Cannot display thumbnails of RVT/RFA files in Windows Explorer

The other day, I was installing Revit Architecture 2010 at my customer place. I realized that the Windows Explorer in Windows Vista just does not display the proper thumbnails (preview) of Revit projects (.RVT) and Revit families (.RFA). Re-installation also does not seems to help either.

After some googling, I found the solution as follows:

Run the command window in the Administrator mode (under Windows Start type "cmd", right-click on the result and choose "Run as Administrator"). In the command line then type:

regsvr32 "C:\Program Files\Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010\Program\RevitPreview.dll"

This will re-register the DLL library for previews - RevitPreview.dll. A message confirming a successfull registration of the DLL module should appear. After this, the thumbnails (preview) will appear properly.

Where is my command Revit 2010 Flash Movie

Thanks to Nicholas Iyadurai of Revitize on the following Flash Movie for Where is my command in Revit 2010. It is basically an interactive tool that allows user to pick the command in Revit 2009 and the corresponding loation of the command in Revit 2010 will be shown. This is indeed a very helpful tool for people who are transitioning from the long time UI to the new Ribbon UI.

You may click here to download the tool. Or you may click here to use it online.

Rendering Tips in Revit 2009/2010

One question that I encounter recently goes like this. We understand that Mental Ray rendering in 3ds Max would be rendering in random box (called bucket), this bucket actually indicate that how many processors are being used in the rendering. So, for a Dual Core processor, there would be two buckets running on screen. In the same way, Quad Core processor would display 4 buckets when rendering. Now, Revit rendering also employs Mental Ray technology, why you cannot utilise all the 4 cores in the rendering?

The answer is this:
Revit rendering do not exactly employ the same technology even though it is said to be Mental Ray based. So, the Revit rendering does utilise all the 4 cores but it only shows 1 bucket while rendering.

Creating a sweep that wraps around the wall end

One of my customer was trying to create a wall sweep that swept around the wall end like below:



















He had tried both the wall sweeps both in the wall sectional view and wall sweeps as host sweep, but the results he get was like below:
















After some trial end error, I realised that the best way to achieve the right results is through using wall sweep as host sweep.

1. First add wall sweep as host sweep onto the wall on both exterior and interior sides as shown above.

2. Pick on the wall sweep on one side to display the options.















3. Pick on the highlighted end region to turn the end 90 degrees.














4. Pick on the end again to display the grip.













5. Grab the grip and drag the end towards the center of wall end.











6. Do likewise for the sweep on interior side. Then use Join Geometry to join them together.














7. Repeat the same procedure for the other wall sweeps and you get the fantastic results as shown below.



















8. To get the exterior finish to wrap round the wall end, you must make sure that Wall Structure must be set so that the Wrapping at Ends is set to Exterior.












Some people may ask me why don't I just use the wall sweep in the wall sectional view. It is simple. You can do the same procedure with the wall sweep added in wall sectional properties. However, you cannot use Join Geometry onto the returned wall sweeps.

Another Complex Curtain Wall in Revit

Recently I have been following David Light's blog. He is having this complex curtain wall that he briefly describe on how he do it. The following is a more detail version of it.

1. Create a new generic family. In this case, I am assuming my curtain panel to be 1000mm x 1000mm. Go to front view and create all the necessary reference planes as shown. Then use Spline to draw the path. Add the control points as necessary. The extra control points will make the curvature end at the top end bottom in a tangential manner.















2. Draw the profile as shown at the end of the path.









3. Goto Solid Form and choose Solid Sweep. Pick the path as shown.













4. Drag the Profile location to the end of the path.













5. Pick on Profile and choose the profile as shown.













6. Choose Finish Sweep and mirror the created sweep.



















7. Saved the generic model and loaded into a new curtain panel family. Placed the generic sweep with Left Reference as origin. This is so that the cutain panel will be placed properly.















8. Create a new curtain wall with the grid spacing of 1000mm x 1000mm. Replaced all the curtain panel with the new custom panel.

Making a 3D Roadway in Revit

I was asked by some one to help create a roadway in Revit. As the roadway is not straight but comes with circular curves, he cannot use Ramp to create it. The best way to achive this is using the Slab tool.

1. Draw the Roadway with Slab command as shown.

2. Use Polar Arrayed Lines to sub-divide the circular curve area.



















3. Pick on the Roadway created and choose the Sub-Element - Add New Points tool.












4. Add nw points to the edges as shown.












5. Modify the elevation of each points. Create a section through each edge lines will facilitate the proper changing of elevation.














6. With each points properly elevated, you will get a nice roadway as shown.