The uncertain future of Architectural Software

[Tom W. 322]

Thanks @Art V  I didn't know about 3D Viewer. I did a quick test + notice that my shadows don't show up on the PDF. 'Enable Extra Lighting' was set to 'CAD Optimized Lights'. I tried changing to 'Lights From File' + the model went black. Is there a way to display the shadows? Many thanks

[Helm 85]

Let me tell you a little story 🙂 relevant to the discussion about BIM and technology.  Some months ago we started working online for another architect in California, his office is all virtual, everyone works remotely.  He is very good with VW himself.  We are working from Italy on projects in the US both in the West and the East of the country.  His way, which he has developed after much trial and error, of redlining our work is this.  He prints out a pdf of the sheets we send him in pdf, marks them up by hand with a pen then scans and sends them back to us as pdf.  Not exactly hi tech, but the most efficient way at the moment.  

 

The client on the east coast uses Revit in his business and I guess AutoCad,  We did a Revit export, and several walls were missing, just saying, it was not the best impression we could make.  I suppose the 3D pdf could be useful and fast.  I am also using Enscape a lot lately, love it, with it we can save images easily and also make an exe file that can be viewed online and allows anyone to roam around the model in a full on rendered mode.

 

It just seems the thing I am missing is a simple way to view and markup a model or even 2D plans.  

[_c_ 968]

You can use the Redline Tool for marking in VW.

You can use Solibri or BIMCollab if you export as IFC, and that is the really good way to mark up things "in 3D". Give it a try. It is THE world of mark up, it just doesn't have that name.

[Helm 85]

3 minutes ago, _c_ said:

You can use the Redline Tool for marking in VW.

You can use Solibri or BIMCollab if you export as IFC, and that is the really good way to mark up things "in 3D". Give it a try. It is THE world of mark up, it just doesn't have that name.

IFC is a whole neither world.  We don't know how to use it.  ☹️ Question, do we have to use stories for IFC or can we make them up on export.  How do you do it.  Do we need stories.

[_c_ 968]

John, yes. You will have to.

 

I can help you in the weekend setting this up by Zoom. Mind, I have very little time, so I cannot follow you step by step afterwards.

An idea: do you have a child or a collaborator who can take that over for you?

Stories and IFC export is not easy or transparent.

[elepp 92]

25 minutes ago, Helm said:

 Question, do we have to use stories for IFC or can we make them up on export.

Hope you guys don't mind if I inject myself here in your conversation 🙂 Generally it is possible to draw in Vectorworks on the design alyer without stories. You can than assign the design layers to stories in the export dialog.

 

27 minutes ago, Helm said:

FC is a whole neither world.  We don't know how to use it. 

Yeah, so far the IFC-File format is not the most straight forward in terms of usability. But it's worth the effort.

[elepp 92]

41 minutes ago, Helm said:

Let me tell you a little story 🙂 relevant to the discussion about BIM and technology.  Some months ago we started working online for another architect in California, his office is all virtual, everyone works remotely.  He is very good with VW himself.  We are working from Italy on projects in the US both in the West and the East of the country.  His way, which he has developed after much trial and error, of redlining our work is this.  He prints out a pdf of the sheets we send him in pdf, marks them up by hand with a pen then scans and sends them back to us as pdf.  Not exactly hi tech, but the most efficient way at the moment.  

 

The client on the east coast uses Revit in his business and I guess AutoCad,  We did a Revit export, and several walls were missing, just saying, it was not the best impression we could make.  I suppose the 3D pdf could be useful and fast.  I am also using Enscape a lot lately, love it, with it we can save images easily and also make an exe file that can be viewed online and allows anyone to roam around the model in a full on rendered mode.

 

It just seems the thing I am missing is a simple way to view and markup a model or even 2D plans.  

Living in Italy and working remotely for others sounds like a very nice deal. My wife and I (she's form the piemont region, I am from near cologne) are also dreaming about it. Maybe once the kids are grown up and out of the house. 😃

[Helm 85]

34 minutes ago, _c_ said:

John, yes. You will have to.

 

I can help you in the weekend setting this up by Zoom. Mind, I have very little time, so I cannot follow you step by step afterwards.

An idea: do you have a child or a collaborator who can take that over for you?

Stories and IFC export is not easy or transparent.

That's cute, I have 5 kids ranging in ages from 50 to 18 but I am as good as any of them with the computer.  The problem is not the ability to do it but the time it takes and the fact that the client may not be able to use it.  Anyway thanks for the offer, lets do it. 

 

 

[jmanganelli 66]

Have you tried bluebeam studio?  I’ve done a lot of markups in it with two different companies.  It’s great

[_c_ 968]

8 hours ago, Helm said:

That's cute, I have 5 kids ranging in ages from 50 to 18 but I am as good as any of them with the computer.  The problem is not the ability to do it but the time it takes and the fact that the client may not be able to use it.  Anyway thanks for the offer, lets do it. 

 

 

 

John, I see now how my previous mail can be read in that direction, it was indeed my intention only to let you save the time and have a collaborator, or whoever, fight

the learning curve of IFC and stories for you. I wrote that post on the way out and didn't realise immediately how tactless it sounds.

 

BTW, it all gets much easier if you don't use story levels, they are the absolute PAIN.

IFC does need stories but not story levels.

[Helm 85]

13 hours ago, _c_ said:

 

John, I see now how my previous mail can be read in that direction, it was indeed my intention only to let you save the time and have a collaborator, or whoever, fight

the learning curve of IFC and stories for you. I wrote that post on the way out and didn't realise immediately how tactless it sounds.

 

BTW, it all gets much easier if you don't use story levels, they are the absolute PAIN.

IFC does need stories but not story levels.

Thanks for the clarification, I have to admit to being a bit sensitive in that area because of my age.  What time can we meet on zoom can you send me a message, jhelmathm-architectscom 

[_c_ 968]

I am not getting any younger either, don't worry.

I'll contact you on Saturday. I wake up around 3 AM and usually script until 10 AM or so. After that would be awesome.

[elepp 92]

On 9/26/2020 at 6:35 AM, jmanganelli said:

Who knows if it will be Microsoft, Google, Apple, or some other tech giant who takes the AEC industry.

Regarding that, we can see at least a slow approach from Microsoft. Satya Nadella is going to speak at the Bentley Year in Inrastructure 2020 conference. I think Microsoft Azure is already running their ProjectWise platform, one of the biggest cde. If they acquire access to that data, they could leverage Microsofts machine learning expertise to improve the whole process.

[martinmig 0]

I think so many software development company like https://mlsdev.com prefer make web or app products for huge customers. 

Edited Monday at 03:01 PM by martinmig

[_c_ 968]

12 hours ago, martinmig said:

I think so many software development company prefer make web or app products for huge customers. 

 

VW doesn't. It targets the small praxis or singular architect. Preferably American.

For this target VW is the best value for its money. And I still would recommend VW to any young professional starting up an office.