Revit Tutorial - Spanish Roof Tiles (Enjoy Revit)

This is what I love so much about the Revit/BIM community.  This is how I learned Revit and this is how we expand our knowledge and others knowledge too... Taking something like a tip or trick and expanding on it to fit your personal needs or just for fun.  Awesome.

You may remember my raised seam metal roof tutorial from a few weeks ago. Well, HyunWoo Kim, from "Enjoy Revit" used the same concept to create Spanish  Roof Tiles.  The results were pretty awesome.

Oh, and there is a family file to download...

Revit Tip - Interior Rendering Shows Black (Lights Won't Turn On)

Over the last four years of writing on this blog I cannot tell you how many times I have gotten an email about this.  I have no idea why it took me so long to publish it in a post...

Generically speaking, the email goes like this:

"I have an interior rendering with lights and when I render the view the room is black"

To which I reply:

"Are the lights on? Is the render set to use artificial lights?  What light family are you using?" etc...

By the second or third email I will usually have them send me the Revit file, knowing full well what the problem is going to be.  Your camera is in the wall!  Say what?? ...

SAuBIM - Code Calcs v2.0 Discount Extended!

I woke up this morning with quite a few emails from readers who were upset the discount code "BOOSTBIMKID" had expired for SAuBIM - Code Calcs Version 2.0.  Because of this, we have decided to extend the discount code until Monday, August 26th.

Make sure you take advantage of the savings now and start cutting your hours down filling in those silly little occupant load tags!

Click here to learn more about SAuBIM and to download it now.

Also, if you are interested, here's a list of some of my fellow bloggers talking about SAuBIM:

Version 2.0
Luke at What Revit Wants
Tim at Revit Addons

Version 1.0
Steve at RevitOpEd
Greg at Revit3D
Luke at What Revit Wants

SAuBIM - Code Calculations for Revit Version 2.0 - Available Now!

Finally, after two years, SAuBIM - Code Calcs for Revit Version 2.0 is available for download!

I took a quick detour away from BIM After Dark after reaching out to Harry from Boost Your BIM for some help updating SAuBIM.  Harry was excited to help make SAuBIM an add-in within Revit 2013 and Revit 2014.  He was awesome to work with and I think we created an extremely useful tool.

The first version of SAuBIM was released in May of 2011 and looked to connect a calculated parameter with a room tag in order to create Code Compliance and Egress plans quickly.  Unfortunately, the API for Revit 2012 did not allow a few things to happen so the program had to open and close Revit a few times during the process.  Not any more!!

SAuBIM Version 2.0 is a fully integrated add-in that will semi-automatically update your occupant load tags with the click of a button.  Check out the video below:

Click here to learn more about SAuBIM Version 2.0 and buy it now!

(Use offer code "BOOSTBIMKID" for an extra 15% off today only!)

What If? and Getting Out of Tomorrow's Way

We get a bunch of different magazines in the office throughout the month.  Architecture Boston is not normally one that I pick up and read but this months issue had a really cool cover.  So I took a look.  There was a series of essays titled "What If?".  The premise of the collection is to envision what the future of architecture and design will be...

Feel free to read all of the essays but one really struck a chord with me.  The last essay, "Getting out of tomorrow's way", illustrated a refreshing perspective.  The author, Chris Luebkeman, analyzes the "20-year-olds" of Arup and compares them to his generation within the firm.  Chris then throws in this little gem:

"Pearl S. Buck said, “The young don’t know enough to be prudent and therefore they attempt the impossible — and achieve it, generation after generation.” We need to get out of their way so that our next generation can indeed do the impossible..."

I found this to be so interesting and thought provoking.  I started to think about who or what could be in my way...

Who or what is in your way?  Requirements of authorities having jurisdiction?  Senior members of the firm who will not evolve their process?  Teacher's that don't embrace technology?

(In perfect timing, Uncle Phil spoke about the future of BIM at a recent NYC RUG meeting.  Check it out!)

Revit Pattern Files - Update with Pattern File

I updated the link for the Revit Pattern files post to a download link with the two source files zipped.  Additionally, I have added a link within the post down download the actual .pat file....

CHECK IT OUT...

Revit Pattern (.pat) Source File

You may remember a handout a colleague of mine, Doug, created explaining view depths.  Well, he created another super informative handout about Revit pattern (.pat) files.  Additionally, he created a Revit source file that contains a bunch of pattern files!  Doug was nice enough to let me share it with all of you.

Enjoy...

"BIM After Dark" - Coming soon...

CLICK HERE - BIM After Dark is LIVE NOW!

Ironically, my last post about adding depth to your elevations leads into this post perfectly...  For some time now I have been wanting to put together a comprehensive series of videos that inhabits all of the value this site has had to offer over the past four years.  For those of you who took the Revit Kid Reader's survey I posted last month you may have an idea about what is coming next.

I would like to formally introduce you all to "BIM After Dark".  BIM After Dark (or "BAD" for easier typing) is a video series (and more) I will be producing that combines the simplicity of my video tutorials with a structured curriculum on a set topic.  Every video will be brand new and the topics will be extremely focused.

Derived from the late nights I spent perfecting the techniques illustrated in the tutorials, "BIM After Dark" is a new brand and adventure I am extremely excited for.  You may be thinking, "Why not use The Revit Kid branding for the series?"  There are two main reasons: 1) The series will utilize an array of software, not just Revit. 2) Directly selling anything on a registered trademarked domain ("Revit") can only lead to problems down the road (especially with Big Brother watching so closely these days).



The name also allows for expansion of the brand down the road.  Many of you visit this site after office hours and look to expand your knowledge with the tools of our trade. Perhaps, in the future, BAD can become a live webinar or in-person experience after office hours (hence, "After Dark").

The first video of the series will focus primarily on my presentation techniques.  I want to prove to the world that "BIM can be sexy..."  Over the years I have shared many different presentations and graphics I have produced (education and professional) but I have only made a few videos and tutorials about how they were created.  From hand sketches, to Revit, to 3DS Max, and Photoshop, I will use real-world examples and show you all of my presentation techniques (some examples of the variety of what I have done over the last few years can be seen on my personal website here).  Additionally, for the first time ever, I will be packaging tons of sample files, example files, and projects with the episodes.

Here is a Promotional Video I had created to lay it all out....



If you are interested in following my progress, release dates, and bonus information, please sign up for the BIM After Dark newsletter.

CLICK HERE - BIM After Dark is LIVE NOW!

Lastly, I want to thank every one of my readers for following the blog.  Whether you are just discovering the blog or have been following me for years you are the reason I keep it going.  The launch of BAD will not stop me from posting free videos and information here on The Revit Kid.com.  I love you all and will continue my dedication to this website and the community abroad.

As always, feel free to contact me or comment below.

With my utmost gratitude,

- Jeffrey A. Pinheiro AKA "The Revit Kid"

Revit Tutorial - Adding Depth to Your Elevations

A buddy of mine called me up asking about an old tutorial that he stumbled upon here on the site.  The tutorial, unfortunately, had some bad links in it.  I linked to a blogger who no longer blogs.  I wish I could remember exactly what the post was about but I thought it was a good topic to make a video on.

There are many different ways to create "depth" in your elevations and sections.  Unfortunately, none of them are done automatically (unless you are using shadows or ambient shadows).  One day, in my wildest dreams, Revit will automatically create outlines and view depth in elevations based on clipping distances...

Until then, here are some of my everyday tips for elevation and section view depths...

Revit Tip - Find Out What Materials Something Has Been "Painted"

This is one of those things that can frustrate the heck out of someone but is so simple it will immediately make you face palm.  I thought it was worth a quick post....

All you have to do is select the paint tool (PT) and hover over the face you want to know about... This is what will pop up:

If you read the pop-up it says "Face:Painted with Brick Common"...  Tah dah!

One last tip.. If you want to remove paint there is a little arrow next to the Paint button.  When pulled down there is a new tool called "Remove Paint":

Revit Tutorial - Having Two Unique Revision Schedules That WORK!

Sean, a friend of mine, reader of the blog, and currently works at Streetsense (a pretty cool company you should all check out), sent me a real bugger of a question.

"On our title block we have in our office has two different sections for drawings when we send them out. We have an issues category and a revisions category and the way we have to input information currently is a pain in the ass, creating a frenzy of copy and paste for the title and date for each sheet in individual labels.

I was wondering if there is another way to separate the revit revisions schedule to have revision sets in one column and issues sets in another. When we add the additional revisions “schedule graphic” to the sheet there is not an option under “schedule: Revisions” for filtering out certain revisions. Like in a schedule there is the option to filter out certain tags, numbers, floors, etc. there is not one in the revision properties."

Essentially, Sean needs to have two schedules on his sheets... a "Revisions Schedule" and an "Issues Schedule".  These schedules need to show completely different information yet be controlled by revision clouds.  They also can't show a Revision on the Issues and Issues on the Revision.... Well then..

At first thought you may think... "Just add a few parameters in the titleblock family and call it a day".  Sorry... You cannot add parameters to the "Revision Schedule".  They are hard coded into the software.

But... you CAN add a Calculated Value... Dun, Dun, Dun!