Revit Architecture tips & tricks

• Nudge (Use your arrow keys to move objects around. Its not accurate but perfect for text especially as the movement amount is zoom sensitive.)
• SZ (Snap option to close a chain of lines for floors, profiles etc.)
• Blue (Represent links in Levels symbols, Section markers etc. if double clicked; also represent linked values ie. parameters in tags, that turn blue after selecting them.)
• Shift + Control (Toggles elements in/out of the selection set when pressed together)
• Mirror axis (There is a pen button to create an axis after you have selected the command.)
• Surfaces are defined by material (can be overriden), lines are defined by category.
• Edit wall join can be selected before joining walls up, to disable jointing and indicating them as separate elements.
• Right clicking on sheet names in the browser allows them to be copied and pasted with all added text notes, detail elements etc. (Only works on empty sheets ie. no views dragged in.)
• Ctrl Drag will copy the elements, while it also lets you see them (not available in ordinary copying).
• Grouping text to a reference line will allow you to rotate them together in a family. (Rotatable column tag enclosed – a long standing wish.)
  
  More here...

Assigning Revit 8.1 as my default for files
It was recently discussed on augi where Revit 8.1 doesn't become your default for loading projects or families. The files would always open in Revit 8 regardless if the files where already 8.1 or not.

• Go to Windows Explorer (you must have Admin or Power User rights to do this)
  
• Tools>Folder Options, then File Types Tab
• Find RVT in the list of files, highlight it, then click Advanced (opens new Dialog)
• Click the New Button. in Action Type "Open with Revit 8.1" (no quotes)
• In Application used to perform this action, Type exactly:
• "C:\Program Files\Autodesk Revit Building 8.1\Program\Revit.exe" "%1"
• Click the function use DDE.
• Type this exactly as is inside the DDE Message Box:
• [open("%1")]
• Click OK
• highlight the new "Open with Revit 8.1" and click Set Default button.
• Click OK/Close to get out of all dialog boxes.

Your files will now open in 8.1 by default. Do the same for RFA and RTE if you'd like.
Author: Scott Davis

File size
When doing a project and you want to save that project, make sure that you go to your simplest floor plan and then select "window" and then say "close hidden windows". When saving a Revit file in floor plan it saves the file in a smaller size.
Author: Willem Boshoff

How to run the Revit journal file (script)?
Just drag and drop the journal file from your Windows file manager to the Revit icon.
Author: CAD Forum - http://www.cadforum.cz


Floors

Floor slabs tricks
When modelling up a floor slab and I select the "pick walls" option I then pick the walls that I need. I then draw a cut in the "sketch mode" for the area where my staircase would be.. When you select "finish sketch" you would be able to move that opening/cut in the floor without having to edit the floor. Keep in mind that you'll have to edit the floor if you want to change the size of the hole/cut/opening.

You would also be surprised of the fact that when you use the "pick walls" tool.. and and and.. When you move a wall that you've selected, the floor opening keeps the distance from the wall the same no matter how far you move the wall.
Author: Willem Boshoff

Floor Slabs Joining walls
If you are using the generic object styles and you join geometry of a floor slab to a wall, it has a very thin line representing the cut of the slab.
If you go to object style> floor, you will see that you can change the Common Edge Cut, if you change it to about a pen 4, the results are cool.
Author: Mike Hardy-Brown


Grids

Ceiling grids
When you create a ceiling and you select the 600x1200 grid and the grids are not going in the right direction, you can select on the model hatch pattern that is representing the ceiling grid and select on the rotate command on your toolbars and rotate the ceiling grid. Please note that you must select the gridlines and not the edge of the ceiling.
Author: Willem Boshoff


Importing / exporting

Importing 3D models done in AutoCAD
1. Open new family called Metric Mass
2. Import the AutoCAD 3D model into the family
3. Save as, New family name.
4. Go to the Revit file.
5. Load the new family into the project
6. Design bar/Massing
7. Place Mass.
8. Use the massing tools to create walls, roofs, floors ext.
Author: Mark Vorstenbosch

Linked or Imported Detail Components
Never ‘explode’ imported or Linked AutoCAD detail components as this slows down your model and you might have to clean up the file by deleting repetitive elements and replacing them with appropriate drafting tools like the Detail lines or Filled Region from the Drafting menu. If you have to use an AutoCAD detail on a Revit model; Import/Link the AutoCAD details to “Current view only”, this is to avoid seeing 2D model lines in all other Views by default.
Author: Raymond Ncube

Which export formats are supported in Autodesk Revit?
Autodesk Revit supports besides its own formats RVT, RFA, RTE, RVG also saving (export) to the formats DWG (incl. DWG2004), DXF (incl. DXF2004), DGN, gbXML.
Revit model can be also saved as a relational database through ODBC - ie. as MDB, DBF, XLS, SQL. Views can be exported to the raster formats JPEG/JPG, BMP, TARGA, TIFF. Walkthroughs can be exported as AVI video files. Plot output can be published to the DWF and PDF formats.
Author: CAD Forum - http://www.cadforum.cz

Why is my Revit menu item Export 2D DWF grayed out?
Probably you don't have installed the "Autodesk DWF Writer" driver neccessary for DWF publishing. See DWF Writer.
Author: CAD Forum - http://www.cadforum.cz


Levels

How to change Level Head?
Go/file/new/annotation symbols, select M_level head > Delete the text note after reading it > Use line tool and sketch the new profile of your level head > and put a label for the level and the name.
Save As, give file name i.e. CP_Level Head. Reload the new Level Head into the project.
Author: Mark Vorstenbosch

How to hide level line if you linked two files?
Go to Visibility/Graphics(VG shotcut key)
1.Model Categories
2.Annotation Categories
3.DWG/DXF/DGN Categories/
4.Linked RVT Categories
Select the rvt file (click on the + sign)
Go to levels and untick then.
Author: Mark Vorstenbosch


Lines

Changing line styles of a family
Load the family into your project. Go to Settings/object styles/Model Objects/ > and then you can go and change the line type, thickness…..
Author: Mark Vorstenbosch

Creating a line style
Go to Settings/line pattern/new and start with dash or a dot, give distance to it, next a space with a distance, keep on with this till you are satisfied with your pattern.
Just remember one thing you have to end the pattern with a space.

Now go to settings/line styles/new (under modify subcategories.) Give the new Line style a name. Now you should have your own line style.
Author: Mark Vorstenbosch

How do I divide a curve line into 7 or 10 equal segments
Draw a circle/arc (I would use walls not lines) - you could then use a drafting line from the centre of the arc arrayed from the centre point of the arc using a radial array from the start to the end, split the wall using the split tool at the points where the lines intersect the arc/circle.
Author: Mike Hardy-Brown

Thick lines in DWG imported into Revit
If the AutoCAD drawing you have imported to Revit displays with too thick lines, check the line thickness settings and the overall scale (units) - your imported scene may be too small.
Author: CAD Forum - http://www.cadforum.cz


Objects / elements

Deleting multiple elements
If you have multiple elements that need to be deleted just hold the delete button on your keyboard and select the elements you want to delete.
Author: Clinton Wernars

How to un-demolish an element in Revit
Select the element and go to the properties/phasing and make the demolished phase none.
Author: Mark Vorstenbosch

Object properties & editing
If you select almost any object in Revit and then go 'Alt enter' it will bring up the properties of it. Then press 'Ctrl enter' to edit it.
Author: Clinton Wernars

Quick way to make object transparent
I'm just working on a roof of a large house and in 3D wanted to see thru to the walls underneath the roof without hiding the roof. I used the Demolish tool to make the roofs transparent -- and tweaked the Phase - Temporary material to something other than the blueish hue that it is by default. This is allowing me to figure out how to make the roof line less ugly on this project ...then you'll have to undemolish the objects to bring them back to life.

To undemolish you go to the object's properties and demolish phase, turn this back to none.
Author: Wes Macaulay


Parameters

Room parameters
In revit, you were able to edit the room's identity data by clicking on the room tag. That has now changed in Revit9. You need to click on the room ie. click on the X that marks the room boundary. Select the room and then go to properties. That's how you would be able to edit the room's properties.
Author: Willem Boshoff


Patterns / materials

How to change my texture in Revit for renderings
You can use the standard texture or you can load your own.
Loading your own material:
i.e. changing the wall material; select the wall and go to properties; edit/new > then structure edit > go to material (by categories) > let's say you would like to make a new brick type:- you select masonry brick and duplicate and rename the material.
Go to the accurender texture select the pull down menu to see the materials loaded > Right click on the material select new-default gray.
Then the material editor will open > go to maps > image mapping / add > go and look for the image file you would like to load.
Author: Mark Vorstenbosch

Using a hatch pattern from AutoCAD
This is for a particular hatch pattern in AutoCAD you want to use in Revit. In AutoCAD draw a rectangular polyline and fill it with the hatch pattern you want. Save the file with the hatch pattern name that you used and import this dwg file into Revit. Explode the dwg. Just remember if you explode a dwg that your file size will become very big. (REMEMBER TO DELETE THE DWG FILE AFTER YOU HAVE EXPLODED IT).
Author: Mark Vorstenbosch

Using Filled Regions as a Wipeout
Many of us use Filled Regions in Revit to cover up, or “wipeout” an area of a drawing or detail. Most of us will instinctively use a White Solid Pattern as the filled region to do the covering up. This will actually cause problems, especially when exporting to DWG, because those white solids end up showing and printing as black solids. The correct pattern to use as a cover up is actually no pattern at all! That’s right, choose the “No Pattern” option in the Filled Region dialog box, and then draw your region. It will cover up anything behind it like a white solid pattern would, but without the side effects!
Author: Tatjana D - Autodesk Revit Building Product Manager


Performance

Easter egg in Autodesk Revit
Also Revit has a hidden "Easter egg". Hold the Ctrl-Alt-Shift keys and choose "Help - About Autodesk Revit..." from menu. The development team is introduced using Revit tools.
Author: CAD Forum - http://www.cadforum.cz

Faster 3D display in Revit
To accelerate display functions in Autodesk Revit switch on the OpenGL support (if you have a 3D graphics card):
Settings > Options > General, check the option Use OpenGL acceleration if supported.
Author: Mike Hardy-Brown

Slow mouse motion in Revit
You may find your mouse moving slowly in some OpenGL enabled applications (including Revit) if you are using the Logitech mouse driver.
In the current version of this driver (Control panel > Mouse > Motion tab) you can find the "Disable acceleration in games" option. Uncheck this option. You can also download and run the "Logitech Advanced Settings Utility" for MouseWare 9.76 and above.
Author: CAD Forum - http://www.cadforum.cz


Planes

How do I place an entourage on an angular plane?
You will have to go into the family and edit two things. Go to settings / family categories and parameters. Turn off 'always vertical' and turn on 'work plane base'. Save as. (New Name) > Load into project > and in level view i.e. Level1. Select the plane that you have created. Place your entourage and it will be on the work plane and not the level line.
Author: Mark Vorstenbosch


Printing

Print error: Spooler subsystem app has encountered a problem and needs to close.
If you encounter this error trying to print/plot from AutoCAD, Revit, Inventor, Design Review or other Windows application, you need to fix a faulty printer driver or printer service installed on your computer.

You can find detailed information on Microsoft's
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/810894/en-us) support site (KB810894). If this problem occurs when installing a new printer/plotter, try to stop the spooler manually (net stop spooler) and restart it after the installation (net start spooler).
Author: CAD Forum - http://www.cadforum.cz


Rendering

How to make site topography show up properly in a render? ie. water, sand, grass is grey when rendered.
Turn off 'use sun shadows' on the main render settings screen. Also check 'phase' and 'phase filter' settings of the view you want to render. There are materials for phases that render grey if the settings are not set to the most recent phase with a 'show all' filter. Do also check that you do not have a ground plane on.
Author: CAD Forum - http://www.cadforum.cz

My Revit rendering functions are grayed out
If you see disabled buttons Raytrace, Radiosity and other Revit rendering functions, you have probably set a wrong path to the rendering folder - typically:
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\Revit Building 9\Rendering

You can find this setting in the dialog Settings > Options > Rendering.

The folder may not contain the neccessary files and the downloaded Accurender contents (libraries).
Author: CAD Forum - http://www.cadforum.cz


Rooms

Common label for multiple rooms in Revit
If you want to handle a group of rooms as a single room (labels, selection, schedule...) disable the Bounding property for their common boundary walls.
Author: CAD Forum - http://www.cadforum.cz

Room volume computing
When placing a room tag, select on the room tag and go to the type selector. Select "room tag with volume" . Where the volume should be, the room tag indicates to you that the volume is "not computed". Go to "settings" then "room & area settings". You'll notice that you can select "compute room volumes".

When back in your floor plan, you'll notice that the volume is now computed... The thing that you need to keep in mind, is the fact that you have to go and set the volume of the room, ie. you need to go to the room's properties and select the "limit offset". Keep in mind not to click on the room tag, but the room itself!

You would now also be able to do a schedule of volumes in your room schedule.
Author: Willem Boshoff


RPC / blueprints

Where to find blueprints (views) of cars?
Blueprints of different car types are often needed for CAD jobs, visualizations, AEC projects, mechanical design or for design of large format adhesives.
Blueprints of the most common car types (eg. Audi, BMW, Citroen, Fiat, Ford, Hyundai, Jaguar, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Peugeot, Renault, Saab, Seat, Skoda, Volvo, VW) can be downloaded from http://jpracing.racerplanet.com/modules/myalbum/viewcat.php?cid=1 or http://www.suurland.com/ or www.smcars.net.
Author: CAD Forum - http://www.cadforum.cz


Schedules

Revisions schedules
How to add the revisions so that it fills in a revision number parameter automatically in a titleblock; taking data from the revision schedule?
Make two revision schedules - format one to only show Revision Number; place this in the appropriate position in your titleblock.
Author: Rhys

We have implemented this but there are a few things the users should know.

1. This only works if you set your revisions to by sheet and not by project.
   
2. Do not sort anything but have grand totals ticked with count and total set. Itemize every instance must be unticked.
   In the apperance window nothing must be ticked so that only the body text displays.
   
3. Do not use the field 'revision number' rather use 'issued to' (most people do not use this field) this solves the problem of a double number on the first revision.
   
4. Do not use more than one revision cloud on the drawing for each revision. Because Itemize every instance is unticked the revision schedule displays the revision once but the count displays every instance of the revision.
   To display more than one cloud draw the first cloud then edit it and add in the extra clouds.

Author: Rob Newman

Update from Rob Newman: Revisions schedules (October 2006)
We have encountered a problem with automating the placement of revision numbers on drawing sheets in the method discussed below.

Because we are using a schedule to display the revision number and not a parameter, we can not pass a revision number on to the drawing list schedule.

We have created a drawing issue register using Microsoft Access. In the drawing issue data base we keep a record of the lates revisions. to achieve this We export the drawing list and read the exported file into the data base.

It is therefore more important to us to have the revisions in the drawing list schedule automated than to have the drawing display the revision automatically.

And we are back to the original problem. HOW DO WE GET A PARAMETER FOR THE LATEST REVISION? Once there is a parameter that has the latest revision then everything is simple. You display the parameter on the drawing sheet and use the paramater as a field in the drawing list schedule.

The number that this parameter should hold exists in Revit. Revit creates a revision sequence number for each sheet to enable it to populate the revision schedule on each sheet. We need this sequence number to be a drawing sheet parameter.

It apears that this problem has no work around and therefore needs to be addressed by Revit.


Sections

How do I show a small part of my section/plan/elevation
How do I show a small part (detail) of my plan/section/elevation?

• Go to view/callout.
  
• select the area you would like to show the detail of and drag the callout around the area.
  
• Select the text that you would like to show on the callout view.
  
• Copy to clipboard.
  
• Go to the callout view and paste aligned /same place.

Author: Mark Vorstenbosch

How to change the Detail Number in the section head?
The first thing is that the section should be placed on a sheet. Then you will see that the section has a detail number and a sheet number.
Right click on the section line > go to properties > and change the detail number. Remember DON'T WORK ON THE SHEET VIEW BUT ON THE PLAN VIEW.
Author: Mark Vorstenbosch

How to change your section head?
Start off by going to file/new/annotation symbol.
M_Section Head.rfa. Delete the text in red. By using line and filled regions create your own section head.
When finished save your section head family into your desired folder. Load the new section head family into your project.
Now in your project go to Settings/View tags/Section tags.
Duplicate the one and give a new name to your section head.
Now change the section head to your section head and if you would like to change the section tail you can do it too.
if you have done this select the apply button and then OK.
Go and select your section line in your project and go to Properties / Edit New and change section tag. Apply. OK.
Author: Mark Vorstenbosch


Sheets

Making New Sheets
Did you know that you can copy a sheet to clipboard and paste a new sheet into the project browser? Now you DO!

Add a new sheet, rename and number it (or use an existing sheet). In the Project Browser select the sheet and press CTRL + C (Window's copy to clipboard shortcut). Then immediately press CTRL + V (Window's paste from clipboard shortcut). The new view is added and renumbered based on the next number using the previous and using the same name as the previous as well, as fast as Emeril can say "BAMM".

For what it is worth when you select a sheet and Right Click you can choose Copy to Clipboard. No Right Click > Paste From Clipboard however 8-(
Author: Steve Stafford

Shortcuts

How to edit or add keyboard shortcuts in Revit?
Keyboard shortcuts are defined in the file KeyboardShortcuts.txt in the Revit folder. You can use a text editor to modify this file and add keyboard shortcuts in format: "shortcut" menu:"menu-string"
Author: CAD Forum - http://www.cadforum.cz


SketchUp

Reading SketchUp models (.SKP) in Revit
Autodesk Revit (R9) supports import of 3D models in the SKP format (Google SketchUp). See File > Import > CAD formats.
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/
Author: CAD Forum - http://www.cadforum.cz


Stairs

Stairs
I've come to the conclusion that when starting a new staircase, set up all the properties of the staircase even before indicating the run. Also, when creating a customised railing, rather go to the "railings type" and set the railing from default to the railing that you've created and then draw the staircase with that railing set as the default.
Author: Willem Boshoff

Depicting a steel stair with metal pan treads showing channel stringer sections
Turn off the stringers Revit creates by default and use a Railing with the profile you need for the stringers, then offset it downwards into the correct position.
Author: AUGI - http://augi.com


Tags

Lost a Tag on the Doors and Windows
How do I get it back? There are 2 ways:
1. If you only need to do one tag you can go to Drafting and select the tag command and select the door or window.
2. If you need to tag all the door and windows in the project go to drafting and select the tag all not tagged and select the wind tag or the door tag.
REMEMBER: That tags are view based and this will only tag the door and windows on the level you are on.
Author: Mark Vorstenbosch


Text

Adding 3D model text
Model text by default orientates itself to a plan view - and there seems to be no dialog box or a setting that gives it an option to orientate it otherwise. To place 3D text on a vertical wall. Select your wall and orient to 3D view. From the Modelling menu, choose Model Text from the Modelling tab on the Design Bar. Choose the model text type from the Type Selector on the Options Bar. Place the mouse over the model element. Select a plane when the plane's edges are highlighted. Type the text in the Edit Text dialog box. Click OK. Move the pointer to the desired 3D text location and click.
You can add 3D text directly to any modelling element or family including wall faces, massing, doors, or any other element with a selectable plane. Revit adds the model text on the set work plane of the view. You can specify the text font, depth, and apply material to the 3D text.
Author: Raymond Ncube

Text that cannot align to angle of wall or something?
1. Rotate text 90° or 180° closest to wall.
2. Then draw detail line 90° or 180° close to text.
3. Then group the two.
4. Now align to wall.
Text is aligned to wall - now all you have to do is ungroup it and delete the line.
Author: Justin Schoeman


Views

After changing a view in Revit, the view disappears
Probably a problem with your graphic card (or the GC driver). Hit F5 to refresh the view. Try to change the hardware acceleration settings.
Author: CAD Forum - http://www.cadforum.cz

Rotate a single view in Revit
In Revit, the structure is designed in the direction of either project north or true north. Many requests have been made to rotate a single view 90 degrees for placement on a sheet. This can be a very dangerous if you do not know what you are doing because rotating a view will change the entire direction of the project, which is WRONG.

To rotate a single view:

1. Duplicate the view.
2. Turn on the crop region.
3. Choose MODIFY and select the crop region.
4. Use the ROTATE command to turn the crop region, which will turn the view.
   

Author: The Mad Cadder - http://themadcadder.blogs.com/

View properties
When you select V and then space bar you will go to View Properties.

Walls

How to create a wall reveal
File / new / family / Metric Profile-reveal > Create the profile you would like to use > Load into your project.
Work in elevation or 3D view > Modelling / Host sweep / wall reveal > Use the default profile > Put one reveal in the wall.
Select the reveal and go to properties > Edit/new / Duplicate / give profile new name > Go to the profile and select the profile you’ve created.
ok ,ok ,ok.
Author: Mark Vorstenbosch

Revit walls with varying thickness
A wall with a non-rectangular shape (in plan view) or a wall which thickness changes linearly by height can be created as a in-place family, with its category set to Wall (Modelling > Create > Walls).
Such wall will be properly listed in schedules and you can insert doors and windows in it. You can align (lock) its individual edges to the levels.
Author: CAD Forum - http://www.cadforum.cz