Resources Printout–Through 1/26/2012–From MS Access

All your entries so far for the resources that you’ve submitted are now in this 55pp PDF.  I’ll update it as we move forward

• Here’s a short version that can serve as an index
• It should be useful for those of you working on BIM projects
• It’s an example of how one can manipulate information in a Database
  • I downloaded the information from GDocs into Excel
  • I then put it into MS Access and converted it to a relational database using the “analyze” tool in Access.
  • I produced a “report” to print it in this form

Term Project Selections

I’ve compiled your choices for term projects.  They’re in this PDF on Google Docs.

Your choices of subject area (my definitions using the themes of AE-510) are:

• BIM – 5
• Databases  -0
• Green – 6
• Networks – 0
• Robotics – 0
• Sensors – 3
• Technology – 1

For most of the topics I replied with a comment that it was potentially interesting but that to make it useful the person/group would need to narrow the topic considerably.  It’s for more interesting to explore one aspect of a topic in depth than a broad overview.

A1–Submission Requirements

Question:

If we are doing the project for advanced users we also need to create the model of a house?

Response:

Yes, you need to create a simple “project”, not necessarily with a roof or lots of partitions, etc.  The goal is to show that you can load the family you created and then use it in a project, including creating a schedule (furniture) that shows you the number of instances of the different types you’ve put in the project.  To do that I ask that you create a worksheet and a PDF of it as you did in the beginner’s tutorial.

Autodesk Resources on BIM - Webcasts

For those of you interested in BIM beyond what we'll do in this course there are many resources.  One that's probably quite good (no guarantees) are the occasional webcasts from Autodesk.  Here's the info one one I just received.  It was recorded last November and you can watch it by registering.

Building Information Modeling and Emerging Green Codes- On-Demand Webinar

This one-hour webcast discusses how states and communities are adopting green codes and how to apply these updates in future green projects.
You will go on to discover how the advent of BIM provides opportunities to investigate issues of design performance relating to code factors. 

Revit Assignment Question

Question:
Can you please give me some more information on what "Your continuous wall is = 10 x the number of letters of your last name (e.g. Mitchell -> 8x10 = 80') - a dimension and a note showing the computation indicate this on the "sheet"" corresponds too?  I was working without sound on the video so I am not sure if there is a part where we are told to make the wall with a length related to our name.

Response:
The goal here is to make certain that you do indeed make a wall (It doesn't absolutely have to be the longest wall) a length that varies from student to student.  I'm asking you to put a dimension on that wall in the "sheet" and a note on how you calculated it.

My tutorial wasn't created specifically for this class (and indeed goes further than the assignment requirements) so it probably doesn't address this question specifically.

Notes on Creating a Family

The following notes may be helpful in working with the Revit Families Assignment.  I made them while working my way through the tutorial the first time.

• Watch out for interface changes between different versions - I think these used Revit 2012 Architecture

Notes on Working with Family

Will put on Desktop or place where can retrieve

Note that will not be able to insert in same way into project unless working on own computer

Bookcase - Chapter 7 - p.157+

Setting Up References & Types

Creating Reference Planes in Plan View (Ref. Level)

• 1 Open and save in place can access - give it name with your initial - e.g. JEM_BookCase

• 2.Verify that reference planes are pinned

• 3 Properties is box that appears in left - there's a toggle on-off in the ribbon

1. 
   

2. 
   

• 5-10 Reference Plane Creation - click on Reference plane icon
1. It is on "Home" Tab in 2012
2. Which to choose

1. 
   

Creating Family Parameters and Types

Use "Annotate" panel to get Dimensions

Tool will "finish" dimension when click not on an element - only way

Create Family Parameters

Modify to give name to dimension

Organize the Parameters

To modify the family types click on Modify / Properties Icon for types

Step 11 is unecessary since they are under Dimensions already

Flexing the Family p.168

Creating Panels p.170

Need Align Tool - Modify Tab

Term Project Questions

Questions

1. I was unclear about what is due next week for the term project.
2. 1. Do I choose a broad topic or is it more specific?
3. 2. Is this supposed to be a four page research paper with an 8 minute PPT?

Response #1

• A very short submission by each person to VBB containing
• Teammates – if any
• Topic – a sentence or two

Response #2

• The more well defined (narrower) the topic the better.  You’ll need to narrow down a general topic to get anything meaningful at the end, but I’m not insisting on super-specific at this stage.

Response #3

• You are welcome to make it a research paper OR a project of some sort with a document that comments on the project.  The project could be of many types:
• Extension of your BIM capabilities – e.g. Macros
• Building something using 3d Printing
• A video on a related topic
• A website addressing some topic

R2–Grading Comments

I’ve now completed review of all but one of your submissions.  Here are some general comments.

How I graded

• Checked that comments were submitted as required
• Checked that references were submitted to the Google Docs spreadsheet
• Note that I’ve created a database (FileMaker) containing the references and created a PDF that is now in the resources folder.  I’ll add an additional one each week.
• Read the posts and graded them using the grading form, usually with a short comment.

Overall Results

• You did a good job, taking all elements of the assignment seriously.
• One or two were fairly short.  I gave full credit this time, but will be more strict in future.
• There were a wide range of articles providing an excellent starting point for anyone pursuing a robotics term project.

Improvements for Future

• Many of you did not make much of a comment on the assigned reading.
• In future I’ll expect that integrated into your blog post
• Please include a link to the reference in your post
• Many of you did so, but a number did not.
• If you use a book rather than a website you can give the Amazon link to that book
• Professional Language
• There were a few instances of colloquial language.  I’ll be tougher about expecting professional language in future.
• Labels/Tags
• Most of you put at least one – good.
• Please try to use established tags where possible, but don’t be afraid to add a new one.

Gradebook in VistaBB

• As you complete more assignments I’ll calculate the cumulative grade as well as the ones for individual assignments. 
• I may not update that cumulative grade each week.
• I’ll announce here when I’ve updated.

Student Blog Format–Use Current URL

When I set up the format for the student blog I experimented with a format that allows you to view it in multiple views. The URL that was in VistaBB until today (1/19/2012) brought up that format.   Unfortunately none of views showed the list of posts or the links by “label”.  I therefore changed the format and the links in the VistaBB site.  The correct link is

http://ae-510-ay11-2-students.blogspot.com/

Now you’ll be able to use the “labels” to find multiple posts on a given topic.

One unfortunate result of this formatting issue is that a few of you used different labels for the same concept.  I corrected several to be consistent.

Student Blog Format–Give me your format preference

I set up the student blog format so that it allows seven different views of the blog (in the black band at the top).

I’d appreciate feedback if you’d like me to convert it to the standard, single format like this “official” blot. The advantage of this format is that you have the entries along the side by date, by tag, by author.

Posting to the Student Blog–You must accept Invitation

In order to post to the student blog you need to have “accepted” an invitation that should have come to your GMail address.  About a dozen of you have accepted the invitation, with currently thirteen who have not.  If you lost or deleted the invitation please email me from your GMail account and I’ll try having Google resend the invitation (I’m not quite clear what will happen).

Question About Reading Assignments

Question: 
 I was going over the the assigned readings and I just wanted to clarify the requirements of the reading assignments.We don't have to submit the assigned reading to the reading submission, only the article that we find on our own. But we have to mention the assigned reading and the article we found in our blog post each week? Let me know at your earliest convenience.

Response:
You are correct.

Welcome to AE-510

I’ll use this blog to provide “official” information about the course throughout the term.  There is a separate blog where everyone in the class can post to discuss topics in the class.

Jim Mitchell