Showing posts with label Revit 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Revit 2010. Show all posts

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Mastering Revit Architecture 2010 - Ch. 3 Know Your Editing Tools - Editing Elements Interactively: Offsetting Lines and Walls

Mastering Revit Architecture 2010 - Ch. 3 Know Your Editing Tools - Editing Elements Interactively: Offsetting Lines and Walls


"Offset - ...makes a copy of an element by offsetting it parallel to an edge you select. You can find the Offset tool either in the Edit panel of the Modify tab or on the Options bar when you’re sketching lines or walls. ...useful in the Family Editor when you’re making shapes that have a consistent thickness in profile, such as extruded steel shapes. ...handy when you’re making roof forms or soffits with known offsets from a wall. You can either offset a line and maintain the original (for that, make sure that the Copy option in the Options bar is checked) or offset the line, removing the original."
(Options Bar: Numerical - Enter distance to be offset, Hover over the element / wall meant to be offset, dashed line appears on side that it will offset to, one click then done. Graphical - Click element to be offset, then move direction and distance desired, second click to place.)


5.16.10 8:55pm-9:30pm = 35mns

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Introducing Revit Architecture 2010, BIM for Beginners: Chapter 3 - Legends

Introducing Revit Architecture 2010, BIM for Beginners
Chapter 3 ■ Views
- Legends

"Legends
Legends...place graphic representations of elements in the model to explain the symbology used in the project. Examples...key to symbols in a site plan; typical wall, door, or window types used in a project; or demolition notes on a title block. ...legends are used for views you want to have appear on multiple sheets. ...2D elements derived from the components used in your project. Elements in a legend have no effect on scheduling quantities of elements. ...adding a door symbol to a legend view will not increase the number of instances of that door in the overall project and thus won’t be reflected in the schedule of the door totals.
To create a legend view...click the View tab. On the Create panel, click the Legends button and select Legend. ...then give the legend view a name and associated scale, and you will be presented with an empty view window. To start creating the legend and add content to this view, go to the Annotate tab, and under the Detail panel, click the Component button. Then select Legend Components and start generating the legend.

NOTE: "Legends are the only view type in Revit that can be placed on multiple sheets."

How To
"create a legend view...click the View tab. On the Create panel, click the Legends button and select Legend. ...then give the legend view a name and associated scale, and you will be presented with an empty view window. To start creating the legend and add content to this view, go to the Annotate tab, and under the Detail panel, click the Component button. Then select Legend Components and start generating the legend."

4.18.10 3:22-3:29 pm 07mins
4.21.10 9:00-9:15 am 15mins

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Introducing Revit Architecture 2010, BIM for Beginners: Chapter 3 - Working With Views

Introducing Revit Architecture 2010, BIM for Beginners
Chapter 3 ■ Views
- Working With Views (partial)

"Creating New Plan Views with Levels
...default plan view is referred to as a Level 1 view and is organized under Floor Plans in the Project Browser. A level typically represents one story in a building, but as you’ll see later, a level can also be used to reference the position or height of other elements..."

"Creating Levels
"To create a level using the Level tool, you have to be in section or elevation view."
...select the Level command from the Datum panel under the Home tab...draw a level using two mouse clicks to define the start point and endpoint...this will add a new
level and plan view to the model...note that the Level command is disabled
unless you’re actively in an elevation or section view."
"You can also create a level by copying an existing one. ...To create additional levels, open a section or elevation view; select the level line in the view; and, using the Copy command, copy the existing level, thus creating a new one.
...the copied level doesn’t automatically create a new view (you will see in the
Project Browser that no new plan has been added); it only gives you another level graphic in the project that shows in elevation or in section. ...useful when you need another benchmark in elevation to show heights or want to associate geometry to a level, but you don’t necessarily want to generate an associated plan view. A good example is the top of a parapet wall."

To change copied level to actual plan view, do the following:
"Adding a Plan View
...Go to View tab and under the Create panel, select Plan Views/Floor Plan. A dialog box opens that allows you to select a level and create a new floor plan based on that level. Check Do not duplicate existing views at the bottom of the dialog box. (This process is the same for ceiling plans.) The level symbol will then change to blue, indicating that it is a hyperlink to a plan view."


"Duplicating Views
...want to create a new view based on an existing floor plan? Say you already have a design plan of Level 1, but also need a presentation plan and a fully annotated plan for your documentation set. You can achieve this...by duplicating
views. ...right-click the view’s name in the Project Browser (Level 1 for
example), and choose Duplicate View from the context menu."

"three different ways to duplicate a view:
Duplicate - Makes a duplicated view in which only the model data of that view is copied. ...when you don’t wish to copy any tags, dimensions, or annotations from one view to the next. ...model is not copied — you’re just creating a duplicate view of the model without bringing along any 2D graphics.

Duplicate with Detailing - Makes a copy of the model data and any 2D information (such as text, dimensions, or keynotes) in the view. ...annotations and detailing that are added or edited in the original view after the duplication aren’t propagated
in the duplicated view. Only model-data modifications are propagated in the duplicated view. The copied annotations are not linked.

Duplicate as a Dependent - Not only creates a duplicate of all the model and drafting data, but also creates a dependency between the detailing information of the duplicate view and the original view. When this type of duplication is used, changes of both model (3D) and drafting (2D) elements in the original view will propagate in the duplicate view. A use case for this type of duplication would be a project with a big floor plate that you need to split into separate segments for printing."

NOTE: "Dependent views created with the third method (Duplicate as a Dependent) must always remain in the same scale as the original."


"Types of Views
Plans
Callouts (Enlarged Plan View)"

"Plans - ...To control how the plan is represented, a view range is defined."
View range settings control what you see beyond the cut plane. This applies only to floor and ceiling plans.
"View Range options ...influences the visibility and appearance of the elements in the plan or ceiling views of the project. To access ...right-click in the drawing area and choose View Properties, Edit (under Extents), View Range."

"The following list describes the Primary Range features in the View Range dialog box:
Top plane ...defines the uppermost plane above the cut plane up to which
elements will be considered. If an element is above the cut plane but still in the primary range (partially or fully), the element is visible in the plan view as if it were seen from below the element."

Cut plane ...defines the height at which the 3D elements of the model are physically cut."

"Bottom plane ...is coincident with the view depth plane, but it doesn’t have to be. If an element is below the cut plane and is wholly in the primary range, it’s still shown. Note that only a few Revit elements are considered here: windows, furniture
systems, and generic models."

"View depth ...defines the extent to which you want to view what is below the
cut plane."

"some Revit families are never cut. ...choose the Manage tab and click Project Settings, Settings, Object Styles. ...some elements are grayed out in the Cut column. These objects...are not affected by a change of cut height."

"Floor plans ...horizontal slices through the building and are associated with
levels. These views typically cut the model at 4′ (1.2 m) above the level line."

"Ceiling plans ...behave in a similar fashion to floor plans..."

"Site plans ...by default are at 1″-20′ (1:250) scale and are views from above your
model. The site plan typically shows the physical and topographic features of the model and doesn’t show certain annotations that normally would not appear at scales greater than 1⁄16″-1′ 0″ (1:200)."

"Area plans ...can be used for gross area, rentable, or Building Owners and
Managers Association (BOMA) area calculations, to name a few. To create one of these
types of plans, click the Home tab and under the Room and Area panel select Area and then Area Plan. Area plans are most effective when you have areas that span multiple rooms."

"Callout ...detail view that can be placed in plan, section, or elevation views. ...if you have a plan view...and you want to create another plan view that represents
only part...at a larger scale to show more detail, you use this command.
Callouts...show a larger-scale cutout of a view...dependent on the parent view from which it was placed. ...if the parent view is deleted, any callout view or views dependent on that parent view will also be deleted. ...two possible types of callout views for floor plans (as shown in the Type Selector when you select the Callout tool): Floor Plan and Detail View. ...the new callout will show up in the Project Browser..."

How to create a callout
(From Revit Help file)
1. In a project, click View tab, Create panel, Callout.
2. Click Callout tab, Element panel, and from the Type Selector, select the type of callout to create: a detail callout or a view callout (a callout view that has the same view type as the parent view).
3. On the Options Bar, for Scale, select a scale for the callout view.
4. To define the callout area, drag the cursor from the upper-left to the lower-right, creating a callout bubble as shown by the dashed line enclosing the upper-left corner of the grid.
5. To see the callout view, double-click the callout head to view


(see next post for continuation)

time log:
4.4.10 9:00-9:19am 19mins
4.6.10 7:40-8:10pm 30mins
4.8.10 8:40-9:40pm 60mins

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Introducing Revit Architecture 2010, BIM for Beginners: Chapter 3 - Creating Views

4.1.10 9:00-9:19am 19mins
Introducing Revit Architecture 2010, BIM for Beginners
Chapter 3 ■ Views
- Creating Views

"Creating Views
...best understood as live snapshots of the same 3D model taken from various vantage points.
...view types: plans, sections, elevations, schedule tables, lists, 3D views, and sheets.
...easily recognized and organized in the Project Browser.
...Right-clicking any view in the Project Browser lets you access the properties of that view.
...tools for view creation can be found under the View tab in the Ribbon."

"Navigating Between Views
...Double-clicking on the name of any view in the Project Browser opens that view in the drawing area and makes it active.
...An active view can be closed later using the Close button in the upper-right corner of the view. .this will not delete the view — it will just close it in the drawing area.
To delete a view, use the right-click menu when the mouse is over the view name in the Project Browser, or delete the view symbol (such as the section mark or elevation tag) in another view where the mark is available."

"...you can use view reference graphics, including section marks, elevation tags, and levels, as hyperlinks to navigate between views.
...double-click the arrow (in the case of elevations)or the flag (for sections and callouts) to open the view."
...hyperlinking of section and elevation tags via double-clicking works only when they are not selected or highlighted. If they’re selected (highlighted blue in Revit), no matter how many times you double-click, it won’t lead you to another view."

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

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."

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

3.31.10 5:40-6:08 pm 28mins
Introducing Revit Architecture 2010, BIM for Beginners
Chapter 2 ■ Getting Acquainted with the
Revit Interface and File Types

- Setting up your project environment

"Project Units
...From the Manage tab in the
Project Settings panel, choose Project Units to open the dialog box s...where you can
set the measurement units, rounding convention (number of decimals), and suffixes for length, area, volume, and angle. You can also define the way you measure slopes — in rise or angle degrees — as well as the symbol used for the decimal division (point or comma)."


"Snaps
...define snaps by choosing the Manage tab, Project Settings panel and expand the Settings button to find the Snaps settings. In the resulting dialog box, you can turn the snaps on or off globally, set a variety of snap types, and specify the angular and length increments at which the system will snap.
...Snap Overrides ...during creation of elements. Right-click when drawing a wall, and you can override any of the project definitions for Snap by choosing Snap Overrides and selecting the option you need."

"Close
If an element you’re drawing is part of a chain (connected lines or walls) and is a valid open loop, you can close it by selecting the Close command from the context menu: Snap Shortcuts, Close.
You can access the same function with the keyboard shortcut SZ."

NOTE
"the system is preset to straighten out lines or walls drawn in small angles. This is helpful when creating new projects, but it can be an issue when you’re working with existing projects, especially surveyed properties or old buildings. If you import a .dwg from such a project, Revit will automatically make something like a 0.00005-degree angle into a 0- or 90-degree angle, and this might affect the final precision of your outcome."

NOTE
"Snap is on by default. If you are creating a project of an existing building and are drawing it directly in Revit, turning off Snap will be helpful; otherwise, Revit will force you to round angles to the first minimum snap angle defined."

"Line Weights
Revit has a global setting for displaying line thicknesses on the screen and the printed page. Revit provides independent control over cut and projected line weights on a per-category basis, giving you a great deal of flexibility. For example, cut lines for walls are often represented with thicker lines than walls in elevation. You can choose from 16 preset line weights that range from very thin to very thick.
Revit does an excellent job of presetting these line weights to produce a good graphical display of your model on the printed page. We don’t recommend manipulating the dialog box shown in Figure 2.82; however, if you’re unhappy with the print quality of the line weights, you can access the values in this dialog box and make changes by selecting the Manage tab and in the Project Settings panel, click Settings and then click Line Weights."

"Object Styles
Line colors and styles are defined in the Object Styles dialog box.
To access this dialog box, select the Manage tab, and in the Project Settings panel click Settings and then click Object Styles.
...each Revit element has an assigned line weight number that corresponds to what is defined in the Line Weights dialog box. The line weights chosen for Projection (elevation) and Cut can vary depending on your requirements. You can also define line color and line pattern for each category here."

"Options
The Options button in previous versions of Revit was also located under Settings, but in the new Revit 2010 UI it has been moved to the Application Menu.
...you will find a variety of other options for using Revit.

The tabs for this function include the following:
General - ...set your save-reminder intervals and your username. By default, your username is the same as your Windows login name.

Graphics - ...you can change some of the settings for your graphics card and the screen colors in Revit. ...by default has a white screen with black lines (the inverse of AutoCAD). ...specify selection and highlight colors, and
enable anti-aliasing for 3D views.

File Locations - ...stores the location of your default paths for templates, user files, and most important, paths to your family libraries. The path you defined for your Revit families is the one that you will be linked to when you choose the Load Family option, which becomes available upon selection or creation of any of the Revit elements (try Window as an example). You can add new links to personal library folders as well.

Rendering - ...shows you the default installation path to the new rendering library,
used when you render views. ...also where you can add additional material libraries,
as well as licensed ArchVision (photorealistic rendering entourage) content.

Spelling - ...allows you to specify various settings for automated spelling and indicate the dictionary that you want to be used. You can leave the default Revit dictionary or switch to a Microsoft Office dictionary, change the language settings, and add other dictionaries.

SteeringWheels - ...offers various controls over the visibility of the SteeringWheel,
its size and opacity on the screen, and some additional settings, such as the Zoom and Orbit settings. You can also access these settings by clicking Options in the Wheel context menu (the Options dialog box opens with the SteeringWheels tab selected).

ViewCube - ...allows you to set the appearance of the ViewCube as well as some
behavioral and scene settings..."

Sunday, March 28, 2010

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

3.31.10 5:05-5:38pm 33mins
Introducing Revit Architecture 2010, BIM for Beginners
Chapter 2 ■ Getting Acquainted with the
Revit Interface and File Types

- Overview of the Revit user interface
- Modifying and personalizing the interface
- Selecting objects and navigating views
- Using keyboard shortcuts

"...user interface (UI) of Revit 2010 is dramatically different from that of its previous version. ...entire family of Autodesk products, has moved to the “ribbon” paradigm..."

"The ribbon UI in Revit can be changed and customized per your needs. This feature is
new in Revit 2010. A full customization of the UI is still not possible; however, you can make certain changes to it, such as modifying the panel order or moving a panel off the Ribbon to your desktop. Revit 2010 supports working across multiple monitors."

"change the order of the panels within the tabs and also undock them from the
Ribbon so they float in the workspace and are visible at all times. With multiple monitors, you can move these panels from screen to screen."

"Revit, you can undock the Project Browser and make it float over the drawing area."

"Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts are the fastest way to work with Revit. The shortcuts assigned to the existing Revit commands are unfortunately not as obvious in the new UI as they were previously. You have to hover over a tool and wait for the tooltip to appear in order to see the assigned shortcut, which is described with two uppercase letters. To change the automatically assigned shortcuts, edit the Keyboard Shortcuts.txt file located in \Program Files\Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010\. This location is unchanged from previous releases of Revit. You will have to restart Revit after changing the keyboard shortcuts in the .txt file."

"Tab - ...similar to the Cycle command you may know from AutoCAD. It allows you to cycle through various elements near the cursor when more than one is present. ...useful when you’re dimensioning because it allows you to cycle through various references of the elements dimensioned (dimension to wall center instead of wall face; opening of a door
instead of outer frame; and so on). The Tab key is also used to select chains of connected
lines and walls."

"Shift+Tab - ...reverses the default order in which the Tab command cycles."

"Ctrl - ...used to add multiple objects to a selection at the same time."

"Ctrl+Tab - ...will cycle through open views. Use this to quickly move from view to view."

"Shift - ...some elements in Revit are constrained to move horizontally or vertically only. Revit gives you visual clues indicating which way a selected element can move. You can remove this constraint by holding the Shift key while repositioning the element. ...some elements can move in any direction by default, but holding the Shift key while moving them constrains their direction."

"Delete - ...used to delete selected elements from the model. ...also use the Backspace key to delete elements."

"Ctrl+Z - undo"

"Ctrl+Y - redo"
"Multiple undo operations can also be performed from the quick-access toolbar using the list of recent commands. Dragging the mouse down this list undoes all selected commands in one step."

"Spacebar - ...mostly used to cycle through rotation of an element during or after placement."

Introducing Revit Architecture 2010, BIM for Beginners: Chapter 1 - Tips for Getting Started in Revit

3.28.10 9:10-9:45am
Introducing Revit Architecture 2010, BIM for Beginners
Chapter 1 ■ Understanding BIM
- Tips for Getting Started in Revit

"a few pointers to help you get started.

"Begin with the end in mind. When you begin any project, planning is always a good way to start. ...forethought about your process, workflow, and desired outcome."

"Get your project and office standards in place early. ...If possible, get your standards in place before you begin a project. ...Once you nail down your standards, they can be easily applied to your project using Transfer Project Standards."

"Remember that the first project you do in Revit is a change in methodology. you’re leveraging technology to help you change the way you approach design and documentation. Don’t expect the process to have the same workflow as it did in a CAD-based system."

"One of the most important rules to follow as you begin your project is to model the building as it will be built, but keep in mind that you do not need to model every condition threedimensionally. Use Revit to get the essential dimensions and building form coordinated. You can then embellish the model with 2D details to convey the fine grain."

"Model correctly from the beginning. We can’t stress this enough. As you refine your
design, it’s critical to model correctly right from the beginning so you don’t have to fix things later. ...It’s good practice to plan ahead, but
remember that Revit will allow you to make major changes at any stage in the process
and still maintain coordination. If you are still in early phase of design and do not know the exact wall type, use generic walls to capture your design intent; changing these later will be simple."

"Get information into the project as soon as it is known. ...design change is largely managed by the software itself. ...a great deal of flexibility in both your design and documentation. Take advantage of this shift in the process, and add information to your model early. It can be in the form of more detailed content or showing the material construction of your wall system. ...you can change all this information much more quickly and easily than you ever could in CAD, so don’t assume you’re locked into the information you displayed early in the design process."

"Plan for better communication among team members early in the process. ...Revit’s single-model environment forces a much higher degree of team communication between, not only the architects, but also the structural and mechanical engineers."

"Don’t try to model everything. ...Typical workstations aren’t capable of handling all the data of a building in model form. Additionally, few projects have the time in their schedule...In the beginning, err on the side of simplicity. It’s far easier to add complexity to your model later on as you gain experience and confidence than it is to troubleshoot over-constrained parameters early in the process. Start with the
big ideas: walls, openings, roofs, and so forth. Work your way down to a comfortable level of detail for both you and your computer."

"Organize your team. A BIM project team includes three basic technical roles.

Building designer. This is the person or team whose primary responsibility is to figure out what the project will look like and how it will be made. They create walls, floors, and roofs, and locate windows, doors, and other building elements.

Content/family creator. The family creator’s primary role is to create the parametric
content in the Revit model. This is typically someone with 3D experience who also
has a firm understanding of Revit and Revit families. The families, as you’ll see later, have parameters that can control visibility, size, color, proportion, and a number of other things.

Documenter. This role supplies the bulk of the documentation. It consists of drafting
some of the 2D line work over portions of the 3D model to show detail, adding annotations and keynotes, and creating details."

Most important tip of all, don't be afraid to ask for help. Or at least look for it online.

Introducing Revit Architecture 2010, BIM for Beginners:Chapter 1 - Types of Elements in Revit

3.28.10 8:25-9:05am
Introducing Revit Architecture 2010, BIM for Beginners
Chapter 1 ■ Understanding BIM
- Types of Elements in Revit

"
Types of Elements in Revit
Every parametric object in Revit is considered a family. ...The categories are divided into two primary buckets: model categories and annotation categories."

"organizes all the data in the model using building industry-specific classifications. ...manages relationships among classes of elements as well as their graphical display. ...fixed list of categories...and a generic category to which unusual, nonstandard elements can be assigned. Every element...belongs to one of these fixed categories."

"Model categories include all physical object types typically found in buildings. All 3D families will use one of these categories...elements that don’t fit into the Revit categorization system, the generic model category can be used."

"Annotation categories are all the annotations, symbols, text, and other 2D data added to a view to describe how the building is to be constructed. ...annotations are view specific and appear only in the view they were created in."
"To view all the model and annotation categories, select the Manage tab and from the
Settings panel, select Object Styles. ...Below each category can be many subcategories. ...elements. you can add or remove subcategories when creating or editing families. The beauty of this system is that you can control the visibility and graphics of each subcategory independently. This allows you to use different line weights for different subcomponents of families.

Controlling the Visibility of Elements
"Instead of using layers, Revit uses object categories’ view-specific settings to control how a drawing looks. The Visibility/graphic Overrides dialog box,...lets you control visibility of categories on a view-by-view basis. For example, instead of putting door handles on their own layer so they show only in high-scaled detailed views, Revit has commands to control the visibility of elements per view. If you don’t want to show the fine-grained details of an element, such as door handles and hardware, you can change the level of detail for your view..."

"Families in Revit
Independently of whether it’s a model or annotation category, a Revit element (from now on, family) can be a system family, a component family, or an in-place family.

System Families
"Examples of system families are walls, roofs, floors, ceilings, stairs, railings, ramps, and mullions. To create a system family, you must be in the project environment (you will not be able to create system families in the Family Editor). To make new, additional types of these families, you need to duplicate an existing family of the same type and modify it. So, to create a new wall type, for example, you must duplicate an existing wall, change its name, and then change the properties of the wall."
"...you cannot save a system family to a shared library as a
standalone component, it is possible to transfer these families between projects. To reuse system families from one project to another, select Manage ➔ Transfer Project Standards, then choose the category you want to transfer."

"Component Families
Component families (sometimes called standard families) are created outside of the project environment — still in Revit, but in a specific environment called the Family Editor. Component families have their own file format extension (.rfa) and can be stored or edited as separate files independent of a model, and then loaded at any time into a project."

"In-Place Families
In-place families are custom objects that are specific to a certain context within the model. A complex railing fence on a site is an example of an in-place family. ...Avoid making in-place families if you plan to reuse the family, or have multiple instances of it in the project."

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Introducing Revit Architecture 2010, BIM for Beginners: Notes #1

3.17.10 9:05-10:05pm
Introducing Revit Architecture 2010, BIM for Beginners
Chapter 1 ■ Understanding BIM
- A Brief History of Architectural Documentation
- Advantages of a BIM Approach
- How BIM Is Different from CAD
- Why Revit?
- Revit Concepts

I skimmed these first three chapters as I have had a good start with the native Revit tutorials. I suggest reading them if you are starting fresh with the program.

Here are a few notes of items I discovered that I either found to be significant moving to BIM from 2D CAD or didn't learn through the Revit intro tutorials.

"example, in Revit, there is no way to accidentally place a window into the ″wall″ layer. In a BIM world, layers become obsolete"
Wow! As a CAD manager, this is just astounding and exciting. No more endless debates over layer names, color settings or lineweights.

"Revit is the most technologically advanced BIM application. Currently, a number of BIM applications are on the market, provided by a host of different software vendors. While most other BIM applications in today’s market are based on technology that is 20-plus years old, Revit was designed from the ground up as a BIM platform to specifically address problem areas of the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry"
I can't say if Revit is the most advanced, market share pushed me towards it. Interesting nonetheless.

"the name Revit comes from ″Revise Instantly.″"

"Revit has embedded logical relationships among elements, so that when one is modified, all related objects follow the change."
"If for some reason this automatic behavior is not to your liking...and do not want to have existing conditions be affected by new construction...Hover the mouse over the end of a selected wall, right-click, and choose Disallow Join from the context menu. Only that one wall will be modified, and the others will not be affected.
You can also lock elements in place to prevent unintended consequences."

"User-Defined Rules
Revit allows you to define and lock these relationships with constraints: explicit dimensional rules that keep elements locked to one another."
Any element can be locked in place or rules can be set for items placed such always keeping a door jamb 4" from the adjacent wall.


to be continued...

Starting New Revit Training Book

I finished all of the tutorials under the Revit help menu. I was looking forward to starting the "skill builder" set of tutorials, especially the "Conceptual Design Environment Tutorial" set of videos. They are turning out not to be tutorials in the truest sense. They show you methods but they don't walk you through each command or even where to find them exactly.

So, now I am abandoning them and starting with new training book. It's entitled "Introducing Revit Architecture 2010, BIM for Beginners". I plan on going through this book then continuing with one of the Mastering Revit Architecture 2010 books. Probably the one by Paul F. Aubin.

So far this blog has just been a log of what tutorials i've studied and when. I hope to change this by including personal tips and limited commentary to hopefully supplement the chapter or material being studied.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Presenting a Project - Creating and Recording Walkthroughs: Creating a Walkthrough Path

03.09.10 8:25-8:41 PM 0:16 mns

Presenting a Project - Creating and Recording Walkthroughs: Creating a Walkthrough Path

In this exercise, you begin to create a walkthrough for presentation purposes. The first step in creating the walkthrough is to define the path and the overall properties of the camera, such as the field of vision and the view depth (back clipping plane).

Training Files = Imperial\RAC_CW_01_Walkthrough_Path_i.rvt.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Adding Basic Building Elements: Adding Columns

2.12.10 10:25-10:40am
Adding Basic Building Elements: Adding Columns
Training File = Imperial\RAC_BBE_01_Add_Columns_i.rvt

In this exercise, you place structural columns in the model. When placing the columns, you use the grids placed during previous exercises as a layout tool. You alter the columns to meet design requirements, and place them on multiple levels of the building model.

Load a column family

  1. In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 - Entry Level.

  2. Click Home tabBuild panelColumn drop-downStructural Column.

    The design calls for a round concrete column.

  3. Click Place Structural Column tabElement panelType Selector drop-down, and notice that the round column required is not available in the project.

    Load the column family from an external library.

  4. Click Place Structural Column tabDetail panelLoad Family.

  5. In the left pane of the Load Family dialog, click Training Files and open Imperial\Families\Concrete-Round-Column.rfa.

Add columns

  1. Click Place Structural Column tabMultiple panelOn Grids.

    This option allows you to quickly select all of the grid intersections where columns can be placed.

  2. Starting in the lower left corner and ending in the upper right corner, draw a selection window around the entire floor plan.

    All model elements except grids are filtered out of the selection set.

  3. On the Multiple Selection panel, click Finish Selection.

    The columns are placed at the intersections of all selected grids.

  4. Click Modify.

    Columns placed at grid intersections C4-C6 and H4-H10 are outside of the curtain wall that creates the skin of the building in the courtyard. You need to delete these columns from the project.

  5. Draw a selection box around the columns placed at grid intersections C4-C6, and press Delete.

  6. Using the same method, delete columns placed at grid intersections H4-H10.

Modify column height

  1. Using a selection box, select the entire floor plan.

  2. Click Multi-Select tabFilter panelFilter.

    You filter the selection set to include only the structural columns.

  3. In the Filter dialog:
    • Click Check None.
    • Under Category, select Structural Columns.
    • Click OK.
  4. Click Multi-Select tabElement panelElement Properties drop-downInstance Properties.

    You modify the properties and apply an offset to the top of the columns to accommodate the thickness of the floor above.

  5. In the Instance Properties dialog, for Top Offset, type -1' 0'', and click OK.

Paste columns to upper levels

  1. While the columns are still selected, clickMulti-Select tabClipboard panel,Copy.

  2. On the Clipboard panel, click Paste Aligned drop-downSelect Levels.

  3. In the Select Levels dialog, while pressing Ctrl, select 02 - Floor and 03 - Floor.

  4. Click OK.

  5. Open the {3D} view.

    In a 3D view, the columns added to all 3 levels are displayed.

Delete extra columns in the pavilion

  1. Use the ViewCube to orient the view to the pavilion.

  2. Zoom in to the columns in the pavilion.

    Even though the walls of the pavilion extend up 2 levels, it only has one floor level, so you can delete the columns on the second and third levels.

  3. Select the columns in the second and third levels of the pavilion (2 columns on each level).

  4. Press Delete.

  5. Close the file with or without saving it.

Summary To Date / Adding Basic Building Elements

Summary To Date
The lessons so far have been slow going but easy to follow. It's a new endeavor getting used to a "drafting" software with limited keyboard shortcuts. I am getting more and more comfortable with the command input and expect things to go along smoother and faster.

I have been impressed with how much the modeling software does for you, like setting datum points in elevation enabling you to extract floor areas from a mass. I do expect things to get more complicated though since the complication seems to lie in modeling real world projects and the effort involved in creating everything correctly.


Adding Basic Building Elements
Below is a snapshot of the lessons to follow.
In this lesson, you add basic building elements to the model. You learn to:
  • Place structural columns, using the grid as a layout tool.
  • Use drawing tools to edit the floor shape to accommodate a second floor balcony.
  • Modify the roof slab shape and structure to provide roof drain conditions.
  • Create a butterfly-shaped roof over the pavilion, using the walls as a footprint.
  • Add an interior wall layout to the entry level, and modify the exterior wall to create an entry.
  • Place windows and doors in the entry level layout.
  • Use 2 methods to add ceilings to the layout: placing by automatically detecting room boundaries and placing by drawing a boundary.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Creating Project Datums: Adding Project Levels

1/8/10 8:55-9:25pm (to be continued) 1.14.10 9:30-9:45am
Creating Project Datums: Adding Project Levels
Training File - Imperial\RAC_CPD_01_Adding_Levels_i.rvt

In this exercise, you add levels to the project. The levels serve as datums for placing additional objects in the project.

Adjust existing level
  1. In the Project Browser, under Elevations (Building Elevation), double-click South.
  2. In the elevation view, zoom in to the level markers.
  3. In the drawing area, right-click a tree, and click Hide in viewCategory. The visibility for the planting category is turned off, reducing the visual clutter.
  4. Zoom in to the level labels on the right.
  5. Before adding levels, adjust the height of Level 2:
  • Select Level 2.
  • Click the Level 2 height parameter.
  • Type 12', and press Enter.
6. Zoom out until you can see both ends of the existing levels.

Add levels

  1. Click Home tabDatum panelLevel.
  2. On the left side of the existing levels, click to add a third level 12’ above Level 2, as shown.
    Note: To locate the starting point, move the cursor over the end point of Level 2, and move the cursor up, using the displayed drawing aids to locate the correct starting point.
  3. Move the cursor to the right, and click to align the right edge of the level marker with the existing levels.
  4. Using the same method, add a fourth level 12’ above Level 3, as shown.
  5. On the Options Bar, clear Make Plan View. The next level you add is used to establish the parapet height of the wall. This level is used only for reference, so you do not need to create a plan view.
  6. Using the same method, add a fifth level 4' above Level 4, as shown.
  7. Click Place Level tabSelect panelModify. Modify levels
  8. Zoom in to the level heads.
  9. Select Level 5, click the height parameter, type 37'6'', and press Enter.
  10. Adjust the Level 5 marker so it does not overlap the text from the level below: - Select Level 5. - Click the control to add an elbow, as shown. - Drag the elbow to adjust the label position. (Exact placement is not important.)
  • Select Level 1, click the Level 1 label, type 01 - Entry Level, and press Enter.
  • In the dialog, click Yes to rename corresponding views.
  • Using the previous method, rename the remaining levels:
    Existing Name New Name
    Level 2 02 - Floor
    Level 3 03 - Floor
    Level 4 Roof
    Level 5 Parapet
    End of tutorial
  • Thursday, January 7, 2010

    Creating a Site: Adding a Building Pad

    Creating a Site: Adding a Building Pad
    1/7/10 4:00-4:30pm

    In this exercise, you create a building pad. A building pad is a toposurface-hosted element and can only be added to a topographic surface. When you add a building pad, either the pad will cut into the toposurface or the toposurface will be built up, as required by the placement of the pad object.

    Training File - In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Imperial\RAC_CS_04_Building_Pad_i.rvt.

    Add a building pad to the project

    1. In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Site.
    2. Zoom in to the building footprint.
    3. Click Massing & Site tabModel Site panelBuilding Pad. Note: By default, the Pick Walls command is active. If you have an existing building model, you can pick the exterior walls to define the building pad.
    4. Click Create Pad Boundary tabDraw panel (Pick Lines). You use the DWG information to establish the boundary of the pad object.
    5. Select all of the lines representing the extents of the building. (These are the dark blue lines including the small square representing the pavilion.) Optionally, position the cursor over a line, press Tab until the Status Bar indicates that a chain of lines is highlighted, and click to select it. The lines change color when you select them.
    6. Click Create Pad Boundary tabSelection panelModify.
    7. Click Create Pad Boundary tabEdit panelSplit. Note: You use the Split and Trim tools to modify the lines to get a closed loop boundary. When drawing in Revit Architecture, it is important that boundaries are established as closed loops with no intersecting lines.
    8. Click the right vertical line of the building where it attaches to the pavilion, as shown. (The exact location of the split is not important, as long as it is between the lines of the pavilion edge.) The split command is similar to the break command in autocad.
    9. Click Create Pad Boundary tabEdit panelTrim.
    10. Select the lines (as shown in the tutorial graphic) to trim the boundary: (make sure you click the part of the element that you want to retain.)
      • Vertical building line above the split.
      • Top horizontal line of the pavilion
      • Vertical building line below the split
      • Bottom horizontal line of the pavilion
    11. Click Create Pad Boundary tabBuilding Pad panelFinish Building Pad.
    12. Click View tabCreate panel3D View drop-downDefault 3D.
    13. Finished, close file and go on to next tutorial. Don't save in case you would like to revisit this tutorial in the future.

    Saturday, January 2, 2010

    Sketching

    Sketching 1/7/10 2:45-3:30pm Supplement to "Creating a Topographic Subregion"
    To create certain elements in Revit Architecture, such as roofs, floors, stairs, and railings, you draw them by sketching. Sketching is also required to define other types of geometry, such as extrusions, openings, and regions.
    Sketching Terminology
    • There are several terms specific to the sketching process in Revit Architecture:

      • Sketching is a process of drawing elements in Revit Architecture.
      • Sketch-based elements are those elements (for example, floors, ceilings, and extrusions) that are typically created using sketch mode. There are also elements, such as walls, that are sketched but do not require the use of sketch mode.
      • Sketch mode is an environment in Revit Architecture that allows you to sketch elements whose size or shape cannot be determined automatically, for example when you create (or edit a sketch of) a roof or a floor. When you enter sketch mode, the Ribbon only displays the tools applicable for the type of sketch you are creating or editing.
      • All the elements that comprise a sketch-based element (such as a roof) are known as the sketch.

        For example, a sketch-based roof is selected in the following image. (not shown)

        In this example, when you select the roof (created by extrusion), you can click Modify Roofs tab, Modify Roof panel, Edit Profile, which opens the sketch (the pink lines in the following image) in sketch mode. (For a roof created by footprint, select the roof and click Modify Roofs tab, Edit panel, Edit Footprint.) Here you can edit the individual elements of the sketch. The tools that are available in sketch mode vary depending on the type of element you are editing.



    Sketching Elements

    You can either draw sketch lines or use a Pick (Walls, Lines, Edges, Faces) option when sketching. Drawing allows you to create the element by clicking and moving the cursor; Pick options allow you to select existing walls, lines, edges or faces. As you sketch, you can use listening dimensions. For more information, see Listening Dimensions.

    When you add elements whose size or shape cannot be determined automatically, such as a roof, extrusion, or opening, you enter sketch mode. In sketch mode, only the tools available for that sketch are available for use; the tools vary depending on the type of element you are sketching. There are also elements (such as walls) that are sketched but do not require the use of sketch mode.

    Common Options for Sketches ( See Revit help "Sketching Elements" for table not shown)

    Using Constraints When Sketching

    You can use constraints while you are sketching by pressing Shift as you draw. Shift constraints works as follows:

    • Constrains straight lines and radii of polygons to horizontal or vertical lines.
    • Limits the chords of 3-point arcs, the radii of arcs from center and end points, and the axis of ellipses to multiples of 45 degrees.
    • Limits 2-point and 3-point arcs to 90, 180, or 270 degrees.



    Modifying Sketched Elements

  • In the drawing area, select a sketched element.
  • If you created the sketch for a sketch-based element, click the edit option to enter sketch mode.
  • For example, if you sketched a floor, click Modify Floors tabEdit panelEdit Boundary.
  • Modify the element:
    move an entire element = select all of its sketch lines, and drag it to the desired location. If another element is attached, it updates accordingly.

    modify the end of a sketch line = select it, and either drag the end control or edit the dimension. If you are moving the end control of a straight line segment, you can change the angle of the line or change the length of the line. If you move the end control of an arc, you change the number of degrees for the arc angle; if you drag the middle control, you change the radius.

  • If you were in sketch mode, when finished, click Finish .


    Sketching and Work Planes

    Each view in Revit Architecture is associated with a work plane. In some views (such as plan, 3D, and drafting) and for views in the Family Editor, the work plane is automatically set. In other views, such as elevation and section views, you need to set the work plane. The work plane is necessary for sketching operations such as creating an extruded roof, and for enabling tools in particular views, such as Rotate and Mirror in a 3D view.

    When you set a work plane in a view, it is saved with that view. You can change the work plane as necessary.

    When sketching, you can snap to the work plane grid, but you cannot align or dimension to it.

    Additional
    Topics in this section

    • Setting the Work Plane
    • Making the Work Plane Visible
    • Modifying Work Plane Grid Spacing
    • Rotating a Work Plane Grid
    • Elements Associated with Work Planes
    • Creating a Work Plane-based Family



    Creating Solid and Void Geometry

    The tools you use to create solid and void geometry are available only in the Family Editor. For more information, see 'Family Editor' in the help menu.

    For detailed information about creating families, including tutorials for creating geometry using the Family Editor, see 'The Families Guide' in the help menu.

    • Creating an Extrusion
    • Creating a Blend
    • Creating a Revolve
    • Creating a Sweep
    • Creating a Swept Blend
    • Cut Geometry

    Creating 2D Geometry

    To create 2D family geometry, you use the Revit Architecture Model and Symbolic lines tools that are available in the Family Editor.

    The Model Line tool on the Create tabModel panel lets you sketch two-dimensional geometry for when you do not need to show solid geometry. For example, you could sketch door panels and hardware as 2D rather than sketch solid extrusions. Model lines are always visible in 3D views. You can control their visibility in plan and elevation views by selecting the lines and clicking Modify Lines tabVisibility panelVisibility Settings.

    The Symbolic Line tool on the Detail tabDetail panel lets you sketch lines that are meant for symbolic purposes only. For example, you might sketch symbolic lines in an elevation view to represent a door swing. Symbolic lines are not part of the actual geometry of the family. Symbolic lines are visible parallel to the view in which you sketch them.

    You can control symbolic line visibility on cut instances. Select the symbolic line and click Modify Lines tabVisibility panelVisibility Settings. Select Show only if instance is cut.

    In the displayed dialog, you can also control the visibility of lines based on the detail level of the view. For example, if you select Coarse, that means that when you load the family into a project and place it in a view at the Coarse detail level, the symbolic lines are visible.

    Adding a Reference Line

    In the Family Editor, you can add a reference line in any view and use the same drawing tools and techniques used when adding model lines. When you sketch a reference line, it displays as a single line.

    In a view where the model graphics are set to hidden line or wireframe, the sketched line displays as a solid line and the plane extents display with dashed lines.

    To add a reference line

    1. In the Family Editor, on the Create tabDatum panel, click Reference Line.
    2. Using the drawing tools on the Options Bar, sketch the line.

      The line displays as a solitary solid line until selected or when highlighted during preselection.

      When selected or highlighted, the associated planes display according to the active view.

      To use reference lines and linear dimensions to control model geometry

      1. Align the face of a model element to the reference line and lock it.
      2. Add a dimension line referring to the reference line and label it as an instance or type parameter.
      3. Flex the model by changing and applying a new value within the Family Types dialog.