Revit Tutorial - Round Windows and Parametric Circles

Today, I'm throwing back to "old school" Revit Kid with a simple 5 minute video tutorial/discussion.  No fancy intro or anything.  The topic of discussion?  Round Windows.

First, a little background.  I teach a parametric modeling course at the University of Hartford each Spring.  After a couple of classes and rudimentary exercises on parameters, formulas, etc... I assign a homework project: make a fixed round window.

I am always surprised with how many different approaches students take to make a parametric round window.  As with anything in Revit, there are lots of ways to approach a problem.  But, I am curious to hear how you approach parametric circles in Revit. 

First, take a look at the short video I made about how I approach them... Then, let me know how you do... 

Continue reading to view the video...

The Mysterious Case of the Moving Parameter Button and Arrays

When I am teaching students how to create parametric families in Revit it I have become familiar enough with the differences between each version of Revit that I can usually call out where a button may or may not be.  For example, in the image above the "Add Parameter" has moved from the options bar in 2016 (top image above) to the ribbon in 2018 (bottom image above).

Great, so whenever I am teaching someone how to add a parameter in the family editor in 2018 versus 2016 I can tell them where to look....

Or can I ....?

BIM After Dark: Mini-Course #1 - Family Creation (Enroll Today!)

I am finally back from my wedding and honeymoon... Thank you all for the kind words of congratulations.  It means the world to me that so many of you took the time to send your love!

Three weeks ago, I held an e-mail only relaunch of BIM After Dark - Volume 3. (If you did not get the e-mails then you are either not on my email list (GET ON IT TODAY!) or you already own BIM After Dark - Volume 3). 

During the relaunch, I offered a bonus to those who purchased within the set time frame.  Well, there was so much interest in the bonus offer that I decided to open it up to the public for one day... and that day is today!

The bonus offer was enrollment in my first ever live, online, and interactive class.  It is no secret how much I enjoy teaching and I have always wanted to take the concept of BIM After Dark live.  Well, this is the first step.  

For today only I am opening enrollment into the first ever mini-course: Family Creation.  Continue reading to learn more about the course and to enroll today...

Get Your FREE Desktop Guide to Family Creation...

I was fortunate enough to be asked to teach at the University of Hartford for a second semester in a row this Fall. The class I teach is called “Advanced Computer Applications in Architecture”. The goal is to expose students to the many facets of technology within the industry. Needless to say, I have a blast geeking out on this stuff…

Anyways, during the first few classes I taught the students how to create parametric Revit families from scratch. I handed out “The Autodesk Revit Family Cheat Sheet” during that first class. Soon, I realized how often we were referring to the content on the sheet (especially the formula syntax and conditional statement information). Therefore, I decided the free desktop guide was worth another mention here on the blog!

A quick note, the Autodesk Revit Family Cheat sheet has been downloaded by 2,894 people since I released it earlier this year! So, if you haven’t downloaded the free printable guide, what are you waiting for?

Continue reading to download the free printable guide...

Customer Case Study - BIM After Dark: Volume 3

One of the things I actively pursue when developing the BIM After Dark video series is gathering customer feedback.  Many of you are happy to take quick surveys or have blunt conversations about any of the Volumes and I love it!  For this Volume 3 launch week I thought it would be fun to publish a "customer spotlight" style post.  Today, I would like to share an interview I had with Jeffery Harwood.

Besides being a longtime customer of BIM After Dark and reader of this blog, Jeffery has a Master in Architecture from Tulane University and is an architect at John Williams Architects. In Jeff's own words:

" I love being an architect and love working with Revit and other 3D programs. I consider myself very lucky to do what I do. I have a wonderful wife and two beautiful little girls. I am an architect at John Williams Architects in New Orleans. We do a wide array of projects from historical projects in the historical French Quarter to newer commercial projects..."

Continue reading Jeff's experience with BIM After Dark, family creation, and Revit... Oh, and a special Volume 3 offer...

BIM After Dark - Volume 3 : We are family!

BIM After Dark - Volume 3 is now available!  

Now you can finally scrap all of the bad models you’ve downloaded, stop letting what’s available dictate your designs, make time for custom content, stop drafting over elevations, and begin creating your own parametric Revit content.

Volume 3 is focused 100% on custom family creation while stressing the use of real-world situations and examples. In addition to over six hours of non-stop, easy-to-follow, and information packed tutorials you have the option of some great bonuses in the complete package…  

Continue reading to find out more about what’s inside and a special launch discount…

Revit Tutorial - Custom Shaker Cabinet Family

I recently wrote about the dangers of not creating your own custom Revit families.  More specifically, I used the example of modifying the out of the box Revit casework families.  In this post, I wrote about how representing your model incorrectly due to “lack of time” could kill a project's budget.  In this post, I wrote about how drafting in details over your families to make them look correct could add hundreds of hours of re-work when changes occur (and they always occur).

Now, to demonstrate just how simple it would have been for you to make a custom shaker door and modify the existing casework families I created a tutorial.  Continue reading to view the tutorial and to fully comprehend the power of custom family creation in Revit….

The Drafting Workaround...

Yesterday, I published a post that explored the dangers of NOT building custom Revit families.  I used the example of out of the box casework families. Today, I want to expand on this idea and present a common work around I see every day.  In fact, you or your company may use this workaround too!  What is the workaround I am talking about?  Let’s call it “drafting”...  For example, when you create an interior elevation and you use drafting lines and filled regions to show details, patterns, and information.  Let’s talk about how dangerous “drafting” in Revit can be...

I Don’t Have Time to Create Custom Families...

When I think about the least customized elements in a typical Revit project casework, or “millwork”, always comes to mind.  It’s true, the out of the box (OOTB) casework families are well-made and fully parametric.  But, when you have something other than flush solid door cabinets, as you would in many residential applications, the out of the box cabinets are lacking...

Revit Tutorial - Adaptive Fabric Roof Canopy Introduction

Adaptive components are a topic in high demand by the readers of this blog.  Due to this demand, I knew I had to dedicate a section of BIM After Dark - Volume 3 to adaptive components.  Similar to the rest of the series, I start by teaching you how to make a practical family that introduces the foundations of adaptive components.  Then, we build on these concepts and add some complexities such as parameters and hosting to a divided surface (giving you the ability to make forms similar to "The Web", which is also demonstrated in the series as a case study).

Continue reading to view a tutorial extracted directly from Volume 3 that demonstrates the principles of an adaptive component while building a fabric canopy...

Revit Tutorial - Constant Slope Rigging Family (Rigid Insulation)

We've all seen the wall section before.  A flat roof with rigid insulation that is sloping towards a roof drain.  I would venture to say everyone reading this post has drawn or modeled the above detail at some point in their lives.  I would also venture to say many of you are drafting the rigid insulation as a filled region EVERY time you draw this section.

The following tutorial (extracting directly from BIM After Dark - Volume 3, set to re-release in a couple of weeks) illustrates how simple it is to make a parametric detail component for this typical condition... Continue reading to view the tutorial...

Revit Tutorial - Parametric Pendant Light (Start to Finish)

To close out the launch of BIM After Dark - Volume 3 a couple weeks ago I held a live webinar (happy hour).  The event was fantastic with well over 150 people attending (live)!  You guys rock!  I wanted to post a recording of the event here on the blog for those of you that missed it.  In the video below you will learn how to create a parametric pendant light fixture (that looks good rendered) in less than one hour!  Continue reading to view the tutorial...

BIM After Dark - Volume 3: Release Date Set! Plus a Last Chance Offer and Giveaway!

Well, the time has finally come.  I am turning up production on Volume 3! I figure there is no better time to produce an epic video series about family creation then around the holidays!  Personally, I cannot wait for 2016 to arrive.  Not only will Volume 3 be completed and released (completing the trilogy started 3 years before) but I will be teaching a course at the University of Hartford, taking on another new adventure, and getting married... Yeah, big year...!

I digress... Continue reading for the official release date of BIM After Dark - Volume 3 as well as some updates about Volume 1 & 2...  Also, keep reading for a special discount and a chance to win a free copy of Volume 3...!