Cuttable vs Non-cuttable families

Luke Johnson

You want to know which families are cuttable and which are not.  Revit 2011 help gives the answer:

Cuttable families (link):
Casework
Ceilings
Columns
Curtain Wall Panels
Doors
Floors
Generic Models
Roofs
Site
Structural Columns
Structural Foundations
Structural Framing
Topography
Walls
Windows

Non-cuttable families (link):
Balusters
Detail Items
Electrical Equipment
Electrical Fixtures
Entourage
Furniture
Furniture Systems
Lighting Fixtures
Mechanical Equipment
Parking
Planting
Plumbing Fixtures
Specialty Equipment

What is a cuttable family?

If a family is cuttable, the family displays as cut when the cut plane of a view intersects that family in all types of views.  From Revit 2011 help.




Do you want to help make Revit better?

Luke Johnson

“Do you want to get an advance peek at possible new features, or even influence future releases of the Revit application suite?
Join the Revit Architecture, MEP, and Structure designers for ongoing user research and usability sessions. Please take a few minutes to fill in this short questionnaire. We’ll contact if we have an activity that fits your interests and experience…”


https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=aMQxsYXIntl_2fwWN58bS3zQ_3d_3d

Full Explode vs Partial Explode – what is the difference?

Luke Johnson
After selecting an Import instance, you can choose to Full Explode or Partial Explode.  Most users realise that exploding is a bad idea, and it can get very messy.  In fact, a number of experienced Revit users feel that you should NEVER import a CAD instance, always use Link.
In any case, the main difference between a full explode and a partial is this:
  • Full Explode will explode all blocks and XREFs into their most basic elements, such as lines and arcs.
  • Partial Explode will explode the instance into its nested blocks and XREFs.  You can use Partial Explode again to explode these blocks into their nested blocks, and so on, until you get down to the lines and arcs etc.
You can explode (disassemble) the import symbol into its next highest level elements: nested import symbols. This is a partial explode. A partial explode of an import symbol yields more import symbols, which, in turn, can be exploded into either elements or other import symbols. This is analogous to exploding in AutoCAD with nested xrefs and blocks. For example, you explode an xref into other xrefs and blocks. Those xrefs and blocks can, in turn, be exploded into more blocks and xrefs.
You can also explode the import symbol immediately into Revit text, curves, lines, and filled regions. This is a full explode.

Free Extension Downloads – RevitToday

Luke Johnson
The author of RevitToday posted a comment on one of my posts yesterday, so I went to the blog to have a look.
He has provided a couple of extensions you can download:

Export XYZ from Revit 2011

This extension for Revit 2011 exports all coordinates of Point Based Generic Models to an Excel file.

You can locate Point Based Generic Models in your whole model. You are able to nest such a Family within another. These points are exported as well when you make this family Shared.

You can download it here. (It has been compiled for Windows XP 32 bits)

Import coordinates into Revit 2011

I updated the Revit 2010 extension for importing coordinates from a TXT file. You are free to select a family of your own. It should be a Point Based family of course.

You can download the extension here.

(It has been compiled for Windows XP 32 bits) 

Top Posts #1 – What Revit Wants

Luke Johnson
Here are some of my most popular posts from the last 2 years:

How to use the new Keyboard Shortcuts Dialog and Tips

Make a Good…Impression Workflow (simple guide from Revit)

Unpredictable Properties Box Behaviour

How to add symbols to Schedules and Text in Revit

How to Print a large set of drawings to individual PDFs with automatic naming

Windows 7 and Vista ‘God Mode’ – very powerful

I hope you enjoy these links.

I will periodically do a ‘Top Posts’ post for your convenience.

Heaps more videos from Autodesk Building

Luke Johnson

If you haven’t discovered the Autodesk Building Youtube channel yet, now is the time.
Or, you can view all latest posts from heaps of blogs at my Revit Professionals (Revit Blog Directory) site.
And here is a list of some of the latest videos from the channel.

Autodesk Revit: Performing Conceptual Energy Analysis

Autodesk Revit: Performing Conceptual Energy Analysis
subscription.autodesk.com – This video demonstrates how to start a conceptual energy analysis and view the results.
Time: 01:37

Autodesk Revit: Changing Energy Settings

Autodesk Revit: Changing Energy Settings
subscription.autodesk.com – This video demonstrates how you can modify energy settings to change zoning, glazing, and skylights before performing energy analysis on the model.
Time: 02:12

Autodesk Revit: Using Automatic Form Rationalization

Autodesk Revit: Using Automatic Form Rationalization
subscription.autodesk.com – This video demonstrates how intelligent energy settings are used to rationalize the mass form into mass surfaces and zones for energy analysis.
Time: 02:43

Autodesk Revit: Choosing the Project Location and Weather Station

Autodesk Revit: Choosing the Project Location and Weather Station
subscription.autodesk.com – This video describes how to specify the location and a weather station for the project, so the correct climate information will be used during energy analysis.
Time: 01:57

Autodesk Revit: Using Images in Revit

Autodesk Revit: Using Images in Revit
subscription.autodesk.com – This video illustrates importing, resizing, and placing an image file for use in a Revit project.
Time: 01:28

Autodesk Revit: Sketching

Autodesk Revit: Sketching
subscription.autodesk.com – This video demonstrates when sketching is required to create geometry, such as slabs and roofs, in Revit.
Time: 01:36

Autodesk Revit: Understanding Revit Server

Autodesk Revit: Understanding Revit Server
subscription.autodesk.com – This video presents the concept behind Revit Server, and demonstrates how to connect to Revit Server and the Revit Server Administrator.
Time: 03:22