YouTube Video on Revit Content - Part 1

In today's post I want to share part 1 of a training session I did a few months ago. It was part of a rather informal presentation, so not super polished. It covers, in a single presentation, the basics of Revit content... such as:

• Mass elements
• Model in-place
• Loadable content

When to use, when to avoid and such... is the focus of this presentation.

Keep reading to learn more...

Autodesk Webinar Recording - Generative Design now in Revit 2021

Autodesk's Lilli Smith and Zach Kron gave a presentation yesterday, to about 1200 attendees, introducing Generative Design in Revit.

Here is the link to the recording... click here.

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Check out my video-based  courses on ArchSmarter.

I also write blog posts for Enscape - a new paradigm in rendering, animation and VR for AEC.

Recent Autodesk Desktop Connector Developments

Yesterday I learned some new things about Autodesk's Desktop Connector, which is a tool that works in conjunction with BIM 360 Design projects (Revit and AutoCAD Civil 3D). This includes info about update notifications and a tool to purge local files! This constitutes today's post.

Keep reading to learn more...

Tutorial: how to create custom Enscape assets

Today's post comes compliments of industry expert Pieter Schiettecatte from A+I in New York City. Click here to see all this posts on this blog.

I want to share a workaround we’ve developed to set up a custom Enscape asset library. We’ve been using this workflow for 10 months and it has worked well for us. That said, use this at your own risk because it’s not officially supported by Enscape.

A screenshot of our custom library with 347 assets

To create an Enscape asset you will need:

• A 3d model (.gltf file + .bin + textures )
• Optional: a simplified placeholder (.obj)
• Optional: a thumbnail (256x256 jpg)
• Our in-house Asset Generator tool

Enscape uses the open source .gltf format for its assets. We’ve build most of our custom assets in 3ds Max, exporting them to Gltf with the free Babylon Exporter.

However, for this tutorial we will be using the powerful new Blender 2.82, as it’s free, open source and has a built in .gltf exporter.

keep reading to learn more...

Microsoft Teams Custom Backgrounds and Firm Branding

Since the beginning of the work-from-home orders due to the global pandemic, LHB has been using Microsoft Teams much more intensely for many things, such as:

• Virtual Meetings
• Digital Water-cooler
• Digital Happy Hours
• Pandemic Leadership Organization
• Staff Training
• Live Events (presentations)

Initially, Teams only allowed the background to be blurred out and could show a maximum of four video feeds. Now we have up to 3 x 3 video and can select from a provided list of background images. Today's post shows how you can use custom backgrounds and touches on how LHB's marketing team served up a stack of images for staff to use and help with firm branding!

Keep reading to learn more...

New Book: Microsoft Office Specialist Excel Associate 365/2019 Exam Preparation

Anyone who follows this blog knows that I have many interests and find ways to develop them into training materials... like blog posts, staff training, conference presentations around the world and even textbooks! Today's posts will unveil my latest project(s)!

I have developed a new certification study guide for a topic that is not directly related to the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry... and, as you will see at the end of this post, a sister-book is already done and in the publishers hands.

Presenting my newest book:
Microsoft Office Specialist Excel Associate 365/2019 Exam Preparation

I feel this offering is very special in that I used my skills as an architect (WI) to develop compelling graphics which will help students better understand multi-step tasks. Additionally, as an educator, I know students have different learning styles. So this book also comes with 70 videos, flashcards and software! Yes, the book comes with a practice exam that mimics the real exam.

Key Features

• Explains everything current Excel users need to know about the exam process
• Covers the five main categories of the exam
• Includes practice exam software, videos and flashcards
• Reviews the Excel user interface and terminology

Keep reading to learn more...

Popular Enscape Blog Posts Refreshed

I recently had the opportunity to refresh three popular blog posts for Ensacpe, on their website. Combined, these posts have had tens of thousands of views so it makes sense to update them to represent the current state of Enscape when people, for example, find the post via a web search.

In case you have not been to the Enscape site recently, they have updated the blog design as shown in the following image. BTW, I co-authored the 'work from home' post shown here with lots of technical tips you can check out here.

Keep reading to learn more...