Revit Switchback in Navisworks 2012

I wanted to create a written post for this topic since I had posted a video regarding the new Switchback functionality in the Revit products.  Here is the video link; http://bit.ly/tF5SRf.  This is found on our 2012 Learning Videos page which can be accessed from the Media pull down on our website.

With the Revit 2012 products we now have a new add-in supporting workflows with Navisworks Manage.  Here, we see selections to create a Navisworks cache file (NWC) and the new setting of  Navisworks Switchback.

This tool functionality previously existed only with AutoCAD and Microstation-based products.  Switchback allows us to work side-by-side using Navisworks Manage and an authoring application like Revit or AutoCAD MEP, to open, navigate to a component in the model, make alterations, save a new export, and refresh the review model in Navisworks to update the review process.  This can happen from two places; a right-click selection menu from a model element, or using the Switchback button inside of the Clash Detective tool.

This process requires certain steps be followed:

1. Both Navisworks and the authoring application be open.
2. The Navisworks fileset created from the source file, i.e., nwc file, be open in Navisworks.  The project file is not required to be open in Revit or AutoCAD.
3. The Switchback funtionality is enabled in the authoring application before performing the function, i.e., type NWLOAD on the AutoCAD command line or select the Navisworks Switchback button from the Add-Ins tab in Revit.

Also of importance is one more selection from the Options dialog inside Navisworks.  The refresh process will not work with this selection disabled, and you may find it is so in your default installation.  In the Navisworks Options dialog, select Performance, beneath Model.  Be sure to checkmark the box for “Close NWC/NWD files on load”.  This allows the authoring application to export a new file and overwrite the previous one, allowing the Refresh button to work in Navisworks.  If not, you will receive a message saying unable to write the file.

With many users taking advantage of Autodesk’s new Design Suite offerings, working side-by-side with multiple applications provides advantages to design and contruction entities to better insure designs are coordinated before and during construction processes.

Showing elements from a ceiling plan in a floor plan

From time to time it’s nice to see overhead items in a Revit floor plan. Dropped ceilings, soffits, light fixtures, etc. are all useful to see in plan view, especially when arranging furniture and such.

Here’s a great and incredibly simple technique to show these items in plan using whatever line style you choose, while still maintaining the connection to the actual ceiling elements. I’ve found some designers simply using drafting lines to create these items in plan, but this is a non-BIM way of doing things, since there is no real connection between the items in plan and the elements in the RCP. Sure, you could constrain and lock them, but the following method is much simpler.

What’s the trick? Well, it makes use of Underlay, setting the orientation to Reflected Ceiling Plan, then using the Linework tool. The slick thing is that once you’ve overridden the line style, you can shut off the underlay and the lines you’ve modified are still visible. Nice, right?

I’m sure that’s enough to get a lot of you going, but here are the step by step details in a quick Revit tutorial.

Revit Tutorial – Show Elements from a Ceiling Plan in a Floor Plan View

Revit - Standard Reflected Ceiling Plan View

Here is a standard Revit reflected ceiling plan. We’ve got an acoustic tile ceiling with an overhead lighting fixture in the conference room.

Revit - Standard Floor Plan

As you know, by default in a Revit floor plan view, no ceiling items are shown.

Revit - Turn on Underlay with RCP Orientation

Set Underlay to Level 1 (same level) and make sure the Underlay Orientation is set to Reflected Ceiling Plan

Revit - Linework Tool

Use the Line Work tool from the Modify panel of the Ribbon to change the appearance of the edge of elements you’d like to be visible in the floor plan. You’ll notice that there is an Overhead style that exists for this very purpose.

Revit - Overhead Line Style

Piece of cake, right? Simple choose ‘Overhead’ from the Line Style drop down (or whatever line style you prefer) then click the edge of the element you want to be visible. You’ll see the line change from halftone (underlay style) to a dark line with whatever line style you choose.

Revit - Ceiling Elements in Floor Plan

Here’s the finishing touch! Turn off Underlay in the View Properties. Presto! The lines that we modified with the Line Work tool are still visible. Sweet, right?

Autodesk Project Varsari Technology Preview

Autodesk Project Vasari – Importing Site Images.

Want to see something really easy? Take a look at Project Vasari. Besides looking just like a Revit toolset, it works as a conceptual site studies tool too. In addition, it imports results into Revit.

First off, as anything else related to BIM, you need to set the location. Since we will depend on linking that information in, look at the location showing as Boston MA under the Viewcube. Clicking on this and setting the location will get us started. 

When we click on the location we are presented with a Map of Boston, just type in the Project address or at least the city and state.

In my case I am using CADsoft Tempe office address at 1295 W. Washington St Tempe AZ after which we will then click import site image into another dialog box.

Then import the image again into Project Varsari. If you have been using Revit’s location tools to set the buildings to sites this will be pretty straightforward

After which the active level will then receive the image and you are all set to start using the image as a tracing of existing forms of the site for contextual studies, sun/shadow analysis, etc.

Set the viewcube to top and then trace the outline of the existing building. Nothing to it.

Using Revit like massing tools and gizmos enables rapid learning and adoption across differnt or not so different platforms.

I can’t believe how easy our work is getting with BIM. Sign up for this technology preview and try it out it’s free and easy!

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/vasari/

Navisworks 2012 Display Tips

New application releases sometimes change what we are used to seeing in our display windows.  Somewhere along the line we forgot that we changed what was originally the default, or something new in the software has been added, or maybe, we simply never used the feature before.  In Navisworks 2012, some new avatars have been added and the display, at least on all of our machines show the third-person avatar mode by default.  Certainly a little annoying if you do not use these much or at all.  Don’t forget about the Options dialog for we can turn this off as “our default” if we like.  Do so by opening the Options dialog from the Application drop-down menu.  Choose Viewpoint Defaults under Interface and select the Settings button under collision.  Here you can deselect Enable for Third Person so that he/she won’t appear when starting a new project.  Of course you can select which avatar to use when starting a project as well.

Another possible bother is the orbiting of your view.  If you’re like me – old school – I use the Shift+mouse wheel to orbit in my model views for all products.  When I do this in a fresh, new Navisworks project I get unwanted results.  Even though, again, there are Options dialog settings, I like to hit PgUp after loading the first file (Navisworks zoom extents) and then my orbit method works as desired.

Autodesk Revit MEP 2012 New Features

I can count greater than three dozen enhancements in the 2012 release of Revit MEP, not beginning to count the platform-based enhancements for all three Revit products.  Here are just a few:

Sloped Piping

New tools assist in laying out pipe slopes with automatic calculation, read-out for invert elevations and on-screen tooltips.

Duct and Pipe Placeholders

Placeholder design has always been an early design stage recommendation, but at times can be difficult without the ability for system assignment and other engineering information.  With the new placeholder objects early stage layout can focus on design more than fitting choices and other modeling concerns.  Placeholders can be tagged and checked for interferences.  When ready, a tool to convert placeholders to more detailed objects is available.

Insulation and Lining for Ducts and Pipes

Easily and quickly add insulation and lining to entire runs and utilize interference checking with these elements.  Ducts will also adjust sizes when using the sizing tool of duct segments that include lining.  Many more features have been added or enhanced such as Revit Server for multi-site, multi-user collaboration, point cloud support for visualizing scans, systems and system browser improvements, parallel pipe and conduit runs, and much, much more.

We’ll be looking at more of the specifics as we get to explore them.

Please join us April 20th, for our Virtual Launch showing many of the Autodesk 2012 product releases.  Just click the link provided below.  Hope to see you there.

http://bit.ly/fFsMTo