Navisworks Tutorial - Search Sets, Templates, Repeatability of Tasks

Navisworks Search Sets, Templates & Repeatability of Tasks by NDY BIM Specialist Cherry Man

MAKING SPACES WORK.

Session 4

Navisworks, make it work!

Cherry Man, Norman Disney & Young Kevin Thickett, Norman Disney & Young

Class Description There are three keys to Navisworks – search sets, quality template set up, and repeatability of tasks. In this session, I will focus on using Navisworks Manage to drive these points home while showing how once thought through & set up, Navisworks can be very easy to use.

Key Learning Objectives: 1. Good quality templates make Navisworks more loveable.

2. Clearly defined processes are important for repeatable tasks.

3. The confidence to use Navisworks on projects.

About the Speaker: Cherry graduated from VUW as an interior designer. She is a control freak and passionate about technical drawings. As a result she has taken an active role in advancing tools and developing templates to streamline team workflow and maintain a high standard of presentation. Cherry has become a key member of the NDY Wellington Team in very short period of time. In just three years with NDY, she has advanced her Revit MEP & Navisworks skills to a high level & can be relied on to produce high quality accurate documents in both 2D & 3D. This includes working across the board spectrum of sub disciplines that fall under the Building Services umbrella.

Cherry’s skill, dedication, efficiency and attention to detail, has gained her opportunities to travel to different Australia NDY offices to help with major projects deliveries, including hospitals & multi-billion dollar redevelopments.

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MAKING SPACES WORK. Session 4 : Navisworks, make it work!

Cherry Man, Norman Disney & Young Kevin Thickett, Norman Disney & Young

Yup, the Basic The Navisworks Family Freedom

Free viewer for NWD and 3D DWF files

Simulate

Advanced tools for simulation

Manage

Comprehensive project review solution for coordination, analysis and communication

File Types NWC

Navisworks Cache file, contains all geometry and related information setup during the export, it is a lot smaller than the original file and it is created using the Revit export utility.

NWF

Navisworks File Set, holds the NWC files that are appended to the project, and contains no data. Can be opened in Navisworks Manage.

NWD

Navisworks Document, export from NWF, can be viewed in Navisworks Freedom.

This file format contains all geometry as well as any other information added in Navisworks, such as Comments, Timeliner Simulation, saved Viewpoints and Search Sets. This is a handy format for reviewing.

Export NWC or Revit Files Export Revit to NWCs

Open Revit files directly

Pros

- More control through the exporter, certain about export result - Correct Design Option - Shared Coordinates - Speed of loading - Quick for project team coordination meeting (NWD)

- One less step

Cons

- Extra step to export

- Many settings are assumed - Information may get left out - Only imports whatever is within the section box of selected view

Export Revit to NWC is highly recommended.

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MAKING SPACES WORK. Session 4 : Navisworks, make it work!

Cherry Man, Norman Disney & Young Kevin Thickett, Norman Disney & Young

Templates Add the following setup to your Revit and Navisworks templates.

The next two sections will cover the basics for a small project.

Revit - Setting up Export views for templates Create a 3D view and name it as Level 00 - ETN. (ETN= Export to Navisworks. Depending on how your Project Brower is set up, I found it is good to have the view Discipline as Coordination, and Sub Discipline as Navis Export.) By clearly naming the view, your team will know this is not the view they should mess with.

View setting 

Detail Level: Fine

Visibility Graphic Overrides (VV/VG) 

Model Categories – Everything is ticked



Annotation Categories – untick everything expect Section Box



Analytical Model Categories – untick Show analytical model in this view



Imported Categories – untick Show imported categories in this view



Filters – no filters are set up



Revit Links – no links are ticked

Make sure the section box is turned on in the 3D view, select the section box and open Level and Reference Plane Overview or Elevation view, adjust the section box according to the floor.

Duplicate the 3D view you made twice. Rename them to Level 01 – ETN 3D & Level 02 – ETN 3D. Adjust the section box as above accordingly.

Save your template.

You only need to do this process in your template once to ensure the settings are correct. To restrict accidental modification, you can simply create and apply a view template to limit VV/VG modification.

When the project kicks off and after all the level information is set up properly, you can rename and re-adjust the section box height accordingly.

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MAKING SPACES WORK. Session 4 : Navisworks, make it work!

Cherry Man, Norman Disney & Young Kevin Thickett, Norman Disney & Young

Revit - Setting up Export views in a live project Create the 2D plans and 3D views of the floors you need.

Set up the view range of the 2D Plans as follows Level

Top Range & Offset

Bottom Range & Offset

00 (first floor)

Level Above, 0

Unlimited, Unlimited

01

Level Above, 0

Associated level, 0

02 (last floor)

Associated level, Unlimited

Associated level, 0

In the 3D views, right click the ViewCube > Orient to View > Floor Plans Select the relevant floor you just created.

This will display the view range you set previously.

Do the View setting and Visibility/ Graphic Overrides as described in the previous section.

This method works well with projects that already have 3D elements (ideally architecture elements). If you do this in an empty Revit project, you may find after Orient to View, your section box is very thin.

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What about different project sizes?

Consideration needs to be given to the size and nature of each project, so time isn’t wasted on over-detailed project set up when it isn’t necessary. For example, fit out projects covering only a few floors and not very complex. Those could be exported as complete models for each major discipline rather than by level. Highly complex projects such as hospitals or large new builds may need to be exported by level and service.

The table below provides some suggestion on model structure for different project types.

Size

Method

Export Disciplines

Fit out projects (< 3 floors)

Combined

By major disciplines

ARCH, STRL, MEP

By major disciplines

ARCH, STRL, MEP x no. of levels

By major disciplines

ARCH, STRL, MEP x no. of levels

By minor disciplines

ARCH, ELEC, PIPE, DUCT, STRL, FIRE, HYDR x no. of levels

By minor disciplines

ARCH, ELEC, PIPE, DUCT, STRL, FIRE, HYDR x no. of levels

Fit out projects (> 3 floors) New Builds (< 3 floors) New Builds (> 3 floors)

High complexity (all sizes)

By Level

By Level

By Level

By Level

Example

Revit - Exporting to Navisworks Double check the view you going to export EVERY TIME. Check the Navisworks Option Editor setting EVERY TIME. Ensure  Display Units = Millimeters 

Convert element properties 



Coordinates = Shared



Export = Current View Page 5 of 37

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Navisworks - Prepare your Template Ok, I lie. Navisworks does not have a template file format.

To create a template, start a new Navisworks NWF and name it â&#x20AC;&#x153;Templateâ&#x20AC;?. To save a Navisworks NWF, the file needs to have at least one Navisworks NWC. In Revit, create a simple 3D model text then export as Navisworks NWC. Append to the Navisworks template as a place holder.

Now a very basic Navisworks template is done.

Search Sets vs Selection Sets - Search via criteria - New elements that match the saved search criteria will be added to the selection when an appended file has been updated - Use for Appearance Profiler, Clash detective, TimeLiner

- Search via criteria, then save selected elements as a set - New elements will not be included in selection set - Use for quick review / hide items

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Search Sets - Examples In order to set up some typical Search Sets, you need to have the elements in the Navisworks NWC. To set up this basic Navisworks template, I suggest to export a simple project, which is not too complex but contains most of the typical elements you use.

In the example Navisworks template, you will find I have created these basic Search Sets.

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Search Sets- Set up To find the Sets window Go to View > Window > Sets

To find the Find Items window Go to Home > Select & Search > Find Items or View > Window > Find Items

If you only have the place holder Navisworks NWC in the template, when you start to put the search criteria in the field, you will find the only value you can choose is the 3D model text we created. Simply because that is the only object in the Navisworks NWC.

You can manually type in the value such as Ceilings, Duct Fittings, etc. Since you do not have the actual element in the Navisworks NWC, you are not able to test the search criteria.

The best way to ensure your search sets are working is to append a project. This can be used for creating & testing the Search Sets. This project can be removed when you have finished the set up process.

Note: Suggest to untick Match Case

& Prune Below Result

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In Navisworks the object property hierarchy is Category > Property > Value.

When an object is selected, the Properties window will reveal information held in that object.

Category (red box)

Property (blue box)

Value (green box)

Category

- The broadest definition of an object property - A tool to categorically filter the vast amount of properties within an object

Property

- The 2nd filter towards narrowing down on a specific object property

Value

- The specific object property which the user is seeking to obtain

Example 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Category: Item Photocopiers

Search criteria:

Note: - Suggest to search the exact name of the Revit family - Name in Item Tab = Family/ Family Type in Revit - Type in Item Tab = Model Category: Family: Family Type in Revit.

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Example 2 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Category : Element Basic Wall

Search criteria 1: All walls in Walls Category

Search criteria 2: Family is Basic Wall

Search criteria 2: Family Type is Generic_150

Note: - More variety, search can be general or very specific - Name / Type in Element Tab = Family Type in Revit.

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Example 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Category: System Type Supply Air

Search criteria:

Note: - Equipment that has more than one system connected to it will be selected as well.

Search Inspector Search Inspector offers a quick way to reveal information held in the objects.

To find the Search Inspector, Go to Home > Select & Search

The Quick Properties Definitions default to report Category: Item, Property: Name.

You can customise the definition to suit.

Example of the Photocopier in previous page.

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Search Sets - More Refined Example Example 4 - Air Terminals

Search All Air Terminals

Search Air Terminals at Level 3

Example 5 - Generic Model

Search Air Terminals at Level 3 which are Supply Air

Generic Model is in most major disciplines. You can refine the search to be more specific of which model the search limited to.

Search Generic Model in Architecture Model only

Search Generic Model in MEP Model only

Note: - I have assumed all RVT & Navisworks files are named according to their major disciplines, e.g Project_ARCH.nwc Project_STRL.nwc Project_MEP.nwc - In bigger projects, e.g.

Project_ARCH-L01.nwc Project_STRL-L01.nwc Project_ELEC-L01.nwc Project_FIRE-L01.nwc Project_DUCT-L01.nwc Project_PIPE-L01.nwc Project_HYDR-L01.nwc - The other option is to de-select the Navisworks in the Find Items window, but this isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t good practice to set up in the template file. The template file should be as general as it can be, and modified for more specific searches later in individual projects.

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MAKING SPACES WORK. Session 4 : Navisworks, make it work!

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Search Sets - More about Conditions Equals Not Equals

- Can be used to evaluate any type of property - To qualify for the search, a property must match the specified value exactly

> Greater Than => Greater Than or Equals < Less than <= Less than or Equals

- Can be used to evaluate numerical property types only

Contains

- To qualify for the search, a property must contain the specified value

Wildcard

- Enables to use wildcards in the Value field to allow matching against any character (?) or an arbitrary sequence of characters (*)

Defined

- To qualify for the search, a property must have some value defined

Undefined

- To qualify for the search, a property must not have any defined value

Note: Suggest to avoid using Defined or Undefined as the condition operator.

Search Sets - Saving Click Find All, the items which match the search criteria will be selected in the 3D View and the Selection Tree.

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MAKING SPACES WORK. Session 4 : Navisworks, make it work!

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Check the items selected in the 3D view and/or the Selection Tree meet the search criteria.

In the Sets window, select Save Search (NOT Save Selection), name the search accordingly.

After you saved a few more Sets, the list will start to build up.

You can add New Folders to keep the Sets organized.

This is why I suggest appending an actual project to build up your Navisworks template file. You will not able to test your search criteria if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the elements in the Navisworks.

Search Sets - Update & Duplicate Update the search criteria, and then in Sets window, right click on the Set you want to update, choose Update.

Like the example, above after you set up L3 you can right click on the Air Terminals Level 03 and choose Duplicate, then rename it to Level 04.

Then update the search criteria to L4, and Update.

Part One of Navisworks Template is done.

Note:

Once you have a range of typical Sets created, you can export the Sets as a XML document.

You should consider developing a few more refined typical sets of Sets for different purposes, for example: Appearance Profiler, Clash Detective, and TimeLiner. Save them as a XML document, and import into the project when needed.

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MAKING SPACES WORK. Session 4 : Navisworks, make it work!

Cherry Man, Norman Disney & Young Kevin Thickett, Norman Disney & Young

Appearance Profiler Appearance Profiler gives a different outlook to present your model. Once you have set up some quality Search Sets and built up some quality templates, you can then develop a standard colour system for presentation with very little effort. This will ensure consistency across all projects.

Revit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Material shading In our Revit template, we have set up standard material shading for duct and pipe systems.

System Type Properties - The colours in the Materials and Finishes > Material > Graphic > Shading (affects the3D view), setup to be the same as the Graphics > Graphics Overrides (affect the 2D view).

This image shows the plan view of our standard colour system.

This image shows our MEP 3D model in shaded.

The assigned materials shading will not be affected whether your export view is hidden or shaded.

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This image shows what the model looks like in Navisworks.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry if your view isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like this after you have appended your NWCs. Go Viewpoint > Render Style > Mode, change from Full Render to Shaded.

You can also right click anywhere inside the view to change the background colour to a plain colour, graduated or horizon.

There are a few different ways to set up materials shading, e.g.

- Family > Type Properties - Family > Type Properties > Structure > Edit Assembly - Family > Type Properties > Materials and Finishes - System > Type Properties > Materials and Finishes

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Example: Wall (Family > Type Properties > Structure > Edit Assembly)

Example: Ducts (System > Type Properties > Materials and Finishes)

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Navisworks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Profiler Setting up material shading in your Revit Template does save time and ensures consistency across software platforms. But there are still some objects you cannot set up in Revit, e.g. Cable Trays.

We can use the Search Set and Appearance Profiler to help.

Identify which objects need to be set up in Navisworks, we will use Cable Trays as an example: Set up Search Set, save as Cable Trays

In Appearance Profiler (View > Windows > Appearance Profiler) Select the Cable Trays Set, edit the colour, and then Add.

Click Run to apply the colour.

You can always update the colour or transparency.

After you create a list of the missing colours in Appearance Profiler, you can save it as a DAT file.

This file can be load into other NWF.

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Alternatively, you can drive the colour entirely within Navisworks.

After you developed a very good set of Sets, you can assign the entire colour system accordingly through Appearance Profiler.

You should consider developing a few different colour systems for different purposes, for example: Major Disciplines for smaller projects, Minor Disciplines for bigger projects.

You can use the Search Set you have created, or duplicate them and arrange them in a different folder. Example:

The DAT file wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stay with Appearance Profiler in your Navisworks Template. To run it, you will need to load the DAT file every time in the new Navisworks Manage session.

Save them as a DAT document, and load into any NWF when needed.

Part Two of Navisworks Template is done.

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Clash Detection Strategies With all aspects of our projects, we need to operate in a planned & defined manner. This also applies to clash detection.

It is possible to clash detect everything against everything, or one entire model against another, however this approach is unhelpful if the end goal is to develop a well coordinated model.

It typically results in: - Many thousands of clashes - Loss of confidence in the model - Wasted cost & effort reviewing many â&#x20AC;&#x153;phantomâ&#x20AC;? clashes.

When clash detecting, we need to give some thought to what we are trying to achieve, & develop a strategy that allows us to isolate those clashes that need resolution, while eliminating as many phantom clashes (those things we expect to clash & are acceptable) as possible.

Clash Detection - Matrix This table shows a simple matrix.

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Clash Detection - Test In Clash Detective (View > Windows > Clash Detective) Example 1: Arch vs Mech This project acceptable clash: - Arch Roof vs Duct Riser - Flex Ducts vs any Arch objects - Duct Lining and Insulation vs any Arch objects

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Example 2: Arch vs Hydr This project acceptable clash: - Pipes vs Arch Ceilings / Floors / Roof / Walls - Pipe Accessories vs Arch Ceilings / Floors / Roof / Walls - Pipe Fitting vs Arch Ceilings / Floors / Roof / Walls

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After a set of clash detection rules are set up, you can start detecting by Update All to run all the tests.

Setting up tests requires some planning and consideration, you need to understand what is in each model, and have basic understanding of how and why different disciplines modelled the way they did.

The more refined your Search Sets setup is, the better the clash result will be.

If clash detects major disciplines against each other (without eliminating the acceptable clashes), you will find the total clash number will raise dramatically.

Settings of Type and Tolerance can vary, usually based on the project brief. Some big projects may only allow 0mm tolerance. Generally, 20mm is acceptable.

Save as a XML document, and load it into any NWF when needed.

Note importing Clash Detective rules will also import the Sets associated with the tests. If you start off with a blank NWF file, you can just import the Clash XML first rather than the Sets XML.

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Clash Detection â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Results / Review

Click on the Test, in the Results tab, review the clashes one by one .

When Clash is selected, the 3D view will zoom into the clash, and the clashed items will be highlighted.

If not, find the Display Settings hidden on the right hand side.

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If the clash is acceptable, update the status to Approved If the clash needs review, leave the status as New Acceptable clash examples - Duct branches vs Insulation / Lining - Duct / Pipe connection into Mechanical Equipment - Floor box on floor Enter any comment to the clash by Assign the clash to someone by After reviewing, the total clashes number should drop at least 50%. Some of the clashes may report multiple times because it has more than one surface clashing with another surface.

In the image above, the fire main also clashes with a duct and mechanical equipment after is passed through the endcap. These clashes can be grouped and reviewed as one report item, so time isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wasted reviewing the same problem multiple times.

It is good practice to review the clashes within your own team first, if the clashes cannot be resolved, then after all the clashes been reviewed, can call for a design team meeting with other services to further coordinate/ negotiate space.

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Clash Detection - Report

Select the contents you want to include in the report, will take a few attempt to get the relevant information you need.

Note: The Quick Properties Definitions default to report Category: Item, Property: Name.

You can customise the definition to suit. This will affect Search Inspector mentioned on Page 11.

The above image is my preference of what I would like to report.

Report Type, I suggest you choose All tests (separate), the size of the report HTML files will be smaller and less likely to crash your browser.

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Example of basic report

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Example of a refined report (with grouped clashes)

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Example of a report with comment

Part Three of Navisworks Template is done.

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Project Phasing If you use phasing properly in Revit, you will be able to use the information in Navisworks as well.

Another option is to add a project parameter to record the items phase. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t recommend this option as it adds an additional layer of work & introduces risk that the manually entered data will be wrong.

Revit - Phasing This image shows a Combined Services Demolition RCP

When exporting to Navisworks, make sure the Phase Filter is None, and Phase is at the most current, in this case, MCHF. Then export.

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Navisworks - Phasing In Navisworks, new items will show as white, demolished and existing as grey.

In Properties, there is information of Phase Created, and if the item is demolished, you will also see a Phase Demolished tab.

Example 6 - Lighting Fixtures

Search All Lighting Fixtures

Search Lighting Fixtures – Existing

Search Lighting Fixtures – Demolished

Search Lighting Fixtures – Completed

This search may look like the Demolished one, but it is not. On the Phase Demolished condition, right click and make it a Negate Condition.

Now this rule “Phase Demolished Name = MCHF” become negate, which means the selection will only include the item that is not “Phase Demolished Name = MCHF”.

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TimeLiner Navisworks TimeLiner is more than just a gimmicky movie tool, it can be used for genuine project planning. TimeLiner combines search sets with Gantt chart (like MS project) functionality & a graphical interface, to enable the user to plan how the project will be built.

Due warning - to use TimeLiner effectively, you need to create a LOT of search sets â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one for each construction operation in the project., making this a very time consuming tool to use.

TimeLiner can in fact accept an import from MS Project & other project planning tools, which can then be linked to Navisworks search sets to provide a graphical display of the project plan.

While this graphical display can be animated & used as a marketing tool, to my mind the true value of TimeLiner is in the actual project planning that takes place to produce this animation.

As with other aspects of Navisworks, time can be saved by effective planning. If you intend to use TimeLiner regularly, you should develop standard search sets for this purpose, either as a TimeLiner template or as XML file.

Navisworks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; more on Search Sets Start with your basic Navisworks template. Duplicate the standard Sets, and modify according to your project phasing. E.g. if you have 3 Phases (Existing, Base build & MHCF), then you need individual phase for each set.

Imagine this

x3!!!

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Navisworks â&#x20AC;&#x201C;TimeLiner Setup Home > TimeLiner or View > Windows > TimeLiner Example: Generator room replacement, 6 Phases.

Existing

Phase 1

Phase 2

New unistrut, generator control panel, load bank, cable tray, conduit & emergency stop button

Temporary generator & conduit

Phase 3

Phase 4

Phase 5

Demolish existing conduits New conduits

Demolish existing conduits & cable tray New cable tray & conduits

Demolish existing generator control panel, temprary generator & conduit

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Add tasks, you can Auto-Add Tasks

by Every Topmost Layer / Every Topmost Item / For Every Set, Navisworks will auto schedule the planned start and end date. This may makes the process of entering the actual time difficult.

Manually adding each task gives more control of the timeline that you trying to plan.

Attach a Set to the task, right click on the task > Attach Set, pick the Set; or select the Set on the Set window and click > Attach Current Selection.

Planned Start/ End, by default it only shows date, if you need to be more specific about the time, click the Navisworks icon > Option > Tools > TimeLiner, Show Time.

If using date, when you click on the drop down arrow on the data fill, it will automatically pop up a window calendar.

If using date & time, the calendar will be disabled. You can only edit the date and time by the up/down arrow, and have to do date, month, year, hour, minute, AM/PM individually.

Grouping, add a blank task above the tasks you like to group, use the blank task as a ‘folder’, select the tasks you want to include in the group by Indent .

Task Type, by default has Construct, Demolish and Temporary. To add more, go to the Configure tab. You can also edit the Appearance (like Phase Filter in Revit) and Appearance Definitions (like Phasing Graphic Overrides).

For temporary objects like the Phase 2 in the example, usually your first instinct is to attach the object to a Construct task, then Demolish. When you try to run the simulator, Navisworks will always see the object because it’s linked to a demolish activity, even if it also has a construct activity. You should set these types of objects as Temporary.

The appearance of Temporary is different than Construct, if you need to show them as the same colour, simply edit the Temporary appearance to be the same as the Construct setting.

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MAKING SPACES WORK. Session 4 : Navisworks, make it work!

Cherry Man, Norman Disney & Young Kevin Thickett, Norman Disney & Young

TimeLiner window

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MAKING SPACES WORK. Session 4 : Navisworks, make it work!

Cherry Man, Norman Disney & Young Kevin Thickett, Norman Disney & Young

The Gantt chart

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MAKING SPACES WORK. Session 4 : Navisworks, make it work!

Cherry Man, Norman Disney & Young Kevin Thickett, Norman Disney & Young

After you have your TimeLiner set up, go to the Simulate tab and try to run the simulation.

Now after you have reviewed your simulation, you can go back to the Tasks tab to refine your project program and appearance.

You can also adjust the setting for start and end date, interval, duration and text.

The simulation can be shown within Navisworks, or export as AVI. Make sure Source = TimeLiner Simulation Format = Windows AVI Adjust Size and Options to suit.

TimeLiner part of Navisworks is done.

Remember: Search Sets, Templates, clearly defined process. Good luck!

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