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SRobbins1977 — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:05:27 CDT

Welcome to Revitopia. Revitopia is meant to be an international community site for standards in Autodesk Revit®. Here you can find standards, solutions, and libraries on one of the most popular BIM programs in the world.
--Spot Lights - We move onward and upward!--
Revitopia will be moving! You may log in over the upcoming month and notice that you are no longer site forwarded from http://www.revitopia.com/ to http://revitopia.wetpaint.com/. When our new address is just http://www.revitopia.com things will look different but the new site will be faster, smarter and better. The new site will include community forums, news, library, and of course the wiki plus more.

--5/8/2009--
Revit 2010 - New Interface: the new interface means the Revit User Interface page will need to be updated. Members needed to update that page.

REVITOPIA new website. A new website is under development and thoughts on appearance and style are needed. It is hoped that the page will be ready before the end of summer. Firmer dates are to be announced as funding and donations arrive. Want to donate? - Contact SRobbins1977 through this sites message system.

--Other Spot Lights--
Best practice on the linking and importing of CAD files into your model for working with consultants or others within your firm still using CAD.
Part I --> Completed (Revitalizing your CAD Details)
CAD files and Revit

Best practice on the process of setting up your shared coordinates.
Shared Coordinates

Assembling doors and windows to allow designers to easily swap out components. Also makes it easier for bill of materials.
Doors and Windows Standards

A standard Best Practices has been started for discussion:
Best Practices

Students get Revit for free!

Go to http://students.autodesk.com
Set up an Account using your schools .edu email account.
Goto the download section and download Revit.
Its the full version and I think its good for a year.

Whats a BIM?
BIM stands for Building Information Modeling. BIM is in essence a virtual building inside a computer. It includes 3D geometry for the building, and more importantly it contains all the properties of objects in the BIM. Stresses of structural components, Materials on elements like furniture, Prices and Cost of items for the building are ideally all housed inside a BIM." to

Doors and Windows Standards

MikeDaniell — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:29:45 CDT

The following are best practices when creating a door family. Door families(and window families) should be created to make it easiest for a designer to make quick on the fly changes. Creating embedded families in the door family is one way of doing that. The same methods for creating a door family can be applied to making a window family.

Standard:
All door and window families should have embedded family components for each piece of graphically displayed assembly. The host family should contain a common ‘zero’ insertion point that all other families can be aligned and locked to unless they are meant to be locked to other objects faces. The host family will carry all parameters that effect the embedded families.

Each embedded family will have parameters that are only used in it. Once loaded into the host family, the embedded family should be locked to the ‘zero’ insertion point. The parameters of that family should then be linked to the appropriate parameters of the host family.

As with all families keep checking that each parameter works before moving too far forward. See Example below:

In this example the main family has height, width, and panel thickness parameters.
Download this family at RevitCity.com. Just do a search for Revitopia.

1 - The Door Symbol contains a width parameter & an instance parameter for the swing angle in plan. Once inserted, aligned and locked, the width parameter should be linked to the host family’s width parameter and the swing angle should be aligned to the door panel face and set to 90 degrees by default.

2 - The Door Panel contains a material, width, height, and panel thickness parameter. Once inserted, aligned and locked, the width, height and panel thickness parameter should be linked to the host family’s width, height and panel thickness parameter.

3 - The Door Frame contains a material, width, height, panel thickness and Frame Thickness parameter. The Frame Thickness parameter is an instance parameter with its reference lines set to strong reference. This setting will allow us to align and lock the thickness of the family to the wall faces so it will adjust with the width of the wall. Once inserted, aligned and locked, the width, height and panel thickness parameter should be linked to the host family’s width, height and panel thickness parameter.

4 - The Door Trim contains a material, width and height parameter. Once inserted, aligned and locked to the face of the wall, the width and height parameter should be linked to the host family’s width and height parameter.

Best Practices

sdub315 — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:02:27 CST

Best Practices Project Startup:

Keep a "lean and appropriate" template file. Use project files for your standard system families. Try to rebuild the template file for every new major release of Revit.
Keep Structural, site, other campus buildings and other disciplines duties in separate linked files.

BIM maintenance:

Compacting Central and local files regularly (maybe once a week).
Optimize the file twice a month.
Purge unused families & Groups regularly.
Removing/unloading linked DWGs when they are not in use anymore.
Install the newest builds of Revit and service packs for your operating system.

Warnings:
These are important. Warnings can account for as high as 20% of Revit project slow down. Everytime a command is run, Revit goes through the complete warning list to check if the command that was just run, fixed any of the warnings.

Warnings are the yellow boxes that appear as you run commands in the lower right.
Regularly review and fix warnings
Keep warnings below 10 warnings

Geometry Speed up:

Turn off shadows (for all views, and especially during printing).
Start with generic types (walls, floors, etc.) and get more specific as necessary.
If you have curtain wall/store front then I suggest turning off the mullions in the visibility settings and turn them back on when its time to print.
Turn everything possible into a component that is loaded into the project. (Including linked DWGs). This will eliminate the need for Revit to constantly check up on the items "linked" or connected to the project.
Replace complex families with simpler families, until the complex families are needed by the design. For example, use Select All Instances in the browser, and change the 3D family instances to 2D family instances.
Make components instead of groups and in place families.
Disable visibility (by category or workset) of elements you don't need, such as furniture in elevation and in 3D views. Use the Visibility dialog box or Phasing functionality to disable visibility.
In section and elevation views, set the back clipping plane to exclude as much of the model as possible without changing the displayed image.
In plan and elevation views, disable the display of the 3D geometry of complex 3D families. Create simplified 2D representations for display in plan and elevation views.

Daily Use:

Always open from a fresh copy of the central file. – See Daily Quick Tips
Save local, then save to central every half hour. – See Daily Quick Tips
Save to central releasing worksets and close Revit when going to lunch or leaving your desk for an extend amount of time. – See Daily Quick Tips
Reduce the number of open view windows(Window>Close hidden windows), especially perspective views which require more system resources.
Use the Move command to move large numbers of objects, instead of dragging the objects.
Modify temp dims and use the align tool, instead of dragging components. CTRL+ Drag will copy objects more quickly than copying and then pasting the objects by using CTRL+C and CTRL+V.
Simplify sketches. The number of vertices in a sketch loop, as well as the number of entities in a sketch, affects performance when using lines. Use nested families instead.
Zoom in tightly around the part of the view where you are working. This will reduce snapping and display calculations.
Re-Start Revit at least 3 times a day. Programs don’t always unload memory space they are no longer using. By closing Revit, you free up these unloaded slots of memory.
Limit the locking of objects (unless necessary). Pin an element (with Edit - Pin) to keep it from moving, rather than creating a locked dimension or alignment. Locked dimensions or alignments don't keep an element from moving. Locked dimensions or alignments lock one element to another so that when one element moves, they both move. This can slow performance.

Links:

Only link DWGs into necessary views. This can be done by choosing “current view only” when linking.
Minimize the use of imported geometries (CAD or otherwise).
Once you're done with a link (i.e. CAD file for Placing Geometry), always remove it.
If you are going to import a large file, open the file in the software in which it was created and then simplify the file by removing all data that you will not need in your Autodesk® Revit® project.

Rendering:

Export rendered images to disk, instead of capturing them inside the project. Import the images into a separate rendering .rvt file.
Perform rendering and walkthroughs in a separate file and then link the project to that file. This will remove the overhead of the rendering and walkthrough data from project.

CAD files and Revit

phxchristian — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:22:11 CST

Converting CAD Details to Revit Details:
Taken from Jay Zallan's Cad Vs. Bim Blog

Plan A - Redraw Details entirely in Revit
Plan B - Revitalize CAD Details you already have - Most used Plan

Revitalizing Details Explained (1 1/2 - 2 hour process typical)

First of all open the CAD detail and audit and purge it as well as verify that lines are not overlapping and that all joins are filleted.

Begin new, blank "Detail Creation" project
Create new Drafting View
Name Drafting View after Detail
Import CAD file into view (inverting colors and remember to set the import units to match the units in your CAD file)
Explode (full) CAD file
- You may be able to shave a little time off by using partial explodes depending on CAD file consistency
Select all linework and change it from CAD's styles to one of Revit's linestyles.
- You may change lineweights later in the final detail, but that's your call
Convert in the same matter all CAD hatch patterns
Convert in the same matter all CAD Text styles and recreate all leaders.
Hide all Revit Text and Leaders
Delete all exploded CAD Leaders and Arrow head remnants
Unhide Revit Text and Leaders
Verify that all geometry has been converted by selecting everything and hitting the "Filter" button.
- If you only see Revit Items, then hit CTRL+C (Copy to Clipboard)
- If you see any legacy CAD items or names, go back to the previous cleaning and converting steps until all are Revit geometry

The Paranoia Test

Open another new, blank project
Create a new Drafting View
Name Drafting View after Detail to be Pasted
CTRL+V (Paste from Clipboard)
Select everything and hit the filter...
- If it's all Revit Geometry, then detail is safe for project use
- If it not, you will have to draw the geometry from scratch or spend lots of time troubleshooting CAD.

Plan C - Link predrawn CAD Details into separate Drafting Views

Architectural Columns

phxchristian — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:06:10 CST

This topic describes how to add architectural columns to a project. You can use architectural columns to model column box-outs around structural columns and for decorative applications.

Architectural columns inherit the material of other elements to which they are joined. Compound layers in walls wrap at architectural columns. This does not apply to structural columns.

Adding a Column
You can add columns in plan view. The height of the column is defined in the properties of the component. Using the properties, you can define the Base Level and the Top Level, as well as offsets.

Click Modelling menu Column, or on the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Column.
On the Options Bar, select Room Bounding to designate the column as room-bounding before you place it.

Note: You can also change the room-bounding property of a column after placement. See Architectural Column Properties.
Click in the drawing area to place the column.

Tip: Typically, you align columns when placing them by selecting a grid line or wall. If you randomly placed them and you want to align them, click Edit menu Align, and select the columns to align. In the middle of the columns are 2 perpendicular reference planes that you can select for alignment.

Attaching Columns
Columns do not automatically attach to roofs, floors, and ceilings. When you select a column (or multiple columns) you can attach it to roofs, floors, ceilings, reference planes, structural framing members, and other reference levels using the Attach and Detach buttons on the Options Bar. When you select one or more columns, the Attach and Detach buttons appear on the Options Bar. From the Options Bar you can attach the Top or Base of a column (or columns) and set the Attachment Style (Cut Column, Cut Target, Do Not Cut), Attachment Justification (Minimum Intersection, Intersect Column Midline, and Maximum Intersection), and Offset from Attachment. Offset from Attachment sets a value to be offset from the target.

The target (roofs, floors, ceilings) can be cut by the column, the column can be cut by the target, or neither can be cut. After a column is attached to a target, you can edit its properties and reset the values for the Instance Parameters Attachment Justification at Top and Offset from Attachment at Top.

Note: If the column and target are both structural concrete, they will be cleaned instead of cut. If the column is structural and the target is non-structural, a warning message appears.

Coarse-Scale Cut Patterns
If you join a wall and a column, and the wall has a coarse-scale fill pattern defined, the joined column assumes that pattern. See Curtain Wall Properties. This behavior is evident in coarse-scale plan and section views. The section view plane must cut through the joined face of the 2 elements.

Wall and column joined (column assumes the fill pattern of the wall) Note: Structural columns do not assume the walls fill pattern, even when joined.

Modifying Architectural Columns

Changing Column Types

When you activate the Column command to place columns, you can select different types of columns in the Type Selector.

Moving a Column

You can move the column by selecting it and dragging to the new location or you can copy the column by control clicking on it and dragging.

Architectural Column Properties

Working with Architectural Components

phxchristian — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:05:52 CST

There is no abstract available for this page revision.

Definitions

phxchristian — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:00:02 CST

A-C

Term	Definition
ACIS	A solid modeling technology. An ACIS object is a geometric shape that is defined using this technology. For example, ACIS represents a cube as a single object (or shape) with 6 sides. Compare with polymesh. Revit Architecture can import ACIS objects contained in DWG, DXF, and SAT files. Revit Architecture can export 3D shapes as ACIS solids.
Annotation	A 2D, view-specific element that you use to document a building or design. For example, symbols, tags, keynotes, and dimensions are annotations (also referred to as annotation elements). Annotation elements are always displayed at the same paper size regardless of view scale. Compare with model element and datum. For more information see Annotating and Detailing.
Architectural Column	A column that adds architectural interest to a building. You can use architectural columns to model box-outs around structural columns and for decorative applications. Compare with structural column. For more information, see Architectural Columns

D-G

Term	Definition

H-L

Term	Definition

M-Q

Term	Definition

R-Z

Term	Definition

DOCUMENTATION MANUAL

phxchristian — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:46:54 CST

There is no abstract available for this page revision.

Links

phxchristian — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:39:49 CST

Gensler Employee Blogs:
Fear and Loathing In a CAD vs. BIM World - Jay Zallan (Leader of LARUG)
Revitalize Your World - Christian Jesperson (Phoenix)

Content:
Revit Content on Form Fonts
Revit City

Revit Users Groups:
Denver RUG

Hardware Requirements

Prosper0 — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:15:12 CST

Hardware Standards

System Requirements:

Windows® XP Professional SP2 – 32 bit with 3gig switch enabled(Search windows site for 3gig switch)
Microsoft® Internet Explorer® 6.0 SP1 or later
1.4 GHz multi-core(Core 2 Duo) processor – 32 bit
4 GB RAM
1280 x 1024 monitor and display adapter capable of 24-bit color
12 GB free disk space on the Revit installed drive
10/100mb bit network
MS-Mouse compliant

System Recommended:

Windows XP Professional x64 Edition or Windows Vista 64 bit Business – 64 bit Microsoft®
Internet Explorer® 6.0 SP1 or later
2.40GHz multi-core(Core 2 Duo) processor – 64 bit
8 GB RAM

Please note that REvit is hard coded to only use 4GB of memory, however the remaining 4GB will be taken by windows and other applications.

1280 x 1024 monitor and display adapter capable of 24-bit color.
24 GB free disk space on the Revit installed drive
Gigabit network(1Gbps)
MS-Mouse compliant

Revit Platform 2009 - Model Performance Technical Note
(in depth hardware & technical notes)
http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/revit_platform_2009_model_performance_technical_note.pdf

Optimizing Workset Enabled Projects

SRobbins1977 — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:45:11 CDT

Optimizing a project can help with the speed that a project loads, saves, and opens. The below steps will help with a smooth working environment.

In this document you will find a reference to a file called “Optimize.txt”. The optimize file is a Revit executable file that Autodesk offers. A search on any search engine will offer a download and explanation on it.

Steps to optimizing:

Audit the file
Compress the file
Optimize the file

1 – Audit a Workset Enabled File

In Revit, in the “Open” dialog box place a check in “Detach from Central” and a check in “Audit”
Once opened delete the file and backup folder on the network(everyone must be closed out of Revit for this to work).
In Revit under File > Save As select the project folder and location that the file belongs, name the file, then hit save.

2 – Compress a Workset Enabled File

Compressing central file can some times help to increase speed and is advised to not be preformed more then once a week.

Open the central file and make the local save.
Go to File > Save to Central
In the Save to Central dialog box place a check in all boxes available including “Compress Central file” then click OK.

3 – Optimize a Workset Enabled File

First perform the tasks in 1 – Audit a Workset Enabled file of this chapter.
Copy the “Optimize.txt” from the optimize section into the folder that the project file is in.
- Open the Optimize.txt with Notepad and find the line <PROJECT RVT FILE NAME.rvt> that is between the quotes.
- Delete all of the text between the quotes(delete <PROJECT RVT FILE NAME.rvt>) and replace it with the project file name including the .rvt at the end, save and close Notepad.

You might want to do the following on a 64 bit machine with 4 Gigs or more of memory.

Be sure that Revit is closed and drag then drop the Optimized.txt file onto the Revit icon on your desktop.(If any error messages occur - resolve them then try this step again)
Once open goto File > Save As.
In the Save As dialog box goto “Options…” and place a check in “Make this a Central File” with the “maximum number of backups” being equal to 3 times the number of people on the team and select OK.
Browse to a temporary folder on your desktop and save.(Once saved check that the saved file is a central file on your desktop by going to File > Save to Central and checking the path of the “Central File Location:” box.) Once confirmed that is on your desktop, cancel and close Revit.
Delete the central file on the network including the _Backup folder.
Open the file from your desktop.
Once open goto File >Save As. In the Save As dialog box goto “Options…” and place a check in “Make this a Central File” with the “maximum number of backups” being equal to 3 times the number of people on the team and select OK.
Browse to the network location and save the file.( Once saved check that the saved file is a central file in the project folder by going to File > Save to Central and checking the path of the “Central File Location:” box.)

Shared Coordinates

SRobbins1977 — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 02:23:02 CDT

There are a few guidelines you should try to follow.
1: Make sure you are all using one common site file with coordinates set up in it.
2: Create a Revit site file and acquire coordinates using the common site file
3: Link and position all buildings into that site file and publish to them.

You will have one site file that you should share with all divisions. This site file should have the coordinates set up in it by acquiring coordinates from a Civil file or other method. From that point you will only want to use your site file for publishing coordinates to your project. If your job is an AE BIM model you should position the MEPS files in the site and publish to them as well.

See Graph below:

Optimize.txt

SRobbins1977 — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 06:27:36 CDT

Copy and paste the text below this line exactly as it appears into a *.txt file:
'
Dim Jrn
Set Jrn = CrsJournalScript

file_name = "<PROJECT RVT FILE NAME.rvt>"
Jrn.Command "Internal" , "Open an existing project , 57601 , ID_REVIT_FILE_OPEN"
Jrn.Data "File Name" , "IDOK", file_name
Jrn.Command "Menu" , "Delete worksets permanently , 35206 , ID_PURGE_DELETED_WORKSETS"
'these lines may not be needed
Jrn.Data "Transaction Successful" _
, "Work Plane"
'end
Jrn.Command "Menu" , "Save the active project with a new name , 57604 , ID_FILE_SAVE_AS"
Jrn.Data "File Name" , "IDOK", file_name & "-OPTIMIZED.rvt"

Workset Enabled Projects

SRobbins1977 — Mon, 26 May 2008 07:53:33 CDT

Workset Enabled Projects Opening and Saving The following are best practices when you open a Central file and when saving a Central file.

Opening

When ever you open your project you should always open from the central file and save a new local. You should never have to open a local file. Opening local files are a last resort to restore work that might have been lost during a crash.

Saving

Save Local
Reload latest work sets
Use the File pull down menu and select Save to Central

Be sure to check all available fields under the “After save relinquish editable:” category. Be sure that “Compact Central File” is not checked.

If the program crashes while saving or reloading work sets do the following:

Try to Save Local(if the program crash closed, move to next step)

Close Revit(if its already closed, that is fine)
Open Revit using the icon on your desktop
Close the default project that opens with Revit. Then select the File pull down and Open
Check “Audit” then browse to your local file and open it
Once open, reload latest work sets
Save to Central again
Once successful, close Revit and open central making a new local.(your local file might have crashed because it became corrupt, making a new local will avoid this problem)

If you run into any problems email .Geeks

Daily best Practices:

In the morning open from the central file(not local) and start a new local, overwriting the old one.
Save to central every half hour

If you get a note that someone else is saving to central then cancel and try saving again in a couple minutes

When you get up from your desk Save to Central relinquishing work sets(its just rude to keep control of elements when others are working)
At lunch

Save to Central and wait till the save completes(do not run off before the save is complete)
Close Revit completely
When you get back from lunch open from central and start a new local

At the end of the day

Save to Central and wait till the save completes(again: do not run off before the save is complete)

Daily Quick Tips

aaronrumple — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:12:31 CDT

Daily Use:

Always open from the central file. Never from local.
Save local, then save to central every half hour.
Save to central releasing worksets and close Revit when going to lunch or leaving your desk for an extend amount of time. Use the pulldown menu rather than the save buttons. The save buttons don't persent you with the option to relase elements. Borrowed elemants will be returned, but check out items remain checked out.
Reduce the number of open view windows(Window>Close hidden windows), especially perspective views which require more system resources.
Use the Move command to move large numbers of objects, instead of dragging the objects.
Don’t drag components instead, modify temporary dimensions and use the align tool. CTRL+ Drag will copy objects more quickly than copying and then pasting the objects by using CTRL+C and CTRL+V.
Simplify sketches when creating profiles for geometric shapes. The number of vertices in a sketch loop, as well as the number of entities in a sketch, affects performance when using lines. Use nested families instead.
Zoom in tightly around the part of the view where you are working. This will reduce snapping and display calculations.
Re-Start Revit at least 3 times a day (maybe just at lunch). Programs don’t always unload memory space they are no longer using. By closing Revit, you free up these unloaded slots of memory.
Limit the locking of objects (unless necessary). Pin an element (with Edit - Pin) to keep it from moving, rather than creating a locked dimension or alignment. Locked dimensions or alignments don't keep an element from moving. Locked dimensions or alignments lock one element to another so that when one element moves, they both move. This can slow performance. Pinned object can still be moved, however you will get a warning when trying to move the object.

Speeding up Geometry:

Turn off shadows (for all views, and especially during printing unless needed for a print).
Start with generic objects and types (walls, floors, etc.). Then get more specific as necessary and as the project progresses.
If you have curtain wall/store front; turn off the mullions in the visibility settings and turn them back on when its only time to print will.
Turn everything possible into a component that is loaded into the project. Do not use line work or grouped linework.
Replace complex families(like 3D families) with simpler families(like 2d families), until the complex families are needed later by the design. For example, use Select All Instances in the browser, and change the 3D family instances to 2D family instances.
Make components instead of groups or in place families. Avoid in-place families when ever possible. Anything that repeats more than once should NOT be an in-place family.
In views disable visibility (by category or workset) of elements you don't need, such as furniture. In elevation and in 3D views; use the Visibility dialog box or Phasing functionality to disable visibility.
In section and elevation views, set the back clipping plane to exclude as much of the model as possible without changing the displayed image.
In plan and elevation views, disable the display of the 3D geometry of complex 3D families. Instead, create simplified 2D representations for display in plan and elevation views.

WORK SHARING MODELS

SRobbins1977 — Wed, 07 May 2008 15:24:01 CDT

There are many ways to share work with other teams from other offices around the world. This section will take you through four common types of worksharing.

Central File
A simple method for team members to understand that requires a high powered connection.

Model Zoning
Breaking up the model and having those teams work on their part.

Staggered Time Zone Shifts
The best choice for working with partners around the world. When one teams shift stops, the other teams shift begins. Brag to your friends about your project teams being on 16 or more hour days.

Synchronization
A system requiring a hardware or software solution rather than a high powered connection.

Central File

SRobbins1977 — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:59:20 CDT

In this method both offices are connected through an "dedicated line" to the other. One office hosts the file while the other works through the dedicated line. This is probably the most expensive solution. Dedicated lines can run $10,000 a month depending on the distance between offices and the ISP.

Synchronization

SRobbins1977 — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:51:25 CDT

With the use of devices like "Steelhead" you can achieve close to LAN like speeds over slower connections. In this method there are 2 teams working on 'live' duplicates of the same model on their own servers.

The project starts on one server. Synchronization is then initiated between the initial server and the server of the other team. The teams can then work on the model together. This method of work requires heavy communication between the 2 remote teams and it is recommended that the teams work on the same shift as eachother.

Model Zoning

SRobbins1977 — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:44:02 CDT

Here we have 2 teams. They have divided the model up into 2 pieces. For example: One team works on the Shell/Envelope of the building. and the other works in the core/fitout part of the model.

Both teams have a copy of the others model on their own local server. A one way replication between servers is set up. The replicated file is then linked into the working file.

Staggered Time Zone Shifts

SRobbins1977 — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:34:28 CDT

In this method we have 2 or more teams that work in back to back shifts in different parts of the world.

The file is then detached from the central file of the first teams server and a new central is created on the second teams server(overwriting any old files).

This can be done through automated systems and programs with no chance to human error.

At the end of each teams day they have a meeting with the other team(at teh start of the other teams day) to talk about changes and coordinate.
The Second team now starts work on the model.