Family Types Dialog - Lock Parameter

This concept showed up a couple releases ago if I recall correctly. I'm referring to this bugger:

The help file says:

"You can maintain the parametric relationships between labeled dimensions by locking them. To lock a dimension directly in the drawing area, click next to the dimension."

"When a labeled dimension is locked, all of the associated parameters also lock. This means that as the dimensions are moved in the drawing area, the associated parameters are constrained and the dimension value is preserved."

"Note: Locked dimensions and their associated parameters cannot be changed in the drawing area. Use the Lock column in the Family Types dialog to change them."

"When a labeled dimension is unlocked, all of the referenced geometry unlocks and is unconstrained."

"To lock a labeled dimension from the Family Types dialog
• Click a dimension in the drawing area.
• Click Modify | Dimensions tab | Properties panel Family Types.
• Select Lock to constrain a parameter."

I find that this part isn't true:

"Note: Locked dimensions and their associated parameters cannot be changed in the drawing area. Use the Lock column in the Family Types dialog to change them."

When I select a dimension string that has been locked I CAN change the value and flex the geometry. What I CAN'T do is drag a reference plane to alter the parameter value "in Canvas". The text is misleading. It sure sounds like I can't alter the parameter at all, except by opening the Family Types dialog.

Another thing that is a bit confusing. In the project environment we can't change the position of elements by selecting a dimension string first and then editing the value. We CAN do that in the family editor. Inconsistent user "feedback" when transitioning to and from. In the project we keep stressing that we must select the element and then edit the dimensions. Exactly the opposite when a parameter is attached to the dimension in the family editor. Uh oh, I just saw a student's head explode...sorry.

Column Shading Gets Obstinate

Working with a client the last couple evenings I found a quirky condition with a column family that has a nested detail component to manage masking the way they like. When the column is playing nicely it looks like this.

Unfortunately they all, nearly all, look like this now.

After pressing many buttons, clicking even more and checking, double checking settings...no joy. Then I tried changing the column to use the Column Style settings: Slanted - Angle Driven and Slanted - End Point Driven. They all report Vertical now but changing the value and then changing back made no difference. So I tried placing another column fresh, it works. At least that's something. Then I tried to break it. More button pressing etc. and then I come back to the Column Style settings.

After changing from Vertical to Slanted - End Point Driven it won't shade/mask anymore. Hmmm... Well I've manage to break it, that's something I suppose.

I tried to swap all the columns out with a completely new type from a different column family. Then I deleted (purged) the original family and loaded one fresh with a new name even. Swap back...no joy :(

It sure looks like the only option is to place new columns carefully where the original obstinate ones are thumbing their noses at us. Yuk...

Fwiw, it isn't actually necessary to include a nested detail component. Usually assigning a solid cut pattern and altering the color to gray is sufficient. These images are actually showing that approach, no nested detail component. That just means the problem is more intractable, not related to the nested component at all. I suspect that the angle column settings "rotate" the "shading" out of plumb and then the columns lose the ability to do it anymore. Much like annotation graphics in lighting fixtures won't show up on sloped ceilings, just the 3D geometry.

I did find that I could swap out good for bad if I used Groups. I created a group out of one good column, with the group origin at center. Then I made individual groups of the bad columns. I just made sure the origin faced the same direction for each. This wasn't fast... Then I selected all the rogue "groups" and swapped them all for the single good group definition. All fixed...ungroup. ugh

Only One Book is Allowed

I wrote a tweet the other day asking,"I wonder why the question, "Which Revit book should I buy?" seems to imply that we are only allowed one, one choice, one on our shelf?"

We all learn a bit differently, so options are good. I think it is a disservice to all of us to assume one source is sufficient or that we must only pick the "best" book. I learn stuff from all the things I read, even if some parts are useless to me personally or perhaps poorly delivered. We are talking about someone's living. Spending a few hundred dollars in the interest of making a better living seems easy math to me, and I'm not even very good at math!

Don't restrict your opportunities to learn! My $0.02

Who is the Owner

Melanie wrote a nice post earlier today. She asked:

Question: What does an owner want from BIM?
Answer: The same thing they wanted from CAD.

Which she says begs another question: Who is the Owner?

It isn't usually a simple answer like: "Let me introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Smith. We'll be designing their house." They are the owner and you've got to please them, unless they give their kids any say. If so you know which rooms will be the biggest!

She lists a bunch of people that the software and design industry may overlook too often, or at least focus on others too often, in their quest to satisfy this "owner" person.

Nice job Melanie!

RTC Europe Site and Details are Live Now

It’s live!! Click the images to visit!

Following the success of the Revit Technology Conference series in Australasia and North America, industry demand has once again led to us to cross continents! We are very excited to announce that the inaugural European Revit Technology Conference will be held in Delft, the Netherlands on 27 – 28, September 2013. The conference will be presented in English and will showcase a selection of our premier speakers from the Australasia and North America events as well as industry heavyweights within the European market.

• Experience the benefits you gain from a successful BIM implementation by talking to experts in this field
• Best of breed invited speakers only, of both European and International origins
• Share ideas and insights with an international community of your peers
• Explore the latest trends and technologies
• Network with your peers
• Cultivate important business and professional contacts that can benefit your company and your career
• Come to learn from the experts and leave with a wealth of knowledge, practical methods, and new ideas
• Unlock the potential of BIM to streamline the building procurement and construction process
• Overview of new features, Best Practice methods, Tips and tricks from experts

Cool Lego Assembly Line

A friend shared a link to this video last night, wow! Double wow!

EdgeWise MEP for Revit

If you use Revit MEP and laser scan data then hopefully you've heard of ClearEdge3D and the new EdgeWise for Revit MEP? They recently announced that they're offering a software solution to bring 3D as-built models of pipes and other cylindrical MEP elements directly into Revit. It automatically extracts pipes, elbows and other features from point clouds and exports them to Revit as fully functional pipe objects. You begin by using their software to analyze point cloud data (the result of conducting laser/lidar scanning on-site). Once processed you can export this interpreted data to several software products including Revit MEP now.

If you are interested in a demo then check out when Beck Group’s Kelly Cone and Autodesk’s Kyle Bernhardt present it, via webinar, on Wednesday, September 26 at 1pm EDT. Beck Group was one of the early testers of the software and Kelly is quite fond of it. There will be a live demo of it too so you can see for yourself how much time it can save. Click here to sign up.

I received an email from them recently and I wrote back to ask a couple questions:

"Is the success of the export and functioning in Revit natively dependent on additional Revit families or based on the what is available in the stock content (US imperial for example)? I ask because I imagine there are elements that can be captured via a laser that your software can understand that might not have an equivalent Revit family element to use. What happens then?"

Christopher Scotton (President & CEO) responded with this:

"Thanks for Reaching out. The success of the import is not dependent on additional Revit families because Revit assigns the imported pipe objects to its stock pipe families, in this case Schedule 40 PVC along with the correct type diameter, elbow bend, etc. The centerlines come in as pipe placeholder. However, the accuracy and utility of the model is greatly enhanced by the use of custom families. In essence, EdgeWise imports cylindrical elements that are spatially accurate to the as-built conditions. Once in Revit, the elements need to be changed from the stock pipe family (if not Sch 40 PVC) to the correct pipe family.

Right now, EdgeWise MEP for Revit only extracts cylindrical features—pipes, round ducting, elbows and conduit—so we’ve not run across many elements that we extract that are not represented by a stock family type. But in those cases, Revit will place a PVC pipe and a placeholder that corresponds to the size, dimension and location of the unrecognized element."

If you are using point cloud data and Revit MEP (even if you use other software) you should check it out!