2011 ~ Windows 8 Support

Tuesday, 27 December 2011

Classroom Training – Open Classes

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

Know It. Ideate Training.

Position yourself to land dream projects. Tap the full potential of your software solutions. Increase your facility, fluidity and capability to maximize the value of your precision software tools.

Here are a few of the training opportunities Ideate has to offer in the coming days:

1.4-6::Portland
Revit Architecture Fundamentals
1.9-11::Seattle
Civil 3D Fundamentals
1.10-12::Sacramento
Revit MEP Mechanical and Plumbing Fundamentals
1.17-19::San Francisco
Civil 3D Fundamentals

Know your software. Sign up now!

Posted in AIA CEU, AIA LU, AutoCAD Civil 3D, Autodesk Revit MEP, Civil 3D, Ideate, Ideate Inc., Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Training, RonPalmaAEC | No comments

Thursday, 22 December 2011

eLearning – Upcoming Classes

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning – live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education.

Upcoming classes include:

12.27.11::
Revit 201: Converting Blocks to Families

Each class is designed to give you specific, improved results in a particular topic. You can interact with the instructor right from your own office, while eliminating travel time. Because the class schedule rotates, you can easily select your topics of interest and choose the day which best meets your schedule.

Click here for class descriptions, times and registration link. Questions? Contact education@ideateinc.com

Get It. Know It. Use It.

Posted in AIA CEU, AIA LU, Autodesk Revit, eLearning, Ideate, Ideate Inc., Revit, Revit Training | No comments

Tuesday, 20 December 2011

Classroom Training – Open Classes

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

1.3-5::San Jose
AutoCAD Fundamentals
1.10-12::Sacramento
Revit MEP Mechanical and Plumbing Fundamentals
1.17-19::San Francisco
Civil 3D Fundamentals

Know your software. Sign up now!

Posted in AIA CEU, AIA LU, AutoCAD, AutoCAD Civil 3D, Autodesk Revit MEP, Civil 3D, Ideate, Ideate Inc., Revit MEP | No comments

Monday, 19 December 2011

New Year's Resolution - Cleanup those RVTs!

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

Resolve to keep your RVTs clean and well oiled in 2012. Use Ideate Explorer for Revit to take on these essential tasks:

Review/Cleanup Imports. Unused Import files (DWG/DGN) are cluttering your RVT and impacting performance. Get rid of them now while you can.

Assure that only Company Standard Text and Dimensions are being used. It’s easy to use the wrong style of there are too many to choose from. Prevent printing headaches and make sure only approved styles are used.
Audit keynote and revision usage. What’s been keynoted? Where are the revision clouds? You’re in charge of quality control – you need to know these answers.
Review the model and detail lines. Improper use of model lines or selecting the wrong detail line will surely result in a printing mishap. Audit now.
Audit the workset organization. Controlling performance and visibility through worksets can work well, until objects are misidentified. Review workset assignments quickly to nip these problems in the bud.

While not a complete list, it’s a great starting point. Start the year off right by auditing your projects today with Ideate Explorer for Revit.

Glynnis Patterson,
N.C.A.R.B. – Director of Services
Glynnis is a Registered Architect and has worked within the BIM industry since 1998. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, she has worked as an architect, educator and construction site manager. Glynnis is currently the Director of Development Services at Ideate, Inc. and continues to work with AEC clients across the nation, developing, and implementing best practices solutions. In her spare time Glynnis is a member of the Morristown Environmental Commission and builds Lego projects. @GVPinNJ

Get it. Know it. Use it.

Posted in Excel to Revit, Ideate, Ideate Explorer, Ideate Explorer for Revit, Ideate Inc., Revit to Excel, Revit tool | No comments

Thursday, 15 December 2011

eLearning – Upcoming Classes

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning - live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education.

Upcoming classes include:

12.27.11::
Revit 201: Converting Blocks to Families

Posted in AIA CEU, AIA LU, Autodesk Revit, eLearning, Ideate, Ideate Inc., Revit, Revit Training | No comments

Tuesday, 13 December 2011

Classroom Training – Open Classes

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

12.14-16::Portland
Revit MEP Electrical Fundamentals
12.14-16::San Francisco
AutoCAD Fundamentals
12.19-20::San Jose
Navisworks Fundamentals
1.3-5::San Jose
AutoCAD Fundamentals

Know your software. Sign up now!

Posted in AIA CEU, AIA LU, AutoCAD, Autodesk Navisworks, Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Revit MEP, Ideate, Ideate Inc., Navisworks, Revit MEP, Revit Training | No comments

Thursday, 8 December 2011

eLearning – Upcoming Classes

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning - live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education.

Upcoming classes include:

12.13.11::
Navisworks 101: Introduction to Navisworks Manage
12.27.11::
Revit 201: Converting Blocks to Families

Posted in AIA CEU, AIA LU, Autodesk Navisworks, Autodesk Revit, eLearning, Ideate, Ideate Inc., Navisworks, Revit, Revit Training | No comments

Wednesday, 7 December 2011

What’s Up With That? Current Hotfixes, Updates and Service Packs for 2012 Software

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

We’re just past the six-month mark since the 2012 Autodesk products hit the shelves, and one of the most frequent questions Ideate receives from customers lately is “when are they (Autodesk) going to release the next update?”

With that said, Here is a list of the current Hotfixes, Updates and Service Packs available for the 2012 product line.

AutoCAD LT® 2012

AutoCAD® 2012

Autodesk® Revit® Architecture 2012

Autodesk® Revit® MEP 2012

Autodesk® Revit® Structure 2012

AutoCAD® Map 3D 2012

Autodesk® 3ds Max® 2012

Autodesk® Maya® 2012

AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2012

AutoCAD® Architecture 2012

AutoCAD® Mechanical 2012

AutoCAD® Structural Detailing 2012

Autodesk® Vault 2012

As always, be sure to read the ReadMe file prior to installation. After all, it’s not called a ReadMe file for nothing.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter: @MattM_PE and @IdeateInc where our expert technical staff posts the latest news and links (including Update and Hotfix releases) as soon as we hear about them.

Matt Miyamoto, P.E.
Infrastructure Solutions Application Specialist
Matt is a licensed Civil Engineer in the state of Hawaii. Matt obtained a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and has 7 years of private sector design experience which he applies in his role as an application specialist with Ideate, Inc. His project experience includes residential and commercial site development, private and public sewer, water and drainage systems, harbors improvements, and roadway improvements. While in Hawaii, Matt was involved in multidisciplinary projects for City and County agencies, State Departments, the Army COE and private developers. @MattM_PE

Get it. Know it. Use it.

Posted in 3ds Max, AutoCAD, AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD Civil 3D, AutoCAD LT, AutoCAD Map 3D, AutoCAD Mechanical, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk Vault, Ideate, Ideate Inc., Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Structure | No comments

Tuesday, 6 December 2011

Classroom Training – Open Classes

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

12.9::Portland
Revit Architecture Families
12.12::San Francisco
Revit Architecture Families
12.12-14::San Jose
3ds Max Design Fundamentals
12.12-14::Seattle
AutoCAD Fundamentals
12.14-16::Portland
Revit MEP Electrical Fundamentals
12.14-16::San Francisco
AutoCAD Fundamentals

Know your software. Sign up now!

Posted in 3ds Max Design, AIA CEU, AIA LU, AutoCAD, Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Revit MEP, Ideate, Ideate Inc., Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Training, RonPalmaAEC | No comments

Thursday, 1 December 2011

eLearning – Upcoming Classes

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning - live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education.

Upcoming classes include:

12.13.11::
Navisworks 101: Introduction to Navisworks Manage
12.27.11::
Revit 201: Converting Blocks to Families

Posted in AIA CEU, AIA LU, Autodesk Navisworks, Autodesk Revit, eLearning, Ideate, Ideate Inc., Navisworks, Revit, Revit Training | No comments

Tuesday, 29 November 2011

Classroom Training – Open Classes

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

11.30-12.2::Seattle
Revit MEP Mechanical and Plumbing Fundamentals
12.5-7::Portland
Revit Architecture Fundamentals
12.6-8::San Francisco
Revit MEP Electrical Fundamentals
12.9::Portland
Revit Architecture Families

Know your software. Sign up now!

Posted in AIA CEU, AIA LU, Autodesk Revit Architecture 2012, Autodesk Revit MEP, Ideate, Ideate Inc., Revit, Revit MEP, Revit Training, RonPalmaAEC | No comments

Tuesday, 22 November 2011

Classroom Training – Open Classes

Posted on 10:50 by Unknown

11.30-12.2::Seattle
Revit MEP Mechanical and Plumbing Fundamentals
12.5-7::Portland
Revit Architecture Fundamentals
12.6-8::San Francisco
Revit MEP Electrical Fundamentals
12.9::Portland
Revit Architecture Families

Know your software. Sign up now!

Posted in AIA CEU, AIA LU, Autodesk Revit Architecture 2012, Autodesk Revit MEP, Ideate, Ideate Inc., Revit, Revit MEP, Revit Training, RonPalmaAEC | No comments

Tuesday, 15 November 2011

Classroom Training - Open Classes

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

11.16::San Francisco
BIM Management for Revit Architecture
11.21-23::San Jose
Civil 3D Fundamentals
11.30-12.2::Seattle
Revit MEP Mechanical and Plumbing Fundamentals

Know your software. Sign up now!

Posted in AIA CEU, AIA LU, AutoCAD Civil 3D, Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Revit MEP, BIM, Civil 3D, Ideate, Ideate Inc., Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Training | No comments

Monday, 14 November 2011

MEP Content Display Settings in AutoCAD MEP and Navisworks

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

Recently I ran into a support case with a customer where they were bringing their AutoCAD MEP drawing into Navisworks 2012 (which by the way now supports native .DWGs, no more NWDOUT from AutoCAD). Everything looked good except for their pipe. It was coming in as a line instead of a 3D object. The solution as it turned out was fairly simple, but because of the myriad of visual settings in both applications it could’ve been easily missed.

I took a look at their CAD file and it looked pretty standard, and didn’t find anything wrong with it. But when I opened the file in Navisworks this is what I saw.

All other MEP content like duct, cable tray, and conduit were displaying as they should, except for pipe.

The view settings on the Navisworks end looked fine, so I went back to the DWG in AutoCAD MEP and dug a little deeper. As it turned out, the office CAD standards specified that all piping less than 12" diameter would be represented as a single line. The setting can be found in the Pipe System Definition and affects all views including any view in and out of AutoCAD, such as Navisworks. I opened up the Pipe System Definition for that pipe and and unchecked the single line display boxes under the Single Line Graphics tab; saved the drawing and brought it back into Navisworks. Everything looked good. All MEP content, including pipe, were now displaying as 3D.

Derek Wielkopolski
Technical Support Manager/Application Specialist
Derek holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Roger Williams University, Rhode Island. He is experienced working within the AEC industry from concept design through construction administration for both small and large scale projects. As Ideate’s Support Manager he ensures a timely and quality response to support requests and questions. Follow Derek on Twitter: @dwielk

Get it. Know it. Use it.

Posted in AutoCAD MEP, Autodesk Navisworks, Derek Wielkopolski, dwg, Ideate, Ideate Inc., mep, Navisworks | No comments

Wednesday, 9 November 2011

Civil 3D Subscription Download – Volumes Dashboard Extension for AutoCAD Civil 3D 2012

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

Have you always wondered what happens to your Civil 3D subscription dollars?

Well, Autodesk keeps on adding value for subscription customers and released a new product extension exclusively for subscription customers:

Volumes Dashboard Extension for AutoCAD Civil 3D 2012

Download from Subscription Center and install it easily.

Once installed you can access it from Toolbox tab of Toolspace under Subscription Extension Manager.

With this tool you are now able to: (advantages)

Create a volume surface right from this panorama or use a one created earlier.
Produce a volume report in one click; which is faster and less number of steps than before.
Export the volume information in the drawing as block with on click.
See the visual net graph in the panorama itself.
Calculate multiple bounded volumes.
Most of all the volume entry in the panorama stays there even after you close the drawing.

Volume Report in the Browser

Get more information and watch a video on autodesk.com Help.

Gaurav Bagga
Infrastructure Solutions Application Specialist

Gaurav is a well rounded Application Engineer and Project Manager for Infrastructure Solutions at Ideate based out of San Francisco. He has over 15 years experience in construction industry and has been helping numerous small, medium and ENR 500 firms maximize their CAD investment for the last ten years. Gaurav is an Autodesk Certified Instructor and Autodesk Civil 3D Implementation Certified Expert. He has taught at several conferences, CAD Camps and Autodesk University. He has taught AutoCAD, Civil 3D, Land Desktop and Map 3D to thousands of students and helps Ideate develop the Infrastructure Services curriculum and courses. With his extensive CAD technology background he helps Bay Area engineering and surveying firms analyze and improve their design and drawing production process thereby improving productivity and the bottom line. Follow Gaurav on Twitter: @BeGeez

Get it. Know it. Use it.

Posted in AutoCAD Civil 3D, Autodesk Subscription, Civil 3D, Ideate, Ideate Inc. | No comments

Tuesday, 8 November 2011

Classroom Training - Open Classes

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

11.15-17::Portland
Civil 3D Fundamentals
11.15-17::Sacramento
Revit MEP Electrical Fundamentals
11.16::San Francisco
BIM Management for Revit Architecture

Know your software. Sign up now!

Posted in AIA CEU, AIA LU, AutoCAD Civil 3D, Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Revit MEP, Civil 3D, Ideate, Ideate Inc., Revit Architecture, Revit Training | No comments

Monday, 7 November 2011

Revit Architecture and Furniture in a Reflected Ceiling Plan

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

Question: In Revit Architecture, How do we turn on Furniture and display it in a dashed line type in a Reflected Ceiling Plan? This is to co-ordinate lighting with furniture locations.

Answer: Here’s one of the ways this can be done, Steps as follows:

In the Reflected Ceiling Plan, Set ‘Underlay’ to the respective Floor Plan
Then change the ‘Underlay Orientation’ to ‘Plan’
Now the floor plan that has the furniture will display
To display the furniture ‘dashed,’ Override the underlay line pattern from under Manage>Additional settings>Halftone/Underlay

Shruti Harve,

LEED AP, AEC Solutions Application Specialist
Shruti holds a Master of Science degree in Architectural Computing from University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom and is LEED accredited. Her experience includes working in Architecture and Construction firms in India and the United Kingdom as well as Structural Engineering firms in the Bay Area providing design, 3D modeling and drafting services. At Ideate, Shruti provides training and support for Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, 3ds Max, Ecotect and AutoCAD Architecture.

Get it. Know it. Use it.

Posted in Autodesk Revit, Ideate, Ideate Inc., Revit, Revit Architecture | No comments

Wednesday, 2 November 2011

Civil 3D Technology Preview – Corridor Solids for Civil 3D 2012

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

How do you import a Civil 3D corridor into Revit or Navisworks?

I was asked this question a couple of months ago while importing a Civil 3D surface into Revit for a user group presentation on Revit Civil 3D collaboration. A very valid question, considering that I was just importing a surface and that too as polyline contours.

There is no way to import a corridor into Revit… well not until the Corridor Solids for Civil 3D technology preview from Autodesk Labs came out. You can learn more about it from Autodesk Labs website.

Corridor Solids will allow you to convert a Civil 3D corridor subassembly into an AutoCAD 3D solid (actually an AutoCAD “body” object) so you can easily import it into Revit or Navisworks for presentation purposes and enhanced model collaboration.

To provide you with a quick example, I have a very basic road corridor in Civil 3D with a lane, curb and gutter, sidewalk and retaining wall per the figure below:

Access Corridor Solids from the Toolbox and choose to import the solids in the same drawing or a new drawing.

Once you add all Baseline Regions you will see all the regions with their subassemblies in the dialog box.

The key here is to assign the right colors and layer names under the layer name template column so you see them in Revit and Navisworks.

And finally save the corridors solids in the same file or external file.

Now it’s easy to bring this Corridor Solids file into Revit via Linking CAD

or Navisworks via Appending the corridor solids drawing file.

Caveat:

Corridor Solids will not export link subassemblies as solids. In those situations, you will see holes where there are links in your corridor and you will not be able to convert daylight or link subassemblies.
I have not been able to assign materials or cut a section through corridor solids in Revit. However, I was able to assign materials to the various layers in pavement structure in Navisworks.
Also, Labs software is a beta testing ground for Autodesk so sometimes things might not work as expected and there maybe bugs. In those situations it is best to communicate those things with Autodesk.

Posted in AutoCAD Civil 3D, Autodesk Labs, Autodesk Navisworks, Autodesk Revit, Civil 3D, corridor solids, Navisworks, Revit | No comments

Tuesday, 1 November 2011

Classroom Training - Open Classes

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

11.2-3::Portland
Revit Architecture Beyond the Basics
11.7::San Francisco
Revit Architecture Families
11.7-9::San Jose
AutoCAD Fundamentals
11.8-10::San Francisco
Revit Structure Fundamentals

Know your software. Sign up now!

Posted in AIA CEU, AIA LU, Authorized Training Center, AutoCAD, Autodesk Revit, Ideate, Ideate Inc., Revit, Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, Revit Training, RonPalmaAEC | No comments

Monday, 31 October 2011

Autodesk Design Suites – Skip the Hiccups

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

This year Autodesk released several new bundles of software called Design Suites. You can learn more about these great deals here.

As with any new thing, there have been a few minor hiccups that we have seen in technical support. Here are the issues and what you can do to avoid them.

Standalone:

Software can’t be split between computers. If you have one seat of the Design Suite you can install all of the software on one computer. You can’t install some items (Navisworks and 3ds Max) on one machine and other items (AutoCAD and Revit) on another machine. In these situations we would recommend either a second seat or to buy a network version for computers that would not be in use at the same time.

Network:

Don’t install the software as a trial. There is the temptation to install the software right away, even when your network licenses have not been set up yet. With the various Design Suites the software you choose is installed all at once. It is much quicker than installing the software one by one, but once it is installed, there is no way to uninstall all of them. So, the trials that were installed to get you started sooner must then be uninstalled one at a time so that they can then be reinstalled using the network license information.
Request network licenses for all of your software at the same time. When using the Design Suite licenses in a license file it needs to have the same issue date as the other licenses or it will cancel out the other licenses.
Order the licenses in the order they would cascade. In order to avoid any potential issues we recommend reorganizing the license file in the cascade order, for most companies this will be point product, suite, design suite; for example – AutoCAD, Revit, Revit Suite, Design Suite. A cleaned up license file will have these parts:

Server Lines (SERVER, USE_SERVER, VENDOR)
AutoCAD Package and Increment
Revit Package and Increment
Building Design Suite Package and Increment
PList Increment (only the highest version found in your licenses, e.g. ’adskflex 1.000’)

AutoCAD 2012 should be installed using the Design Suite product key. Only an AutoCAD 2012 with a Design Suite product key will pull a Design Suite license. As a result, you might end up with a user who has opened Navisworks and AutoCAD and is using two licenses. If you reinstall that AutoCAD and use the suite information, that user would then only use one license (from the Design Suite). This does not affect the AutoCAD verticals; Architecture, MEP, and Structural Detailing.

Jesika DiGregorio
Technical Support Specialist
Jesika received her Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon where she worked on construction of a student-designed structure. Her work experience includes Junior Designer at an award-winning firm specializing in architecture and land planning, and Intern Architect at a firm that provides services in planning, design, construction documents and construction administration for projects of all sizes. Jesika provides online and phone technical support to Ideate clients from the Ideate Authorized Training Center in Portland, Oregon.

Get it. Know it. Use it.

Posted in AutoCAD, Autodesk Design Suites, Autodesk Revit, Ideate, Ideate Inc., Revit | No comments

Thursday, 27 October 2011

eLearning – Upcoming Classes

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning - live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education.

Upcoming classes include:

11.1.11::Civil 101: Civil 3D for Beginners

Posted in AutoCAD Civil 3D, Civil 3D, eLearning | No comments

Wednesday, 26 October 2011

Export Revit Object Styles as a List to Excel

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

One of the questions that came into our Support desk last week was: “How do we export Revit Object Styles as a list to Excel for standards documentation purposes?” Ideate BIMLink and Ideate Explorer for Revit allow you to export Revit Model Data into Excel but what about things like Line weights table, Object Styles etc?

One of the ways this can be done is by using a program called SnagIt which allows you to copy text from onscreen that can be pasted into any program such as MS Word or Excel. Try it; it’s a nice little utility!

Posted in Autodesk Revit, Excel to Revit, Ideate, Ideate BIMLink, Ideate Explorer for Revit, Revit, Revit to Excel | No comments

Tuesday, 25 October 2011

Classroom Training - Open Classes

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

10.31-11.2::Sacramento
Revit Architecture Fundamentals
11.1-3::San Francisco
Revit MEP Mechanical and Plumbing Fundamentals
11.2-3::Portland
Revit Architecture Beyond the Basics

Know your software. Sign up now!

Posted in AIA CEU, AIA LU, Autodesk Revit Architecture 2012, Autodesk Revit MEP, Ideate, Ideate Inc., Revit, Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Training, RonPalmaAEC | No comments

Monday, 24 October 2011

Hand Pick from the Best and Brightest Tech Experts

Posted on 10:04 by Unknown

Ideate Speakers to Present at Autodesk University 2011

This year, Ideate technical team is providing interesting and informative presentations at Autodesk University. AU 2011 will be held from November 29 to December 1, 2011 at The Venetian in Las Vegas (http://au.autodesk.com).

Ideate speakers will be highlighted in such diverse topics as LIDAR and Point clouds, 2D to 3D transitioning, shop drawing creation in Revit, process integration of Autodesk Design Suites, and Lean Business Practices in BIM. This diversity of topics, and depth of knowledge, is a tradition at Ideate, Inc. and highlights the high technical expertise of the Ideate technical staff.
Autodesk University is known for showcasing the ‘best and brightest’ as presenters, and Ideate is proud of providing some interesting and informative sessions to AU 2011.

Here is a brief overview of each of the sessions:

LIDAR Data and Point Clouds: From Scan to Plan with AutoCAD Civil 3D: Session ID: CI3853

Matt Miyamoto, PE, Ideate Infrastructure Application Specialist

This lecture class is designed for the surveyor, engineer or planner who is interested in finding out more about the ground-mounted LiDAR scanning process. Technological advancements have made it much easier for engineers and developers to gain access to LiDAR data. In this class, we will take a look at some of the tools for LiDAR data collection, and discuss how ground-mounted data is collected, processed, and incorporated into a Civil 3D drawing via AutoCAD ® Civil 3D Point Cloud functionality. Additionally, we will see how a Civil 3D Point Cloud object can be used to create an existing ground model for use in design or further evaluated in Autodesk Navisworks®. If you’re interested in LiDAR technology, or have been working with LiDAR data and wonder where your data comes from, this class is for you.

Shop Drawings in Revit: What? It Can Do That?: Session ID: SE2745

Ron Palma, Ideate AEC Application Specialist

Do you have a need to create shop or assembly drawings of building materials within Revit Architecture or Revit Structure? Have you been drawing 2D shop drawings in drafting views without the benefit of live views in the building model? Or have you created “live” views of your model and then resorted to visibility graphic manipulation to isolate what it is you are trying to document? If so, this class is for you. The class focuses on helping you create shop drawings of your designs using the new Parts, Assemblies, and Assembly drawing tools in Revit Architecture and Revit Structure 2012.

2D to 3D: Transitioning Documentation from AutoCAD to Revit: Session ID: SE7280 –U (Part of AU 2011 Unconference Sessions)

Ron Palma, Ideate AEC Application Specialist

This unconference session will be focused on the transitions you must consider when moving from 2D documentation to 3D documentation. Additional topics will include making use of BIM in the structural engineering documentation process, how we may consider presenting designs and documents in new ways beyond the traditional 2D views, and considerations in getting other BIM team members involved in the integrated project delivery (IPD) process.

How Suite It is! Leveraging Autodesk Design Suites from Schematic Design to Construction: Session ID: AB4384-P

Teresa Martin, Ideate Senior Application Specialist

This class will focus on using Autodesk Design Suites to leverage your workflow process from its humble napkin-sketch beginning to a means and method construction model as well as post-occupancy usage. We will discuss Autodesk Revit, 3ds Max Design, Navisworks, and Quantity Takeoff.

Adopting Lean Processes in BIM: Session ID: BO2507

David Haynes, AIA, LEED AP, Ideate Director of Consulting

This session is aimed at Business Owners, and Firm Principals to highlight the next step in BIM Business Transition

Building Information Modeling (BIM) has given architects, engineers, and contractors new tools and revised workflow processes that should translate to higher profits. Some firms are realizing gains and some are finding them elusive. This class will explore the issues involved and discuss how adopting Lean processes can increase profitability and efficiency, decrease issues, and create a better total “design and build” experience for the client. The class will explore how to translate success in Lean practices (mostly in the manufacturing world) to the service-oriented world of architecture and engineering. These changes in workflow and business practices require a new look at how we do project design and documentation.

Congratulations to these Ideate presenters to Autodesk University 2011. See you at AU2011 in Las Vegas. See Ideate at its Ideate BIMLink booth (#806).

Posted in #AU2011, 3ds Max Design, AutoCAD, AutoCAD Civil 3D, Autodesk Design Suites, Autodesk Navisworks, Autodesk Quantity Takeoff, Autodesk Revit, BIM, David Haynes, LIDAR, Revit, Revit Architecture, RonPalmaAEC | No comments

Thursday, 20 October 2011

eLearning – Upcoming Classes

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning - live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education.

Upcoming classes include:

11.1.11::Civil 101: Civil 3D for Beginners

Posted in AutoCAD Civil 3D, AutoCAD Civil 3D 2012, Civil 3D, Ideate, Ideate Inc. | No comments

Wednesday, 19 October 2011

Get a Sneak Peek at Future Functionality for AutoCAD!

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

This is a special invitation for Autodesk customers in the San Jose area. Join the AutoCAD User Experience team to test drive some new, in-progress AutoCAD functionality, and share your feedback and suggestions. This Sneak Peek highlights new features for people who work on AutoCAD from multiple computers or different locations – such as using different workstations, or switching between the office, home, or working out in the field. CAD Managers and day-to-day AutoCAD users of all levels are welcome to attend.

This free, three-hour event is coming up in San Jose on October 27th. There is a morning and afternoon session available. Participants will receive a $50 gift card and small gift as a thank-you for their time.

To sign up, please take this brief survey so we know your user profile. Seats are limited and we can’t guarantee a spot to everyone who fills out the survey. We’ll confirm your event registration by email.

If you have questions or want to learn more about the events before signing up, contact Shari Nemerovski, shari.nemerovski@autodesk.com.

Posted in AutoCAD, Autodesk, CAD | No comments

Tuesday, 18 October 2011

Classroom Training - Open Classes

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

10.31-11.2::Sacramento
Revit Architecture Fundamentals
11.1-3::San Francisco
Revit MEP Mechanical and Plumbing Fundamentals
11.2-3::Portland
Revit Architecture Beyond the Basics

Know your software. Sign up now!

Posted in AIA CEU, AIA LU, Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Revit Architecture 2012, Autodesk Revit MEP, Ideate, Ideate Inc., Revit, Revit Architecture, Revit MEP | No comments

Monday, 17 October 2011

Revit and the Future of Application Software

Posted on 10:00 by Unknown

A few weeks ago I presented and demo’ed the new AutoCAD for Mac 2012 at the Portland Pioneer Square Apple Store. It was a good presentation and it’s exciting to see more and more Mac users interested in Autodesk products like AutoCAD and AutoCAD WS. One question that inevitably always comes up during these events is, “When’s Revit coming to the Mac?” The quick answer – I don’t know. The more in depth answer – does it even matter?

Look at where application software is headed. No longer running an app on a single OS on a single device is cutting it in the workplace these days. And because of this there’s a shift towards on demand software or software as a service, SaaS, application software delivered as its needed.

As an interim solution 3rd party software developers such as VMware, Citrix, and Parallels have become very popular. Each of these remove the requirements needed to run programs with specific requirements such as hardware and operating system, and allow the applications themselves to be run on virtually any type of device.

For a true software as a service application take a look at Google Docs. Google Docs is a Microsoft Office-esque suite of apps for word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations. Never mind the fact that it’s free. Instead look at how it’s delivered – over the internet. A word processing document created on Google Docs is accessible anywhere with the common denominator being an internet browser; running on a PC, Mac, or a home grown machine you built yourself; using Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari. Delivering applications like this instead of installing them on individual computers tackles the major hurdles traditional application software developers are facing today.

Mobility – I’m not just talking about smartphones and tablets, but also simple tasks like users using more than one machine. I use my PC at work, come home and hop on my Macbook Pro. Users expect to work within a seamless application environment and do not want to be bothered with compatibility issues.
Collaboration – Instead of an application being built to include a collaboration segment; SaaS apps are built on a collaborative foundation. They’re meant to be accessed simultaneously from multiple users working together in real time from anywhere on any device.
Hardware Resources – Even fairly basic programs, I’ll use Microsoft Office Suite again as an example, have significant hardware requirements. SaaS apps are naturally light as they’re dependent on the bandwidth required to deliver them.

The software as a service idea comes back to that buzz word everyone’s recently been talking about, the “cloud.” But it’s not the entire cloud, it’s merely a piece, but an integral piece nonetheless.

So if I were Autodesk, which I’m clearly not, I don’t think I would use valuable time and money to develop an application that would be dedicated to a single platform. Instead I would be focusing on developing Revit to run on any device that I open it from; no matter the operating system, web browser, or hardware specifications. It would be a light and nimble app where collaborating with others in geographic locations is quick, easy, and seamless.

We’ll see what happens. Who knows, Revit for the Mac could be right around the corner. But keep in mind we are in a time where the way in which we work is changing dramatically. Just as we have changed our tools must also adapt.

Posted in AutoCAD for Mac, AutoCAD WS, Autodesk, Autodesk Revit, Derek Wielkopolski, Ideate, Ideate Inc., Revit | No comments