My friend Rolly sent me a screen capture of the new Family Types dialog. It's been revised to use similar buttons as some of the other dialogs, like the Filters and View Templates dialog for example.
It is slimmer now. I liked the larger buttons with words personally. I struggle (a little) with the tiny pictures (see what I did there) on these icon only buttons. At least I can rely on muscle memory to click on them after awhile. It will be helpful require less screen real estate for the interface and allow for more practical editing of those really long pesky conditional formulas...if dabble with those.
It seems I have a growing number of friends who are concerned about my lack of new blog posts :) Thanks Rolly! It's so much easier when you send me pichurs :)
This is an interesting development for reconciling the misalignment of models. This gives us the option of linking a RVT model according to the location of its Project Base Point (PBP) and aligning it with our own.
Let's imagine a scenario where our structural engineer decides to mock-up a preliminary model but does so without the benefit of having the architectural model linked in yet. This new feature allows the engineer to either move the PBP un-clipped (see warning below) to an agreed upon grid intersection or to start by placing their grids at the default PBP location in their model.
All I have to do to get their model to align with my model properly now is make sure I move my PBP un-clipped (again see warning below) to our equivalent grid location or be grateful I was lucky to have guessed that we'd start our grids at the same location to start with. If I didn't guess correctly then moving it un-clipped puts it in the correct location and the link lines up nicely.
Being able to move the PBP un-clipped is helpful for Revit to Revit alignment. It DOES NOT address exporting to DWG however (nor appending to Navisworks). If each model is exported using Coordinate System Basis: Project Internal they will not line up with one another because the model's file origin is not altered. If each trade is careful to start modeling the agreed upon grid intersection at their templates's default PBP location (not moved at all) then they'll line up when their exported files are opened in AutoCAD or Navisworks.
I'm not sure we can rely on that if we can't count on them waiting for our model to use as a linked reference first? Still it is an interesting development. Hopefully it doesn't just contribute to the existing confusion regarding linked RVT file positioning.
My recommendations?
Make sure all trades agree to begin their work referencing their own PBP with the same understanding. For example, agree in advance that the bottom left grid intersection shall occur at the PBP location (like shown in my images). This will ensure that exported data will have the same file origin.
Don't move the PBP un-clipped to reconcile the PBP location IF you want to be able to export using Project Internal.
Only move the PBP un-clipped if you will rely on Shared Coordinates to deal with external model alignment in other applications.
When I wrote about Revit Sunrise earlier I hinted that we might see a repeat of last year when Revit Sundial was followed by Revit 2015 R2. That's come true today.
You can CHECK OUT some VIDEOS about what is new in this subscription customer only release.
These are the features they've chosen to provide videos for:
Draw Visible Elements Only (performance)
Global Parameters
Family Element Visibility Setting (Family Editor)
Thermal Zoning (Analysis)
Enhanced Revit Links
Cancel Multi Sheet Print or Export
View Filter UI Improvements
Revision Enhancement
Isolate Solids/Voids with Filter Tool (Family Editor)
Per User RVT Link Unload
Improved Project Browser
Name Reference Plane
Autodesk Raytracer
Railing Preview
View Underlay and Orientation Improvements (descriptive language)
Enabled Copy Paste in Perspective Views
Choice to Select Wall Join Type (behavior) during Wall Creation
Fabrication Part Modeling Enhancement
Electrical Design Enhancements
Mechanical Design Enhancements
There is also a Update Release 10 for Revit 2015. For what it is worth, the Autodesk Application Manager is two for two now. It let me know about the last web update (service pack) and it let me know about both 2016 R2 and 2015's Update Release 10. That's encouraging, certainly better than my experience with it in the past.
Dan Stine shared this dialog with me this morning. The wording it contains makes one think Revit is attempting to save in an older version, but that isn't possible.
In this case he had Revit 2015 open already and inadvertently double clicked on a Revit 2016 project file. He eventually saw another dialog that confirmed the file could not be saved in an earlier format. He, like me, thought the dialog was mildly amusing and passed it my way.
I wish we could choose a single category or several individual categories while using Purge Unused. The dialog defaults to selecting everything that is not used. It's normal to have things that just aren't used yet. That means a generic application of Purge Unused on everything will eliminate things we need, just haven't needed them yet.
I'd like to be able to click the Check None button and the check a box next to a category or categories.
I think the default presumption for Purge Unused should NOT be everything selected. We should have to deliberately do that using the Check All button instead.
It would be a lot faster than working through a long list of families and the unused types. Ideally (even ordinarily) the list wouldn't be long but I've seen some lists that go on and on...
For what it is worth, we can select a category and use NUM LOK + * to expand the whole branch of that category. Then we can select the first and last types in the branch followed by clicking OK to Purge Unused. It just takes a while for the list to respond when there are a few thousand types...yeah I know...that's a lot!
Regarding Dynamo
I pinged Julien Benoit about this and using Dynamo. In response he was kind enough to send me the graph below.
At the moment it leaves behind a Family with no types if the purging process eliminates types and there were no types in use. Given how quickly he responded to my question WITH an attachment, no complaints here! Thanks Julien! Check out Julien's blog while you are at it.
As a quick follow up to yesterday's post about using the IDs of Selection tool, I find myself wishing that the button for it would show up on the Modify Contextual ribbon tab when elements are selected.
Yes I know I can assign a Keyboard Shortcut to it... assuming I'd be able to remember it...
When we need to track down a family that might be loaded into one or more project files we can use master schedule project that includes links for all the relevant project files. If one of the project files already has links to all the others then we can just use that one for this instead.
A schedule focused on the relevant category that also uses the option Includes elements in links can be quite useful.
It can help us track down which models and how many there are in each of them. A little clever use of the Filter tab in the schedule can be a big help. Once we've figured out where the family is we can deal with each of them in each project.
We can search through the Families branch of the Project Browser and then use the right click option for Select all Instances in Entire Project.
Now I can reach for IDs of Selection.
Revit provides a list of Element ID numbers for each family.
It is not unusual for the list to be quite long so I often reach for Notepad (or better still Notepad++...which reminds me I need to install it on this new PC). I use CTRL+C to copy the element IDs to the clipboard and then CTRL+V in Notepad. Notice the commas between the Element ID numbers.
In Notepad I can be selective about which ones to start examining more closely. I just select one or more of the element IDs and then use Select Element by ID (CTRL+C and CTRL+V again in reverse).
Notice the instruction in parenthesis (in the image below)? It says to use a semicolon between the numbers but Revit used commas earlier. Odd.
...and...believe it or not, this is the reason I decided to write this post... commas work too. Yeah, that's definitely subtle.
As for the element hunting and selecting process, I'll be interested and waiting to see what sort of Dynamo approaches pop up in comments.
View Templates are quite useful and potentially powerful when they are allowed to be aggressive, placed in charge of Views. To make a View Template the Boss we just need to assign one to a view via its View Template parameter.
Using the Right Click option to Apply Template Properties does not a boss make. It just applies the template settings but then leaves the view open to abuse.
When we do take advantage of placing a View Template in charge of views we bump into this Boss and its rules whenever we want to change the way the view looks. Normally that's good because the View Template is preventing arbitrary changes. In the following image I've mocked up structural walls and separate Veneer walls because I want to accentuate the structural wall in plan views (a common request). It also allows for fussy exterior finish changes (though these are hardly fussy).
In the plan view I've reduced the intensity of the veneer walls. When we need to change the way a view looks and it has a Bossy View Template we can use the Temporary View Properties button on the View Control Shortcut Bar. Usually it is sufficient to click Enable Temporary View Properties. Notice the other choice; Temporarily Apply Template Properties.
If we often find ourselves needing to apply the same kind of override to certain views it makes sense to create a View Template for that and then use it to apply an override to the view, like this next image. I've changed the appearance of the veneer walls to make them stand out; so it is easier to adjust them.
I created a Filter that is looking for a specific value in Type Comments. I picked that because it was easy for this example but it could be any parameter you like, as long as it sets the element(s) apart from others.
I also made another Filter to change the wall the other walls look so they don't compete graphically with the veneer walls as much as they would normally.
When I'm done adjusting the veneer walls I just need to click Restore View Properties and the Boss is back in charge.
Next time you find yourself using Temporary View Properties and Visibility/Graphics to tweak a view again, for the same reason as the last couple times, consider creating a View Template for it.
It boils down to this. If you link a DWG file that has geometry that extends beyond Revit's 20 mile threshold then you may find elevation views (or section views) look transparent. In 2016 I find that some views just stop responding to Visual/Graphic Style settings at all. If you remove the offending file the problem goes with it.
It is necessary to clean up and reduce the size of the offending file so that the threshold is not crossed. I shared this list in the past, in particular consider using the WBLOCK technique.
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
That might be a lot of work...so fortunately there IS an easier fix. Just make sure the offending DWG file is NOT visible via Visibility/Graphics in views that are acting up. It should restore normal behavior.
I prefer elevations that aren't see thru. Watch out for those surveys folks.
Galen shared this User Interface quirk with me the other day. He thought of my Dept. of Subtle and thought this qualifies. I agree.
When you decide to turn off the Option: Enable Recent Files page at startup the Title Bar seems to lose its will to show the software name and version.
It's happy to do so when it is enabled. Galen sent me this screen capture of Revit 2015.
My quick test shows it's happens in Revit 2016 too. It seems the lack of an active window to display shuts off the title bar's information. Certainly subtle and not a big deal really, just quirky.
Plan, Section and Elevation...the bread and butter of architecture. Why would anyone want to work on these three kinds views of a project and not find that the elements (doors, windows, walls, etc) they present don't match? If I create an enlarged plan shouldn't it match the plan it was generated from, but have greater detail? Shouldn't the windows called out in a plan match those called out in an elevation? Even if you get it perfect at the first submission I guarantee you'll miss stuff when the next design submission is due. By the time you get to the fourth...faahgeddaboudit.
BIM... I don't care if you ever learn what those three letters mean...
PLEASE, in the year of Two Thousand Fifteen, finally abandon your disconnected ways and use Revit (or ...Archicad).
Seriously, because the people that have to read your drawings aren't impressed.
This is just one of those things that runs through my head as I use and teach others to use Revit. We've been using this icon for Save in most if not all of our software for a long time.
When was the last time we really used one? Does your computer even allow for its use now?
If that's so 1980-90's then what icon would be better for Save these days? A life preserver? I know one product that uses it now, a product called Workspace from Union Square. It looks a bit like these.
The Options Bar is a part of the Revit user interface that is important but easily overlooked too. You can read through these selected examples but the moral of my story is "pay attention to the Options Bar".
Also keep in mind that, in general, it is possible to take advantage of the SHIFT and/or CTRL keys to interact with different Options. For example, when the Copy option is present, holding down CTRL will toggle Copy off. When using the Move or Copy tool holding SHIFT down will toggle on the Constrain option to limit motion to X or Y directions only.
For example, using the Mirror Tool the default option is to create a copy of the selected elements as well as mirroring them so the originals stay in place. Do you want Mirror/move instead? Uncheck Copy (or press/hold CTRL).
A similar option exists for the Offset tool.
Using the Move tool people routinely overlook the Multiple option. It makes it easy to continue copying the element(s) to more locations. Press hold SHIFT and Constrain is toggled on.
A similar option exists for the Align Tool. Press/hold CTRL and it toggles on Multiple Alignment.
Using the Rotate tool? It is also possible to copy the selected element during the rotation...just check the Options Bar.
When people use the Array tool they often also create the parametric relationship between the array elements, which is cool but often not necessary. Uncheck the Group and Associate option first.
Using the Split tool we often overlook the Delete Inner Segment option. Using the option makes it easier to split/trim walls to other walls.
When we place columns it is easy to overlook the option that determines whether the column is placed based on Depth or Height. That's a common cause for columns that don't show up when we place them and the annoying error message telling us we can't see them.
Using the Roof tool we can decide whether each sketch segment should be sloped or not, just remember to un-check the Defines Slope option.
Using the Room tool it is easy to forget that we can choose to place any rooms that have not been placed already...from the Options Bar naturally.
When applying dimensions don't forget that we can decide which part of walls Revit should prefer to make it easier to place them.
There is a sneaky button next to the Filter Rules drop down list box. If you click on it (the button with the ellipsis ... ) it will open the Project Parameters dialog. Using it implies or suggests that choosing a parameter from the list, if any are there, will assign the parameter to Filter by. It doesn't do that. It is side door access to creating a Project Parameter. A side door because it allows us to do that without bailing out of the Filter dialog first to do it.
Clicking on the button is the same as choosing the More Parameters option at the very bottom of the list of parameters.
It might be a little more obvious if it said Create Parameter instead?
I know it is a bit unfair to suggest or expect that 2013 should support Windows 10. With that in mind I offer this as something to watch out for if you must use 2013 and Win10. I needed to work on a family that must stay in that version so I installed 2013 yesterday. I thought I was successfully past it but it keeps dragging me back in.
As soon as I got started working I noticed that the Title Bar of the UI is missing the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) and the Help/Info Bar.
Then I noticed that hovering over where they should be caused tooltips to appear. They ARE there but just not visible. I was able to get the QAT below the ribbon by hovering and clicking carefully where that button should be. I don't really need the Info Bar that often so I should be okay for now, plus I know the buttons are there, just bashful.
Via a Twitter reply and @mark_labell_jr He suggests a Windows theme hack described HERE. It worked for me.
Revit is a bit obstinate about applying dimensions at times, like placing dimensions between concentric arcs for example. It's not uncommon to find people adding short Detail Lines and placing dimensions on those instead...to get the look they want. Chris Needham shared a technique at RevitForum earlier today that's elegantly simple...but perhaps not well known either.
Add a Reference Plane that begins at the center of one of the arcs and crosses all of them. You can adjust its extents afterward so it only appears near to the arcs.
You'll find you can use the Aligned Dimension tool to reference each intersection of the arc (walls in the image) and the Reference Plane, like in the previous image. Revit doesn't give really convincing feedback on screen so you have to look closely and trust its working.
When it comes time to print, just use the Print Setup Option Hide Ref/Work Planes. If you're careful it will look like the dimensions are referencing the arcs.
It would be nicer if we could just do this directly instead...but until that day...
Oh, DON'T turn off Reference Planes using Visibility/Graphics in the view. That will also kill the dimensions.
Mr. Anonymous wrote a comment describing how using the witness line grip after placing the dimensions will allow us to associate the dimension with the arcs. Good tip too, so I created a short video describing the process. Ignore the extra dimension segment I created by mistake (I deleted it in the video).
The Autodesk blog Inside the Factory announced yesterday that Autodesk Revit Sunrise is now available. Want to download it now? CLICK HERE
If you're curious about what the next major release of Revit might include it IS an indication of projects they have been working on. That probably can be translated into "we'll probably see it in the next release". If I grab my crystal ball and look back to last year I see a Autodesk Revit Sundial. If I gaze into it longer I also see Revit 2015 R2 arrive in September (2014). Hmmm...I wonder if history might repeat itself?
Need a little more info to check it out first? Here's a list of features you can check out...(do read their post for explanations)
Global parameters
Cancel print/export
Occlusion culling
Color fills
Family Editor
Sheet Issues/Revisions dialog
Revit links
Worksharing
View range
Underlay
Filters dialog
Reference plane names
Perspective views
Spot slope
Wall joins
Display of walls
Railings
Autodesk Raytracer rendering
Energy Analysis:
Electrical settings
Assigning a distribution system
Display of ducts
Need a Picture to help? Here's a screen shot of the proposed View Range Dialog.
Nice to include more graphics. It would be cool if they changed the dialog for ceiling plan view range orientation. Cooler still if there were some grips we could drag up and down to adjust the planes eh?
Well it took a LONG time but Autodesk has finally made the Worksharing Monitor application available for Revit 2016. I was thinking that it being missing was a test of our commitment to it. "Will they really miss it? Do they use it?"
Well I missed it and appreciate it coming back to life.
Long live Worksharing Monitor...at least until it truly isn't needed anymore...
It's possible to select more than one Revision at a time now. In the past we could only select one at a time. Now if we need to clear out a model of its revisions it is easy. Select all the rows (except just one, Revit needs one Revision to function) and click Delete.
While you're checking this out in the Sheet Issues/Revisions dialog have a closer look at the new numbering and Alphanumeric options for Sequence, Prefix and Suffix as well as being able to use Alpha-Numeric sequences too.
I keep expecting to find the Revision button on the Annotate ribbon but it isn't. It is on the View Ribbon > Sheet Composition tab. Is it just me? It's also on the Manage ribbon > hiding under Additional Settings fwiw.
