Navisworks and Revit

I already have a fairly good grasp of Navisworks and Revit, but then again I've never had formal classroom instruction and I've never really worked alongside somebody who I'd considered a power user of either of the software packages.

How then to tell if my methods of working are efficient, logical or even correct? If only I had a series of video lessons to instruct me in the many and varied features available?

Hey.

The aforementioned Cad Learning has literally hundreds if videos on the subjects. Cool.

I've download all of the datasets and all of the trial versions of the software and I'm going through every single video step by step and examining every discrepancy between how Cad Learning's professionals use the software and how I'd been using the software up until this point.

And the conclusion, well [shrug], I meant to fall off my bike.

Actually much of the method of working has been vindicated and I've learned a good number of new tricks, so chalk up another benefit from winning that pesky Top Daug thing.

CadLearning

So as part of my prize for being Top Daug (in addition to getting a T-shirt) I get a year long subscription to CadLearning.

The seem to have a pretty deep list of short videos on most of the software I'm keen to get a handle on; a good investment from what I've seen of it so far.

Phew! ... this is a big network

Still working on creating the highway drainage model for US206 Hillsborough Bypass.



Long process to convert dumb graphical information to intelligent Civil Design drainage networks, but good practice with complex layout and unique custom structures and pipe types.

I'm not really enamored with the part builder aspect of drainage networks; the custom drainage design does seem a little cumbersome and non-intuitive and combined with poor manual and lack of in-depth help means that it isn't the most fun.

Grading Groups

Civil 3D grading tools vs InRoads grading tools

It's probably going to end up being Civil 3D but they are much more difficult to utilize as they are a separate type of drawing object class rather than a technique for creating regular surfaces. Longer to learn but when implemented clearly they'll be more flexible and can be more easily modified rather than InRoads "start the surface again" modus operandi.

And of course it doesn't help that Civil doesn't run that smoothly on my system and crashes fairly often and fairly spectacularly.

putting cad camp to use ...

Busy converting an Inroads project, actually really no more than Microstation information, into Civil 3D as a test project.

First time I've created a number of large drainage networks and it seems pretty easy, pretty stable and pretty simple to manage, at least so far as the 250 drainage structures added so far.





Getting closer all the time to completing the network. Its a pretty big job for a single user but I'm having fun.

I'd like to to see a good real world procedure for multiple users designing a single large network, practice is not the same as doing it for real. It's certainly going to require pretty strict standards, conventions and policing.

yay success

AUGI Top DAUG Contest: Be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to understand your Autodesk product proficiency and participate in the AUGI Top DAUG Contest during the San Francisco CAD Camp. The top 10 participants will be announced at the wrap-up reception, and the participant with the highest score will receive a one-year subscription to augieducation.cadlearning.com with an "All Access Pass" for all of the courses available on the site ($399.00 value to AUGI members, $499.00 value to non-AUGI members). The national attendee with the highest score will win a free pass to Autodesk University in December, 2010.

Even with the competition set up leading to lots of chances for people to lean over shoulders and see upcoming questions and groups of users collaborating to come up with a team score, I still managed to get the top score.

Not bad for a Microstation and InRoads user.

A kinda low turnout, perhaps understandable in today's economic environment, but still some interesting products to be demonstrated, experts to be quizzed and fellow professionals to be networking with.

I ended up going to all of the Rick Ellis' Civil 3D presentations and the first of the Lynn Allen general drafting tips presentation. Lots of praise for Rick's presentation which was excellently done and with some good solid advice for practical use of the program rather than a sales pitch (Reminder to look into maybe buying some of his books Amazon)

damn fine animation from the kids at autodesk

Love it.