AEC DevBlog

DevTV: Introduction to Revit 2015 API Programming

By Augusto Goncalves

We’re glad to present the updated version of our Introduction to Revit 2015 API Programming. This is a short 30 minutes video showing how to start developing apps for Revit with .NET.

Where is Navisworks 2015 SDK ?

By Xiaodong Liang

The same to last year, the SDK was not packaged with product . It is an independent installer which is now available at ADN Open . You can also download it directly from the link below:

Navisworks 2015 SDK

In default, if you have installed Navisworks 2015, the installer will be deployed <Navisworks Installation Path>\api\, same as previous. If you have not installed Navisworks 2015, it will be deployed to <My Documents>\Autodesk\Navisworks 2015\api\. You can also put  the SDK to any folder you like.

There is not much new with the SDK. But for API, the biggest change is the legacy Presenter rendering engine is removed from Navisworks 2015. This results in the loss of some API capability for automating materials assignments and materials definition. The removal of Presenter will also result in the loss of the ‘Rich Photorealistic Content’ capability and Presenter rules for automating the assignment of object materials.

In addition, both X86 and X64 installers and merge modules for ActiveX Redistributable control of 2015 are provided at \api\COM\bin.

1-2-3-D Import a Revit Family

By Partha Sarkar

There is bit of designer in every human being! Everyone thinks in a different way and each of this thought process leads to new ideas. However, most of these ideas don’t see the light of realization because either they are not well communicated or well supported. Here I am talking about ideas to create or build something new. So how do you effectively communicate a design idea? Simple and convincing way to communicate a design idea is to create a 3D model. In today’s World, there are plenty of incredibly powerful 3D modeling tools available to create a digital model of any possible idea. Having worked on many such tools, this time, I thought let me try to shape my idea with a very simple yet powerful 3D model creation and editing tool AUTODESK 123D Design I found it’s incredibly simple to learn how-to-use 123D Design to shape your imagination. It didn’t take more than 10 minutes for me to build a simple Lamp shade. Here is my idea translated to a 3D model.

 

Having done this quickly, my role as designer was almost completed. However, I entered into next level of challenge. How do I show this lamp shade in the room which I had created earlier using Revit ? In this era of cloud and internet, without wasting even a second we try to search www (google it :)  ) and that gave me some useful leads. But I was not very convinced with that. I started to explore with an idea to create a family in Revit from this 123D model. That took some-time, but finally I did it! 

 

 

 

 

You can download this simple 123DToRevitFamilyApp and the associated Addin file which will allow the user to select a 123D model and convert to a Revit family. Please make sure to change the dll path in the addin file before you try this plugin tool –

<Assembly>C:\Temp\123DToRevitFamily.dll</Assembly> 

You might be super excited to give it a try…don’t wait…before it goes off, check it out!

I would be happy to see your feedback :)

AVR Glass - Autodesk Virtual Reality Glass In The Age of Cloud

By Xiaodong Liang

For several years now, Autodesk has been expanding its portfolio of cloud services in various industries with products such as BIM 360, Fusion 360 etc. These are the next-generation solutions for 3D CAD and corresponding industries. However, today came the surprise announcement that Autodesk has released its FIRST wearable hardware – AVR Glass: Autodesk Virtual Reality Glass! It allows you to design in virtual reality! AVR is similar to Google Glass, but focuses on CAD industry. And it's marketed in different styles at a bargain price of only $268 (Google Glass explorer 2.0 is $335).

 

 

AVR is easy to use. Just take your AVR glass into a quiet room and be seated. Put on the AVR glass, and switch on the power. When the countdown on the screen shows the internet is connected, raise one hand ahead of the Kinect Sensor and make a fist. The AVR glass will log in to Autodesk 360. Your design session has started. You can choose the industry you want to enter by simply clicking the virtual menu on your left. For example, if architecture, the glass will bring you to a virtual environment as if you are standing on a real building construction site. You can even choose a real site which links the modeling environment with Google Earth and Google Maps.

You can “see” the construction elements (steel beam, concrete beam, brick etc) available nearby. Don’t try to move towards them - just point to the element you need with your finger, wave your hand with a gesture “grab”, and the element will come to your side. Grab the elements and put them in the place you want. The workflow is just like you do on your monitor with Revit - but now you’re doing it in a virtual 3D world. If your eyes focus on one element for more than 3 seconds, its properties information will appear. You can wave your hand ahead of the Kinect Sensor to wipe it out. In the first version, grabbing more than two elements at one time will cause some lag. Our AVR boffins are working on the issue, but since you only have two hands, a maximum of two elements shouldn’t be too limiting. You have also the choice to resize the dimensions of the elements or orbit until it meets the location you want. Simply grab the element, rotate and resize.

 

Of course, an action recorder is provided. It can repeat what you did, in order to save time on repetitive construction tasks. The action recorder will also form the basis of a future collaboration with Cyberdyne Systems – a well known manufacturer of autonomous robotic systems. Actions recorded through AVR can be downloaded to a robot at the construction site, who will actually construct the building using the actions you have recorded.

AVR glass also supports collaboration which will make it invaluable to large enterprises where multiple designers collaborate together from feedback from our Beta testers indicates that collaboration is the most popular feature of AVR glass – particularly when positioning very heavy elements.

However, remember when using AVR glass for extended periods that virtual life doesn’t just consumes virtual energy, but real ’neural energy’. Two hours is the recommended maximum time spent in a single design session.

Where can you buy the glass! It is available in Autodesk Exchange Store (Yes - the Store now sells hardware!). To mark its launch, there is a huge discount (50%) today only (April 1st).

P.s. Thank Stephen for his nice editing, like robot, boffin (reminds me of cute puffins!), etc. I am complete ready to buy one tomorrow.