January 31, 2011

Introducing Autodesk Design Suites




The three editions of the Autodesk Design Suite software – Autodesk Design Suite Standard, Autodesk Design Suite Premium, and Autodesk Design Suite Advanced – combine the power of AutoCAD software with increasingly powerful conceptual design and visualization software. Autodesk Design Suite 2011 software extends the power and flexibility of a familiar AutoCAD workflow by integrating Autodesk’s leading design and visualization software in a single, cost-effective package.

You gain great value, improved workflow, better design and communication, and have a superb tool reach new business.

Contact your Ideate Account Manager today: sales@ideateinc.com

Get it. Know it. Use it.

Autodesk Navisworks - Search and Selection Sets

Search and Selection Sets are the most important feature inside of Navisworks, bar none. This is the only place in the entire program where you have full control of naming conventions, organization and selection. In light of this, it still amazes me how many people are using the software and not using this feature.

- Teresa Martin, Ideate Inc AEC Specialist


Check out Teresa's blog a [BIM] New World for a great demonstration of how you can use Search and Selection Sets to quickly find all the ducts and steel in a model, and then use what you find for coordination purposes.



Get It. Know It. Use It.

Sacramento Revit User Group - Make Your Revit Project Excel - 2.14.11

Make Your Revit Project Excel

Your Revit model contains much more than the graphical representation of your ideas. It contains powerful data that will be used by estimators, contractors, subcontractors, manufacturers, building owners and facility managers. What’s the best way to control this data and ensure that the quality of your 2D graphics is matched by the integrity of your Revit data? How can we head-off file instability issues before they happen?

Join Glynnis Patterson, Director of Services as she shares strategies for managing Revit projects to improve performance, stability and data quality. We’ll take a look at real world examples, review how to solve pesky problems, and streamline your workflow using Revit Model Check, the Review Warnings tool, Ideate BIMLink and Ideate Explorer for Revit.

Who Should Attend: Architects, engineers, BIM Managers and anyone vested in improving the performance and quality of your Revit project.

About the Presenter: Glynnis Patterson, N.C.A.R.B. – Director of Services

Glynnis is a Registered Architect and has worked within the BIM industry since 1998. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, she has worked as an architect, educator and construction site manager. Glynnis is currently the Director of Development Services at Ideate, Inc. and continues to work with AEC clients across the nation, developing, and implementing best practices solutions. In her spare time Glynnis is a member of the Morristown Environmental Commission and builds Lego projects.

REGISTER ONLINE
**Pre-registration required. We’ll have your seat reserved and lunch ready.**
Date: 2.14.11
Location: AIA Central Valley, 1400 S Street, Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95814
Time: 11:30am to 1:30pm
Information: Email Abigayle Curtis or call 916.868.6102

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Revit Tip from @IdeateBIMLink - Create code schedule in Revit Architecture 2011



Q: I’m trying to make a code schedule in Revit Architecture 2011. I want to have information from the schedule, specifically occupancy load, display on the room tag. I’m having trouble seeing how I can get the tag to reference the schedule.

A: Yes, indeed! The value needs to be manually transcribed from the Calculated Value into a Shared Parameter. If you have Ideate BIMLink you can automate this process, as shown elegantly by our own David Haynes in this great video:



Check out the entire selection of Ideate BIMLink Tutorials on our YouTube channel.

Push. Pull. Power.

January 28, 2011

Quoted, Re: Ideate BIMLink: "…saved me about a week+ worth of time."


You don’t say? We love to hear what our clients think about Ideate BIMLink for Revit:

“You folks have a great tool in Ideate BIMLink. You saved me about a week+ worth of time. This is just the first go around and there will be more to come.”

—Alan Himuro
BIM Coordinator
Smith Group
San Francisco


Who can use a week+ worth of time? Contact us to find out more about Ideate BIMLink.

Push. Pull. Power.

January 27, 2011

Express Your Creativity, Your Way - with Autodesk Design Suites

What is AutoCAD Design Suite Premium?
Autodesk has a new package of design and visualization tools, Autodesk Design Suite 2011. A high-value offering for architects and designers, Autodesk Design Suite Premium 2011 software combines the familiar power of AutoCAD with best-in-class 3D visualization and animation workflows.



Offering easy access to a cost-effective suite of leading Autodesk products, it gives you, as an AEC professional, the tools you need to design more creatively, communicate ideas with clients more clearly and accelerate the sales process.

With Autodesk Design Suite you can:
• Get more value out of your Investment: Get the Autodesk leading design and visualization software in a single, cost-effective package – a savings of 44% off MSRP.
• Improve workflow for increased productivity: enhance design with a single suite of products that integrates easily into your existing workflow.
• Communicate more clearly with clients: Bring designs to life visually, communicate with more clarity, and facilitate a smoother approval process at every stage of design.
• More compelling bids: Develop more inspiring designs faster than the competition, and win more business with emotionally engaging presentations that inspire confidence in your vision.

Ready to learn more? Contact sales@ideateinc.com today.

Get It. Know It. Use It.

AutoCAD Civil 3D Tip - Check PICKFIRST system variable

Our Ideate Tech Expert Matt Miyamoto recently assisted client Mike Miller with a vexing problem in AutoCAD Civil 3D. Matt explains...
Mike gave us a list of issues he was encountering in his drawing and that's what I used to figure out what he needed to change. I provided the answer and a short overview of what the PICKFIRST system variable does (the solution was setting it back to 1). This is a general AutoCAD system variable, so it's not limited to only AutoCAD Civil 3D.

Q: The delete key would not erase lines, objects, text, etc from the drawing. I have to right click, select 'basic modify tools', select erase, then select the item to delete it. I cannot highlight text in the text windows for editing, I have to select the text box, go to the text in the properties, select it there, then I can edit it. I cannot select properties from right click, I cannot lock the viewport from right click.

A: The PICKFIRST system variable controls the ability to issue commands before or after selecting objects in the drawing. When the PICKFIRST system variable is set to 0, commands must be entered prior to selecting objects. When PICKFIRST is set to 1, users are allowed to select objects first, then activate a command.

Mike was kind enough to share his appreciative feedback:
I contacted Ideate Support with a problem in AutoCAD Civil 3D and heard back from Matt Miyamoto. His personal response time was less than 15 minutes and the solution was exactly right! Ideate has an excellent Support team and I assure you, has certainly saved me hours of searching forums, inserting discs for repair, and writing Autodesk Subscription Tech Support, all of which I had done prior to contacting Ideate (if only I had called you guys first, instead of trying to resolve it on my own!)

This is not the first time that Matt has helped me with a Support issue, and I'm sure he rectified the last problem also. I cannot praise Ideate Support enough, because even though it was a simple fix, with the multitude of variable settings available in AutoCAD Civil 3D, this was just another one I was not aware of. Thanks to Ideate I'm up and running. Rest assured that Ideate Tech Support is the first one I will contact next time. If I had, I would have had this problem fixed hours ago.

- Mike Miller, Garrison Resource Group, Longview, Washington

Matt Miyamoto, P.E. – Infrastructure Solutions Application Specialist
Matt is a licensed Civil Engineer in the state of Hawaii. Matt obtained a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and has 7 years of private sector design experience which he applies in his role as an application specialist with Ideate, Inc. His project experience includes residential and commercial site development, private and public sewer, water and drainage systems, harbors improvements, and roadway improvements. While in Hawaii, Matt was involved in multidisciplinary projects for City and County agencies, State Departments, the Army COE and private developers.

Are you without Support? Contact us today, we'll get you set up.

Get It. Know It. Use It.

January 26, 2011

Join @IdeateInc at upcoming community events: Structural Engineers Association, CSI, AGC

Will you be attending one of these upcoming events? We will - stop by and see us!
January 27
Structural Engineers Association of Central California
2010 California Building Code Seminar
Sacramento, California

January 27
CSI Willamette Valley Chapter
CSI Build Construction Conference
Eugene, Oregon

January 28
Association of General Contractors Washington
AGC Washington Annual Convention
Bellevue, Washington

Ideate doesn't just sell software. We are an active participant in our communities and professional associations, sharing our expertise and collaborating with you - the pros who design and construct our built environment.

Get It. Know It. Use It

Use @IdeateExplorer to refine selection sets in Autodesk Revit



Q: Is it possible to select objects by first using "Select all Instances" but then somehow filter that selection according to the level on which the objects are located?

A: It is not possible within Autodesk Revit software itself which is why we developed Ideate Explorer for Revit. With Ideate Explorer for Revit you can take a selection set (by Project, View or Selection) and further refine it by adding filters based on by Key words, Room, Space, Zone, and (or) by Level.

When having the ability to search, filter and tie up inter-relationships between 10,000+ building elements can make or break your workday, you need Ideate Explorer for Revit.

Search. Filter. Finish.

January 25, 2011

Revit Users Gain Time & Accuracy with @IdeateBIMLink

If you're using Autodesk Revit software, you don't want to miss this video from David Haynes, which shows how Ideate BIMLink can help you save time, money and improve accuracy.

Ideate BIMLink lets you pull data from Revit to Excel and push data from Excel to Revit with equal ease.


Learn more at www.ideatebimlink.com

Push. Pull. Power.

January 24, 2011

Plan, Visualize, Share Your Design with Autodesk Homestyler

With a surplus of homes on the market, many people are forgoing building a new home and choosing, instead to remodel their existing home. Autodesk Homestyler is a simple to use online design tool to Plan, Visualize and Share your design ideas, in 2D and 3D. With a simple drag and drop interface, and intuitive pick and drag tools, you can very quickly draw up your own dream house/remodel. Furnish your design with actual manufacturer content such as furniture, plumbing fixtures, flooring and paint. When finished, publish the shopping list of materials needed to build your design, and print your design for easy hardcopy visualization.

Check it out: http://www.homestyler.com/

Autodesk is also running a sweepstakes between January 11-February 7 where you can win a $500 gift card to help with your remodel!






Ron Palma, Ideate AEC Solutions Application Specialist
Ron has 23+ years of experience in the AEC industry as a designer, lead project designer, trainer and CAD manager. His instructional background includes Autodesk Certified Instructor, trainer, support technician, educator at Portland Community College and Clackamas Community College, and a U.S. Army certified instructor. Follow Ron @RonPalmaAEC.

January 23, 2011

Ideate AEC Autodesk Assistance Program: free educational software, low cost training. Act before January 31, 2011!

Ideate Assistance Program Helps Unemployed AEC Pros

The Ideate Assistance Program is designed to help unemployed members of the AEC community network to upgrade their skills and regain employment in the AEC industry.

In collaboration with the Autodesk® Assistance Program, we offer qualified participants:
  • Free Educational Software
  • Low Cost Training
  • Free Online Training
  • Invitations to Networking Events
  • Employer Discount

Hear from Bob Palioca, Ideate President, Steve Blum, Autodesk Senior VP and program participants on the Ideate YouTube channel.

Check out this flyer about theIdeate Assistance Program and find complete details on our site http://www.ideateinc.com/ideas/assistance.html

Get It. Know It. Use It.

January 22, 2011

Join the @IdeateInc team in PDX: AEC Support Dispatcher (temp) #job

Ideate is hiring! Interested in joining a dynamic and professional team? We have several positions posted on our Ideate Careers page.

Position: AEC Support Dispatcher (temp)
Location: Portland, Oregon
Position Summary:
Ideate, Inc. is hiring an AEC Support Dispatcher. Qualified candidates for this temporary position will have outstanding customer service oriented personalities, and interested in technology and the Architecture, Engineering and Construction industry.

Position: AEC Account Manager
Location: San Jose, California
Position Summary:
We're seeking a AEC Account Manager with the skills to manage the entire sales cycle from lead generation to close of sale, including: prospecting, qualifying, development, closing and relationship management.

Position: AutoCAD Trainer (part-time employee or as consultant)
Location: San Francisco Bay Area, California. Travel likely to our Sacramento and San Jose offices, as well as customer sites in Northern California.
Position Summary:
This position is perfect for a practicing architect, engineer, or draftsperson who would be available 3-6 days per month.

Position: AEC Technical Intern
Location: San Francisco, CA (Financial District)
Position Summary:
Get your start in the AEC industry with this part-time or full-time position. Great benefit includes the opportunity to take Ideate training courses.

Visit our Ideate Careers page for complete descriptions of each position and application process. jobs@ideateinc.com

Make your career ideas a reality today!

Get It. Know It. Use It.

January 21, 2011

Ideate Client Shout Out::Forell/Elsesser – Haiti Housing Help

Forell/Elsesser Teams with Build Change on Haiti Homes Project

San Francisco-based Forell/Elsesser Engineers Inc. was selected by Build Change to assist with the post-earthquake permanent housing reconstruction and technical assistance program in Haiti.

Read the entire article here.

Ideate is proud to work with clients such as Forell/Elsesser who are committed to improving the lives of people the world over.

Get it. Know it. Use it.

January 20, 2011

A Cut Above – The Ideate Technical Team

The Ideate Technical Team, eleven exceptional people from the AEC industry, who assist our customers with technology implementation and support, recently held a Technical Summit.

I want to tell you how impressed I am with the Ideate Technical Team.
  • Each has the ability to communicate ideas and concepts in a concise, but informative and engaging way.

  • The team’s combined knowledge of business issues, industry best-practices and design technology software in unsurpassed in the AEC industry.

  • They have an outstanding track record of delivering technical support with an average response time under 30 minutes, encompassing 3,575 support cases in 2010. That is a lot of cases, covering over a dozen software packages. Truly impressive.

  • The ability to analyze, understand and solve customer issues, and produce solutions that make our customers more productive and profitable.

More than anything else, the Ideate Technical Team impress with the enthusiasm and passion for what they do. The Ideate team brings professionalism to every customer interaction. On top of that, their humor and camaraderie is simply amazing.

If you get a chance, get to know the Ideate Technical Team. Ask for their insight on business issues you have in the implementation and support of design technology software.

They are truly a cut above. I am honored to lead this team to solve our customers' daily challenges.

David Haynes, AIA, LEED AP – Director of AEC ServicesDavid is a Registered Architect and a LEED accredited professional who previously had his own architectural practice and was President of a commercial design-build construction company for 15 years. A graduate of University of Arizona, he has worked as an Architect, contractor, developer and as a national construction manager for a national retailer. David currently develops and implements targeted AEC business solutions – including Revit Architecture, Revit Structure and Navisworks for clients across the United States involved in the design and building process. David is also Ideate’s resident Mac expert.

Get It. Know It. Use It.

January 19, 2011

Ideate Premium Support - AutoCAD Civil 3D client wouldn't be without it.

We always appreciate it when clients take the time to let our technical team know they've done a good job.

Jim, who uses AutoCAD Civil 3D says:
The technical skill, courtesy and professionalism of the Ideate Tech Experts exceeded expectations. So did response and resolution time to my question. This applies to the numerous times we have utilized Ideate Support, not just the most recent. I would not be without a Premium Support contract.

- Jim Bushey, PPI Engineering, Napa, California


Are you without Support? Contact us today, we'll get you set up.

Get It. Know It. Use It.

January 18, 2011

Use @IdeateBIMLink: Occupancy load values calculated in Excel, pushed back into Autodesk Revit for use in Room Tags

Here's an Ideate BIMLink step-by-step video showing how occupancy load values can be calculated in Excel and then easily pushed back into Revit for use in Room Tags.



Ideate BIMLink works with Revit Extension so you can pull data from a Revit file into Microsoft Excel and push Excel data into Revit with equal ease.

Push. Pull. Power.

@IdeateInc is hiring full time AEC Account Manager in San Jose, California #job

Ideate is hiring!

Interested in joining a dynamic and professional team? We have several positions posted on our Ideate Careers page.

Position: AEC Account Manager
Location:
San Jose, California
Position Summary: We're seeking a AEC Account Manager with the skills to manage the entire sales cycle from lead generation to close of sale, including: prospecting, qualifying, development, closing and relationship management.

Position: AutoCAD Trainer (part-time employee or as consultant)
Location: San Francisco Bay Area, California. Travel likely to our Sacramento and San Jose offices, as well as customer sites in Northern California.
Position Summary: This position is perfect for a practicing architect, engineer, or draftsperson who would be available 3-6 days per month.

Position: AEC Technical Intern
Location: San Francisco, CA (Financial District)
Position Summary: Get your start in the AEC industry with this part-time or full-time position. Great benefit includes the opportunity to take Ideate training courses.

Visit our Ideate Careers page for complete descriptions of each position and application process. Make your career ideas a reality today!

Get It. Know It. Use It.

January 17, 2011

Portland Revit User Group, Jan 24 - Make Your Revit Model Excel



What: Portland Revit User Group

Why: To create a local community where Revit users can learn from their peers, build technical skills, exchange ideas, resolve challenges, share successes, and elevate their capabilities with the Revit Suite of products.

When: Monday, January 24, 11:30 am to 1:15 pm

Where: Multnomah County Library - 801 SW 10th Avenue - Portland - US Bank Room

Who: For Autodesk Revit Users and those just interested in learning more about Autodesk Revit.

Meeting Agenda
11:30 Lunch

11:40 Feature Presentation: Make Your Revit Model Excel
Your Revit model contains much more than the graphical representation of your ideas. It contains powerful data that will be used by estimators, contractors, subcontractors, manufacturers, building owners and facility managers. How can you gain access, standardize and share the data with your BIM team and customers?

Join Derek Wielkopolski, Ideate Technical Support Manager/Application Specialist for a discussion of strategies to ensure a higher level of quality control in your Revit models, including use of Revit Model Check, Ideate BIMLink and Ideate Explorer for Revit. We’ll take a look at real world use cases, review how to solve pesky problems, streamline your workload and save you time.

Derek holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Roger Williams University, Rhode Island. He is experienced working within the AEC industry from concept design through construction administration for both small and large scale projects. As the Ideate Support Manager, he ensures a timely and quality response to support requests and questions. (So he’s on the frontline, solving the sort of problems you confront every day.)

1:15 Closing
This event is free to all Portland, Oregon Revit enthusiasts, but please be sure to RSVP for the meeting using this link.

Get It. Know It. Use It.

January 16, 2011

Managing Sheets and Views in Autodesk Revit with @IdeateBIMLink

Have you seen our newest Ideate BIMLink video?

In Autodesk Revit, Managing Sheets and Views can be one of the most labor intensive (and boring) tasks for a Project Manager.

If your Project Engineers or Architects are spending their time editing title block data for each sheet, you need Ideate BIMLink!



Visit www.ideatebimlink to learn more about this powerful application for Autodesk Revit.

Push. Pull. Power.

January 15, 2011

@ZCorporation 3D prints featured in Wikipedia 10 design concepts.


Happy Birthday, Wikipedia!
The free encyclopedia that anyone can edit is celebrating its tenth anniversary today - what a milestone!

Whether fact-checking something at work or helping with kids' homework, many of us use Wikipedia as a go-to reference. And think about it...Wikipedia is written collaboratively by largely anonymous Internet volunteers who write without pay. Anyone with Internet access can write and make changes to Wikipedia articles. How powerful is that, having a community sharing knowledge?

Not long ago, our friends over at the design build studio Because We Can worked with Wikimedia to remodel their office. Jeffrey McGrew and his creative cohorts did an amazing job. When it came time to put together the components of the Wikipedia 10 design concept, Jeffrey was asked to provide small 3D models. Needing to print 3D models that could be used, photographed, touched and passed around, Jeffrey contacted us to make his Blender model come to life.

Using the Z Corporation Z650 printer in our San Francisco office, Ideate printed (14) of the 3D Wikipedia globes in less than a day. The Z650 printer works great for physical prototypes of real world objects, design elements or a scale model building. We were glad to have a small part in helping Wikipedia look good on their birthday!

Next time you look up a word on Wikipedia, tip your hat to the community of users who are working diligently to build a powerful, multilingual, web-based, free-content encyclopedia.



The above image file used under license permission Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

@becausewecan
@ZCorporation

January 14, 2011

SMARTBIM Technical Tip - Activate 2x for here or to go


Your SMARTBIM Technical tip for the week:
Each seat of SMARTBIM can be activated 2x, using the same email address. This is so that users can have the applications on home and office machines.

SMARTBIM Library is a Revit family content management tool that provides a simple way to organize, find, and use Revit families.

SMARTBIM QTO, powered by RSMeans, is a cost-effective solution for Autodesk Revit users that provides early cost checking for Revit projects.

Learn how SMARTBIM can help you create and manage high quality, relevant information used to drive more intelligent, sustainable building designs and operations.

Contact your sales@ideateinc.com today to get started.


Get It. Know It. Use It.

January 13, 2011

Webcast 1.20 – Local Road Reconstruction with AutoCAD Civil 3D

A Case Study in Road Reconstruction
In March 2010, the Department of Community Development of the city of Riviera Beach, Fla., began work on a road reconstruction project. The project called for the replacement of all water lines, fire hydrants, sub grade, base rock, pavement, curbsides, and sidewalks in the area. This webcast will showcase how Riviera Beach city engineers, with the help of Autodesk Partner CADD Centers of Florida, used AutoCAD® Civil 3D® to simplify the design process — easily resolving conflicts between water, sanitary, and storm sewer lines before releasing construction documents, and expediting the permit process. Join us and learn how the city completed construction and bid plans 60 days ahead of schedule, and saved $30,000 in design fees.

Presenters:
David Lingebach, Director of Government Services, CADD Centers of Florida
James Wedding, Civil Engineering Technical Specialist, Autodesk, Inc.

This webcast is hosted by CE News and qualifies for PDH credits.

Attendance is FREE!


Register Now
Thursday, January 20
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM - Pacific Standard Time

Autodesk Revit Tip - Using @IdeateExplorer for Revit with Model Check



Q: Any good tips for using Autodesk Revit Model Review or good examples on creating new search inquires using various parameters? Seems like it would take a lot time to explore the add-on, to be able to do some useful stuff with it.

A: Autodesk Revit Model Review is divided into two parts: Check and Manage. At Ideate, Inc., we've been studying both tools for some time now, looking for a way to integrate it into our Revit Health Check service. The promise of Revit Model Review was very appealing - something that would let us dig quickly through a Revit project and hopefully highlight some potential issues before they caused a problem. We have found some value in it, and use a highly modified version of it for our Revit Health Checks. The checks we find useful are the Cleanup, Visibility, and under Standards we like the Elements and Group lists.

The biggest advantage of Revit Model Check is that it’s modeless, meaning you can keep it open while you address some of the issues. However, it is pretty slow if you have a lot of checks and we found it difficult to customize to suit our needs.

We use Revit Model Review in conjunction with Review Warnings and Ideate Explorer for Revit to help us perform our Revit Health Checks. I recommend that you build an abridged version of the Firm Standards - Extended and included only the checks you find valuable, starting with Cleanup and Visibility checks.

- Glynnis Patterson, N.C.A.R.B, Director of Services


Push. Pull. Power.

January 12, 2011

Webcast 1.19 - Autodesk Maya and Softimage Interoperability

The new interoperability between Autodesk® Maya® and Autodesk® Softimage® ICE (Interactive Creative Environment) means greater flexibility and efficiency when creating dynamic effects.

In this webcast you’ll see how to take advantage of new effects capabilities such as Softimage’s Lagoa, which has generated quite a buzz in the industry lately. You’ll learn how easy it is for new users of Softimage ICE to generate complex effects using new menu sets to create ICE compounds.

Autodesk Technical Specialists, Lee Fraser and Mark Schoennagel, will show off the new one-click integration between Maya and Softimage. Starting with a scene in Maya, you’ll see the complete workflow of transferring the scene in Softimage, creating several particle effects, then transferring everything right back to Maya to complete the job!

Register Now
Wednesday, January 19
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM - Pacific Standard Time

0% Financing on Autodesk Software from @IdeateInc and US Bank

Been considering the purchase of Autodesk software?

Take advantage of 0% Financing - get the world-class design and building solution you need now, while preserving your corporate credit lines.



Why wait? Rates don't get any better than this!

Contact your Ideate Account Manager today for complete terms and conditions.

Get It. Know It. Use It.

January 11, 2011

Webcast 1.18 – Autodesk Plant Design: Streamline and Coordinate Your Plant Design Projects

Register now! Learn how BIM is empowering design professionals to more effectively implement sustainable design for greater building energy efficiency.
Autodesk® Plant Design Suite offers the benefits of high-end products, with cross-discipline integration, much easier adoption and faster time-to-productivity. The new suite combines AutoCAD®, AutoCAD® P&ID, AutoCAD® Plant 3D, and Autodesk® Navisworks® software in a single, integrated plant design solution. It will help you streamline 2D drafting, P&ID design, 3D modeling, construction document generation, and the project review process.

Please join Autodesk Plant Technical Specialist, Michael Gulnac, for this live, informative, and interactive webcast as he gives you an overview of the Autodesk Plant Design Suite as well as a quick dive into each of its core components.

Register Now
Tuesday, January 18
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM - Pacific Standard Time

January 10, 2011

Tell us what you think: Autodesk Customer Satisfaction Survey coming



Dear Ideate Customers,

I want to hear what you think of Ideate and Autodesk products and services. In the coming weeks you might be asked by Autodesk to share your thoughts and suggestions by taking a brief survey.

I encourage everyone to participate, as it is a great way to provide feedback for us as well as Autodesk. I want to know what we do really well, and where we could use some work. Remember...the more detailed the feedback, the better products and services we can provide.

Thanks,

Derek Wielkopolski
Ideate, Inc. Support Manager


Get It. Know It. Use It.

January 7, 2011

Autodesk Design Suite Premium Rebate - Act Now to Save on AutoCAD

3D Visualization & Animation

A high-value offering for architects and designers, Autodesk Design Suite Premium 2011 software combines the familiar power of AutoCAD with best-in-class 3D visualization and animation workflows:

- Create powerful, emotionally engaging visualizations
- Develop interactive presentations
- Illustrate, paint, and manipulate concepts naturally







Includes:
AutoCAD
Autodesk Alias Sketch
Autodesk Showcase
Autodesk 3ds Max Design

And now - get an Autodesk Design Suite Premium Rebate when you purchase qualifying new commercial licenses and/or upgrades of Autodesk® Design Suite Premium or Autodesk® Design Suite Advanced software.
  • $400 Mail-in Rebate for Autodesk Design Suite Premium or Autodesk Design Suite Advanced New Licenses
  • $200 Mail-in Rebate for Autodesk Design Suite Premium or Autodesk Design Suite Advanced Upgrades and Legacy from all eligible versions and paths, including R14-2011 versions of AutoCAD, Autodesk Design Suite Standard, 3ds Max and 3ds Max Design

Eligible products must be ordered and invoiced before January 14, 2011. Complete Terms and Conditions.

Contact your Ideate Account Manager today to learn more!
sales@ideateinc.com 888.662.7238

Get It. Know It. Use It.

Autodesk Revit - Revisions Lost No More With @IdeateExplorer

So the project manager has just finished redlining your entire set of drawings in Autodesk Revit and now it is your responsibility to fix the drawings. Problem is, this is a 150-page set of drawings. That is a lot of drawings to go through to see if there are any revisions scribbled across them!

Where do you begin finding the revisions? Ideate Explorer for Revit.
  • Open the project in Revit, access the Add-Ins tab, then select the Entire Project from the left side of the dialog.
  • Under the Results area, locate the Revision Clouds section and expand the list.
  • Select the desired revisions cloud then right-click and select the Show Elements option.
  • Ideate Explorer for Revit will zoom you to the location of the cloud so you can begin picking up the redlines.


Check out demos and more at the Ideate Explorer for Revit site.

Ron Palma, Ideate AEC Solutions Application Specialist
Ron has 23+ years of experience in the AEC industry as a designer, lead project designer, trainer and CAD manager. His instructional background includes Autodesk Certified Instructor, trainer, support technician, educator at Portland Community College and Clackamas Community College, and a U.S. Army certified instructor. Follow Ron @RonPalmaAEC.

Search. Filter. Finish.

January 6, 2011

Don't wait. Increase your productivity with Autodesk 2011 software and save up to 45%.


Faster, smarter, familiar. And with up to 45% off, more cost-effective. Now’s the time to integrate Autodesk 2011 software into your workflow.

Learn more...

Greater power and efficiency? Check. Easy to learn and integrate? You’re covered. More affordable? Done. Autodesk® 2011 software is the response to just about any reason you may have for not moving from your current Autodesk software.

If you’re still working on 2007 or earlier versions of Autodesk software, now’s the time to get up to speed. Not only will you avoid the compatibility issues that slow your projects down, but you could also save up to 45% if you switch by January 14, 2011. So don’t wait – make your move to Autodesk 2011 software today.

It’s time to put yourself at the cutting edge of design and drafting capabilities with:
· Building information modeling (BIM), which allows for better project coordination and more informed decision making across teams, earlier in the process
· Full compatibility with Microsoft® Windows® 7, as well as Vista® and XP®
· Up to 44% faster performance on many common tasks with AutoCAD® 2011 on a Windows® 7 workstation*
· And much more

Autodesk 2011 software helps you stand out from the competition – but don’t take our word for it.
“AutoCAD 2011 software helps to accelerate the design process. It seems that each new version includes enhancements that save time on our projects."
- Kevin Stober, CAD Manager, Gonzalez-Strength & Associates

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sales@ideateinc.com
http://www.ideateinc.com/
888.662.7238

Get It. Know It. Use It.

Creating a “COBie2” Enabled Project in Autodesk Revit 2010

After John Sullivan, Business Development Manager at Autodesk, joined Ideate and executives from TLCD Architecture at a Building Information Modeling for Government event in Sacramento, John provided a couple of very useful reference documents.

We mentioned the Autodesk Revit GSA Spatial Template in our previous blog post.

John also provided Creating a “COBie2” Enabled Project in Revit, files that will allow you to attached COBie2 data fields to a new or existing Revit 2010 Project.

Visit the Revit and BIM Whitepapers page of our site for the complete Creating a “COBie2” Enabled Project in Revit document and to download the accompanying zip file.

Get It. Know It. Use It.

Autodesk Revit Template for the U.S. General Services Administration

Our thanks to John Sullivan, Business Development Manager at Autodesk, who joined Ideate and executives from TLCD Architecture at a Building Information Modeling for Government event in Sacramento.

As a follow-up to the event, John has provided Using the Autodesk Revit GSA Spatial Template to help you to get started in using the “GSA Spatial Template” Revit file in a project. The template is derived from a test model created by Autodesk as part of ongoing efforts to support GSA’s BIM Guide development.


You'll find complete description of the template and a zip file to download in the Revit and BIM Whitepapers section of our site.

Get It. Know It. Use It.

January 5, 2011

Workset assignment can be a pain – @Ideate Explorer for Revit makes it easier.

Workset assignment can be a pain – Ideate Explorer for Revit makes it easier.

Have you struggled trying to select specific objects to assign to worksets in one step? For example- all the “Interior” wall types in a project need to be assigned to an “Interior Partitions” workset. Assigning objects to worksets in Autodesk Revit can be quite daunting especially because the selection ‘Filter ‘tool allows you to only select objects by ‘category’. Ideate Explorer for Revit can simplify this process because it allows you to select objects by type not only in one view but also the entire project.

For more information about Ideate Explorer, Please visit www.ideateexplorer.com

Shruti Harve, LEED AP, AEC Solutions Application Specialist
Shruti holds a Master of Science degree in Architectural Computing from University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom and is LEED accredited. Her experience includes working in Architecture and Construction firms in India and the United Kingdom as well as Structural Engineering firms in the Bay Area providing design, 3D modeling and drafting services. At Ideate, Shruti provides training and support for Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, 3ds Max, Ecotect and AutoCAD Architecture.

Search. Filter. Finish.

Use @IdeateBIMLink to Set If/Then Statements for Door and Room Parameters


Q: Can I use an IF/Then statement with a Door parameter to drive behavior based on Room or wall data in Autodesk Revit software? For example, you want to automatically set the fire rating of the door based on the wall host or you want to set a door undercut value based on the room usage.

A: Revit does not allow Room-based parameters to be used within formulas for non-room categories such as Doors. Ideate BIMLink, however, can be used to export both the door and room (or wall host) parameters. Once exported to Excel, an If/Then statement can easily be created to drive a Project or Shared Parameter to achieve these types of goals.

Shruti Harve, LEED AP – AEC Solutions Application Specialist
Shruti holds a Master of Science degree in Architectural Computing from University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom and is LEED accredited. Her experience includes working in Architecture and Construction firms in India and the United Kingdom as well as Structural Engineering firms in the Bay Area providing design, 3D modeling and drafting services. At Ideate, Shruti provides training and support for Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, 3ds Max, Ecotect and AutoCAD Architecture.

Get your copy of Ideate BIMLink before January 31, 2011 and receive a “no-charge” license of Ideate Explorer for Revit 2011 – a $399 value!

Push. Pull. Power.

January 4, 2011

Autodesk Revit Isn't Just for Architects - Contractors & Landscape Architects Get BIM Ready

From Ron Palma, AEC Solutions Application Specialist:

Happy New Year!

For 2010, the final class I taught was in our Seattle Autodesk Authorized Training Center, the three days before the New Year's holiday. I had a wonderful group of folks from Sellen Construction Company and Johnson Braund Design Group, Inc. The students were a mix of contractors and landscape architects. No architects or designers...a first!

The class was our three day Revit Architecture Fundamentals course, which teaches the essentials of knowing and working with Autodesk Revit Architecture. This particular class was interesting - I had a chance to interact with a non-traditional design group. The contractors were there to get an overview of Revit Architecture and how it works. It is important for them to understand why they are getting the types of construction documents they are, from firms claiming to use Revit Architecture. Although the firms that the contractors are working with claim to use Revit software, the design firms may not be using the application to its fullest potential or even correctly. Our class gave the contractors the knowledge of what Revit Architecture can do and how contractors can create a better working relationship with their clients.

From the landscape architects' point of view, I have had a chance to teach Revit to the majority of Johnson Braund Design Group, Inc. Last week's student from the firm was attending to get an overview of Revit software. She let me know it was a fun class, since she did not know anything about architecture or putting a building together. She not only learned how to work in Revit Architecture, but also got some architecture knowledge out of it as well!

Overall, a very satisfying way to end the year! BIM rocks!


In addition to being one of our senior Autodesk 2011 Certified Professionals, Ron regularly teaches at Autodesk University. At AU2010, he was joined by Lana Gochenauer, LEED AP, Ideate MEP Solutions Application Specialist to present There Is No "I" in Team.




Ron Palma has more than 23 years of experience in the architectural industry as a drafter, designer, lead project designer and trainer; most recently a CAD manager implementing Autodesk Architectural Desktop for a residential design firm. Ron's instructional background includes being an Autodesk Certified Instructor, trainer, support technician, educator at Portland Community College and Clackamas Community College, and a U.S. Army certified instructor. Ron is a published writer and continues to author professional technical training manuals for AutoCAD and AutoCAD Architecture. Ron provides Revit Architecture training and support for AEC firms.

To register for an Autodesk Revit class in your city, visit Ideate Training.

Get It. Know It. Use It.

Tip for Autodesk Revit: Use Ideate BIMLink to Group Scheduled Walls by Levels


We've been receiving this question from our contractor customers.
Q: I am scheduling walls in Autodesk Revit and need to group by levels. Level is not available in parameter list. Is there a method for this?

A: We deal with this type of issue by using Ideate BIMLink to dump the value for the Base Constraint Elevation into a Project Parameter so that it can be sued for sorting and filtering a more detailed takeoff. Lots of information about top and bottom constraints, along with wall orientation and some other wall-based fields are exposed through using Ideate BIMLink.

Imagine the speed and accuracy you'll gain by using Ideate BIMLink to sort and filter data!

Learn more at tomorrow's Ideate BIMLink webinar. 11:30 am PT, Wednesday, January 5.

Buy your copy of Ideate BIMLink between now and January 31, 2011 and receive a “no-charge” license of Ideate Explorer for Revit 2011 – a $399 value!

Push. Pull. Power.

January 3, 2011

What information do I need to submit when logging a Support Request to Ideate, Inc?

Derek Wielkopolski, Support Manager, offers these suggestions for Ideate, Inc. customers.

Many times in Ideate Support, we'll start with basic questions in order to better troubleshoot your technical support case. Submitting the answers along with your initial support request will help us resolve your problem even faster. So what should you provide?

Software and Computer
Start off with the software you’re using and your computer information, i.e. I’m working in Revit Architecture 2011 on Windows 7 64 bit with 8GB of RAM. An easy way to provide system information is by using the System Information Utility in Windows or the System Profiler on a Mac. These utilities allow you to save your hardware and software information to a single file that can be attached to an email. It includes information like computer manufacturer and model, processor, memory, video card, drivers, and much more. Take a look at the links below for instructions on how you can get these.


Obtaining a System Information file (NFO) for diagnostics and troubleshooting

Using the System Profiler

Picturing the Problem
Next, you’ll want to provide a clear description of the problem or issue. Include any critical steps, commands, and information that may be linked to the problem. An even better way to provide information is to submit screenshots or a quick video of the problem. In Ideate Support, we use Jing, a free program developed by TechSmith, available for both Windows and Mac. It's a great little app that allows you to capture screenshots and video. Screenshots can be saved or copied to the clipboard and placed directly in emails. Videos can even be uploaded and saved at an URL rather than having to send large files. Check it out here:

http://www.techsmith.com/jing/

What's Your Number?
If you’re having a licensing or activation problem, provide the serial number of the software product you’re using. And if it’s a network licensing issue, provide the license file and system information about the computer where the license server is installed. Also, take a look at our Network License Manager Installation and Setup Guide. Chances are, the license issue you’re having can be answered in a document we've put together:


Autodesk Network Licensing Guide by Ideate, Inc.

Finally, provide any troubleshooting you’ve done so far so that we don’t suggest anything you’ve already tried. Typically we start out asking questions like: Does the problem occur on other user’s computers? Can the issue be repeated at will and if so how? Does the issue persist even after logging on to the machine with another user’s login and profile? We try to isolate the issue and rule out any variables. Many times a problem can be associated with a specific file or drawing. If it can be, and the file is smaller than 10MB, attach the file to your support request. For larger files we’ll send you a link to our secure dropbox where you can upload it.

Remember, the more information you provide the quicker the issue is resolved and you’re back up and running!

- Derek

Derek Wielkopolski
Technical Support Manager/Application Specialist

Derek holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Roger Williams University, Rhode Island. He is experienced working within the AEC industry from concept design through construction administration for both small and large scale projects. As Ideate’s Support Manager he ensures a timely and quality response to support requests and questions.