RevPac For those not happy with 2010 UI

[mbalsom]

obsolete data

[iankids]

For those who may not be aware or have not seen the post and threads on this application. I highly recommend everybody try this application and see just how pleasurable 2010 can be when done right.
|http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?p=990900#post990900
http://www.cadwerx.net/?Path=RevPac

I wholeheartedly endorse Mark's comments.

Whilst it may not suit larger Architectural firms who wish to maintain a consistent UI across all users, for the smaller offices (such as mine), this app is an absolute godsend.

I am now working faster and more enjoyably than I was even with 2009, let alone trying to deal with the whack-a-mole 2010.

Cheers,

Ian

[zenomail105021]

I purchased it yesterday. Great app.

Bill Maddox

[tomnewsom]

Looks awesome :)
My boss will never pay for it :(

[tomnewsom]

well, we don't actually have any major projects on R2010 yet, and our R2009 projects are dozing. My time is currently mostly spent in Autocad doing as-needed drawings for a job in construction with a tight schedule and a client who's still changing their mind all the time.

After a few months of that, any Revit at all will feel like relief :)

[iankids]

well, we don't actually have any major projects on R2010 yet, and our R2009 projects are dozing. My time is currently mostly spent in Autocad doing as-needed drawings for a job in construction with a tight schedule and a client who's still changing their mind all the time.

After a few months of that, any Revit at all will feel like relief :)

Ouch! Thats gotta hurt! The thought of going back to AutoCad for day on day work is enough to send me to drink!
Hang in there, hopefully your firm picks up some new work which will get you off that medieval torture rack of Cad. :-)

Ian

[ws]

Now that they have a workaround for the linked files crashing problem I've downloaded the 30 day trial and yes, it is wonderful :)

I'll pay for it just to have the thumbnails of open Views, never mind the other nice touches.

Sadly this looks like a 'must have' add-on for Revit.

[mcaddc]

I am a big fan of this little app also.

Autodesk should take note and see how beta testing and development should be done. Byron the developer has been fantastic at listening, responding and acting upon our feedback.

He has been releasing new builds which satisfy everyones feedback in a very short time, with also the promise of even more features in the near future.

You should try the 30 day trial and see for yourself how helpful this little app can be.

[ben.136902]

I am a big fan of this little app also.

Autodesk should take note and see how beta testing and development should be done. Byron the developer has been fantastic at listening, responding and acting upon our feedback.

He has been releasing new builds which satisfy everyones feedback in a very short time, with also the promise of even more features in the near future.

You should try the 30 day trial and see for yourself how helpful this little app can be.

Man i was excited for a minute, i thought someone was starting a new program outside of autodesk.

Thats what needs to be done, considering since autodesk took over the development team has been asleep at the wheel.

[jeremiah77769]

It's a bummer that they totally had to ruin the "flow" of Revit with this new ribbon disaster. I really don't care what the software designers or their apologists think but I'm pretty unhappy with the interface as most everything has little to no flow to it. Now we have to plunk down another wad of cash just to have a decent interface. I do like the plugin though, I have to say it helps. I'm giving a thumbs down to autodesk on the 2010 release at this point, I only hope they pay attention to their customers in the future because I'm doubting that a whole new shiny interface was something many people were begging for...

[Byron Blattel]

I wholeheartedly endorse Mark's comments.

Whilst it may not suit larger Architectural firms who wish to maintain a consistent UI across all users, for the smaller offices (such as mine), this app is an absolute godsend.

I am now working faster and more enjoyably than I was even with 2009, let alone trying to deal with the whack-a-mole 2010.

Cheers,

Ian

Ian, I'm interested in the large firm comment...

The biggest firm I've worked at was around 20 and I happened to be CAD manager (AutoCAD only back then) as well as a Project Architect. I may not have the 'large firm' mentality, but I always felt that the CAD software UI was up to the user to configure however they wanted (even if it wasn't for productivity reasons, but rather more mundane ones). For me, whatever made them comfortable (and wasn't offensive) was part of their environment, like their physical desktop. That did not mean they could produce whatever they wanted from that software, they had to follow standards.

Are you saying you think it would be construed as more difficult to find people comfortable with RevPac as first time users and it would be more difficult to hire?

Or are you just saying having each user setup their workstation according to their own preferences is not 'large firm' mentality (and I don't fit in, no shocker there)?

If you, or anyone else has a real large firm perspective I'd like very much to hear your opinion about the viability of RevPac in that environment. I'll need Site license sales to make this work at the prices currently offered...

That said, I'm considering several improvements that may help in this area:

Workspaces:
- Conceptually these would be similar to AutoCAD's (if the name is going to be a turn off, I'll think of something else, but it would be the correct name). The idea would be you'd have a different set of tools for things like design phase (schematic, dd, cd, etc.) or even a specific job or task.
-Things saved in the Workspace would be: ToolBars and (optionally) ToolBar settings, ViewBar settings, etc. but no command usage so your Next/Popular bar is always based on your usage.

Enterprise Workspace(s):
- The BIM/CAD manager deploys this into the RevPac folder. If RevPac finds it, RP uses it instead of the User's workspace. Perhaps this is a collection of Workspaces. It would be either a 'hard' or 'soft' standard. When 'hard' the user cannot move or configure toolbars, when 'soft' they can (and the changes are saved as their cusomized version of the enterprise level workspace)

Standard 'Built in' Workspaces:
- Default (created based upon the Ribbon's basic layout and functionality)
- Perhaps a set based upon design phase or industry (AEC, etc.), give me some feedback here...

I'm trying very hard to democratize this project as much as possible. I appreciate very much the help all the Aussie's are giving me :)

[iandidesign]

In the great debate between a consistent UI across all station and a highly customizable one I come down on the side of customizable. Software developers are not power users and are rarely successful at creating a one-size-fits-all UI. I have supported VectorWorks, and more recently ArchiCAD in medium sized offices. Both have customizable interfaces. ArchiCAD has profiles that can be saved and shared. So I started off by creating one I felt best fit our practice and used that for new installations. Beyond that I took the same approach as Byron and let users modify at will. The original profile remains available if someone else should need to use that station, as are other custom profiles if accessible over the network. Another thing I like about ArchiCAD profiles is that sub-sets can be switched without changing the rest. So a user can switch between various desktop layouts without messing with anything else. Very handy when moving from workstation to laptop, using a projector, or recalling a stripped down interface for client presentations.

Byron, I think the profile idea could work with RevPac, and is essentially what your talking about with Workspaces. My only advice is keep it simple. I think most of the usage scenarios you mention can be addressed with the same tool kit if designed well. And it appears that your design skills are enviable.

BTW, have you gotten a call from Autodesk yet?

[iankids]

Ian, I'm interested in the large firm comment...

The biggest firm I've worked at was around 20 and I happened to be CAD manager (AutoCAD only back then) as well as a Project Architect. I may not have the 'large firm' mentality, but I always felt that the CAD software UI was up to the user to configure however they wanted (even if it wasn't for productivity reasons, but rather more mundane ones). For me, whatever made them comfortable (and wasn't offensive) was part of their environment, like their physical desktop. That did not mean they could produce whatever they wanted from that software, they had to follow standards.

Are you saying you think it would be construed as more difficult to find people comfortable with RevPac as first time users and it would be more difficult to hire?

Or are you just saying having each user setup their workstation according to their own preferences is not 'large firm' mentality (and I don't fit in, no shocker there)?

If you, or anyone else has a real large firm perspective I'd like very much to hear your opinion about the viability of RevPac in that environment. I'll need Site license sales to make this work at the prices currently offered...

That said, I'm considering several improvements that may help in this area:

Workspaces:
- Conceptually these would be similar to AutoCAD's (if the name is going to be a turn off, I'll think of something else, but it would be the correct name). The idea would be you'd have a different set of tools for things like design phase (schematic, dd, cd, etc.) or even a specific job or task.
-Things saved in the Workspace would be: ToolBars and (optionally) ToolBar settings, ViewBar settings, etc. but no command usage so your Next/Popular bar is always based on your usage.

Enterprise Workspace(s):
- The BIM/CAD manager deploys this into the RevPac folder. If RevPac finds it, RP uses it instead of the User's workspace. Perhaps this is a collection of Workspaces. It would be either a 'hard' or 'soft' standard. When 'hard' the user cannot move or configure toolbars, when 'soft' they can (and the changes are saved as their cusomized version of the enterprise level workspace)

Standard 'Built in' Workspaces:
- Default (created based upon the Ribbon's basic layout and functionality)
- Perhaps a set based upon design phase or industry (AEC, etc.), give me some feedback here...

I'm trying very hard to democratize this project as much as possible. I appreciate very much the help all the Aussie's are giving me :)

Hi Byron,

The comment re the larger firms was simply a reflection of some of the various comments on this forum on the new UI where some expressed concerns regarding a fully customisable UI and had a preference for a fixed UI.
I guess if you have a need to bring in contractors from time to time, having fixed UI's would make the integration process a bit easier.
For myself, I think a customisable UI is terrific.

Cheers

Ian

[Byron Blattel]

Build 19 is ready for download-

http://www.cadwerx.net/?Path=RevPac

[ws]

thanks Byron,

I regularly find that I cannot reach your site - as at the time of this post.

I'll try again later but I wondered if there was any particular reason why this should happen that you knew of?

[Byron Blattel]

thanks Byron,

I regularly find that I cannot reach your site - as at the time of this post.

I'll try again later but I wondered if there was any particular reason why this should happen that you knew of?

Not sure what going on with my web host. I switched to IX Web hosting at the beginning of the year and everything was working great. Lately, I 've had lots of issues. I think maybe I'm sharing a server with a site that's causing problems.

[dmoodydesign]

Anyone having issues of windows hanging around in the RevPac Ribbon after the view is closed? I am getting several copies of the same views still showing even though the view has been closed.

[ws]

Yes, but just the title, not a thumbnail of the file - sometimes several of these phantom windows persist.

I also just notice in Build 19 that the top of screen icons for 'Next' had moved to the top of the Revit screen and were overlapping the ribbon icons. A restart cleared it.

The icons sometimes all disappear - usually when I am zoomed in to a view - but I am not sure if this is intended behaviour except that if I navigate away from the View and back again they usually reappear.

None of this is fatal - most of the time the productivity gains are so great from using Revpac that I'll put up with the odd glitch :)

[ws]

Hmm, since installing Build 19 the 'adrift' top menu seems persistent - and the ghost windows on the right of screen can be seen as well...

[trythefly]

Very nice toolset from the screenshots! I might have to get this for my BIM Coordinators and power users eventually. How many more tools are going to be added before the beta is done?

[Byron Blattel]

Very nice toolset from the screenshots! I might have to get this for my BIM Coordinators and power users eventually. How many more tools are going to be added before the beta is done?

I think I've worked out most of the major kinks, I'm not getting any major bug reports. The next release will likely be the 'RTM' build. I plan to continue to do an update every 5-10 days for at least a few months. Perhaps I should add an 'Upcoming' features page to the web site outlining the RevPac development plan...

I take an evolutionary approach to software rather than a 'revolutionary' approach. So you'll se a flurry of updates and/or features then a 'settling in period' instead of a big release every year. I've never tied my work to Autodesk's build cycle. This also means I can afford to make mistakes because I can 'back out of them' easier if they don't make sense rather than having to argue with the customer about 'why I'm right'.

[Byron Blattel]

Anyone having issues of windows hanging around in the RevPac Ribbon after the view is closed? I am getting several copies of the same views still showing even though the view has been closed.

What are the 3D views names in your project? Can you email a .rvt file?

[Byron Blattel]

Hmm, since installing Build 19 the 'adrift' top menu seems persistent - and the ghost windows on the right of screen can be seen as well...

I think the 2 problems - mismatched views (which is determined by the name), and misplaced tools panel (which has to sync with the active view) are related. When the view window is not properly found from the Revit View name (which is where the real problem lies) the tools panel gets located incorrectly.

Are you seeing the dislocated toolbars without the 'extra' view buttons on the View Bar as well?

Is it just 3d views or are you seeing it with other view types?

[mbalsom]

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Hi Byron
Have a problem with band and indexing. Band seems to work ok but indexing seems to get hung up. Seem like index down button works intermittently and up button seems not to work at all, but over all concept is good.

[Byron Blattel]

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Hi Byron
Have a problem with band and indexing. Band seems to work ok but indexing seems to get hung up. Seem like index down button works intermittently and up button seems not to work at all, but over all concept is good.

You're correct Index isn't working. It's on the TODO list.

[ws]

Are you seeing the dislocated toolbars without the 'extra' view buttons on the View Bar as well?

Is it just 3d views or are you seeing it with other view types?


sorry for the delay in replying, I didn't get an email notification of the posts...

It seemed to be on plan and elevation views as well,
however as mentioned in my support email I uninstalled Revpac, rebooted and reinstalled it - and everything is OK now.

It seems to me that as long as I close the open Views using the 'X' on the thumbnail it all works OK. Perhaps it is when I use the 'delete all hidden views' that it loses track?

[Byron Blattel]

Perhaps it is when I use the 'delete all hidden views' that it loses track?



That may be the missing piece, I'll look into it..

[Batman]

I've downloaded and given this little app a try.

I feel as though I'm missing something because I don't see anything in the app that provides me with a lot of benefit.

I mainly use keyboard shortuts and my drawings are well organised typically so finding and switching to views isn't complex.

Could users please indicate to me what it is that they are seeing as the big advantages of this application?

[zenomail105021]

To me the obvious big advantage is the ability to set up any number of toolbars where I can move buttons around at will. Like having QAT's (in which of course, true to form, Autodesk doesn't allow for the rearrangement of tools) on steroids. And, as many as I want. It moves toward customization of the UI which for me personally is an advantage. I use keyboard shortcuts some but probably not as much as other people so it is nice to have a lot of flexibility with toolbars. It also helps gets past the issue of Autodesk's ribbon in which the tools tend to jump around based on Autodesk's itenerary and not necessarily mine.

Bill Maddox

[ws]

FWIW I find Revpac a real timesaver - it gives me a chance of having a workflow at something like the speed I used to have with Revit 2009 which is proving impossible with the jump-around icons of the new UI ('useless interface').