Chris D

We have exactly the same problem with spaces. Relatively modest groups of spaces can take several minutes to move, edit or update....even on our brand new Mac Pros...you have to go and make a cup of tea and come back every time.

you learn something every day

should be easy to implement

Fact of the matter is that VW is running really badly on fairly high end Mac Pros. We're just getting into BIM, and some very small models are starting to slow the machines right down. Activity Monitor, if that's any real indication of RAM use, never shows VW using more than 4GB of system memory, even when it's struggling. I only came here looking for a straight answer - is VW2012 on a Mac capable of running in 64 bit or not (apart from cinerender)...and if it is, how do I make it run in 64 bit mode?

It also needs to support dual vertical coordinates - world and site

It needs to be topmost in the display, toggle-able, and snap-able. But definitely not selectable, editable or moveable in any way.

One of the things that bothers me greatly about working with storeys is the lack of a vertical grid when in design layer elevation/section views. What I'd like (nay, need) is the storey grid from the dialog box to be present in the actual design layer whenever your view is perpendicular parallel to the ground plane. I have no reference points otherwise....I can't trust the objects because they are automatically adjusting themselves and may have top/bottom offsets from a reference level anyway. I want this on screen:

Is setting a project Z datum rather like the Georeferencing feature for X/Y position? I haven't tried that one yet.

So let me get this straight....for BIG BIM (exchanging data with others), there appear to be several approaches being developed: 1. Autocracy The whole Design Team uses Revit. Send me your great big file to add to mine. 2. Project Review Software Somebody on the Design Team has a copy of Solibri/Navisworks/BIMsight and does all the clash detection, scheduling, etc 3. Interoperability Someone develops a common BIM file format (not an exchange format) and/or a method of roundtripping and the whole Design Team swaps files. 4. Exchange Format The Design Team all export to IFC format and swap files. Less data rich transfer than roundtripping. 5. BIM Server Somebody on the Design Team hosts a server. Everybody posts stuff to the server for clash checking, scheduling etc. Can also act as a central model for booking changes in/out and include a change approval process. Which of these, if any, is OPEN BIM?

so many initiatives, so little time... OPEN BIM, BIM Collaboration Format, BIMserver.org, BIMsurfer.org ... my head hurts

"The whole idea of a single centralized model server through the project life-cycle has been generally discredited." oh dear...

That reminds me of a question I haven't posted. We use what we call AOD levels in the UK (Above Ordnance Datum), which are national benchmark heights, in addition to local heights relative to the ground floor FFL. How are people handling this?...are you modelling at Z=0 and then referencing your building to the real world height, or modelling at real world Z values? Can VW handle both?...if not: 8. Dual elevation heights (world and site)

Sounds like the way forward.

Shall we start a storeys wishlist: 1. import storeys 2. report storey on worksheet 3. define elevation offsets to underside as well as top side 4....

So why is my 24GB of RAM not being utilised? And when can we expect a full 64bit application?

Not according to buildingSMART - these appear to be separate initiatives.

Got this on my Planet Vectorworks email: http://planet.vectorworks.net/2012/03/open-bim-program-for-improved-aec-collaboration/ I mean what is OPEN BIM really? The words are so wooly on the buildingSMART site that it could be anything... Does this mean roundtripping between BIM packages? Can we at least expect eventual roundtripping between Vectorworks, ArchiCAD and Allplan now that Nemetschek have committed these three to OPEN BIM?

Yup. Cinerender is running in 64 bit.

With pleasure. Attach the JPG or PNG in the normal way then submit your post. Now copy the URL from the attachment, edit your post, insert an image from the toolbar and use the URL of the attachment.

I've read the above post about Windows, but for OS X my Mac is running in 64 bit kernel mode and it still shows VW2012 running as 32 bit. What gives?

+1

We're going to keep Cinema 4D going alongside Renderworks. RW is a usable solution for working renders during design development, but for presentation standard it's no match for Cinema.

This for all tools! Agree on space names too.

My MacBook gets scorching if I render on it, even for 5 minutes. The iMac is fine for quick renders....but this is where the Mac Pro is worth the money...it can keep a room warm but won't come to any harm while doing so...

Autodesk have publicly stated that their aim is to make their software platform neutral, and that long term Revit will come to the Mac.