I wrote about the enhancements to the existing View Reference feature in March when the software first was released.
I didn't mention this other little goody, for people working inside Revit. If you double click on the view reference family Revit will open the view! If you export to DWF and export all the sheets to the same file you'll find they behave just like other annotation for views, CTRL + Click will open the other sheet/view.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Selecting Multiple Saved Selection Sets
Sibilance! I used to work for Syracuse Scenery & Stage Lighting, Co. in Syracuse, NY. It was fun when I had to introduce myself formally starting with, "Hi, I'm Steve Stafford with...". The title of this post reminded me of that, sorry! I was going to lead into it with Dept. of Subtle but that was too many "sssss"... it is really subtle though. Okay I'll get to it then.
Revit 2013 added Saved Selection Sets, a feature that was part of an extension for Revit Structure originally.
The concept is simple, select elements and click a button to save (top button in the image above) them as a set that can be called on later, to do something with or to them again. If that seems likely then it will come in handy. The Save button wakes up when there is something selected. The Load button wakes up after something has been saved as a selection set.
The subtle part of this is that when there are several selection sets to choose from, what if we want to do something to more than one at a time? The dialog doesn't let us select multiple saved sets. Guess we're sunk.
[Edited 5/18/2012 - Gabe pointed out in a comment that CTRL isn't necessary, just running the tool again by clicking Load will allow us to add another selection set, cool! Thanks Gabe! - Disregard the following section]
It doesn't look like it will work but using the CTRL key does work, just not inside the dialog. The trick to this is selecting one and clicking OK to leave the dialog. Then press CTRL and click the Load button again (middle button in the first image), select another saved set, click OK.
Now we've got two saved selection sets selected again. It's easy when you know how!
Revit 2013 added Saved Selection Sets, a feature that was part of an extension for Revit Structure originally.
The concept is simple, select elements and click a button to save (top button in the image above) them as a set that can be called on later, to do something with or to them again. If that seems likely then it will come in handy. The Save button wakes up when there is something selected. The Load button wakes up after something has been saved as a selection set.
The subtle part of this is that when there are several selection sets to choose from, what if we want to do something to more than one at a time? The dialog doesn't let us select multiple saved sets. Guess we're sunk.
[Edited 5/18/2012 - Gabe pointed out in a comment that CTRL isn't necessary, just running the tool again by clicking Load will allow us to add another selection set, cool! Thanks Gabe! - Disregard the following section]
Now we've got two saved selection sets selected again. It's easy when you know how!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Apply View Template to all Views
I don't recall when this first showed up but I noticed it first in Revit 2012. Here's what it looks like with a right-click in Revit 2013.
My first reaction was cool! Then I wondered, "When or why would I use it?". Pondered it for a bit and decided that it might be cool if I have a sheet full of details that needed some cleanup. Create a view template and then apply it right quick. Then again I could just select multiple views in the project browser and apply them. With Revit 2013 my view templates will adjust all those details as soon as I change the template, or at least they can if I set it up that way. I suppose this feature might be handy if I forgot to do it and they were all on sheets at this point.
A subtle refinement to process that probably just goes unnoticed? I wonder how many of my readers use it, know about it, care?
My first reaction was cool! Then I wondered, "When or why would I use it?". Pondered it for a bit and decided that it might be cool if I have a sheet full of details that needed some cleanup. Create a view template and then apply it right quick. Then again I could just select multiple views in the project browser and apply them. With Revit 2013 my view templates will adjust all those details as soon as I change the template, or at least they can if I set it up that way. I suppose this feature might be handy if I forgot to do it and they were all on sheets at this point.
A subtle refinement to process that probably just goes unnoticed? I wonder how many of my readers use it, know about it, care?
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Revit 2013 - View Types
It is now possible to create new view types for all views except for area plans and sheet. This means you can create your own versions of floor plans according to discipline or perhaps design phase. We've been able to do this with sections, elevations and detail views for some time. As Revit's features have been merged into the new Building Design Suite "Revit" it became apparent that putting all the tools in one box created some curious view, view template and discipline control issues that had to be sorted out, thus being able to create view types for more views was born.
Further, views can be tied to view templates and have changes to a view template take effect immediately in a view or many views. We can apply a view template like before, just to make a change or we can assign a view template to the view so that it will alter the view without the past extra step of applying the view template. This is the typical assumed behavior that most people where surprised to learn did not happen in the past.
One curious thing that is documented at the WikiHelp site regarding these new view types, changing a view from one type to another does not actually apply the view template change that is assigned (if any) to the view. It is an instance parameter so it's an extra step you've got to take to make sure the view has the correct template assigned.
If you use the Apply View template option on a view assigned to view template already you'll get this message.
It's confirming that you really want to apply a different template's settings to the view. It also says that the only properties that will be altered are those that aren't in conflict with the other template. Hopefully the swapping of view types won't occur much after creating them initially and getting this sorted out. If you do find yourself needing to swap them around, just remember to check the view template assignment.
Tip: They've added View Template to the available fields in View Lists (schedule) so it can be managed there too.
Further, views can be tied to view templates and have changes to a view template take effect immediately in a view or many views. We can apply a view template like before, just to make a change or we can assign a view template to the view so that it will alter the view without the past extra step of applying the view template. This is the typical assumed behavior that most people where surprised to learn did not happen in the past.
One curious thing that is documented at the WikiHelp site regarding these new view types, changing a view from one type to another does not actually apply the view template change that is assigned (if any) to the view. It is an instance parameter so it's an extra step you've got to take to make sure the view has the correct template assigned.
If you use the Apply View template option on a view assigned to view template already you'll get this message.
It's confirming that you really want to apply a different template's settings to the view. It also says that the only properties that will be altered are those that aren't in conflict with the other template. Hopefully the swapping of view types won't occur much after creating them initially and getting this sorted out. If you do find yourself needing to swap them around, just remember to check the view template assignment.
Tip: They've added View Template to the available fields in View Lists (schedule) so it can be managed there too.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Dept. of Echo - Don't use the Basic Ceiling
Originally posted here August 2009 and still true with Revit 2013
When an architect uses the Basic Ceiling-Generic type they are creating a situation for the Revit MEP user they may not be aware of. Face based content does not orient themselves to the correct side or face of this ceiling. For air terminals and others this means they are usually upside-down. I created a short video to demonstrate what I'm writing about.
You can listen and watch below:
Here's an image to convey the issue without watching the video. The left side is a Basic Ceiling and the air terminals are upside down. The right side is the Compound Ceiling and the air terminals are okay.
When an architect uses the Basic Ceiling-Generic type they are creating a situation for the Revit MEP user they may not be aware of. Face based content does not orient themselves to the correct side or face of this ceiling. For air terminals and others this means they are usually upside-down. I created a short video to demonstrate what I'm writing about.
You can listen and watch below:
Here's an image to convey the issue without watching the video. The left side is a Basic Ceiling and the air terminals are upside down. The right side is the Compound Ceiling and the air terminals are okay.
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