RobiNZ CAD Blog

Beyond CG

CGArchitect's Visualization Pro of the Week email usually features stunning, photo-real, computer generated renderings. Perhaps that is why this one stood out, along with the software & hardware used to create it. Studio/Institution: TiM Rynek - ARCHITEKCI Website: http://www.timrynek.pl Genre: Commercial Exterior Software: Only hands Description: Sketch (rapidograph, ruler) Click here and enjoy the the full resolution version Read more →

Visualising the sustainable office

One of the Autodesk University 2010 photos I showed at a recent Revit User Group Auckland was an Autodesk concept for interacting, real time, with a living BIM model. Linking the BIM & Building Automation Systems enabled use of live data for analysis, visualisation and operation in the Building Information Model Or perhaps it’s a BOM, Building Operation Model? Then I found this take on operational reporting from Arup which presents live sustainability information: Making the Invisible Visible: Arup Office Real-time We just launched Arup Office Realtime, a data visualisation designed around the firm’s sustainability objectives. Office Realtime is a... Read more →

My EQNZ Stuff

I’ve kept family post(s) re the Christchurch Earthquake over on my other blog but have updated the banner here to show the first picture from my first ride with Adventure South back in 2003. It was along the Port Hills overlooking the quake epicentre Diamond Harbour/Lyttleton on a blustery sunny day. As I watched helicopter shots of the area I couldn’t help but remember that day and the friends, AFAIK all those in the region shaken but safe, that made since getting on that bike. Land changes, buildings can be rebuilt, today it’s all about the people. Read more →

Meeting GrabCAD at #AU2010

One of the great things about conferences is meeting previously “virtual contacts”. Hardi Meybaum, CEO/Founder of GrabCAD, was one of those until we met in the media room at AU as had only known each other by email. GrabCAD’s current focus is engineering & manufacturing but it’s an interesting model for finding/sharing/marketing content and design services. GrabCAD - www.grabcad.com - from Tallinn, Estonia - CAD engineering services marketplace that connects engineers to companies and people with engineering needs Read more →

Restore AutoCAD’s Hidden Messages

While publishing in AutoCAD Architecture I was prompted to save the current list of sheets (which I wanted to this time) and mistakenly ticked the “Always perform my current choice option” on the dialog. This changes the default and and hides the dialog in future. The result was every time I published multiple sheets I was prompted to save the selection. I couldn’t find the variable which controls this but restoring the “hidden” prompt allowed me to change my preference. Go to [A button]>Options>System>Hidden Message Settings & tick the message you want to see again. Note that what you see... Read more →

Info-graphic meets Mind Map?

I don’t often post about work, non-cad stuff, here but this info-graphic from The Warehouse 2010 Community and Environment Report appealed to my mind mapping aesthetic. Read more →

After twelve years, thought I’d lost an old colleague…

There was no Esc, well it was there but didn’t work when pressed! Perhaps after twelve+ years of typing and FSM knows how many AutoCAD command “Esc’s” it seemed my old faithful Microsoft Natural Keyboard was finally dead. I did the usual keyboard resuscitation (flip it over & bash the crud out) and even pulled the key off to see if the mechanism was stuck, but that didn’t help. Esc, Esc, Esc still meant no escape even though the other keys all worked fine. And then, resurrection! A reboot fixed it! I suspect flipping between virtual & real machines +... Read more →

Revit User Group Auckland February Meeting announcement #AU2010

A casual start to the year and a new venue for this meeting. Grab a beer & hear AU Speakers (Roy AU China, Simon AU Vegas), first time attendee (Michelle) and RobiNZ blogger’s view of Autodesk University 2010. Details & RSVP via Meetup: RUGAKL February Meeting - Autodesk University 2010 Review & Welcome 2011 When: Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 5:30 PM Where: The Brew on Quay - 102 Quay Street Auckland Read more →

AutoCAD Architecture Isolate > Edit in View (I’d like to see in Revit)

I work with both ACA & Revit (project dependent) and it’s interesting to find features in one that could help with the other. Most Revit projects I’ve seen have some sort of sheet & working view structure. Working views are permanent/temporary views for model editing to avoid disturbing those placed on sheets. Often you just need a elevation or section view for a quick edit or visual model review. In Revit this requires creating the view, switching to it, isolating elements, editing the elements & removing the view (or leaving it for someone else to tidy up). In addition to... Read more →

AutoCAD for Mac, in New Zealand & Australia

Found a surprise in my Inbox tonight. It’s not new, was announced in the US in September 2010, but AutoCAD for Mac has arrived in New Zealand and the West Island! Get more info, or grab a 30 Day trial, at: http://south-apac.autodesk.com/autocadformac Read more →