Crossroads

[Stuart Powell]

I am an ADT version 3 user in the UK who has struggled to come to terms with the software. I became aware of Revit some time ago but could find little information at first. I found the alt.cad.revit site and started reading the postings so became aware of this brilliant site from its conception. I feel I have learnt a certain amount simply by reading other peoples problems, they seem so different to problems with ADT.

I am now at a crossroads...

On to ADT 2004 with its easier interface and superb rendering capabilities or to Revit with its parametrics but poor rendering. I am told that the uptake of Revit is very low, not because of its absolutely superb capabilities, but because of legacy issues etc. for long established users of AutoCAD. I admit I do not do much graphical work at present but in order to widen my appeal I feel it creates an interesting shop window. I wonder how many of your users have looked at ADT 4 in any detail? it seems to be an elegant solution to version 3 and mimics many of Revit's easy methods. However, I cannot underestimate the value of FULL parametrics and would like to use Revit but I hesistate for the following reasons:- I am led to believe that the user base is very small for Revit, especially in the UK so will Autodesk keep pouring money in when it has an alternative? I cannot forget the pain I have suffered getting to grips with ADT 3 and do not wish to repeat this experience. I would have to learn a completely new drawing system and would have to think in a new logic to master Revit.

I would value any comments you would care to make, especially UK users, drawing brick/cavity with insulation/aerated concrete block/plaster walls with thermal breaks at reveals and problems with internal walls interfacing immediately adjacent to window or door openings ( I am suffering from red circle of death paranoia)

I draw mainly extensions to existing domestic properties (so new /existing/demo phases would be a godsend in Revit) and have to produce two types of drawings for planning approval and building regulations approval (lots of text).

I know that you people hate comparisons but I am trying to weigh up the advantages of both systems for my way of working and to give myself the best long term solution.

I look forward to reading your replies,

Kind regards

Stuart

[bmadsen]

I am told that the uptake of Revit is very low, not because of its absolutely superb capabilities, but because of legacy issues etc. for long established users of AutoCAD.

The "legacy issues" are real. Revit works differently. I "worked with" ADT 1.0 through ADT '04 and so I know you have paid a lot of dues to the AutoCAD and ADT way of doing things. However, like most things in life, there are trade-offs. If you have learned how to use ADT's display manager, style manager, MVblocks, etc., you should be able to learn Revit quickly.

The bad news: It will be difficult for you to give up MTEXT now that it finally works after all these years.

Anyone willing to venture a forecast on the remaining life of ADT?:wink:

[Steve_Stafford]

Short and sweet...two words, Buy Revit.

So much for short or sweet....

This discussion has been done many times naturally, you've probably even read them between the alt.cad.revit ng and here. You won't find many here who won't encourage you to use Revit for many reasons.

I haven't had the heart to dig into ADT 2004 when it arrived here, I have used it though and think it is a great release over the previous version. But I "can't" go "back", don't want to...not gonna duh it...(Bush Sr. impression...)

If you haven't done the demo...do that first, you owe yourself that much. Don't know where in UK you are but maybe PeterJ (doesn't compete? If yes, maybe he'd prefer you use ADT...?) could do a "show" for you?

[PeterJ]

I'm in the UK so I am familiar with the direct problems you face.


I would value any comments you would care to make, especially UK users, drawing brick/cavity with insulation/aerated concrete block/plaster walls with thermal breaks at reveals and problems with internal walls interfacing immediately adjacent to window or door openings ( I am suffering from red circle of death paranoia)

Revit handles this sort of thing quite well. I am unfamiliar wih the 'endcaps' tool in ADT so I don't know quite where your problems lie. Revit allows control of closing of cavities by the placed object, I personally, have found this takes some getting used to, consequently I tend to draft cavity closure conditions. However, there is drafting and drafting, so for example, I use a parametric representation of a Thermabate type closer that places all the detail required with one click and can be set for differing cavity widths. This type of knowledge of how best to use the tools at hand will no doubt be true of ADT but seems particularly true of Revit.


I draw mainly extensions to existing domestic properties (so new /existing/demo phases would be a godsend in Revit) and have to produce two types of drawings for planning approval and building regulations approval (lots of text).

Phasing is handled well by Revit and you can have as many (I think) as you require. On top of the phasing question the planning approval and Regs drawinsg you refer to can coexist as different view of the same model, so one has an outline view and the other the density of text and fills to all walls etc, but they can coexist in the same model in the same phase, so if the client asks for a quick view of what a space would look like with the wall 300 to one side, you can show it in the simple view and if its instructed the detail view will already be drawn (though you may have to move text etc.)

I like the package. It works for my requirements which seem similar to yours.

Pete

[designer56644]

I have recently made the switch, and I am soooo glad that I did. What suprized me is how Revit handles similar tasks...much more elegantly. A totally unexpected bonus is that I think that with Revit my ability to design is actually improving. This is because it is such a great visual tool.


( I am suffering from red circle of death paranoia)

Gone.....your joins may be more ecomplex than mine, but ADT could not handle my "easy" stuff without protesting.


On to ADT 2004 with its easier interface and superb rendering capabilities or to Revit with its parametrics but poor rendering.

You will be re-learning a brand new interface in ADT2004. It has changed a bunch. Ditto on most complex set-up issues in the prog.

As far as renderings/graphical issues (poor?), I think you can go as far as your talent will take you in Revit. Otherwise, export dwg/dxf or raster and tweek till your heart's content.

Bottom line for me:

Do an online help keyword search for "walls" in ADT. You will get
500 related subject returns, honestly.

Do the same search in Revit, you get 30, all of which relate to Revit's core wall functions.

That seems to be the business model for me, whether you want to sift through 500 ways of doing something, or cut to the core issues is totally up to you :)

nuff-said

P.S.
Good Luck, and welcome to this forum.

[dennis.mcneal]

Hi Stuart,

You owe it to yourself to look @ ADT 2004 and Revit. The new interface and ease of use in ADT 2004 will be a joy (hopefully!) and you can leverage you're current ADT/AutoCAD knowledge. Also, try giving Revit a test drive and I'm sure you'll appreciate the simple interface and powerful parametrics.

For those that suggest ADT is dead or dying, I'll quote Mark Twain: 'The rumor of my demise has been greatly exaggerated'. :D

Dennis

[Stuart Powell]

Thank you everyone for your prompt replies. My concerns with Revit are basically text. I at present import lots of text from word (using the MTEXT and import RTF option in ADT) and delete what is not needed to suit my purposes. I used to insert each instance of text and found it very time consuming. I think perhaps my other concern with Revit is whether Autodesk WILL invest further having spent so much for such a small takeup. I am not trying to be rude or dismissive but know with all large companies the bottom line is paramount. I cannot lose my misgivings that if Autodesk were seriously backing Revit that the programme would not already contain Viz. Perhaps I am being very silly but when I first read about Revit the 2 things that struck home most of all were the parametrics and the speed of revision of the programme (I am sure I read somewhere that the coding is more modern and so much easier and quicker to update) therefore wheres the problem? :D

I look forward to the programmers telling me how silly I am and like my customers, expecting too much too soon!!!

Stuart

[sbrown]

Dennis, I sat at the same table with Phil Bernstein and Carol Bartz in April and they told me and a room full of a couple hundred design proffesionals that ADT was DEAD and Revit was the future. Now are you as an Autodesk employee telling me that they were lying? If so that would have been quite a ballsy move on their part to just pacify those of us who were worried about the future of revit.

I'm sure if you asked anyone in the room with me after that conference that ADT's death was on the horizon.

I'm asking because I have recently heard talk on the east coast that Revits sales weren't what they had hoped and the game had changed, so if you have any info, diff. from what the CEO and head of the building division have told us, I'd like to hear it.

[Steve_Stafford]

I think you know the answer to that Scott, a definite...can't say, NDA, securities and exchange commission etc.

[dennis.mcneal]

Hi Scott,

Dead is too strong a word, that was my only point. If you ask anybody in the company, they will tell you Revit is considered the future. It would be a mistake to assume that means ADT is dead. Revit development is going full tilt & we are also working on future releases of ADT.