Revit roadmap update – September 2018

Autodesk has just published an update for the public Revit roadmap. The updated document contains both new features that have already been implemented in the latest 2019.1 release, and plans for the future development.

We’ve add some major projects to our roadmap for this update.  We’ve decided that is time to start working on improvements to wall elements since walls are such a critical piece of the project. We are starting slowly with some more straight-forward improvements that have been on Revit Ideas, but behind the scenes will be working to make the data of walls more robust and better serve the future.  Our goal is to reduce the need for complex modeling tools (like in-place or massing) and provide better data for quantities and materials as you design for better understanding of the impact of design choices.

Read the full article at Autodesk blogs.

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What’s new in Navisworks 2019.1

Navisworks 2019.1 update (available via the Autodesk Desktop App) comes with the following list of bug fixes and improvements:

Improvements

• [LMV] Support .VUE file property.
• Fixed incorrect IFC Class and Element description in IFC hierarchy.
• AVEVA E3D import (RVM file format) – missing attributes in the object properties.
• Allow Display ID to be shown in Timeliner overlay text.
• Add a space between the date and time in TXT clash report exports.
• Read shared parameters in corresponding to IFC data.

Bug fixes

• Timeliner Auto Attach not working on certain Category/Property.
• SceneConvertServer doesn’t shutdown.
• Setting global options via API or XML file has no affect with out-of-process loaders.
• ArchiCAD 21 cannot export nwc with error “Cannot write output file”.
• Cannot check ArchiCAD 21 in “Configure Installation” dialog when installing NWExporter2019.
• C++ error rendering a model.
• Navisworks does not display anything if the assembly is saved in a substitute LOD.
• Navisworks Manage 2018 crash with CER during Save.
• CER when load IFC file after install IFC for Revit.
• Navisworks License Timeout.
• Multi – threaded clash, crashing with a point cloud data set.
• A Chinese translation mistake in Archicad config file “nwexportarchicad.name”.
• ArchiCAD21 Exporter options display unreadable code in localization OS.
• Exported NWC and Glued model are not what is displayed in Revit.
• English Language Pack – Spanish category objects in selection tree.
• Revit to Navisworks Export is excluding certain instances of family.
• Navis exporter progress dialog issues.
• Global Options overrides are not passed onto SceneConvertServer.
• Some files cannot be loaded with internal error.
• Cannot load rvt because of an internal error.
• Navisworks 2018 crashes with saving file.
• Embedded texture is not displayed while opening NWD file.

Direct download links for 2019.1 update could be found at Luke Johnson’s blog.

If you are interested in Navisworks future, please vote for bringing back Navisworks Idea Station here: Autodesk community ideas.

 

Autodesk published IFC Manual for Revit users

Revit IFC Manual is a 52-page document, which describes all of the available options for using IFC format within the Revit environment. This is definitely a handy document for everyone working with Open BIM.

This document is intended to serve as a guide for Revit users handling IFC data and providing a better understanding of the settings available in Revit, discussing the way they can influence the quality and the content of the IFC file.

The Revit IFC manual therefore sets out the basics of IFC and explains in detail how to export, link and open IFC files in Revit.

The Revit IFC Manual is available for download from the official Autodesk website (direct link). I also suggest you to check out a series of articles by Simon Moreau from BIM42 about Revit IFC exporter settings:

• IFC from Revit – part 1
• IFC from Revit – part 2

You may also need to update your Revit IFC exporter to the latest version: download from Sourceforge

Navisworks 2019: nothing to see here, move along

This year’s Navisworks 2019 has been around for about two weeks, being released rather quietly. And the reason for this is pretty obvious: there is nothing new inside, except for the version number, desktop shortcuts, and a splash screen.

Considering the huge amount of time and effort that Autodesk spends with BIM 360 products, it is no surprise that Navisworks becomes abandoned. New features are coming to the cloud, leaving desktop products obsolete, and this is inevitable.

All of these machine learning and artificial intelligence stuff just can’t fit into the single desktop application. And we’ll probably see the other products shifting to the cloud in the coming years.

Autodesk Advance Steel 2018 Roadmap updated

Autodesk has recently published Advance Steel product plans at BIM and Beam blog. Below you can see all of the planned and delivered improvements:

Features and workflow enhancements:

Quality improvements:

If you’re an active Advance Steel user, and would like to influence developer plans, head over to the Advance Steel Ideas forum to post your suggestions.

Autodesk Building Performance Analysis Certification Retirement

Today is the last day to finish your Autodesk Building Performance Analysis Course and earn the certificate before the entire course gets retired.

If you are currently enrolled in the course, you’ll have time until December 15th, 2017 to finish it. Any non-completed courses will be de-activated together with the training portal after December 15th, 2017.

But don’t worry, all of the course content (excluding quizzes) is already available in Autodesk Sustainability Workshop: Building Performance Analysis Course page.

The course itself won’t disappear: the authors are currently working on bringing BPAC to Autodesk Design Academy portal in the next coming year.

Continuous orbit in Navisworks

This tip shows how to present Navisworks model in a merry-go-round style. Open Navisworks menu (the “N” application button) > Options:

In options menu, open “Interface” > “Display” sublist and select “Navigation Bar” item. Make sure the “Use classic Constrained Orbit (Turntable)” option is checked, then click “OK” to close Options menu.

While in 3D view, hover the Orbit tool in the floating panel, press the small arrow below and toggle “Constrained Orbit”:

Notice that the mouse cursor has changed and now shows the turntable.

Finally, click and hold left mouse button somewhere in 3D view, and “push” your model in desired direction. The model starts constantly spinning around the pivot:

Note that rotation speed depends on the strength of your mouse “push”.

How to sort Navisworks selection tree?

Navisworks interface is somewhat overwhelmed with features and buttons. That’s why some really useful things like sorting become overlooked for years. So here is how you can make your Navis tree look cleaner:

Open an *.NWF file with unsorted selection tree, select the ‘Standard’ option from the drop-down list. Then right-click on any item in the tree, and select ‘Scene’ > ‘Sort’:

Navisworks will notify you that this operation can’t be undone. You can save your file if you want, then click ‘OK’:

That’s it! Now your selection tree looks clean and structured:

 

Autodesk Revit roadmap updated

Now that the fall has come, it’s time to check out an updated Revit roadmap, which highlights the future of Revit. There’s a lot of cool stuff in there, so go ahead and see this article at Autodesk blogs