Loren Cook Fan Company provides Revit Families of all of their fans use with Revit MEP 2009. I have a couple of questions regarding this.
1. How can I open these files Microstation or a Bentley Building Product?
2. If I can't open these files now, will I be able to in the future? Is this in Bentley's Plans?
3. My final question is for discussion. What is the best course of action for the community/Bentley to take? I know I keep harping on this issue, but the availability of Revit families from manufacturer's continues to increase and the availability of PAZ/BXC/CEL/DGN files continues to stay the same (from what I am seeing). I believe manufacturer data is incredibly important in the future of BIM/VDC. Are we as Bentley users responsible to continue to push our manufacturers into generating Bentley files? Is Bentley responsible to make conversions between Bentley and Revit "Just Work"? Is there a combination or middle ground?
There will come a time when using BIM tools as an "easier" way to extract 2D drawings will no longer be acceptable. There will be an expectation from Owners/Architects/Engineers/Facility Managers/General Contractors/Subcontractors to see the Rooftop Unit from the Manufacturer in their building. I hope we aren't headed towards a dead end...
Why not use the Bentley Revit Plugin. Load it ontoa machine with Revit on it and you can then export from Revit straight into a 3d.dgn file.
In answer to Jordan..
1. As I understand it you have to export from Revit to dwg or dgn.
2. Open in Revit and export to dwg or dgn.
3. hmmm.. See other posts regarding discussions already.. the post titled The Wall? is a good one to read. Short of testing Revit - we will all just have to wait and see.
The big question is:
Why are Autodesk´s Products in the eyes of almost any supplier so hot, that they are worth to provide content (DWG, VIZ, Revit) while Bentley´s products aren´t worth a thought ... ?
Revit is a good example, because Revit´s history with Autodesk is evidently much shorter than the history of Bentley Products such as MicroStation. Nevertheless there are tons of content out there levering the productivity of any Revit user for free, while we have to build our own libraries from scratch. Bentley, how long do you think, we can afford this?
IMHO there is something wrong with Bentley´s marketing and with Bentley´s commitment for their SMB customers.
Pardon me, I really don't know so very much about Revit.
But my impression is that Revit is a completely new product series which has nothing to do with Autocad. An upgrade is not trivial and will require that you start from scratch. Financially you may get some pro's as you will can continue with the same software provider.
emilberger:There are more cad people and draftsmen familiar with Autocad therefore the upgrade to revit is simple.
Eric: can you qualify "upgrade is simple?". If you are meaning because ACAD and Revit are made by the same company and therefore there are easier economic means to trade in or link ACAD software to Revit Suites, I agree....that's the ADESK machine.
If you are talking about moving your workflow from any 2D based workflow to a BIM-based workflow, and assuming because you know the company's 2D platform, so therefore you can glide into an intelligent 3D/BIM Platform, I will disagree.
Thanks,
Shawn
------------
Right now, the only way I can see to import in a Family is to do use the Revit Plugin, one family at a time, once it's placed in a RVT file...but it would be a static object.
With current technology, I would rather see an RFA -> PAZ workflow, where Revit Family information can be imported into PCStudio (not that I'm a big fan of PCStudio, but it's the closest thing to a Family Editor.)
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the Revit Plugin require revit export as well as Bentley Import? It is a two step process. Why should I have to purchase Revit to use the plug in? Of course, you could convince manufacturer's to use it...
Jordan,
this plugin works the way it creates (export) DWG with solid entities and Revit information linked to them. import part in MS just allows to open such file and keeping all extra information intact, so you can see them in MS. in fact, it's just plain DWG file with additional data attributes extracted from Revit model
so yes, to use it you need Revit and no, there is no option to import Revit file into MS. I do not think there will be, anytime soon. they are too different animals, those two
few off-topic comments to past messages - the fact that B is focused on big companies is well-known for years, so I don't think their marketing strategy will change in future. if it is working, why to change it? the other thing is why Adesk products are so widely used, as Erik said, there was a pirated copy on each architect's and university machine few years ago and yes, it made each and new graduated student to be used to Acad. but what is more important in present, from this fact, many small support companies rose up and start doing their business based on Adesk products. here, in Slovakia, there is NO company doing support for MS in Building area. but there are at least 3 or 4 small offices selling and supporting Adesk products in my town. so, what software will architectural company buy? it's quite simple answer. the local support for building business is something that B is completely omitting. at least here in Europe.
there are lots of already prepared and shared Revit families available for free on the net, there is nothing for MS. this is also something that B marketing is underestimating. sure, bug companies have special CAD branches doing all this dirty work for them, they do not need to find something on the net. but how many small companies can afford such solution? I work as a freelancer and had to buy Revit to be compatible with my clients and companies I work with. it's not easy to use, though it looks so when you start, but I have a guy on the phone who is doing support for me, I can download already prepared files based on local standards. sometimes I pray there was at least half such support for BA here. I'm not into marketing and company business strategies, so I might be wrong, but if Adesk is interested in such small local market, why B is not? why should I bother with GB dataset to adopt it to the local policies?
do not forget another important thing, there are great and helping books on each new version of revit available, there are lost of blogs dedicated to revit, many videos ... there is nothing like this for BA, comparing quantity now. so, when company is doing little research before jumping some train, I'm quite sure, they will not jump the BA one
there are few companies working with MS, maybe couple of them tried TriForma. Noone is using BA here. and noone is interested. 2 years ago I was at the presentation for BA, it was made by company selling MS and doing support for geo business. when I asked something they were not able to answer anything ... how could I convince someone to go for BA instead of Revit, when there is noone able to help him and he gets software + all necessary datasets and support on the other side of the fence? if you ask for MS users here, 90% are in gas or mapping business. the rest are still using MS as plain electronic drafting board.
btw, similar situation is with other non-Adesk products, be it Nemetschek, Tekla, ArchiCAD, ... one rules them alll ;-)
p.
/pt