Setting Yes No Parameters with Formulas

Peter boards a train in Philadelphia bound for NY. Joe boards a train in NY bound for Philadelphia. If both trains... oh I don't care when their trains pass one another. Next question?

I want Revit to automatically check a Yes/No parameter but only when two other parameters are checked already. I read a post at RFO asking how to accomplish this. That member's issue was Revit complaining about inconsistent units, as it does. I replied that Revit doesn't accept 1 or 0 as a valid true/false value. The formula was written like this for parameter C:

if (and (A,B), 1, 0)

Since Revit doesn't like the 1 or 0 used in that formula we can use this instead:

and(A,B)

Revit reads that as, "I (Revit) can only check C if both A and B are checked too". In the Family Types dialog it looks like this.

If I'd like the opposite to happen it looks like this instead:

not(and(A,B))

Revit now reads it as, "I (Revit) can only un-check C if A and B are both checked too." In the Family Types dialog it looks like this.

Greg replied (in the RFO thread) that the formula would accept valid math statements for the true or false result. That means that the formula could be written like this, using the original formula above.

if (and (A,B), 1=1, 0=1)

It looks like this in the Family Types Dialog.

Either approach provides the same end result. Programmers often compete to write the leanest code, complete a task or tasks with the fewest instructions, fewest lines of code. My formula is leaner code but not by much. Regardless, I think it does help to see different solutions to help us solve the problems we encounter later.

Roads Category and Spot Elevation

This is too weird not to write about it. I was asked to take a look at a file that would not let us apply a spot elevation. I did the usual things, check for the floor category visibility, no overrides to the linked floor(s), no filters, no underlay weirdness... no joy.

I compared it against a new view with no view template. The new view worked but the one with a view template assigned didn't. I tried turning back on all the model categories that were off in the view template. The Spot Elevation tool worked again. Hmmm...

I reset the View Template and then I turned back on each category that was off in the template, one at a time. When I turned on the Roads category the spot elevation started working again. WHAT??

That's more than a little bizarre since we've never been able to use the Roads category for anything. They don't even let us create an In-Place family using the Roads category. I imagine that it is something gone awry in this particular project file since this is the only one behaving this way but still...turning on the Roads category fixed it??

Username and Local Files

Revit knows who we are based on a simple piece of data, the Username entry here (Application Menu (Big R) > Options). That is usually defined by who logs on the computer. If we log on our computer, then open Revit AND change the Username...Revit preserves this alternate username until we change it again. If we never change this value then Revit just uses the computer's log on username identity. When we change it Revit captures and preserves it for this particular person's log on credentials on the computer.

Using Worksets (Worksharing) this username provides our unique identity to Revit, the Librarian (not to be confused with the TV show or movies). We can't just arbitrarily change our username while we are working in our Local File. If we do that we'll be greeted with an unpleasant message when we attempt to use Synchronize with Central.

We can become convinced that changing the username is permissible because Revit doesn't complain until we attempt to use Synchronize with Central. It's also easy to think it is reasonable because when the file contains changes that have not been synchronized yet we see this message when we attempt to change the username. When Revit complains and offers the reason that changing the name isn't going to work it implies that there might be an acceptable circumstance.

Fwiw, we CAN change our username freely if we are working in a central file (discouraged). However we won't find that very fulfilling if other users are also working on the project via their own local files. We'll be advised by Revit that it is necessary to use Save As to create a our own Local File first, when we use Synchronize with Central.

We CAN assume any username identity, we just have to change the Username parameter before creating a new Local File.

Damn Revit's Worksets and Worksharing features are fussy!

Importing CAD Files and By Shared Coordinates

When we link/import DWG files with survey data Revit often encounters file extents that are quite large. The developers have always encouraged us to use the Auto - Center to Center positioning option with those files. Revit will forcefully use that option when the extents of the file violate the current 20 mile tolerance it has.

I wish I could write that linking/importing survey files was very simple and error free. The reality couldn't be further from that. I recommend these steps to improve the odds for success:

• Import multiple Survey files individually (don't nest them as xref's)
• Purge everything you don't need, purge again
• Use Wblock if you can't get Zoom Extents to focus on just the relevant portion of the site
• Remove Named UCS (Revit only wants the World Coordinate System)
• Set UCS (User Coordinate System) to WCS and Plan to WCS
• If the survey isn't oriented to WCS, North is "up", have the civil engineer/surveyor change their file first
• Identify a specific location within the relevant part of the survey, put a marker, identify its coordinates, better still make those coordinates easy to use, even clean numbers.
• Make sure everything actually aligns correctly in AutoCAD first, no point setting it up in Revit if it doesn't work there
• Once you get a working first survey file, pass it back to the surveyor so they know what you need in the future

Once we've used Acquire Coordinates on our first survey file and verified the resulting coordinates are correct we can import the rest of the site related files. If Acquire Coordinates didn't work then we need revisit the items above, especially Named UCS. I find that Revit will acquire very large coordinates accurately IF the file is pristine.

In contrast I also like to use Specify Coordinates at Point (SCaP), using the marker I created earlier. Keeping in mind that doing so doesn't establish a shared coordinate relationship between the CAD file and the project. By relationship I mean that Revit records the identity of the linked file in the project when/if Acquire Coordinates is used to align the project with the linked file's WCS origin. SCaP does not.

Now regarding the title of this post, importing the rest of the files. Once shared coordinates are defined based on our first file we can import other site files using the positioning option: by Shared Coordinates. This assumes that each of the site related files are already aligned with each other using the same WCS origin. When we link a file this way a warning will appear while it is loading.

Revit is being precise, warning us that this project doesn't have a shared coordinate relationship with the incoming file. That's true, it is just another CAD file as far as this project is concerned. The only shared coordinate relationship that is established is between the first file and this project.

The last part of the warning is the significant part, The link's World coordinates will be aligned with this project's Shared coordinates". That means it will line up correctly because our project is aligned with the same WCS and both cad files already use the same WCS origin between themselves. Clicking Close accepts the warning and the link should land in the correct location. We can repeat this as many times as we have site related files to use.

When we save our project we may receive this warning. In this circumstance choose the bottom option Disable shared positioning...

We really don't want to create a named UCS in the CAD file the dialog references. It's linked and lined up correctly, its WCS is already correct, there is nothing to be gained by letting Revit store a named UCS in the file. This is what happens if you click Save instead, we end up with the named UCS in the image below.

I don't recall Revit bringing up this dialog in the past, unless I moved the link later, and I don't think it should be doing it in this circumstance. Fwiw, it doesn't in Revit 2015, at least not with the files I've been experimenting with for this post. It may be related to having a Named UCS. In some further testing I was able to link and save without generating the dialog. The inconsistency seems to consistently fall back on the condition of the DWG file though.

If we are careful to link each file and Disable the shared positioning Revit seems to think needs to be established all our linked file should line up very nicely. When they don't I find it necessary to revisit the list above. Skipping over them is very likely to bring on heartache later.

Adding Callout to Quick Access Toolbar in 2014

If you're using Revit 2014 and have tried to add the Callout tool to your Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) you've been turned away, rejected, sorry no you can't do that here... Sorry, applying Web Update 3 doesn't fix it either.

Subtle and minor it may be but stuff like this frustrates users. ...and I was sure it was possible. Oh right, it's working in Revit 2015. One more subtle reason to upgrade.

Enable 2D Setting for Multiple Grid Lines

There are times when we'd like to alter the 2D (view specific) position of Grids. When you select a Grid you can click the 3D icon to toggle it to 2D. That's a one-at-a-time affair though. If you have many grids you won't look forward to doing that.

When a Grid crosses a crop boundary in a view (when the crop boundary is enabled) it switches from 3D to 2D automatically. If you want to enable the 2D setting for all the vertical grids at once turn on the view's crop boundary and make sure it crosses your grids.

Now you can adjust all the Grids end point position together just like they do automatically for the 3D setting. It will work for levels too. If you don't want the crop region long term you can just disable it afterward. The Grids or Levels will retain their alteration until (if) you elect to use the Reset to 3D Extents (right click context menu option).

Relocate Project is Sleight of Hand

Try these steps:

• Create a new empty project
• Open the Site plan View
• Make sure the PBP (Project Base Point-circle) and the SP (Survey Point-triangle) are visible
• Use Relocate Project, "move" the PBP 1 meter to the left
• We'll find the SP is now 1 meter to the right, left behind marking where the origin was
• The SP identifies the origin of an alternate coordinate system, roughly equivalent to AutoCAD's WCS (World Coordinate System) origin, consider that using Acquire Coordinates aligns Revit with the WCS of the source DWG file.
• The previous steps are essentially the same as moving the SP (clipped) to the right 1 meter instead (use Undo and try it)
• Using Relocate Project you see the PBP move but its really the SP that's changed, it just doesn't look like it because the PBP is reporting a different 0,0 coordinate offset now (more on that below).

In a sense Revit just shifted the world over, underneath our building, and the origin never really changed. If we try the steps above and make sure we can see elevation symbols it becomes more apparent when they don't change their relationship to the PBP after using Relocate Project.

The PBP and SP start out at the same location in stock templates, but they are NOT marking the same information.

The Project Base Point always (when clipped) identifies where the project's origin is. The Survey Point identifies one alternate coordinate system's origin location, when it reports 0,0.

I believe it causes confusion when we examine the PBP coordinate values (when selected) because it displays values that are relative to where the SP defines the WCS origin, NOT the project origin. Since the project origin is never really changing it would be more accurate or consistent to continue displaying 0,0 and only begin showing different coordinates when it is moved un-clipped.

The following image shows a SP that has been moved by Acquire Coordinates to mark the WCS origin of a source survey DWG. The PBP now shows coordinates that match the offset from this alternate coordinate system's origin. To be fair it does say Shared Site: just above the values but it isn't as meaningful to most users as we'd hope.

The following image shows both PBP and SP moved while un-clipped. It is tempting to think of them as points when they are moved like this but they are really annotation referencing coordinates that are only meaningful when compared with where the origins they are referencing are, which I believe contributes to the confusion about what they display when selected.

General Comments and Advice

• The Project Base Point never displays coordinates that reference anything but the Shared Coordinate origin location.
• The Survey Point initially identifies an alternate coordinate origin but it can be un-clipped and moved to show coordinates that reference its origin location.
• The Project Base Point and Survey Point start by marking their own origins, at same location in stock templates but they are NOT the same coordinate systems.
• Don't use Relocate Project for X/Y axis project changes, it's really just establishing an offset relative to the Survey Point, not changing the project origin.
• Don't move the Project Base Point clipped
• Relocate Project can be useful in the Z axis when you need to show an arbitrary elevation value without placing the building at the actual elevations, see True Elevation and Position, it is still sleight of hand though, using Shared Coordinates to achieve the difference.
• Moving the PBP un-clipped can be used with the Spot Coordinate annotation. It can reference the Project Base Point location when it is desirable to mark locations, using the Spot Coordinate tool, that all reference where we've placed the un-clipped PBP.
  

Dynamo Tip and Forum

If you open a Dynamo project that is based on a language that is not the same language as the Revit project you are in it can cause Revit/Dynamo to crash. We can avoid the crash if we open a project that shares the same language first. That's how it was described to me at RTC in Dublin this past week. Perhaps it is just a build incompatibility? It seems to me that will make it difficult to mix and match up Dynamo work that is done in various languages?

The best place to stay in the loop about Dynamo info is DynamoBim.org. Better check in with the forum there to be sure.

BTW, regarding forums, AUGI recently created a new forum for Dynamo, to expand their Revit forums to include a place for this rapidly emerging tool. You can VISIT it HERE.

Confirm Acquire Coordinates

I'd like Revit to display a confirmation when I successfully acquire coordinates. It would also be nice if it displayed the coordinate "shift" that occurred in the dialog too. If I failed to select a source then it would be nice if Revit let me know I failed, try try again.

Occupancy Calculations and JavaScript

The other day I read a post at Revit Add-ons about integrating Java Scripts into Revit. I was intrigued by an example it described which provides a connection between a java script calculation (formula) and assigns it to a parameter. A very common request among Revit users is to be able to associate with a formula with a Shared Parameter, and in this case occupancy calculations. Timing is a funny thing because an email came in the same day asking for advice doing these calculations.

The application is called LazJS and is currently offering a beta version 1.0. Fwiw, I created an Occupancy Calculation sample project years ago which you can download HERE. I thought I'd open that project and try LazJS out on it. Since we can't put a calculated value in a tag the example uses a schedule so we can transfer values manually. With the advent of the API there are more options but for anyone who is leery of programming it's still a bit intimidating.

I found it was really easy to get this installed and configure LazJS to fill in the values for me automatically and keep them updated if I make any changes. This is the dialog that appears for their ParamJS tool. I started by choosing the Rooms category. Then I chose the parameter that is in my room tag. Then I dragged the parameter whose value I wanted to be in the tag up to the code editor window. Once the code was present I clicked Run, seeing values in the results window I clicked Save.

Now whenever I add a room and assign a occupancy type its tag fills in the appropriate Occupancy Factor for me (the script does). Same for any editing I do of existing rooms.

Worth a closer look if only for this piece of their whole application.

Visible Parameter and Associate Family Parameter

When we work with Forms, Symbolic and Model lines and nested families they each have a parameter called Visible and we can use Associate Family Parameter to control their visibility.

If you decide to remove this relationship Revit applies the current state of the parameter that was controlling it to the Visible parameter. If it was checked (visible on) then removing the parameter relationship leaves it checked. If the reverse is true (visible off) then the opposite happens.

It's subtle and can cause a few minutes of confusion when you reload a family and find it isn't visible.

Including a Sheet File Name and Path

Ever since we started using computers to generate architectural and engineering drawings we've been inclined to provide a place on a title block to help people find the file. Sometimes it is just the file name and other times it is necessary to have both the file name and path to the folder it is in.

The path is useful to the team working on the files but if those files are passed along to someone else it may be meaningless to them, or confusing at the very least. The file name is useful to anyone who happens to be looking at the drawings as long as they are in a position to access the digital version of the file too.

In a Revit model, which usually contains all the sheets for a project, the file name doesn't have the same usefulness when compared to a file based system like AutoCAD. That's true unless you are printing multiple layouts from a single DWG file, then it's not all that different than Revit. When someone is looking at a printed sheet and sees the file name and path it doesn't help them find the digital version, like a PDF file for Sheet A100 for example, because the file name is the Revit model, not the resulting PDF export.

As such Revit misses the mark in helping us carrying on that tradition. Since there are a number of ways our sheets can end up as individual files it is hard for Revit to anticipate or provide a suitable way to plug in a unique value until the data is exported outside of Revit. I'm sure there are some things that they could do to help us with this but it hasn't happened yet.

Revit's API could be used to capture the sheet information and store a contrived file name in a parameter for each sheet. When we print or export we might end up with the correct file names matching the resulting files or bearing a slight difference. I don't recall an existing application that deals with this specifically but one might exist, like Xrev Tools for example.

If we forget limitations within Revit for the moment, since the output format of a set of documents is where the appropriate file data is really needed it might make sense to consider focusing on how we handle the output files instead, at least for now. For example, the company Bluebeam offers software to process, review, and markup PDF documents. It includes the ability to add custom headers and footers, which can be the file name (among other things). It can also Batch Process files to include the file name. The file path is another available choice to put in a header or footer so we can combine them if we want to include both.

If it is necessary to provide the specific file name (and path) for exports to DWG it is probably best to add it those files after exporting, this way they'll point to an actual file instead of the Revit project file. Again some customization could add the necessary fields pretty effectively.

It seems like post processing this information is probably as effective as trying to come up with a way to deal with it internally in Revit.

Filter Filtering Gotcha

When you create or edit a view Filter we can apply a Filter to the list of categories based on discipline.

Filtering the list of categories has a direct impact on the Filter Rules > Filter by: list too. If you tell Revit to only show you Architecture categories then you'll find the available parameters listed in the Filter by: criteria drop down will not include parameters that are related to other disciplines. For example, if you were hoping to use the filter to alter the way MEP elements look when they are linked into your model then you might be confused until you realize that earlier you told Revit to only show you Architectural stuff.

Remember the Filter's Filter. Same thing can happen in the View Templates, Visibility/Graphics dialog and Object Styles dialogs.

Local File Error on Open

Have you run into this error message before?

One possible reason is that the folder you are storing local files is running out of allowable space. A folder can have restrictions placed on it. If so Revit can't properly create the local file in a folder that has hit its quota.

When we create a new local file we can often avoid this if we use the option to Overwrite the existing local file versus the Append Timestamp option. Chances are there are just a great many older local files hanging around in the folder.

Revit MEP Pipe Appearance in Sections

I met Freddie at the BIM Workshop in Anaheim recently. We chatted for awhile about Revit (shock I know) and then a little about music. It was great to meet someone who wasn't necessarily required to know Revit but decided he wanted to learn Revit and has become quite good at it. The company he works for (TJP Engineering) specializes in water treatment systems for aquatic attractions.

He passed along a graphic that Chris Aquino (Autodesk support specialist) marked up for him when he was trying to sort out piping graphics in section views. Sometimes writing this blog only requires sharing what other people tell me, thanks Freddie!

Here's the image which has markups that explain the various conditions they discussed.

Quick Summary of Issues:

• No rise/drop symbol? Most likely the pipe is sloping "through" the section.
• If you see a "crosshair" or "target" it is probably the pipe beyond the fitting but within the Far Clip Plane of the view.

Btw, my Uncle Ben called me Freddie when I was a kid. I. Don't. Know. Why... :)

Revit 2015 - Closing a Workset and Linked File Ownership Conflict

This post describes an awkward issue with Revit 2015 when using a specific workset(s) to manage a linked file(s).

Project File A has a separate workset for Project File B and that file is assigned to it. Both the linked file's instance and type parameters are assigned to the same workset. User A is the Owner of Project File B's workset. Now User B is working in their own local file and decides to close the Project File B workset (instead of using the Manage Links > Unload method). User B gets a warning that User A owns the element.

When we expand the warning we see that the file is the issue.

User B clicks Cancel and the workset closes, the link is no longer visible (the desired result despite the message). If User B Opens the workset, no error. The error only occurs when the workset is closed.

Closing a workset that has a linked file associated with it now is equivalent to using Manage Links > Unload, because using unload generates this error message now too.

This error dialog is very confusing because it claims that we can't do something, without creating an Editing Request, that clicking Cancel does let us do. We now have a normal error message that we have to tell users they can ignore, click cancel please. That's just ridiculous.

Demand loading and unloading worksets is fundamental and critical for large projects. Large projects have many people contributing so now we'll have many people getting a pointless message.

Parameters with Math Characters

Kudos to GMcDowellJr at RevitForum.org for paying attention. I missed it entirely. We've been careful to warn people not to include math characters in their parameters names for so long that I just don't ever try to do it.

At some point in the recent past (my testing shows beginning with Revit 2014) Revit started reconciling the issue for us with these brackets [ ]. Just wrap your rogue parameter name using math characters with those brackets and Revit won't mind anymore.

Revit will even add them (the brackets) for us if we rename a parameter to include math symbol(s). For example, in the following image these parameters and the formula are fine.

Then I changed my parameter name and Revit put the brackets in the formula for me.

When I try this in Revit 2013 it doesn't mind changing a parameter name to include a math symbol if it didn't have one originally. If I try to create a new parameter with a math character and use it in a formula then I get the familiar warning. If I add the brackets myself, no difference. In 2014 and 2015 the brackets start working and get added to a formula for us, when necessary.

I don't recall The Factory ever taking credit for this change, a nice subtle compensation for parameter naming.

Stage Curtains

Back in January of 2004, about eleven months before I started blogging and a couple months before moving to California, I shared a couple stage curtain families at AUGI. They were made using Revit 6.0. I recently got a message thanking me for them which made me curious how well they'd upgrade to Revit 2015. I downloaded them from AUGI too since I'd lost track of the files since then. They upgraded fine. Well, without a warning message but they didn't retain all their parametric behavior unfortunately.

If you're like me, you can't help but second guess the things you did when you get to take another look at something you did in the past. This is no different. I didn't like my choice of parameter names and the logic I used to allow for them to be reconfigured. So I spent some time re-working them in Revit 2015.

Here's what they look like in play now, the main setting is a burgundy color, the olio setting is a lighter shade and the cyclorama legs, borders and rear traveler are just black (though they look gray). If you aren't familiar with theater terminology, the olio setting is traditionally fancy or at least a different color. It is typically used (closed in front of the stage set) as the background for the opening act of a show, comedian, magician etc., far enough forward to leave most of the stage for the primary production (hidden from view), close behind the main curtain setting but leaving some stage space for the intro act.

And in plan view

And in Section

If you'd like to download them here you go:

2015 Stage Curtain Border
2015 Stage Curtain Traveler

If you need them in an earlier version than 2015 these are the Revit 6.0 files. You'll probably have to tweak them a bit to retain their parametric relationships, such as changing the height of the curtain or length of the batten etc.

Revit 6.0 Border Curtain
Revit 6.0 Traveler Curtain

I'll close with a rendered view using some stage lighting fixtures that Andrew K shared at RevitForum.org (works with ARCAT) and a couple saxophones that Michael Anonuevo shared with me back when he was working on his family editor book.

I did consider rebuilding these using the new Adaptive Point divide and repeat concept. Perhaps another day. It would be interesting to compare the performance of that technique against these. These do put a bit of a drag on a model because of the blend array that makes the curtain.

Okay, now I'm just having fun...

Revit 2015 R2 - Background Color

Continuing in the theme of filling long standing wishes, it is now possible to choose your own background color instead just using Invert Background to use a black background. Years ago I did attempt to live with a black background but found that I preferred the white background after a short transition. I find trying to use a black background quite disorienting now.

Regardless lots of users have a preference for something other than white. In particular, for some people, staring at a white screen all day bothers their eyes. Adjusting their monitor's brightness and contrast only goes so far to mitigate their discomfort. Now they/we can choose nearly any color we'd like to use instead of white, via the Graphics page of the Options dialog.

It is a bit quirky depending on what is visible in the view. You'll have to experiment some to find both a color you really like and can live with how information is presented in different views with it in play. Here's what I call Word Perfect background with some rooms using a color fill (well I remember a blue background in Word Perfect).

And this is casual attempt to mimic "butter" tracing paper background.

I'm probably going to stick with a white background but I'm sure there are many users who will enjoying having a little more control over what they stare at for 8+ hours a day.

Revit 2015 R2 - Default Setting for Import Positioning

This is a welcome change, one many users have been asking for a long time.

The default positioning setting is now Auto - Origin to Origin, pause for the sound of applause (and comments like "finally") in offices around the globe...

If you change the default setting, the option you select for Positioning becomes the default instead for your current Revit session. Revit will also remember a different setting for Revit models and CAD files. For example, this will make it easier to use Auto-Origin to Origin for Revit models and Auto - Center to Center for CAD files.

Glad to see this subtle but heavily wished for change.

Revit 2015 R2 - Double Click Open an Older File

I wrote on Monday that Revit 2015 R2 warns us if we are opening an older file that will need to be upgraded first. Daniel Stine let me know that a different dialog appears if you double click a file to open it. Now I don't do that and don't recommend you do that either. Here's the dialog that appears if you do though and this one waits till you respond.

Revit 2015 R2 - Load into Project and Close

Have you ever edited a Revit family and then used Load into Project? Only once or twice? Yeah you're like me then. Have you ever thought it would be nice if you could close the family without having to return to it or having to close it first and then use Load from Library > Load Family? Yeah, me too.

Apparently we've got someone from Autodesk listening in on our thoughts (or blog posts/tweets/wishlists/support requests) because Revit 2015 R2 thinks we are on to something and it has a new button called Load into Project and Close

Just keep in mind that you DON'T want to use this when your family is using a Type Catalog! If that's true you also DO NOT want to use the Edit Family feature from a project either. Using Edit Family creates a version of the family that includes all the types that are loaded into the project. The same is true when you use the Right-Click > Save As feature on a family from inside a project. If a family is using a Type Catalog then the family doesn't need the burden of all its types defined inside it too.

Revit 2015 R2 - Upgrading File Warning

Harry pointed out in his blog post the other day that the latest update now provides a warning to let us know when we are opening an older file that must be upgraded first. It gives us an opportunity to cancel the process. As you are well aware, we've always had to wait for that to finish before we could close the file, WITHOUT saving, and then open the correct version of Revit, and begin again.

I complained about this in my own blog post and Harry was good enough to respond with a solution via his Boost Your BIM site and his excellent Udemy Revit Programming class.

However, unlike Harry's solution, which stops Revit in its tracks until I provide a response to the warning, Autodesk chose to let Revit keep opening the file. The dialog stays on screen until the file finishes opening. When we are opening a project file that's probably okay-ish.

Opening a family file, not so much. They will usually open too fast to make it of any use (ironic that is a complaint of sorts). I tried it on a couple families prior to writing this (and the reason I'm writing now) and I saw the dialog exactly long enough for me to grasp what it was saying and it was gone...too late to click Cancel Upgrade.

Unless I'm poised to click the button as soon as I start to open a file I'm likely to miss it. Sadly it is a bit too much like Whack a mole, the bugger's gone before my mallet gets there.

Trying to get a screen capture of that dialog was fun. I ended up opening an older project instead so it would be open longer. It seemed so easy to me, just make it do what Harry's did...

Revit 2015 R2 - MEP Circuit Sequence and Recently Used Panel

New Feature - Circuit Sequence

Somewhat related to yesterday's new electrical feature there is also a new Electrical Setting called Circuit Sequence. There are three choices: Numerical, Group by Phase and Odd then Even (a common request, to fill one side of the panel and then the other).

This helps determine how the next circuit that gets created is assigned to slots in a panel. Subtle but an important addition.

New Feature - Most Recently Used Panel

When we create a new circuit Revit now offers a list of panels on the ribbon, on the System Tools panel. It remembers the Most Recently Used Panel so creating a new circuit and assigning to a panel can be as little as two clicks. One click to select the electrical element and another to click on Power. As long as the correct panel is display in the drop down list box you can move on to another task. As you can see my favorite electrical panel is in the list already.

Subtle stuff makes me grin!

Application Manager - There Are Aren't Updates

Stuff like this... a day in the life of software users. I'm greeted with a message each time I fire up Revit 2015 that lets me know that Autodesk 360 needs an update installed. I launch the new Application Manager as recommended (a button is even offered) and I get a spinning wheel of dots and a very nice message that "all is well" in the background. Tedious...

I guess I'll just have to go through the old way, downloading updates etc... so I can get the Application Manager working again so next time I can find out that there are/aren't updates available...

Revit 2015 R2 - MEP Move To for Circuits

Here's a subtle one for Revit mEp users, a new button shows up in Panel Schedules when you select a circuit.

Move To begins by selecting a circuit. You can choose another eligible slot in the schedule. You'll see the "No You Can't" icon at your cursor when you hover over ineligible locations in the schedule.

Revit will highlight eligible slots in the schedule by turning the cells green. If your schedule has a fixed number of slots and they are all filled up you'll have to reconsider the panel loads. You also need to move circuits up or down to create an open location. The Move To feature doesn't shift existing circuits around, it just moves a circuit a bit easier than using up or down when a slot exists for it to move to.

Echo David Light - Autodesk Revit 2015 R2 Info

This is an echo of what I read on David Light's blog this morning. He's working with Autodesk now and it clarifies which version of the latest release you need to use according to the type of licensing you are using, thanks David!

David writes:

I got some useful information from our Enterprise Support team which I want to share. Its certainly worth being aware of this….

• Autodesk are pleased to announce new Update releases for Revit 2015.The following files will be available for download via the Autodesk Application manager: 2015 R2 (includes UR4 and the latest Hotfix) - Subscription Advantage Pack customers
• 2015 UR4 for regular customers where the license registration is not tied to a subscription contract

Please Note: You have to choose from either 2015 R2 or 2015 UR4 as they cannot be installed alongside each other. If Revit 2015 has not been registered , then you will not be presented with either update.

• Revit 2015 R2 w/ ENU docs - is available via the Subscription Center under downloads

By 6pm EST, September 19th:

• Revit 2015 UR4 w/ ENU docs - will be available for download via AKN (.com). All remaining languages for download via Application Manager, documents in Subscription Center and AKN, will be published within the following week.”

Revit 2015 R2 - Reference Other View

For many years now we've been able to use a concept called Reference Other View when we create sections, elevations, callouts and drafting views. We used to take advantage of it via the Options Bar, while creating those kinds of views. It's been moved up to the ribbon which seems to be another nail in the coffin for the poor old Options Bar, we knew thee well...

If you look closely you'll find you can create a New Drafting View, the default choice in brackets. This is an interesting subtle enhancement, for example:

• Click Section
• Choose Detail Section
• Check Reference Other View
• Select New Drafting View
• Place your section view annotation
• A new drafting view appears in the Project Browser

It's an expansion on the recently added ability to change which view our annotation is referencing. It was always a bit frustrating that it was necessary to delete the view reference and start over when we inadvertently picked the wrong one. The same Reference panel on the ribbon becomes active when you select a view that is using the Reference Other View concept, again instead of being able to do it on the Options Bar. We can just choose the correct view from the list.

This is all subtle but a bigger deal (though still subtle) is Searching the list. Did you notice the search criteria field at the top of the list in each of the earlier images? Enter your some of your desired view's name criteria and you'll find the view you want to reference quicker!

Oh, if you attempt to create a new view and then find the Reference Other View option is checked and you can't remove the check you are probably in a Drafting View. We can't create a live view based on a drafting view so it makes sense but it can be a bit confusing at first.

Revit 2015 R2 - Data Row

In August of 2013 I wrote to complain about the placement of the Data Row button to create a new room, area, space or sheet in a schedule. I'm happy to write that they listened to me (and everyone else). The latest update release for 2015 has dedicated a little bit of ribbon real estate to a Insert Data Row button on its own. Fewer clicks for click counters to click (or count)!

Revit 2015 Supplementary Update

A quick heads up...Autodesk released Revit 2015 R2 today.

From an Autodesk email:

Autodesk Revit 2015 R2 includes more than 30 user-requested features that add powerful capabilities, enhance software performance and improve user productivity for architects, MEP and structural engineers. Fully compatible with the existing Revit 2015 releases, R2 does not have a file format change and installs without disrupting ongoing work in Revit 2015.

Other key features include:

• Increased Productivity: Multiple enhancements in R2 improve modeling and work productivity
• Increased Overall Power: With new features, R2 enables you to do more
• Increased Performance: R2 meets requests for faster software performance to make work easier

You can read the announcement on In the Fold.

Read the What's New in 2015 R2 documentation.

RTC in Asia

This is a repost of Wesley's at the RTC Blog, please pass the word along to your friends, co-workers and fellow Revit/BIM people, thanks!

RTC is coming to Asia!

We are now in the early planning stages for our first event in Asia, expected to be held in October or November next year (2015). As with the other regions where we have introduced RTC events, we have listened to the comments and queries of delegates and RTC Community members that have been increasingly vocal in their desire to see this event in Asia, and at the same time we have been watching with great interest the development of some of the government initiatives in the region such as the Singapore Government’s Construction Productivity and Capability Fund and the 5 year BIM roadmap.

Then again, it’s also a great excuse to do a trip around some pretty amazing cities…

In order to take this process beyond “That would be cool” and “lots of people have asked” and “it’s a really big community” we need to do research on what this might mean to people in the region. We remain an event run by users, and our primary focus is as always the question of what would best serve the community. When we introduced RTC into North America, very little changed about the style and methodology with which we ran the event. In Europe, we recognised that there were bigger cultural, social and political dynamics to consider, not to mention the question of a region with a number of languages. This led to some changes in the format of the event which, while hopefully quite subtle from a delegate point of view, are nevertheless identifiable as unique to Europe. An Asian RTC event introduces a cultural and social difference greater again than that in Europe, with a far broader range of languages as well. To us, this is exciting, and the challenge is one that we relish as part of the energy that RTC is all about.

...but it means we need your help…

We might recognise that there are differences in theory, but what does this mean in practice? How do we tweak the way that RTC runs elsewhere to best suit the needs of the Asian BIM community? What are the topics that are most urgent, and most interesting? There are many questions that need to be addressed, and we would like to address them to you, and solicit YOUR answers.

To that end, Heidi Lam and Wesley Benn will be travelling through Asia during September and early October to host a series of information nights where we can introduce ourselves and hear your feedback on those questions. This trip will encompass Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore and details of when and where the information nights are being held can be found at the RTC Asia Web Site . These information evenings are free to attend, and form an important part of ensuring that RTC Asia becomes what you want it to be, so please do come along and join in the conversation.

Finally, it would also be great if you all could spread the word about these events so that we can ensure that as wide a pool of community members hear about it as possible. If you do sign up to join us on the night, please consider also sending the link on to others. The more that contribute to the conversation, the better the outcome.

We are all enormously excited here about the prospect of our first Asian event, and we look forward to seeing many of you at the information nights as well as next year at the first Asian RTC!

Regards,
Wesley Benn
Executive Chairman
RTC Events Management

Ugh Schedule Bug Revit 2014 and 2015 and Hotfix

Reading through a thread at RFO this morning brought some unpleasantness to my attention. The usual suspects there have been working with Autodesk to identify the issue and then a reply mentions that Autodesk is working on a Hotfix for both 2014 and 2015 to reconcile it.

Short story: Multi-Category schedules that are intended to include elements in linked files may not be report everything or anything correctly.

Link to a Hotfix (right-click Save As)
Link to READme

Thanks to the RFO gang for the heads up!

Autodesk M&E 3DS MAX Gunslinger Summit - Montreal

This post is to help spread awareness of an opportunity to be part of a Gunslingers event on behalf of the 3DS Max development team. I apologize if you've already read about it on another blog.

3DS Max Development Team writes:

Autodesk M&E 3ds Max Gunslinger summit is a design-focused participatory event in Montreal (Canada) between our users and members of the Autodesk 3ds Max product management, development and design teams. The event is comprised of a series of workshops, design reviews, validation discussions, design charrettes, and more.

We are looking to locate people who would be interested or available in attending. The Gunslinger is by invitation only as we can only accommodate so many, and other than travel, all shuttles, hotel, and meals are included by Autodesk. The meeting will be 4 days, Sept 16-19. It is an opportunity to meet our team and influence tools that could help you improve the way you communicate your designs.

3ds Max and 3ds Max Design tools and technology have been used by visualization experts to tell the story of a design in dynamic presentations and won many awards in the entertainment industry. Clients consistently respond to exploring their project or product in context, within their existing surroundings and bustling with life. They, and other stakeholders, also find that video helps them understand complex information about the design. This could be anything from construction logistics, complex function (such as a sliding roof), the impact of design options, or visualization of traffic, weather, stress, airflow and energy. Cinematic storytelling techniques can convincingly evoke emotions and convey these messages with style. Unfortunately, in the past, you’d need a large budget to deliver presentations that include these elements. There are many ways to solve these issues but your feedback is essential. This is why we’d like to meet with you in person.

If you are interested in the Gunslinger please let us know by completing A SHORT SURVEY. We will then be reviewing the submissions for selecting users but if you are unable to attend this specific Gunslinger but are interested in future events please do fill out the survey.

Specify Worksets and Save

We can preset the preference to use the Specify option when we open a project that has enabled Worksets. This option appears when we click the small arrow next to Open in the Open Dialog, which only works when we select a file with Worksets enabled.

This preference is controlled by a parameter called Open Workset default. It is only available to us within the Save As dialog, via the Options... button.

There is a subtle difference between enabling worksets in a file that has not been saved yet and one that has. If we enable worksets in a project that has already been saved, at least once before, we won't get a chance to change the setting if we just click Save. However if we use Save As we get the dialog that offers us the Options... button. The setting Open Workset default is not enabled unless the file is already using worksets.

This means it probably easiest to ensure that Specify is selected if we start a project and enable worksets before saving the file the first time. That might be easier said than done. If the file is already in progress and we need to enable Worksets we just need to use Save As instead, reusing the original file name if necessary.

Ribbon Panel Titles are Missing

The ribbon User Interface will let us turn off the ribbon's panel titles. I've never bothered to do this and today I was asked why a user's ribbon was missing them. I blanked...uh, um, graphics driver issue? While I was trying to make my brain work, he decided to right-click and saw this...

Add another troubleshooting saying to add to our collection, "When in doubt right click"!

Purge Unused Wish

I find myself wishing, every now and then, for a right click option to Purge Unused Types on individual families, something like this.

Sure, I can right click > Select All Instances to see if it is enabled.

If it is then the type is in use. When it is disabled I can just move the cursor up to Delete. Now the type is gone. That's not too bad when there are a few types. When there are many types It would be faster if I could just right click on the family and choose Purge Unsed Types.

The Purge Unsed tool works too but, in my opinion, its liability is that it is searching the entire database, then when the dialog finally opens ALL the unused types are selected. We have to be careful to UnCheck All so we don't purge types we really want to keep. If I am really just interested in a single family it's a bit overzealous. I think it would be a nice addition.

Fussy Type Catalog Syntax

Just a little reminder or tip. Type Catalogs (and Revit reading them) don't like it when we use commas as part of the information stored in the parameters. They also don't like lone quotation marks like this 5". I had a file tonight that just wouldn't display types beyond a certain type. The fact that the type's line had 683 characters in it didn't help me find the lone quotation. Eventually I did find it...fussy.

Want this? 5'-0" - Type: 5'-0""
Want this? Revit,BIM,Software - Type: "Revit,BIM,Software"

Remember, if you aren't sure what syntax Revit wants, just use the Export > Family Types feature. The resulting Type Catalog is what Revit wants.

Structural Column Preview does not Show

Daniel Stine shared this situation with me the other day. It may be familiar to you too?

Revit has a glitch in how it deals with the structural column preview (i.e. outline of structural member relative to the cursor) during placement. Working with Autodesk Support, the problem comes into play when the Levels are “Moved” vertically (the problem kicks in after a certain distance – not sure what the magic number is yet).

These are the steps he described that will (should) reproduce the problem using the out of the box (OOTB) structural template.

• Open the structural template
• Switch to elevation (or section)
• Select the levels and move them up 100’
• Switch to the level 1 plan view
• Try placing a structural column
• The preview (i.e. outline of structural member) should not be visible but it it will appear after placing the first one

Dan also mentioned:

In testing this, the problem does not occur when using the Relocate Project tool and changing the Levels to use the Elevation Base parameter setting: Survey Point. We submitted this to Autodesk and support has passed it on to development for a closer look. This is one of those little annoying things for our staff.

Revit Sundial and Inside the Factory

The Autodesk blog called Inside the Factory went dormant for a couple years. It takes effort to blog and apparently the time and energy was waxing then. Well a new post appeared today with an invitation to something new they are calling Revit Sundial. It's an advance view on things that might be coming (or might not) in the future.

Snipped from the blog:

To get things started, we’re providing everyone within reach of this blog the opportunity to test drive a hosted release preview of Revit called Sundial.

Autodesk Revit Sundial provides enhancements to Revit that are not currently included in the commercial release. We will be highlighting the many improvements in blog posts over the next days and weeks.

For those of you who try the release preview, please drop in here at Inside the Factory and let us know what you think. The hosting technology we’re using for the preview is itself experimental, so if you run into issues accessing the test, we’d like to know about those as well.

The quantity of available simultaneous sessions is limited, so you may run into delays if there are many people trying to access the preview at once. We'll keep the preview available for a few weeks, so please try again if you can't initially gain access.

Because this is an early in-progress release, there are no guarantees all the features you might see or read about will appear in a future release of Revit. Please keep this in mind when making any future purchasing decisions.

Worth having a read.

Tagging Elements

It is pretty common to have quite a few different kinds of tags for the elements we need to tag in views. Some equipment might get an oval shaped tag while others have a hexagon. When we need to switch between tags Revit isn't quite fine tuned for this yet. Here's three approaches we can take.

When you tag elements you can tell Revit which tag should be used by default via the Loaded Tags dialog. The tag that appears next to a category is the tag that will be used when you use Tag by Category. If you work systematically you can set which tag you intend to use for awhile and then the correct tag will be offered by default.

Another way to do it is Right Click > Create Similar (you can select one and click the Create Similar button on the ribbon too) over a tag that is the kind you want to place, assuming one is already in the view. This way Revit will start tagging with that tag.

Yet another approach is to select everything you want to tag and then use Tag All, choosing the tag type you'd like to use. When you select elements first this dialog changes Revit's focus to tag selected elements instead of everything that isn't already tagged. This gives you a bit more control over which tag should be used on which elements.

A tagging quirk is that Revit won't let us put more than one tag on the same element. For example I like to use a pipe tag to identify CW (cold water) or HW (hot water) pipes. I can put one tag on a pipe but Revit won't recognize the pipe as available unless I tag a different pipe first. My work around is to bounce back a forth between pipes. It seems a little silly not to let me put another tag on a pipe if I want too.

Matching Workset Naming with Linked File Worksets

I wrote about a workset tip/trick that describes how we can use consistent workset names between linked file to manage which elements should be visible/open more easily.

In the last couple release there's been a subtle issue between what we see in the Workset dialog versus Manage Worksets access through the Manage Links dialog or via right click > Manage Links (selecting a link in the Project Browser).

The technique still works as described before...almost. What is different now is how Revit responds when you open the Workset Dialog. You'll get the behavior we expect if we use the Manage Worksets button in the Manage Links dialog or right click on a linked file in the Project Browser and choose Manage Worksets.

The images below show the Open status for the same linked file according to the route used to gain access to the workset info. I've closed the workset Grids - A using Manage Links > Manage Worksets.

The Workset dialog doesn't seem to realize I did that.

The short story is we need to use Manage Links to alter the status, not the Worksets dialog...seems a bit buggy/quirky to me.

Review Warnings Show and Worksets

We can choose which worksets are open (visible). When we choose to take advantage of that it affects what we see in views naturally. When we want to deal with Review Warnings it helps to remember that we might have closed worksets earlier. The Show button that becomes enabled when we select an element listed as part of a warning won't be enabled when the workset it belongs to is closed. This can be quite confusing if we don't remember what we did earlier. Just one more thing to try to remember.