Revit Light Fixtures Disappear and Appear Again

Autodesk Revit is an indispensable tool for architects, engineers, designers, and contractors. Its use every bit a Building Information Modeling (BIM) software is disquisitional for those involved in Virtual Design and Construction (VDC). But, a tool is but as practiced as its user, and the total ability of Revit can only be unleashed with a better understanding of its various functions.

Here are some important tips and shortcuts to help yous make the nearly of Revit that are brought to you by the team at VIATechnik.

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1. PINNING

If you are referencing or overlaying an external dwg, rvt, or other types of drawings files, brand certain they are pinned down to ensure that these reference files practice not shift and cause inaccuracies in modeling. You can pin objects by selecting the pivot object icon nether the Modify Tab, or past typing PN while the object is selected. Pinned objects can too be set to non select or highlight when the cursor highlights over the pinned object. This is helpful when an extremely large external Revit model is linked to the working Revit model. Revit tries to visually highlight whatsoever elements that your cursor hovers over, and may take upward some processing time when highlighting an extremely detailed element. Simply toggle the "Select Pinned Chemical element" push button at the lesser right corner of your Revit model to disable, and your pinned element will no longer be selectable. Toggle it back on when you need to make adjustments to the pinned element.

Pinned objects will prove a thumbtack when selected. Clicking the thumbtack will unpin the object.

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2. USE SPLASH SCREEN

Sometimes when experiencing a difficult time opening a project, brand it easier by utilizing a splash screen. Get to Manage tab >> Manage Projection panel >> Starting View Tool. The default view to be opened is the Final Viewed. Yous can modify this to a set view. To amend the boot upwardly of Revit, create a new view or choose an existing view that does not display a lot of item. This reduces the processing time of the Revit file and lets you kickoff working on the project much more chop-chop.

3 USING FILTERS TO FIND OBJECTS

Frequently times, you may demand to detect a specific object in the model, or select multiple of a like object in the model. Utilise the Filter office to your advantage. Drag Select a region that will select all the elements you wish to select. Click the Filter push button under the Alter Tab and uncheck all irrelevant objects. Click OK and the objects that were left checked will be selected.

This flim-flam is especially useful in locating imported CAD Drawings that did non import to a correct scale. Simply type ZE to Frame all objects in the model space within the window and select all objects in the view. Filter and simply check the box for the externally referenced CAD File. Click OK and your imported CAD File will be highlighted. Usually a line with a Pin will signal the location of the CAD file. Zoom in closer and you'll find an underscaled CAD program that you can rescale.

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iv UNDERSTANDING SHEETS & VIEWS

Sheets are used for press, while views are actual workspaces that tin be placed onto sheets for printing. A view tin only be placed on one canvas, and cannot be used in multiple sheets at one fourth dimension. In gild to have a similar view placed in multiple sheets, you must duplicate the Views as Dependents and place the new view onto the sheet:

Here is a intermission down of the differences within duplicating a view:

• Duplicate View
  Duplicates a view, and all objects that are considered function of the "model". Things that are item items, such equally detail lines, hatches, text annotations, and detail groups will at present testify up in the new Duplicated View. Any new changes to the views won't affect the other.
• Indistinguishable View with Detailing
  Duplicates a view with all model items and particular items. Any new changes to either the old or new view won't touch on the other.
• Duplicate as Dependent
  Duplicates a view exactly as seen. Whatever changes in one view will bear upon the other.

v SNAPPING

Control where your line ends with greater precision by using the snap office. Frequently, there volition be lines that do non come across at corners or over-extend due to the default motorcar-snap that Revit uses. When clicking sure points, input snap shortcuts such as SE (Snap to Endpoint), SI (Snap to Intersection), SP (Snap to Perpendicular), SN (Snap to Nearest), SM (Snap to Midpoint), before clicking the betoken to have information technology snap precisely to the betoken you demand information technology to be in. If yous are working in an area where a lot of linework is occurring, it is best to apply the snapping feature and the TAB key to bike through the bachelor snap points in the area that your cursor is hovering over. Revit will indicate which lines are being used equally references to the snap by highlighting the lines.

six CONSTRAINING MODELS

When building models, there are oftentimes times that changes to a model require one to shift multiple objects at in one case. Constraining certain elements of a model can aid in adjustments apace. Only dimension 2 elements yous want to be constrained and input the dimension you desire to lock in. In the example below, I want the heart of the door to e'er be 2 feet away from the wall to the right. Lock in the dimension string and the object is now constrained. If yous desire the object to remain constrained merely non show any dimension strings, but delete the dimension string and click "OK" on the warning bulletin. Clicking "Unconstrain" will remove the constraint along with the dimension string. At present, every time the right wall shifts, the door volition shift forth with it to maintain the 2 anxiety distance.

*Note: Over-constraining elements will cause the model to create fault messages, which volition require you to remove certain constraints.

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seven OVERRIDE GRAPHICS IN VIEW

If you want a temporary override of lineweights or surface texture in a view, just click the element, click "Override Graphics in View", and so also click "By Chemical element". This is useful when overlaying CAD drawings to a flooring plan view to draft as a reference. When linking CAD files with dissimilar colored layers, it may be visually hard to draft over these drawings. Override projection lines to a tedious grey or fifty-fifty a single easily recognizable color to differentiate what a CAD drawing is and what a Revit model is.

*Note: Override Graphics only works on the view in which information technology was turned on in. If y'all want to change an element throughout the Revit model, change the Visibility Settings instead. Additionally, be aware of what elements are being overridden. All overrides accept precedence over visibility settings, and so y'all will need to plow off the override to accept it take on the Visibility Setting's characteristics once more.

8 ROOM AREAS VS Expanse

It is important to differentiate between Room Expanse tags and Area tags. Use Surface area tags to calculate overall footage of a edifice, or areas that are not distinguished as a "space". Utilize Room Area tags when defining rooms, such as any space enclosed by walls. Use the walls to frame the surface area, and use Room Separation lines to divide spaces with openings. Practise Not use Surface area to calculate areas of rooms, as it will not populate in-room schedules correctly.

ix UNDERSTANDING FAMILIES & TYPES

Knowing when to create new Families and when to create new Types can brand a world of a difference to how long Revit modeling volition take. You can view Families and Types similar to that of animal kingdoms. Families are like to a species of Animal (Dog, True cat, Parrot, etc.) and in that location are specific Family Types (Mammals, Amphibians, etc.). Types are similar to the breed of an animate being (Gold Retriever, Chihuahua, Bulldog). If you lot are going to model an object that will alter in dimensions, or have certain elements that are visible and not visible in certain instances, then this should be differentiated by Type. If the Family is going to exist ii completely different models (i.e. a model of a tabular array & a model of a chair), they should be ii different Piece of furniture Families.

01.

Families are broken downward into certain sub-categories of Families.

02.

Within these sub-categories rests private Families. I.E. Basic Wall Family.

03.

Within an individual Family unit rests Types, which are dissimilar configurations of a Family. I.E. Brick on CMU is a Family Blazon within a basic wall Family.

Case: If I need a box in Revit with the dimensions (2'x2', 4'x4', and 8'x8'), simply brand a Family with a rectangular extrusion. Gear up the Length, Width, and Height as dimension parameters in the Family unit. Load the Family into the model and create 3 different Types. Inside the Type settings, input the necessary dimensions and click "OK". Create another Family unit Type past clicking "Indistinguishable" and renaming the Blazon to something else.

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10 PICK LINES

If you lot are converting line work from a CAD file, instead of drawing the lines individually, you tin use "Pick Lines" to automatically copy the CAD lines onto Revit. If the line is drawn as a Polyline in CAD, you can press "Tab" while hovering over the line to potentially select an unabridged Polyline versus a single segment. There is the possibility that you tin convert an entire CAD drawing into Revit linework by exploding the imported CAD file, but this is not recommended for drawings containing large amounts of linework, 3D elements, hatches, etc.

By choosing Selection Line and hovering over a specific line and tabbing through the selections, yous can draw unmarried Polylines from existing CAD drawings rapidly.

eleven CUSTOMIZE DOUBLE CLICKING FAMILY SHORTCUT

If y'all are modeling space with a lot of families in the model infinite, oftentimes you may accidentally double click families and enter the edit family unit window. This tin take upwardly some of your time, especially when this mistake happens often during modeling. To avoid this issue, customize your double-click shortcut fundamental by clicking on the Revit icon on the meridian left and clicking on Options. Under the User Interface tab, Click Customize nether the Double Click Options section. You can change the selection from Edit Family unit to "Do Aught". Striking OK and Apply these settings. Now whenever yous double click a Family, it won't automatically open up the Edit Family window. Instead, you'll have to click the Edit Family unit push at the top toolbar ribbon.

12 VIEW RANGES

If your views are now displaying parts of a model, or models created are disappearing from the modeling view, it is most likely considering it is outside of your specified "View Range". To prepare this, simply go to the Project Properties and suit the View Range to a wider range.

When viewing floor plans, you lot can change the view range under the Backdrop window and adjust it accordingly. Anything exterior of this range will be clipped from the program.

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xiii Particular LEVELS TO OPTIMIZE WORKABILITY

When building Revit Families, creating different models for unlike Levels of Details can assist in how fast the Revit Model tin function later on. When edifice a family unit, build a generic geometry such every bit a Box, Circumvolve, or Linework to stand for the Object and have information technology sit down on acme of the Detailed Model. Select the Detailed Model and Group it as one object. Under the Properties window, click "Edit…" for Visibility and Graphics Overrides. Uncheck Coarse and Medium and click OK. Now the Family will only evidence the detailed model when the Revit View is fix to Fine Detail. Similarly, select the Basic Geometric model mentioned before and edit its Visibility and then that just Coarse and Medium are checked. Now a simplified geometric model volition exist used in identify of the detailed model when Revit Views are set to Coarse or Medium. This can allow users to work on the Model Space chop-chop without the need for the computer to procedure the detailed family model constantly.

fourteen ALIGNING PLANS ON REVIT SHEETS

01.

Adding ii reference lines that intersect can act as a point of reference when placing views on sheets.

02.

Draw detail lines on the sheets for the views to snap to when placed on the sheet. In this instance, nosotros are snapping the floor plan's reference line intersection point onto the particular line's intersection. Detail lines can be copied and pasted betwixt sheets "aligned to current view".

xv VISIBILITY SETTINGS

You can specify representational colors for your models categorically through your visibility settings. Under View>Visibility Graphics, you can specify sure Revit families to be a certain colour. But select the necessary category and change the Lines/Patterns to your desired color. You tin be more than specific by opening the tree downwardly further and only specifying sure parts of the Family exist a sure color.

In the screenshot to a higher place, all ducts are prepare to show as crimson. This will only affect the view currently opened. If you modify views, this visibility needs to be gear up again.*Annotation: There is a difference betwixt Projection & Cutting Lines & Patterns. Any views that cut through an object such as a wall would bear witness the Cut Lines and Cut Patterns. Any models that are visible without existence cut (such as in 3D views) volition evidence the Projection/Surface Lines and Patterns.

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16 LINKED REVIT FILES

Linking Revit Files is essential in using external models as references in order to discover clashes between models. Make sure these Linked Revit Files are placed in the right locations and are pinned downwards to ensure correct referencing.

The difference between Linking and Importing is the ability to update. Linking a CAD or Revit file will allow the Revit file to check the file and update if the reference file is changed at all. Imported files will not update and will stay the same as when information technology was imported.

17 KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

Make an effort to learn the keyboard shortcuts for common commands in Revit. You may customize the shortcuts to your preference, but it is suggested you acquire the existing shortcut layouts so you tin work interchangeably with others easily.

18 WORKING Betwixt VIEWS

Oftentimes, you may not be able to fully comprehend a model in just a unmarried view. You can view the model sectionally past creating a section cut on the flooring plan, or in 3D by going to View> 3D View. Use View>Switch Windows to swap betwixt views and use View>Close Hidden to close all the views when yous're done. Notation: Any section cuts fabricated will create a "view" nether the Project Browser. Continue the Projection Browser clean by deleting these views later on if you do not intend to use them in the time to come.

01.

When you create a section view, yous can correct-click the department line and click Go To View to straight open up the respective section view.

02.

Adjusting the depth of view for the section using the drag-bar can control what is being cropped out of the section.03.

Adjusting the elevate bar on the left and right will adapt what is existence cropped in the department view.

Creating sections (and 3D Views) volition create these views under the Projection Browser. If you're merely doing this to view parts of the model and navigate around, please delete these sections or 3D views subsequently to avoid clutter. If y'all are going to utilize this view in the future, do non delete it.

Take reward of the ViewCube
The ViewCube is a nifty way of viewing your models in any plan, summit, section, or 3D view in the project without switching to unlike views on Revit'southward project browser. The advantage to these views over the typical floor program, peak, and section views is that it enables the users to quickly run across the model in unlike views without creating new sections, floor plans, or elevations that may clutter your project browser. To view particular sections of the model, enable the section box within the properties window and adapt the box to department the model in the desired location. Utilize the ViewCube in combination with this section box to see sections of the model speedily.

You can also orient the view to a direction that corresponds to the project coordinates, due east.grand., where "North" corresponds to true north. The selected objects in one view volition remain selected in other views, helping yous locate these objects in the different views.

To orient a 3D view in another view, right-click the ViewCube and select Orient to View, and and so select the view type and proper noun.

To orient a 3D view in a specific direction, right-click the ViewCube and select Orient to a Direction, and then select a direction.

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xix INPUT NUMBERS; DO Not Drag & Approximate!

When working with families such as ducts, it is important to brand certain these dimensions are equally precise equally possible. If they are estimations, they should withal be set to a whole integer.

In the example seen above, the initial duct was ready with dimensions that are non rounded. Change these numbers to whole integers by selecting the duct, then clicking on the dimension number. This will permit y'all to alter the dimension to a fix number. Printing enter and this dimension will be adjusted.

20 UTILIZING FORMULAS IN YOUR FIELDS

When inputting certain fields of measures into different Revit fields, such as the length of a wall, you can put away the calculator. Revit can read formulas in these fields and will summate this formula for you. For case, if you lot have a wall set at 20'-0, simply need to lower this wall meridian by 60%, you tin only write "=twenty'-0*.six" into the Revit field, and Revit will do the rest. Notation that in order for Revit to recognize your input equally a formula, you must put the "=" sign in front of the formula.

21 CREATE A WALL

Creating a wall or beam y'all tin use the pick line if in that location'south a given 2nd CAD dwg'due south instead of drawing/dragging it up to the length required. Prior to selecting the line for the wall, gear up the location line to either exterior or interior to ensure the walls created line upwardly to the border of the linework. Create the wall and trim, align, or extend accordingly.

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22 Check YOUR ROOM HEIGHTS

Rooms are essential for scheduling, especially in a multi-subject field team. Unfortunately, rooms created in Revit often don't go total superlative. Make sure they are the correct pinnacle past turning on a cut department and looking for the room fill. Otherwise, you can click on the room and fix its height in the properties. This ensures all fixtures are correctly assigned to the room and that the room is the correct size for MEP calculations.

23 NUDGING OBJECTS

If you need objects to motility in a certain direction ever so slightly, but cede precision, you can nudge them past using the arrow keys with the object selected. The closer yous zoom into the object, the finer the nudge volition go. Vice versa, as you zoom out, the nudge is greater. Holding Shift while nudging will increment the corporeality of nudge equally well.

24 IMPORTING CAD & REVIT FILES TO THE RIGHT LOCATION

There are a variety of ways to import or link a Revit or CAD Drawing to a Revit model. One purpose for this is to overlay different models on peak of one some other as a reference. You have to, however, import to the correct location, or else models won't overlay correctly. When importing a Revit or CAD file, it is all-time to use the "Link Revit/CAD" or "Import CAD" commands found under the Insert Category of the meridian ribbon. Avoid Dragging and dropping, as this will prompt you to manually specify the location where the referenced file will sit.

One time you lot have clicked one of these commands, you will be asked to select a reference file. Before actually importing the file into the space, you will notice that there is a option as to where to place this referenced file.

The selections do the following:

• Auto-Center to Heart
  Based off the boilerplate centerpoint of everything in the referenced file, this point will be placed on the average eye bespeak of the Revit model infinite. The centre point changes as models are inverse, so it is not a reliable positioning to use for overlaying files.
• Car-Origin to Origin
  The referenced file volition place its own origin indicate at the origin point of the revit file. This is useful in overlaying referenced files if all of the models are located at the same location in relations to the origin point.
• Car-Past Shared Coordinates
  If you assign a coordinate to each model, the model will exist placed exactly within its specified coordinates. This is useful if the project has been gear up initially to utilize a shared coordinate system.
• Manual
  All manual selection involved you manually specifying a signal to identify the referenced file. Transmission-Origin volition enquire you to manually place the referenced file's origin betoken, while manual base point will ask y'all to manually place the referenced file based off a selected based point. Transmission-Center will ask yous to manually place the referenced file based off information technology'southward center point.

In the end, information technology is best to use either Origin to Origin or Past Shared Coordinates to overlay referenced files for collaboration.

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25 Re-create MULTIPLE ITEMS TO MULTIPLE LEVELS

When you need to re-create multiple items to multiple levels, just only highlight the items, click the Copy to Clipboard button, so nether the Paste Driblet-Down select the option.

By using "Aligned to Selected Levels", you can paste them into one or more levels. In the dialog that displays, choose the levels by proper noun. To select more than one, press Ctrl while selecting the names.

Past using "Aligned to Selected Views", you can re-create view-specific elements (such as dimensions) or model and view-specific elements, you lot can paste them into similar types of views.

By using "Aligned to Current View", you can paste the elements to the electric current view. For example, you lot tin paste elements from a program view to a callout view. The view must be different from the view where the elements were cut or copied.

Past using "Aligned to Same Place", you tin paste the elements into the aforementioned place from where yous cutting or copied them. This option is useful for pasting elements between worksets or pattern options. Also, y'all can use it to paste between 2 files that have shared coordinates. Keep in listen that this option is just bachelor if the active view you are pasting your object on is the same type of view as the view from which you copied the original element. For example, you can paste objects aligned to the same identify betwixt ii-flooring program views, but non from a flooring programme to a department view.

Past using "Aligned to Picked Level", you lot can paste the elements in an elevation view. Y'all must be in an elevation view to use this tool because it requires that you select a level line on which to paste the elements.

26 Employ VIEW List SCHEDULE TO CHECK VIEW SETTING

In a projection, under the View tab and Schedules drop-downward list, y'all tin create a View List schedule to cheque all the view settings.

On the Fields tab of the View List Properties dialog, select the fields to be included in the view listing. If you want to create user-divers fields, click Add together Parameter. By using the Filter, Sorting/Group, Formatting, and Appearance tabs, you lot tin simplify the schedule.

Most of the fields can modify directly in the schedule. Recall well-nigh that project where y'all have hundreds of views, and maybe dozens of flooring plans, straight editing fields in the schedule can save
you lot a lot of time of going through each and every field.

27 Re-create SCHEDULE Between DIFFERENT PROJECTS

Sometimes we want to use the same schedule in another project that can help to evaluate sure design decisions, but we don't want to create a similar schedule from scratch specially afterward you created some custom schedules and included conditional formatting & formulas.

Choice 1:
The easiest thing to do is to actually only right-click on the schedule and copy it to the clipboard. Then hold down the Control key and press Tab and information technology will cycle back to the other open up window. Now each time Command + Tab it volition wheel to the side by side open up window. If you get Control + Shift + Tab it will become in reverse and you can bike between whatever windows y'all have open up.

After you get the project window you want to paste the schedule to, you tin utilise the Paste Push button or Control + V to paste the schedule. Note, the schedule cannot exist pasted in the perspective view window.

Pick 2:
You can also select all the schedules you lot want to use in some other project and right-click save to a new file. This will prompt you lot for the name and location. And then, you need to go to the Insert tab to bring the schedule dorsum to the projection and information technology will list out all of the views that are eligible to exist imported from the file.

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28 DIMENSIONING USING ALTERNATIVE UNITS

Sometimes when you are working on a project, you may demand the dimensions in different formats, such as both metric and imperial units.

To define alternate dimension units, on the Dimension panel of the Annotate tab, click the type of dimension for which you wish to ascertain alternating units.

On the Properties palette, click Edit Type. In the Type Properties dialog, for Alternating Units, select 1 of the following options:

Right – alternate units display in-line to the right of the main units.

Below – alternate units display below the primary units.

For Alternating Units Format, click the button to open the Format dialog, alter the settings as desired, and click OK, then articulate Use projection settings (if selected) and from the Units menu, select an advisable unit.

29 IMPORT CAD FILE LINEWEIGHT

The line weight of lines and layers that are set to Default in AutoCAD will be assigned according to the import settings accessed by clicking File menu > Import/Export Settings > Import Line Weights DWG/DXF.
If y'all change the line weights in the DWG/DXF file in AutoCAD from Default to set line weight, then the lines and layers will be imported according to the line weight that you set.

30 Catechumen REVIT GROUPS INTO LINKS

A linked Revit file is an externally referenced Revit project loaded into your electric current model. This link maintains a connection to the linked file, so though you lot may not directly change this linked model direct in the hosting Revit model, whatsoever changes that you brand directly in the linked model can be reloaded into the host Revit model.

If somebody modifies the original file and saves it, you tin can reload that link here and come across those changes within your file. It allows you a way of segregating piece of work into different project teams, and it'due south frequently used for managing various disciplines, such as splitting up between architectural vanquish, interior, and structure. If your Revit model contains all of these elements inside one model, but you demand these different disciplines to be split upward into linked models, you can simply do this by converting grouped elements into links.

In the drawing area, select the grouping then click Change | Model Groups tab Grouping panel (Link). So in the Catechumen to Link dialog, select either replace with a new project file or, supervene upon with an existing project file.

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31 REVEAL THE CONSTRAINTS

Constraints offering a really powerful way for us to build our design intent into our models and keep it from accidentally being modified, but there tin be times when you try and make a modification to your model and information technology generates a alert or an error, indicating that the constraints aren't satisfied, or perhaps you aren't allowed to make a particular modification.

The Reveal Constraints display fashion makes it easy to temporarily highlight (in crimson) all constraints in the active view. This makes it easy to distinguish a locked dimension (constraint) from a regular dimension. After creating constraints, yous tin can highlight them by enabling this display fashion from the View Control Bar'due south dimension lock icon.

Revit Shortcuts

A

AA Marshal

AL Align

AP Grouping Objects

Every bit Align

C

CC Copy

CS Create Like

D

DD Align Dimension

DE Delete

DI Dimension

DL Detail Line

DM Mirror From Drawn Line

DR Door

L

LC Link CAD

LI Marshal

LR Line Model

M

MA Match Type Properties

MI Mirror

MM Mirror From Axis

MN Manage Link

MV Move

P

PB Projection Browser

PI Align

PN Pin

R

RE Scale

RG Remove Object from Grouping

RM Room

RO Rotate

RP Reference Plane

South

SA Select All Instances

SC Snap Heart

SE Snap Finish

SI Snap Intersection

SL Splits an Element

SM Snap Center

SN Snap Nearest

SP Snap Perpendicular

SS Splice

V

VG Adjust Visibility Graphics

VP View Properties

VV View Manager

Z

ZE Zoom Extents

ZO Zoom Out

ZX Zoom to Fit

ZZ Zoom in Region

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Nosotros would love to acquire more than about your needs and detect out how our business firm tin can work with you. You tin can reach us via the form below, e-mail us at [email protected] or telephone call us at our various offices.

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