What Revit Wants
To satisfy your inner API maths hunger (surely that’s a thing?), here is how Revit “thinks” about Length:
Notice the recurring “328083…” theme? This is how it relates:
Check out the comprehensive list of Revit internal units (across all unit types) at:
Revit Units .NET API: Figure Out Revit Internal Units Per Unit Type (pt. 2) – RevitNetAddinWizard & NavisworksNetAddinWizard
We know that each Revit project has a Unit setting (Manage – Project Units). This dictates the default entry units (while typing the Length of a wall, for example.)
However, what if you want to enter a different type of unit without changing the Project Units all the time?
Revit natively understands a number of different unit types, and it will transparently convert them into the appropriate Project Units for you. All you have to do is type xxx SUFFIX, where xxx is the unit you want to convert, and SUFFIX is the type of unit it is.
Here is a list of the natively supported units of Length (that I know of):
mm
cm
m
” (Shift+apostrophe)
in
Note – you can also use 2 apostrophes (foot marks) for inches –”– (via @DBCdoug on Twitter)
How do you insert feet? Use the apostrophe (next to Enter key):
‘
What about a combined feet-and-inches unit? Yes, you can! You can use a dash to divide the two (but you don’t have to). Here are some possible combinations that work:
2′-7in
2′-7″
2’7in
2’7″
These can all be entered WITH or WITHOUT a space. For example:
12cm
12 cm
Interestingly, the ft suffix does not work for feet UNLESS you have it combined with inches, at least on Revit 2011 / 2012. For instance:
2ft DOES NOT WORK
2ft-0in DOES WORK
Crazy! Even:
2ft0 DOES WORK
Where in Revit can you use these inbuilt conversions? You will most likely use them in direct entry locations (while drawing a wall, for instance), or in the Options Bar:
 |
| Direct entry |
 |
| Options Bar |
If you have any other tips on Unit entry, feel free to comment.
“if you have a Length parameter, and try to use a (Length * Length) formula, you´ll get the ” Inconsistent Units” error, because (Length * Length = Length Squared). Only way around is to neutralize the units on at least one of the parameters in the formula. The easiest way to neutralize a unit is by…”
Let’s say you have AutoCAD file of unknown origin, and it has some wacky or imprecise units (like the distance between two walls is 8250.092234897). What you need to do is reduce the precision, such that all the decimal points get ‘chopped off’.
To do this:
I recommend that you now open the DXF file you saved, and then resave it as a DWG file.Now you can insert your file into Revit, and you won’t have to deal with imprecise units.Please note that this process may result in some ’rounding off’ of values – you may want to double check the resulting file.
I found this process at the following link:
Forum Link
