Major updates to two popular software titles for architecture have been recently released.
The first of these was the newest version of Autodesk Revit 2019 ($2,250 per year, per subscription), released on April 11, with the ubiquitous building information modeling (BIM) program incorporating changes stemming from user feedback. Autodesk software subscribers have seen several of these updates in Revit 2018.1 and Revit 2018.2, according to the San Rafael, Calif.–headquartered software company.
Shortly thereafter, on April 16, the design and computing worlds were introduced to Dynamo 2.0 (free, compatible with Autodesk Revit 2017, 2018, and 2019), an open-source platform that enables users to employ computational design and coding with Revit. This is not to be confused with Dynamo Studio, which is based on the open-source Dynamo technology but incorporates some proprietary Autodesk functionality. Several of the changes in Dynamo 2.0 are structural, relating to file formats and compatibility, while others center on user enhancements, improved tools and interface, and changes to its programming language.
Below we highlight a few of the software updates. Here’s to a more streamlined and efficient workflow!
Revit 2019
Improved View Filters
The top request from customers, according to the Autodesk Revit Blog post detailing the updates, is the ability to control viewing filters with the “or” Boolean operator. Previously designers could specify viewing preferences with the “and” variable. Adding “or” enables many more combinations of conditions. For example, as illustrated in the video below, a designer can quickly query up building components that have a “two-hour” fire-rating, or a “2-hour” fire-rating.
User Interface
Like many programs already allow, including Microsoft and Adobe products, Revit 2019 now offers a tabbed index that allows users to dock or toggle through views. It also finally offers multi-monitor support that lets users drag different views and windows across multiple displays.
Double-Fill Patterns
Another sensible update is the ability for designers to overlay two fill patterns to improve their drawing graphics. User can pair a background fill pattern, such as a solid hue, with a foreground fill pattern, such as a hatch, on elements that can be filled, such as materials and objects, for rendering in different section views and cuts.
Dynamo 2.0
File Format
The new version of Dynamo saves files in JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) format rather than the XML-based formats of dyn and dyf. Graphs and custom nodes created in Dynamo 2.0 will not be compatible with previous versions of the program, but upon installation of the new release, all 1.x file versions will be preserved and migrated to the new format, with a backup copy saved of the original version.
Node Library
The node library has been reorganized to reduce redundancy and to ease user browsing. All custom and non-default nodes will appear under an “Add-on” subheading. And ... ta-da! ... the library window can now be resized and collapsed by manipulating the right edge of the panel.
DesignScript Language Updates
Simplifications have been made to the scripting language. For example, users must be more cognizant about what data type is fed into a node. “[P]rior to this change,” the Dynamo announcement describes, “FamilyInstance.Translate would take in any geometry and translate.” Another example the announcement provides is that the equal sign “=” is no longer necessary for return statements in function definitions or imperative code; that is, users can write “return x;” rather than “return = x;”.
