The second post in this series is focused on the Project Browser. The first post in the series described how to get your user interface and lab environment ready…

Note:

Please open Revit, and open the rac_advanced_sample_project.rvt

Please download and import the supplied KeyboardShortcuts.xml

KeyboardShortcuts

You can download the rac_advanced_sample_project here

 

Let’s learn about the Revit Project Browser…

If we use the Project Browser effectively, we will be better and faster at Revit.

 

Search:

  • Use Project Browser Search – always

 

Search Exercise:

  • Switch to Site view
  • Search for “shrub” in the Project Browser (right-click to start the search command)
  • Place some more Planting around the carpark

 

Keyboard shortcut tip: try pressing Q for Move

 

Type Properties:

Type Properties Exercise:

  • Right-click on a Type in the PB to get to Type Properties…
  • Try it for a shrub type
  • Edit the Height
  • Remember: we can double-click on the shrub to jump to type properties

 

Family Preview:

Notice the Preview for supported types!

Click Preview button next to a Shrub type to try it

Surprising how many families are supported with this preview feature…

 

Type Deletion:

Right-click on multiple Types to Delete them all at once:

Type Deletion Exercise:

  • Try selecting Roof – Steel Bar Joist – Steel Deck – EPDM Membrane
  • And
  • Stair – Carriage – Carriage – Paint – 50 mm Width
  • And deleting both types at once

 

Browser Organisation for Sheets:

You can Filter Sheets in the Project Browser by the “Print Set” – that is, by saved sheet selection.

Sheet Browser Exercise:

  • Type BO to start Browser Organisation without mouse
  • Change Sheets to By Set
  • Check how that works
  • Click OK
  • Change back to All

 

Right-click for multiple ‘new’ commands

Sheet:

Legends:

Schedules:

New Schedule Exercise:

  • Make a new Wall Schedule with this method
  • While you are it, add a calculated value for Average Wall Ht like this:
  • Then pick one of the Walls and Highlight in Model
  • Then immediately pick the Section Box tool from the QAT
  • The Set Workplane to the wall (QAT)
  • Add dimension (QAT), to verify the schedule results

 

Right-click in the Project Browser:

Right-click Families node to Save All Families:

Right-click Revit Links for New Link and Manage Links:

Right-click a Sheet to Add a view:

Right-click sheet exercise:

  • Make a new A1 sheet with right-click in the PB
  • Add View
  • Add newly created Wall Schedule – will be too big

 

Revit Links:

You can Unload for yourself or everyone from the Project Browser:

 

Family Management:

Did you know that the Project Browser Families node provides access to more than just traditional component families?

For example, you can use the Project Browser to quickly select different types of Filled Regions:

System Family Management and RevitLookup Exercise:

  • Select All Instances of Concrete filled region
  • There should be 1
  • But where is it? In a workshared project we would see the view workset.
  • Go to Add-ins
  • Revit Lookup – snoop current selection
  • Find the OwnerViewId
  • Copy the Name
  • Use Search in Project Browser
  • Found it!

 

In Part 3, we will have a closer look at Revit Keyboard Shortcuts.

There is a big difference between a Revit user, and someone who has really mastered the software. The more you learn, the faster you get, the more you can learn! In this blog series, we will cover topics like:

  • Productivity Improvement through User interface tips and Keyboard shortcuts
  • View filters and View templates
  • Free addins
  • Some Dynamo
  • And More…

There are plenty of ways to do things in Revit… but we are looking for the fastest and best way. We want to maximise productivity and quality.

Targeting ‘Expert’ users so we will move quickly in general.

A lot of productivity gains come from user interface and shortcuts. Save 2 seconds every time, it all adds up quickly.

Try to take a few things away with you from this series that will save you time each and every day.

We will separate our tips and workflows into these major categories:

  • Productivity – faster ways of doing things
  • Workflows – better or alternative ways of doing things
  • Management – ways to better manage the Revit model

 

These tips were put together for a recent lab session using Revit 2018, and they are basically in note form along with steps to take in Revit.

The first post in this series is focused on setting up the Revit UI.

Setting Up Revit UI for Maximum Productivity

Note:

Please open Revit, and open the rac_advanced_sample_project.rvt

 

Please download and import the supplied KeyboardShortcuts.xml

KeyboardShortcuts

Productivity -> Double-click

In Revit Options, change default for Family to Edit Type:

Try double-clicking on a Door now.

 

Double clicking a Wall will automatically start the Edit Profile command

 

Productivity ->UI – QAT

Showing below the ribbon will allow you to add more tools.

Do this now.

 

Certain Revit tools should always live on the QAT. Add them now:

  • The Revit built in auto section box tool (since 2016)
  • Save and Load Selection
  • Set and Show Workplane – for quick 3D modelling
  • Manage Links
  • Dynamo
  • Dynamo Player

 

If you have a reasonable size screen, you could add somewhere around 20 buttons to the Quick Access Toolbar.

 

Some other easy productivity gains:

  • Filter
  • Align (but should really be a keyboard shortcut)
  • External Tools – NWC Export
  • Revitlookup,

 

My main workstation (2016):

 

Type Selector can be added to QAT:

Workset Chooser can also be added to QAT:

Productivity ->UI – Ribbon

Ribbon

Re arranging ribbon menus…

Hold down Ctrl and set it up like this:

Panels:

  • Undocking
  • Possible to set up tool palette on other monitor?
  • Re-docking back in place

 

Management -> Content Locations

Changing the home of your Revit content with NotePad++ and revit.ini

Management-> Renaming Places List in Open / Save Dialog

You need to find the PlacesOrderxDisplay value for a given entry…

In this Registry key:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\Revit\Autodesk Revit 2016\Profiles\AllAnavDialogs]

Easiest way is to export that AllAnavDialogs to .reg file, edit in Notepad, then Merge back.

Effect will be immediate in Revit.

Link

 

Note:

Please close and re-open Revit to commit the changes to UI (in case of a crash later)

 

Open the rac_advanced_sample_project.rvt

Navigate to 01 – Entry Level – Furniture Layout

Place some Furniture in the Lounge

UI Shortcuts -> Productivity

Right-click- Repeat

Right-click- Recent Commands !

Recent commands will also help ‘teach’ you the Keyboard Shortcuts:

 

Right-click Create Similar

I use this a lot – you usually have a similar object floating around and it makes sense to start the creation tool directly from that element

 

 

Right-click to get to Properties and Browsers – You can turn System and Project Browsers on and off quickly

  • Try turning PB and Properties on and off with right-click
  • Even inside the PB, you can switch Properties on and off
  • Good for minimal screen real estate