Today is my Last Day at CASE

First off, let me say that I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to join and to have made the decision to join CASE back in the summer of 2011 and regret nothing. The leadership there always made me feel welcome and it was totally worth the ride!

We were less than 10 employees in the USA with another group of 4 down in Montevideo. CASE is now 60+ people strong all over the globe. We triumphed through everything put in front of us and served the AEC industry in what I like to believe was a positive way. I'm certain we will all remain good friends and colleagues going forward.

My decision to leave was difficult, but one that I had to make. I need to get back to work in my local market in the city that I love... Austin, TX. I feel confident that I am leaving my legacy in capable hands and that CASE will continue to improve well into the future.

Special thanks to Dave Fano and Federico Negro for finding me and convincing me to join their weird club! I'll miss working with you freaks! I'll be sending you guys some bootlegged CASE Polo Shirts.

It's Been a While

Well you guys, a year has passed and you'll see some fresh posts. I had some contractual terms preventing me from being able to post anything here for a while, but that excuse is no more (always be careful about what you sign).

In other news, I'll be teaching a class at Autodesk University 2014 in December entitled "Using Revit API Events to Manage Miracles." The class ID is SD5399 and I'll be talking about... you guessed it... Revit API Events! Hopefully I don't get stuck with the last time slot of the entire event like I did last time (first session of the conference is pretty tough also though).

AEC-Apps Wins the ArchitectMagazine R+D Award

If you haven't checked out AEC-Apps yet, you really should. That site has caught the industry by storm with tons of people helping make it better every day, why not you? AEC-Apps is a social application discovery and rating solution designed by the CASE guys under partnership with SOM.

Architect Magazine published an article today awarding AEC-Apps their coveted R+D award! We have a few people to thank for this tool and all of its success. Below are just a few of the folks that played a major roll in the development and design of AEC-Apps. Do any of these faces look familiar (in no particular order)?

  

  

Here's a shot of the home page, we hope you check it out if you have not already, and of course it is 100% free!

AEC APPS is Launching!

We've been working hard on a web portal where people can socially track, rate, and explore all kinds of applications for AEC related workflows. You'll notice that these tools are not just limited to design and that you'll discover applications to cover just about any kind of workflow that AEC professionals run into.

Since it is entirely social, if there's an application you think i missing, you can add it yourself. Get involved and create a free profile today at https://aec-apps.com/

Setting the Visual Studio Version for Specific Solution Files

If you have multiple versions of Visual Studio installed such as 2010 and 2012, you can easily control what version of Visual Studio will be used to open your solution when it is double clicked.

First open your *.SLN file in notepad and adjust the very top two lines in the file to the following:

• Visual Studio 2010
• Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 11.00
• # Visual Studio 2010
• Visual Studio 2012
• Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 12.00
• # Visual Studio 2012

CASE Add-In Manager Updated

Guess what! The CASE Add-In Manager has been updated! You may not notice anything too spectacular about this update, but just about everything about it has been improved.

http://apps.case-inc.com/content/add-manager

• Previously installed tools on your system will be detected and checked as already installed when you run the manager
• If you have a strong firewall policy at your office and you've previously seen zero of the tools in the manager, this update might fix that for you! Give it a try and let me know!
• We will be unveiling a suite of paid subscription tools this year at AU2012, so the
  "Activate Subscription" button will remain grayed out until this official announcement...
• New snazzy icon (I made it myself)!

Prevent Double Click Opening of Central Files

It happens all too often that a rookie user or non Revit savvy person double clicks on an RVT file to open it. If this RVT is a work shared central model then it is a real cluster F%#&. This can be disastrous to anyone working in the model as well as the model's health in general if not correctly saved back as a central model with all elements properly relinquished.

This post will show a way to keep RVT files from being able to be opened by double clicking them (do this on the client machines where you think run a high risk of causing an issue with this). This still will not prevent a "smart" user from dragging an RVT file onto their Revit shortcut on their desktop though, so be aware of that.

This can easily be setup in your IT Manager's Group Policy for all current users of a domain if you really want to enforce this for everyone... or maybe just to users within a certain group?... you get the idea.

You do NOT need admin privileges to make this adjustment because it will change the setting for the current user only.

Create a new txt file (or download mine) and place the following lines in it
(save it as "RevitFileOpenTroll.reg"):

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\rvt_auto_file]

@="BIM Model :P"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\rvt_auto_file\shell]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\rvt_auto_file\shell\open]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\rvt_auto_file\shell\open\command]

@="explorer http://wikihelp.autodesk.com/Revit/enu/2013/Help/00001-Revit_He0/2278-Collabor2278/2333-Working_2333/2354-Working_2354/2363-Opening_2363"

Double click this file on any machine that you want to make this change for. After running this registry updater, double clicking an RVT file will open the Autodesk Wiki page showing the proper method for opening a workshared model.

You can change the web site to one of your own if you like that tells the proper method for opening an RVT in your organization.

SOLD OUT - CASE Revit 2013 API Workshop

Thanks to all that enrolled into the Inaugural CASE Revit 2013 API Workshop! This is the first of many I'm sure based on the amount of interest that we saw from you guys.

For those of you that did enroll, please plan to stay late on Friday as we will be throwing a bit of a happy hour social in the office. We have a ping pong table and Fed thinks he can't lose... so there's that...

We are looking into the possibility of a travelling roadshow where me might end up doing a workshop in the Portland Oregon area as well as Dallas Texas... Stay tuned for updates if we figure out a way to make this work publicly.

Using the Find Items Feature in Navisworks 2012 for Revit Rooms

I've heard some frustrations from people on how to use the Find Items feature in Navisworks 2012 to find Revit rooms within the model.

The first thing that you need to make sure is that the "Export room geometry" option is checked prior to exporting the Revit model to Navisworks 2012.

Then in the "Find Items" dialog accessible from the View tab of the ribbon under the Windows drop-down set the following line in your search:

• Category = Category
• Property = Name
• Condition = =
• Value = Rooms

This will find all Revit rooms in your Navisworks model where you can then save this as a search set for future use without ever having to update your selections.

Revit 2011 Categories that Do NOT Have Types

I've taken the liberty of listing each Revit 2011 category that does not contain types for anyone looking to impress their spouse with some pointless trivia (more for my own future reference than anything else).

Can anyone name the one category that only has types and no instances??....


AREAS
AREA LOADS
DUCT SYSTEMS
ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS
EXTERIOR
GBXML SURFACE
LEVELS
HVAC ZONES
INTERIOR
INTERNAL AREA LOADS
INTERNAL LINE LOADS
INTERNAL POINT LOADS
LINE LOADS
MASS EXTERIOR WALL
MASS FLOOR
MASS GLAZING
MASS INTERIOR WALL
MASS OPENING
MASS ROOF
MASS SKYLIGHT
MASS ZONE
MATERIALS
OPENING
PADS
PIPING SYSTEMS
POINT LOADS
PROJECT INFORMATION
ROADS
ROOMS
SHADE
SHAFT OPENINGS
SHEETS
SPACES
SWITCH SYSTEM
UNDERGROUND
VIEWS

FACIAS is the category that only contains types and no instances...

Che-che-che- Changes....

It's been a very busy year so far and some rumors have surfaced. I have indeed officially moved on into a new roll with a new company that some may refer to as a start up. I prefer to think of us as an industry changing leader of the AEC community with very deep roots.

Who are we, you ask? Here's a clue:

I will be serving this fine group of super powered individuals as their new CTO and look forward to working with you all in one form or another before it's all said and done...

Be sure and contact me if you have any needs for AEC development, no matter how large or small. We will be focusing on Revit and Navisworks mostly. You should also keep an eye out for a few game changing mobile apps from us to hit the streets soon as well!

This concludes today's public service announcement!

Revit Tip, Ceiling Displays Messed up by Tall Furniture

Have you ever had an issue where your ceilings do not display correctly when you have elements that you need to show in your ceiling plans that are taller than your cut-plane? This is a common issue worth discussing, so here's one of many ways to get your displays fixed...

Issue: Tall cabinets that will obstruct lighting design cause unwanted breaks in the ceiling patterns. You do not want to raise the cut plane because it makes your door openings display incorrectly.

In this case, the ceiling is placed at 9'-6", the furniture causing the display issue is 8'-0" tall and the RCP view cut plane needs to be set at 7'-6". The image below shows how the grid pattern is broken incorrectly by the tall furniture element:

Solution: Use a series of "Plan Regions" and set their View Range to the necessary height so that the ceiling above these items displays correctly. The image below shows the correct plan display for the ceiling pattern:

This issue was resolved by placing a Plan Region over the tall furniture item and setting the cut plane to 8'-0"

Draw the region around the necessary area and set the cut plane's height to the height that you require.

Revit 2011 Worksharing User Name

Do you have a bunch of public workstations that your users use to access workshared Revit 2011 models? Have you ever noticed that the name that displays in the worksharing monitor does not match the actual user's name?... Well this is an issue that has been resolved in Revit 2012 but is till annoying in Revit 2011.

So if you're still wondering how to change this name (sigh), you can adjust it to read anything you like... just be careful that you do not have two names in any two machines that are the same and have the same model loaded at the same time (this really jacks up how Revit 2011 worksharing works and will cause some dumb stuff...)

So if you have a bunch (or just one) public walk-up or training machines that people use to access workshared Revit 2011 models, enter a name in the user name field that is descriptive as to the machine's use or location:

• San Francisco Giants 2010 World Series Champion Test Machine #1
• Training #1
• 197th Floor Spaceship Walk-up
• Etc.

Thou Shall Read Thy Dialog Box!!

This may appear to be a ridiculous post to most... but you would be amazed as to how many people call me to fix something with their model when they get a popup dialog that they have not seen before. They could solve their own problems 99% of the time if they would just simply READ the dialog box.

It really gets me though when people never read any warnings or dialogs at all and just close them no matter what. These are the people that tend to destroy stuff and don't even know it!

So please... if you're new to Revit or have been doing this stuff for 20 years... please... PLEASE read the dialogs and warning popups all the time!

...or the code ninjas will get you!!! I'm planning to start placing random jokes in my dialogs to urge people to want to start reading dialog boxes... I wish Autodesk could do the same

Top 10 Reasons Chuck Norris Would be a Great BIM Manager

I realize that I haven't posted any API stuff lately. I've been tied up with the BETA's as well as writing the API chapter for the next installment of "Mastering Autodesk Revit Architecture 2012"... Look for an essential post later this month on converting rooms to masses without tessellation (super fast).

It's amazing how much of a BIM Manager's time is taken up daily to cater to the occasional user's laziness or lack of fear. If BIM Manager's were more like Chuck Norris, our jobs would be amazingly more efficient and productive [wink]... So here are the top ten reasons on why I think Chuck Norris would be an excellent BIM Manager:

10.) User's would never miss a deadline for fear that they might have to become victim to his wrath

9.) Plotter's would never fail or run out of paper where Chuck Norris is BIM Manager

8.) Getting user's to pay attention in training sessions would never be easier

7.) Why?... Chuck Norris, that's why!

6.) Chuck Norris doesn't miss deadlines because they work only within HIS schedule!

5.) Chuck Norris could improve the functionality of Revit simply by starring it down

4.) All constraints would always be satisfied or die a painful round-house death

3.) No Revit model under Chuck Norris' responsibility would ever think of containing an error or perform slowly

2.) Chuck Norris would tell families to build themselves, and they would

1.) Not even Revit would dare give warnings to Chuck Norris

Best Idea for a Building... EVER

This post requires very little explanation, Pie day is next month!

Now this is Architectin'

Pientines Day!

I know most people relate falling in love with February 14th. ...being the geek at heart that I am, I think this holiday should be relocated to March 14...
That's right, 3/14.. or 3.14!! It's only one month exactly from the ever so improperly commercialized love holiday of 2.14!!!



Write your senators and let's get this taken care of once and for all!!! We all owe our livelihoods to simple arithmetic whether we know it or not and should celebrate our love of understanding it!!

And ladies... if you feel the same way, let's talk!!

Supplemental BIM Database Porn Part 2, Reporting Multiple Categories Together

This is part 2 of the highly anticipated and exciting mini series on supplemental BIM database design!

This post will focus on how data from two entirely different tables can be UNION queried together to aggregate counts and cost SUM's in a single report. The really cool part about how this works is that the fields don't have to match names or even data types between the two tables... I know, SUPER EXCITING~!!
The examples in this mini series have been built in MS Access 2007 in case you haven't noticed but could very easily be used with minor adjustments on SQL or my new favorite PostgreSQL.

A quick snapshot showing the 5 tables that we'll be working with is shown below. The type properties are in the category tables prefixed with "type" and the instance properties in the tables prefixed with "inst"...

UNION queries can only be built in MS Access 2007 using pure SQL syntax. This shouldn't be any big deal at all to a seasoned SQL DB Admin. To create a UNION query in MS Access 2007, click the "UNION" button in the query Design tab of the ribbon.

Union queries will show up in your MS Access 2007 Object Browser with a Union icon as shown below.

It is important to note that while the data types and names of the fields in each table can be entirely different when used in a UNION query, the quantity selected between each table must be equal. Select 5 fields in one table, then you better select 5 in the other. There is no limit to the amount of UNION queries you can run together, just remember to select the same quantity of fields in each of your table selections.


Another super important key is the order of the fields in each of your selection queries. That is to say that the first field in the first selection will list directly with the first field of the second selection query and so on, make sense? Great!


So what would the query look like? The example below shows the selection of all "Furniture" and "Furniture Systems" elements from four tables named "inst Furniture", "type Furniture", "inst Furniture Systems" and "type Furniture Systems." Each category holds a relationship between two tables for instance and type properties respectively. Yet another relationship to complicate matters further but also show the flexibility of such a query is the "ProjectInfo" table that holds the project information useful in populating report headers and footers.

The resulting query results (partial) looks like this (Quantity and TotalCost are aggregated across the two UNION queries in totally separate table groups):



Schedule Accumulated Road Centerline Lengths in Revit

Another NON API Post!!! Don't worry, I haven't converted...

Have you ever needed to schedule some sort of element's accumulated linear distance?... Say like a whole bunch of road centerlines for curb costing?... Here's a quick tip on how you can do just that?...

First create a new wall type and name it something like "Roads_CenterLine" and set it's construction width to something very skinny... say 0.05mm

Set the "Type Mark" for this new wall type to "RoadCenterline"... we'll use this to filter our schedule later.

Next draw or trace all of your road centerlines using this new wall type. Make sure that all of the walls that you draw using this new wall type are no taller than your cut plane in your view (very short). A wall height of 1mm works great.

Create a view filter based on the name of this wall and apply it to your current view. We'll use this to override the display of the walls so that when plotted they will look like a real centerline.

Apply the filter to your view and override the filter's display to whatever you want. My example modifies the linetype to a centerline...

Your centerline walls should look something like this one now:

So you obviously need to schedule the accumulated lengths of these centerlines, so create a new wall schedule and add the "Length" and "Family Type" fields.

Filter walls by "Type Mark" using contains "RoadCenterline" as the filter means.

Set the Grand Totals checkbox in the "Sorting/Grouping" tab so you get the totals.

Now hide the "Type Mark" field since you're only using it as a quantification filter.

Now check the "Calculate totals" box for the "Length" field... this is how we calculate the totals.

You're done! Your schedule should resemble something like this one:

BIM is easy...

Revit MEP Reuseable System Layouts Across Multiple Projects

Before anyone boo's me... this is a NON API post...

This one's for you HVAC guys out there struggling with the speed of Revit MEP. I know it can be a little painful at times, but boy is it nice to have an intelligent model as a finished product that you can really make use of throughout the CA and construction phase to help avoid change orders and SNAFU's in the field.

I'll have to warn you first about the performance hits that you may encounter if you fail to "UNGROUP" these systems after you place them into your model... PLEASE remember to ungroup all placements after they dropped into your model as these groups will really leave a mark in terms of performance if left as live groups.

OK... let's get started...

Have you ever worked on a building that uses repeatable VAV layouts or has numerous zones that for the most part are all basically the same in terms of elements placed to design it? This method can be used for just about anything you can imagine that utilizes system families, tags, text, and well... you get the idea.

I'm going to show you a way that you can build a warehouse of reusable system layouts complete with equipment, ductwork, and air terminals that you can reuse on all of your projects.

First let's start by drawing a full system complete with a VAV unit, all necessary ductwork, terminals and tags (you really could add anything you want to this).

Then let's select the items and create a group. Notice how you get two options for naming the groups? Tags will be placed into a nested group that you can name independently from the model group.

Now that you've got the group created, verify that your project browser displays the model group with a nested detail group beneath it like the image below.

Now to test if this thing works, right-click the model group from the above mentioned model group in the project browser and chose "Create Instance" and place one in your model (anywhere). It should look like the one below (without the tags... don't worry...).

Did you notice in the image above that you have an option button named "Attached Detail Group" when you select the model group that you just placed? Pick it and select the nested detail group name in the resulting dialog box.

Now your group should look a little more complete like the one below.

Now you can export your preconfigured system layout groups to a server where they can be shared across projects...

Use the "Load as Group" button in the "Insert" tab of the ribbon to add an externally saved group to a new project...