UK Revit Reseller ~ Excitech Limited

Design Technology Centre, 8 Kinetic Crescent,

Innova Business ParkEnfield, Middlesex, EN3 7XH

Contact: Rhys Lewis - Senior Account Manager
( Rhys is a very helpful contact within Excitech )

Tel: 0845 370 1549 Mobile: 07841 570 546 Fax: 0845 370 1400 Head Off: 0845 370 1500

E-mail: mailto:rhys.lewis@excitech.co.uk Web Site http://www.excitech.co.uk/

Revit Structural User Group (North London)

23rd April 2009

Design Technology Centre

North London

“Supported by Excitech’s AutoCAD and Revit Structure specialists, the aim of the User Group is to provide a forum where users are able to share their experiences and knowledge of AutoCAD and Revit Structure, allowing them to make better informed decisions as to how they can maximise the benefits from using AutoCAD and Revit Structure.”

The meeting will be a mix of focused AutoCAD and Revit Structure functionality sessions, open discussion and user presentations.

As with all Excitech User Group Meetings spaces will be limited in order to maintain the environment for effective networking and discussion.

They urge you to register early, Click here and submit the form at the bottom of the page

Agenda

9:30 am ~ Registration
10:00 am~ Introduction
10:10 am ~ Autodesk 2010 Software updates including AutoCAD, AutoCAD Structural Detailing, Revit Structure and Structural Extensions.
11:10 am ~ Show and Tell Session - 1; Customer case study - details to be confirmed
11:30 am ~ Coffee break
11:40 am ~ Revit Structure Tips and Tricks
12:30 pm ~ Show and Tell Session - 2; Customer case study - details to be confirmed
12:50 pm ~ Discussion and Summary
1:00 pm ~ Lunch
2:00 pm ~ Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis Suite Demonstration
2:45 pm ~ Show and Tell Session - 3; Customer case study - details to be confirmed
3:00 pm ~ Autodesk Robot Tips and Tricks
3:30 pm ~ Summary and Conclusion
3:40 pm ~ Close

Revit Structure & Robot Structural Analysis Web Seminar

12 noon, Monday 23rd March 2009,
At your desk!

In live on-line demonstrations - web seminars or "webinars" - Excitech will show you how the new Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis software suites can aid fast and efficient structural engineering design.

Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis Professional 2009 is collaborative, versatile, and fast software to help you compete and win in the global economy.

Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis Professional calculates even your most complex models with exceptionally powerful finite element auto-meshing, non-linear algorithms, and a comprehensive collection of design codes, delivering results in minutes, not hours.


Seamless, collaborative workflow and interoperability with 3D bidirectional links to Autodesk companion products, together with an open application programming interface (API) provide a scalable, country-specific analysis solution for many different types of structures, including buildings, bridges, civil and specialty structures.
Agenda

This web seminar will demonstrate how designs can be created in Autodesk Revit Structure and then analysed in Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis, including:

Introduction
Robot Extensions
Design features
RC Beam
RC column
connection design
Revit Extensions (New features)
Model Transfer to Robot Structural Analysis
Design and Change
Bidirectional Data flows between AutoCAD Structural Detailing

To register to attend this event simply click here then complete the form at the bootom of the page.

STAR TREK WIDGET

I know its off subject but I can't wait to see this film....

The Revit Kid on video production overdrive!

The Revit Kid (Jeff Pinheiro) started his Blog on the 12th February this year and already he has produced 8 Student to Student tutorials and 13 Revit Videos

With 21 blog posts during what was left of February and 25 really useful and interesting blog posts so far in March, his blog has to be one of my top 5 to visit on a regular basis.

Well done Jeff, keep up the good work, just don’t create too much in 2009 format we have 2010 and the Ribbon just around the corner and people like to see how to fly Revit from these videos not just the end results.

Inside the Factory ~ New Revit Blog

Inside the Factory is a new blog that started posting on the 1st March. It's a blog about designing the Revit user experience, by Tom Vollaro, Senior User Researcher with AEC Solutions User Experience Team at Autodesk.

This is the guy that posted The Revit Ribbon Designing the User Experiance on YouTube see posting on the 11th March below.

His blog has two goals. First, he and his team want to provide a window into how the Revit user experience is designed. Second, they want to establish a conversation with their users to improve the Revit user experience.

Revit Zone is a great resource for Tutorials

Revit Zone is a great resource for Tutorials , this a must visit web site if your new to Revit. Link to Tutorials Page currently there are 20 Tutorial Available


Align: Using the Align command
Area Plans: Creating a simple Area Plan (1 of 2)
Area Plans: Creating a simple Area Plan (2 of 2)
Drafting Views: Saving individual views for reuse
Edit Cut Profile: Using the Edit Cut Profile tool (Part 1 of 4)
Edit Cut Profile: Using the Edit Cut Profile tool (Part 2 of 4)
Edit Cut Profile: Using the Edit Cut Profile tool (Part 3 of 4)
Edit Cut Profile: Using the Edit Cut Profile tool (Part 4 of 4)
Levels: Maintaining a set distance between Levels
Model Patterns: Aligning to Elements
Roofs: Using the Roof Join / Unjoin Tool
Rooms: The "Room Bounding" parameter
Rooms: Use of the Room Separation tool (Part 1 of 2)
Rooms: Use of the Room Separation tool (Part 2 of 2)
Topography: Changing the Section Cut Material (Part 1 of 2)
Topography: Changing the Section Cut Material (Part 2 of 2)
Topography: Creating a Basic Toposurface (Part 1 of 3)
Topography: Creating a Basic Toposurface (Part 2 of 3)
Topography: Creating a Basic Toposurface (Part 3 of 3)
Walls: Embedded Walls

The Revit Ribbon Designing the User Experiance

Video on You Tube
" Designing and implementing this overhaul of the user interface (UI) required a considerable amount of research, data analysis, interaction design, and visual design. It describes the design process that we followed while designing this new UI. This video highlights a few themes that will persist through our blogging on the topic: •Using data to make design decisions•Developing prototypes and iteratively testing by customers•Leveraging design patterns to create flexible and extensible designs. "

Click Here for the Video on YouTube

Revit 2010 Ribbon (User Inteface) Preview

Click Here to view the Revit Architecture 2010 Ribbon User Interface in Action on YouTube

BIM Managers Tools ~ Directory Printer

Karen’s Directory Printer

This little tool allows you to scan a directory and report its contents to a CSV file (which can be brought into Excel). It can be set up to scan and report file info, folder info, or both file and folder information. Adding to its flexibility you can set it up to only report files with a file extension you specify.

Perfect for the CAD or BIM Manager looking for a way to perform file management audits.

AUGIWorld

AUGIWorld, is the AUGI official magazine which is published every two months and is made available free of charge to all AUGI members. AUGIWorld "Green Edition" is available to members outside the print distribution areas and to any AUGI member who wishes to receive this enviro-friendly edition.


Download the most recent issue:
Click for high-resolution (21MB) version
Click for low-resolution (2.7MB) version

The editorial content of AUGIWorld includes:

Tutorials for the newest Autodesk products
CAD management trends and issues
Tech articles and tips & tricks
Training advice
CAD industry observations

Use this Link to View or Download Recent or Legacy Issues

Autodesk 2010 products UK releases dates!

Autodesk 2010 products

UK releases dates!

Countrification.rfa family?

Ummm I tried looking in the dictionary and on web based dictionaries for the meaning of “countrification” I’m guessing it means made country specific.

Anyway Wai Chu has announced that his structural product team has just released the latest Subscription Structural Library for Revit Structure 2009 in the Autodesk Subscription Centre. The latest library provides additional metric structural content including Type Catalogs (.txt), and/or fully parametric Families (.rfa) such as structural columns, framings, detail components, etc. for the following countries: Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, UK, Canada, Italy, China, Russia and India.

After you download and extract the .zip file, for more detailed information please refer to the “Countrification Content List - 20090206.xlsx”.

Autodesk Revit Structure Web Seminar

UK Value Added Resellers (VAR) and Premier Solutions Provider (PSP) excitech are holding a Web Seminar at 12 noon, Friday 6th March 2009, At your desk!

Agenda

Introduction to building information modelling with Revit

Design with Revit Structure

Data exchange/collaboration

Excitech UK Advance Content for Revit Structure

Analysis Links

To register to attend this event simply complete the form at the bottom of the web page using this link

Whats New in Revit Structure 2010

Have a pdf document on their web site with
Whats New in Revit Structure 2010

AUGI HotNews

HotNews



AUGI HotNews January 2009 ~ Do Revit Users Need User-Generated Content?
AUGI HotNews August 2008 ~ A Look Behind the Curtain (Wall) - Part 2
AUGI HotNews July 2008 ~ A Look Behind the Curtain (Wall) - Part 1
AUGI HotNews June 2008 ~ Diary of a Revit User: Hitting a Nerve
AUGI HotNews May 2008 ~ Revit Architecture: Setting the Site - Part 3
AUGI HotNews April 2008 ~ Revit Architecture: Setting the Site - Part 2
AUGI HotNews March 2008 ~ Revit Architecture: Setting the Site - Part 1
AUGI HotNews February 2008 ~ Rendering in Revit Architecture - Part 2
AUGI HotNews January 2008 ~ Rendering in Revit Architecture - Part 1

UK Web Site With Tips and Tricks

William Sutherland apologies "to anyone coming across his page from a search engine link hoping for nicely arranged Revit tips ;-) the rate of acquisition of Revit tips makes it more of a scribbling pad..." but what a great resource with personal insight of what can and does go wrong. Click Here to visit

More on Ribbon Blues

Feeling just a little frustrated that I had only just purchased the book Mastering Revit 2009 and that they are going to change the whole darn User Interface for the Ribbon that I hate in Word 2007, I posted the Ribbon! We Don't Want Your Stinkin' Ribbon on my blog and on the AUGI forum.

Wes Macaulay posted the reply on the AUGI forum below:-

“The Ribbon is an intelligent response to feature bloat. I would encourage everyone who is opposed to the Ribbon to look at the Microsoft video on why the Ribbon was developed.

I think the Ribbon is a good idea, but it has to be implemented right. Evidently Acad 2010's ribbon is better than 2009's so even the Ribbon we get in Revit 2010 could be improved upon.

The Ribbon isn't marketing balderdash at all -- you have no idea about the thought that went into it. But should they have finished the site tools in this release instead of the Ribbon? Maybe... or maybe getting the Ribbon needed to happen now, because at some point, Windoze users are going to have to come to terms with the Ribbon. I didn't like it either, but the video in the link above made me see why they're doing it. And the Factory might as well get us accustomed to the new era of UI design sooner rather than later.”

I downloaded and watched the video as he suggested.I can see what he means about the amount of thought that went into it......

In Word It just makes me feel like I've lost control, and I really don't want that again, just as I'm finding my feet with Revit.

I was one of the first to jump from DOS to Windows, and that did not feel as awkward as the move from menus to ribbon!

Perhaps it's just my age catching up with me?

But if you feel the same about the Ribbon then it is well worth watching the video as Wes suggests, just to find out why they have done what they have done, like it or not!

CADDHELP

David Harringtons' blog is called CADDHELP

David is a Structural Designer based in Tampa Florida United States a Revit Structure power user With very deep knowledge and many years of experience in AutoCAD, Dave has also been an AUGI Top DAUG, AUGI President, AUGI writer and he is one of the Authors of Mastering Revit Structure 2009

His Blog is always an initeresting read, and worth keeping an eye on.

Ribbon! We Don't Want Your Stinkin' Ribbon

Autodesk’s 2010 Product Portfolio Launch
AECbytes Newsletter #39 (February 12, 2009)

The article is about Autodesk’s two webcasts to officially launch the next version of its design software portfolio, one focused on AutoCAD and the other on its building, transportation, and geospatial products.

Quoting the article:-

“With version 2010, Revit sports a slightly different look and feel in contrast to the interface the application has had since it was introduced, so existing users will have to go through an adjustment period to get used to it. Instead of the toolbar on the left, Revit now sports the ribbon-based tabbed UI running at the top of the application window that Microsoft has popularized with its Office 2007 applications (see Figure 4).”

The question has to be WHY?

Why not more content and less cosmetic crap that make you feel like your getting more for your money or subscription. There are lots of add ons for those on subscription and who in there right mind would buy Revit without subscription? It’s the only way of getting what should be a full package anyway.

For too long software companies have got away with, “we will fix that in the next release” or "please download the latest service patch” to fix the buggy software we have just sold you.

It’s got to be said, I used Microsoft Word from the start, and recently I had a new computer with Office 2007 and I hate the bloody Ribbon.

Why move everything around from where I knew where it was, my productivity dropped considerably whilst I looked for the new locations of known features.

There are now software companies offering bolt ons to Word 2007 to replace the known interface. In AutoCAD 2009 they at least provided a Classic AutoCAD radio button to get rid of the Ribbon.

Can anyone please confirm that they have done the same in Revit Structure and Architecture 2010?

From one of the 2010 brochures

“Improved User Interface

• New customizable ribbon toolbar is task-oriented with redesigned, intuitive icons.”

You can smell the marketing bull**** from here.

New Kid on the Block

The Revit Kid! AKA Jeff Pinheiro has created a Blog and Facebook site and hopes his Blog becomes a major source of information for students using Autodesk Revit, he says:-

"Ultimately, I plan for this blog to be a source of information for the student using Revit in the classroom at a design studio level. I would also like to open it up to the readers to ask me questions to further stimulate the information being produced. By a student, for students..."

AUGI New Forum Area

NEW FORUM AREA AutoCAD Structural Detailing
Companion Product to Revit Structure - Part of AutoCAD Revit Structure Suite

Revit Structure Support
Revit Structure discussion forums are here!

Revit Structure - General
Main discussion area for the latest release of Revit Structure.

Revit Structure - Tips & Tricks
Got a hot tip? Share it here!

Revit Structure - Families
Topics about creating families specifically for Revit Structure.

Revit Structure - Wishlist
Got a wish? Blow out the candle here!

A Hyperlinked list to all the AUGI forum areas can now be found on the left panel of this web site.

Cadalot Web Site is moving over to Blogs

I was hoping that normal service was going to be resumed to my web site.

I moved over the UK Revit Register and then thought why not move the whole web site over to Blogs?

My cadalot web site has been around since 2000 and has been Tenlinks Top Ten Listed since 2001. There was a lot of information on it, and I’m in the process of porting the web site over to the family of Blogs that you may have noticed I have created and has appeared on the top left of the screen.

This is a bit like a spring clean, and it is giving me the opportunity to check links and content and update the information.

My cadalot.co.uk domain name now points to a Cadalot Index Blog which is like the old index page of the web site and give people access to the various areas of the old web site but now provided on Blogs!.

New Home for UK Revit Register

Some of you might have noticed that my cadalot web site has not been available for the last few days

It would appear that that my virtual hosting providers are having a few problems at the moment.

I’m hoping that normal service may be resumed as soon as possible but who knows? I’m still waiting for answers to emails as they appear to busy to answer my questions over the phone.

In the mean time, I’m looking at alternative ways of providing some of the cadalot web site information, so that UK Revit Register is now on it’s own blog rather than being provided on the web site.