Where did my Mass go?

More than one Revit user has started a project with massing, saved and closed the file, moved on to something else for awhile only to return and suffer a brief scary moment when they see nothing in their model!! No mass!! Did I forget to save my work? Did Revit kill my work? Panic begins to set in...oh wait!! Show Mass!! Aaahhh...calm begins to return.


You can also find it under the View menu > Show Mass.

When you first use the massing tools Revit displays this message.


It boils down to this, Revit is saying, "Steve, the massing category is not on, you can't see it!! So I'll turn massing on for you globally (all views) without you having to manually turn massing on in every view using visibility/Graphics overrides. Okay?"

The alternative is to use Visibility/Graphic overrides in each view to turn on the mass category. By default it is off in each view.


The message also tells that you'll have to do this in order to print/export your massing work.

Now...in Revit 2010 you'll find things the same only different. Instead of a menu or toolbar button you'll find a "Menoolbar"...I'm sorry I meant Ribbon tab called Massing & Site.

Instead of the little message I got earlier from Revit I get this one.

Says the "same" thing only differently. Of course the massing capabilities have changed significantly with 2010 but that's a different post...or many posts.

Next time...don't panic!!...and remember your towel!