Monday, March 30, 2009

Dept. of Why? Auto Ceiling and Multiple Ceilings

I should start an informal poll on how many users have created multiple ceilings in a room because the Auto Ceiling function does not discriminate against multiple ceilings in the same location. When you try to put other elements in the same location as another Revit howl's in pain but not the ceiling tool. It's says, "Go for it dude...make as many as you like! It'll just confuse you later and it'll be like..kewl...I'm so like sitting back here and chuckling at you!"

I think something like twenty was the worst I've encountered. It goes something like this..."Steve, why can't I delete this ceiling?" I use a crossing selection window and filter out the other elements and find 20 ceiling elements. I tell them they placed 20 ceilings and they WERE deleting them just not ALL of them. I then wonder how many he deleted and how many there were originally?!?

He says,"How did I do that...oh wait? I placed the ceiling but I didn't see it at first so I tried again, and again and again and again..." This happens the most with the GWB ceiling type that doesn't have a material assigned to the GWB which means you can't "see" it. You aren't convinced there is a ceiling so you keep clicking! Remember a definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly expecting different results.

I'd like the ceiling tool get a bit smarter, a bit more discriminating. Which reminds me the ceiling tool ought to be able to detect columns just like rooms!!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

glad I'm not the only one who's seen this happen. This is one of the reasons why I've been telling people that drawing ceilings is always a good thing to do in shaded edge mode. The roof or slab above always tends to have a color/hatch to it, so when you put in the GWB ceiling, it turns white and you can tell where you have a ceiling made. Then, once they're done drawing in the ceilings they can turn it back to Hidden Line mode.

I've toyed with the idea of putting a hatch to the GWB, but I fear it'll muddy up the drawing and the idea of turning it off before printing just seems like a step that will often be forgotten.

Anonymous said...

Steve,

This happens in the class I teach all of the time. I actually had a student that placed almost 50 ceilings, all becouse of the gyp. brd. not being turned on as a surface pattern.

Aaron Maller said...

Ceilings NEED to have all of the same functionalities as Roofs and Floors, as well. If anything, they need MORE capabilities, not less. I mean, ceiling detailing is often much more complex than some roof and floor detailing.

Ceiling by face, Ceiling with multiple slopes, etc.

I mean, i guess the semantics of "isnt a ceiling really just a wall sideways" could play, but that doesnt help with object styles of visibility controls.

In short, yes... I agree with you entirely. The "Auto ceiling" tool needs work, but ceilings on the whole need an overhaul too. Or at lesat some more options. :)

Revit Implementation said...

The best in a class is where you show them how to rotate the model pattern of the ceiling(600x1200 pattern), or to align to a setting out point. You land up with a very confusing bunch of lines all over the show at very confusing different angles.... usually followed by..."Why did REVIT do that?"