Activated with Group command
    • Name Model and Annotation Group
  • Enhancements to Group edit mode
    • Design Bar is active while editing groups
    • New Group edit dialogue box
    • Nested Group shortcut
  • Convert Groups to links
  • Exclude individual Elements in a Group
    • Tab to element and right-click to exclude
    • Pre-highlight excluded member and right-click to restore
    • "Restore all" command for excluded elements
  • Save and Load Groups as Links
    • Revit no longer produces .rvg
    • Existing .rvg files are supported
• New filter definitions
  • New Filter dialogue box
  • Easily manage all filters in one dialogue box
    • Create New
    • Edit, rename or delete existing
• Revit Links
  • Schedule elements by Link Instance
  • "Select available fields from" RVT links
  • Two new schedulable fields: Name and Files name
  • Display Nested Links in linked files
  • Represented in Project Browser
  • "Bind" link instances to Groups
  • Cross project copy of .rvt links using "copy to clipboard"
  • Copy elements from linked .rvt file into project using "copy to clipboard"

Nicolas

Comments

[Amin Ghali]

They look great, thanks a lot. about the wish list, there is a wish that i hope you can add in the future. I am working on a project which was modeled in one revit file (no links) it is 6 concrete towers (25 stories each) on one base, and i am dealing with almost 1000 different column sections, i used shared parameters to add more info to the columns so i can manage them. what i needed was a tool on which i can select based on a shared parameter, example: i have shared parameter showing grade of concrete, and i want to select only columns with grade 60Mpa. it would be helpful as i have 12 shared parameters for the structure columns family alone (part,rft,grade,cut,stirrups...)

[Mike Kaiser]

Thanks for the preview. I just learned Structure 4 last week, will I need to re-learn or is the set-up and functionality pretty close?

[Shantaram]

Is it possible to convert revit structure 2008 file to revit structure 4? How it is to be done ? Can I do it using API?

[romi]

hey guys little problem just like the one above....Can I convert revit 2008 files into revit 2007 files?