Saturday, October 12, 2013

Sheets - Splitting Schedules over more than one Sheet

When you have a really large schedule, the only way to split between sheets is to filter the schedule and copy, but there is a trick to copying (dont use 'Duplicate') so see the link below to a video..

Basically involves:
  • filter the schedule so it fits on a page (eg. by room number or door ID etc)
  • rename appropriately
  •  right click on the selected schedule in the project browser (not in the view screen)
  • copy to clipboard
  • open up any other view (doesn't matter what, just can't be a schedule view) and paste - the copied schedule will paste here (but wont'affect the view you opened)
  • then use the filter to adjust the final schedule size of teh copied schedule, rename it appropriately


http://blogs.rand.com/architectural/2011/04/splitting-a-schedule-across-sheets-in-revit.html

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Walkthroughs

=  a camera that follows a path that you define; the path comprises frames and key frames.

*Key frame = a modifiable frame where you can change the direction and position of the camera. Each click results in a key frame.

By default, walkthroughs are created as a series of perspective views (but can also create as orthographic 3D views).

  1. Open a view in which to place the walkthrough path (usually a floor plan but can also make in 3D, elevation and section views).
  2. ViewCreate 3D (Walkthrough).
  3. [If wanting an orthogonal 3D view instead of perspective, clear the Perspective option on the Options Bar, and select a view scale.
  4. If in plan view, can vary camera height by offsetting it from a selected level (can give effect of camera is going up/down a flight of stairs).
  5. Place the cursor in a view, and click to place a key frame*.
  6. Move the cursor in the desired direction to draw the path.
  7. Click again to place another key frame.
    • You can place key frames anywhere, but you cannot change their position during creation of the path.
    • You can edit the key frames after you finish the path.
  8. To finish the walkthrough path, you can do any of the following:
    • Click Finish Walkthrough.
    • Double-click
    • Esc.
After you finish placing camera key frames, Revit creates a walkthrough view under the Walkthroughs heading in the Project Browser. 

Editing a Path

  1. Similar to editing perspectives - Project Browser, right-click the walkthrough view name, and select Show Camera.
  2. To move the entire walkthrough path, drag the path to the desired location.
  3. To edit the path: Modify | Cameras tabWalkthrough panel(Edit Walkthrough).
    • You can select which control in the path you want to edit from the drop-down menu.
    • Controls affect the position and direction of the camera

NB. the closer the points are, the slower the video will be between the points (the further away, the quicker) so bear this in mind - best to keep them relatively evenly spaced.

Dragging the Camera to a New Frame
  1. For Controls, select Active Camera.
  2. Drag the camera along the path to the desired frame or key frame. The camera snaps to key frames. (Or type the frame number in the Frame text box).
  3. While the camera is active and located at a key frame, you can drag the target point of the camera and the far clip plane.

Changing the Path
  1. For Controls, select Path. The key frames become controls along the path.
  2. Drag a key frame to the desired location. Notice that the value in the Frame text box stays constant.

Adding/Removing Key Frames
  1. For Controls, select Add Key Frame or Remove Key Frame.
  2. Place the cursor along the path, and click to add/remove a key frame.  

Displaying the Walkthrough View when Editing
As you edit a walkthrough path, you may want to see the results of your changes on the actual view. To open the walkthrough view, click Modify | Cameras Walkthrough (Open Walkthrough).

Editing Frames

  1. Open the walkthrough
  2. Modify | CamerasWalkthrough(Edit Walkthrough).
  3. Options Bar, click Walkthrough frame edit button .
  4. The Walkthrough Frames dialog has 5 columns that show the frame properties:
    •  Key Frame column - total number of key frames in the path. Click a key frame number to display where that key frame appears on the walkthrough path. A camera icon displays at the selected key frame.
    • Frame column -  the frame at which the key frame displays.
    • Accelerator column -  numerical controls for changing the speed of the walkthrough playback at a specific key frame.
      • By default, there is a uniform speed at which the camera travels along the entire walkthrough path. You can change the speed by increasing or decreasing the total number of frames or by increasing or decreasing the number of frames per second. Enter the desired value for either
      • To change the accelerator value for key frames, clear the Uniform Speed check box, and enter a value for the desired key frame in the Accelerator column. Valid values for the Accelerator are between 0.1 and 10.
    • Speed column - speed at which the camera travels along the path at each key frame.
    • Elapsed Time - the amount of time that has elapsed since the first key frame. 
Cameras Along Path
To help you visualize the distribution of frames along the walkthrough path, select Indicators. Enter a value for the increment at which you want to see camera indicators.
Resetting Target Points
You can move the position of the camera's target point at a key frame, for example, to create the effect that the camera is looking side to side. To reset the target points back to following the path, click Modify | CamerasWalkthrough (Reset Cameras).

see also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGZmtRoXzjM

 Exporting

You can export to an AVI or image file. When you export a walkthrough to an image file, each frame of the walkthrough is saved as an individual file. You can export all frames or a range of frames.

To export a walkthrough:
  1. Open the walkthrough view.
  2. Click ExportImages and AnimationsWalkthrough. The Length/Format dialog opens.
  3. Under Output Length, specify:
    • All frames to include all frames in the output file(s).
    • Frame range to export only a specific range of frames. For this option, enter the frame range in the entry boxes.
    • Frames/second. As you change the number of frames per second, the total time automatically updates.
  4. Under Format, specify Visual Style, Dimensions and Zoom to the desired values.
  5. OK.
  6. Accept the default output file name and path, or enter a new name.
  7. Select the file type, either AVI or an image file (JPEG, TIFF, BMP, or PNG).
  8. Save.
  9. In the Video Compression dialog, choose a video compressor from the list of compressors you have installed on your computer.
  10. To stop recording the AVI file, click Cancel next to the progress indicator at the bottom of the screen or press Esc.

Rendering...

It is better to render the images, or individual frames of the walk-through, out to a JPEG or TIFF format.
Then use video-editing software to put all of the frames together into a video format. The human eye sees up to 30 frames per second; therefore, you should set your walkthrough's frame rate to 30 frames per second. This means a one-minute walkthrough will contain 1,800 still frame images.
If you render the walkthrough direct to a MPEG, AVI or other video format, you run the risk of the walkthrough getting an error before the walkthrough video finishes rendering. If this happens, the rendered walkthrough video will be corrupt and will not play.

OR JUST DONT RENDER...perhaps just have a nice render for the final image or the very first one...

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/how_8590258_create-walkthrough-revit.html#ixzz2gcE03nUK

http://whatrevitwants.blogspot.co.nz/2010/02/how-to-create-revit-walkthrough-and.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijfjldYSqYg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrcdKOG7ti8 - making horizontal modifications (eg. the path)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyaSMF0bkEQ - making modifications in elevation (ie. easier way to visualise the heights of the camera particularly if using stairs)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_SSihizZ4U - more vertical modifications, using a different elevation view
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfkEOI7QuR0 - some more editing, rendering
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ynbo7j0i-8 - extending the path



Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Lighting for renders

Use studio lights for a light source with no fittings.
If rendering in sunlight then will need the source to be around 3 times stronger than sunlight eg. 20,000W

If wanting a night shot, choose only artificial lighting in GD window.

Studio lights - wanting a strong light use 10,000W (indirect only).

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Central files, local files

Creating a Central File for worksharing/synchronising


1. Open the file you want to make the 'central file', click 'save as'

2. Choose the desired central location and file name, then under 'options' in the save window check the 'Make this a central file after save' option.
 
Then 'ok', and 'save'.
This is now the central file in the location you selected.

Creating a Local Copy

Everyone working on this project then wants to create their own local copies they can work on, and synchronise to the central file at regular intervals. (NB. all users must have access to the central file location for this to work).

1. To make a local copy, open the central file by going via the Revit Projects, Open function.

2. Select the newly created central file.
3. There should be an option at the bottom of this window next to open which is automatically checked to 'Create new local'

4. Click 'Open'.

A new local copy has now been created on your computer (in your default directory for saves) and any automated or default save actions will now save this file there instead of back to the central file- but the system will also prompt you to synchronise at regular intervals with the Central file (you can choose to synchronise with the Central when needed as well).