Online Training Delivered Yesterday

Yesterday I conducted an online training session giving an overview of Revit 2010 basic functionality and a look at what has changed in the User Interface. The class was conducted to an invited group of attendees from my client list and was overall well received. I am compiling the recorded session and assuming I can overcome a few CODEC issues I seem to be having, I intend to post the recorded file here.

Meanwhile, let me share some of the questions, comments and other tidbits from the session. First, I showed the "Where is my command" feature at the start of the session. This is a help file provided by Autodesk in all 2010 products to help you find your commands when you upgrade. The new ribbon interface can make it difficult at first to get acclimated, so this tool will help. Simply choose Where is my command from the help menu on the application frame (top right corner) and then choose the menu where it used to be and then select the command. You will be directed to the new location. After sharing this tip, one of the attendees: Sean Walton from OWP/P (who also hosted the session - thank you to them) sent me this link:

http://www.nichitecture.com/downloads/Revit%20Architecture%202010%20User%20Interface%20Help.html

This link takes you to a webpage using a flash application that allows you to click where your command was in the 2009 screen and it will show you the new 2010 location. It is not complete yet, but still very nicely done.

Some of the other questions asked by attendees:
Can you bring existing AutoCAD drawings into Revit?

Yes you can. click on the Insert tab of the ribbon and then click the Link CAD button.

I showed customizing the Quick Access Toolbar and ribbons to which an attendee asked:
Can you customize the icons?

To this I answered that I was nearly certain that you could not. This was confirmed by another attendee. If anyone knows differently, please let me know.

I showed the new Project Base Point and Survey Point feature. The question was asked:
Do the Shared Coordinates come across to Navis Works?

I was not certain the answer as I have not had time to review the new Navis Works 2010 yet, but another attendee said that it did work. I would like to learn more on this to confirm so if anyone has information to share, please do.

Finally a pretty standard question:
Can you save 2010 back to 2009?

Sadly no you can't this has never been possible in Revit. Once you go forward you cannot go back except through exporting to DWG or IFC neither of which is an ideal (or even acceptable) alternative. So, stay on your current version for projects that are underway and switch to 2010 for new projects.

Next post, I will try to get the video posted. Until then thanks to all who attended!