Revit vs ADT

[sroy]

Hello all. I am new to the AUGI site and I have a question that must have been posted, but it my general review, I didn't see a whole lot on this item. FYI - we are a smaller company with only 5 in the architectural department.

Our situation is that we had ADT 3.1 in past and had to upgrade to ADT 2005 since our licenses were expiring. We never really used ADT besides a little with walls, doors, windows and a couple of schedules. When looking at ADT 2005 it has added many items either as part of the core Autocad functionality or new ADT specific items. Since we never really learned or used the ADT 3 capabilities we need to get some training assuming that we are new to ADT and want to take advantage of the different program capabilities.

After realizing that we were going to really be starting over and learning ADT for the first time, the subject of Revit came up. I know that if we spend time training on ADT and then decide to go to Revit the training time will be a waste since the 2 are totally different. Since we are in this situation we are not sure of the program we should look at I am looking for a little guidance/information on this subject.

Have any of you been in the same situation of evaluation ADT and Revit? I have a Not For Resale version of Revit 7.0 that I have from our reseller and have looked a little at the tutorials. I would like to know of some of the items that others may have looked at when comparing the 2 programs. It seems that Revit has a lot of power, but not sure why one program should be chosen over the other.

Any information on this subject is greatly appreciated. If there are responses on this subject, please direct me to forum with information.

Shawn

[SkiSouth]

This has been the topic of many threads, which I would encourage you to read. Be sure the date on your search includes all dates. Yes, I was a subscriber of ADT (Softdesk) to 3.3 etc. Got SO frustrated over relearning ADT with every release I switched to Revit. I haven't regretted the change, (except during the "relearning" process). You'll find AUGI to be the best asset to a change in Revit. If you have access to formal training in Revit, you would do yourself well to take advantage of it. If you are seriously considering a change to Revit, working the tutorials, page by page is essential. Do NOT blow it off. It will really expose you to the power and the change in thought process (how do I draw a line again? Now just how do I show a wall?) that Revit requires from ADT and AutoCAD.

I would suggest you change, however, it really depends on your architectural practice, and how you will maintain productivity during the change. Read the threads you find on this topic and post any new questions. You'll find many to encourage and counsel on the change from ADT to Revit.

[markl.70662]

I first 'converted' to Revit 3 years ago, from a highly customised and extensive AutoCAD and custom software environment with a legacy of 20 years of library items. Therefore I cannot comment on the advantages of ADT over Revit or otherwise, other than to say that most offices I know that have ADT, don't use it. We looked at it some years ago and I then considered the lead time in training and implementation not cost effective compared with the extensive system we already had.

They change over to Revit was astounding. The presentation obtainable, particularly adding colour to both presentation and working drawings (with such little effort), had a great impact on both clients and authorities and is only logical when you consider it, we live in a colour world!

I trained one staff member who was not only new to CAD but also new to computers, to be productive on smaller Revit jobs in a little more than a week.

Recently I spoke to a lecturer at a an Architectural CAD facility who informed me that their Revit classes were taking off while the AutoCAD course was struggling for attendees.

Finally, Revit comes as a complete package, you get a set of basic building components straight out of the box, so you can be productive, if your not to fussy, to begin with, very quickly. Take it slow and as other replies state spend a bit of time here and at the exchange where you will find a growing resource of building components to add to your office environment.

[Scott D Davis]

One thing to consider is 'cross-grading' your ADT licenses to Revit Series. Revit Series is Revit and AutoCAD bundled together. Sicne you use ADT pretty much as plain AutoCAD anyway, this software bundle may help you make the trasistion. It will allow you to continue your current projects in AutoCAD, while getting new projects up to speed in Revit. The you will have AutoCAD to help manage your DWG block and detail libraries.

hope that helps!

[JamesVan]

Here's a bunch of links I've been compiling in my research of the ADT vs Revit phenomenon.

http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=11206
http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=12813
http://www.cadinfo.net/editorial/adeskrevit.htm
http://aec.cadalyst.com/aec/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=141032
http://www.caduser.com/reviews/reviews.asp?a_id=168
http://cadence.advanstar.com/newsletter/aec/0402_1.html
http://cadence.advanstar.com/newsletter/aec/0402_2.html
http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=5540
http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=5198
http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=3376

Happy reading!

[BWG]

I have evaluated both ADT and Revit. Revit wins hands down in many aspects. I found ADT to very problematic having to go between reference files all the time and having to reload them everytime there was a change. Very time consuming. I believe Revit is so much more intuitive and easy to use compared to ADT. With ADT, it is very difficult to get started out of the box. Revit has not seemed to be that bad. It is very powerful and offers everything and then some compared to ADT, except maybe controlling actual layers, but I found that if it was not for the software keeping up with layers, I would have everything on one layer. One thing about Autocad is the amount of clicking or typing you have to do to achieve even the simplest commands. Revit is not that bad. However, to the likes of ADT, editing in Autocad after the information is there, is very quick, even with all the clicking. Designing in Revit is absolutely the best system I have seen especially with the temporary dimensions before and after final wall placement and angles. ADT doesn't work this well unless they changed that in 2006 to behave more like Revit. I only wish the Revit black background showed the cursor correclty. Oh yeah, does ADT have the referencing lines show up when you are lining things up or trying to draw things accurately, quickly? Don't remember seeing that unless polar tracking happened to be accessed in the exact spot or maybe an apparent intersection snap. I am going with Revit. ADT was great pre Revit. Now it needs to move over and take a back seat. I am sure I will get chatised for this, but I haven't seen anything yet to change my mind.

[Steve_Bennett]

This subject again??? ;-) J/K

Here's some links to get you started.

I use ADT because... (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=16715&highlight=revit)
I use Revit because... (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=16705)
What do you think the future holds (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=16572&highlight=revit)?
Architectural Software (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=17119&highlight=revit)
BIM Model (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=18388&highlight=revit)

[FK]

ADT was great pre Revit. Now it needs to move over and take a back seat. I am sure I will get chatised for this
Not on this forum. ;-) Welcome!

[zenomail105021]

I am a one man designer/home builder and moved over from ADT 2004 to Revit 7 then 8 recently. Just designed my 1st house on Revit. I had ADT customized to the hilt and liked it. My motive for moving over to Revit (after much much time on the AUGI Revit vs ADT threads) was that I feel that Revit is the the program to be with in the future. No question it is on the right track. However, Revit must get its act together on the little things e.g lack of an Area command (important for cost estimating) and other inconveniences such as the lack of a dedicated backup file depository/folder (projects, families, whatever). I think architects and designers like organization and having backup files floating around with your primary files is just messy. Another example: Revit 8 (finally) gets around to allowing for an accumulated length in its measure tool. OK great so why since they were re-programming didn't they allow you to pick lines for an accumulated total length while they were at it. Dribbling it out. Very very very discouraging is that structural members don't act like the real world. So, Revit at this stage is a mixed bag that hopefully will continue to grow and I guess I'll hang in there for a while and see.


Bill Maddox

PS The clunky/cursor/crayon (no it is not an HB) has got to go. It makes the program look like a child's game. We are not drawing with a pencil (crayon) anymore. That is the reason for these type programs is it not i.e. so we don't have to. Bad aesthetically, bad first impression of the program and, like the lack of a printed manual, bad marketing.

[ejburrell67787]

e.g lack of an Area command (important for cost estimating)
Lack? :shock: Well you don't click around the perimeter for an area measurement no :banghead:, but all you have to do is schedule rooms, or gross area or whatever to find it all out, or stick room tags with areas on the plans if you want them on the drawings. Surely an area schedule is ever better for cost estimating than measuring individual areas one by one...? :p

[zenomail105021]

I know about schedules and use them but on the fly (e.g. I want to get a quick area for a roofing takeoff). As of now the work around is to draw a wall around the roof perimeter then do the area. Ridiculous .....and ........ sadly ..........true. I miss my little ADT conveniences and love those macros, lisps, etc.


Bill Maddox

Liquidate the silly crayon!

[ejburrell67787]

I know about schedules and use them but on the fly (e.g. I want to get a quick area for a roofing takeoff). As of now the work around is to draw a wall around the roof perimeter then do the area. Ridiculous ..... Am I missing something or are you Bill..? if you select the roof and hit the properties button... down the bottom of the element properties dialogue box under dimensions there are the slope angle, the volume and the area all listed.... isn't that what you want?

Same for walls, floors etc...

Elrond

PS sorry image quality a bit low

[zenomail105021]

Well Elrond you are perfectly correct and even calculates the actual roof area while accounting for the roof pitch as you said. Being new I missed that one. Though (and not meaning to be peevish) I still (might) miss the area command. But as you pointed out, not here. Thanks very much.

Bill Maddox


And sorry but for the enlightenment of the developers .......................ditch the faux crayon.

[Wes Macaulay]

Hey Bill, do check out area plans. You can schedule areas based on polylines that you draw. You can associate the lines with walls (or not).

So areas should not be a problem for you at all.

One area where I think you are quite right is regards to documentation. Revit's is woefully incomplete - it's AWFUL. You'd never learn Revit from any of the documentation. Arggh.

[dnilsson]

Sroy,

Our firm was in almost the exact situation you describe about 2 years ago. ADT 3.1, looking to upgrade, etc. Plus, I just saw a head-to-head ADT 2006 vs. Revit 7.0 shootout last week.

Plenty here on the subject, but feel free to contact via email if you want.

[ejburrell67787]

One area where I think you are quite right is regards to documentation. Revit's is woefully incomplete - it's AWFUL. You'd never learn Revit from any of the documentation. Arggh.
...but on the plus side it is incredibly easy to learn without doucmentation!! :p I did most of my first project in revit 6.0 with no training in it. I hadn't even discovered the Zoog forum then, and had only done a few of the help menu tutorials....

Still I wouldn't object to a decent documentation and fresh tutorials for new versions. (I was a bit surprised to see the same little tutorial book in the box with revit 8 that came with revit 6.0!)

Elrond

[Dimitri Harvalias]

One area where I think you are quite right is regards to documentation. Revit's is woefully incomplete - it's AWFUL. You'd never learn Revit from any of the documentation. Arggh.
Can't agree with you on this Wes. You know I'm a geek who loves to curl up with manuals on the couch and in my bed (sad, I know) and I wish Revit did come with a printed manual but, I believe the documentation is very good. Of course this is a relative comparison. The software world has suffered a great deal since they realized they could save scads of money by 'providing' users with on-line manuals rather than hard copies of well thought out manuals. Compared to other software out there Revit's on-line help and tutorials are pretty good and provided me with most of what I needed to learn this program on my own.
I have printed out the user manual (a 6.7Mb PDF file) and it's a great resource. Any piece of software with the power and breadth of features that Revit has is not going to be learned entirely by reading a manual. This forum is by far the best resource out there and the other users in the office can also help.
I believe daily use and total immersion in the software and the underlying approach is the best way to become proficient at using Revit. Training is very important as well and good training is even more important.

[Wes Macaulay]

In particular I'm thinking about families. I had to figure out ref lines on my own - the manual didn't really explain what they're for. And the whole process of making a family isn't well laid out in Help. I get complaints a lot for things that aren't well explained in Help, but to Revit's credit many people can figure them out on their own. Which is what they're going to have to do, with the help of all the good people here!

[Joef]

Speaking of user manuals I had the current Revit User Manual printed out at a cost of about 45$ Just take the PDF to Kinko's or wherever. Here is where to get the PDF:
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=5107070

Joe