Revit MEP can assign system colors to their pipe and duct systems. It is easier for them than using a lot of Filters like was required in the past. If you are one of the other trades (architect for example) and link an MEP model and you see color it's probably because they are using this feature. This is what it looks like in the MEP model. I focused on the Domestic Cold Water as an example.
Now the file has been linked to an architectural model. The colors assigned to the pipe system are still applied to the elements. You might be tempted to try to alter the settings of pipe and duct systems in the Project Browser, IF you've noticed that your architectural template has them. I'll save you the trouble, it won't do anything to them.
If you don't want to see those colors you CAN override them with Filters.
I've opened Visibility/Graphics and then created a Filter. In the Filters dialog, if you select only the Duct categories, Flex Ducts, Flex Pipes, Mechanical Equipment and all the Pipe categories, then the "Filter by:" will allow you to choose "System Classification", set it to "is greater than" and "" (empty field).
This should catch all the mechanical elements in linked file and look like this afterward.
Remember to take advantage of a View Template to control this more easily and consistently.
Now the file has been linked to an architectural model. The colors assigned to the pipe system are still applied to the elements. You might be tempted to try to alter the settings of pipe and duct systems in the Project Browser, IF you've noticed that your architectural template has them. I'll save you the trouble, it won't do anything to them.
If you don't want to see those colors you CAN override them with Filters.
I've opened Visibility/Graphics and then created a Filter. In the Filters dialog, if you select only the Duct categories, Flex Ducts, Flex Pipes, Mechanical Equipment and all the Pipe categories, then the "Filter by:" will allow you to choose "System Classification", set it to "is greater than" and "
Remember to take advantage of a View Template to control this more easily and consistently.
18 comments:
Do you need to do the "System Classification" greater than trick? We suggest architects just leave it as "none".
We've also implemented other techniques in the past. In a worksharing project you can ask the architect to make a workset with the same name as yours, and filter by that same name. You can even use the "greater than" or "less than" options if you're brave (but that can be trial and error).
In a Filter? I'm not following your "None"... If I choose System Classification as the criteria I'm really just trying to catch any system so I can override the graphics. Using Greater than and " " allows for any of the classifications to be caught.
I don't follow the use of Worksets, that only works for loading or visibility?
I referring to how architects here (generally) don't model pipes / ducts, so they can just leave it as None:
http://imgur.com/0gv07zW
With the worksets (http://imgur.com/gKUEScD)
You can set a dummy workset with the MEP workset name that they use, for example - mechnical, and then make all of their mechanical items filtered.
Oh, sorry...blindspot.
Yes, both of those will work. It's more important to realize that we need to create a Filter, what criteria we choose is less so... leaving it set to is a bit "counter-intuitive" if we've bias toward choosing a criteria...but it does work since we're really just trying to select it "all", not worried about any specific criteria to separate anything.
Worksets...yes that would work too...as long as they were diligent. I'd say the previous approach is more reliable.
Ah yes I agree on both points.
It would be nice if simply applying a linked model as Underlay (in VV/VG) would make it all halftoned...
It would also be nice if we could say if "Workset" contained or "Begins with" as you can with other categories, but I guess that would make it too easy.
And for the record not all MEP engineers lack diligence ;)
Can we agree no trade is immune? :)
Hi Steve,
I understand there are 3 ways to set the duct or pipe colors: Color schemes, system type override and filters. Is there an hierarchy, what takes precedence on what? I think some light should be shed or the coloring/patterns behaviour or this can get really confusing and elusive.
Fotis - I'd say that graphics by System Type is the current primary method. Filters are second since they can be use to change things by view, to tell a different story. Color Schemes are an override to generate a specific (limited) kind of report. That's how I'd stack them... System > Filters > Color Schemes. Help?
Most helpful, keep up the great job,
Great Tip
I just found this and it is just as helpful today as when you first posted it. Thank you.
The only family I had to add to the filter was Air Terminals.
Cheers Steve
Really great post. Most helpful
Steve - I stumbled (or googled) upon this post when trying to figure out how and why the grids from our linked structural file are pink. Yes, we're ultimately going to copy/monitor the grids and turn them off from linked views, but I tested the concept of your filter and it still works in this application after I couldn't find any other way to override the colors.
My question is, are colored grids similar in concept to the colors being applied to System Classifications?
Brian - Did you see this POST too?
http://revitoped.blogspot.com/2015/08/filter-linked-grids-and-levels.html
I wrote about using filters for grids and levels assuming ours are named in a way that makes it easy to filter out anyone else's.
As you know, the color of grid lines is defined By Type while the grid head annotation is an Object Style. Filters (applied to Grids) appear to be able to traverse that separation and override their color.
No, I didn't see your post, but I saw one by Brian Mackey on the same topic which I can only wish I had seen year ago.
I feel like I need to go back to the start of a few of these blogs and reread everything from start to finish! The little tips and tricks we miss out on, or forget about. Sounds like a good class from some conference in St. Louis. :-)
St. Louis...whatever do you mean? :)
Thank you so much, your way it's the only one I found useful
You save me lots of time today
Thanks for this! I looked all over for a solution and your post was the only one that fixed the issue for me.
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