What's New in Autodesk Navisworks Review 2010?

Autodesk® Navisworks® Review 2010 software extends access to existing design data for real-time visualization to experience design projects before they are real. Project quality improves by combining and sharing of 3D design data and information, regardless of file size or format. Easy-to-use design review tools improve insight and understanding of design intent. Entire project models can be published and freely viewed in NWD and 3D DWF™ formats to provide valuable digital assets during and after construction.

Autodesk Navisworks Review 2010 contains many new features and enhancements and I would like to take this opportunity to introduce them to you.

Installation

The installation screen provides links to the installation options, deployment options, installation tools and utilities, documentation and language settings. When installing the product you can select to install either the 32-bit or 64-bit version. You also have the option of selecting the DWG file readers that require installation, plus the exporter plugins that you require.

If you are installing the product on a 32-bit operating system the 64-bit install options are inaccessible.

User Interface

Changes to the Autodesk Navisworks Review 2010 interface more closely align the product with Autodesk standard interface and navigation toolsets.

ViewCube 

The ViewCube is an on-screen widget, shaped like a cube, that rotates as you orbit your 3D scene and provides you with feedback about your current camera viewing angle in relation to the model world. See ViewCube.

Steering Wheels

SteeringWheels are task-based floating tool palettes that travel with the cursor to minimize tool access time. SteeringWheels provide access to different navigation tools grouped into various wheels depending on the navigation task and user skill level. See SteeringWheels.

Button Menus

In Autodesk Navisworks, some toolbar buttons exist in mutually-exclusive groups of which only one at a time can be selected. These buttons are now grouped under drop-down menus to improve accessibility and decrease screen clutter.

Artificial Horizon

You can now place your model against a fixed artificial horizon so that it appears more realistic and does not float in mid air. The background of the 3D scene is split across the horizontal plane giving the effect of a sky and the ground. The resulting artificial horizon gives you an indication of your orientation in the 3D world. See Select Background Effect.

Measurement

Numerous improvements to the measurement tools allow greater accuracy when calculating dimensions and distances between objects in your Autodesk Navisworks model.

Measure Shortest Distance - When measuring the distance between two objects, Autodesk Navisworks can now calculate and display the shortest distance between the selected objects.

Measure distance between center lines of parametric objects.

When measuring distances you now have the option of converting measurements into redlines. The end markers, lines, and dimension labels of your current measurement are converted into a redline and stored in the current viewpoint.

When measuring an angle, Autodesk Navisworks now displays a measurement arc.

When measuring an area, Autodesk Navisworks now displays a dotted line to indicate the closure path for the area.

Sectioning

Improved support for quick and accurate analysis of models using the sectioning toolset.

• Create a user-defined section box to display only geometry within the defined section box.
• Align section planes to specific faces of an object or line.

Auto-Save

• You now have the option of automatically saving your work at regular intervals.

Communication Center

• The Communication Center  allows the Autodesk Navisworks and Autodesk team to notify you of product-related updates and announcements.

File Format Support

• Support for JT file format, supporting most geometry types and object attributes.
• Support for CIMSteel Integration Standards (CIS/2).

Miscellaneous Enhancements

• Autodesk Navisworks Review 2010 is available for full 64-bit installation.
• Manual override option allows you to specify the distance of Near and Far Clipping Planes. 
• When entering invalid values in the Options Editor, you are notified of the error.
• You can now configure site and project folders at install time, making deployment across an organization easier.
• Upgrades to the Autodesk Navisworks rendering engine (LADS) provide improved support for PNG transparencies and improved rendering consistency.
• Improved Revit support for: shared coordinates, rebars, True North, views, and viewpoints exported from Revit 9 and later.

Feedback, Comments or suggestions? We would love to hear what you have to say.

Thank you.

Comments

[George Young]

Hi, Any time frame for the availability of the Navisworks 2010 versions? I see that the Freedom download page still offers the 2009 version.

[Volker Joseph]

Thank you for the heads up.

I will look into this and see when it will go live.

[George Young]

Thank You Volker, I meant to mention how pleased I was to see that Navisworks had been added to the weblog. I'm looking forward to future content.

[Volker Joseph]

They will go live later this week.

Thank you.

[Volker Joseph]

What would YOU like to see covered in this blog with regards to NavisWorks?

[Andy Thelwell]

Hi all,

Andy here from the Navisworks team. I hope you will all like our 2010 release!

Any Navisworks users out there, please go ahead and fill in our user survey to allow us to understand our user base and where we can make the best improvements in future releases...

http://www.autodesk.com/navisworks/usersurvey1_1

Thanks,

Andy Thelwell
Navisworks Interaction Designer
Autodesk

[Peter Cumberland]

Does Navisworks 2010 recognise Autocad hatches ?

[Frank Lowder]

I am really pleased with all of the changes and improvments. I have been using Navis for a long time now.
When our team is collaborating on a project we have all of the MEP trades drawing files on one common server, and we are constantly saving and overwriting these files. Our NWF usually contains a minimum of 9 appended files per floor / level. If I am working on one of these drawing files throughout the day and I want to see minor changes reflected in the NWF, I have to refresh all of the files. THis is very time consuming. Each time I refresh There is an average wait time of 4 min. I would like to be able to refresh an isolated appended file, instead of having to refresh the entire NWF. This would save a ton of wait time and definately speed up production.