20 January 2013

Slanted Wall - Leaning Wall: Part 2


The slanted wall or leaning wall shown below is often a question asked in the various Revit forums and also in our office. Let me guide you on how to do it in addition to the method that I early published way backed in 2010. 


The following are steps to follow:
1. You start an In-Place Mass. Enter a name whatever you like.

2. Create the Mass with a face that is at an angle you want to create. Tip: create your Mass in a 3D view wherein you can choose a wall face to use as a work plane. You are not doing the actual Mass of the targeted Wall. It is just the face of the angled wall.

3. Make the necessary adjustment and finish the Mass.


4. Go to Architect and Site tab, Wall tool, and select Wall by Face.

5. Pick the angled face of the Mass you have just created.

6. Do the wall editing profile on both sides to include the slanted portion.

7. The resulting model will be as shown below.

8. Place your wall openings using your standard door or window family.


1 December 2012

Workflow - Creating a Loadable Family


Depending on the complexity of the family, the creation process can be time-consuming. If you can identify a family that is similar to the one you want to create, you can save time and effort by copying, renaming, and modifying the family to create the new family.

For best results when creating a family, use the following workflow.

1. Before beginning family creation, plan your family. Identify requirements regarding family sizes, how the family displays in different views, whether a host is required, the detail level to be modeled, and the origin of the family

2. Create a new family file with the appropriate family template.

3. Define subcategories for the family to help control the visibility of the family geometry.

4. Create the family skeleton, or framework:

- Define the origin (the insertion point) of the family.

- Lay out reference planes and reference lines to aid in sketching component geometry.

- Add dimensions to specify parametric relationships.

- Label dimensions to create type or instance parameters or 2D representation.

- Test, or flex, the skeleton.

5. Define family type variations by specifying different parameters.

6. Add a single level of geometry in solids and voids, and constrain the geometry to reference planes.

7. Flex the new model (types and hosts) to verify correct component behavior.

8. Repeat previous steps until the family geometry is complete.

9. Specify 2D and 3D geometry display characteristics with subcategory and entity visibility settings.

10. Save the newly defined family, and then load it into a project for testing.

11. For large families that include many types, create a type catalog.


Source: Autodesk site

2 November 2012

Roombook Areabook Extension for Autodesk Revit 2013 and Autodesk Revit LT 2013


The Roombook Areabook Extension for Autodesk® Revit® 2013*, Autodesk® Revit® Architecture 2013, Autodesk® Revit® Structure 2013, Autodesk® Revit® MEP 2013, and Autodesk® Revit LT™ software helps calculate the surface area of walls, floors and ceiling elements, room circumferences and the total number of furnishing elements within a project. 

In addition to the automated detection of room areas and surfaces, this extension helps users configure these elements manually to local requirements, as well as achieve more accurate model take-offs. Quantified results can be exported to Microsoft® Excel® software and Autodesk® Quantity Takeoff (QTO) software.

*Autodesk Revit 2013 software is only available as part of the Autodesk® Building Design Suite 2013 Premium and Ultimate Editions.

Release Date: 2012-11-01
Source: Autodesk Subscription Page

1 November 2012

Revit Structure 2013 Update Release 2


Revit Structure 2013 Update Release 2 is now available for download from Autodesk site. 
Update Release 2 (Build: 20121003_2115) is not a full install; rather it is using service pack technology similar to AutoCAD®- based products. Prior to installing the Update Release 2, please verify that you have already installed the First Customer Ship build of Autodesk Revit Structure 2013 (Build: 20120221_2030) or Update Release 1 for Autodesk Revit Structure 2013 (Build: 20120716_1115).


Link for more details:
Revit Structure 2013 Update Release 2

Source: Autodesk Site