WORKSHOP/SEMINAR
PARAMETRIC RAPID PROTOTYPING

Assignment 1: Accounts and first geometrical modeling exercise

Most of you will likely have already obtained the necessary computer accounts needed for this seminar, part 1). Otherwise, you will need to obtain these several accounts within the next few days. Within this first assignment, you are asked to ensure that you have the necessary computer accounts and then to begin the first geometrical modeling exercise. In part 2), you also have the option to download the software, Generative Components (GC).  GC runs "on top of" Microstation's core technology.  For the most part we will not be using Microstation directly in the class, but rather focused on GC which has a distinct interface, method, and is for practical purposes a separate product.

1) If necessary, obtain the following accounts by referring to the accounts page located in the computer technologies section of the Architecture School's Web server:

• University home directory account
• University email account
• School of Architecture computer login account.

2) Download Generative Components (GC) for your personal use, free for academic use to all degree students at the university enrolled in classes at the School of Architecture. Note that we just recently received an update of GC and so we are making two versions of the software available.  At the time of writing this exercise, the latest release has only been tested a limited number of times by the course instructor. Therefore, you may either wish to use version based upon the current  Bentley / MicroStation CAD XM edition version from this past fall, or try using the newest version with improvements and minor differences. The newer version is probably the best bet. The web site instructions include important notes and licensing information. The essential steps are as follows::

 OPTION 1:  To obtain the latest release MicroStation CAD v8i

1. Begin by going to the web site: https://secure.arch.virginia.edu/software/ and login using you UVA computer id and password.
2. Obtain a FREE copy of the Generative Components software from the Schools web site: https://secure.arch.virginia.edu/software/
3. The Prerequisite Pack should be installed first, then the other three products noted below and installed in the following order:

1. Prerequisite Pack — Technical requirements for running all software. This must be instaled first, before anything else.
2. MicroStation CAD v8i — The core 3D graphics and modeling platform product. The Prerequisite Pack should be installed first, then this.
3. Bentley Architecture — Architectural BIM tools and libraries.
4. Generative Components — An associative, generative, parametric modeling and scripting engine, promoted by Bentley and the Smart Geometry Group as a new tool for architectural geometry.
5. Follow the licensing instructions also indicated at https://secure.arch.virginia.edu/software/.

1. Begin by going to the web site: https://secure.arch.virginia.edu/software/ and login using you UVA computer id and password.
2. Obtain a FREE copy of the Generative Components software from the Schools web site: https://secure.arch.virginia.edu/software/
3. The Prerequisite Pack should be installed first, then the other four products noted below and installed in the following order:

1. Prerequisite Pack — Technical requirements for running all software. This must be instaled first, before anything else.
2. MicroStation CAD — The core 3D graphics and modeling platform product. The Prerequisite Pack should be installed first, then this.
3. MicroStation Visualization Interchange — A series of import/export and interoperability plugins for Sketchup, Maxwell Render, Google, etc.
4. Bentley Architecture — Architectural BIM tools and libraries.
5. Generative Components — An associative, generative, parametric modeling and scripting engine, promoted by Bentley and the Smart Geometry Group as a new tool for architectural geometry.
6. Follow the licensing instructions also indicated at https://secure.arch.virginia.edu/software/.

4) Look ahead at next week's assignment and begin part 1: