(This article was originally published on September 21, 2016. It was updated on May 24, 2018) Macros are one of the easiest ways to Automate Revit. They let you get under the hood of your software and put it to work for you. Macros do not require any additional software other than Revit and are […]
What Will the Architect of the Future Look Like?
I met the architect of the future last week. No, I didn’t take a test drive in Doc’s souped up DeLorean. I attended the Building Connections Congress in Washington, DC. Truth be told, the architect of the future wasn’t in attendance. In fact, the architect of the future isn’t even a real person, at least not […]
5 Ways Computational Design Will Change the Way You Work
These days, nearly every architect uses a computer. Whether it’s for 3D modeling, or documentation or even creating a program spreadsheet, computers are well entrenched within the profession. Architects now need to know almost as much about software as they do about structures, building codes, and design. As our tools become more powerful and sophisticated, we need to evolve […]
Getting Started with Revit Automation
As much as I enjoy using Revit, sometimes it can be a real chore. Let’s face it, there are certain things we need to do on a daily basis that are super tedious. Creating sheets, changing parameters, loading linked files – all these tasks eat up a lot of time, and as we all know, time is a […]
The Art of Toolmaking
My dad was a machinist so, naturally, he liked working with tools. We had a garage full of stuff he collected from the machine shop and every so often, when I needed to fix my bike, he’d rummage around and find just the right socket or the perfect sized wrench. If he couldn’t find the right tool, my […]
Easily Replace Revit Fonts with this Macro
Here’s the scenario: it’s Friday and you’re putting the finishing touches on a set of permit drawings. You’re going to drop them off at the contractor’s office on your way out of town for the weekend. Right before you hit the “Print” button, you get a phone call. It turns out the city doesn’t like […]
Learn to Code with These Resources
As I’ve stated previously, I’m a big proponent for learning to code. Coding and programming helps you think logically, it increases your productivity and it is actually quite fun. But how do you get started? Which language should you learn? The answer depends on what you ultimately want do. Do you want to generate and […]
Easily Convert Lines to Walls with this Revit Macro
Do you have an AutoCAD drawing that you need to convert to Revit? Wish you could just convert lines to walls in Revit? This macro makes the process a lot easier by automatically converting model lines to Revit walls. One of the first things I wanted to learn when I started writing Revit macros was […]
How To Visualize Complex Data With BIM
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a tool to document and manage the construction process. But can it be used as a data visualization tool? Are there capabilities inherent to BIM software that make it a useful tool in this capacity? This post will show you how to visualize complex data with BIM. Data Visualization There […]
How I Saved 20 Hours (and my weekend) with Revit Macros
I do consulting work for other architecture firms. Much of this work involves customizing software or writing BIM and CAD standards documents. Occasionally, I’ll work directly on projects. I like this type of work best as I get to put into action the things I write about here on ArchSmarter. The Challenge I was recently […]
