End of the world!

Damit!
I missed the end of the world!

I quit my job, spent all my money and burned down my house!

Oh well, at least I still have Revit!

;-)

Sc

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone. 

Seasons Greetings
Joyeux Noël
Gesëende Kersfees
Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Glædelig Jul
Gajan Kristnaskon
Hyvää Joulua
Froehliche Weihnachten
Bada Din Mubarak Ho
Buone Feste Natalizie
Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Linksmu Kaledu
Meri Kirihimete
Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia
Feliz Natal
Srozhdestovm Kristovim
Suksun Wan Christmas
Nadolig Llawen

I'll  be taking a break from Blogging and will return mid Jauary.

Enjoy!

 

Shut up and Listen!

I recently started following a Blog called "Shuttingup"

This Blog is dedicated too:

Management and leadership tips, tricks, and techniques especially useful for the newer manager. Hosted by Eric Wagner, CTO of Pearson Digital Learning.

http://blog.shuttingup.com/

I've really enjoyed reading some of the latest posts. I have found the tips and "reminders" very informative.

These postings not only apply to management but to anyone who works in an environment with other people. This blog will help you deal with other people and manage situations.

Great Blog.
Check it out.

I'll shut up now!

Sc

Project Chronicle

I've just been creating training videos using a new application from Autodesk Labs called Project Chronicle.

Project Chronicle is currently in Technology Preview so it's free to use from Autodesk Labs. Project Chronicle allows you to create training videos with Audio which also include a timeline of actions. 
I haven't found any bugs in it so far and I've created a series of training videos ranging from 6 to 11 minutes.

Project Chronicle allows you to record actions (workflow) in your Autodesk product such as AutoCAD and Revit. It will capture your screen along with Audio if you choose, it also displays along the bottom a timeline that highlights when you clicked on a tool etc.
Like so:

 



The Videos are then posted on the Chronicles web site under your Autodesk log in profile and you can choose whether you want the videos to be public or only accessible through a link which you can email or embed.

I'm going to include the links in the course ware I use when instructing.

Check out Project Chronicle on Autodesk Labs: http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/chronicle where you can download the program that allows you to record the video and audio.

And check out the Chronicles web site to see how the videos work.
What a great idea!

I look forward to seeing how this developed when it graduates from Autodesk Labs.
One function I hope they include in the released version is the ability to export the video into other formats so I can load the video's and include them as files with my training material.

Alive in the Lab...
Sc
 

Book Review - The Zen of Steve Jobs

Here is another book review.
This is what I'm currently reading, it's an easy quick read and well worth it.

It'll give you some insight into Steve Job's and his ability to be Innovative!

http://jess3.com/forbes-the-zen-of-steve-jobs/

Go to this site and check out the u-tube video where the authors and illustrators talk about how the book evolved!

The Zen of Steve Jobs 

 

 

Enjoy!

Sc

 

Why are my Graphic Options greyed out?

Ever came across this problem!

The graphic options are greyed out and not accessible!

Found this when one of our Revit Users couldn't change the interior elevation from Wireframe.
With some help from a couple of the guys in my office we found out what was causing this issue.

I initially thought it was a View Template issue, then phases, worksets....I looked everywhere!
It ended up being caused by a CAD import!

One of the site CAD imports had AEC objects, it was saved using AutoCAD Architecture which uses AEC Objects. We also had another issue with this site plan where it would shoot the model out into space when doing a Zoom Fit! The file was stripped out prior to linking into Revit but the AEC objects remain and one of them could have a point off in space associated to one of the blocks.

What we had to do was open the problem CAD file in AutoCAD Architecture, export it to AutoCAD (the flatten tool in ACA doesn't do the job adequately), then if the problem persists start exploding blocks until you find the one that has a point off in space. Dont forget to minimize your CAD layers as well!

I was amazed that one cad file can cause so much grief!

Thanks to my Jedi's for helping me out on that one!

Sc.

Vancouver... The Greenest City in North America?

Here is a link to a great article written by one of the Senior Partners here at CEI.

In this article John Scott talks about Vancouver's mandate to become the "Greenest City in North America" and how the city intends to achieve this.

"While we all look forward to more creative ways to reduce our collective carbon footprint, given the fact that buildings are arguably responsible for half of the energy consumed by our civilized world, the expectation for each and every building developer and owner to contribute to a solution will increase rapidly in Vancouver over the decade ahead."
John Scott

http://www.naiopvcr.com/blog/naiop-industry-leaders-blog/2012/december/the-greening-of-vancouver/

Enjoy!
Sc

 

AU and Known and Unknow Issues.

I got back from Autodesk University Last Friday and came down with the Flu on Saturday night! Aghhh!

First day back at work today and wanted to quickly put down some thoughts on some interesting things I found out while I was at AU.

My old nemesis has returned, this nemesis is so illusive he doesn't have a formal name and is only know as "Missing objects on my pdf!"

Thought I banished him forever when I first came across this issue a number of years ago (in my ACA days) we would print to pdf using an unnamed pdf print driver and random objects would disappear... objects like the the fire rating legend, or notation... you know the kind of things that can cause legal grief for an Architect! Needless to say this was quite discerning since everything looked great in the file and even in the plot preview. Granted this was before the ACAD to PDF that latter came with the new ACAD release and our solution at the time was to find a new pdf driver.

Well to my surprise I get a email from one of my Revit users asking why objects are not showing up!
Didn't think this would happen with Revit! (how naive!).
So we will now evaluate a new pdf driver!
Anyone else ever had this issue with pdf's?

We are testing a couple projects using Revit Server and have had a couple error messages stating that "This Operation could not be Completed", after asking around at AU I found out that there appears to be a known issue between Riverbed and Revit Server (wish I had known about it earlier...). anyway apparently the guys at Riverbed are working on a solution, in the mean time I have to look for a work around!

Speaking of Revit Server, I'm sure Autodesk is working on a better way to collaborate using Revit Server. File exchange on the cloud doesn't cut it, I want real time collaboration just like how the Revit Server should be used, but I don't want to have to deal with setting up a outside server.... Hurry up guys! ;-)
I think the new year wll bring some interesting changes from Autodesk.

AU was once again a blast, caught up with my regulars, Bruce McCallum from Dialog,  Brian Anderson (go see his session on BIM Management at AU and RTC), Gord Luckett from  Arrow Geomatics, as well as the usual Autodesk guys I know and not to mention my posse from BC and Alberta. I even sat and had lunch with David Light!

I also had the opportunity to meet some Autodesk icons namely Shaan Hurley and Scott Sheppard, met with Phil Read of M-Six showing the latest software (more on this latter!) interesting guy!

More soon!!!
I'm still recouperating!

Sc.