Upgrading Revit Projects

Many of our clients hesitate to upgrade their Revit projects to the latest release. There are many reasons for the delay, cost, project member concerns, time or even loss of work. Microsol Resources can help prepare your team for this necessary upgrade. There are many benefits to upgrade to the latest version of Revit. Security, stability and new features are enough for me to want to upgrade. I will include basic steps and recommendations.

Host Models vs Linked Models

It’s best to upgrade the linked Revit projects before upgrading the host. if not, the host model will temporarily upgrade the links in order to load them in the upgraded host model. I open the host, unload all the links save it, then upgrade. Be sure to check the paths of the other linked elements once upgraded and reload. Instruct all team members to synchronize with central, relinquish all elements, and close their local copies of the central model. Backup the models and archive. It’s recommended to audit the model at this time. Why not preform the Revit project maintenance as outlined in my blog; Revit Project Maintenance Guidelines.

Upgrading Beyond 2017

The most important aspect to understand when upgrading a project is, what will change. In most cases nothing, but when our clients upgraded to Revit 2017, we noticed text problems, correction, changes. “The method for measuring text size has changed, so that the Text Size parameter more accurately represents the height of a capital letter (similar to AutoCAD).” In Revit 2016 and earlier, text size is measured by the ascender height – the height of lower case letter ‘h.’ In Revit 2017 size is measured by the cap height – the height of the capital letter ‘M.’ 

After upgrading a model, review all views and sheets to verify the changes to your text instances. Note: Be sure that the proper fonts are installed when opening an upgraded model. Substituted fonts further will change text due to the font sizing changes. I recommend Bluebeam for a before and after, full set comparison. This way no changes that occur as a result of the upgrade will be missed.

Problems with Groups, a brief look at the most abused tool in the Revit toolbox.

Using groups in Revit seems to be a no brainer; we create groups for elements that are repetitive and yet we are still be able to quantify them as if they were individual elements. Modify one instance of the group and it will be updated everywhere in the entire project. One can even exclude an element from a group instance to make an exception. Over the years, Autodesk has improved upon this awesome tool, but has not made it more flexible. If we create a group the wrong way, Revit gets upset. You don’t want to see Revit upset. In actuality, Revit actually gets confused. The main problems occur when groups contain elements that are constrained outside the group. In the simplest form, if one was to create a group of elements including a door, the wall where the door is hosted would need to be within that group. And in many instances the wall could have a top constraint that is not applicable for all instances. It is also common to create groups for casework that rely on the walls for placement, but the walls are not part of the group. In class, you may have heard me say, groups should be “self-centered”. These types of constrained can also cause problems in Design Options.

That being said, yes, there are restrictions that one should be aware of when implementing the use of groups throughout a big project. Here are some tips.

• Put elements and their hosts in the same group.
• Ensure all elements in the group are hosted to the same level.
  • Some elements may not behave correctly. Line based families for instance.
• Don’t constrain elements outside the group. There are many kinds of constraints.
• Large numbers of elements in a group will hinder performance, and possibly cause corruption.
• It is better to have many small groups than a few large groups.
• Don’t nest Groups. Don’t have groups inside groups.
• If you see a warning asking you to fix the groups, don’t. Fixing the group really doesn’t fix the group. It actually explodes it or creates a new group that is no longer referenced to the first group.
• Name groups correctly. Don’t make copies of groups called Group1.
• Although we are now able to mirror groups, some elements with constraints still cause problems when mirrored. Ceilings in groups get confused when mirrored.
• Take ownership of the group type workset when editing
  • All elements in a group reside on the group instance workset.
  • Be Aware of the ownership of type properties.
• Be cautious putting floor or stairs in groups. Don’t lock the sketch lines to other objects.
• Groups can be used to distribute elements and then can be un-grouped.

In a previous post, I discussed “What Causes Revit Data Corruption?” and some model maintenance suggestions, “Revit Project Maintenance Guidelines”. I hope you find this article and those listed here helpful. Reach out with questions or comments anytime.

Credits:

Best Practices with Revit Groups: Rule #1 http://www.seandburke.com/blog

About Best Practices for Groups Autodesk Knowledge Network

The Future of Making Things for Architects, Engineers and Constructors

Still image from the Autodesk Future of Making Things video. Image demonstrates how the next generation of digital technology will change the way things are designed and made.

What is the future of making things? Join Microsol Resources, Autodesk, Dodge Data & Analytics, and Rafael Viñoly Architects at TechPerspectives in Philadelphia as we discuss how these changes are affecting how we work in today’s built environment.

What does the future of making things for architects, engineers & constructors mean?

The next ten years will bring more change to the industry than you’ve see in your lifetime. In fact we’re looking at the biggest change since the industrial revolution. Technology is radically changing the way buildings and infrastructure are designed, built and used. An explosion of digital content is changing everything we know about how everything is made. As a result, today, decisions can no longer be made in silos, with limited insight. The good news is that this explosion in digital content is proving a stimulant for innovation in architecture, engineering and construction.  And that’s poised to change the way in which we all think about, plan, design, build, finance, operate and maintain our built environment.

As we enter into the Era of Connection, the focus of design technology will be the interconnection of data so that we can accurately understand and represent infrastructure & buildings as systems, make well-informed design decisions, and construct and manage buildings and infrastructure with reduced risk and improved outcomes.

To help our customers prepare for the future, we have put together a special executive event featuring keynote speakers from Autodesk, Dodge Data & Analytics, and Rafael Vinoly Architects, a pioneer from the industry to explain how these changes are affecting how we work in today’s built environment. At this event, you will:

·       Gain insight into the technology disruptions within the AEC industry and how they are radically changing the way things are designed, built and used.

·       Learn how these disruptions will reshape the transactions and interactions with your clients.

·       Use this information to your advantage to create value and competitive differentiation in new ways.

Join us on October 27, 2016 at Kimmel Center from 8-12 nn.
Earn 3.5 AIA LUs & register now at bit.ly/fomt-philly.

Setting Up Your Autodesk Software Subscriptions

Autodesk is changing the way it distributes software, from the perpetual model to a subscription-based system. To help with this transition, we present our guide on configuring software subscriptions for Autodesk customers.

In this post, we’ll pull together some of the information we’ve already posted on our blog, and will keep this post up-to-date as the process is updated.

What’s New with Autodesk 2017?

Interested in seeing what the new Autodesk 2017 features can do for you?

See it first! Microsol Resources hosted a webinar series on What’s new with Autodesk 2017 that showcase and highlight the newest features of the various Autodesk products.

We streamlined our webinar series to focus on different industries and project types from architects, to engineers, infrastructure and construction. We focused on the project workflow and share tips and tricks for the new software features to meet the increasing project demands while supporting productivity.

Stay ahead of the curve and see the demos of the new features along with Q&A with our building and infrastructure specialists.

View our recorded webinar series here. You can view the individual webcasts directly from these links:

• What’s new with AutoCAD 2017?
• What’s new with Revit 2017?
• What’s new with A360 Collaboration for Revit?
• What’s new with AutoCAD MEP & Revit MEP 2017?
• What’s new with AutoCAD Civil 3D 2017?
• What’s new with Autodesk Navisworks 2017 and BIM 360?

If you have any questions about any of these Autodesk software, training, certification or need technical support, contact us at info@microsolresources.com.

Using the Install Now Method for Autodesk Account

The Install Now method automates the process of downloading, extracting and installing Autodesk software on a single computer.

Why should I use Install Now?

Download and install times are reduced as the process decompresses product files while the download is in progress. For Subscription customers, Install Now automatically applies the assigned Serial Number and activates your software.

• Availability and Browser Compatibility: Install Now may not be available for all products and operating systems. If this download method is not offered when you sign in to your Autodesk Account, please use an alternate download method. If you encounter any errors with functionality or connectivity, please try using another Web browser or download method.
• Network Installation: Files downloaded using the Install Now process can not be used for additional installations on other computers. If you need to install on a network or create a deployment, download your software using Download Now or Browser Download.
• Component Installation Failure: Make sure you completely uninstall all previous versions before attempting to install a new version. See How to manually uninstall the product using Microsoft Fix it. If you receive a message that some software components did not install, this is most likely due to software conflicts on your computer and not because the components did not download.

Downloading Autodesk Software Updates, Add-ons and Enhancements

Autodesk product enhancements (service packs, add-ons, and extensions) are periodically released for some products to provide access to security updates, product features and extensions, and new technology planned for future versions. Maintenance and Subscription customers can download these product enhancements directly from Autodesk Account.

Downloading from Autodesk Account

To download product updates, add-ons and enhancements in Autodesk Account:
1.Sign in to your Autodesk Account at manage.autodesk.com.
2.Click Downloads next to the product name to activate the download window.

Using the Browser Download Method for Autodesk Account

The Browser Download method uses the built-in file download features of your Web browser. Downloaded files are larger compared to other download methods, may be broken into multiple file downloads, and can be uncompressed and installed only after all downloads are complete.

Why should I use Browser Download?

Browser Download may be your best option if you cannot use the Autodesk Download Manager or other download methods are not offered or resulted in an error. Not all download methods are available for all products and platforms. See Download Methods for Autodesk Account for more information about your download options.

How to Change your Company Name & Address for your Autodesk Account

Although you can easily change your personal information in your Autodesk Account profile, Company Name or Address changes must be submitted with a signature on behalf of the Company.

• Download the Company Address or Name Change Form (PDF).
• Complete the form electronically and then print, or print the form and complete it offline.
• Sign the form. (This change cannot be accepted without a signature.)
  Scan the completed, signed form and save the file.
• Fill in the required fields in the form below to open a support request.
• Click Submit and Attach to attach the scanned form file to the request.
  Submit the request.
• Once Autodesk receives the complete, signed form, their Customer Care team will make the change to your account.

NOTE: This form is for Company Name and Address changes only. You will need to use a different form if you need to transfer ownership of a license. See our blog on Transferring Ownership of Autodesk Licenses or Subscriptions.

Autodesk Account Sign In Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Creating an Autodesk Account is your key to accessing several Autodesk websites with a single sign-in. This gives you access to download software and manage your products and services. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions around signing in to your Autodesk Account:

• How do I find my Autodesk Account sign-in information?
• How can I troubleshoot sign-in problems?
• Does my single sign-in account mean I have a subscription contract?
• What does “Keep Me Signed In” mean?
• How can I get more help if I can’t resolve my sign in issues?