AU UPDATE

[jbalding48677]

I would like to propose that all of us that are fortunate enough to attend AU share with those who were unable to attend this year. Please use this thread to post updates on your classes and findings as a one stop shopping for AU UPDATES.

[gregcashen]

Well, I'm going in. We got a preview last night of the newest release, 5.5, and it is truly adequate!

Just kidding... 6.0 is straight off our top ten list. It is gonna rock!

I am late for the first class, though, so I gotta run....will report more later.

G

[theguru7remove1746]

Stop teasing us, Spill the beans! David Thomas

[studio3p]

How long, typically, is the delay between an Autodesk unveiling at AU and the unveiling on their website?

[hand471037]

Greg, stear clear of the Wacom Flatscreen Tablets in the demo area. They have Revit running on them, and they are so much fun to play with that they *will* make you late for your classes... :)

At least that's what happened to me last year. ;)

Have fun, can't wait to hear more news!

[Cathy Hadley]

In this mornings class it was released as.... Mid December... as in a couple of weeks!!!

Soon we will be presenting Options, making really kewl stairs and railings, and having more fun with worksets... turning temporary dimensions into permanent ones...

And even checking our spelling as we control exactly what the cut plans will be in what regions.

Not to mention controlling the project browser...

Fun Fun Fun..

CZH

[Nic M.]

Dont stop ...???!!

Keep it comming,

Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please?

[Scott Hopkins]

Somebody spill the beans and give us an in depth description of Revit 6. These little teasers are great but what we really need is a thorough discussion of all the new features. Bring it on! :o

[gregcashen]

Improved Railing = multiple balusters, railings, end post families, etc.
Improved Stairs = monolithic, multiple stringers, tread and riser conditions, nosing wraps...
Worksets will work like Archicad...i.e. if you want to work in an area, drag a window around it and you can request to checkout that "stuff"
Options....want a hipped roof? how about a gable? how about an elliptical roof extrusion? Oh wait, does Revit do Ellipses? Yes it does!
Turn temp dims into dims with a single click.
Right drag = select all
Left drag = select crossing
How about exporting shared parameters via ODBC?
What about FORMULAS in SCHEDULES!!??
Spell Check with an architectural dictionary, MS dictionary, custom dictionary...
Automatic grid layout in curtain walls (by type)
material definition/editting when applying materials
more
more
more

later

[beegee]

Well you've got my attention now.

more
more
more

Why wait ?

Can you tell us when Adesk will publish the full "Whats New in R6.0 " ?

[GuyR]

Freeform modelling?
family improvements?
text note improvements?
structural improvements?
?
?
?
?

Guy

[Scott Hopkins]

Greg,

Thanks for the info. Did any of these items make it into Revit 6?

Parameter improvements – on/off, max/min, lockable, hierarchy, etc.?
Keyboard shortcuts to dialog boxes?
Structural tools improved?
Speed improvements?
Ability to crop schedules within sheets?
API?
Lofting and NURBS features?
Drafting view and drafting tool improvements?
Family export from projects?
Group Improvements?
Accurender or Viz Render?
Improved text functions?

[ajayholland]

I’m back in L.A. after an overnight visit to Las Vegas and the Revit/AUGI mixer at AutoDesk University. It was great to meet all my fellow conspirators face-to-face; thanks to Jim Balding and all the others for their efforts.

Although the new release may not include everything on our wish-lists, following the “sweet” release date of Revit 6.0, design practitioners will have still more incentives to step into the brave new world of modern architectural technology.

Viva La Revit-lucion!

-AJH

[ajayholland]

Well you've got my attention now.

Why wait ?

Can you tell us when Adesk will publish the full "Whats New in R6.0 " ?

How about saving a family out of a project as an rfa file! Kewl! We viewed a powerpoint presentation at the mixer that summarized the new features. Maybe someone will post it here.

-AJH

[beegee]

Waiting...................................................................................... ( not patiently either :lol: )

[gregcashen]

Parameter improvements – on/off, max/min, lockable, hierarchy, etc.?
No

Keyboard shortcuts to dialog boxes?
Don't know...there are a lot of UI enhancements, but I have not seen them all yet.

Structural tools improved?
Unfortunately, not yet...but it is a huge focus right now...

Speed improvements?
30% decrease in save times with a corresponding 5-8% increase in file size.

Ability to crop schedules within sheets?
Yes...you can now filter schedules...even shared parameters...so essentially you can "crop" schedules to only show the info you want.

API?
Nope. But the ODBC export was improved to include export of shared parameters, which I understand is the first of the improvements toward opening the API...maybe.

Lofting and NURBS features?
No.

Drafting view and drafting tool improvements?
Yes...they have added detail views and wall sections as new types of sections...also they made it so they are scale dependent so if you only want details to show in drawings of scales larger than 1/8" = 1'-0", you can do that so your drawing doesn't get cluttered...also some other functionality to this that makes it EXTREMELY useful.

Family export from projects?
No...umm, I mean yes.

Group Improvements?
Yes, though they were not specific other than to say it works better now and they explained some of the issues that cause problems...thus, what to avoid.

Accurender or Viz Render?
Accurender

Improved text functions?
Not that I am aware of, but there are dimension improvements aside from turning temp dims into regular dims....

Oh and how about phase aware area tags.

[gregcashen]

By the way...it may not be apparent at just reading this, but think about schedule formulas and odbc export of shared parameters for a minute...there is a HUGE amount of additional functionality just in those two things. I think as we start playing with that, we will see that it solves a lot of things that we have been requesting.

[gregcashen]

Don't remember if I mentioned that you can now organize your project browser however the hell you want. Filters, ordering, sorting...Woohoo.

[gregcashen]

Oh, and how about a tool where you can draw a box and override the view range...essentially, you can do split level plans of infinite complexity.

[Paul Monsef]

holy poop. :lol:

[beegee]

Oh, and how about a tool where you can draw a box and override the view range...essentially, you can do split level plans of infinite complexity.

Now thats niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.

Keep 'em coming !! Lapping it up.

[christopher.zoog51272]

great news guys, looks like I have some catching up to do!!!

My flight leaves in 10 hours :D viva las vegas baby!

[BomberAIA]

Please ask Revit about multifamily projects. Are they addressing how you put together a multifamily project in R6? Thanks

[Melarch]

Ladies, Gentlement,

Lend me your Ears, as I try and recount my first day at AU2003. Hopefully all of you who couldn't attend can vicariously experience the same excitement and sensations that I am enjoying for yet another year.

The day started out with an awesome presentation by Mike Vaughn and Matt Jezyk of Revit on the new features and tools, and how to use them, titled: "Getting Update on the New Autodesk Revit."

Some of the new tools covered by others in earlier threads really enhance the power of Revit. I won't reiterate what my esteemed colleagues have already espewed, but I can't wait to download my copy of R6.0 and get my hands-on experience come December 16th. I am sure the Internet band width is going to look and feel like every Reviteer is sucking a Terrabit of bytes through a soda straw and I am anticipating a download time on my T100 dedicdated pipeline of hours or days to geet my copy on my desktop.

I followed the "Getting Update on the New Autodesk Revit" class with Lay Fox's "Autodesk Revit File Sharing without SRefs".

Chris is organized and focused. His presentation like his thought process flowed smoothly through the hour and half session as he covered Importing and Managing files from other raster and vector based software. Chris's explanations explored all aspects of the interface and dialog windows associated with Image and CAD interoperability in Revit.

The topic, although not as exciting as the preceeding Revit 6.0 update
and soon to follow Free Form Design session, was critical in it's content and extremely important to everyone attending or using Revit in an AutoCAD centric world.

Chris started with Image imports followed by CAD files, which he covered so completely that novice and experienced Revit user alike felt they gained new insights and understanding working with imported files. Chris tied together all sorts of options, settings and laid out concepts for critical thinking on managing imported data. All in attendance were walked gently but thoroughly through every nook and cranny of Revits Import and Export features.

Chris explored linking and layer management of CAD files, along with manipulatgion of Object Styles (linetypes, color, etc.) for imported objects. His explanation for managing layers on imported CAD files made the process easy to understand, but more importantly his demonstration showed how easy it can be to setup standards once to exchange files between Revit and consultants, contractors and clients using AutoCAD or Microstation.

Chris is the pen-ultimate techno-file (Bad joke expunged - Ed.)and listening to him was effortless. Except for the brief break to stand up and stretch, get some water, I never felt uncomfortable sitting and listening to Chris's presenation and demonstration.

Hat off to Chris, who is an outstanding instructor and true technician on Revit and CAD master.

Free Form Design Studies with Richard Taylor from RevitThis class was great!!! Richard walked us through in-place families creation. Over covered solids (extrude, sweep, revolve and blend) creating roof and wall families and there VOIDS.

It was impressive to see Richard defly handle building modeling design shapes that would rival Frank Gerhey. Too bad Richard was having a bad design day and so was his hair. We could have used "Queer Eyes for the Straight Guy".

It was walls, roofs and accuturements, OH MY! Richard's creation were impressive. I immediately returned to the room, fired up the Dell Inspiron 8500 with 15.4" screen, connected my portable Dell 3400mp projector to display a 50" image on the wall and started to play with in-place families, SOLIDS and VOIDS, creating shapes and poking them here and there. It was enervating as I created sweep, revolved, blended and extruded shapes unitl my eyes were bleary and tears of joy streamed down my cheeks as the liberation from everyday rectangles, angles and curves seet my project soaring.

I felt like a god (lower case albeit) as my new shapes took on an ethereal look and the heavens opened to reveal a new dawn.

A group from down under, Australia that is, presented samples of their work, which showed that there are clients projects that rock. The two projects presented demonstrated the need for many of the in-place family creation features and tools and how they can artfully be used and blended to create exciting arhitectural work, as well as demonstrate the POWER of "R".

Richard's class was "to die for" and we all left the class, novice and experienced Reviteer alike, reanimated after ten hours of classes, breaks and lunch this first day of AU ready to face the AUGI meeting and Beer Bash.

It was a GREAT 1ST DAY and I feel like a kid again, who can't wait for Christmas morning to come so I can see all my new presents and play with them throughout the coming year until AU2004 and Christmas comes again.

Signing off at 5:20am Wednesday moring AU2003 in Las Vegas and wishing all a GOOD NIGHT! Join me tomorrow, same time same station for further updates and blatherings from the front.

[Melarch]

It was finally great to meet all of those Z members at the Revit-AUGI Gathering on Monday evening. The snacks and spirits were invigorating and many in attendance were spirited as they consumed spirits.

The pre-preview of release 6.0 was great.

Now that I have a face to place for many contributors to this news group and other Revit discussion groups I feel a greater connection to this community. Our off-line discussion's that evening on the new and improved Revit as many other CAD and unrelated topics gave me a new sense of bonding in a community I am relatively new, but growing to respect and admire.

Although I have been involved in AutoCAD/ADT for close to twenty years; using, training and supporting, my Reviteering experience started only ten short month ago. I could not have become so comfortable or knowledgeable without your support and patience through this and other discussion groups. So I thank all of you for your insights, support, sharing of Revit projects and families, and for the compassion you have shown me and in helping new Reviteers to become skilled at using this remarkable product.

[PaulB]

Why has this thread gone so quiet ?

[designer56644]

Either it hurts their heads to type by now, or, as the ad says:

"What happens here, stays here..."
:)

[Scott D Davis]

I'm back! Came home from AU this evening. Man we had a blast! I have 183 posts to catch up on here at Zoog, plus some catching up to do around the house, so I'll write more in a bit.

It was really nice to finally meet everyone from ZD that could make it, and all of the Revit guys, too!

For now, let's just say Revit 6.0 is gonna kick A$$! Matt Jezyk, where's my e-mailed handout from the 6.0 class???? j/k, whenever you can send it would be cool!

Check back soon for more updates!

[Richard Taylor]

I'll call the FAB 5 when I get back! (I actually met Carson, and he is really nice.)
Glad you liked my class!

Thanks for the feedback.

[aaronrumple]

Good to see your face finally here Richard. I've moved on from Hagerman and now back in practice. Of course I had to find a firm that would allow me freee reign with Revit... I start training the company next week.

[tatlin]

It was really nice to finally meet everyone from ZD that could make it, and all of the Revit guys, too!


Feeling is mutual. It was fun getting together with so many Zoog people, from as far away as Australia!. The dinners were pretty fun as well. I can't wait to see the pictures Wes took!

It was great that so many people were able to get to Vegas. There were quite a few Z stickers walking around.



For now, let's just say Revit 6.0 is gonna kick A$$! Matt Jezyk, where's my e-mailed handout from the 6.0 class???? j/k, whenever you can send it would be cool!


Soon, grasshopper, soon.

[Cathy Hadley]

The kewliest thang for me....besides R6.0 news, besides learning a thang or two, even besides meeting all of you guys (which was great)

was the enthusiam... you could feel it. I mean it WAS the buzz of the gathering.

In the big industry meeting where Phil B. predicts the future he started with answering 7 of the big questions... #1 ... IS ADT Dead? he started jumping up and down ... NO NO NO... and then proceeded to talk for the remainder of the hour about the BIM and Revit... it was great!!!

I was sitting by some guys who after 15 minutes turned to each other and said "****.... this is just a Revit demo and left" too bad they weren't really listening becuase a lot of people were.

Our classes were filled to the gills (at least the ones at reasonable hours) sorry but 7:30 on Fri was a bit brutal... people were crashing ours to get in. I talked to many people who were like.. well I just had to come and see what all the fuss was about... so we are skipping our *fun with ADT* and came here... I used Jim's line... welcome to the roller coaster I hope you'll enjoy the ride... not the sit down and shut up part.

Things could get very busy in the near future..

CZH

[David Kim]

After our delay at the airport, waiting for our crew from the east coast...we made it home and I'm still waiting for everything to sink in.
I am glad though we were only delayed a half hour or so and not like some I know that were delayed hours of even had their flights canceled.

The instruction and classes were great but I had a great time meeting everyone with Revit and all the zoog's. There was a buzz about Revit, maybe it was a biased feeling on my part but as David Conant mentioned at AU that was profound, enlightening maybe...

"resistance is futile"...

[Steve Cashman]

Cathy: It was great to meet you. You're right. Revit is the buzz now. I kept trying to "convert" ADT users over to Revit to save them some aggravation. I'm a new Revit user (3 months) and I feel more empowered by Revit than I do after 1-1/2 years of trying to get ADT to work.

As Phil said (again and again), the future is BIM and Revit is it.

Oh, yes, to all you Revit guys (Mike, Steve, Greg, David, Paul, Steve, Mike) who I met at AU and were kind enough to talk to a newbie like me - a big thanks. You guys have developed a great program! Keep up the excellent work.

Take care. I'll talk to you soon when I need some of your expertise.

[Melarch]

My apologies for not delivering a daily account of the sessions as I promised in my original account for Tuesday, posted Wednesday morning at 5:0o am, but I lost my DSL Internet connection in my room as all who stayed at the MGM. It was not restored until sometime Thursday evening and I did not renew my connection until Friday morning, when I had to pack for departure before noon signout and prepare for the three Revit sessions I had scheduled for the final day at AU 2003. I would have completed the following Overview and Review of the three days unreported yesterday, but my plane departed Las Vegas on Friday at 6:50 pm and I did not arrive at my residence until Saturday at 1:15 am.

The exhaustion of four days of intensive sessions, events (as Monday nights AUGI-Autodesk Revit Gathering and Preview of Release 6.0, Tuesday night AUGI Beer Blast, Wednesday nights shop till You Drop marathon and Autodesk Movie Night party with John Cleese hosting, Monty Pythons "The Holy Grail") and running to the exhibit hall to explore all of the vendors, participate in any games that would net me vendor prizes as well as canvas bag the hall for free vendor promotional items and product give-aways. I decided to veg out Saturday and not look at a computer, collect email, read any posted messages on the six or seven discussion groups I regularly monitor.

But I diligently awoke at 4:00 am to start and conclude recording of my AU 2003 experiences to share with all who did and those unable to attend.

The whole enchilada of my sessions, events, exhibits and waking hours is put forth in an additional 33 paragraphs, 329 lines and 3,725 words together with the previous posting on Tuesday of 20 paragraphs, 92 lines and 845 words brings the total to 4,570 words. The following represents Wednesday's, Thursday's and Friday's session, events and assorted meanderings, as well as my travel home and a closing message of thanks to Autodesk, all those I met at AU 2003 and a Holiday Cheer and New Years blessing I wish for all nations and humanity at this time of year.

Final Report and Review of AU2003 Revit Sessions and Autodesk Events

Dateline: DSL Internet connection in MGM hotel rooms goes down on Tuesday morning and does not return until Wednesday evening. So I was not able to deliver a day-by-day account of the Revit sessions I attended or the Autodesk events and party. But this is my update, albeit three days late.

Wednesday I was scheduled for the 8:00 am “Opening General Session- Keynote Speaker” presented by Carl Bass, executive vice president of the Designs Solutions Division; 11:00 am “Minding the Store: Autodesk Revit for Retail Design” presented by David Conant; 12:30 pm “Birds of a Feather Lunch”; 2:00 pm “Advanced Autodesk Revit Rendering: Bringing Your Designs to Life” presented by Greg Demchak; 4:00 pm “How to Misuse and Abuse Autodesk Architectural Desktop” presented by Jean Aarhus and a fact and promotional gift gathering tour of the exhibitors in the exhibition hall. I attended every one of these sessions and stayed from start to finish absorbing all the pearls of wisdom and demonstrations on Revit.

Except for the Monday night Revit Gathering hosted by AUGI/Autodesk Revit” and the first session on “Get Updated on the New Autodesk Revit, presented by Mike Vaughn where we saw a demonstration of the new and enhanced Revit 6.0 features and tools: All of the other Revit sessions used the current Revit 5.1 for demonstration. And now for the overview and review of the sessions I attended.

As you can imagine the “Opening General Session- Keynote Speaker”, Carl Bass talked about Autodesk and the company’s short and long term goals for all of the current CAD products, without revealing any real facts, features or timelines for the delivery of upcoming releases. His presentation gave broad brush strokes in describing the future of CAD and all of the industry specific products, while speaking to the future of greater interoperability, data exchange and collaboration. Existing CAD products will continue to improve and new technologies and products will act to integrate existing software providing better data sharing and allow multiple disciplines to collaborate data between the different CAD solutions through the Internet and as intelligent backgrounds.

“Minding the Store: Autodesk Revit for Retail Design”, was hosted by Stephen Rines and Richard Taylor as David Conant was a 45 minutes late. The class started 10 minutes late waiting for David and finally Steve presenting with Richard demonstrating concepts and methods for developing retail projects with Revit. When David arrived and took over the session, his presentation took more of process approach using a Powerpoint presentation and eliminated all use of Revit demonstrations. Although David’s approach for this session was informative and enlightening, I would have preferred some real life demonstrations with Revit on retail projects. As it turned out, Richard Taylor did use a retail project in his Friday session; “Using Legacy CAD Data in Your Autodesk Revit Project” (see Friday’s overview and review for further detail).

In the three years I have attended AU in Las Vegas, Autodesk has always had great lunches for us. This year was no exception and the buffets featured something for everyone, from flesh eater to vegetarian to weight conscious diner. The MGM catering always keeps the buffet selections filled and fresh. Beverages of all description and a desert bar worthy of any five star restaurants were served in abundance. When you think about the excellent service and food Autodesk contracts the MGM to provide us at this conference, it is no wonder you hear virtually no complaints about the food. This year as in past one luncheon, usually Wednesday, is devoted to having participants using specific Autodesk products sit together. At the Birds of Feather luncheon, the dining area is arranged in product groups of tables where AEC, mechanical, civil or just plain AutoCAD users can lunch with each other and discuss their mutual product issues, solutions and wishes. Many of the Autodesk product development and marketing staff attend and disperse among the industry specific table areas to hear users and participate in the discussions.

The afternoon started with “Advanced Autodesk Revit Rendering: Bringing Your Designs to Life” and Greg Demchak presented a series of rendered Revit projects, while offering a critique on use of lighting, materials, background, composition, scene layout and perspective. It wasn’t quite what I expected from the title, but Greg’s incites and analyses were very perceptive. I got a great deal more than I thought his presentation could deliver and came away with new ways of looking at rendered products that will help me create better presentations in the future. Although I think it would have been nice to have a lab session on rendering, similar to those held for 3D Studio and VIZ. Maybe next year as the Revit programs expand Autodesk will include more lab (hands-on) sessions and include one or more on rendering with Accurender. One special addition to this presentation was the renderings developed by a group down-under (Australia if you did now what down-under meant) whose architectural projects developed with Revit projects have resulted in some fascinating designs and presentation materials for both public and client review.

Next I attended Jean Aarhus “How to Misuse and Abuse Autodesk Architectural Desktop”. As no Autodesk Revit sessions were scheduled for this time slot, I thought it would helpful to know how to misuse and abuse Architectural Desktop. I was right to attend this class and I learned that I already knew how to misuse and abuse Architectural Desktop and had apparently been doing an excellent job of it since release 3.0. Halfway through the session I left, as my skills in this area were already excellent, to attend a meeting of Revit users in Cyril Verley’s suite in the MGM, just down the corridor from my own room and napping wife.

Cyril, who has just completed a series of text, “Introductory Courseware for Autodesk Revit 5.1 – All Building Types and Advanced Courseware for Autodesk Revit 5.1 – Commercial”, which I purchased a copy to review for upcoming classes I am scheduled to teach and client training programs. Cyril’s presentation covered implementing and creating interoperability standards and data exchange between Revit and DWG/DGN users. His presentation focused primarily on setting up methods and data exchange standards. Cyril covered the topic of creating layer and linetype standards for exchanging drawing information between Revit and DWG/DGN and the most effective methods for insuring CAD data could be represented and displayed uniformly for plotting.

After all the sessions and presentations wrapped up I gathered my wife for dinner and afterwards we shopped till we dropped at the M&M and Coke stores on the strip. Yes, it’s true; M&M has a store with four floors and Coke three floors in a building not more than several blocks from the MGM. It’s hard to believe that these two products could have enough branded merchandise to occupy 10,000 s.f. spaces, but they do and we bought assorted gifts for everyone back home.

Thursday, I was scheduled for four sessions: 8:00 am “The New CAD on the Block: Autodesk Revit” presented by Jim Balding and Chris Zoog (ZOOGDesign forum); 1:00 pm “Unlock the Full Potential of the Autodesk Revit Family Editor” presented by David Conant; 3:00 pm “Autodesk Revit Tips and Lessons from Large Complex Projects” presented by Phil Read; 5:00 pm “Building Design and Construction presented by Phil Bernstein, vice president of the Building Solutions Division; followed by the evening event dinner and show (Monty Python’s movie “The Holy Grail”) narrated by John Cleese and introduction by Lynn Allen, Autodesk Evangelist.

This is the longest day of conference events, but for the past three years Autodesk has culminated the final evening with a fantastic party by providing excellent food and entertainment. It is the last revelery so to speak and opportunity to meet many of the Autodesk staff whose efforts make our daily engineering and design tasks more productive and our peers in a non-competitive exchange and sharing of ideas on improving our practices and professional services.

Opening the days sessions “The New CAD on the Block: Autodesk Revit” presented by Jim Balding and Chris Zoog was a three and a half hours session. During the length of this session Jim and Chris provided a series of design methods using Revit’s tools through detailed demonstrations with a bit of humor. Their presentation imitated the relationship shared between many project managers and the designer responsible for the execution and translation from concept to CAD. They frequently reversed rolls through the project and demonstrated their skills in using Revit’s tools while creating project building elements that were both exotic and instructive to the audience. There presentation was both incite-full on using Revit for creating non-linear design elements and demonstrated Revit’s greater potential as a modeler; in addition to adding entertainment to a long session that got us Revited (I meant riveted) to our seats except for two breaks for the entire time. And I must add the seating arrangements were neither ergonomic and attendance filled available seating as to rival King Oscar’s packing of sardine cans, with the only difference is that we kept our eyes open son as not to miss any of their presentation-demonstration.

After another great buffet lunch I attended “Unlock the Full Potential of the Autodesk Revit Family Editor” presented by David Conant, who was on time and apologetic for his prior day’s tardiness. This session was one of the best I attended as David using Powerpoint to lay out both conceptual and practical methods for developing families in Revit. His program gave the audience a set of easy to understand rules and standards to follow for developing any new family and was enhanced by clear and concise demonstrations with Revit’s family editor. It was the perfect blend of conceptual and instructive teaching using Powerpoint and Revit’s tools for demonstration. I walked away with renewed understanding on developing and nesting families, as well as a greater clarity of parameters and visualization management.

The last session of Revit for Thursday was Phil Read’s “Autodesk Revit Tips and Lessons from Large Complex Projects”. From its title, Phil’s presented a variety of methods including Import/Linking of DWG/DGN files and RVT projects, groups, vertically compound walls and worksets. Phil’s tips and lessons demonstrated many of Revit’s tools designed to make management and productivity when working on large or complex projects. His coverage included many caveats of things not to do when linking RVT projects, care in using groups and implementing worksets for team collaboration. Phil covered these topics in depth and conveyed the complexities of working with worksets in terms easy for existing Revit users to process and implement on future team projects. This session needed to be longer as to include methods for multi-model site (campus) projects and demonstrated working with master project file, coordinate-positioning management and updating master projects multiple models. But time unfortunately prevented Phil from presenting this topic.

Late in the afternoon or early in the evening, depending on your perspective and exhaustion of the prior day’s sessions, Phil Bernstein moderated and delivered his reviews at the “Building Design and Construction” session. Phil presented a series of examples of firms using Autodesk Building Solutions to develop projects. Phil Bernstein followed these real life Autodesk product implementations with his perspective on global enterprise and professional practices in today’s economy and competition for business. Phil Bernstein’s incites as head of Autodesk’s Building Solutions products and as an architect gave us a new perspective on the convergences of technology and design-engineering will provide new opportunities. It is always enlightening to hear Phil Bernstein weave the threads of practical and possible into a fabric that we can wrap around our practices to improve our productivity and enhance our client’s projects.

The evening’s event: Lynn Allen introduced John Cleese, who in turn introduced “The Holy Grail”. Lynn in her introduction explained her obsession with all things Monty Python and all those actors and characters who brought it to life (not to be confused with the “Life of Brian” a movie by Monte Python). John Cleese is as funny in person as on stage or screen, but far more handsome for someone his age (around the same as mine). The movie needs no explanation, but the event and audience does!

First off, the food service varied from sausages of various descriptions with buns and accoutrements (mustard, onions, relish, etc.) and chicken to salads and a variety of appetizers. Of course beer, wine and soft drinks of all description, followed by coffee and teas. After dinner and during the duration of the movie we were bombarded with ice cream bars of all flavors and nuts covered in milk and dark chocolate. This was accompanied by candy and popcorn being served by hostess carrying trays slung round their necks moving about the audience, almost like vendors at major sports arenas and parks.

The movie was projected onto three large screens placed in a 90 degree arc to allow the more than two thousand viewers a comfortable angle with which to view the movie and read the sub-titles (some even read them aloud). Of course what would “The Holy Grail” be without audience participation, so halved coconut shells were placed on every seat in the house for the audience to providing clopping noises to augment the squires and naves attending Arthur and his Knights of Round Table in their quest (as all who have viewed this movie know it is horseless). And the audience was all too happy to clop their coconuts, often premature to the actors imitation riding and long after they halted their imaginary steeds.

What else can be said to viewing “The Holy Grail” listening to John Cleese’s accounts, looking at the lovely Lynn Allen (and she is more than just beauty). I have been fortunate as past president of the Greater Chicago AutoCAD Users Group to arrange Lynn as a presenter. Lynn has for a number of years attended one of our meetings to present and share incites on new Autodesk product releases, her wit and present free Autodesk gifts. Of course what would any gathering of thousands of Autodesk users be without a raffle and software and promotional items were raffled off to all those present.

Although the evening ran late, I awoke the next morning at 4:00 am (as I do almost every morning, including Sunday, at which hour I am completing this update). I packed my bags, got showered and dressed for the final days sessions and kissed my wife as I left the room for the continental breakfast’s we have had since Tuesday morning. I will say that it would have been nice to have one or more of the continental breakfast’s include some eggs and meat, existing on cereal, milk, juice and a variety of sweet rolls and buns does not provide the energy to sit and listen for four of more hours prior to lunch. But I digress, so let me conclude with my fourth day’s agenda: 7:30 am “Using Legacy CAD Data in Your Autodesk Revit Project” presented by Richard Taylor; 9:00 am “Autodesk Revit Tips and Tricks: Real World Solutions” presented by Jim Balding and Chris Zoog; and 11:30 am “Interoperability with Autodesk Architectural Desktop and Autodesk Revit” presented by Kelcey Lemon and assisted by Phil Read.

Richard Taylor’s “Using Legacy CAD Data in Your Autodesk Revit Project” was a great demonstration of taking client DWG plans and elevations and converting them to a Revit model. Richard’s uses demonstration techniques with such skill to make the audience feel as if they were drawing it themselves. Richard took a client’s AutoCAD drawn retail store floor plan and elevation and imported into Revit, then began to skillfully trace the plan, defining wall types and levels, so as to replicate floor layout. Richard followed with artistically creating the exact profile of the exterior walls in Revit by tracing the existing DWG elevations to create a profile family and adding the newly created profile family to the wall as a sweep in the wall type. His demonstration showed how easy it is to use Revit to duplicate existing legacy data and develop a fully functional building model in a short amount of time.

“Autodesk Revit Tips and Tricks: Real World Solutions” presented by the comedy team of Jim Balding and Chris Zoog was another treat in using Revit to design outside the box. Their combined presenting styles always leave the audience wanting more. This was a hands-on session and the tutorial was once again demonstrated Revit’s ease of use for developing complex designs and details. I think next years AU 2004 should feature them as the Revit comedy team of “Balding & Zoog” or “Zoog & Balding” depending on which one feels they deserve top billing.

“Interoperability with Autodesk Architectural Desktop and Autodesk Revit” presented by Kelcey Lemon and assisted by Phil Read. This session should have been titled “To Interoperate or not with Autodesk Architectural Desktop and Autodesk Revit” or even more accurately “Interoperability with Autodesk AutoCAD and Autodesk Revit”. Kelcey opened his presentation with a sheet with a bulls-eye drawn on it held to his chest and said to the audience this is where to aim. The presentation was the shortest I attended, lasting a short forty-five minutes of the allotted hour and half. It was evident that Autodesk’s Architectural Desktop and Revit have no greater interoperability than that of generic AutoCAD. Revit and Architectural Desktop cannot exchange modeled data in any beneficial way to one another. Phil Read who stood at the back of the room field most questions regarding Autodesk plans to develop exchanging and converting the two programs intelligent modeling objects; thus providing a real solution to migrating Architectural Desktop’s model to Revit had no foreseeable time frame for delivery, but that Autodesk was exploring the possibility.. Phil suggested that reduplicating the Architectural Desktop model in Revit (as demonstrated in Richard Taylor’s “Using Legacy CAD Data in Your Autodesk Revit Project” early this day) was a viable solution, if the clients need for a true parametric building model or architect’s wanted the advantage afforded by the Revit product.

The sessions ended, I rejoined my wife who was sitting pool side taking the final rays of the sun before we departed back to Chicago were the temperature was 30 degrees cooler and no sun due to overcast and cloudy. As our plane was not due to leave until 6:50 pm that evening we enjoyed a leisurely lunch at one of the many MGM dining sites, but by 3:30 pm were and anxious and a little exhausted and needed to get to the terminal, negotiate our way through security and take the short rail commute out to our respective gate. Also, we were flying Southwest airlines and needed to insure we were in the “A” line, since they do not have assigned seating, to be one of the first to board the plane and get the emergency row seats, which we had on the flight coming to Las Vegas. We did get seating in the emergency row of our choice and as no one sat between us (the plane was barely half full) enjoyed a comfortable and pleasant three-plus hour return flight, arriving at Midway airport around midnight, taxied home by 1:15 am and snug in our bed by 2:00 am, after greeting our 3-1/2 year old black lab, Louie, brushing our teeth and exchanging a good night kiss.

In conclusion: This being my fourth Autodesk University, the first in 1996 held in Chicago, when Autodesk staged AU in three locations around the country and for the past three years in Las Vegas; I can highly recommend this conference and training event. Anyone serious about enhancing their knowledge and exchanging views with Autodesk development and marketing staff, and other users on improving the Autodesk products will benefit from attending. The programs and entertainment provided by Autodesk, as well as that made available by being held in Las Vegas offers a variety of shows, dining and gambling experiences not available and centrically located for travel from coast to coast in this country. I have enjoyed and benefited well beyond the small expense I paid from meeting Autodesk staff and other users, exchanging my thoughts on the Autodesk products I use in my daily professional practice, attending the learning sessions where the best of the best present useful information on how to improve my software use and the product of my design and engineering documents, and enjoy the entertainment of both Autodesk’s events and Las Vegas.

Although I focused on the Revit sessions to advance my experience primarily, Autodesk offers sessions on all of there software, thus anyone using any Autodesk software will find a wide range of sessions designed to enhance their use and have opportunities to explore any other Autodesk software in the hundreds of different sessions available.

I want to express my thanks and admiration to those who contribute to the various Autodesk and specifically the Revit news groups, forums and websites discussions; without whose questions and answers, though provoking issues and solutions, and levity and patience have made my experience and many who view the these posts and threads a rewarding and enlightening experience. To all whom I finally had a chance to meet face-to-face, after viewing their avatars and commitment to all who request assistance with unrequited patience and compassion; it was great to share many sessions and discuss Revit’s assets and deficits.

Let me wish you an upcoming Happy Holidays with a healthy and prosperous New Year 2004. To all that I had the chance to meet I thank you, to those I missed an opportunity to meet I look forward to next year and to all who could not attend AU 2003 I hope to see you at AU2004.

Sincerely, Mel Persin and Fellow Reviteer

P.S. May nations learn to live in peace; Manage this planets natural resources wisely; Conserve our collective environment conscientiously; and, Protect all creatures large and small from harm.
May the fortunate share with the lesser, their natural and man-made bounties to eliminate strife and hunger across all lands; and, May all the people of this earth be blessed and show kindness and compassion toward one another, in so raising our voices in a harmonious chorus that opens the heavens to brighten the sun’s warmth of day and stars radiance of evening.

[Solomon]

What I can add about AU (my first year) is:

WOW.

It was great meeting the fellow Z members, as well as the Revit staff. What a great group of guys.

I felt that the great majority of the instructors did a great job instructing us. It seemed to me there were two types of classes, the "point&click here" (from actual experienced users), & the higher level "this is what you should be thinking when you're using the software for..." (from the creators.) Both were very informative. Until I actually allow what I've learned to absorb a little more, that's about all I can say.

still dumbfounded... and of course anxious for 6.0....

Solomon

[Scott D Davis]

My apologies for....<insert rest of text here>

That's exactly what I was going to say! :shock:

Thanks Mel for taking the time to really put together a GREAT summary of the events at AU this year!!!!

[Garn]

Thanks Mel for such a comprehensive overview of events at AU.

Just saw a list of AU handouts published to this site.

http://www.autodeskevents.com/au2003/session_handouts.cfm

Pity there weren't more Revit entries for us poor folk who weren't there.

[beegee]

I agree, the lack of Revit content is disappointing.

There's lots there for ADT though :wink: (Guess they need it more than we do ........... )

[jbalding48677]

Just so you know the deadline for submitting those outlines is Friday. I imagine many are updating them (like me) and will post soon.

Keep looking...

[christopher.zoog51272]

Just so you know the deadline for submitting those outlines is Friday. I imagine many are updating them (like me) and will post soon.

Keep looking...

Exactly, I'm updating now, and I will also include my Power Point Presentation :)

[Garn]

cool bananas! I will

[Melarch]

I was impressed when I first started siging up for AU2003 in early fall with the line up of Revit classes. After last years hype for Autodesk's purchase of Revit, the release of the first real release worked on and tilted Autodesk Revit 5.0 and only two Revit Intro sessions. Then came the spring 2003 blitz of by Phil Berstein and company (Carol Bartz) with road shows and by late spring nothing. Revit promotion seem to crawl back into the recesses of Waltham. MA. All summer and fall of 2003 not a Revit creature was stiring.

So when I saw that I could fill my plate with Revit sessions every session except Wednesday's 4:00 slot (in which I signed up for "How to Misuse and Abuse ADT") it was great. Now as I already commented, not all Revit sessions were as spectacular as the Revit software, but I was able to eek out a morsel or two from every session, except "Interoperability with ADT and Revit". This last session, which I hoped would show me something I had missed in working with Revit and AutoCAD or that several of the sessions demonstrated new techniques and concepts in DWG-RVT interoperability. But alas, nothing new, in fact it only succeeded in demonstrating that anything ADT was inoperable with Revit and vice-versa. But I already new that and this 1 1/2 hour scheduled session whose presentation lasted no more than thirty-five minutes and his computer didn't even have Revit loaded so he could demonstrate the inability of ADT and Revit to exchange data.

But I digress and everything else Revit was a God send and an oasis in a desert of ADT sessions.

Maybe Autodesk will take the initiative with the release of Revit 6.0, it should have taken earlier this year, and rather than squelch Revit in the face of it's ADT users. It would be refreshing to see Revit promoted as today's architectural (BIM) solution and not some indeterminant future opportunity, when ADT finally reaches the age of retirement, which should have been with AU2003. True, the MEPS of ADT and the legacy of DWG have keep ADT alive this year and it appears for at least 2004, but Autodesk should be more proactive in aiding the architectural design community on the way to implementing Revit and supporting pilot projects to ease the ulimate transition our industry must face.

Autodesk is now projecting a structural component for Revit and migration of ADT's MEP's into Revit over the next year or two. And when this is complete and other features added to subsequent Revit releases, what will ADT have to offer other than a repository of legacy data and small group of skilled ADT users, I suspect not much larger than ArchiCAD or Bentley's Triforma. Certianly insignificant to the number of architects using generic AutoCAD or the vast number of ADT licensed seats frustrated trying to learn and implement this product, most of which are barely using ADT's features and many who have reverted to changing the ADT menus back to basic ACAD. This exact process was the request of an AUGI ADT guild post yesterday and one of many I have assisted demoting ADT to generic AutoCAD.

But once again I digress, so let me finish with how happy I was to particpate in AU 2003, attend the many good to outstanding Revit sessions, meet many of you I see posted here and other news/discussion groups, and last to have the opportunity to work with such a great software, which I have been waiting for over twenty years of working with Autodesk products.

Thank You All and let's do it again.

[jbalding48677]

BTW - I just posted my handouts and slides to the AU site. They tell me that they will be available next week.