Short Curved Walls and Non Core Layers

At Autodesk Revit forums I saw a post regarding disappearing curved walls. These walls were shorter than the current view range cut plane. When the Wall subcategory Non Core Layers is turned off only these curved short walls disappeared. Other walls of the same type that were straight remained visible. It looks like a bug to me.

In my testing, when the sub-category for Non Core Layers (Detail Level must be Medium or Fine) is turned off the wall will disappear when it's height is not at least 2 feet above the cut plane setting. For example, I can make a wall disappear if it's height is less than 6 feet when the cut plane (view range) is 4 feet. Enter anything 6 feet or higher and the wall reappears. This image is some full height walls and some walls that are 4 feet tall (lighter gray walls).

This is the setting I turned off in Visibility/Graphics.

This is the result, the curved 4 foot tall walls are gone.

I suppose, in their defense, they could argue that the reason it is possible to turn off non core layers is to be able to isolate, only show, the structural portion of walls. As such a curved wall that is not tall enough to reach the cut plane is not likely to also be a structural/bearing wall. At the very least it is unexpected to have a wall disappear only because it is too short and curved.

Cue Randy Newman, "Short walls got no reason..."

Creating Elevation Views and Finish Floors

If you use the finish floor approach to create individual floors for rooms they manage to confuse the Elevation tool. If you create an elevation view inside a room you will likely find that the view's crop boundary is very short.

These are two interior elevations I made. The crop region for the one on the left is good but it's floor is flush with the sub-floor (and level). The crop region for the view on the right is bad, too short because the finish floor is set so that it sits on top of the sub-floor. Quirky quirky.

Raff, a member at RFO, started a thread the other day and it reminded me that I'd created the video below, embedded here.

The video is based on Revit 2015 R2 and Update Release 5 installed.

Reference Planes and Wall Closure

Daniel Stine wrote to let me know that his new Interior Design book is now available for 2013.

It covers the new Materials and uses the new stair tool to create the stair shown in the image below (actually, the reader creates everything in the image).

He was also worried about me not posting as much lately so he shared something that's part of his book too...so I could post it here. Cool, I don't have to be creative and come up with something to post on my own! Aah...I feel so relaxed, thanks!

Control Wall’s Material Return

A door or window family has the ability to control the return of materials (i.e. Layers) for the host wall in a project. The exterior and interior materials can be controlled separately. These adjustments change the 3D model, not just the 2D plan-view. A single door family is controlling the various conditions shown below.

Note the two “wall closure” parameters (shown below) need to be “locked” so they stay positive (in the correct direction) when the host wall thickness changes. Also, these values can be set to 0’-0” for the default instance value.

You can set two Reference Planes to “Wall Closure” in a family.

In plan you get something like this.

[Edit: added this section 08/18/2013 - realized I didn't mention this part]

It is also significant that the Reference Plane setting works together WITH Wall Type Properties. If you don't tell the wall to allow the wrapping at inserts it won't do anything. I've added this image below to help explain.

Interior Partition - Offset Finishes

If you need a finish material to carry up to a different elevation on one side from the other. There are a couple methods you can consider. One, using Edit Cut Profile, is a drafting exercise that doesn't affect the model itself. The other, using a custom wall setting for wall layers and Top Extension Distance, is a modelling exercise.

Tools menu > Edit Cut Profile is the "quick and dirty" technique. You simply slice off the portion of the finish you don't want to see in your detail section or callout view.


If you need to see this modelled then you can use the Top Extension Distance of a wall layer. You have to edit the properties of your wall type and preview the section of your wall. Then click Modify and select the top of one finish layer. A padlock appears. Unlock the padlock. This will permit this layer to be different than the other.


Note you cannot unlock both sides...

Now that the layer is "unlocked" you can adjust your wall in a section/detail view. Select the wall and open the Properties Dialog. Find the parameter: Top Extension Distance. Change the value to what you need it to be. Alternatively you can just select the wall and you'll find a small triangle control grip that you can drag up or down.



Once you are done with that you can finish up your detailing.


Note that this feature is disable when a wall is attached or if it is part of a Stacked Wall.