"i-drop" for Revit?

[bmadsen]

Has anyone heard about plans to add "i-drop" functionality to Revit.

Granted, it may not be a BIG productivity enhancement, but it IS an improvement and Autodesk has had it operational since 3DS days, I think. (added to VIZ/AutoCAD with R2i/2000i ?)

[tamas]

Do you mean the "Match Type" tool left of the LineWork tool in the ToolBar?

[bmadsen]

Do you mean the "Match Type" tool left of the LineWork tool in the ToolBar?

Nope. "i-drop" is a application/web function that allows a person to drag-and-drop content (building components) from a web page into the open application. In the AutoCAD world, the "drop" initiates a "insert-block" command. So i-drop allows easy access and use of manufacturer-specific or manufacturer-created components.

[PeterJ]

If you open explorer and point it at your rfa folder you will find you can drag and drop stuff straight in. I haven't tried this with the Revit Download Centre, but an i-Drop style application would I think only require some simple integration at the website end, not a change in Revit.

[hand471037]

yeah, Revit almost does i-drop right now in that you can directly drag objects from both the Project Browser & from any folder you simply have open. So it's kinda doing the same things as the Design Center in this respect.

The main limitation would be the fact that you would have to first download content somewhere first, and then insert it; whereas if it was I-drop then you'd be able to drag it directly from the web page. Other than that it's mostly the same.

[Andre Baros]

Bringing back an old post instead of starting over.

I think Autodesk's existing i-drop technology may help get more family content produced for Revit. (ideally native Revit content, or at least 3ds blocks with Revit parameters defined)

I was just talking to some manufactures we work with and realized that the main benefit of i-drop technology is that it's a system they can sign onto with standards they have to meet... and a system prooven to give them results. It seams like it would be very important for Revit family content development to have i-drop support Revit families (or some equivalent... "i-lift"). This would really help bring manufacturers to bat on content development, particularly from the point of view of having standards for native Revit content from manufacturers.

[aaronrumple]

Nothing worse than going to a site with i-Drop and trying to download 30-40 items from a manufacturer -

one

at

a

time.

I'd much rather just download the file or zip file.

[Andre Baros]

I agree, but I've also found that I usually only need 1 or two things at a time, and am only downloading the rest because I don't trust that they'll still be there the next time. As a result I have a directory of AutoCAD blocks that are out of date and awkward to navigate. If I could count on manufacturers to have up to date content always available then I'm pretty sure I would not only favor those manufacturers, but also stop duplicating their libraries.