Remember the Status Bar and Think Edges

Two little practical tips or reminders for Friday morning.

Tip One - Revit doesn't see things until you place your cursor near the edge of an element. There are some exceptions but for most elements you've got to move the cursor near an edge. Not sure if Revit sees it? Is it highlighted? No, then Revit doesn't see it. No point clicking to select something if Revit doesn't acknowledge it. The highlighting is visual confirmation that Revit thinks "this" is what you want to select.

If it isn't the correct one, remember the TAB key cycles through alternate elements that Revit could see in the same spot. I imagine sonar radiating from the tip of the cursor. If an element is close enough to bounce a signal back to the cursor you can "sink the battleship". No "Disco Tabbing", that happens when you hold the tab key down instead of just pressing once or twice as needed. I say disco because elements flash at you when you hold the button down. Thanks to Cyril Verley for that, I heard it from him first.

Okay that was three tips already; Edges, Highlighting and the TAB key.

Tip Two - When you are busy remembering edges don't forget to remember the Status Bar. It tells you what Revit sees or wants from you. When you place your cursor near an element you get the highlighting, you should see a tool tip AND the Status Bar offers you some info too. It's like a read-only command line, sssh.

Only One Book is Allowed

I wrote a tweet the other day asking,"I wonder why the question, "Which Revit book should I buy?" seems to imply that we are only allowed one, one choice, one on our shelf?"

We all learn a bit differently, so options are good. I think it is a disservice to all of us to assume one source is sufficient or that we must only pick the "best" book. I learn stuff from all the things I read, even if some parts are useless to me personally or perhaps poorly delivered. We are talking about someone's living. Spending a few hundred dollars in the interest of making a better living seems easy math to me, and I'm not even very good at math!

Don't restrict your opportunities to learn! My $0.02

Too Old to Revit?

Excuses come in all shapes and sizes. Many are derived from our age. He can't learn Revit...he's too old. You can't teach an old dog new tricks or so it goes. Sorry folks it isn't true. I know some old dogs who are using Revit quite comfortably. I've also met some youngsters who just don't get it.

I accept that there are learning issues associated with age in some cases. It certainly can be harder for someone to get used to using a computer AND Revit when they don't have a lifetime of using the technology. Most often it just comes down to attitude. Do you want to? I bet you can do it. Don't want to? I bet you'll find a way to make that come true.

My mother went back to school a few times in her life. After each of us (four kids) were completely immersed in school all day she took a part time job and enrolled at SUNY Binghamton. She studied language among other things. Years later she went back to school to get her MSW (Master of Social Work). Someone pointed out to her that she wouldn't be finished until she was in her 50's. She just replied, "So? I'll be 50 anyway?!?" Love my Mom, not ashamed to say it. She's always learning and age just isn't a reason not to do something.

As a wise old Jedi Knight told us years ago, "Do! or Do not! There is no try!" Even Nike ads pointed us in the right direction..."Just Do IT"! What are you waiting for? Haven't got around to it yet?

My boss at U-Haul, when I was a senior in high school, fixed that problem for me. He asked me if I finished something that I hadn't even started yet, my actual words were, "I didn't get around to it yet." He disappeared and came back a few minutes later and tossed me a little cardboard disc that looked something like this.

Consider this one yours...now go!