With what Attitude do you use Revit?

Luke Johnson

No doubt you would agree that our ‘attitude’ can have a big effect on our lives. If we look at things with the right outlook and viewpoint, we are more likely to feel successful and satisfied. So how does this relate to Revit?

There are a number of ways to approach Revit as a software platform. Consider some examples:

  1. “Revit is a modeling tool, and I want it to be able to easily model any form I can conceive.”
  2. “Revit is a drafting tool, and I want it to be able to draft quickly and easily, and I demand absolute graphic control over every single visible 2D element.”
  3. “I believe Revit should be intuitive and easy to use. It should be able to guess what I want and deliver the result that I seek.”
  4. “I have to use Revit because it is becoming the industry standard. I don’t have to like it or understand how it works.“
  5. “I want to understand What Revit Wants, so that I can use it in a productive and appropriate manner.”

I would say that the first 3 are basically impossible, for any software tool. However, in some ways Revit can deliver the results that you seek when approaching it with the attitudes of 1, 2, or 3. It is capable of many things, but it does have limitations. Attitude Number 4 is a problem though. Why? Because you MUST understand, at least to some degree, how Revit works. Otherwise you will never succeed, and you will face a lot of frustration.

Yes, you must grasp What Revit Wants. You must try to think in the same way that Revit thinks.

  • Why is it trying to join the walls this way?
  • Why is object A masking object B?
  • What is causing Revit to show this line dashed instead of solid?

Instead of getting frustrated and angry, and instead of uttering unrepeatable phrases directed at ‘Autodesk’, just try and understand WHY. It is a little bit like meeting someone you don’t know for the first time. You may choose to judge them from first impressions. Or you may try to understand them, and why they act the way they do. If you come to understand them, you may be able to have a rewarding relationship with that person.In conclusion, give Revit a chance. Try to understand. Try not to judge or lose your patience. Don’t be afraid to find out What Revit Wants.

Revit Blog Directory with Embedded Reader

Luke Johnson

I have created a list of Revit Blogs using Google Sites. Have a look at:
http://sites.google.com/site/revitblogdirectory/

Please feel free to comment. If you would like your blog to be added (and it isn’t on the list), please send me your details.

This may be useful for you if you are travelling and don’t have easy access to your normal RSS reader – you can easily use this webpage to read the latest posts from these popular Revit, CAD and BIM related blogs.

Free BIM Standards and Guidelines – REPOST

Luke Johnson

There is some very handy BIM resources located on the Indiana University website at http://www.indiana.edu/~uao/iubim.html

Among other things, you can download the IU BIM Guidelines and Standards for Architects, Engineers, & Contractors document.

There are also some very handy links to other BIM resources.

Thanks to James Van of ArchTech for posting this one.

Copy Spreadsheet tool updated

Luke Johnson

If you are having problems with the ‘Copy Spreadsheet’ utility, it is likely because you are running 64 bit Revit or you have recently updated Revit. If you haven’t heard of this tool, it is a simple program made in Autohotkey, and it automates the ‘copying’ of data from a spreadsheet into a Revit schedule. The Revit schedule will need to be a key schedule, and you will need to add the columns and rows before starting the utility.

Head over to http://forums.augi.com/showpost.php?p=950435&postcount=1 for the updated version.

Direct link http://www.nichitecture.com/downloads/Copy%20Spreadsheet%20for%20Revit%202010.zip

You may need to login to AUGI to access the above.

Autodesk Youtube Channel

Luke Johnson

Okay, I may be WAY behind everyone else, but I didn’t know about the Autodesk Youtube Channel until today!

It appears that I may have been stuck in some kind of inanimate stasis for the last, well, I don’t know how long.

In any case, if you too were confined in the 1950’s jazz holodeck program while the Bynars stole your spaceship, head on over to:
The Autodesk Youtube Channel

Note Blocks – What are they??

Luke Johnson

A Note Block schedules the instances of a Generic Annotation (Symbol) in your project. They are useful for repetitive tagging of detail elements. I say ‘detail’ elements, because I feel that the use of tags should be in the following order of preference:

  1. Tag of appropriate type for tagged element (eg. Door Tag)
  2. Keynote Tag by Material where 1 is not possible
  3. Note Block and Generic Annotation where 1 and 2 are not possible

(The above is based on the fact that you should be trying to make your Model as intelligent as possible – detail lines and text should be the exception when using Revit, not the rule).Here is a crash course in using Note Blocks:

  1. Create a basic Generic Annotation family.
  2. Add Labels for Family Parameters to into the Generic Annotation family (for example, Note Number and Note Description).
  3. Load the family into the project.
  4. Create a Schedule – Note Block, and choose the family you just loaded. Add the parameters to the Schedule that you added in step 2.
  5. Go to a view and place a ‘Symbol’ – use the Generic Annotation family you just added. Make sure to choose at least 1 leader for the note.
  6. Type value/values into the Generic Annotation family.
  7. Have a look at your ‘Note Block’ and you will see the values starting to fill.
  8. If you change the schedule, it will change the notes (this is Revit, remember).

The Revit documentation shows this in use. You can label things with ‘numbers’ and then use the Note Block to refer these numbers to the appropriate text or note.This Note Block can then be placed on a sheet, just like any schedule.It is an interesting little tool, and it may be just what you need to solve that little problem that has been annoying you!