Shortcut Hightway for 2010

[kjanik]

Any word on the Revit 2010 verison.

Also an editor for the QAT Bar would be great to enable reordering of the items since that is not possible now stored in the UIState.dat file.

Kevin

[Marek]

We hope to release SH 2010 by June, maybe sooner.

Our entire focus right now is on the estimating functionality in BIMHighway.

[kjanik]

Just an idea for you which I also sent to local resellers.

Since the new 2010 QAT (Quick Access Tool Bar) is so hard to reorder, I am sure a programmer could create a small program to enable people to reorder the items in the bar that would be a great help since that is not possible now without starting from a blank slate. The information is stored in the UIState.dat file it seems.

Kevin

[Marek]

We'll look into it.

[LouisJ]

It won't be easy...

Here's what I think:

I think the control that Autodesk uses to show the ribbon and QAT has an option to 'Save to file' the layout of the tools on it. (These controls always have a 'save' option.)
Saving the layout for these types of controls normally have two options:
1. Save to Binary file - this file is not editable and if you hack it, it normally breaks and crashes your main application. We've had these problems in the past - even the binary files that were saved by the control itself sometimes crashes on 'load'
2. Save to XML - this is better (for us) because we can edit the XML file, and Revit can just reload the changed file.

I think there is a pretty good reason why Autodesk can't allow the reordering of the tools on the toolbar - because the control falls over when you do.
That is also the reason they save it to a binary file and not xml. Because they know we'll hack the XML, change it (and crash Revit)

The good news is that they are saving the layout to file, which they don't need to do if they don't have plans for us to modify it later.

Another example is:
The toolbar controls normaly have a 'customize' option. This option can be enabled or not. It is a setting on the control itself and all the revit developers need to do is set 'allowcustomize = True' then we can customize the layout, add/remove buttons etc.

[lbourdo]

I am too wanting to see this program come out. I just started using 2010 and I can't function without my short cuts! It's taking too long to manually do it and this program would be a tremendous help!

Thanks,
Lorne

[kjanik]

Does that mean it is not possible or not something you want to persue.

Kevin

[Marek]

Nothing's impossible (although it may be) - and it's not something we want to pursue.

[spot987]

Autodesk have just made Revit 2010 even more shortcut dependent. I refuse to start using it with out setting up my shortcuts defaults. Just one look at shortcut .txt file and the daunting task of doing it manaully was to much,so back to 2009.
So another big "please" for Shortcut highway 2010.

Thanks Mark

[Marek]

We'll do our best for June. If we make faster progress, I'll post here.

[spot987]

Just to add to KJANIK,s post I accept ther is no way to reorder QAT, do you think there would be any way to resize it ? and maybe center it ?. On my 30" screen the QAT is way to narrow and hitting the undo and redo button has to be done with pinpoint accuracy.

Mark

[Marek]

We'll come back to you regards the QAT - need to look into it.

[LouisJ]

First, we'll finish Shortcut Highway for Revit 2010. (Release date as stated before - end June 2009) and we'll be able to handle the shortcuts in 2010 and it will be backward compatible with earlier versions of Revit.

After the Shortcut Highway 2010 release...
We'll look at the Ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar and see if it is worth the effort. We've spent about an hour or two looking at ways to 'interface' with it, on the surface it looks as if we'll be able to 'make some changes' - hold thumbs...

[kjanik]

How is the Shortcut Highway going?

Just checking?

Anything that helps with the Revit 2010 UI would be great! Have you seen the RevPac (I believe) tool Beta on AUGI for the UI?

Kevin

[Marek]

Hi Kevin

We've focused exclusively on:

(a) BIMHighway Estimator (1st public release)
(b) BIMHighway Content Manager (build2)

Both are scheduled for release next week. Estimator will provide for the (near) real-time estimating of Revit projects.

Shortcut Highway unfortunately is on the back burner for now.

[kjanik]

Now your other products are out, what are your plans for the Shortcut Highway?

Kevin

[Marek]

All our resources are focused on Project Estimator right now.

Shortcut Highway will be updated later.

Have you looked at Estimator?

[kjanik]

Any idea when you will get to it? I am sure your estimating program is great but we are not there right now as many other companies. The UI in Revit 2010 is the focus of many and the shortcuts are a big issue to manage.

Kevin

[Marek]

We'll scope it and come back to you.

[kjanik]

Any word on a time table?

Sorry to be a pest but I just thought I would ask again!

Kevin

[Marek]

No ETA yet. Business is currently focused on core projects. SH is on a backburner.

[kjanik]

What does the radar screen look like now regarding the Revit Shortcut Highway?

I know, I am a pest!

Kevin

[kjanik]

What does the radar screen look like now regarding the Revit Shortcut Highway?

I know, I am a pest!

Kevin

I have not heard back from you on the last post so I thought I would try again. Any word? Your previous work on the Shortcut Highway was so good!

It also has been over two months since you last post on this subject. This product is a nice introduction to get people excited about your other two more advanced projects!

Kevin

[kjanik]

I have not heard back from you on the last post so I thought I would try again. Any word? Your previous work on the Shortcut Highway was so good!

It also has been over two months since you last post on this subject. This product is a nice introduction to get people excited about your other two more advanced projects!

Kevin

Any word? I feel like you have decided to drop the Shortcut Highway. Is that true.

Kevin

[Marek]

We'll try to fit in a 2010 SH release in December.

[kjanik]

Marek,

That sounds great! Also, we will think heavily about it working out!

Kevin