Revit Architecture
Revit Adaptive Family: Build a 4-Point Panel and Design a Curved Facade
Revit adaptive family in Revit 2027: build a 4-point panel, divide a facade with Divide Surface, populate it with Repeat, measure warp, schedule panels.
News & insights
Construction industry knowledge
Articles written by the lecturers and practising engineers of the Institute: cost estimating, BIM, Revit, structures, scheduling and careers — for working engineers and students.
Revit
Revit Parameter Types: Built-in, Project, Shared, Family and Global Compared
Revit parameter types in Revit 2027: why you create parameters, real examples, Built-in, Project, Shared, Family and Global compared, plus a decision chart.
Revit
Revit Join Geometry vs Disallow Join vs Wall Joins: Which Command Does What
Revit join geometry joins overlapping elements and removes double-counted volume; Disallow Join stops a wall end joining; Wall Joins edits corners.
Revit
Revit Shared Parameters: Create the File, Add to Projects, Schedule and Tag
Revit shared parameters in Revit 2027, step by step: the .txt file, groups and parameters, Project Parameters, multi-category schedules and missing-glyph fonts.
Revit
Revit Reference Plane and Reference Line: Differences and How to Use Them
Revit reference plane vs reference line in Revit 2027: Is Reference, Defines Origin, EQ dimensions with parameters, four planes of a line, angle parameters.
Revit
Revit Project Base Point: Project North, True North and Rotating a Project
Revit project base point in Revit 2027: Project North vs True North, setting Angle to True North, Rotate Project North and changing a view's Orientation.
Revit
Basic Revit Commands and Shortcuts by Discipline: Architecture, Structure, MEP
Basic Revit commands and shortcuts by discipline: architecture WA, DR; structure BM, CL, FT; MEP DT, PI, CT, plus a step-by-step 6 × 4 m room exercise.
Revit
Understanding Revit Trim/Extend
Revit trim/extend in Revit 2027: Trim/Extend to Corner (TR), Single Element, Multiple Elements; click the part to keep, join walls, pipes get an elbow.
Revit Architecture
Revit Massing: Build a Mass, Divide It into Floors and Create Walls by Face
Revit massing in Revit 2027: build an In-Place Mass, divide it with Mass Floors, schedule areas, create walls by face and update them when the mass changes.
Revit
Open a Revit Model Without a Licence: No Viewer Mode Needed
Revit viewer mode opened models without a licence but could not save; Revit 2027 removed it. Compare Autodesk Viewer, Shared Views and IFC as replacements.
Revit
Revit Crop View: Cropping a View to the Right Paper Size
Revit crop view in Revit 2027: model and annotation crops, resizing with handles or Size Crop, polygon crops with Edit Crop, and locked crop regions.
Revit
Revit 3D View: 4 Ways to Orbit the Model
The Revit 3D view in Revit 2027: orbit with Shift and the middle button, ViewCube, the Orbit tool, pivot points, and fixes for a 3D view not showing.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Learn AutoCAD on your own: free materials, books and course notes in a seven-stage path, with LISP and downloads
Learn AutoCAD on your own in seven stages: interface, drawing, editing, layers, dimensions, plotting, 3D, LISP. Free AutoCAD study materials, 2027 release.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Download AutoCAD fonts: SHX and Windows font pack with Vietnamese support, how to install them and fix wrong text
Download AutoCAD fonts: 246 Vietnamese SHX fonts (vntimeh, vn_vni, vnsimple…) and 103 TCVN3 and VNI Windows fonts, plus how to install them and fix wrong text.
AutoCAD – Drawings
AutoCAD keyboard shortcuts: all 43 Ctrl, Shift and Alt combinations plus the F3–F12 row, and how they differ from aliases
AutoCAD keyboard shortcuts in 2027: all 43 Ctrl, Shift and Alt combinations from acad.cuix, plus the F3–F12 row with its system variables.
AutoCAD – Drawings
AutoCAD commands: a summary table of the commands used most, their aliases, and a detailed article for each
AutoCAD commands by task: drawing, editing, layers, text, dimensions, blocks, plotting, 3D, LISP. Each with its 2027 acad.pgp alias and its own article.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Render in AutoCAD: assign materials to 3D objects with the Materials Browser or by layer, then output an image with RENDER
Render in AutoCAD: open the Materials Browser (MAT), assign materials directly or by layer, then -RENDER to a PNG. Low and Medium take seconds; High far longer.
AutoCAD – Drawings
3D polyline in AutoCAD: 3DPOLY, 3DFACE and THICKNESS — three ways to take linework into space
A 3D polyline in AutoCAD is drawn with 3DPOLY (3P), each vertex at its own elevation; PLINE rejects 3D points. Plus 3DFACE, THICKNESS and ELEV.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The 3DARRAY command in AutoCAD: rows, columns, levels, and polar arrays around any axis
The 3DARRAY command in AutoCAD (3A): rows along Y, columns along X, levels along Z, or a polar array around any axis. Separate solids; one U undoes it.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How to exit a command in AutoCAD: Esc, BCLOSE, PSPACE, CLOSE and QUIT — what you leave decides how
Exit a command in AutoCAD with Esc, the Block Editor with BCLOSE, a viewport with PSPACE, a drawing with CLOSE, and AutoCAD itself with QUIT, EXIT or Ctrl+Q.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The SPLINEDIT command in AutoCAD: close, reverse and join splines — and the precision of converting to a polyline
The SPLINEDIT command in AutoCAD (SPE) closes, reverses, joins and converts splines. Precision 1 gives 7 vertices, 1.3% off; 99 gives 283 vertices, 0.001% off.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Edit hatch in AutoCAD: HATCHEDIT for pattern, scale and angle — associativity, and splitting one hatch into two
Edit hatch in AutoCAD with HATCHEDIT (HE): pattern, scale, angle. Associative hatches follow the boundary, disassociated ones stay; separate Hatches splits one.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The FILTER command in AutoCAD: select only what meets a condition, even mid-command — and how it differs from QSELECT
Use the FILTER command in AutoCAD (FI) to select only objects meeting a condition, such as circles over radius 150. It works mid-command; compared with QSELECT.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Attribute blocks in AutoCAD: create them with ATTDEF, insert with prompts, and why EXPLODE loses the text — with a sample library
Create attribute blocks in AutoCAD with ATTDEF; ATTREQ decides if inserting asks for values. EXPLODE leaves only the tag, BURST keeps the text. Library.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The SOLID command in AutoCAD: 2D solid fills — Z-order points, the bow tie, and why a SOLID hatch is usually better
The SOLID command in AutoCAD (SO) fills triangles and quadrilaterals. Pick in a Z for a square; going round gives a bow tie. It has no area, unlike a hatch.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Hide layers in AutoCAD: Off or Freeze — and why objects on an Off layer still get erased
Hide layers in AutoCAD by turning them Off or freezing them; show them with LAYON or LAYTHW. Off layers are still picked by ALL and counted by ZOOM Extents.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Rotate the 3D view in AutoCAD: 3DORBIT, Shift and the mouse wheel, and the ten visual styles of VSCURRENT
Rotate the 3D view in AutoCAD with 3DORBIT (3DO) or Shift and the mouse wheel. A horizontal drag turns, a vertical one tilts. Plus ten visual styles.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Turn off the ViewCube in AutoCAD: why it keeps coming back — the four values of NAVVCUBEDISPLAY
How to turn off the ViewCube in AutoCAD with NAVVCUBE or NAVVCUBEDISPLAY. OFF only hides it in the current visual style; set the variable to 0 for good.
AutoCAD – Drawings
UNION and INTERSECT in AutoCAD: combining 3D solids — and two cases where the program does not do what you expect
Union and intersect in AutoCAD: UNION (UNI) merges 3D solids, INTERSECT (IN) keeps the overlap. Distant solids still merge; INTERSECT on them deletes both.
AutoCAD – Drawings
3D solids in AutoCAD: BOX, CYLINDER, CONE, SPHERE, WEDGE, TORUS, PYRAMID — every volume, and the pyramid radius trap
Create 3D solids in AutoCAD with seven commands: BOX, CYLINDER, CONE, SPHERE, WEDGE, TORUS, PYRAMID. Volumes match the formulas; PYRAMID remembers Inscribed.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The EXTRUDE command in AutoCAD: from 2D shape to 3D solid — taper, path, and why an open shape only makes a surface
The EXTRUDE command in AutoCAD (EXT) turns closed shapes into solids, open ones into surfaces. Taper, extrude along a path; DELOBJ deletes profile and path.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The BOUNDARY command in AutoCAD: close an area with one click — islands, overlaps, and how big a gap breaks it
The BOUNDARY command in AutoCAD (alias BO) makes a closed polyline or region from an area in one click. Islands give two boundaries; a 100-unit gap finds none.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Edit dimensions in AutoCAD: move text with DIMTEDIT, rotate and replace it with DIMEDIT — and the drag that shifts the dimension line
Edit dimensions in AutoCAD: DIMTEDIT moves text left, centre, right; DIMEDIT rotates and replaces it. Dragging text moves the line; <> restores the value.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Angular dimension in AutoCAD: DIMANGULAR for lines, arcs and three points — and why the same two lines give 60° or 120°
Angular dimension in AutoCAD with DIMANGULAR (DAN): two lines, arcs, circles, three points. Arc placement decides 60° or 120°; DIMADEC 0 rounds 37.5° to 38°.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Aligned dimension in AutoCAD: DIMALIGNED, rotated and oblique dimensions — and why typed points stop following the geometry
Aligned dimension in AutoCAD with DIMALIGNED (DAL), sloping parallels with DIMLINEAR Rotated, oblique dims with DIMEDIT. Bare typed points are not associative.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The diameter symbol in AutoCAD: %%c, \U+2205 or the letter Ø — and why one code draws two shapes
Type the diameter symbol in AutoCAD with %%c or \U+2205, degrees with %%d and ± with %%p. SHX fonts and Arial draw it differently; a pasted Ø is wrong.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Radius dimension in AutoCAD: DIMRADIUS, diameter, jogged — and the override that loses the R
Radius dimension in AutoCAD with DIMRADIUS (DRA), diameter with DIMDIAMETER (DDI), large arcs with DIMJOGGED. Typing over the value loses the R; <> keeps it.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Clip a viewport in AutoCAD: VPCLIP, polygonal viewports, and two traps when removing the clip
Clip a viewport in AutoCAD with VPCLIP, build polygonal or object viewports with MVIEW, and use MSPACE and PSPACE. Erase the boundary and the viewport goes too.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Save AutoCAD as PDF: many layouts in one file, layers kept, searchable text — and the layouts that get skipped
How to save AutoCAD as PDF with EXPORTPDF and -EXPORT: many layouts in one file, the right PDF preset, layers and searchable text. Unopened layouts get skipped.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The SUBTRACT command in AutoCAD: holes in 3D solids, PRESSPULL, and the selection order that deletes everything
The SUBTRACT command in AutoCAD (alias SU) and PRESSPULL cut holes in 3D solids: through, blind, many at once. Pick in the wrong order and both solids vanish.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The SLICE command in AutoCAD: keep one half or both, and why a mesh will not cut
The SLICE command in AutoCAD (alias SL) cuts a 3D solid on a YZ, XY, ZX or 3-point plane and keeps one half or both. A mesh must become a solid first.
AutoCAD – Drawings
F8 in AutoCAD: Ortho forces lines horizontal or vertical — and three places it does not
F8 in AutoCAD toggles Ortho mode, forcing lines drawn with the mouse horizontal or vertical. Typed coordinates are not forced, and Ortho turns Polar off.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How to enter commands in AutoCAD: reading prompts, the Enter key, and getting a missing command line back
How to enter commands in AutoCAD: read the prompt, pick options, repeat with Enter, use transparent commands. Command line gone? Press Ctrl+9 or type CLI.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Export AutoCAD to Excel: why the CSV loses accented text, and how to get a clean .xlsx
Export AutoCAD to Excel with TABLEEXPORT and the CSV loses accents; Ctrl+V gives only a picture. DATAEXTRACTION writes an .xlsx with the right text and counts.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Copy AutoCAD to Word: four ways, and the only one that keeps bold lines on white
Copy AutoCAD to Word with Ctrl+V and you get thin coloured lines; paste as Bitmap and a dark background comes along. A PNG plot keeps bold lines on white.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How to plot in AutoCAD: the seven boxes of the Plot dialog, sharp 3D plots and true lineweights
How to plot in AutoCAD with the Plot dialog: printer, paper, plot area, scale, plot style. Why a 3D plot turns into an image, looks blurry and grows 33x.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Measure distance in AutoCAD: DIST gives the angle, Delta X Y Z and a running total too
To measure distance in AutoCAD, type DIST (alias DI). It reports distance, angle and Delta X Y Z and totals many segments, but the number shown may be rounded.
Civil 3D
AutoCAD Civil 3D vs AutoCAD: 8 differences infrastructure engineers should know
AutoCAD Civil 3D vs AutoCAD in 8 points: objects, terrain, dynamic links, earthwork, styles, sheets, BIM coordination and learning. With a real road example.
Civil 3D
Civil 3D earthwork volumes: from a surface of the corridor model to a station-by-station cut and fill report
Civil 3D earthwork volumes: build a surface from the corridor, create section views, add the surface to sample lines, run Compute Materials, export a report.
Civil 3D
Civil 3D cross sections: create sample lines, batch-build section views and set up cut and fill areas
Civil 3D cross sections: batch-create sample lines by setup, create section views, set the datum and width, then set up cut and fill areas on each section.
Civil 3D
Civil 3D corridor: build the road model from a typical-section Assembly and set the Frequency spacing
How to build a Civil 3D corridor: assemble lanes and side slopes, create it from the alignment and design profile, set target surfaces and frequencies.
Civil 3D
Civil 3D profile design: sample the existing ground, draw the finished grade and fill the data bands
How to build a Civil 3D profile: sample the existing ground, create the profile view, design the grade with vertical curves, then assign bands and labels.
Civil 3D
Civil 3D alignment design: create an Alignment from a polyline, with curves and stationing
Civil 3D alignment design from a polyline: insert horizontal curves, add station labels, read PC and PT points and edit the alignment. Every dialog shown.
Revit
Free Revit Add-ins Worth Installing
Free Revit add-ins worth installing: pyRevit, DiRootsOne, Naviate Discover, RevitLookup — what each does, how to install, disable and remove them.
Revit MEP
Revit for Water Treatment: Modelling Tanks, Process Piping and Pumps in Revit
Revit for water treatment in Revit 2027: modelling tanks, process piping by system, manufacturers' pump families, P&ID Modeler, and when Plant 3D suits better.
Revit Structure
Revit for Bridges: What Revit Models Well and When You Need InfraWorks or Civil 3D
Revit for bridges: bridge categories since Revit 2021, pier families since 2022, bridges from InfraWorks, Civil 3D via IFC 4.3, and when not to use Revit.
Revit Architecture
Lumion Revit, Enscape, Twinmotion, D5, V-Ray: Choosing a Render Plugin for Revit 2027
How Lumion Revit, Enscape, Twinmotion, D5 and V-Ray connect to Revit 2027, which support 2027, which are free for students, VR options and the GPU you need.
Civil 3D
What are contour lines? How to read them and create them from survey points in Civil 3D
What contour lines are, how to read summits, saddles and valleys, and 5 steps to create them from a point file in Civil 3D, with sample data to download.
Revit
Free Revit Tutorials: Over 100 Lessons in Three Disciplines on Revit 2027
Free Revit tutorials: over 100 step-by-step lessons in Revit 2027, arranged by Architecture, Structure and MEP, with official sources and sample files.
Revit Architecture
What Is Revit Architecture: the Architecture Toolset in Revit and the Design Drawing Set
What Revit Architecture is today, whether it is sold separately, what the seven Architecture tab panels build, and how the model becomes a drawing set.
Revit Structure
Structural Revit Model Checklist: 15 Steps Before You Issue
Structural Revit model checklist before issue: 15 steps in order, from Review Warnings and rebar schedules to Purge Unused, Audit and Interference Check.
Revit Structure
Structural Drawing Symbols: Lookup Table and Revit Setup
Structural drawing symbols at a glance: column and beam marks, rebar tags, levels, grids, sheet numbers, scales, each with how to set it up in Revit 2027.
Revit Structure
Analytical model in Revit: automate it, check nodes, prepare for Robot
Analytical model in Revit 2027: generate members and nodes with Analytical Automation, check nodes, add boundary conditions and loads, then prepare Robot.
Revit Structure
Central file and local file: worksets for a structural team
Revit central file for a structural team in Revit 2027: enable collaboration, split worksets by foundations, columns, framing, rebar, then borrow and sync.
Revit Structure
How to Export IFC from Revit to the Right Standard
Export IFC from Revit 2027 to meet BIM submission rules under Vietnam's Decree 217/2026: IFC2x3, IFC4, IFC4.3, Modify Setup, then reopen to check.
Revit Structure
Line Weights in Revit: Line Patterns and Line Styles for Structural Drawings
Line weights in Revit 2027 for structural drawings: read the scale table, build a line style, change Object Styles for beams and check lines in PDF.
Revit Structure
How to create a pile family in Revit: square pile, two-pile cap
Pile family in Revit 2027: a square pile with parametric length, nested in a two-pile cap, pile centres locked, and Shared on so schedules count piles.
Revit Structure
Strip Footing Family in Revit
Strip footing family in Revit 2027: build an inverted T section, add size and material parameters, give each run its own length, compare Wall Foundation.
Revit Structure
Isolated Footing Family in Revit
Build an isolated footing family in Revit 2027 from Metric Structural Foundation: EQ-locked planes, size, depth and material, then place it under columns.
Revit Structure
Concrete quantities in Revit: columns, beams, slabs by level
Concrete quantities in Revit 2027: beam, column and slab schedules by level, a Material Takeoff by grade, and why figures differ from hand takeoff.
Revit Structure
Structural Drawing Sets in Revit: Numbering and Sheet Lists
Structural drawing sets in Revit 2027: number sheets by discipline, build a self-updating Sheet List, group the Project Browser and set Detail Numbers.
Revit Structure
Structural Annotation in Revit: Beam Tags and Floor Tags
Structural annotation in Revit 2027 step by step: beam and floor tags reading the right parameters, opening marks, reusable legends, grids and sections.
Revit Structure
View Filters in Revit: Split Top and Bottom Rebar, Colour Beams
View filters in Revit 2027 for structural work: read existing filters, isolate bottom slab rebar in its own view, colour X beams, add it to a template.
Revit Structure
Structural Plans in Revit: View Range, View Template, V/G
Structural plans in Revit 2027 in 15 steps: duplicate views, fix a greyed-out View Range locked by a View Template, and see why beams and footings vanish.
Revit Structure
Rebar Schedules in Revit: Bar Lists, Lengths and Weights
Build rebar schedules in Revit 2027 step by step: pick fields, group by member, add the bending detail column, total the weight and export to Excel cleanly.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The MATCHPROP command in AutoCAD: what it copies, and what it quietly leaves alone
The MATCHPROP command in AutoCAD copies layer, color and linetype, plus text style, height, rotation and dimension style, but keeps justification and overrides.
Revit Structure
How to Show Rebar in Revit: See Through Concrete, Sections, 3D
How to show rebar in Revit 2027 step by step: tick View Unobscured per view, switch the visual style, crop with a Section Box and check the cage in 3D.
Revit Structure
Column reinforcement in Revit: vertical bars, ties and starter bars
Column reinforcement in Revit 2027 step by step: vertical bars with Fixed Number, Stirrup Tie style, tie spacing at the joint, starter bars and footing cages.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Edit many texts and dimensions at once in AutoCAD: one sample, one pick
A free LISP to edit many texts and dimensions at once in AutoCAD: select them, pick one sample. Dimensions keep their measured value, even with L=<>.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Align dimensions in AutoCAD: one pick for horizontal and vertical dimensions alike
How to align dimensions in AutoCAD with DIMSPACE, the DIM aliGn option, or the Institute's free LISP that moves horizontal and vertical dimensions to one pick.
Revit Structure
Slab reinforcement in Revit: two layers, top bars and trimmers
Slab reinforcement in Revit 2027 step by step: rebar cover, bar shapes, layout rule, hooks, top reinforcement over supports and trimmers around openings.
Revit Structure
Beam Reinforcement in Revit: Main Bars, Stirrups and Anchorage
Beam reinforcement in Revit 2027 step by step: start the Rebar command, pick a bar shape, place main bars and stirrups, set spacing, hooks and propagate.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The CHANGE command in AutoCAD: one picked point, four different reactions
The change command in AutoCAD is typed -CH, not CH. One picked point moves line ends, resizes a circle or rewrites text, depending on the object. Five examples.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The ERASE command in AutoCAD: remove the right things, and get them back without losing your work
The erase command in AutoCAD is the first thing anyone learns, yet few use OOPS to restore objects without losing what they drew after, as U does. Five cases.
Revit Structure
Rebar Settings in Revit: Bar Types, Cover and Bend Diameters
Rebar settings in Revit 2027 before you place the first bar: bar diameters, concrete cover to the Vietnamese code, bend diameters, hooks and length rounding.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The DIVIDE command in AutoCAD: you enter segments, not points
The divide command in AutoCAD asks for segments, not points. A line divided by 4 gets 3 points; a circle divided by 6 gets 6. Four worked examples.
Revit Structure
Typical floors in Revit: slope the roof, then repeat the storey
Typical floors in Revit 2027 step by step: slope a roof with a slope arrow and shape editing, filter the selection, paste onto several levels, check it.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The MEASURE command in AutoCAD: why the leftover piece ends up at the wrong end
The measure command in AutoCAD places points at a fixed spacing, and where the leftover lands depends on where you click. Four examples on a 1000-unit line.
Revit Structure
Structural floors in Revit: slabs, openings and shaft walls
Structural floors in Revit 2027 step by step: Floor Structural, layer thickness and material, span direction, dropped areas, Shaft openings and bearing walls.
Revit Structure
How to Draw Beams in Revit: Chains, Beam Systems, Slopes and Braces
How to draw beams in Revit 2027 step by step: pick the section, chain beams across columns, place along grids, add a beam system, fix levels and slopes.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The JOIN command in AutoCAD: what joins, what does not, and why
The join command in AutoCAD closes a 200-unit gap between collinear lines, yet refuses a line and arc that miss by one millionth. Six examples you can repeat.
Revit Structure
Structural Columns in Revit: At Grids, Level Offsets and Steel Sections
Place structural columns in Revit 2027 step by step: pick the section, set base and top levels, drop a whole bay with At Grids, stack floors, slant a column.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The TRIM command in AutoCAD: why it sometimes deletes the whole object
The trim command in AutoCAD has two modes that behave very differently, and one of them deletes the object you clicked. How to tell which mode you are in.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Break line in AutoCAD: four ways to draw one, and which gives a true wave
A break line in AutoCAD can be drawn four different ways. Which one repeats exactly, which one is only freehand, and the built-in command almost nobody uses.
Revit Structure
Revit structural template: units, paths and your own .rte file
Build a revit structural template in 14 steps on Revit 2027: find the metric template in the install, set units and line weights, save an .rte and register it.
Revit Structure
What is Revit Structure: what it delivers on a structural drawing set
What is revit structure, where it lives inside Revit 2027, what it produces on a Vietnamese structural drawing set, how it differs from Revit Architecture.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Hatch not working in AutoCAD: four causes and how to tell them apart
Hatch not working in AutoCAD has four separate causes, each with its own fix. How to tell which one you have instead of trying every setting in turn.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The LTS command in AutoCAD: when a dashed line draws as a solid one
The LTS command in AutoCAD is the alias for LTSCALE. How to pick the number from your plot scale, and the three other variables that decide how dashes print.
Revit MEP
Revit copy monitor and worksets: MEP that stays on grid
Revit copy monitor in 15 steps on Revit 2027: copy levels and grids from a link, read Coordination Review, split worksets and build a central file.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Dimension text size in AutoCAD: fix it once and the old dimensions follow
Dimension text size in AutoCAD is set by DIMTXT and DIMSCALE, plus the one command that drags already-drawn dimensions along when editing the style will not.
Revit MEP
MEP sheets in Revit: one set per system, legends and PDF
MEP sheets in Revit 2027 step by step: split plans by system, place them on sheets, number them, add legends and a sheet list, then export the set to PDF.
AutoCAD – Drawings
An AutoCAD hatch area lisp: total your floor finishes without double counting
An AutoCAD hatch area lisp that totals hatched regions for finishes take-off, plus the trap that quietly doubles the figure. Free download with source.
Revit MEP
MEP symbols in Revit: tags, legends and the TCVN question
MEP symbols in Revit 2027 step by step: load tag families, tag cable tray and panels, cure the question mark, build a legend and check the live TCVN numbers.
AutoCAD – Drawings
An AutoCAD LISP library: 48 commands, loaded once and ready
An AutoCAD LISP library of 14 files and 48 commands from the Institute, with the source code published and step-by-step loading. Free, no password, no ads.
Revit MEP
Revit MEP vs AutoCAD MEP: what differs, when CAD still wins
Revit mep vs autocad mep compared across six real MEP tasks: routing, sections, revisions, clashes, quantities, and the cases where CAD is still the right tool.
Revit MEP
Common Revit MEP errors: 12 warnings and how to fix them
Common Revit MEP errors explained: routing preferences greyed out, space is not in a properly enclosed region, systems that refuse to connect, and the fixes.
Revit MEP
Electrical device families in Revit: face based and symbols
Build electrical device families in Revit 2027 in 15 steps: face based template, category swap, plan symbol, electrical connector, hosting on a wall face.
Revit MEP
Lighting fixture families in Revit: light source, IES, symbol
Build lighting fixture families in Revit 2027 in 15 steps: ceiling-based template, light source definition, IES file, electrical connector, plan symbol.
Revit MEP
MEP equipment families in Revit: geometry and connectors
Create MEP equipment families in Revit 2027 in 15 steps: build a parametric box, add duct, pipe and electrical connectors, map their sizes to family parameters.
Revit MEP
Fire alarm system in Revit: devices, circuits and diagrams
Build a fire alarm system in Revit 2027 step by step: load device families, place detectors and pull stations, create the circuit, pick the panel, draw wire.
Revit MEP
Fire pump room in Revit: pumps, valves, risers and headers
Model a fire pump room in Revit 2027 step by step: place fire pumps, read their connectors, run suction and discharge headers, add valve sets and a riser.
Revit MEP
VRF in Revit: indoor units, refrigerant pipe and condensate
Modelling VRF in Revit 2027: where the indoor unit families come from, placing a DX fan coil, reading its connectors, refrigerant pipe on Other and condensate.
Revit MEP
Revit MEP quantity takeoff: pipe, duct area, insulation
Revit MEP quantity takeoff in 13 steps on Revit 2027: pipe length by system and size, fitting counts, a duct area schedule and a pipe insulation schedule.
Revit MEP
Heating and cooling loads in Revit 2027: System-Zones and the report
Heating and cooling loads in Revit 2027 step by step: spaces, project location and weather, Energy Model Settings, System-Zones and reading the report.
Revit MEP
Spaces in Revit MEP: place, name from rooms, fix open regions
Spaces in Revit 2027 step by step: room bounding for the architectural link, automatic placement, Space Naming, a space schedule and the open region warning.
Revit MEP
Color pipes by system in Revit: System Type, filters, legend
Color pipes by system in Revit 2027 in 14 steps: colours on the System Type, filters by System Classification and System Name, a View Template, a Pipe Legend.
Revit MEP
Revit lighting fixture: ceiling lights, switches, circuits
Place a Revit lighting fixture step by step in the 2027 release: load the family, host lights on a linked ceiling, add switches and circuit them to a panel.
Revit MEP
Revit electrical panel: 220/380 V, panel schedules and loads
Set up a Revit electrical panel in the 2027 release: voltage definitions, a 380/220 V three-phase four-wire system, sub-panel feeders and panel schedules.
Revit MEP
How to model sprinklers in Revit: pipe, systems and counts
How to model sprinklers in Revit 2027 step by step: place heads on a ceiling, create a Fire Protection Wet system, run mains and branches, count heads.
Revit MEP
Revit routing preferences: build PPR and uPVC pipe types
Revit routing preferences step by step: add a pipe segment and size catalog from a manufacturer, duplicate a pipe type, set fittings and fix greyed-out buttons.
Revit MEP
Revit pipe slope: sloped drainage and invert elevations
Revit pipe slope step by step in Revit 2027: the slope table, drawing a sloped sanitary run, connecting fixtures, reading and tagging invert elevations.
Revit MEP
How to size ducts in Revit: airflow, Duct Sizing, calculator
How to size ducts in Revit 2027: set the diffuser airflow, run Duct Sizing by friction or velocity, pick sizes in the MEP Sizing Calculator, check losses.
Revit MEP
Revit MEP systems: creation, System Browser, orphan pipes
Revit MEP systems in 13 steps on Revit 2027: duplicate a system type, create a system from fixtures, read the System Browser, find orphan pipes and merge them.
Revit MEP
Revit electrical circuits: devices, circuits and wiring step by step
Revit electrical circuits step by step in 2027: place receptacles on linked walls, create a Power circuit, pick a panel, add arc wire, set the cable size.
Revit MEP
How to draw pipes in Revit: mains, risers, valves, fixtures
How to draw pipes in Revit 2027 step by step: pick the pipe type and system, set size and elevation, branch off, drop a riser, connect fixtures, add valves.
Revit MEP
Revit cable tray and conduit: sizes, fittings, risers step by step
Revit cable tray step by step in Revit 2027: sizes in Electrical Settings, types with and without fittings, the Create Riser button, parallel conduits and tags.
Revit MEP
How to draw ducts in Revit: fan coil to diffusers and flex duct
How to draw ducts in Revit 2027 step by step: place a fan coil and diffusers, set size and elevation in Properties, auto fittings, risers and flex duct.
Revit MEP
Revit MEP sample project: Snowdon Towers and a practice file
The Revit MEP sample project ships with Revit 2027: what each Snowdon Towers file teaches, and 14 steps to build a practice model linked to it.
AutoCAD – Drawings
An AutoCAD linetype library: 14 types for services and site work
An AutoCAD linetype library of 14 types for water, drainage, power and site work, each one loaded and drawn on AutoCAD 2027, free to download and use.
AutoCAD – Drawings
An AutoCAD hatch pattern library: 12 construction materials
An AutoCAD hatch pattern library of 12 construction materials, each one hatched for real on AutoCAD 2027, plus the trap that stops most sets working.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Merging layers in AutoCAD: 180 layers down to 20, nothing lost
Merging layers in AutoCAD with LAYMRG, measured on AutoCAD 2027: 5 objects before and 5 after, the source layer gone, only the colour following the target.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Deleting a layer in AutoCAD: five reasons it refuses
Deleting a layer in AutoCAD fails for five reasons. Eight kinds of layer tested on AutoCAD 2027, and locking or switching one off blocks nothing at all.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Turning off 3D in AutoCAD: two commands and the drawing is flat again
Turning off 3D in AutoCAD takes two commands. Two new drawings on AutoCAD 2027 compared variable by variable, and the workspace is not the culprit.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Recovering a damaged CAD file: 91% comes back, 8.5% does not
Recovering a damaged CAD file with RECOVER, measured on a real drawing: 105 errors fixed, but 398 objects gone and not one line of warning.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The vpclip command in AutoCAD: one model, several different sheets
The vpclip command in AutoCAD reshapes a viewport to any closed shape, while vplayer freezes layers per viewport. One model printed as several sheets.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The field command in AutoCAD: figures that follow the geometry
The field command in AutoCAD ties a figure to the geometry itself, so editing the shape rewrites the text. Measured: 3 million becomes 4.5 million, untouched.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The dimcontinue command in AutoCAD, and eight dimension commands nobody uses
The dimcontinue command in AutoCAD chains dimensions on from the last one, while dimbaseline works from one origin. Same four lines, two very different sets.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Importing coordinates into AutoCAD: place the points or join them up
Importing coordinates into AutoCAD from a spreadsheet, placing points or joining them into a polyline. A free lisp that also reads comma-decimal files.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Add up text in AutoCAD: total a column, align it and resize it in bulk
Add up text in AutoCAD to total a column of figures written on a drawing, plus commands to align and resize. A free lisp, and the comma-decimal trap.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Counting blocks in AutoCAD, colouring them, renaming and exploding one kind
Counting blocks in AutoCAD plus three commands to colour, rename and explode one kind of block. A free lisp, and why colouring sometimes changes nothing.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Total the lengths in AutoCAD: three hundred lines, one figure, one pass
Total the lengths in AutoCAD in one pass, with a breakdown table to check the figure against. A free lisp to download, plus three traps that corrupt the total.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The qleader command in AutoCAD: fast notes that come apart later
The qleader command in AutoCAD draws notes quickly but leaves the leader and the text as two loose objects. Measured, with the settings dialog and MLEADER.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The actrecord command in AutoCAD: record a sequence, call it back as a command
The actrecord command in AutoCAD records a sequence of steps as a new command, with no programming. The file it writes, measured, and its one real limit.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The flatshot command in AutoCAD: a 3D model squashed into usable 2D
The flatshot command in AutoCAD squashes a 3D model into flat linework along the current view. What it produces, measured, and every box in the dialog.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The spline command in AutoCAD: two methods, two quite different curves
The spline command in AutoCAD has two methods giving very different curves. How far the curve overshoots, and how to turn a spline into a polyline.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The explode command in AutoCAD: what comes out, and what it ruins
The explode command in AutoCAD breaks compound objects into loose linework. What each object type produces, plus the traps with hatching and with text.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The donut command in AutoCAD: a ring is really a two-vertex polyline
The donut command in AutoCAD draws a ring as one closed polyline with width. How to read the numbers, the trap in the area field, and what FILLMODE really does.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The shell command in AutoCAD: typing SHELL does not hollow a solid
The shell command in AutoCAD is not the word SHELL but an option inside SOLIDEDIT. Verbatim steps, the measured volume left, and what a negative offset does.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The loft command in AutoCAD: joining unlike cross sections into one solid
The loft command in AutoCAD joins unlike cross sections into one solid. The measured volume matches the frustum formula exactly, with options and pitfalls.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The sweep command in AutoCAD: a profile driven along a path makes a solid
The sweep command in AutoCAD drives a flat profile along a path to make a solid. The measured volume matches the formula to the last digit, with four options.
Revit MEP
Learn Revit MEP from scratch: 5 stages, each with a self-check
Learn Revit MEP in five stages, from Revit basics and systems to connectors and coordination, each ending in a self-check you run inside Revit 2027.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The trace command in AutoCAD 2027 no longer draws solid-filled lines
The trace command in AutoCAD now opens a collaboration markup layer rather than drawing solid lines. Typing coordinates returns Invalid option keyword.
Revit MEP
MEP engineer: five seats, and what 18 job ads ask for
What an MEP engineer does at a consultant, contractor or owner, what 18 job ads in Vietnam ask for, what drives pay, and the practice certificate rules.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The move command in AutoCAD: two routes that land in the same place
The move command in AutoCAD offers two ways of declaring the distance, and both land in the same place. With the prompts verbatim and why shapes land wrong.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Selecting objects in AutoCAD: two drag directions, two different results
Selecting objects in AutoCAD by dragging left to right and right to left gives two different results. One box, six lines: one way catches 3, the other 6.
Revit MEP
What is MEP in construction? Systems in M, E, P and F
What is MEP in construction: the systems under M, E and P, why fire protection gets filed in different places, the MEP design steps, and what BIM MEP changes.
Revit MEP
MEP shop drawings: 8 sheet groups, built from Revit
MEP shop drawings explained: how they differ from construction and as-built drawings, the eight sheet groups in a set, and six steps in Revit 2027.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Sheet sets in AutoCAD: how to build one, and the three samples already installed
Sheet sets in AutoCAD gather a whole drawing package into one ordered list that plots in a single pass. AutoCAD 2027 already ships three complete samples.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Removing duplicate lines in AutoCAD: six in, three out
Removing duplicate lines in AutoCAD is the OVERKILL command. Six lines in, three out, nothing unique touched, and why lines on different layers survive.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Dimension styles in AutoCAD: why the text never shows up
Dimension styles in AutoCAD usually come down to one number. On AutoCAD 2027 DIMSCALE multiplies every plotted size exactly, and DIMLFAC does not.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Undo in AutoCAD: Ctrl+Y does not run REDO, it runs MREDO
Undo in AutoCAD comes in two forms, U and UNDO, and they differ. Reading the 2027 interface file shows Ctrl+Y actually runs MREDO rather than REDO.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The wipeout command in AutoCAD: masking an area, circles included
The wipeout command in AutoCAD masks part of a drawing without erasing a line. On AutoCAD 2027: why it refuses circles, and how to mask a round area.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The appload command in AutoCAD: loading lisp without the warning
The appload command in AutoCAD loads lisp files. Here is the security dialog people actually hit, photographed on AutoCAD 2027, and how to stop it asking.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The revolve command in AutoCAD: a flat shape into a solid
The revolve command in AutoCAD spins a flat profile around an axis to make a solid. Covered on AutoCAD 2027, with the volume checked against the formula.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Groups in AutoCAD: the toggle is Ctrl+H, not Ctrl+Shift+A
Groups in AutoCAD tie objects into one selection. Covered on AutoCAD 2027, with the shortcut that actually works and three claims the tutorials get wrong.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Dynamic blocks in AutoCAD: one block for every door size
Dynamic blocks in AutoCAD let one reference change size instead of being redrawn. Covered here on AutoCAD 2027, with the sample library and the RESETBLOCK trap.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The plan command in AutoCAD: straightening a tilted drawing
The plan command in AutoCAD brings the view back to the original axes when a drawing suddenly tilts. Read straight off VIEWTWIST on AutoCAD 2027.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The xclip command in AutoCAD: clipping erases nothing
The xclip command in AutoCAD hides the surplus rather than deleting it, so the file gets no lighter. Here are all three XCLIPFRAME values on AutoCAD 2027.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The copy command in AutoCAD: many copies in a single pass
The copy command in AutoCAD makes one copy and stops. All three branches on AutoCAD 2027, including how to space copies evenly in a single pass.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The polygon command in AutoCAD: I and C give different sizes
The polygon command in AutoCAD takes one radius, but typing I or C with the same number gives two different sizes. Here are both of them on AutoCAD 2027.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The mline command in AutoCAD: the scale is the width
The mline command in AutoCAD draws both faces of a wall at once, and the scale you type is the width. Here are all three justifications on AutoCAD 2027.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The region command in AutoCAD and four areas that add up
The region command in AutoCAD turns a closed outline into a surface you can add and subtract. Four areas on AutoCAD 2027, each checked against hand arithmetic.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The Properties palette in AutoCAD and why it goes missing
The Properties palette in AutoCAD answers to six different aliases. Here is how to bring it back on AutoCAD 2027, and why it sometimes shows nothing at all.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Attaching images in AutoCAD: the drawing keeps only a path
Attaching images in AutoCAD stores a path, never the picture itself. We weighed the files on AutoCAD 2027 and found the simplest way to keep images.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The align command in AutoCAD: what each point pair does
The align command in AutoCAD moves, rotates and scales in one pass, but which happens depends on the point pairs. Here are all three cases on AutoCAD 2027.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Plot styles in AutoCAD: the .ctb file only works from one folder
Plot styles in AutoCAD live in a .ctb file that only works from one folder. Everything here is on AutoCAD 2027, including why the list comes up empty.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Line breaks in AutoCAD: why Enter sometimes creates a second object
Line breaks in AutoCAD work with Enter in only one of the two text commands. Four routes on AutoCAD 2027, and which of them keep a single object.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The scale command in AutoCAD is uniform: scaling one direction with a block and a lisp
The scale command in AutoCAD asks for one factor only, so it always scales both directions. The one-direction route runs through a block, plus a free lisp.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The AutoCAD classic workspace is gone in 2027, and how to rebuild it
The AutoCAD classic workspace is not in the 2027 release at all. The shipped acad.cuix file still holds it, and the old look comes back in four steps.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Layouts in AutoCAD: the background colour, new sheets and printing to scale
Layouts in AutoCAD have two colour slots, which is why the background so often appears not to change. All four states measured on AutoCAD 2027.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The LENGTHEN command in AutoCAD: a number instead of a boundary
The LENGTHEN command in AutoCAD changes a length by the number you type, with no boundary needed. We walk the prompts in order, then the advanced options.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Polylines in AutoCAD: four loose lines into one object with an area
Polylines in AutoCAD turn loose lines into one object that reports an area. The join command, the PEDIT route, and the case where a gap is left.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The EXTRIM command in AutoCAD: a hundred trims in two picks
The EXTRIM command in AutoCAD trims everything crossing a boundary once you pick a side. Object count and total length before and after, on both sides.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The MIRROR command in AutoCAD: reversed text is a variable, not a bug
The MIRROR command in AutoCAD reflects objects about an axis. MIRRTEXT at both of its values, and what the program actually does to the text.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Command aliases in AutoCAD: 419 lines in one text file
Command aliases in AutoCAD live in acad.pgp. The real line count, which of two duplicate entries wins, and how to make an edit take effect instantly.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Xref in AutoCAD: rename the source file and the sheet goes blank
An xref in AutoCAD borrows content from another file instead of copying it. Layer names before and after binding, and what happens when the source goes missing.
AutoCAD – Drawings
UCS in AutoCAD: move the origin to where you are actually drawing
UCS in AutoCAD moves the origin to the corner you are drawing at. One point read before and after moving the origin, then again after a 30 degree rotation.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The BREAK command in AutoCAD: swap the points and lose the other half
The BREAK command in AutoCAD removes the piece between two points. On a circle, swapping the two points changes which piece disappears entirely.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The array command in AutoCAD: twelve circles, one object
The array command in AutoCAD now produces a single object rather than many copies. The object count shows exactly where the difference lies.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Making a DWG lighter: three commands and numbers from a real drawing
Making a DWG lighter takes three built-in commands. On a real structural plan: 13 layers, 18 blocks, 9 text styles and 109 surplus lines gone.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The EXTEND command in AutoCAD: two modes and a forgotten variable
The EXTEND command in AutoCAD has had two working modes since the 2021 release. Both modes here, plus the variable that extends a line to an implied edge.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Hiding objects in AutoCAD: out of sight, still in the file
Hiding objects in AutoCAD only removes them from the screen. The object count is identical before and after, so they are still in the drawing file.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Editing text in bulk in AutoCAD: one command changed 551 lines
Editing text in bulk in AutoCAD is not clicking line by line. One single command changes the font on 551 lines without touching an object.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The grid in AutoCAD: turned it off and the cursor still jumps
The grid in AutoCAD and grid snap are two different things run by two different variables. Press F7, then F9, and read both variables back.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Drawing units in AutoCAD: change the display, not the geometry
Drawing units in AutoCAD change how a number is displayed, never the size of the geometry. One single line can be made to show five different figures.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How to rotate a view in a layout without moving a single line
To rotate a view in a layout, turn the viewport, not the geometry. The coordinates before and after prove the drawing itself never moved.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Fast dimensioning in AutoCAD: a whole chain in a single pass
Fast dimensioning in AutoCAD in one pass, in the order you pick, with an overall line underneath. A free lisp, plus four built-in tools most people miss.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Export point coordinates in AutoCAD to Excel without typing a digit
Export point coordinates in AutoCAD as labels, a table and a CSV that opens in Excel. A free lisp to download that keeps the decimals and the accents.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Circles in AutoCAD: six ways to place one, and why it looks like a polygon
Circles in AutoCAD have six construction methods, two of which never appear on the prompt line, plus the one command that fixes the jagged on-screen look.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The rotate command in AutoCAD: three prompts and one reversing trap
The rotate command in AutoCAD asks only three questions, but one system variable can make the same typed number turn an object the opposite way.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The line command in AutoCAD: three commands, three kinds of end
The line command in AutoCAD is really three commands. LINE gives a segment with two ends, RAY a half-infinite ray, XLINE an infinite construction line.
AutoCAD – Drawings
A rebar schedule lisp that totals by diameter and draws the table
A rebar schedule lisp that adds up lengths by bar diameter and draws the finished table onto the drawing. Free to download, and the table carries accents.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Batch plotting in AutoCAD: a whole set to PDF in one pass
Batch plotting in AutoCAD sends a whole set of title blocks to PDF in one pass, instead of answering nineteen prompts per sheet. An open lisp you can read.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The STRETCH command in AutoCAD: what really stretches
The STRETCH command in AutoCAD lengthens one side and leaves the rest alone. On AutoCAD 2027 - which objects really stretch and which do not move.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The RE command in AutoCAD: what a regen costs
The RE command in AutoCAD regenerates everything in the viewport. On AutoCAD 2027 - how long RE takes, how it differs from REDRAW, and when to skip it.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Sequential numbering in AutoCAD that follows the order you want
Sequential numbering in AutoCAD fills block attributes row by row, left to right. A free lisp to download, with the ordering proved by measurement.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Point style in AutoCAD: making division points visible
Point style in AutoCAD decides whether division points appear at all. On AutoCAD 2027 - PDMODE, PDSIZE, DIVIDE, MEASURE and the real point count.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Linetypes in AutoCAD: loading them, writing your own, and the scale
Linetypes in AutoCAD ship as 59 ready patterns, and this shows how to load them, write your own, and fix the dashed line that refuses to show.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Shorten extension lines in AutoCAD without changing the number
Shorten extension lines in AutoCAD and the measured figure never moves: 1800 before and 1800 after. A free lisp to download, plus the built-in DIMBREAK.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How to calculate area in AutoCAD, and perimeter with it
Four ways to calculate area in AutoCAD and when each fits. Plus the silent trap: an open outline still returns an area but drops an edge from the perimeter.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How to draw parallel lines in AutoCAD: OFFSET and three more
Four ways to draw parallel lines in AutoCAD and when each one fits. Plus the part nobody writes: where the refusal appears tells you which cause you hit.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How to draw an angle in AutoCAD, and where zero degrees points
Four ways to draw an angle in AutoCAD, each suited to one situation. Plus the groundwork nobody covers: where zero degrees points and which way angles count.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Text in AutoCAD: writing it, editing it, resizing it in bulk
Text in AutoCAD has two commands for writing and four ways to edit, each suited to one job. Plus the missing-font problem no guide explains down to its root.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Dimensions in AutoCAD: sizing them, trimming extension lines, fixing jumps
Dimensions in AutoCAD that print tiny or drift out of place each have one cause. This names the box to change, and the trap that keeps extension lines long.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How to save a CAD file to an older version so a 2007 seat opens it
Save a CAD file to an older version with SAVEAS or DWGCONVERT, pick the right Files of type entry, set a default format, and see what a drawing loses.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How to count blocks in AutoCAD, and what the COUNT command skips
Count blocks in AutoCAD with the COUNT command: pick an area, read the Count palette, insert a table. Covers what COUNT skips and when BCOUNT is still needed.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How to edit a block in AutoCAD: three routes, and where the work gets lost
To edit a block in AutoCAD you have three routes: BEDIT, redefining by hand, and REFEDIT. Covers saving with BSAVE, closing with BCLOSE, and attributes.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Blocks in AutoCAD: creating, inserting, and why you draw them on layer 0
Blocks in AutoCAD gather objects into one reusable definition. Covers creating, the insertion point, the Blocks palette, why layer 0 matters, and WBLOCK.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The FILLET command in AutoCAD: rounding a corner, a radius of zero, and five reasons it refuses
The FILLET command in AutoCAD rounds a corner with one radius. Covers the zero-radius trick, parallel lines, the FILLETRAD variable and five reasons it refuses.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The CHAMFER command in AutoCAD: two ways to define a bevel, and five traps
The CHAMFER command in AutoCAD bevels a corner by two distances or by a distance and an angle. Covers picking order, No trim, TRIMMODE and polyline chamfers.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Layers in AutoCAD: a standard layer set, locked layers and deleting layers
Layers in AutoCAD control colour, linetype and lineweight. Covers a standard layer set for building work, locked layers, and why a layer will not delete.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How to enter coordinates in AutoCAD: four ways, the comma trap and the # prefix
How to enter coordinates in AutoCAD: absolute, relative and both polar forms, the comma and dot trap, the # prefix for dynamic input, plus ID, DIST and UCS.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How to draw an ellipse in AutoCAD: three methods, the PELLIPSE variable and three things an ellipse cannot do
How to draw an ellipse in AutoCAD with EL. Covers the three methods, the PELLIPSE variable that changes the object type, and three things it cannot do.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How to draw a rectangle in AutoCAD: the REC command, eight options and three reasons it lands wrong
How to draw a rectangle in AutoCAD with REC. Covers all eight options, exact drawing-set dimensions, and three reasons a rectangle lands in the wrong place.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How to draw a revision cloud in AutoCAD: four methods, the right arc size and clearing them all
How to draw a revision cloud in AutoCAD with REVCLOUD. Covers the four ways to create one, picking an arc size for building drawings, and clearing them all.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How to measure an arc in AutoCAD: arc length, radius, angle and dividing it evenly
How to measure an arc in AutoCAD with the right command for each job. Covers arc length with DIMARC, a radius whose centre is off the sheet, and dividing arcs.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How to draw an arc in AutoCAD: 11 methods, the counter-clockwise rule and the radius trap
How to draw an arc in AutoCAD, with eleven construction methods. Covers the four used most, the counter-clockwise rule, and why a radius can draw nothing.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The hatch command in AutoCAD: 83 built-in patterns, scale, origin and loading a library
The hatch command in AutoCAD fills materials and sections. Covers the 83 built-in patterns, picking a scale, setting the origin and loading a PAT file.
AutoCAD – Drawings
The ZOOM command in AutoCAD, and three jobs people confuse with it
The zoom command in AutoCAD changes the view, not the drawing. Learn how ZOOM differs from SCALE and DIMSCALE, plus the X suffix and the XP factor.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Object snap in AutoCAD: turning it on, tuning it, and fixing snaps that fail
Object snap in AutoCAD switches on with F3. This guide covers picking the right modes, one-off overrides, and fixing snaps that fail on hatches and dimensions.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How to draw an arrow in CAD: hands-on MLEADER, PLINE and symbol arrows
Draw an arrow in CAD three different ways: MLEADER for annotation on a leader, PLINE with width for a solid arrow, and blocks for view direction marks.
Revit
Revit project templates: choosing, checking and applying one
A revit project template per discipline: architecture, structure, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, fire. Four checks before you trust one, plus how to apply it.
Revit
Revit terminology: a working glossary for documentation
Revit terminology in three tables: modelling and components, views and documentation, materials and rendering, plus the pairs of terms most often confused.
Revit
Scope box in Revit, work planes and reference planes
Scope box in Revit 2027: drawing one, assigning grids to it, how it differs from a section box, and setting the work plane before you sketch.
Revit Architecture
Model in place in Revit: building, joining and cutting solids
Model in place in Revit 2027: the two dialogs before you draw, what the category choice settles, and three ways to combine solids with join, cut and voids.
Revit
Revit model performance: slow models, crashes and damaged files
Revit model performance in 2027: seven causes of a slow model, the order to clean it, Purge Unused, Review Warnings, the Audit box and backup recovery.
Revit
The Revit user interface: ten regions and how to navigate views
The Revit user interface in 2027: the ten regions of the window, the Home screen, Properties and Project Browser, the ViewCube, and temporary hide keys.
Revit
Linking Revit models and interference checking between disciplines
Linking Revit models in 2027: seven positioning options, overlay against attachment, the redesigned Manage Links dialog, and interference checks.
Revit Architecture
Groups in Revit and furniture layout: model groups and model text
Groups in Revit 2027: creating model groups for a repeated flat, the trap of rooms inside groups, placing furniture by host type, and 3D model text.
Revit Architecture
Columns in Revit: architectural columns, structural columns and beams
Columns in Revit 2027: how architectural columns differ from structural ones, placing them on grid intersections, resizing a type, and where beams come from.
Revit Architecture
Rendering in Revit: materials, image quality and render times
Rendering in Revit 2027: set material appearance and texture scale, pick a quality level against real render times, fix exposure and render in the cloud.
Revit Architecture
Perspective in Revit: camera, display styles, sun and shadows
Perspective in Revit 2027: place a camera, pick a display style, set the project location so shadows match a Vietnamese latitude, and read the sun path.
Revit Architecture
Toposolid in Revit: terrain, contours and the site plan
Toposolid in Revit 2027 replaces Toposurface. Sketch terrain, enter survey levels, set the contour interval, excavate and lay out the site plan.
Revit Architecture
Room area in Revit, colour fill plans and area plans
Room area in Revit depends on four wall references you set once for the project. Place rooms, tag them, colour them by name, then build an area plan.
Revit Architecture
Curtain wall in Revit: grids, mullions and panels
Draw a curtain wall in Revit with the Wall tool, divide it with the five Layout options, place mullions on the grid lines and choose what fills each panel.
Revit
How to copy in Revit: select well, copy fast, paste to another level
How to copy in Revit with the Copy tool, paste to other levels with Paste Aligned, use Array, Mirror and Offset, plus four ways to select what you mean.
Revit
Create a title block in Revit and lay out sheets, from rft to sheet list
Create a title block in Revit from an rft template, add labels that read parameters, load it into a project, make sheets, place views and build a sheet list.
Revit
Revit project units and templates: set them before you draw
Revit project units live in the Project Units dialog, opened with UN: set discipline, rounding and symbols, change inches to millimetres, then save a template.
Revit
Link CAD files in Revit: link or import, positioning and fixes
Link CAD files in Revit or import them, choose the right positioning and units, manage and delete the link, and fix a background that will not show.
Revit
Levels and grids in Revit: draw, copy, number and hide them
Levels and grids in Revit: draw with the Level and Grid tools, add a story, copy and number them, 2D and 3D extents, hide grids and fix a grid not showing.
Revit Architecture
How to hide elements in Revit and control what each view shows
How to hide elements in Revit with temporary and permanent hiding, the Visibility Graphics dialog, override priority, view range, view templates and filters.
Revit Architecture
How to create a section in Revit: section lines, jogs, elevations and 3D sections
How to create a section in Revit with the Section tool: place the line, set view depth, jog the line, name views for the set, add elevations and 3D sections.
Revit
Revit keyboard shortcuts 2027: the full list by task and how to add your own
Revit keyboard shortcuts for 2027 grouped by task: modelling, editing, hide and isolate, snaps. Plus how to add, change and share shortcuts as an XML file.
Revit Architecture
Revit wall sweep: baseboards, reveals, painting walls and editing wall profiles
Revit wall sweeps in Revit 2027 step by step: baseboards and cornices, wall reveals, painting part of a wall with Split Face, Edit Profile and Attach Top.
Revit Architecture
How to create walls in Revit: wall types, Location Line, layer structure and wall joins
How to create walls in Revit 2027 step by step: wall types, Location Line, level constraints, Edit Assembly layers, wall joins, curved and slanted walls.
Revit Architecture
How to add doors in Revit: doors, windows, wall openings and new door types
How to add doors in Revit 2027 step by step: load families, create door sizes, flip doors, window sill height, wall openings, paste doors to other levels.
Revit Architecture
Revit filled region and 2D details: detail lines, legends and drafting views step by step
Revit filled region and 2D details in Revit 2027: Detail Line, Line Styles, Masking Region, Repeating Detail, Drafting View, Legend views and fixing symbols.
Revit Architecture
How to tag in Revit and add text notes: Vietnamese fonts, tags and shared parameters
How to tag in Revit 2027 step by step: text notes with Vietnamese characters, text types, Tag by Category, Tag All, question-mark tags, shared parameters.
Revit Architecture
How to dimension in Revit: dimension strings, spot elevations and spot slopes
How to dimension in Revit 2027 step by step: Tab snaps, three dimension strings, a mm dimension style, metre spot elevations with a plus sign, Spot Slope.
Revit Architecture
How to create a schedule in Revit: doors, rooms, material takeoffs and export to Excel
How to create a schedule in Revit 2027 step by step: fields, filters, grouping, door and room schedules, material takeoffs, font fixes and CSV export.
Revit Architecture
How to create a ceiling in Revit step by step, plasterboard and dropped ceilings included
How to create a ceiling in Revit 2027 step by step: ceiling plans, plasterboard types, Automatic and Sketch Ceiling, dropped ceilings, centred grids and lights.
Revit Architecture
How to create a floor in Revit step by step, with slopes, drops and openings
How to create a floor in Revit 2027 step by step: layers, Pick Walls outlines, sloped floors, dropped wet areas, Shaft openings and hiding floors in a view.
Revit Architecture
How to create a roof in Revit: pitched, flat, curved and glazed
How to create a roof in Revit 2027 step by step: five steps for a pitched roof, why one edge changes the whole form, tiling patterns, and flat roof falls.
Revit Architecture
How to draw stairs in Revit: five steps and six numbers
How to draw stairs in Revit 2027 step by step: building a two-flight stair with a landing, the six numbers that must agree, and setting up railings correctly.
Revit
How to export Revit drawings to CAD and PDF, step by step
How to export Revit drawings to CAD and PDF on Revit 2027: the four setup tabs to check, how to name the files, and three checks after exporting.
Revit
How to create a Revit family, from template to parameters and formulas
How to create a Revit family: pick the metric template, lock geometry to reference planes, declare type and instance parameters, write formulas, load it in.
Cost estimating – QS
What a construction cost estimate is, and the six cost groups it contains
What is a construction cost estimate, and what does it contain? The six cost groups under Vietnam's Decree 206/2026, plus one item that has just moved.
Careers
Where to learn construction software in Hanoi: seven tests and five questions
How to choose where to learn construction software without paying twice: seven tests of teachers, materials and certificates, and five questions to ask first.
Structures
What Robot Structural Analysis is, and when to choose it over ETABS
Robot Structural Analysis is strongest at its two-way link with Revit, while ETABS still wins on tall buildings and design review. A decision table by case.
AutoCAD – Drawings
What AutoCAD is, and what it actually does on a construction project
AutoCAD is Autodesk's technical drawing software. A guide from the Institute: what it does on a real project, the three versions, the price, how to learn it.
News
What an AutoCAD licence costs in 2026, and which of the three versions you need
An AutoCAD licence costs about 10 to 13 million dong for LT and 40 to 48 million for the full version per year. How the three differ, is three years cheaper?
News
What a Revit licence costs in Vietnam, and how to read a software quotation
The Revit licence cost in Vietnam runs about 50 to 55 million dong per seat per year. How to read a quotation line, how it compares with the AEC Collection.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How many hours a week does AutoCAD programming save? Measure before you learn
How many hours AutoCAD programming saves: a one-week measurement of five repeated jobs, AutoLISP versus VB.NET, five tools students wrote, and what to know.
AutoCAD – Drawings
What advanced AutoCAD actually covers: 10 skills that separate a professional
What advanced AutoCAD covers: a ten-question self-test, ten skills with the time each saves, dynamic blocks, Layout, Xref, Sheet Set and an office CAD standard.
Structures
High rise design with ETABS and SAFE: the eight steps engineers actually follow
High rise design with ETABS and SAFE in eight steps: structural system, model set-up, loads, modal checks, member design, foundations in SAFE, deliverables.
Cost estimating – QS
Cost estimate versus tender price: eight differences a new engineer must know
A cost estimate versus tender price differ in purpose, author, norms and input rates. An eight-point comparison, plus seven things to change when pricing a bid.
Tekla
What is a shop drawing? How it differs from the design drawings, and how it gets approved
What is a shop drawing, how it differs from the approved design, who prepares it, the submittal loop and its four outcomes, and why drawings come back.
Scheduling
What is the critical path? Five reasons construction schedules slip, and how to hold them
What the critical path is, shown on one townhouse; five reasons construction schedules slip on real sites, the weekly update routine and how to report it.
Architecture – Visualisation
What is architectural visualisation? The SketchUp, 3ds Max and Photoshop path
Architectural visualisation as a career or a side skill: what each of the three tools does, and a 12-week path from SketchUp through 3ds Max to Photoshop.
Cost estimating – QS
Vietnam construction decrees in force in 2026: what replaced what
Vietnam construction decrees in force from 1 July 2026: 217/2026 replaces 175/2024, 206 replaces 10/2021, 210 replaces 37/2015, plus the transitional rules.
News
Construction software: a map of the tools each project stage needs
A map of construction software across the seven stages of a project, the difference between engineering and management tools, and what to learn first.
News
Install Tekla free for students: three steps from account to running software
How to install Tekla free for students: create a Trimble account, set an Educational profile, then download the installer and the South-East Asia environment.
Revit
Dynamo: the complete guide to visual programming for Revit — what it is, what it does, Dynamo vs the Revit API, and how to learn it
Dynamo is the visual programming tool bundled with Revit. What Dynamo is, nodes and graphs, packages, Dynamo Player, everyday uses, and Dynamo vs the Revit API.
Revit MEP
What is Revit MEP? What an MEP engineer actually does with it on a project
Revit MEP is the building-services toolset in Autodesk Revit. What the M, E and P systems model and return, and the six jobs an MEP engineer does with it.
Revit
Revit: the complete guide to Autodesk's BIM software — three disciplines, versions, price and how to learn it
Revit is Autodesk's BIM software. This guide covers Revit vs AutoCAD, the Architecture, Structure and MEP disciplines, versions, licensing and how to learn it.
BIM
What is the difference between BIM and Revit? Knowing Revit is not doing BIM
The difference between BIM and Revit: BIM is a way of working, Revit is one tool. Why fluency in Revit is not enough, and what real BIM needs as well.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How long does it take to learn AutoCAD? From zero to a real drawing set
How long does it take to learn AutoCAD? Three skill levels with real hours each, self-taught versus taught, the hardware you need and what to learn next.
Cost estimating – QS
What goes into as-built records? The list under Decree 207/2026, now in force
As-built records under Decree 207/2026, which replaced Decree 06/2021: the three-group list, how to produce and stamp an as-built drawing, who signs it.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How to read reinforced concrete structural drawings, from the general notes to the bar schedule
How to read structural drawings in the right order: general notes, foundation plan, framing plan, beam and column sections, bar schedule. What 4Ø20 and Ø8a150 mean.
Cost estimating – QS
What should construction economics students learn to be job-ready at graduation?
What construction economics students should add outside the lecture hall: the 4 skills employers test first, what to learn each year, where graduates work.
BIM
Is a BIM certificate required in Vietnam? Practice certificates versus course certificates
How a practice certificate differs from a course certificate, why no BIM practice certificate exists in Vietnam, and how firms prove BIM capability when bidding.
Careers
Learn Revit online or in person? An honest comparison, including where online loses
Online or in-person classes for construction software: how a live online class differs from pre-recorded video, and which software works online.
Civil 3D
What is Civil 3D? A living road model, not a stack of separate drawings
What Civil 3D is, how it differs from AutoCAD, how surfaces, alignments, profiles and corridors stay linked, and where earthwork quantities come from.
News
What is IFC? The open format that lets BIM tools read each other's models
What IFC is, who maintains it, how the versions differ, what survives an IFC export and what stays behind, and when to send the native file instead.
Revit
What is a family in Revit, and why your library sets your modelling speed
What a Revit family is, how it differs from a type and an instance, the three kinds and when to use each, and five traps in downloaded families.
Revit MEP
What a building services engineer needs to move from 2D to BIM
What an MEP engineer needs to learn to move from 2D to BIM: what a model gives building services, three 2D habits to drop, an eight-week path and how coordination works.
Tekla
Steel shop drawings: from the Tekla model to fabrication drawings
How steel shop drawings differ from design drawings, the six steps from a Tekla model to fabrication drawings, and the modelling errors that reach the shop floor.
AutoCAD – Drawings
AutoCAD for civil engineering students: how good do you need to be in year one?
How much AutoCAD a civil engineering student actually needs: the good-enough level for each year, a four-week path to the first design project, and habits to avoid.
Cost estimating – QS
Construction payment and settlement records: the checklist under Decrees 210/2026 and 254/2025
What construction payment and settlement records contain: a stage-by-stage checklist, forms 02.a/TT to 05.a/TT, deadlines under Decrees 210/2026 and 254/2025.
AutoCAD – Drawings
Construction drawing symbols: 110 illustrated symbols to current TCVN standards
110 construction drawing symbols with figures: doors, windows, stairs, line types, materials, structure, services. Jump-to index and a printable PDF.
News
What is Cubicost? Glodon's 5D BIM quantity takeoff suite explained
What Cubicost is, who makes it, which modules it contains and how it takes off quantities, plus where the suite stops in the Vietnamese cost workflow.
News
Installing Robot Structural Analysis free for structural students
How to get Robot Structural Analysis free with an Autodesk Education account, the minimum requirements for 2027, and how the two-way link with Revit works.
News
Installing Navisworks free for students, and how to federate models
How to get Navisworks free with an Autodesk Education account, the difference between Manage, Simulate and Freedom, and the minimum requirements for 2027.
Civil 3D
Installing Civil 3D free for students in roads and infrastructure
How to get Civil 3D free with an Autodesk Education account, the official minimum requirements for 2027, and why you do not need to install AutoCAD separately.
News
Installing AutoCAD free for students, and the minimum requirements for 2027
How to download and install AutoCAD with an Autodesk Education account, the official minimum requirements for AutoCAD 2027, and the setup worth doing first.
News
Installing Revit free for students, and the minimum requirements for 2027
How to download and install Revit with an Autodesk Education account, the official minimum requirements for Revit 2027, what is new in 2027, and common errors.
News
Autodesk Education for students: creating an account and verifying your school
How to create an Autodesk Education account with your school email, submit verification documents, and activate free licensed software as a student.
Revit
What is the Revit API? Can an engineer with no programming background learn it
What the Revit API is and what it does, Dynamo or C#, how much programming you actually need, a four-stage path for engineers, and who hires for this.
Architecture – Visualisation
SketchUp or Revit for first and second year architecture students?
Which to learn first. The two programs serve different design stages — a comparison against what early studio work actually demands, and when to move to Revit.
BIM
How infrastructure BIM differs from building BIM, and what Civil 3D is for
Why infrastructure BIM turns on alignments, terrain and earthworks, where Revit runs out, what Civil 3D does, and what Vietnamese law says about linear works.
Structures
The difference between ETABS and SAP2000, and where SAFE fits in
How ETABS and SAP2000 actually differ, when SAFE is required, a lookup table by structure type, which one to learn first, and why two models disagree.
Tekla
What is Tekla Structures? And when to use it instead of Revit Structure
What is Tekla Structures, how it differs from Revit Structure across eight criteria, where it wins on steel and precast, and what you need before learning it.
Scheduling
What is MS Project? Building a construction schedule from scratch
What is MS Project and how it beats a spreadsheet, the three ideas you must grasp, seven steps to a working construction schedule, and MS Project or Primavera.
BIM
What is a BEP? The BIM execution plan, and how to write one people actually use
What is a BEP, how it differs from the EIR, the five questions every BEP must answer, a look inside a real project BEP, and why a BEP is a living document.
BIM
BIM regulations in Vietnam: grade II works and above must apply BIM from 1 July 2026
BIM regulations in Vietnam changed on 1 July 2026. Decree 217/2026 makes BIM mandatory for new works of grade II and above, whatever the funding.
BIM
What is a CDE? The common data environment in BIM, explained for beginners
What is a CDE and how it differs from a shared drive: the four states, the legal duty from 1 July 2026, and the main platforms such as ACC and Aconex.
BIM
What is Navisworks used for? Clash detection and 4D simulation, explained simply
What Navisworks is and what it is for - why model review needs its own tool, what one missed clash costs, how 4D simulation works and who should learn it.
BIM
What is a BIM Manager? The role, the pay, the career path and how it differs from a BIM Coordinator
What a BIM Manager is, what the job involves day to day, how it differs from a Project Manager and a BIM Coordinator, what it pays and how long it takes.
BIM
What is BIM? An explanation for people outside the industry, in 10 minutes
BIM is not a piece of software. What BIM actually is, explained with a real example, why grade II works and above must now apply it, and where to start.
Scheduling
What is Synchro 4D? Construction schedule simulation with Synchro, and how it differs from Navisworks
What Synchro 4D is and who makes it; how it differs from Navisworks TimeLiner; when it is worth buying, what it costs, a project workflow and where to learn it.
Revit
What is LOD in BIM? LOD 100, 200, 300, 350, 400 and 500 explained, and when each applies
What LOD in BIM means and who defines it, LOD 100 to 500 shown on one concrete column, and the contract mistakes that make LOD expensive.
BIM
What are BIM 4D and 5D? From 3D to 7D, and the software used at each level
4D adds time, 5D adds cost, 6D and 7D cover operations and energy. What each BIM dimension means, which software is used at each, and how far Vietnam has got.
Revit
Revit Architecture vs Structure vs MEP Compared: Understand Each and Choose by Your Job
Revit Architecture vs Structure vs MEP compared: what each branch does, a decision table by job role, how hard switching is, and which is short of people.
Careers
Which software should a new civil engineering graduate learn first? Priority by job role
A priority table by job role — structural, estimating, site, architecture, MEP — plus how employers test new graduates and a six-month learning plan.
AutoCAD – Drawings
How to read construction drawings: what the set contains and the order to read it
How to read construction drawings: what the set contains, the order to read it in, how architectural, structural and MEP sets differ, plus an exercise.
Cost estimating – QS
What is quantity take-off? Seven mistakes beginners make when measuring
What quantity take-off is, where it sits in the estimating process, a 5-step method for measuring off the drawings, and the 7 mistakes beginners make.
Cost estimating – QS
What is a quantity surveyor? The job, the salary and the path to becoming a QS in Vietnam
What is a quantity surveyor? The QS owns quantities, cost and contracts. Average pay in Vietnam is about 18 million dong a month, and how QS differs from QA/QC.
Cost estimating – QS
What Is a Construction Cost Estimate? What It Does, What It Contains and Where Beginners Start
What is a construction cost estimate: the cost of a building worked out before it is built, its three layers, Vietnam rules from 1 July 2026, a 6-week roadmap.