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    Autodesk Revit Architecture

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    Valued Mentor
    vector2
    Posts: 2,058
    Registered: ‎03-28-2009

    Re: Version 2013 Materials & Assets

    04-30-2012 08:01 AM in reply to: IMCornish

    Keep in mind that the intent of rendering in Revit is

    more for construction visualization than it is for 

    presentation. Once the owner has seen what the

    building will look like from a concept sketch created

    and rendered in 3Ds Max, and has agreed to having

    a construction model begin, then all they want to

    see is construction renderings and 2D drawings.

    Custom materials may come into play, but they

    will not need to see an artists' vision through a 

    presentation rendering again.

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    Distinguished Contributor
    IMCornish
    Posts: 117
    Registered: ‎02-16-2009

    Re: Version 2013 Materials & Assets

    04-30-2012 10:49 AM in reply to: vector2

    I can't wholly agree with you.  In the UK our Planning System demands, more and more, to be able to see realistic views of proposals before they will give permission for a project to proceed.  Further the whole point of BIM is that it can go the whole way through the whole of the buildings life  with the central file being adapted as it moves through the various stages from conception, construction and management to possible future demolition.  A great possibility, within this process, is to produce 3d construction details which are getting to be quite common in the UK.  I believe this to be far more understandable to all who view our drawings, yes starting with our clientele, who having seen, and not had to imagine what they are getting, are then less inclined to want changes in the construction phase when they actual see what they are getting, to builders who don't have to interrogate you about 2d black and white details.  Just my point of view but I also like to produce a good set of drawings which tell the story and give me satisfaction also.  Visualisation and presentation are to my mind synonymous and I hope that as Revit evolves that it will embrace this.

    Andrew Robertson
    Chartered Architect
    Robertson Partnership
    Truro. UK
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    Valued Mentor
    vector2
    Posts: 2,058
    Registered: ‎03-28-2009

    Re: Version 2013 Materials & Assets

    04-30-2012 12:56 PM in reply to: IMCornish

    IMCornish wrote:

    "to be able to see realistic views of proposals before they will give permission for a project to proceed."

     

     

    Do you mean you agree with me? My post from above stated:


    "Once the owner has seen what the building will look like from a

    concept sketch created and rendered in 3Ds Max, and has agreed

    to having a construction model begin, THEN"...

     

    And you wrote:

    "they will give permission for a project to proceed."

     

    Also do you see why Autodesk includes 3Ds Max when we purchase

    Revit?


     

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    Employee
    loboarch
    Posts: 900
    Registered: ‎09-05-2003

    Re: Version 2013 Materials & Assets

    05-01-2012 06:58 AM in reply to: IMCornish

    IMCornish wrote:

    If anybody can explain why it is an improvement on the previous releases, I'd love to hear from them and revise my opinion?


    One thing the "assets" data scheme adds to the definition materials in Revit is the ability of the assets to be used in more than one material.  For example you might need a material "gray concrete" in your project but that "gray concrete" needs to be used in multiple places and in some of those places it needs different compressive strengths.  So maybe you have 3 strengths but only one appearance.  In 2013 you will create 3 Revit "materials", you can use one appearance asset and 3 different structural assets for the materials.  If the concrete used needs to change color for some reason now just that asset nees to be changed and all 3 "materials" will get the change.  in 2012 you would need to make changes to all 3 materials and make sure the changes made are the same for each.

     

    You can hear one of the QA team here at Autodesk, Jim Smell, talk about some of the changes in a bit more detail in this interview.

     

    In know Pixlr was mentioned as a way to alter images for use in creating materials, another one that is free and I like to use is Paint.net.  It is a fairly powerful Photoshop substitute.



    Jeff Hanson
    Sr. Subject Matter Expert
    Autodesk, Revit User Experience
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    New Member
    Posts: 1
    Registered: ‎05-02-2012

    Re: Version 2013 Materials & Assets

    05-02-2012 12:29 PM in reply to: IMCornish

    Hi I need Help, How do you insert your own image file to Revit library for an appearance asset. Thanks 

    I want to use the attached as my material. 

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    Distinguished Contributor
    IMCornish
    Posts: 117
    Registered: ‎02-16-2009

    Re: Version 2013 Materials & Assets

    05-03-2012 03:30 AM in reply to: vishal.parmar

    This is fairly easy. Open a project, click on the Manage ribbon and pick 'Additional Settings' and on the drop down you will see 'Material Assets'.  Click this and  a blank 'Asset Editor' will open and at the bottom of the dialog, to the left, there is the 'open/closes Asset Browser' button.  Click on this and the Asset Browser will open. You can then create your own materials/asset library by clicking the star like drop down button (bottom left).  One this is achieved the new library will appear in the dialog listing. You can then right click any appearance* asset from the other  out of the box libraries and add it to your new library. I would suggest picking one similar to the appearance asset that you are trying to create.  When this is done you can send the asset to the blank asset editor by clicking the 'up arrow' that appears, when you hover over the asset, on the right hand side.  Whence in the Asset Editor you have opportunities to change many aspect of the material asset, one of which is the image to be used.  By clicking on the name of the image or the drop down to the right of the image you can select the address of the image you wish to use.  When editing of the asset is complete click 'apply' and your asset will be saved back to the library you created.  *Alternatively, click the 'up arrow' on any library asset to transfer it to the editor and when edited save it to your library file. You cannot change the OOTB library assets because they are locked.

    When you have your asset, you then need to open the Material Editor and add you new **** asset to a new material.

    See also: http://wikihelp.autodesk.com/Revit/enu/2013/Help/00001-Revit_He0/3032-Customiz3032/3042-Project_3042... and follow all the topics

    Andrew Robertson
    Chartered Architect
    Robertson Partnership
    Truro. UK
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    Distinguished Contributor
    IMCornish
    Posts: 117
    Registered: ‎02-16-2009

    Re: Version 2013 Materials & Assets

    05-03-2012 03:45 AM in reply to: IMCornish

    Having started this discussion, we have been all around the houses but I still am of the opinion that the new arrangements are not an improvement and far more complex and for the most part are frustrating and don't work.  Time and time again I have created project and practice 'material and asset' libraries, when you try to use these libraries the asset values are changed or have disappeared completely.  For example I created a project material which was a green paint colour and as such I had an appearance asset which reflected this, however when I wanted to use this in a linked project, my shade of green had become cream, in fact RGB 98 115 101 had been translated to RGB 242 242 229 !  Also, can I get either the material or the asset editor images to work, no, they remain black as do some of the material thumbnails and despite having reported this, no answers are forthcoming!

    My efficiency is being eroded and I wonder if anyone else is experiencing this problem? 

    Andrew Robertson
    Chartered Architect
    Robertson Partnership
    Truro. UK
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    Distinguished Contributor
    IMCornish
    Posts: 117
    Registered: ‎02-16-2009

    Re: Version 2013 Materials & Assets

    05-03-2012 03:51 AM in reply to: loboarch

    I would agree that you are right in your statement that you can use 'Assets' in more than one material, unfortunately, I believe this to be in theory only. See my previous post.

    Andrew Robertson
    Chartered Architect
    Robertson Partnership
    Truro. UK
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    Distinguished Contributor
    IMCornish
    Posts: 117
    Registered: ‎02-16-2009

    Re: Version 2013 Materials & Assets

    05-03-2012 04:00 AM in reply to: vector2

    vector2, yes, but your position appeared to me that you don't take colour and rendering beyond the initial design stage. My position is that it can be used much much more within a project's lifespan.  Also, not everyone who uses Revit has the benefit of 3Ds Max, yes it comes with some of the more expensive suites but I can tell you that in the recession hit UK there will be many using Revit who cannot afford the subscriptions for Autodesk suites and will certainly not have it.  We have had 3Ds Max for the last two years, but I have yet to find the time to learn it, I certainly cannot afford the time or the cost of being taught, sadly.  If you have 3Ds Max, and are able to use it, then you currently have a great advantage over me which is why I would like (expect perhaps) Revit to be a more complete package. 

    Andrew Robertson
    Chartered Architect
    Robertson Partnership
    Truro. UK
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