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Messages - Medeek

#1366
Version 0.9.8c - 03.21.2019
- Created the HTML edit outlet menu and enabled editing for outlets.

As part of this upgrade I'm also addressing interoperability and metric template issues and other minor fixes for outlets.
#1367
Version 0.9.8b - 03.20.2019
- Enabled interoperability with John Brock's Framer for SketchUp extension.

http://estimatorforsketchup.com/downloads/framer-for-sketchup/

I've limited the interoperability to switches only until I can further test this new feature/integration.  Once I am satisfied that there are no issues I will enable all other electrical devices.
#1368
Version 0.9.8 - 03.19.2019
- Created the HTML edit switch menu and enabled editing for switches.
- Resolved some bugs in the switch and panel modules having to do with metric templates/units.
#1369
I apologize if I have offended any of the younger crowd with my (broad brush) comments on the lack of perceived skills in the up and coming generations (millennials, Gen Z).  I do think they possess some qualities that my generation is missing but at the same time there does seem to be a serious brain drain as the old guard retires (baby boomers).
#1370
After listening to Aaron's latest podcast on the state of the residential construction market and how it relates to SketchUp I think I have at least a few points that I would like to add to what has been said.

The residential construction industry has been notoriously slow to change I think many of us can agree on that but I also do see a paradigm shift and the industry appears to be on the the verge of upgrading to the "high tech" world of BIM and 3D modeling like its commercial and industrial cousins already have.

The reason for this shift seems to be three fold in my opinion.  The first reason is that the 2008 financial crisis caused everyone to tighten their belts just a little more.  Methods that worked before were just not good enough anymore.  Further increasing efficiency and eliminating waste became the necessity.  This need for more control of the process requires better models and a better understanding of the actual amounts of materials being used.  As Brock noted, 2D plans only get you so far, they leave a lot of the structure undesigned or unaccounted for.  An accurate 3D model eliminates waste and requires the designer to fully understand and contend with the structure.  Clashes and potential flaws are much easier to identify and fix prior to the actual construction in the field. 

I see a big push by production builders to pre-fab wall panels in a controlled (shop) environment.  This allows for better quality control and also for less skilled laborers since all of the thinking has already been done for them.  Each wall panel has an accurate framing plan associated with it and it is no longer up to the individual carpenter to decide how to build the structure.  The skilled carpenter has and will become a thing of the past.  The new construction laborers will be more like worker bees and less the skilled craftsman they once were.

This brings me to the second reason for the shift.  The upcoming generation (millennials and Gen Z) are less savvy when it comes to the trades and using their hands.  These are the generations raised on Angry Birds and Pokemon Go.  For some reason they seem to lack some of the skill and craftmanship associated with the skilled laborers and carpenters of the past.  Asking them to cut stair stringers and hip rafters/jacks makes their head spin.  This lack of skilled laborers in the field further necessitates the need to further automate the design and build process and take the thinking out of the hands on the job site.

Finally the third biggest reason for the paradigm shift is the moving on of the Baby Boomer generation (the old guard).  Most of the boomer generation saw a major point of inflection at the crisis in 2008 - 2012.  A lot of retirement happened and continues to happen.  Before the crisis even in my own family my Dad was building spec homes in Utah like their was no end in sight.  The crisis completely took the wind out of his sails and even though the housing market has recovered he did not.  At 72 years old he doesn't have the energy or the drive to start over and so has consigned himself to retirement.  I think this same story is not unique to just my family but to many other small and medium builders out there as well.

The industry is now run by my generation (Gen X) and maybe some day by the millennials (perhaps somewhat of a scary thought still).  With the changing of the guard comes new ideas and new methods.  My generation was raised on computers and tech, we are not afraid of bringing this new beast into the workplace and finding ways to leverage it to our advantage.  Working from emails, screens and PDFs come naturally, paper is nice but not a necessity anymore.  Resistance to change will always be there but BIM and other "technological concepts" are far more likely to take hold among this newer generation of construction professionals than the previous one.

So yes, the residential construction industry is on the verge of change in my honest opinion.  In fact, I think many professionals are actively seeking the vehicle of change (eg. Revit, Chief Architect, ArchiCad, AutoCad, SketchUp), based on my many conversations (email and phone) with various players in the field.  Unlike the commercial industry, no single player has taken a firm hold of this market yet, its still too early and the smoke and dust literally has not settled. 

This is why there is such an urgency by myself and other developers (PlusSpec, John Brock, etc...) to try and put together a system(s) which would allow SketchUp to become a significant player in this emerging market.  In the next few years the battle lines will be drawn and someone or something will emerge from the fray to dominate the residential (BIM) design and construction market.  My goal is to make sure that SketchUp is able to capture that prize.  I am hopeful that Trimble/SketchUp can also recognize the seriousness and magnitude of this paradigm shift and their potential role within it.  As such increased development and efforts on improving the performance of Layout will go a long ways in cementing their position of strength within the marketplace.
#1371
This plugin will be essentially the command and control center for the mdkBIM suite.  The other plugins are there to create and edit the geometry, specializing in their specific niches while this plugin will contain the tools that works across all three plugins, bringing everything together.

There is so much work to be done to make all of this a reality.  I don't even take weekends or vacations off anymore.  My last coding break was in September, during the SketchUp Basecamp.  I won't take a break from the code until I have completed what I set out to accomplish or I fall out of my chair trying.
#1372
Please take a look at the latest Podcast by Aaron (SketchUp) on residential construction:



I agree 100% with John Brock, there is no need to go to Revit, we should be able to design, engineer, estimate and construct a building using only SketchUp.
#1373
First look at the icons for the Medeek Project extension:





This plugin is the administrative plugin that will bring a number of tasks together in the mdkBIM suite.

Planned modules and tools:

- Medeek Project:  Project Info, Design Criteria, Levels
- Medeek Documents:  Scenes, DXF, PDF (removed from Wall plugin)
- Medeek Estimator (removed from Wall plugin)
#1374
The Shearwall Module icons and toolbar:



A good portion of the necessary code for this module will be borrowed from the Simpson Strong-Wall module with some distinct differences.
#1375
Two new plugins that will then bring the total number of the plugins in the mdkBIM suite to five will be:

Medeek Project
Medeek Engineering


The engineering plugin is still a little ways out but the shearwall module (not for calcs but for adding the actual shearwall into the wall panels) will actually be part of the Wall plugin.

Initially I will allow the user to create segmented or perforated shearwalls.  I am actively looking for practicing engineers and engineering firms who would like to become involved a chance to become a development sponsors and be listed in the sponsors section of my plugin pages.  Primarily the role would involve testing and feedback and any additional comments that they feel should be voiced.

I realize that many aspects of the architectural elements and estimating are far from finished and I am not taking my focus off of those in any way however I do want to lay out the template/foundation for where I am hoping to take all of this.
#1376
Version 1.2.3 - 03.15.2019
- Updated toolbar icons to be compatible with 4k (UHD) resolution monitors.
#1377
Version 2.3.1 - 03.15.2019
- Fixed a bug with the wall cladding material parameter in the global settings.
- Updated toolbar icons to be compatible with 4k (UHD) resolution monitors.
#1378
The Medeek Project module will actually form a new plugin within the mdkBIM suite.  For now there will be no cost associated with this "add-on" plugin.  I am separating this module out into its own plugin because the features it enables are designed to work with all three plugins rather than just the wall plugin.  I will probably also move the Medeek Estimator into this plugin as well.
#1379
Version 0.9.7 - 03.14.2019
- Updated toolbar icons to be compatible with 4k (UHD) resolution monitors.
#1380
Before I proceed much further with the documents module, specifically with generating scenes for floor plans (and associated auto-dimensioning) I really need to put the project module into place.  This new module will include a tool for assigning project meta data to a model (eg. customer, address, designer/architect, engineer, project title etc...).  Even more importantly this module will include the levels tool which will allow the user to configure various levels/stories for a project. 

In order to properly organize a model the wall panels really should be assigned to a specific level.  Then automating certain tasks will become much easier and logical.

This module will also include a tool/interface for entering in site criteria (engineering!) for the specific job:  Ground snow load, Seismic Data, Basic Wind Speed, Frost line Depth, Soil bearing capacity etc...  Eventually this data will then be utilized by the engineering module to automatically run lateral and vertical calcs on the architectural -> structural model.