Revit Architecture 2010 System Recommendations

**EDIT** Please see this post as the public download is now available! **EDIT**

Now that Autodesk has updated their website for 2010, below are the System Recommendations for Revit Architecture 2010 based on Autodesk’s website.  Even though the recommendations don’t specify Vista, it doesn’t mean it won’t work on Vista.  Notice in the recommendations for the video card…they are calling out DirectX and no longer calling out OpenGL support!  With the new DirectX support, make sure your video card driver is up to date!

System Recommendations for 32-bit Autodesk Revit Architecture

• Windows XP Professional (SP2 or later)
• Intel® Core™2 Duo 2.4 GHz or equivalent AMD processor
• 4 GB RAM
• 5 GB free disk space
• Dedicated video card with hardware support for Microsoft® DirectX® 9 (or later)
• Internet Explorer 6.0 (SP1 or later)
• Two-button mouse with scroll wheel

System Recommendations for 64-bit Autodesk Revit Architecture

• Windows XP Professional x64 edition (SP1 or later)
• Intel Core 2 Duo 2.40GHz or equivalent AMD processor
• 8 GB RAM
• 5 GB free disk space
• Dedicated video card with hardware support for DirectX 9 (or later)
• Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1 (or later)
• Two-button mouse with scroll wheel

If you are looking for (minimum) system requirements, you find those on the Autodesk Revit Arch website.

Autodesk Announces 2010 Products Available

**EDIT** Please see this post as the public download is now available! **EDIT**

Today, announced that their 2010 design and engineering software product line is now available…kind of.  They’ve basically have updated their website to now include 2010 features and functionality for their products and download some of the 2010 product trials (like AutoCAD 2010).  This doesn’t mean that ALL of the software is available for download…specifically Revit!  You can go to the Revit Architecture product page to see some of their new marketing material that has been updated to include some of the 2010 features.  They’ve also updated the system requirements and recommendations for the 2010 products.  The Revit Architecture recommendations can be viewed HERE.

Stay tuned…Revit Architecture 2010 is sure to be announced when it will be available any day now…

Reed SmartBIM Library 3.2 Launched

Press Release - http://www.reedconstructiondata.com/press-releases/press-release/reed-construction-data-releases-smartbim-library-v32/

-SNIP-

The release of SBL v3.2 offers new features and enhancements including the drag-and-drop family publisher, allowing users to automatically publish and load Revit families into SmartBIM Library from a user’s file system, Autodesk® Revit project files or Autodesk® Seek.

Additional functionality allows users to attach files, including text documents, spreadsheets and images, to SmartBIM Objects using the drag-and-drop feature, and to view them from the attachment pane.
SBL 3.2 is also now an e-SPECS® Compliant BIM Library to assist users in automating the specification process.

“This release gives Revit users a way to significantly reduce the time spent looking for or creating BIM objects,” said Candice Dobra, director of BIM solutions, Reed Construction Data.  “The high-quality SmartBIM objects delivered in SmartBIM Library combined with the ability to easily manage existing content, bring a new level of efficiency in the design process.”

Version 3.2 comes pre-loaded with over 21,000 high-quality Revit product types, including 200 new generic families.  The SmartBIM Library will also publish content on a continual basis from a growing list of manufacturers including: Kolbe, Karona Inc., Hager Companies, LinEL Signature Skylights, Oldcastle Glass, Armstrong, Da-Lite Screen Company, Draper Inc., NanaWall Systems, ZeroFlush, Figueras International Seating, Next Door Company, Laticrete International, Skyco Shading Systems, Beta-Calco, Cornell Iron Works, Sun-Dome, GAF Materials Corp., PPG Industries, Coronet Lighting and more.

-SNIP-

I've personally seen and played with SmartBIM v3.2 and it's a great improvement from the previously released versions of the program.  The new drag-n-drop functionality they've added to creating libraries is great and a much improved process than before.  One thing to remember with the SmartBIM Library...you are not really paying for the content, you are paying for the program to manage YOUR library.  The content is an extra little bonus, and you do get any updates to the SmartBIM Library they make or if they add extra content.

If you are located in WI, MN or IL and are interested purchasing the SmartBIM Library, please contact a MasterGraphics Account Manager (1-800-873-7238) for more info!

Off Topic – March Madness Bracket Group

I thought I would have a little fun and created an ESPN Tournament Challenge group for the upcoming NCAA Men’s B-Ball tourney for the “Reviteers” out there.  If you would like to join in the fun (and I guess a little friendly competition…not that I’m challenging anyone ;-)!) here are the details if you would like to join the group and create a bracket entry on espn.com…

• Go to http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/frontpage
• If you are not an ESPN member, you’ll have to create a free log-in to create a bracket entry
• Create a bracket entry
• Once you have a bracket entry, you can add it to a group
• When getting the group list, search for Revit and select the Revit group to add your bracket to the group
• I’ve made it Private, so the password is RAC2010

And that’s it!  Make your picks once the brackets are set on Sunday, March 15.

Have fun and good luck!!

Are You Wasting Money Finding Revit Objects

If you've ever asked yourself this question or if you've never even thought about it, I suggest reading THIS ARTICLE from Dennis Neeley of Reed Construction Data titled "You are Wasting Your Money".  If this question seems like it's not for you, pass it on to your CAD/Revit/BIM Manager...or whoever you think would like to know the answer to this!

Reed has a survey out that has allowed them to get information about this very question. You can take the survey (Click here to start the survey) and help build the database.

Here is a very small snippet of the article, but you can see in the chart how quickly looking for and/or creating objects can add up!

The chart below translates the survey results into dollars, your wasted dollars. For these calculations, it is assumed the employee is costing you $40 and hour (fully loaded, salary, benefits, occupancy and taxes). Soon, Reed will have a tool on our Internet site where you can plug in your specific office numbers to see what objects and object management are costing your firm.

Now sure, Reed is going to use SmartBIM Library in this article because it's a product they sell and would help reduce some of these costs.  But the point (in my opinion) is that anyway you can decrease the time it takes to work with families (whether it's searching, creating or modifying) can save you money.  Maybe it's better organization using Windows Explorer?  Maybe it's an intranet site, or whatever you can use to share families with everyone in the office.  If a family is added to the library, why not send a notification to everyone so it doesn't get re-made?

Anyway you look at it, becoming more efficient and saving money now will not only keep costs low in the current economy, but will continue to save money for a long, long time...especially when the library get's larger and more and more users are in the mix!

http://www.reedconstructiondata.com/articles/read/you-are-wasting-your-money/