Layout Fast

All Right.

So, since day one I've been complaining about the lack of electrical content for Revit (or at least usable content), and while some manufacturers have made valiant attempts at providing Revit families, it has been a mishmash of pretty looking (but virtually useless) garbage.  I don't blame the manufacturers - as they were attempting to respond to engineering/design firm's requests for content, but were most likely running into the exact same confusing nonsense that everyone (except for a few autofellating Revit whores) were running into.

As I've mentioned previously, my firm made the mistake of purchasing a 'productivity pack' that contained mostly useless crap that they had apparently compiled from various websites (I seriously doubt if they generated any of it themselves).  It was a waste of money, time, and effort on our part - and for the most part I ignored it (only digging through it when I couldn't find anything else that would work - with mixed results).

The frustration of having to stop and hunt through folders (and the internet) for something usable, download several files, only to find out they would not work properly (or weren't even making an attempt at being usable - out of the content that I've seen individual users put up online, most of it is so sub-standard that I can't imagine anyone 'proudly' putting it out there with their name on it), only to finally give up and fake something in in order to move on with the project was incomprehensible.  Attempting to compile a folder of useable equipment/devices served to be equally frustrating, since even if you could find something that sort of worked, there was no guarantee it work the next time you used it.

The other day, though, (and this should not be mistaken for any kind of 'aha moment' or change of heart), I ran across a free Revit plug-in from Schneider Electric (of 'Square-D' fame)  called 'Layout Fast'.  It was kind of a fluke - I was actually looking for something completely different, and ran across a quick video explaining what it was:

http://tv.schneider-electric.com/site/schneidertv/?video=Ewd29wcTqfD0NSKnyoeVwF4T1NUrIteC&chnl=Corporate&args=us/EN

It has apparently been out for a little while - so I set up an account and downloaded it.  I was unable to log in to it at first - because you have to go through the account setup a second time once you install it (for some reason), but once it was installed I could run it from my desktop and have access to the entire catalog of Square-D distribution equipment (cut sheets, details, etc.) - but more importantly, upon opening Revit, I had a new tab on my Ribbon that allows me to bring up this virtual catalog, select a piece of equipment (transformer, panel, switchgear, etc.) name it, specify voltage/phase/ampacity/etc., and insert it directly into the model.

The equipment comes in at the correct size, already named (I had been running into problems the other day convincing a transformer to let me name it so I could tag it), with clearances (assuming Square-D equipment gets used), and connections to allow me to lay out distribution - which I am going to attempt on the next project I do.  It was kind of a bittersweet moment - because while I was somewhat excited about the ability to finally have this equipment at my fingertips (much of which already existed - but was difficult to locate) - it almost immediately reminded me of how the rest of Revit continues to operate on retarded logic, arbitrary limitations, and other counter-productive methods for accomplishing even the simplest of tasks.

The only real hope for this stupid piece of shit (short of getting replaced by something better) is for manufacturers and other 3rd parties to step in and fill in the gaps - which if I'm not mistaken, was what Autodesk was gambling on (that, or individual firms generating their own content) which is a sad fucking way to do business, and a shitty way to treat customers - but ever since the inception of Revit, that's been par for the course.

As always - Fuck Revit, Fuck Autodesk (and if you don't like it fuck you) - but YAY SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC!!!

Next time: Permanent Solutions.