Smart Geometry Dumb Geometry

I see this (Smart Geometry type of thing) being widespread (on the horizon) and in Revit... do you AutoDesk? If not then I will include herein excerpts from an interesting article (and a link to the original); so perhaps we can get some groundswell for these capabilities to be built into Revit.

-My editorialization is in maroon.

"Robert Aish leaves Bentley" Yes, it's a link.
by Lars Hesselgren - 01 November 2007

"...Most people's reaction to the news that Robert Aish has resigned from Bentley and
is joining Autodesk is "Well what happens to GC now?". As you may imagine this was indeed the reaction of myself and the members of the SmartGeometry Group... (I say what happens to Revit now!!!???)

...We have to acknowledge the enormous role Robert played in creating Generative Components.
It was very much ‘his baby’...Robert Aish from YRM and Intergraph Master Architect days had joined Bentleys and was testing his first iteration of GC, so he joined the group. Our first outing with an incredibly rough Alpha was in Cambridge (2003); Robert did a new build every day...

...And of course at the end of the day Autodesk’s move underlines the acceptance into the marketplace of tools designed for the new design age where computers are used as active design participants. It is a fundamentally different concept from BIM which is a wonderful data storage method, but which leaves design out of the equation..." Yeah, Design is back into our tool box and perhaps one day it'll really be available and flexible in Revit too. -Or will that idea just be killed off?

Now, I know that there are methods for creating "approximations" or "visualizations" of complex designs, based on relatiotional formulas (I refer you to Phil Read's AU class that he gives each year) but those massing studies are a bit limited and don't generate building components, that are adequately quantifiable or "real", etc. they mainly look like objects... We need real objects to be controlled in any manner we dream.

I have one humble request: ADSK please get this type of geometry creation into Revit ASAP, I suggest you ask Mr. Aish; I'd bet he can show you how...he is on payroll, no???!!! ...or is this already happening (insert sly smile here) ...Hmmm...

...That ends this transmission...

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Tags Tagging The "Right" Thing

A new Revit user came in with this question... "Why doesn't my Curtain Panel Tag show the number?" ...Breath just breath...since I have heard this type of thing a lot I didn't burst out into a cynical laughing fit... ((WTF is the Parameter "Number"? I know it's being picky but if we would all call things what they actually are then life may be a much better place... It's not misremembering, it's telling a lie Mr. Clemons!!! Well anyways, back to my first tangent: I think they mean to call into play the parameter "Mark"). See it's just my cynical streak running wild... Oh well, on with the solution.

Select the Tag in question and choose EDIT FAMILY, from the Options Bar; then in the family editor, select the original parameter label and click the "SELECT PARAMETER" button from the Options Bar; you should see something similar to the following:

Since there was no value input for Type Mark in the object; and since we want to see the Mark (AKA: Number) we need to change the label to look at the parameter "Mark": (popular guy)

Then simply load (the modified family) into your project (saving the family is probably suggested...just remember to change the name :-)).

Now, when the Mark value is input in the object(s) Properties' (similar to the next image)...

the panels in question will go from this:

To this:
Now just apply this to every possible tag (And more???!!!) you have and you could have 1 to over 100 problems solved with this one posting!!!

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Hail to the Chief(s): Onward and Upward for LA's Revit User Group

Please join me in congratulating me (Oooh, that's awkward) on becoming the Los Angeles Revit User Group's Co-President.

I will be Joining Tom Wier of Brandow & Johnston, Inc. in the operations of this, the greatest Revit User Group in the world.... OK here in LA at least!!!

I know this will be a great opportunity for me personally as well as professionally and wish to thank everyone who has helped me obtain such a level of total world domination...uhhh...I mean... to a place where I can help inspire and be inspired from users throughout Los Angeles and the (Revit) world at-large (yes bloggers, you too!!! Thank you all).

Since I first saw Revit I realized it's power and BIM's potential as being the way that we could bring Architecture to a higher level of achievement and I will strive to share this vision to as diverse an audience as is possible. Who knows, perhaps we'll get some new Reviteurs and help inspire the broader field of Architecture into unimagined accomplishments!!! I can dream, but you should know that I will also act on these dreams!!!

I am looking forward to bringing the LA (and beyond) Revit community to an even better place than we now enjoy and I invite you all to be a part of that.

One of my colleagues sent this to me so I felt it appropriate to pass it along...(really, none of this is going to my head)... I have always been confident in myself... Ooooh, awkward again!!! LOL. -J

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Four Sundays in May

I hope you can make any or all of the Sundays listed below, from 12:30 to 3:15 pm (If you're in LA that is).

The occasion? Well, I'm glad you asked: it's for Family Days at LACMA... And guess who's teaching again???

I will be leading a painting on canvas adventure (canvas paper, that is), in a great setting with easels and sunshine...

If you've never been, well Nike says just do it!!! Everyone under 18 years old gets a free Museum membership. Yes, a real membership!!! Plus everyone is welcome to join in all the creativity -and what could be better than collaborating on Art with your friends and family? Not too much if you ask me!!!

There will be several stations setup with all you'll need to get your inner (or outer) Artist going, in a multitude of media; so kids (OK everyone) bring your family and friends and have some creative fun.

Click Above Me!!!

Picasso, Matisse, Degas—Oh My!
May 4, 11, 18, 25, 2008

Visit the newly reinstalled modern art galleries! Works by leading modern artists Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Edgar Degas will inspire you to make your own art with Larry Ashton, June Edmonds, Mahyar Nili, Quan Yen Tran and Jay Zallan.

View works from the museum's permanent collection in tours led by LACMA's high school interns exploring the influences, design, materials, and techniques used by modern artists.

Thanks to all the great staff and volunteers who make this happen week in and week out!!! With a special thanks to my great friend Alicia and the entire Education Department for providing me with a continued opportunity to help inspire Art in our community. You guys are amazing!!!

I will plan on seeing you there!!! (Yes YOU!!!)

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Are Your Callouts Out Of Shape Or Do You Just Want Them To Be?

Callouts being Rectangular and only rectangular is one of those things that The Factory (Revit's, not Andy Warhol's) seems to think that we are not intelligent enough to create, or need to create...Or is it the other way around??? Could it be too difficult to program??? I mean, we got to the moon on less than a cell phone's computing power, right!!!??? Oh well...Until they give this to us here is one workaround...

But First: Is the rectangular Callout really unusable in your project? I always try to use the original callouts, but if it is just not acceptable then go to step #1.


1) Create an actual Callout, that generates a Plan View (and If you like to work predictably and consistently, then set it's extents to a "Scope Box" via the properties, as shown below). Note: Yes, I created the Scope Box before I created the Callout, but you can do it after...


Below is the end result of step #1:

2) Select the original, generative Callout and Right-Click and Hide Element In View (Here's the 1st thing that needs to be communicated to the team as well as manually managed throughout the life of the project again... see the question in red, above).

3) Create our Proxy Callout that References (an) Other View and choose that generated view from the drop-down. Refer to the next 2 images!!!


When creating the Proxy, Referential View make the rectangle nearly impossibly small (zoom, zoom, zoom!!!)


Progress so far:


(Yes you may want to place the Scope Box(es) on their own workset that is Not "On By Default In Every View" (See the dialogue box that pops up when creating a new WS for this check box)...

4) Draw Detail Lines (I used the Double Dash) that express the Callout Bubble that you actually want...(and isn't that the whole point for this? BTW: See that red question again)

4a) Group the lines for either more control (or less control), depending on your users and their proclivity to delete or move items, etc... Still, I like to group them. (ha ha, the Callout can't be part of the group...Remember that I mentioned manual management? Well that's another one to watch as the project progresses).

TaDa...

I know I editorialize a bit but we need to be self critical and really understand the ramifications of any workaround; this may be thought of as being analogous to questioning oneself before running a marathon with stiletto heals on... They may look good and make your legs look beautiful but are the benefits worth it? Sometimes this is yes, sometimes no... If we think this through each time then we will be in good shape whatever the choice...

Until The (Revit) Factory finally gives us the power to create irregularly shaped callout bubbles...If they ever do!!!

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OK so sometimes we need to just pick flowers...

It's been an outrageously busy week so I am going to post a recount of a lesson in perspective that is both humorous and true.

Enjoy, -J

Chapter One: (Eeeewwwww)

A short while (and about 25 lbs ago) I was in the "run" leg of a Sprint Triathlon (1/2 mile swim, 20 mile bike, 3+ mile run) about 1 mile from the finish I heard someone from behind exclaim that he had to pass me because he couldn't let someone with a disturbing injury beat him... (I had played hockey a few days before and got hit with a puck in the back of my leg...I did have a huge bruise but there was no more pain; I must admit that the huge, multi-colored bruise looked nasty). Well, I managed to beat him (ha ha); but, as it turned out this was just a sign of things to come...

Chapter Two: (WTF)

After the race I was getting some re-hydration and bananas and was walking back to the race staging area to begin to pack up and leave when I again heard someone behind me exclaim their horror at the bruise. The person was saying that he was inspired that someone with such a bad looking injury actually competed and finished the course... I turned in the middle of answering to him that "...Oh, it was just a hockey bruise and nothing too serious..." yet as I turned and finally saw this guy (a really toned athlete) I saw that he had only 1 leg (he wore one of those racing prosthetics)... He did the same race as me with only one leg and he was impressed by me??? WTF/LOL!!!

Chapter Three: (Hmmmm)

After running thru a long list of thoughts that flooded me I finally had a nice talk with him about how funny it seemed to me that he is the one to me who is truly inspiring, running on one leg and that he thought my little (well OK big) bruise was inspiring to him was a great irony...we both had a little laugh and a realization about perspective...we both seemed to think our situations were merely our normal state...

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More Fun With Views: Stacked Isometrics and More

A friend asked me how I made stacked 3D Plan Views in a project I was showing him; so I offer this up for everyone (who sees it) to use and abuse... I bet you (us) abusers can find many other uses for composite Revit Views!!! (perhaps one day I'll post my shortcuts too) Ready, Set...

GO.

1) Model your building (LOL)
2) Open Up a 3D View (you can have a lot of fun with Camera Views and these techniques as well!!!) I'll use this one:3) View>Orient>To Other View (or in my world OO...great for repetition!!!)

4) Yeah, It's obviously imperative to choose the appropriate View for what you are attempting...(Hmm Sections? Although not shown possible!!!)

Here's how that 3D looks now...BUT WAIT!!! (although if you create 2 of each View you can place the 3D "Plan" with shadows next to the isometrics that this posting illustrates...Ohhh More Fun!!!)


5) Now View>Orient>Save View (or in my world SV...Are you getting the idea that using shortcuts are faster for repetitive tasks???!!! I think I just saved $100.00)

6) Then (AKA: now) View>Orient>Northeast (or whatever you like...If you're not bored with the shortcut train of thought here it is: SV...Yes, Save View). Saving the View will create a new Default 3D view, thus enabling you to repeat the steps above as many times as needed (in this example there are 7 total)...

Here is a completed ISO Plan that will be stacked with the others... (Yes, I created one for every Level: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7...+ a Site view that I discarded in the end)

7) Shampoo, Rinse, Repeat...

Here is a sheet view with all 7 views stacked (Yes, you'll want to place the views in an order so as to not cover the wrong ones up...let's say lowest to highest...it all depends on your desires...remember they will snap to alignment if you move them in line with each other)

WAIT A MINUTE!!! Did I just stack them on a Rendering from Revit? And did I actually only select Medium Quality, then push the Render button and let Mental Ray work??? Oh yes I did!!! I also must admit I did open the exported .tif Rendering output in my photo editor, to place a background, due to the fact that when (in Revit 2009) you export a rendering as a .tif or .png it also saves out an Alpha channel (which even accounts for glass, etc...) I say F' Yeah to that!!!

Enjoy!!!

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