Presenting a revit project

[cadmaster77]

for the past 2 hours i have searched for a.. simple method to present a revit file.. the only workable option we have is dwf.. autocad design review.. i dont have an issue with design review, but its kinda disappointing that the download program size is HUGE.. u would think autodesk would wanna make it lite and fast.. ive even entertained a 3rd party dwf viewer with orbit capabilities.. and i couldn't find anything.. ive read the adobe acrobat doesnt play well with viewing 3-d revit dwgs.. not sure how accurate that is..

now i may be wrong and overlooked something or some site that proves me wrong.. please point me in the right direction if thats the case

i would just think it should be a lot more.. simpler to distribute a file for others to view.. ive finished the image and want to send to the owner to view, rotate, etc.., but cant.. unless i ask them to download a HUGE program... at this point i can only send standard jpgs.. hek, i could do that with old autocad 2000.. print screen, photshop-crop-saveas jpg.. get to the same spot..

anyways..ive posted my 1st project done in revit.. its no where close to what yall can do.. but it will work.. . theres no way i coulda done this.. this quick without yall answering my questions, as quick as u did.. i sincerely appreciate the help yall have given me.

thanks

[Ludi]

Apple Quick Time can display FBX, and Revit can Export FBX :-) But to be honest, I didn't try it.

good luck,
Marcel

[thomas.163390]

I would never give a client a 3D model!

[trombe]

for the past 2 hours i have searched for a.. simple method to present a revit file.. the only workable option we have is dwf.. autocad design review.. i dont have an issue with design review, but its kinda disappointing that the download program size is HUGE.. u would think autodesk would wanna make it lite and fast.. ive even entertained a 3rd party dwf viewer with orbit capabilities.. and i couldn't find anything.. ive read the adobe acrobat doesnt play well with viewing 3-d revit dwgs.. not sure how accurate that is..

now i may be wrong and overlooked something or some site that proves me wrong.. please point me in the right direction if thats the case

i would just think it should be a lot more.. simpler to distribute a file for others to view.. ive finished the image and want to send to the owner to view, rotate, etc.., but cant.. unless i ask them to download a HUGE program... at this point i can only send standard jpgs.. hek, i could do that with old autocad 2000.. print screen, photshop-crop-saveas jpg.. get to the same spot..

anyways..ive posted my 1st project done in revit.. its no where close to what yall can do.. but it will work.. . theres no way i coulda done this.. this quick without yall answering my questions, as quick as u did.. i sincerely appreciate the help yall have given me.

thanks

Hi,
are you aware, that Design Review, is bound into Windows Vista and Windows 7 via Internet Explorer, so that if your client has either of these platforms, they are able to to open the files inside IE. The complete viewer tool functions are available AFIK.

The viewer download is around 40 Mb from memory and yes you are right, its a heavy program.
However, with it being accessible in Vista and 7 you cannot argue its not widely accessible. As a subscriber to Revit for instance, you have the right to a Firefox plug-in from AutoDesk Labs however, its not much use really because you are not allowed to copy it or pass it on to a client or colleague or anyone in fact. I have it simply because I use Firefox and avoid IE like the plague whenever I can.

Also, without meaning to be a smarty pants, when you talk about it being a large file, its not really a biggie when so many people seem to own an iPhone and otherwise, chew data on their lappies, 3G and now 4G phones.......something as useful as Design Review for a business transaction with an open ended number of transactions for free, seems like 40 Mb is not that big a deal unless you are intending to use it once, and have neither Vista or Win 7. Otherwise, its a good value tool.

I always give client access to a dwf model now and have only had positive responses from them. It aids communication and they can't f&#@ around with it so win win = grin grin .

cheers
trombe

[m20roxxers]

We have an internal software package, one of the key functions is when you save it out it embeds the application in the project, it has 95% compression so once zipped it's small enough to pass on via email. The client simply unzips it hits exe and the program opens with the project. it also has 4D scheduling and other options (think Navisworks lite).

This gives us the ability to give files to clients in an application that requires no installs and they can't modify it since it's our own file format .pal and the project and application are built as one.

[cadmaster77]

As i mentioned above

"now i may be wrong and overlooked something or some site that proves me wrong.. please point me in the right direction if thats the case"

the VISTA / WINDOWS 7 viewing dwf capability is something i wasnt aware of, and may work out great.. will see what platform they are on and do a test run...

looking at a post above i dont understand why a 3-d model would not want to be shared with a client (unless for a specific reason, or a long time client that doesnt require it).. part of revit, and really any autocad product is the WOW factor.. for an autocad veteran of about 24 years i can honestly say i have gotten several projects just because of the ability to wow people with the software and its capabilities.. we not only have the ability to produce documents to build from, but now we also have the capability to "put on a show" in the meantime

as much as we'd like to see it a dwf is nowhere as used-viewed and readily available as a PDF.. that EXE emailed with the file is a fantastic idea.. just thinking proactively, that should be part of the revit base package.. but the windows 7/ vista may be the answer in the meantime..

thanks for the knowledge fellas

[jeffh]

If you want to View with Win Vista/7 make sure you are saving a DWFx file I don't think a standard DWF will open using this method.

[eric.piotrowicz]

The post about not sharing a model with a client might have been intended as not sharing the actual .rvt file. Personally it would depend on the specific situation but sharing a .dwfx export would be a good way to give them everything to see but ensure that they can't do anything to it on their own.

[cadmaster77]

i used my daughters laptop.. internet explorer-windows 7.. a dwf or dwfx file wouldnt open.. the dwfx icon did look as if it recognized it.. but said it could not be opened

anyone come across this before?

thanks

[Ludi]

DWFx is viewable by XML Paper Specification (XPS Viewer, installed on Windows Vista / 7) but only 2D

[cadmaster77]

The owner can only view a 2-d plan with that option.. not a 3-d image and orbit around? (XPS Viewer, installed on Windows Vista / 7)

[cadmaster77]

with the (XPS Viewer, installed on Windows Vista / 7) option.. the client will only be able to look at a 2-d version of the dwfx? not be able to view 3-d-orbit, etc? (didnt realize i posted twice, and not sure how to delete one.. sorry)

thanks

[cliff collins]

I tried this in Win 7 64 in IE 8 , and opened a 3D DWFX no problem.

In Windows, highlight the DWFX file, right click and select "Opens with"
and browse to IE .exe file.

Then it should work.

cheers