eLearning – Upcoming Classes

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

12.16.13::Civil 3D 101:
Civil 3D for Beginners

12.18.13::Revit 201:
Getting Started with Presentations

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

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Classroom Training – Open Revit Classes

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.

12.3-5::Sacramento
Revit Architecture Fundamentals

12.3-5::San Jose
Civil 3D Fundamentals

12.9-11::Portland
Revit Architecture Fundamentals

12.17-19::Seattle
Civil 3D Fundamentals

 Know your software. Sign up now!

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Basic Differences Between Inroads and Civil 3D

Over the past year, through Ideate I have been training Civil 3D to Caltrans employees. Recently, it got me thinking back to my design days as an Inroads master. Now that I have as much experience with Civil 3D as Inroads, I’d like to illuminate for you some high level difference between these two competing software, specifically integration with the CAD platform and data management.
  
At a glance, Inroads and Civil 3D are seemingly the same software. They both create civil design objects such as roads, utilities, surfaces, etc. I am not going to get into the ins and outs of what they offer. What is more interesting is the difference in their architecture. They are both vertical design software built on a CAD platform. Inroads works with Microstation while Civil 3D works with AutoCAD. Civil 3D is seamlessly built into the AutoCAD interface while Inroads is a separate window. 

This highlights the first main difference: integration with the CAD platform. Civil 3D’s integration into the user interface makes transitioning from AutoCAD to Civil 3D easy. All of the Civil 3D commands are placed amongst the AutoCAD commands. Civil 3D objects can be edited using the common AutoCAD commands. Inroads, however, feels like a separate software from Microstation.  All of Inroads functions are contained on the Inroads window, which is separate from Microstation. You need to open Microstation and Inroads in order to work with Inroads. In order to edit an Inroads entity, you need to use Inroads commands. Essentially, all of Inroads data is contained in one of the many Inroads files, which are separate from the CAD file that you may be using. This is why you can’t edit Inroads objects using Microstation.

This leads me to another main difference: data management. In Civil 3D, the drawing itself is a database which contains all of the Civil 3D objects. This allows the software to be dynamic. Of course, you are not going to want all of your data in one drawing, even if it’s possible. That would create a huge and slow file that could crash the software. You can create separate design files instead of having everything in one file and share that data. Civil 3D objects are shared amongst drawings through Data Shortcuts. Data Shortcuts are XML files that act as a pointer to the file that has the needed data. It in a sense creates a path to data from another drawing for purposes of displaying.

Conversely, data for Inroads is contained in multiple files. Each data-type has its own file, i.e. surfaces and alignments both have a separate file types that are loaded into Inroads. Both of these files are separate from the Microstation dgn file. In order to display any of this data in the dgn file, you need to have a preference file loaded. So at any given time, you need to have a minimum of 3 files open to work: the object file (an alignment for example), a preference file, and the microstation dgn file. That’s a lot of files to keep track of. You can create a project file that will open all relevant files when you want to work on a project. Having a lot of different files makes the software inherently less dynamic. For example, if you update a surface, you will then have to open the alignment file that may be affected by the surface, and then update the alignment file. All of these separate files can make data management difficult. 

To sum it up, Civil 3D is more dynamic then Inroads due to all Civil 3D data being in the drawing. This is definitely a plus for Civil 3D, despite the fact that it can lead to large files that can crash. The solution to this is to create multiple files and share data using the data shortcuts. Civil 3D also is integrated well with the AutoCAD interface and commands, which makes moving from AutoCAD to Civil 3D easy. Another plus to Civil 3D is its integration with other Autodesk products.

Inroads is less dynamic and it is harder to learn to use because it is not integrated with Microstation. It is a separate software that works on top of Microstation. Sharing data, however, is easy because it is contained are separate files. There is no need for a data sharing system, like Civil 3D’s data shortcuts.

Is one better? I don’t think so. They are different. It depends on what your clients and colleagues are requesting and what other software you are working with. Additionally, it depends on how you like to work. If you have never used Inroads or Civil 3D, I hope this opened your eyes to some of the key differences.

For information on training and consulting for the various products Ideate services, visit our website at www.ideateinc.com.

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Kate Ming
Ideate AEC Application Specialist
Kate has a BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from UC Berkeley. Prior to Ideate, she worked at a multinational company for four years doing general civil design on large infrastructure projects. She is versed in roadway, rail, and utility design. She also has experience with utility demand analysis and Low Impact Development plans. At Ideate, Kate provides training and support for Civil 3D, AutoCAD, and Navisworks.  

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Ideate, Inc. Launches an Extensive Online Learning Program, the Ideate CADLearning Portal

San Francisco, CA, 9/17/2013–Ideate, Inc., an Autodesk Gold Value Added Reseller, today announced the launch of the Ideate CADLearning Portal, an expansive online learning resource that enhances Ideate Classroom, Custom and On-site Training.

Ideate CADLearning is designed to provide on-demand training to architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC), and media & entertainment (M&E) design professionals at every skill level. Access to the Portal is available around the clock and around the world from any computer. Ideate CADLearning tools provide:

• Self-paced training to further knowledge and maximize performance with Autodesk BIM and CAD solutions, and Ideate-developed Autodesk Revit-based solutions.

• A ‘knowledge search for targeted training’ feature that guides the user to immediate, highly selective help for specific aspects of a project, and includes recommendations for training modules.
• Assessment, including exams that pinpoint areas for skill strengthening and applicable trainings.

The Ideate CADLearning Portal has been developed to meet increasing demands for specialized AEC and M&E design software training. Design and creation software technology is fast-advancing. Design professionals work and learn remotely while they face compressed schedules. Ideate CADLearning complements more traditional Ideate Classroom Training and provides the flexibility for customers to train and learn on the software they use in the ways that benefit them most.

“We are very pleased to launch our Ideate CADLearning Portal,” says Bob Palioca, president of Ideate, Inc. “Blended learning opportunities are integral to our customers’ training experience. Whether they want to fine tune skills, keep abreast of the most recent design software advances, or address a specific design hurdle through targeted knowledge, Ideate CADLearning will help our customers maximize their productivity in today’s highly competitive environment.”

For more information, call Ideate Education at 888.662.7238 x1012, email education@ideateinc.com, or visit the Ideate CADLearning Portal.

About Ideate, Inc.
Ideate, Inc. is a leading Autodesk Authorized Developer with 25+ years’ experience in software development and specific focus on Building Information Modeling (BIM) and is a leading Autodesk solutions provider offering quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the AEC industry since 1992. Headquartered in San Francisco, California and operating five
Autodesk Authorized Training Centers (ATCs) in the northwestern U.S., Ideate is recognized as an Autodesk Gold Partner for Architecture, Engineering and Construction, one of Autodesk’s highest levels of authorization.

Autodesk, Autodesk Revit and ATC are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries.

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Autodesk InfraWorks File Repathing

In keeping with our goal at Ideate to dig and disseminate the information you need to keep your workflow smooth we issue this blog post about Autodesk InfraWorks.

Now that you have been using InfraWorks for some time you realize that it is not a file based software; rather a database driven software with files stored in a defined folder structure for each project. And it follows that file paths are very important - they behave like XRefs. What will happen if you receive an Infraworks project from some client, collaborator or consultant and they keep their projects on a P Drive and your projects are on Z drive?

Sounds like a familiar situation: that is why you use Relative paths in AutoCAD. Well, in InfraWorks there is nothing like a relative path but if you get stuck in a situation like this you can repath files using a tool in the Data Source palette - Manage Paths of the data sources. refer to the screen shot below.

It will show a dialog box where you can specify the path of the file. change the path - you are done.

It's that simple!!

Don't be afraid to use InfraWorks. Sign up for an online training from Ideate for more help!

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Gaurav Bagga
Ideate 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

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Everything you need to know about Civil 3D ToolTips

While on Tech support here at Ideate Inc., I got a question from a customer about a ToolTip that shows the station and offset an alignment. He did not know how to access this function. Out-of-the-box the software defaults to have the ToolTips on. But what if they aren’t on and you want to see them? What if you don’t want them because you feel like it clutters your screen? How do you turn them on or off?

Well first, let’s understand what ToolTips are. There are three types: Command, Rollover and Proximity. Command ToolTips show up when you hover your cursor over a command in the Ribbon, as shown below.

Command ToolTip

Rollover ToolTips display object information when the cursor hovers over an object.

Rollover ToolTip

Proximity ToolTips display proximity information about the current cursor location with respect to objects in the drawing. You don’t have to hover the cursor over a particular object to display information. Wherever you find your cursor, you will find a ToolTip with proximity information to various objects in the drawing.

Proximity ToolTip

In order to have access to these ToolTips, you need to have them turned on.  You do this in the Options Box and the Object Properties Box. On the Display Tab of the Options Box, you can turn on Command ToolTips and Rollover ToolTips. For Command ToolTips, you have the choice of showing an extended Command ToolTip and Shortcut Keys, which show up at the bottom of the ToolTip. Refer to the first image of a Command ToolTip above for examples of these options. The Rollover ToolTip check box is below the Command ToolTip, as shown below.

Command and Rollover ToolTip Check Boxes

The Proximity ToolTip check box is at the bottom of the Information Tab on the Object Properties Box. This means that you can individually turn on or off Proximity ToolTips for each object. This allows flexibility on what information is displayed.

Proximity ToolTip Check Box

Thank you for reading. I hope this has been informative. For more information on training and consulting for the various products we service, visit our website at www.ideateinc.com.

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Kate Ming
Ideate AEC Application Specialist
Kate has a BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from UC Berkeley. Prior to Ideate, she worked at a multinational company for four years doing general civil design on large infrastructure projects. She is versed in roadway, rail, and utility design. She also has experience with utility demand analysis and Low Impact Development plans. At Ideate, Kate provides training and support for Civil 3D, AutoCAD, and Navisworks.  

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Ideate, Inc. Publishes New Study in Success Featuring Aurecon and Ideate BIMLink

SAN FRANCISCO, California – 8/22/2013 - Ideate, Inc., a leading Autodesk Authorized Developer and Autodesk solutions provider offering quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry with a special focus on Building Information Management (BIM), today announced the publication of its most recent Study in Success, “Aurecon Streamlines Seismic Mitigation Work with Ideate BIMLink.”

Ideate BIMLink customer Aurecon provides engineering, management and specialist technical services for public and private sector clients globally. In the wake of the especially devastating and costly earthquake of 2011, buildings throughout New Zealand are being upgraded and strengthened. The Study in Success explores ways Aurecon is using Ideate BIMLink as the firm designs buildings that employ the most effective known seismic mitigation technologies.  These technologies cushion seismic vibrations and allow a building to move during a seismic event with a minimum amount of damage to the building’s structural and architectural elements.

As the volume and complexity of data for such projects increase, the firm has needed a way to transfer data from an engineering spreadsheet into the Autodesk Revit model without having to transfer it over manually.

According to Clinton Maulder, Associate – Buildings, Aurecon, Wellington, New Zealand, “With manual entry, the engineer has to check against all the original source data. If there was a mistake and it wasn’t picked up in a manual check, there could be costly delays to remedy on site, or the structure might not perform as well as expected. If we eliminate as many opportunities for manual error as we possibly can, we minimize these risks.”

By using Ideate BIMLink, the firm has been able to calculate volumes of data and standardize parameter values in Microsoft Excel. Then, the verified data is pushed back into the Revit file. As Clinton Maulder explains, “Being able to effectively deal with source data and eliminate ‘double handling’ saved time and reduced the chance of errors.”

Bob Palioca, President, Ideate Inc., says, “We are pleased that Ideate BIMLink has helped Aurecon enhance workflows in its vital seismic mitigation projects. Our software solutions stem directly from our customers’ need to overcome stumbling blocks. When we help customers manage data on a vast scale more easily, and when we facilitate the flow of information and collaboration between project stakeholders, our customers can then leverage BIM to its fullest advantage. We delight in their success.”

Ideate has published “Aurecon Streamlines Seismic Mitigation Work with Ideate BIMLink” online. Download the Study in Success at http://www.ideateinc.com/ideas/case.html.

About Ideate, Inc.
Ideate, Inc. is a leading Autodesk Authorized Developer with 25+ years’ experience in software development and specific focus on Building Information Modeling (BIM) and is an Autodesk solutions provider offering quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the AEC industry since 1992. Headquartered in San Francisco, California and operating five Autodesk Authorized Training Centers (ATCs) in the northwestern U.S., Ideate is recognized as an Autodesk Gold Partner for Architecture, Engineering and Construction, one of Autodesk’s highest levels of authorization.

Ideate BIMLink lets users pull data from an Autodesk Revit file into user-friendly Microsoft Excel and push Excel data into Revit with equal ease.  www.ideatebimlink.com

Ideate Explorer for Revit is a simple, powerful Autodesk Revit add-on to explore, quantify and manage the 100,000+ building elements in a Revit model. www.ideateexplorer.com

Autodesk, ATC, and Revit are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Microsoft Excel is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

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Ideate, Inc. Publishes New Study in Success Featuring HDR Wayfinding/Signage and Ideate BIMLink

SAN FRANCISCO, California – 8/15/2013 - Ideate, Inc., a leading Autodesk® Authorized Developer and Autodesk solutions provider offering quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry with a special focus on Building Information Modeling (BIM), today announced the publication of its latest Study in Success, “Ideate BIMLink Manages Seen and Unseen Data for HDR Wayfinding/Signage.”

Wayfinding presents significant challenges to planners who have to collaboratively identify logical traffic patterns, solve problems in architectural and urban spaces, and ultimately help people navigate unfamiliar environments. Immense amounts of disparate data have to be incorporated into BIM models that are primarily designed for other purposes.

The Study in Success explores ways the HDR Wayfinding/Signage studio is using Ideate BIMLink to manage the seen and unseen data in its BIM models. By using Ideate BIMLink, the HDR Wayfinding/Signage studio is enhancing workflows, making the best use of Revit- and non-Revit users’ time, and shaving from half to two-thirds the time required to create message schedules.

HDR is a global employee-owned firm of more than 7,500 AEC professionals in more than 185 locations. Rick Sorensen, Wayfinding/Signage, HDR, says, “With Ideate BIMLink, we can take full advantage of Excel’s capability to reveal multiple lines of data at once. We may not be able to see all the data in the model, but we can see it all in Excel.” Autodesk Revit-user Sorensen receives input from the non-Revit using members of the studio team in Excel. As a result, he does not have to spend a second thinking about model integrity. Instead, he tasks Ideate BIMLink with pushing the Excel-checked data back into the BIM model. The accuracy is reliable, and that contributes to even greater efficiency. Efficiency allows for a better end result and value to the owner.

Sorenson adds, “In the past, I would spend three days at a specific data management task that I can complete now in one-half to one-third the time. As for cost savings, we are limited on our hours per project. Anything that saves us time saves us money.”

Bob Palioca, President, Ideate Inc., says, “We are delighted that Ideate BIMLink, one of our Ideate developed software solutions, is creating a new workflow solution and contributing to the success of customers such as HDR. Our software development grew out of our desire to overcome gaps our customers faced repeatedly. We continue to improve the flow of information, facilitate collaboration between Revit and non-Revit users, and make data management on a vast scale much easier.”

Ideate has published “Ideate BIMLink Manages Seen and Unseen Data for HDR Wayfinding/Signage” online. Download the Study in Success at http://www.ideateinc.com/ideas/case.html.

About Ideate, Inc.
Ideate, Inc. is a leading Autodesk Authorized Developer with 25+ years’ experience in software development and specific focus on Building Information Modeling (BIM) and is an Autodesk solutions provider offering quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the AEC industry since 1992. Headquartered in San Francisco, California and operating five Autodesk Authorized Training Centers (ATCs) in the northwestern U.S., Ideate is recognized as an Autodesk Gold Partner for Architecture, Engineering and Construction, one of Autodesk’s highest levels of authorization.
 
Ideate BIMLink lets users pull data from an Autodesk Revit file into user-friendly Microsoft Excel and push Excel data into Revit with equal ease.  www.ideatebimlink.com
 
Ideate Explorer for Revit is a simple, powerful Autodesk Revit add-on to explore, quantify and manage the 100,000+ building elements in a Revit model. www.ideateexplorer.com
 
Autodesk, ATC, and Revit are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Microsoft Excel is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

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The Pain of Jobsite Inspections

All of us who have gone to a jobsite to do an inspection, whether as the Architect doing a contract required review, or as part of a construction team (Construction Manager/Superintendent), or as an Owner’s representative; the process has always been the same. Carry to the jobsite all the drawings and a camera, maybe a recorder, but always your trusty pad and pen to record the issues/concerns and notes required. I speak of this experience because the jobsite visits are engraved into my brain as having one ever-lasting memory – that of frustration.

Frustration of having to first record, then document, then usually having to input the information into the computer; then comes the real frustration – do it all over again in the next inspection.  There must be a better way! 

There is a solution.  Autodesk BIM360 Field provides a solution that fits today’s technology and jobsite-specific issues. Autodesk BIM360 Field provides a Web and Tablet based (iOS) construction jobsite information management system.  Checklists/Punchlists, Equipment/Assets, Reports, and Issues are all tracked from a tablet, while being able to record/document jobsite conditions.

Why should you care?

• How much time are you, or your company, spending writing and re-writing lists, and then distributing them to the project team. Count the hours – they rack up each month.

• Have you ever left important information back at the office (a specific set of plans, or shop drawings). That is a waste of precious time.

• Have you not had the most up to date information at the jobsite and made judgments/decisions based upon out of date information – that is certainly risky.

• Have you ever wondered if an issue got resolved, who resolved it, and when? Lack of accurate, timely information (data) can lead to rework, redo, re-decide and other time delays. Delays cost money.

The great thing about BIM360 Field is that you don’t need to be BIM-enabled (though if you are, there are some additional benefits). If you currently work with 2D plans, and using pad and pen to document jobsite events/issues/concerns – look into BIM360 Field. The costs are reasonable - the value is great.

BIM360 Field has benefits for Architects (who do jobsite review), General Contractors, and Subcontractors (who have large teams on a site). Owners who take an active role in construction activities can also find great benefit.  For further information, visit our website (http://www.ideateinc.com/products/bim_360_field.html).

Ideate, Inc. is an Autodesk VAR, one of a select number of Autodesk resellers who have be selected to sell Autodesk BIM360 Field to customers. Call us at 888-662-7238, or talk to your Ideate Account Manager about discussing Autodesk BIM360 and your needs. (www.ideateinc.com).

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David Haynes, NCARB, PMP, LEED AP
Ideate Director of Consulting

David is a Registered Architect, Project Management Certified Professional, who previously had his own architectural practice and was President of a commercial design-build construction company for 15 years. A graduate of University of Arizona, he has worked as an Architect, contractor, developer and as a national construction manager for a national retailer. David currently provides business process analysis, virtualization and change management solutions for AEC clients across the United States involved in the design and building industry. Follow David on Twitter: @dhaynestech

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Autodesk InfraWorks Tips and Tricks: JavaScript Support

Here at Ideate, we are always on the lookout for helpful tips and tricks that might be of value to our customers. While attending Autodesk Technical Academy this year, we were able to get a first-hand look at some of the additional features of Autodesk InfraWorks. One of these was the support of JavaScript for use when configuring data and for adding Tooltips to existing objects in the model. The Autodesk techs hosting the session were kind enough to share those scripts with us, and now we would like to share them with you.

The first of our scripts deals with Building Randomization. In many cases, our InfraWorks model may start with building footprint information that locates and defines areas that the buildings will occupy. In order to create buildings in the model, we can apply a user-specified height to those footprints to produce an extruded 3D model. Although this is a quick and relatively easy solution, it does not provide much in terms of variety. All buildings are generated at the same height, giving it an unnatural look. With the Building Randomization script, varying height, façade, and roof styles are assigned to the buildings based on pre-defined case criteria. To use the script, simply delete the default script and paste it in as a replacement.

Here are some screenshots of a sample model with the defaults, then with the randomization script applied.

Default: All Buildings are the same height

After Randomization Script Applied: Varying Height & Styles

Our second script was created to add a custom Object Tooltip that includes a Google Maps link in it. This script can be applied to buildings in your InfraWorks model and automatically launches and locates those buildings when clicked. It also includes user-defined Name, Description and User Data fields that can be edited for each object when the Tooltip is applied. It can also be copied and pasted, however this script is added to the Tooltip cell in the Object Properties palette for each individual object rather than applied to the entire data source like in our first example.

The screenshot below shows the Tooltip that appears when the object is hovered over in InfraWorks as well as the user-defined properties and link to Google Maps.

Google Maps Tooltip

You can download a copy of the scripts here: 

Building Randomization

Google Maps Tooltip

To see a video on how these are applied, visit our website at www.ideateinc.com/2014.

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Matt Miyamoto, P.E.
Ideate AEC 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

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Demystifying your Autodesk 360 Account: Account Access and Syncing

Ideate is committed to your success, and as such I would like to start to demystify your Autodesk 360 account. Autodesk 360 is an online document storage and collaboration platform. You can create folders and share files of any file type. The difference between Autodesk 360 and other online storage platforms is that it links directly to your Autodesk Software. It has specific settings that allow you to easily collaborate with other users and share software settings amongst many workstations.   

In this blog, I am going to walk you through signing into an account (this is assuming your account in already created) and I am going to explain the different settings and options.

To sign into your account, click the sign in at the top of your screen, as shown in the diagram below, or you can select any of the options on the Autodesk 360 Tab from your Ribbon. Not all Autodesk software has the Autodesk 360 Tab, but all have the 360 drop down menu shown below.

Once signed in, you can manage your account settings and options through the 360 drop down menu or the Autodesk 360 Tab.

I am going to now walk you through the list in the 360 drop down menu. These options also appear on the Autodesk 360 Tab on the Ribbon. Additionally, the Autodesk 360 Tab has a share and collaborate panel which does not appear in the drop down menu, we will not cover those options specifically in this blog.

The first option is to Sync my settings with the cloud. This allows you to move to other work stations and use the same settings through your Autodesk 360 account. You can sync settings from your desktop to the cloud or from the cloud to your desktop. For example, if you have your work computer set up just how you like it, you can sync those settings to your Autodesk 360 account, and then move to another computer, login to your Autodesk 360 account on the other computer and sync those settings on to the new computer. Once you have synced your settings, there will be a check mark next to the “Sync my settings with the cloud” option in the drop down menu, and the “Sync my Settings” button on the Autodesk 360 Tab will highlight as blue. The settings that you can sync are shown in the images below.

Selecting Online Options in the Autodesk 360 drop down list opens the Online tab of the options dialog box, shown below. From here, you can select to automatically save a file to your Autodesk 360 account every time you save a file on your desktop application. If you go in and out of a lot of different files, this could quickly fill up your Autodesk 360 account. I recommend unchecking this box unless you absolutely know you want a backup copy of your files on Autodesk 360. Also on the Online tab, you can be directed to your Autodesk 360 account, and you can sync your settings.

Choosing Autodesk 360 from the drop down list or selecting Launch Website on the Autodesk 360 Tab will take you to your Autodesk 360 online account. An example of an Autodesk 360 account is shown below.

Lastly, choosing Account Details from the drop down menu opens your User Profile dialog box. From in here, you can change basic account settings such as user name, email address and password. You can also select the services tab and see how much storage space you are currently using, see what other 360 services you have access to, and check your cloud credits (shown at the bottom of the services tab). Also, you can select the Downloads tab to be directed to a download for the Autodesk 360 mobile app and be directed to the downloads subscriptions page.

 

Thank you for reading. We will continue to bring you information on all of the Autodesk software. Check back to our blog regularly for updates and tips and tricks for a variety of different Autodesk software.

Visit our website at www.ideateinc.com.

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Kate Ming
Ideate AEC Application Specialist
Kate has a BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from UC Berkeley. Prior to Ideate, she worked at a multinational company for four years doing general civil design on large infrastructure projects. She is versed in roadway, rail, and utility design. She also has experience with utility demand analysis and Low Impact Development plans. At Ideate, Kate provides training and support for Civil 3D, AutoCAD, and Navisworks.  

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Improved Stair Functionality in Revit 2014

Throughout the Ideate series of Revit 2014 Blogs and Videos Ideate has introduced a number new functionalities within the Revit product. In continuation of this series Ideate brings you an improvement to the component stairs introduced in Revit 2013. Stairs and railings are a continuing multi-year project with this year's improvements being made to seven areas within the component stairs.

Additional Location Line options: Revit 2013 introduced the ability of sketching component stairs by selecting a location line other than the center of the run. Specifying the left or right side of the stair run allowed designers to sketch a run of stair along a wall. New to Revit 2014, two additional location line options are available and the three existing location lines readjusted. Location lines now include Exterior Support: Left, Run: Left, Run: Center, Run: Right, and Exterior Support: Right. Now designers are able to sketch on the exterior sides of stair support elements, on either side of a run, or down the center of the run, opening up a number of options for sketching stair runs. Figure 1.

Figure 1

 

Modify the run width before or after stair creation: Prior to Revit 2013, the width of a stair run could be set in the Properties Palette. In Revit 2013, the minimum run width was set in the stair's Type Properties. In Revit 2014, the width of the stair can be set in the Actual Run Width option in the Options bar. Additionally after a run is created, it can be selected in it's sketch mode and the width of the run modified with grips or by using a width temporary dimension. Figure 2.

Figure 2

Modify the Landing Shape: Automatic Landings include new control grips to modify the landing leg length. This is the point where the landing connects to the run. Figure 3.

Automatic Landing Reshaping Behavior: Initially when an automatic landing is created, the edge of the automatic landing remains flush with the edge of a stair run. In Revit 2014, control grips are available along the edges of the landing to change the shape of the landing. Additionally modifying a run will also modify the landing shape . Figure 3.

Figure 3

Automatic Landing Creation: When creating a U-shaped/switchback stair that includes varying run widths, the automatic landing is initially created with a depth equal to the width of the narrowest run. The landing depth can be modified after the stair runs and landing are created through the control grips along the edges of the landing.

Accurate Modifications: Temporary dimensions are now available when modifying a run's width, the landing depth on a U-shaped/switchback stair, the radius of a spiral stair, and the distance between stair components. At the time of run creation, listening dimensions are available for both straight runs and arc runs. Figure 4.

Figure 4

Snapping reference Improvement: More snapping capabilities are available during the creation and modification of stair components. For example, run to run vertical, horizontal, parallel, and perpendicular snapping is available when dragging the stair path end point. Figure 5.

Figure 5

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Ron Palma
Ideate AEC Application Specialist
Ron has over 24 years of experience in the architectural industry as a drafter, designer, lead project designer, trainer, and a CAD manager implementing Autodesk Architectural Solutions for a residential design firm. His instructional background includes being an Autodesk Certified Instructor, trainer, support technician, educator at Portland and Clackamas Community Colleges, as well as a U.S. Army certified instructor where he was a senior instructor at Ft Lewis Washington. Ron is a member of the Oregon Army National Guard and platoon sergeant, training and mentoring soldiers in their careers. Ron is a published writer and continues to author professional technical training manuals and shorts for AutoCAD, AutoCAD Architecture, and Revit. As an Autodesk Certified Instructor, Ron provides Revit Architecture training and support for AEC firms. Follow Ron @RonPalmaAEC.

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Autodesk InfraWorks 2014 Proposals and Scenarios

At Ideate, we are reviewing the latest release of Autodesk’s Suites. New to the Infrastructure Design Suite is Autodesk InfraWorks, a re-branded and enhanced Autodesk Infrastructure Modeler (AIM). Autodesk InfraWorks is an easy to use, high-level collaboration, communication and visualization tool for planners, designers, and anyone else involved in the planning and pre-design phase of a project’s lifecycle. 

Two new features in InfraWorks are the ability to create Proposals and Scenarios. Proposals allow a user to develop simultaneous design alternatives while Scenarios allow a user to share designs online with groups of other users through an Autodesk 360 account.

Proposals
A Proposal is a design alternative. It is a set of InfraWorks objects developed on top of your existing data. A user can have many proposals in the same design footprint, allowing for multiple design alternatives. This can be done quickly and is useful for working with clients in real-time.

You access the Proposals dialog box on the home tab of the InfraWorks Ribbon, as seen in the image below. You can add different InfraWorks objects to create proposal components, as identified in the Proposals Dialog Box. To add components to a proposal, use the create/edit features tool bar. A user will need to make sure that objects are being added to the correct proposal. To do this, a user must set the correct Proposal in the drop down list in the Proposals Dialog Box, or the proposals drop down list above the InfraWorks Ribbon. Users can create, delete, and merge proposals in the Proposals Dialog box.

InfraWorks Ribbon

Proposals Dialog Box

Scenarios
A Scenario is an isolated geographical section of a chosen proposal which can be shared with other users. The Scenarios dialog box is accessible on the Present tab of the InfraWorks Ribbon. From the Scenarios dialog box, you can create, delete, edit, copy, and publish Scenarios as well as create Scenario files. A user can name, define the geographical extents, edit a few basic settings, and determine a display resolution for a Scenario, as seen in the Create/Edit Scenarios Dialog Box. Once a Scenario has been created, it can be published to a particular group to be viewed in either in an InfraWorks 360 mobile application or the InfraWorks desktop application. It can also be viewed in a web browser.

InfraWorks Ribbon

 

Scenarios Dialog Box

 

Create/Edit Scenarios Dialog Box

Both Proposals and Scenarios allow a user to effectively and efficiently communicate design intent of multiple design alternatives. I encourage you to check out these new features.

Visit our website at www.ideateinc.com to see what Autodesk InfraWorks can do.

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Kate Ming
Ideate AEC Application Specialist
Kate has a BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from UC Berkeley. Prior to Ideate, she worked at a multinational company for four years doing general civil design on large infrastructure projects. She is versed in roadway, rail, and utility design. She also has experience with utility demand analysis and Low Impact Development plans. At Ideate, Kate provides training and support for Civil 3D, AutoCAD, and Navisworks.  

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Important Information: Action may be required Change in Autodesk Infrastructure Design Suites Migration Policy

Autodesk recently sent subscription customers information regarding the automatic AutoCAD® Civil 3D® and AutoCAD® Map 3D upgrade offer to Autodesk® Infrastructure Design Suite 2014 Premium and Standard.  Ideate wants to make you aware of a change to the program. Based on your feedback Autodesk has decided to withdraw the offer to upgrade you automatically to Infrastructure Design Suite Premium or Standard and instead provide you with the option of choosing to upgrade. Autodesk still believes the Infrastructure Design Suite is the right solution for you but are changing the automatic upgrade offer in order to allow you the freedom to choose and make the best decision for your business.

You Decide

If you already opted out on the previous communication Autodesk sent you, no further action is required.

If you are an AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 customer on Autodesk Subscription Autodesk is offering you the opportunity to upgrade to Autodesk Infrastructure Design Suite 2014 Premium at no cost between now and July 15th 2013. This is a change from the previously communicated program and your access to Autodesk Infrastructure Design Suite will no longer be available unless you opt in by July 15th 2013. Autodesk Infrastructure Design Suite Premium is a comprehensive BIM for Infrastructure software solution that provides intelligent model-based tools to help you gain more accurate and actionable insight throughout the lifecycle of your infrastructure project with access to desktop and cloud solutions.

If you are an AutoCAD Map 3D 2013 customer on Autodesk Subscription Autodesk is offering you the opportunity to upgrade to Autodesk Infrastructure Design Suite 2014 Standard at no cost between now and July 15th 2013. This is a change from the previously communicated program and your access to Autodesk Infrastructure Design Suite will no longer be available unless you opt in by July 15th 2013. Autodesk Infrastructure Design Suite Standard offers foundational planning, design and coordination capabilities both on the desktop and in the cloud.

If you do not take action by July 15th 2013, you will automatically be opted out and will receive the 2014 version of AutoCAD Civil 3D or AutoCAD Map 3D and current subscription entitlements for which you are eligible.

Learn More

Make sure to review email communications sent by Autodesk to Subscription customers for instructions and information including subscription renewal price changes associated with this migration. For additional information, please visit www.autodesk.com/idsmigration_help.

If you would like to learn more about Autodesk Infrastructure Design Suite visit our website at www.ideateinc.com.

Ideate understands these migrations represent changes that affect budgeting and planning for software solution purchases. Our sales and support teams stand ready to answer any questions about the Autodesk changes and how they may affect you and your firm.

Phone: 888.662.7238
Email: sales@ideateinc.com

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Ideate, Inc. Designated to Offer Autodesk BIM 360

San Francisco, CA, 7/1/2013–Ideate, Inc., an Autodesk Gold Value Added Reseller, today announced that Autodesk, Inc., a world leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software, has authorized Ideate to sell and support Autodesk BIM 360 Field and Autodesk BIM 360 Glue, two cloud-based BIM collaboration software tools with specific application to the construction and infrastructure industries.

Cloud services enable efficient and easy-to-use Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows for detecting and coordinating clashes, simulation, and visualization for both building and infrastructure projects.

Autodesk BIM 360 Glue is a cloud-based solution that facilitates BIM collaboration. It simplifies multidiscipline model coordination and clash detection, and provides access for stakeholders across the project lifecycle. Architects, engineers, owners, and builders across the globe can collaborate and coordinate in real time from the office or mobile devices.

Autodesk BIM 360 Field provides field management software for construction. Unlike carrying pads of paper and tubes of drawings on the jobsite, Autodesk BIM 360 Field combines mobile technologies and BIM at the point of construction with reporting for management. Using Autodesk BIM 360 Field measurably improves the quality, safety and profitability of projects and companies.

“We are delighted to be selected by Autodesk to offer Autodesk BIM 360 Field and Glue to our customers,” says Bob Palioca, president of Ideate, Inc. “These two new solutions highlight the increasing influence of cloud and mobile technologies. Being able to provide and support new technologies for the construction and infrastructure industries is another important demonstration of our commitment to our customers.”

Ideate recently hosted a webcast introducing Autodesk BIM 360 Field and Glue. To view the recording, click here.

For more information about these two offerings, contact sales@ideateinc.com

About Ideate, Inc.
Ideate, Inc. is a leading Autodesk Authorized Developer with 25+ years’ experience in software development and specific focus on Building Information Modeling (BIM) and is a leading Autodesk solutions provider offering quality software, training, support and custom consulting services to the AEC industry since 1992. Headquartered in San Francisco, California and operating five Autodesk Authorized Training Centers (ATCs) in the northwestern U.S., Ideate is recognized as an Autodesk Gold Partner for Architecture, Engineering and Construction, one of Autodesk’s highest levels of authorization.

Autodesk, Autodesk BIM 360 Glue, Autodesk BIM 360 Field, and ATC are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries.

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Autodesk InfraWorks: New File Type Support

When speaking to our customers at Ideate, Inc. we often receive requests for easier ways to create visualizations and renderings using different types of combined model data. This year, Autodesk InfraWorks includes two added file types that allow users to directly import Revit .RVT and Point Cloud files into their InfraWorks models. From there, the Presentation tools in InfraWorks can be used for quick and easy renderings and visualizations.
 
Included with Autodesk’s Building Design Suite Ultimate, and Infrastructure Design Suite Premium and Ultimate editions, Autodesk InfraWorks adds a great tool and tremendous value to the 2014 design suites.
 
When installed through the Infrastructure Design Suites packages, Autodesk InfraWorks loads two new files types into the list of available data sources.* In the previous releases of InfraWorks, known as Autodesk Infrastructure Modeler (AIM) and AIM R2, the .FBX option was the only way to import a Revit model into InfraWorks and required an extra step to create the .FBX file.
 
The new Revit .RVT file option allows users to directly import Revit files and place them in the InfraWorks model. This option is compatible with Revit 2014 files, and requires users to have Revit 2014 installed on the same system (it does not work without Revit installed, or if you have a pre-2014 version installed).  
 

Point Cloud support has also been added to the list of Data Sources and supports the new Autodesk ReCap .RCS and .RCP files.

As with all other data sources, once a Point Cloud or Revit file has been added, they must be configured and placed into the InfraWorks model. However, with the shared material libraries for Autodesk products, materials and textures from Revit files are now transferred over to InfraWorks automatically (it does take a few minutes to process and load the Revit model).  

With the added benefit of Proposals and Scenarios in Autodesk InfraWorks, we now have a quicker and easier way to create realistic visualizations and renderings while incorporating Revit models into a real world environment built from GIS, CAD, 3D Model, Raster, Point Cloud and other data sources.
 
Visit our website at www.ideateinc.com/2014 for videos and information on the 2014 Autodesk product line.
 
*Currently, the Revit .RVT import option is not available with Building Design Suite installations. 

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Matt Miyamoto, P.E.
Ideate AEC 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

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