Transitioning to and Implementing Revit

[KyleDasan]

Recently, the company head raised the Red Flag, and said, “We need to go to Revit.”

First off, let me get this out of the way and say that I hate Revit. While I feel that’s it’s a cool flashy program, and I see and like where it’s going, I really don’t see the practicality of it for our companies needs, and feel that it’s not quite there yet. Secondly, you can’t draw in it the same way as you do AutoCAD, and quite frankly, I like AutoCAD’s command interface a helluva lot better than Revit’s. I mean no command line, and no keyboard commands?! C’mon! That’s like a one button mouse! Autodesk take note….don’t you ever….EVER…take away the command line and keyboard commands from AutoCAD. EVER. Okay my rant’s over. I could go on, but I’m in the wrong forum for that. And who knows, after a year, my tune can completely change after using it for a while. But right now, I hate it.

But I’ve been fighting this losing battle for a while now, and it’s time to raise the white flag. So, I know that training is a big part of this push, and thankfully, the partners realize that this will be a S L O W transition to using Revit and AutoCAD together. And they also realize the cost of the training is going to monumental. (We have 50 people to train…). What I need to know is more technical.

If the Revit model, is one master model, how do multiple people work on it?
What technical upgrades are needed for our computers? Recently I upgraded everyone’s PC to be able to handle AutoCAD 2008 (Which I love by the way…), but what kind of load does this put on our file servers? A 2D plan view is one thing. I’m assuming that working on a parametric model is a totally different concept. What is the minimum requirements for a licensing server and the server that is holding the files?

I’m hoping somebody out there was in the same boat as I am in now, and can shed a little light on these, and other topics that I might not even think about. The water ahead is clouded and murky, and I’m hoping for some friendly tips to help me get through this.

Thanks.

[Scott D Davis]

first thing; There are keyboard shortcuts in Revit...have been since Revit 2.0. Look for keyboardshortcuts.txt in the Program folder for Revit.

second thing: you don't need a command line. Command lines are 1980's technology. Autocad now has the abilty to turn off the command line...you don't need it. Word doesn't have a command line....photoshop, no command line....sketchup...nope, not one there either. I predict the command line will be gone in Autocad eventuall too. (thats purely my opinion)

So as an obviously long time Autocad user, what do you do? You forgret Autocad...completely. Wipe it out of your mind, gone, no more Autocad. If you are still using plain old vanilla Autocad to do architecture, you are using the wrong tool anyway. At a minimum, all architects should be using Autocad Architecture if they like Autocad and don't want to venture into BIM. Autocad Architecture has so many tools to help with productivity in 2D design as documentation.

Revit is completely different. Its not Autocad, wasn't built on Autocad, and wasn't even an Autodesk product when it was created. In fact, it was a direct competitor to Autodesk. You have to set your mind into a completely different way of thinking when using Revit.

The fact that right now you like Autocad's interface better just shows that you haven't quite "got it" yet. Do this; turn on every toolbar, palette, etc you can in Autocad. Quite a mess, isn't it? Drawing window is slightly larger than a postage stamp? Now do the same in Revit. Whoa...thats it? Thats the whole interface? Its so simple, its intuitive, it works the way architects work. It uses real construction language...walls, windows, doors, roofs, etc. To me, the interface is great, its not intimidating like Autocad....imagine teaching Autocad and ALL of those commands to newbies. Ugh.

Ok, so for your specific questions; multiple people work on a Revit file using Worksets. In a nutshell, the 'main' file is called the Central file, and each user makes a copy of that Central file and works on it locally....Local files. As a person manipulates an object, the local copy talks to the central file and that element gets checked out to that user so no one else can affect it. When the user Saves to Central, changes made locally get pushed up to the Central file, and any changes by other users in the Central get pushed down to that local copy. Its really quite incredible the way it works. There is so much more to Worksets, and you will learn more in training than I can tell you here.

Desktop computers need to have 2 gigs of RAM minimum, more for larger models, and a fast processor. Video card can be a 'normal' card, don't go buy $3000 gaming cards. Network MUST be gigabit. File servers can be a "normal" file server, and the license server can be the same one you use for Autocad...in fact, its the same licnese tool, you just add the Revit part to it.

That'll get you going, and I'm sure others will contribute. Wont be long and you will be praising Revit....you wont be a 'hater' for long. In fact, I bet you start liking to work in Revit better than Autocad before too long...

[sjsl]

Go to Revit.

You will not miss anything about Autocad and you will never want to go back and HAVE to use it. In our firm it has become a real moral booster!

[KyleDasan]

Okay Scott,

My first instinct is to verbally berate you in bashing my beloved command line and interface that to me, didn't take long to learn at all, and is customizable to however the heck I want it. But no, that's not conducive to what I'm trying to accomplish, and you're right, (to a point. I want to point out that the command line is absolutely vital to me when
troubleshooting drawings...a problem that may not exist in Revit. I don't know. And I've often wished that Photoshop had one, and learn all the keyboard shortcuts I can, because I hate clicking for EVERYTHING.) But I digress...

To quote a wise pundit, "You must unlearn, what you have learned." I'm trying here guys....really.....

We are architects, and we design housing. I myself am not an architect, and have long ago set aside my aspirations to become one. I am however, the AutoCAD expert, and CAD/IT manager, so it falls on me to become the Revit expert as well.

So I thank you for your input, and look forward to more ways to help me through this transition.

[cdatechguy]

Half our office is still Anti-Revit....those that have been forced to the "Dark Side of CAD" learn that there is actually a "Light Side" to Revit and understand after they use the program on one or two projects how great it can be. The issue though is making Revit do what you do in AutoCAD. You can bend Revit just enough to match what you do in AutoCAD, but you have to make some sacrifices and abandon the CAD and do what Revit does.

[Dimitri Harvalias]

Kyle,
I started out board drafting and made the jump to ACAD. Through 15 years working in the 2D world I was constantly looking for a better way to do things. Revit is that better way.

The best, and only, advice I'm going to give you here is to give it chance. Open yourself up to it or it won't go well. If you are constantly tying to figure out how to make Revit be AutoCAD you will grow old and angry very fast. You will need to learn a new way of doing things but once you 'get it' you'll never want to go back.

The BIM world is not just for architects or aspiring architects nor is it just a 'flashy' program. As a long time working drawing and CAD manager type I honestly feel the primary benefit is in the production end of things. The ability to keep a complete set of drawings coordinated, to ensure changes made are reflected in all aspects of the project from plans, sections, elevations and schedules, the ability to actually enforce consistent CAD standards with very little end user effort and to easily impose standards on a project, not just awkwardly one drawing at a time, having the program create views rather than havinto draft each view one at a time; all are huge time savers.

If you are involved in any aspect of the project during construction you can appreciate the benefits of working things out by building a 3D model in the computer rather than waiting until you're on site to solve problems. Fewer RFI's, when the changes come they are easier to make, fewer files to manage...too many benefits to put in one reply.

Be open minded and you're sure to have success. When you get stuck come back here and we'll give you a hand. We've all been there and although it's not perfect, Revit is a whole lot better than anything else I've ever used for architecture. Good luck

My $.10

[Batman]

mmm, nice avatar

[SCShell]

mmm, nice avatar

I was wondering how long that would take Batman.

Hey Kyle,

I wish you the best of luck. I can only say "ditto" to everybody who has posted.
I hope you enjoy the "fun side" of Revit too. (It still makes me giggle after all these years!)

Best of Luck
Steve

[WolffG]

I was an AutoCaddie from release 9 to 2004. I finally threw in the towel when I had to drive a couple of hours to attend a full day seminar just to learn how to PLOT!!!.

I neverdid learn all the ins and outs of autocad,and dumped it unceremoniously when I was shown the way to truth, happiness and Revit, and I've never looked back.

The clincher came when I finished my first revenue producing work less than two weeks after installing the software. Talk about short learning curve. Had it been the next version of Autocad, I would probably have needed a two day seminar on how to open the CD box.

Not that Revit is perfect, far from it, but it's a product to be used by architects rather than geeks. I also tend to learn on an as needed basis, so if I don't need to know, I don't know.

No dimtext, dimli, dimtac, dimsum and dimwit or any of the other dwarfs in Revit. And NO layers!!!

Go ye forth and Revit

[vgonzales]

Kyle,

You have every right to hate Revit or in this case hate the fact you being forced to learn something new or different like Revit. Learning a completely new interface such Revit is never easy. It took me over a month to get used to the interface coming from using AutoCAD for over a decade. Going through the Revit tutorials really helped. Revit does have shortcuts and I use them a lot like I was using AutoCAD but without hitting the enter key. I never felt I really needed a command line like AutoCAD since Revit does have a single line status bar on the bottom that acts similar to a command line.

Give the program a try. If it does not work out, then just stick with AutoCAD. Revit is not for everyone. You have to have the mindset to use it properly. You have to be a builder not a drafter when using Revit although I find drafting in Revit a whole lot better than AutoCAD. If you know how a building is put together, you might stand to have an easier time learning Revit since it follows and reinforces building construction and assembly.

Revit was created by another company called Revit Technology Corporation before Autodesk bought them out. Hence, both programs have very different interfaces, modes of operation and uses. Autodesk may own both Revit and AutoCAD now. That does not mean they will automatically have the same interchangeable features. One is a 3D modeling database and the other is a generic 2D drafting program.

In my office, I have noticed repeatedly that die-hard 2D ACAD drafters are probably the worst Revit users and take the most time to acclimate to Revit. It is probably easier to train recent college graduates on Revit than long time ACAD users. More than half of the people in my office hates Revit as well. There are only a minority of users that have made a successfull transition to Revit and never want to go back. I am one of them. This is coming from a long time ACAD user and Lisp routine programmer. Upper management in my office has also made a committment to BIM (i.e. Revit) and I plan to follow through with that goal as best I can.

Being the CAD manager (now BIM manager) of my office, I was in your critical position over a year and some months ago. You have a long bumpy road ahead filled with lots of frustration and some rewards.

Good luck!
Leo