View Discipline

Daryl wrote on Monday that the concept of View Discipline isn't documented well. Software documentation tends to be a bit dry, too often a very literal, "Un-checking this turns the feature off". Well that is obvious but "why" would I want to turn it on or off? Unless it is truly self evident, why a feature exists is a bit more involved but much more satisfying help.

The concept of View Discipline appeared with Revit Structure. It was meant to make it simple to alter the appearance of our model to be more in sync with what a structural engineer wants to see. When MEP (Systems as it was called then) appeared a year later they extended the concept to Mechanical and Electrical (plumbing lumped in with Mechanical till release 2013).

Daryl used plan views as his example of how the help documentation isn't accurate. Plan views are not the best view type to see the truth in the help claims. Ducts for example, he wrote, don't show up when the architectural discipline is chosen. They CAN show up, they probably won't be visible because they are above the cut plane. When Mechanical is assigned Revit changes the nature of what plan and reflected plan mean. Ducts at 10'-0" AFF will appear in a plan view with the view discipline Mechanical assigned. They won't with Architecture. They are there, just above the view.

This subtle change occurs because the notion of a plan and reflected plan view means slightly different things to architects and engineers. A reflected plan, architecturally, means that elements that are lower mask elements that are higher, such as a ceiling and light fixtures mask elements above that ceiling. A HVAC plan is different because most engineers want to see the highest duct masking lower ducts. It isn't a reflected plan, it is a plan whose cut plane is, in a way, altered to be above the highest elements and "look down".

Technically the view range settings can be identical but switching to mechanical discipline will show ducts that weren't there a moment ago when architectural was assigned. They were there but the discipline change altered how Revit calculates the display of the elements. Engineers don't generally do reflected plans so Revit made it easier to generate regular floor plans that show their elements in a way they expect to see them.

The combination of View Discipline, Object Styles, Visibility/Graphics Overrides and View Range are all responsible for what we see in a given view (technically there are more). Changing one of them is not going to ensure that we see what we really want. We've got to make sure they all have complimentary settings. There is no real difference between Mechanical and Electrical disciplines graphically, based solely on the View Discipline parameter changing. The views dedicated to each of those disciplines also use V/G and possibly view range settings to make them look correct. If you examine the stock templates you'll find that these views have each others element categories turned off (with V/G) to achieve the look we are after. Apart from the automatic graphically biased changes they make, they really just help us segregate views in the project browser.

In my own way:

Architectural - All model elements treated "equally", according to Object Styles, but with architectural bias with respect to view range and cutting elements.

Structural - Similar to architecture but hides non-load bearing walls and some hidden line behavior with respect to concrete floors/slabs and foundations.

Mechanical - All other disciplines are half-tone and transparent (help says "on top"), duct and pipe and related element categories take priority and behave according to Object Styles. Mechanical elements like duct and pipe will appear in plan regardless of their true elevation with respect to view range, as long as they are within the Primary Range.

Electrical - Same as Mechanical.

Plumbing - (new to 2013) Same as mechanical.

Coordination - Same as Architectural but provides for segregation from it for easier management of views.

Then there is the Sub-Discipline parameter, a Project Parameter that first showed up in Revit MEP templates. I see architecture firms, that have been exposed to RME, using the same parameter now in their architecture templates because of the added (for consistency as well) control over the Project Browser sorting. That's the essence of the parameter's existence, to manage the Project Browser according to the kinds of views each discipline typically creates. Such as Power and Lighting plans for electrical and HVAC Duct vs HVAC Piping.

Keep in mind that views in stock project templates are also configured to only show certain element categories according to the discipline bias implied by their name and discipline parameter setting. The combination of the View Discipline parameter and Visibility/Graphic Overrides is responsible (among other possible view properties) for the final result of what you see in a view.

Shared Parameters aka Dictionary

A Shared Parameter is like a definition and the Shared Parameter file is like a dictionary.

Consider that a family parameter is confined to a family. It can be seen from within a project but not scheduled or tagged unless it is a built in parameter like those listed under the Identity group (and provided for us by Autodesk).

Consider that a Project Parameter is part of a project and applied to categories of families so that it can be scheduled, but NOT tagged. Like a Family parameter it is "trapped" there, in the project.

A shared parameter bridges both trapped conditions, acting as a definition we look up in a dictionary (the shared parameter file). We store our common definitions there so they can be applied in other projects or families. When you create a family or project parameter using a shared parameter (definition from the dictionary) it is really just another parameter but it has expanded possibilities because it is "shared", the data stored with it can be scheduled AND tagged.

RTC Session Datasets for Shared Coordinates

To the people that attended my session at both RTC events.

I apologize for being slack!

It's been months now since Wollongong (May) and only one less since Stone Mountain (June). I'm apologizing because until tonight attendees couldn't actually get the data set files I promised. I've let this issue slip and slide underneath everything else going on and that's not fair. I did try several different times to upload the data but between spotty connections at hotels, the distance and the size of the dataset the upload kept failing. So finally last night we got past that with Bo's help at the BD Group/RTC Events office...thanks Bo!

Thanks for being patient, even if you gave up on me ;)

Session Title: Coordinating Projects with Shared Coordinates

Session in Wollongong, to login for the Materials: CLICK HERE
Session in Stone Mountain, to login for the Materials: CLICK HERE

You'll need to refer to the email you received that provided the login password for the conference you attended.

The only difference between the files offered? There is one project file with "slides" for each location of the conference. The Large and Small project folders contain the same collection regardless of where you attended the session.

Parameter Related Post Summary

Updated May 30, 2017

Posts from 2005

(2005) What are parameters and why should I care?
(2005) Sharing Parameters - An Overview
(2005) Shared Parameters - Part 3
(2005) Shared Parameters - Part 4
(2005) Making a Shared Parameter File
(2005) When is an Instance really a Type?
(2005) Ignore Good Advice

Posts from 2006-2008

(2006) Walking on Thin Ice
(2007) Family Editor - Parameter Order
(2008) Duct Size Parameter - Inches - Revit MEP
(2008) Dept. of Subtle - Filter Parameter in Tags (really subtle)
(2008) Shared Parameter File - A Little Clarification
(2008) Shared Parameter - No you Can't -Yes you Can

Posts from 2009

(2009) The Order of Parameters - Revisited
(2009) Titleblock Parameters
(2009) Which Group? Choosing a Parameter's Parameter
(2009) Revit Family Style Guide
(2009) Titleblock Parameters
(2009) Dept. of Subtle - Family Editor Parameter and Formula
(2009) Back to Basics: Mark and Type Mark
(2009) Dept. of Subtle - Three Parameter Tips?
(2009) Revit API SDK - AutoParameter

Posts from 2010

(2010) Export a Shared Parameter
(2010) BIM Family Toolkit at Autodesk Labs
(2010) Dept. of Subtle - Parameter Shuffling
(2010) Family Editor - Use a Default Type
(2010) Dept. of Subtle - Omni Class Parameters Missing

Posts from 2011

(2011) Parameters Again
(2011) Parameters Again
(2011) Dept. of Subtle - Family Editor Parameter Lock
(2011) Dept. of Echo - Type Catalog Formatting
(2011) Dept. of Echo - Shared Parameters for Manufacturer
(2011) Family Type Parameter Gotcha
(2011) Revit Content Standards - ANZRS
(2011) Dept. of Subtle - Connectors and Diameter
(2011) No Math Characters in Parameter Names
(2011) Family Category and Parameter Dialog
(2011) Shared Parameter Utility - Revit SP Writer

Posts from 2012

(2012) Connecting Parameters
(2012) Connecting Parameters in Nested Families
(2012) Pushing Parameters Around
(2012) Parameter Grouping
(2012) Shared Parameter Article at AEC Bytes
(2012) The Shared Parameter File has no Relationships
(2012) A Small Collection of Family Editor Advice
(2012) Parameter Pecking Order or Priority
(2012) Shared Parameter Czar
(2012) Which Overwrite is Right
(2012) Shared Parameters aka Dictionary

Posts from 2013

(2013) Working with Type Catalogs
(2013) Associate Family Parameter

Posts from 2014

(2014) Visible Parameter and Associate Family Parameter
(2014) A Case for Project Parameters
(2014) Hidden Parameters
(2014) Parameters with Math Characters
(2014) Setting Yes No Parameters with Formulas

Posts from 2017

(2017) Recover or Acquire a Shared Parameter

RTC AUS 2013 - Seeking Abstracts

Just to further getting the word out the Revit Technology Conference 2013 - Australasia is now accepting abstracts until Wednesday October 31, 2012. CLICK HERE to Submit.

The abstracts requested, at this time, are ONLY for the conference in Auckland, New Zealand this year, May 16-18, 2013. Separate requests will go out for the other two conferences a little later this year.

If you want to keep track of RTC information you have options; Naturally the main RTC Site, and I have a page on this site dedicated to RTC, You can follow RTC on Twitter RTCNA - RTCAUS - RTCEUR and RTC on Facebook as well as the RTC Blog and Linked in and Instagram. We're working on a single You Tube channel.

Have a couple minutes? Considering attending RTC in 2013, then check out this video (00:01:44) to see what RTC is all about. It was created with footage taken from the event in June (Stone Mountain, GA).

Missing Survey Point

Traded a couple emails with Paul Aubin regarding a client's Survey Point that went missing. It turns out that it had been moved up quite high. I'd never tried to move either the Survey or Project Base Point symbols "up" before so it took me by surprise that it could be done.

Moral of the story, take care when you are selecting things and moving them. You could move your survey point unintentionally.

Connecting Parameters

You've just downloaded some content from a manufacturer's site and realize that none (or many) of its most interesting parameters are not going to show up in your schedule. This is due to the lack of a common shared dictionary of parameters that we can all rely on. Revit's "system" parameters like Width and Height for some components (like Doors or Windows) just work automatically. Just starting out with a door template means that at least a couple parameters will work without any extra effort. Not true for enough others though.

The Autodesk Family Style Guide (AFSG) while primarily focused on the needs of Autodesk's Seek site also provides a set of shared parameters we can all use (check out ANZRS too). It's weakness is relevance and timeliness. It has a lot of MEP related parameters but doesn't delve into other disciplines seriously and it's really late to the table. Most of the firms that have been using Revit seriously have already dug into their own shared parameters by now. Redoing their library to be in line with Seek and the AFSG doesn't actually begin to help them unless they really start using a lot of Seek content, which is another can of worms.

Rather than continuing to lament the situation this post is intended to provide one solution to getting "foreign" content to work within your existing project(s) and template(s). Assuming you've already mapped out your own shared parameter strategy you just need to connect the dots between the parameters the family is using and those that you wish it was referring to, your own.

It's rather simple really. Add your own Shared Parameter versions of the critical parameters in the family you are working on. For each, in the formula column enter the name of their equivalent parameter. This maps (connects the dots) their parameter value to yours.

Now you can schedule their component along side your own, even tag if necessary. It's a lot simpler than trying to remap all their parameters to your own by replacing them.

It is a little risky in that people will have two places that the values could be touched, their parameter and yours. I usually just segregate them in a separate Group. Just let your teams know how you are dealing with content obtained from other sources and it's not mysterious anymore.

In-Place Massing and Project Orientation Inequity

In-Place families are necessary for some geometry, in particular the massing environment. I've always stressed that people should start a project without being concerned about site alignment immediately. Revit was (is) designed to allow us to adjust True North easily after the fact. As I've written before, just make it easy to "draw on paper".

A recent post at RevitForum.org underscores that bias when it asked if the two project orientation tools seem to work differently? Actually it was just focused on Rotate Project North (RPN) and that in-place massing didn't play along when it was applied. Rotate True North (RTN) on the other hand does work.

In this image the massing has been created aligned with the "site" but we've realized that it would be easier to document if Project North were aligned along one building edge.

In this image I've used the Rotate Project North and picked the reference plane I sketched to mark the East/West bearing I wanted. I had to rotate the text but the tool rotated the reference plane correctly but the massing is unchanged.

As I wrote in my reply there, RTN is sleight of hand while RPN is really altering the entire model and related views to change orientation. In other words RTN rotates the world under the building and RPN rotates the building on the world. Rotating the world is actually "easier" (less work) for Revit than grabbing every element and everything in every view and rotating it (the building).

If you heed my Two Pieces of Advice, you'll start a project off better...

Revit LT

Autodesk has announced a new version of Revit that they are calling LT. It is the formal repackaging of the Autodesk Labs Project Spark. Users referred to it as a Revit Lite then and it seems Autodesk agreed with the branding.

When you visit the product site you will see it's being paired up (suite pricing) and compared with AutoCAD LT as well as the obvious comparisons with the full featured Revit. A number of posts and tweets have run down the list of things that it doesn't have. Chief among the features that are missing are worksets, design options, rendering (only through Autodesk 360), no export to IFC, conceptual massing, interference checking, and parts or assemblies. The intended customer is the small firm, small enough that no network licensing either is a detriment.

I worked for a firm years ago that this product could work for, a small office where each person did their own work for the principal. Sure, there were projects or design considerations that the missing features would prove frustrating but a single seat of full Revit would probably have covered it, collaboration with outside parties that is. I also worked for another guy once that it would fit perfectly but he'd never pay for it. Still using an ancient version of another brand and probably will until retirement. I have also provided support to small firms via my Revit Lifeline that LT could serve well. I can't help but wonder how they'll feel having paid for full Revit with a less expensive option now available?

It seems unlikely to me that Revit LT will truly serve any notion of BIM other than "lonely BIM". Then again it isn't uncommon to hear people working in the market LT is focused on saying something like, "BIM doesn't matter to what we do." The downside of that perspective is Revit LT may not either.

[Edit 9/6/2012: I received an email from Autodesk regarding Design Options. Revit LT is intended to include Design Options when it is released. It was not part of Project Spark so that information was carried over into the current press release and web site preparation.]

Which Overwrite is Right

When we reload a family a dialog appears asking us how we'd like to deal with the existing family definition. Technically a more involved dialog can also appear if nested and shared families are involved. The first choice or top most button asks if we just want to overwrite the family. The second choice and next button down asks if we want to also overwrite parameter values.

So what's the difference? The first button is effectively acknowledging the changed family but preserving values that we may have entered or altered in the project, they may be different from the original family. Said another way the project is correct (the project version of the family). The second button is challenging the version of the family in the project, in effect saying, "You are wrong, we'll fix that!"

I've seen confusion with this result in uncomfortable changes. For example a standard duplex electrical outlet that is set to 180VA is suddenly reporting 360VA. A user changed the default value for a heavy duty type but accidentally assigned it to the standard type too. A reload with "choice two" ends up creating some confusion, replacing the correct values with the new higher value. This kind of change should have been done with the "first choice".

On the other hand, if the user had changed the type value in the project we could easily fix the mistake with "choice two".

When reloading families pause long enough to consider the options carefully. Often the best answer (or safest) is the uppermost button.

Changing a Username

Revit stores your username in the Options dialog, Application Menu (the Big R)> Options. Usually this is the same as the username you use to log into your computer. When you enter a different username Revit stores this in the Revit.ini. This stored username is persistent from this point forward. You'll have to manually change it if necessary. Keep in mind that there is a master Revit.ini and a user specific Revit.ini. You can edit them to make sure no username is specified and this will restore the original behavior, using the login username instead.

That's not the gist of the post though. When Worksets are enabled your username takes on greater significance. There should never be any identical usernames working on a workset project. If there are two Steve's then the first Steve that synchronizes with the central file wins. The other Steve sits in abject misery, quietly imagining how the first Steve will suffer. Don't be the second Steve.

Still not the point of the post...

You can change your username before you open a local file but not after. Once Revit identifies you with a file, that files is yours. You can't be someone else and work on that file. You can't change your username until you close that file. Then you can create a new local file after changing the username.

You can however change your username anytime you want when you work in a central file. It isn't a great idea to actually work this way, switching usernames as you go. It is however a way to clear out users that have not relinquished worksets properly though. When nobody else is working on the project you can open a central file and pretend to be the ill mannered users that haven't relinquished elements properly. It's another reason you might consider working in a central file, even though it is generally frowned upon.

This is not something you should do casually. If you do this to someone who hasn't saved changes yet, just wasn't ready to do so, you will prevent them from doing so. This won't make you popular at the office. It is an awesome way to resolve little matters when people are all out of the model. In a perfect world you'd never need to do it. Sadly I don't live in a perfect world. If you do, invite me over sometime?

Linked Files have Instance and Type Workset

Linked files are assigned to the active workset, when worksets are in use naturally. When you select the link you can see the Workset parameter in the Properties Palette. Less obvious is that they also have a Type Property called, you guessed it, Workset. This can trip you up when you are trying alter visibilty graphics because they need to match.

The reason they have both is that the Type Parameter is for the definition of the link in the database and the instance parameter is for the actual link. There is a row in the Visibility Graphics dialog for each link as well as a single row beneath it for each instance of the link.

I say each instance because a link can be copied. If you import a file it is both the definition and the instance. If you copy it and put the second instance elsewhere you'll see that another row will appear beneath the first one and both will be under the primary entry. This is done to make it possible to alter each instance of the same linked file differently via Visibilty Graphics.

Experiencing control issues with a link? Remember to check the workset assignments.

Egress Post Summary

As with my recent Worksharing, Site and Reference Plane summaries, I've added a link to this post which will serve as my summary landing spot for Egress Path posts. It's been about six years now since I demonstrated the new line based family as an egress path. The subject is still going strong and there are more options to choose from now.

Summary of Egress Path Posts

(2012) Egress Path Options
(2011) Bending Railings To Your Will
(2011) Stair Headroom Clearance
(2009) Egress Path Update
(2008) Egress Family Video
(2008) Egress Path Tags New Versions
(2008) Egress Math Error Bug Report
(2008) Egress Family Arc Version
(2008)Egress Example Update
(2007) Egress Path Of Travel Uh Oh
(2007) Egress Regress
(2007) Egress Path

Railing as Egress Paths

I've written about this before, egress stuff seems to be popular at times. A railing is a path and profile based element is easy to sketch something like the path to an exit. Straight and arc segments as well as even sloping conditions. Some of the other methods that I've written about here have the advantage that they can document the total length easily. A railing schedule will report the total length but we can't tag them with their total length.

Case-Apps to the rescue!

They've written a little application that is part of their larger suite of free, subscription and beta software for Revit. It's called "Send Railing Length to Selected Parameter".

Create a shared parameter called "Egress Path", add it to your project and assign it to the railing category. Sketch your railings disguised as egress paths. Now tag them. Oh right you can't show that value. Edit the tag family to create your own and use the same shared parameter. Reload the family and still nothing. Now use the Case app. It will let you select the parameter to use and plug the total length into each railing and that value will appear in your tags!

It's not automatic or fool proof. But it does make it a lot easier to consider a railing. If you like special graphics at the beginning and end of your egress paths then a railing is a bit fussier because you need some special "balusters" to get unique "symbols" at each end. Not impossible just a bit more work. Not necessarily more or less work than the other techniques, pick your poison!

While you are at it you should consider the rest of the pile of apps they have. You'll get their apps manager application which really makes it pretty easy to get and install them. I had both 2012 and 2013 installed in a few minutes after registering.

Thanks Case-inc guys! (wearing my T-Shirt as I write this, they gave me a shirt at RTC in Stone Mtn. in the interest of full disclosure)

Use the Front Door

I find myself looking for metaphors as I help people learn Revit. We rely on them all the time, work them into our speech without even thinking about it. Lately I've settled on another to describe the various ways Revit lets us do things. There are usually at least a couple ways to start something or solve something in Revit, like life.

I'm frequently asked which "way" is the best or the correct "way". It seems to me that Revit provides any number of "doors" to access information and tools.

Let's take the notion of working with materials. I have a desk and I'd like it to have a specific material. These days I can select the desk, click Type Properties and, assuming the person who made the family provided a parameter to manage its material, I can click on the material value, which exposes the sneaky "Browse" button. This is a "side door" that lets me select and possibly alter material settings. If I don't find a material I want I can make one while I'm here, click my way back out of the dialog and have a desk that looks great (hopefully).

In the past, if I didn't like the material and there wasn't one listed that sounded like one I wanted I'd have to bail out. Once out of the family's Type Properties I'd open the material dialog and create it. Then I could go back to the desk and assign the material. They created the side door access so we could avoid that inefficient back and forth process.

I run into people that think the side door is the only way to create materials. That's how they learned to do it and they keep doing it that way. The "front door" for materials is really on the Manage tab, the checkered globe button. This front door is the administrative task minded entrance while the side door is more the "spontaneous task" minded access point.

Another example is changing the number of a sheet. We can select the sheet view name, right click and rename. We can open the sheet view and select the title block family which in turn let's us select and edit the sheet number. We can select the sheet number parameter in the properties palette too. Then again we can deal with it in a schedule instead. Keeping count? That's four "doors", a front, side, back, and "secret" door to accomplish the same task.

That might seem like too many options, which one should I use? Easy, which one is the closest to you? Where are you? In the back yard? I'd pick the back door then. Not in a sheet view and needing to renumber a bunch of sheets? I'd pick the "secret door" and use a schedule.

Nearly everything you need to do has at least a front and back door, and very often more. Pick the one that best fits your circumstance. When one door closes another opens...or something like that...

Can't Alter Create New Local Selection

Said another way, the "Create New Local" option is disabled (gray'd out).

I've written about this in the past. My post focused on the network relationship between local and central files. It boils down to the central file being created by a user whose computer is mapped to the server and project folder in one manner and the person who can't manipulate the "Create New Local" option is mapped differently. As long as this condition exists this "rogue" person won't be able to synchronize their work, sadness ensues.

Daryl wrote about this occurring because of different software versions and Luke echoed his post later. While this certainly can and does happen we just need to take care that we don't actually save a file that has been opened in a newer version of Revit unless everyone is prepared to upgrade their project files too (assuming a large team all using Revit).

It's been my experience that the network path conflict is the more frequent culprit, or at least the one with the greatest "danger". Remember if you don't know why the option isn't available to you, check with someone to make sure you can continue safely. Said another way, "Be afraid, be very afraid".

Workset Post Summary Updated

In April (2012) I wrote a post that provides links to workset and worksharing related posts I've written over the years. I've discovered that there were some more that I'd missed in my previous attempt to round them all up. I've revisited that post and added them so the total is now forty four.

I've also provided a set of links on the right sidebar of the site to make it a little easier to find them.

You'll see I've added the text (Updated 8/26/12) next to the Workset summary link. I'll try hard to remember to do this as I add future posts or discover some other ones that I've buried in the past.

Vasari Update

This information has been sitting in my inbox for a week now. Busy makes blogging even harder at times, but it's a good problem right!?! I've written about this product before as well as the Vasari Talk web sessions that have happened nearly each month. You can check those out HERE.

Project Vasari has reached a tipping point in its evolution. As you probably know, its been a very popular project on Autodesk Labs. They've seen more than 60,000 downloads over the last 1.5 years and it has dramatically exceeded their expectations. Doing this work via Autodesk Labs has allowed them to quickly test out new ideas as well as respond to user requests.

Attendees of RTC and AU have probably heard Matt Jezyk present sessions (with Zach and David) devoted to Vasari and he wrote, "I'm happy to announce that based on customer demand we are graduating Vasari from Autodesk Labs and are launching a Public Beta on our new site Autodesk Vasari.com!"

Just in case you haven't heard much about Vasari yet, Matt provided the following descriptive summary.

Autodesk Vasari Beta 1 is a slimmed down version of Revit 2013 focusing on conceptual modeling and early analysis. It is meant for architectural designers and energy analysis who are not necessarily using Revit. The new Beta 1 is file-format compatible with Revit 2013 and also contains all the features from previous versions of Project Vasari. The main new features of Beta 1 are Revit 2013 file-format compatibility, Cloud Rendering and Repeat/Divide features. A less restrictive End User Licensing Agreement (EULA) is also in place to allow firms to further test this pre-release product in their environments. Access to Autodesk 360 Energy Analysis is still available via a free Autodesk ID login. The Beta 1 release will expire on January 31st 2013.

Some firms have been leery of putting their project's design data in software that is in a "lab experiment" state. Put another way, as long as Project Vasari was a lab experiment there was no assurance that it would survive long enough (or ever turn into an actual product) to let a firm finish a project that is relying on the Vasari modelling effort throughout. This experimental nature, while providing a great way to see things develop quickly and early, meant uncertainty about its future. This is a step in the right direction so that those concerns can be assuaged.

You can join their forum site and be part of the ongoing conversation and help get the word out too, here's how: Invite your friends to join you and/or Add Content and finally Tell your Twitter followers.

Constraining Tangents

I read a post at AUGI the other day which originated with a post in July (2012). The goal was to create a rebar shape for detailing purposes. A few people offered ideas even a file or two. It seemed simple enough to do but digging into it I found several variations in a theme to constrain the geometry works. Here's my exploration captured in these images.

This image is the overview of what parameters are desired: Length, Depth, Fillet Radius and Angle.

Simply sketching the "bones, muscle and skin" is often enough. In this situation, as you flex the parameters the tangent arc starts to distort eventually. Revit does not understand how to respect the arc and line end points, keeping the lines tangent to the arc. That means it needs more constraints. One way to see how well Revit understands our intentions is to turn on Automatic Sketch Dimensions (ASD's).

When you see little blue dimensions you know that Revit doesn't understand you, you need to be more explicit. If you look closely at the very last image you'll a single ASD (showing 0'-0") along the vertical reference plane. Unfortunately just getting rid of ASD's with better constraints isn't a guarantee for success.

This image is the messiest solution, I used a circle to "see" how the geometry moved around and then used it to create enough constraints so that it flexes correctly.

This image is a variation on the previous theme but using Reference Lines as the underlying "bones", pretty "messy" too eh?

This is yet another approach. I used a pair of model lines (assigned to Invisible) to govern the location of the arc and line endpoints.

This final one is the simplest in appearance but it has two line segments instead of one along the angled segment. I noticed that connecting the end of the angled line would break the relationships. I tried pulling the end of the line away from the end of the arc, leaving them apart, and flexing geometry worked. That led me to try a second line between the end of the arc and the end of a smaller line and it worked too. Not obvious at all. It also means that the family will break if one of these segments is flex too far, assuming the changes result in a zero length segment. The family will break easily anytime the angle entered creates a zero length segment of the vertical line too (all of them, not just this one). Fragile but the family works.

In the thread at AUGI the member that started it all replied that he figured out how to solve it after reading a post at BIM & BEAM. I tried using the formulas as well but found it was necessary to play the "two lines instead of one trick" to get it to behave.

If you'd like to play around with the families I created doing this I've posted them HERE. I'd be interested if anyone can find simpler solutions.

[Edit 08/20/2012: Alfredo Medina shared a solution at the AUGI thread that uses formulas to define the relationships consistently. CLICK to watch his video of it flexing. CLICK to download his family. (You'll need to log into AUGI to download it most likely)

Egress Path Options

In 2006 I demonstrated (at Autodesk University) the then new line based family type by explaining how we could use it to document egress path requirements also known as exiting plans. Since then a couple other options have come along.

One is the notion of using a railing type. They are also derived from a path and we can use a profile to represent the form of a person traveling through a corridor. That's not a requirement but it does make it easier to visualize it in 3d views.

Another is to use the newer adaptive point concepts in a family. Initially we could only use them in the massing category. As soon as they opened them up to more categories it made it more palatable to consider them for this purpose.

Defining the requirements for documenting exiting are naturally going to affect the success of any solution we try to provide. Ideal we should be able to provide a total length of travel from one place to an exit, identify the length of any segment of the path and provide a clear descriptive way to show how our design meets codes in plan views, at a minimum.

The new adaptive point approach requires building a family that provides however many segments are required in advance. It isn't possible to tag individual segments though a tag could display a summary of each segment as well as the total (Edit: there is nothing to prevent us from creating a two point family and using the chain placement approach, that would support tagging individual segments). Adaptive points don't permit nesting detail components so the annotation used to display special nodes at the beginning, end or at nodes along the path requires geometry that will take more work to scale according to a view scale.

Sean Burke shared a You Tube video of the adaptive point approach in action, check it out (embedded below). At least now there are more options to choose from. Pick the one you think best fits your requirements!

Sean Burke's example

Afredo Medina shared a You Tube video of his LBGM approach.

Summary of Past Egress Posts (a summary)
Egress Path
Egress Path Update
Egress Path Tags - New Versions
Egress Path of Travel Uh Oh
Egress Example Update
Egress Regress
Egress Family Arc Version

Calling All Superhero Imaginations

This is the text from the latest competition from DesignbyMany.

With the rise of superhero movies dominating the movie screens, we need a permanent place of celebration to honor these great characters and their awesomeness. We propose building a Superhero Theme Park! Designing an entire theme park is way too big of a task to tackle for this scope, but luckily every park has an element that embodies the ethos of the park.

This challenge is to design the central landmark of your Superhero Theme Park. The landmark will serve as the iconic image of the park and the primary means of orientation for the park.
The Superhero Landmark can be inspired by a single character or group of characters. We encourage you to invent your own characters and design a landmark around them! The more creative the better!

Being the focal point of a Theme Park, the Landmark will be a primary venue for performances. The Landmark is required to have a “stage” element to entertain the park guests and should be partially covered. The immediate context, pathways, and landscaping are encouraged to be addressed. At a minimum, submissions should show how guests can “interact” with the Landmark AND/OR navigate around it. The program of the landmark is completely optional. If the theme of your landmark requires the need for a specific “ride”, look out pavillion, restaurant, etc, please do not refrain from adding program. If your landmark is more powerful without any additional program, that is perfectly acceptable as well. Extra attention will be given to those submissions that incorporates the use of the software prizes!

All final model submissions must be in a “.rvt” or “.rfa” format

Context
A central location within a hypothetical Theme Park.
Sometime in the near future.

Objectives
Provide performance “stage” that is partially covered/shaded.
Provide immediate conceptual circulation & site plan.
Design should creatively use/expand the repertoire of tools available in Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Project Vasari, IronPython, and/or Dynamo.
Design should be beautiful!

Visit the competition page for more details

Deadline
All designs must be submitted by Monday, Sept 10th, 2012 @ 11:59 PM (GMT -4)
Community voting will end on Monday, Sept 17th, 2012 @ 11:59 (GMT -4)

Personally I'm hoping somebody does something based on my personal favorite superhero "RevitMan"!!

A Case for User Keynotes

I wrote the following (April 2012) in a reply to a thread at RevitForum.org. It is one example of how a user keynote can be applied effectively to reuse instructions and avoid stating them differently in different places, as is easy to do with regular text elements.

Imagine a data receptacle plan. The data receptacles are essentially all the same (lets pretend they are all 2 drops) except for where they are installed. Some are mounted in a wall, some in a cabinet at a sales desk, some in a kiosk (free standing display), some are available for visitors to use and others are not. As far as a schedule to summarize them, then purchasing and installing them is concerned the faceplates and back boxes are potentially identical. To apply a keynote to define how they are different in use we'd have to consider separate families or separate types so we could get different keynote values.

If we create four or five unique keynote entries we can apply them to the data outlet according to their use as User Keynotes. The keynote legend would display the information for each condition on the sheet and/or in the master keynote legend. The same information could be displayed using a tag showing a custom instance parameter but not summarized in a list on the side of the sheet as easily. Nor could we avoid different values being entered by different people.

An example User Keynote might be:

"Kiosk mounted data receptacles are to be mounted at 12" above counter surface. Provide one extra run of CAT 6 cable without terminations, for future expansion."

The same device could also have a User Keynote that says:

"Data faceplate color selection must be coordinated with interior design final material and color selections with owner."

In the plan view we'd see one device and two keynote tags with different numbers adjacent to each other. If I needed to do the same thing for other receptacles I'd have to create new types every time I needed a keynote to say something even slightly different.

Keynotes as a practice is derived from the desire to reduce clutter on the sheet and reduce the chance of writing instructions differently on different sheets. Using types to control the information is still risky because we could type different information in different types and in different families. If we are going to supply instance parameter values routinely we run the risk of similar mistakes while trying to be consistent. Since User Keynotes are pulled from the same source, as long as we all click on the same keynote the information will be the same everywhere.

Reference Planes Summary Post

Similar to the previous summary posts for Worksets and Shared Coordinates I've grabbed a number of past posts that have Reference Planes in common. I've put a link to each of them on the side bar.

Updated: August 9, 2013

Some of these might slip away from relevance but they do involve them.

2012 Small Collection of Family Editor Advice
2009 Family Editor - Bones, Muscle and Skin
2008 Door Templates

2012 Reference Planes and Wall Closure
2012 Reference Plane IsReference Parameter
2012 Grips Location Reference Planes vs Line
2010 Dept. of Subtle - Reference Plane
2013 Reference Plane Order

2006 Once Upon a Reference Plane
2011 Move Tool is Insensitive
2005 Family Origins
2005 Is You Is or Is You Ain't (IsReference feature)
2012 Invalid References for Dimensions

2006 Automatic Sketch Dimensions
2006 Once Upon a Workplane - Seeing is Believing
2010 IsReference Setting - Weak and Strong
2009 Grips in Families
2010 Flip Arrows and Exterior
2006 Face Off

2009 Air Terminal Doesn't See Grid
2008 Revit MEP - Air Terminal Troubleshooting
2008 Connectors and Their Arrows

2008 Standards - Everybody's Got Standards
2013 Is it Too Late to Change
2013 Naming a Reference Plane

Importing AutoCAD File Fails

When you try to import AutoCAD data you might have seen this series of messages before? First we get a complaint about Elements lost during import.

If it is a Civil3D file that might not be too surprising if they created AEC elements like contours or road elements. Then we get this message.

It's especially confusing if you just were looking at the file in AutoCAD and know there are elements there. Worse you'll probably see the first dialog again if there isn't any data in Paper Space to import either. Even worse is when you find out it is all "your" fault. Well at least in this case it was my fault.

The culprit is saving the DWG file and then attempting to import that DWG file, which happens to be using a newer format than the version of Revit that is being used. In my case it was a AutoCAD 2013 file that I was attempting to open in Revit Architecture 2012. I keep forgetting to save it using the 2010 format. Once the file is saved in a compatible format Revit works much better. Too bad the messages don't give you any clue it is a version thing.

So if you see such messages remember it might just be the file format/version.

Quick Revit Launch Tip

Windows shortcut tip: If you have a shortcut to Revit on your taskbar you can press the Windows key and the number equivalent to the placement of the icon along the taskbar. For example if your Revit icon is the third such icon next to the Windows button pressing Windows + 3 will fire up Revit. In the image below my third icon is Google's Chrome, part of my browser array.

It's the little stuff...

Primary Primary Oddity

This is curious eh? A primary primary design option! Definitely weird...

Sheet Button is Disabled

Trying to make a new sheet but the button is disabled? Using Design Options? When you are editing an option the Sheet button is disabled. Same for the right click option over the Sheet category in the project browser. Can't make a sheet while editing a Design Option, sorry!!

As you were...

Undo History Gone

Recently learned of a couple reasons that you can find that your undo history has been cleared out. It involves projects that use worksets. When you do something that causes Revit to take ownership of a workset first, in order to do what you want, like deleting a view, Revit clears out its Undo "stack".

In the case of a view if you borrow the view first and then delete it the undo stack remains intact. To borrow it first you'd have to select the view's annotation symbol, right click and chose Make Workset Editable. You can do the same thing in the project browser over the view name, choose Make Workset Editable too. You could also alter a parameter and reset it or use the Workset dialog to make it editable.

Same thing happens if you delete a family from the project browser without borrowing it first. To do that you can click Make Workset Editable via Right Click on the family in the project browser too. A component family will Make Workset Editable while a family's type will offer Make Element Editable. The workset it refers to is the family workset found in the Workset dialog when you select the Families "Show" filter.

It isn't really intended to happen that way. Optimistically we could see a fix in a future update but more likely not till another release.

The Ribbon and Training

This one comes up during every training session. I tell the group to click on such and such button and someone says, "Hey Steve, where is that button? I don't see it?" A quick glance at their pc and I see that they've got a deeper resolution than I do or the reverse.

The clever ribbon bugger stretches and contracts to show more or less of the ribbon (and tool buttons) according to the resolution of your computer. That means I might have a great resolution, and the projector supports it fine, but unfortunately someone else in the class is using a laptop with a lesser resolution. That means "my button" is bigger/smaller than "theirs".

It sure makes class fun! Since projector's often sets the "bar lower" I suppose I could force everyone to use my resolution? In a perfect world we'd all be using the same resolution? Yep yahshooeryoobetcha!

Due Diligence

I was musing about a recent conversation where one guy's position was that BIM is hype, unnecessary and worse really just being foisted upon our profession in a scheme to get more money from "us".

If I was seriously ill and a surgeon proposed cutting into me without considering using an MRI, CT Scan, blood testing etc. I'd be a bit on edge and worried about the outcome. More worried at least. Using an MRI or CT Scan doesn't supplant a surgeon's skill, training, knowledge, intuition or purpose. Years ago neither diagnostic tool existed yet today would it be appropriate to operate without them?

It seems to me this notion of using Revit (BIM) and "us" isn't all that different. Sure we could get our job done using our existing tools, we used to be able to pull it off with a pencil and paper too. Is it responsible to ignore advances in technology, improvements in our tools and process? We shouldn't get lost in our admiration of them to the detriment of our profession but ignore them or devalue their role? I don't think so...

Panel Schedule and Load Calculation Addition

A thread at AUGI that started in December 2011 described a situation that Panel Reports show some connected loads as "0". The thread wandered around a bit but Martin Schmid with Autodesk responded on Tuesday with some insight after the development team did some research. Martin prepared a video to help explain what can cause this.

He wrote in his reply at AUGI:

I was able to reproduce this today with some help with our development team. The issue seems to be related to having your connector's Load Classification Parameter associated with a Parameter that has an empty value specified.

You can see in the video that when I create a Load Classification parameter, it has no value... when I then associate that with the connector, the connector ends up with a load classification with no value. Thus, when you connect this, there is no value that propegates into the panel totals, since the panel totals are dependent on summing values from load classifications. As soon as I set a value on the parameter associatd with the connector's Load Classification, the values tabulate.

A reply at AUGI shortly thereafter reminded members to also check the Part Type setting for their families. Using stock content it isn't likely that this would be the issue but for any custom content that has been downloaded or created internally, checking everything you can won't hurt.

Electrical Panel Load Calculations

Another "inside" gem from Inside the System which offers deeper insight to how the numbers work. If you are a Revit MEP user and electrical is your game, then you'll want to read it. Thanks to Martin for taking the time to put it together.

Revit 2013 Service Pack 1 Available

Read elsewhere on the internets: This bit via The Revit Clinic's post.

Update Release 1 is now available for Revit 2013 products. A few changes have been made this year as to how the updates are accessed. Just a reminder - with the introduction of Autodesk Revit 2013, make sure you are installing the correct update for your product!

For Autodesk Revit Architecture, Autodesk Revit Structure, and Autodesk Revit MEP, you can find the update in the Data & Downloads > Updates section of each product page:

Autodesk Revit Architecture 2013 UR1
Autodesk Revit Structure 2013 UR1
Autodesk Revit MEP 2013 UR1

The update for Autodesk Revit 2013 can be found in the Design & Creation Suites Support > Data & Downloads > Updates & Service Packs section.

Autodesk Revit 2013 UR1

The Installation ReadMe files and Update Enhancement PDFs are available at each of these locations as well.

From the readme documentation for what has been addressed with the service pack:

Autodesk® Revit® Platform 2013 Enhancements

• Improves stability when opening projects from previous versions of Revit.
• Improves stability during Copy/Paste operations.
• Corrects display of solid filled regions with transparent backgrounds.
• Allows exporting of materials painted on elements to ODBC.
• Improves performance of opening and closing sketch mode in projects with many families.
• Improves stability when setting a Design Option as the Primary.
• Improves stability when Fixed Distance option for a divided path.
• Improves stability while browsing to Revit Server when there is no network connectivity.
• Improves export consistency of Space and Zone elements when multiple elements have the same name and number.
• Allows Raytrace mode to work with DirectX 9.
• Improves stability when using Raytrace mode with Hardware Acceleration disabled.
• Improves Raytrace mode rendering output.
• Improves Surface Transparency override by element for multiple selection.
• Improves printing consistency when tone mapping is enabled.
• Disables Sun and SunPath from being rendered in Raytrace mode.
• Improves stability when using manual exposure in Raytrace mode.
• Improves stability when rendering views.
• Improves stability and performance when using visualization features like Sky, Exposure, and Anti-Aliasing.
• Improves stability when importing IFC data which contains special characters.
• Improves the setting of custom parameter values during import of IFC data.
• Improves stability when importing IFC data which contains an invalid line pattern.
• Allows Markups from DWF to be exported to DWF.
• Improves stability when drag and drop a DWG file into a Revit project.
• Improves stability when importing DXF data.
• Improves dimension fidelity when exporting to DWG with export units set to Meter.
• Improves alignment of hatch and fill patterns when exporting to DWG.
• Improves stability when selecting a new host for an element within an In-place Wall.
• Improves section creation within a project with linked model.
• Improves stability when working with Materials.
• Improves the displayed Pattern Type assigned to an element with the Material Editor.
• Corrects the display of the materials category within the Paint interface.
• Corrects the printed display of fill patterns within perspective views.
• Improves stability of Type editing when multiple element types are in the selection set.

Autodesk® Revit® Architecture 2013 Enhancements

• Improves stability when closing a sketch editor, such as slab or site which create a large number of points.
• Improves creation of U-shaped winder stairs.
• Improves stability when editing winder stairs.
• Improves performance when many railings exist within a project.
• Improves stability when support type is not defined for stair.
• Improves railing representation in coarse view.

Autodesk® Revit® Structure 2013 Enhancements

• Improves placement of analytical nodes when in 3D views.
• Improves stability when enabling “Show Analytical Model Categories in this View” when the Warning dialog is open.
• Improves creation consistency with Physical Wall when coping an Analytical Model Wall.
• Improves stability when editing an Opening within an object which spans to the boundary of an Analytical Surface.
• Corrects the reporting of the “Structural Parameter” on slabs.
• Improves masking of linked files by Mask and Filled regions in Structural Views.
• Improves stability when placing Rebar.
• Improves stability when copying Area or Path reinforcement between projects which have differing value for the Reinforcement Project Setting: “Host structural rebar”.
• Improves visibility of round rebar when displayed in fine detail level.

Autodesk® Revit® MEP 2013 Enhancements

• Corrects the Slope value on placeholder pipe when slope is greater than 15 degrees.
• Improves consistency when applying a slope to a layout which contains a transition.
• Improves stability when splitting pipes which belong to different systems.
• Corrects visibility of the center line when displaying rise/drop symbols.
• Improves stability when opening a Revit 2012 project which contains a pipe placeholder
  schedule.
• Improves consistency of unit formatting within Panel Schedules.
• Improves consistency of adding circuits to equipment that are connected to a pipe or duct system.
• Improves stability when adding a device, which is connected to a wire, to a circuit.
• Improves display of annotation on duct and pipe transitions.
• Improves stability when inserting duct fittings.
• Improves stability when viewing Routing Solutions.

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.

Moving Ceiling Grid Pattern

Scott wrote about an issue at Revitforum.org the other day. He's been using Revit about as long as a person could use it so if it trips him up I'm betting it trips up others too!

Jesse came to the rescue with advice that perked up my Dept. of Subtle ears. He wrote:

"When you tab through to the ceiling grid while in the move command, look near the top (meaning Options Bar) at the "disjoin" check box. Revit will automatically remember if you had this box checked the last time you used the move command. It's going to be greyed out when moving a hatch pattern, and when it's checked you can't move the pattern.

To fix it, select something else, do the move command, uncheck the check box and press escape to cancel. The next time you go to move the ceiling grid the box should be unchecked!"

It's easy when you know how? :) Thanks to Jesse!

New Revit Family eBook

A new eBook is available for family editors out there. It's priced at $19.95 and weighs in at 16 chapters and 751 pages (virtual weight since it's an eBook). If you are familiar with the Little Details Count site then you are familiar with Michael Anonuevo's work. He's prepared a sampler PDF that you can download to evaluate before committing your Twenty. The sampler is 113 pages.

Seems to me that this book will undermine his content site? He's sharing his experience with everyone and now we won't need to buy his highly detailed content? :) His "loss" is our gain!

Click to Download the PDF.

YUZU Site Measuring

I received an email yesterday letting me know about YUZU. Their website is found via Picard Innovations, a Dutch firm based in Amsterdam. For readers that are already familiar with the Point Known PKNail site measuring system it appears to be similar, at least in concept. Perhaps it's just that they both involve using a Leica Disto or equivalent device.

They have a brief sales video, I've embedded here. They offer a free trial but I believe you'd need to already have the Leica Disto in hand to take advantage of it. The software boils down to these concepts: Defining Levels and Lease holders and then using 5 different tools to deal with measurements: Distance, Ortho, Offset, Rectangle and Triangle. They claim that with these features you will be able to create any drawing, shape and size of buildings.

I think attempting to evaluate this type of technology would benefit from a few videos that show it in use, the practical application of it on-site. Too bad we didn't get this for Glorius Gadgets at RTC in Stone Mountain! Maybe at RTCEUR 2013 in Delft, Holland...it's pretty close by for them!

Chameleon for Grasshopper and Revit

Hiroshi Jacobs has some news about a plug-in for Revit (and Grasshopper) that he's been working on. A hint of this leaked out a bit early last year if I recall but he's now ready for more eyes on it. He's calling it Chameleon and it is a plug-in that makes it easier to transfer geometric data between Grasshopper and Revit, plus other tools. It is currently compatible with Revit 2012 and 2013 and Grasshopper 0.8.0066.

It offers a Curtain Grid Manager that controls both panels and grids now, offers a preview of the system as well as helping to distinguish between vertical and horizontal orientations. There is a Chameleon Forum on his Revit City site as well as Chameleon Group at Grasshopper3D.com.

Here's a video from his site: