Introducing Revit Architecture 2010, BIM for Beginners: Chapter 2 - Getting Acquainted with the Revit Interface and File Types

3.31.10 5:40-6:35pm 57mins
Introducing Revit Architecture 2010, BIM for Beginners
Chapter 2 ■ Getting Acquainted with the
Revit Interface and File Types
- Revit file formats


"Revit File Formats
There are five Revit-specific file formats:
RVT
RFA
RVG
RFT
RTE"

"RVT: Revit File
Each Revit project is saved with the file extension .rvt. When you save a project using the .rvt extension, all project information is saved in that one file. This file includes all library components used in the project and imported DWG, DGN, or image files. ...It isn’t unusual for file sizes to exceed 50MB or even 100MB. If you want to share your project with another person or office, you won’t need to send them
any files other than your project *.rvt file.

Note that all flavors of Revit (Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, and Revit Structure) use the same file format (.rvt).
If you have linked files to a project, regardless of whether they are DWG or RVT files, you will need to send them along with the project if you are sending files."


"RFA: Revit Family
The RFA file format is used for Revit library elements that can be loaded into a project. ...also referred to as families in the Project Browser. A small subset of loaded families is already available in the templates that come with Revit...bigger library of loadable content...provided...is accessible from the Insert tab, Load Family button. These libraries are starting points, and represent only a small sampling of what is possible to create in Revit.
...library elements have been created in a designated content-creation environment known as the Family Editor. ...Once created, Revit families are loaded into a project, where you can edit and make modifications to them from within the project environment at any time, thus minimizing workflow interruptions."
"Unless you changed the default installation, Revit installs all library objects in the folder C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\Revit Architecture 2010. This is the location of the default content that ships with Revit, and where the Load Family dialog box will take you."
"You can also...download content from, the Autodesk Seek website. Type in a search term in the Search field in the main toolbar and click the magnifying glass icon. You will be taken to a website where you can search for a wide range of content in various formats, including RFA files."

"RVG: Revit Group
The Revit Group file format was made obsolete with the Revit 2008 release. ...It’s somewhat similar to the Block concept in AutoCAD, but with a higher level of intelligent behavior. ...When a group is saved in Revit 2008 and later, it’s saved as an RVT file. However, groups created in previous versions of Revit that are still in the RVG file format can be used and loaded in a project."

"RFT: Family Template
...used to create custom families. The family templates are hardcoded in Revit. To see the full selection of available templates, from the Application Menu
choose New, Family. ...These templates have embedded behavior and intelligent parameters relevant to the type of object you’re creating. For example, a template for creating a window has a different set of available parameters and behaviors than a template for creating a door. ...If you cannot find an appropriate template for a new object you wish to create (a fireplace, for example), you should use the generic family or a more appropriate hosted family."

"RTE: Revit Template
...preconfigured empty drawings in which standard settings and content can
be predefined so that each time you start a new project using that template, you have a predictable starting point that incorporates your office standards."
"Here’s what you can preset in a template:
Default title blocks used for your sheets
- Loaded families
- Line styles
- Line weights
- Line patterns
- Fill patterns
- Materials
- Units
- Snaps
- Dimension styles
- Temporary dimensions
- Object styles"

"To create and save your own template, open any of the existing template files and save it as a new name. Next, modify the settings, units, fonts, and load library objects that you want to see each time you open a new project using that template."

"Starting a new project in Revit is easy. From the Application Menu, choose New, Project, and Revit will open a dialog box with the following options:

Browse - From here, you can change the default template predefined in the Settings
options and select another template.

Project - This option is selected by default. It means you’re starting a new project using one of the templates selected.

Project Template - Choose this option if you want to create your own template. Under
Create New, select Project Template, and under Template File, select the template that is most similar to what you want to create so that it serves as a basis for the new template. Make additional changes to that template, change settings, add or remove content, and save it under another name."