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Chris D

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Posts posted by Chris D

  1. I've just got a package of 2D DWGs from StruCAD too...along with a tantalising PDF version of the 3D model that the fabricator has built. Now we don't have a 3D model to insert it into anyway...but it just seems such a waste that I have to check the steel fabrication design manually by importing every single DWG export of theirs... BIM will be a better way!

    I don't think StruCAD is going places though. I think Trimble bought it for the subscribers rather than the software.

  2. I'm guessing though that's it's easier to learn the Family Editor than Vectorscript and that the Family Editor is more powerful than the Window Tool in VWA?

    Well yeah, you can easily create your own jamb profiles for instance - it's just a profile and a sweep inside the Family Editor, so if you get the hang of it you could create a set of common components for your office quite quickly, with no scripting. I've never used VS but have looked at scripts people post on here and they are quite baffling to me, so I'd say the FE is easier than that.

  3. ...the UK content is not great...

    Worse than out-of-the-box VWA?

    I wouldn't say that bad, because you do get a whole load of detailing components like metal wall studs and things like that, but for instance the out of the box windows don't include a double casement, so if you can't find one on the internet (unlikely) you have to make your own in the Family Editor...which is not something beginners want to get sucked into (the parametrics take some learning). The Window tool in VW where you can arrange your own window lights in a graphical environment is actually far superior.

  4. Alan,

    We're still training, while running jobs in VW...

    We realised quickly that the learning curve for Revit is very steep and that it's dangerous to launch into a job without being reasonably proficient. We ran into problems straight away too...the UK content is not great...and we don't (yet) have an office library of components. All of this is a big obstacle for actually running a live job in Revit.

    Modelling and Navigation are easier than VW. Stability is hard to judge yet, but no crashes to report. We've printed sample 2D drawings from our experiments and yes, they are crisp and very easy to produce.

    The transition to single-building modelling would have been far easier inside VW as you can fall back on your old 2D workflow...

    It's very hard to make the switch to 3D working, plus new software, plus new OS (Windows) all at the same time.

  5. I can't yet claim I can even operate Revit proficiently, but I know for sure you don't need AutoCAD alongside it*. The 2D tools in Revit 2013 are a match for some of the great 2D features in Vectorworks. (VW is miles better than AutoCAD for 2D by the way)

    *You see that star.... well Revit tutorials advise you get DWG files in good order inside AutoCAD before bringing them into Revit. But that's not the same thing as needing AutoCAD to finish the job.

  6. every other creative industry, there are huge resources applied to modding professional software.

    We don't have huge resources spare, or time. Architects also spend time and money on learning, upgrading and managing Adobe Creative Suite...but how many 'creatives' also have to run Revit or Vectorworks? We just need software that works without having to write our own.

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