8/19/2019 Top Ten Revit Tricks Tcm 245 1669944

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FIVE: REVIT PLUGINSDon Rudder, Revit API expert and associate director of desktopapplications, has built a library of 24 plugins for Revit. Tey doeverything from quickly changing line styles to linking Revit withExcel. Don is constantly adding to this library based on userrequests. So if there is some important functionality missing fromRevit, Don can probably add it for you. Hop over to http://www.apps.case-inc.com/ and pick up one of the free Revit plugins.

SIX: LOCKING GEOMETRY FACESim Dumatrait is a building information specialist providing BIMsupport to clients. In the search for evermore efficient and robustfamilies, im recommends locking geometry faces to work-planeswhen creating families rather than locking them to their profilesketches.

SEVEN: BIM COLLABORATION FORMATTe BIM Collaboration Format (BCF) is a new XMLschema currently making its way towards official adoption bybuildingSMAR. Te schema enables other software packagesto mark the locations of problems within a model. ypically theseproblems would be identified by sending a model to an analysispackage that would then return a series of images (or perhapsthe entire model) with the clashes identified. Now the analysissoftware can return a lightweight file transporting users to theproblem and describing the issue within their preferred software.Matteo Cominett, CASE’s resident BCF expert, is working hardto develop a BCF plugin for Revit (http://matteocominetti.com/bcf-revit-plugin/), and Navisworks (http://apps.case-inc.com/content/free-bcf-exporter-navisworks-manage-2014). ry it outthe next time you are analyzing your model in Solibri, ekla, orthe like.

EIGHT: BEWARE OF THE FREE LUNCH Jose orres recently joined CASE as a senior software engineer. Hetold us of a time when he downloaded a model of a toilet and triedto link it to the plumbing system of his model. After many failedattempts at connecting a pipe to the tank, he realized the toilethad a slightly skewed connection going into the tank when Revitwould only make connections between parallel objects. Based onthis experience and others, Jose thinks it’s best to tread carefullywhen downloading free content, particularly for MEP systems.

NINE: CHECK YOUR ROOM HEIGRooms are essential for scheduling, especially in a mteam. Unfortunately rooms created in Revit oftenheight. Make sure they are the correct height by tusection and looking for the room fill. Otherwise on the room and set its height in the properties. Tfixtures are correctly assigned to the room and that tright size for MEP calculations.

TEN: A PROPERLY CONFIGURED

CERTIFIED WORKSTATIONA certified workstation is one of the most imp

investments you can make. Hardware that is certified may not adequately support advanced proand in some cases, may result in problems. Autodeskclosely together to proactively identify and resolveand performance issues, and certify HP Z WorkIntel® Xeon® processors for Autodesk software. HPpublish a list of certified workstations (http://hhp.com/hpsub/us/en/mcad-new-products-1.htmand AUGI have collaborated on special Revit confipricing for AUGI members ( http://h71016.www7.haffiliate/augi.asp?jumpid=va_r2910_go/AU071813/taylortg#tab_3 ).

ABOUT HPHP helps you stay ahead of the curve with professand mobile workstations designed for large and comdispersed teams, and tight deadlines. HP Z WorIntel® Xeon® processors deliver the innovation, high

expandability, and extreme reliability you need to dCAD projects in less time. For more informationWorkstations and Autodesk page on the HP webgo/autodesk ).

ABOUT CASECASE exists where building and technology icombine our experience as architects, engineers, prosoftware developers, and educators with a passion to improve the way buildings are designed, realizedCASE is a building information modeling (BIM) apractice consultancy. We provide strategic advisindesign professionals, contractors, and owners seekitraditional project delivery methods through techprocess innovation.

Top Ten

Revit Tricks,by CASEI

n an ongoing effort to improve the buildingindustry, CASE and HP have partnered again—and this time it’s to bring you a monthlycolumn focused on getting the best from your

Autodesk software. Tis month you will hear fromCASE’s most adept Revit experts—the people other

AECO (Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Owner-operators) companies call upon when they are having a problem

with Revit, when they need Revit training, or when they need acustom Revit plugin built. We have asked these experts to sharetheir best tips for using Revit.

ONE: KEYBOARD SHORTCUTSCaity Jimenez spends a lot of time teaching and using Revit inher role as a building information specialist. She says that settingup, learning, and using keyboard shortcuts saves her an immenseamount of time and clicks. One of her most heavily used shortcutsactivates and deactivates viewports, a task she does often whenlaying out sheets. In Revit 2014, viewports can be activated bydouble-clicking, but there is no fast way to deactivate them. Tekeyboard shortcut preferences can be accessed by typing KS.Search for “viewport” and assign a shortcut. Caity uses XX andXC because they are normally the closest keys to her hands, butyou can assign whatever works for you.

TWO: PREVENT ACCIDENTAL CLICKS

Seth Edwards is moments away from leaving New York to work inour London office, but before he departed he left this tip for thosewho accidentally and consistently double-click on componentfamilies (especially room and ceiling tags) only to have it open upthe family. You can change the double-click behavior by going to theOptions menu, selecting User Interface, and under the Configuremenu changing the double-click options. For “family” set it to “donothing” on double-click.

THREE: LEARN A NEW WORKFLOWTe workflow section on AEC-Apps has been getting someserious action. Jump over there to see recommended workflows forupdating Revit models or linking Revit to Grasshopper. You alsocan add your own workflow to the mix if you have a process youwould like to share with the community ( https://aec-apps.com/workflows).

FOUR: TEMPORARILY MAKING TEXTDIMENSIONS BIGGERemporary text dimensions can appear unworkably small—andthey appear to get smaller as you zoom in on them. If these tinydimensions are taunting you, there is a setting to enlarge the textglobally throughout Revit. Caity Jimenez explains that from theApplication menu, choose Options and then the Graphics tab. Inthe emporary Dimension ext Appearance area at the bottom,choose the font size you prefer. Te default is 8, but something like12 is much easier to work with.

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© 2014 Hewlett-Packard Development Company,L .P.Te information containedchange without notice.Te only warranties for HP products and services are set fowarranty statements accompanying such products and services.Nothing herein shconstituting an additional warranty.HP shall not be liable for technical or editoriacontained herein.Intel, the Intel Logo,Xeon,Xeon Inside,Intel Core,Core InsideInside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S.and/or other countries.All othe property of their respective owners.Autodesk is a registered trademark of Autand other countries.Screen images courtesy of Autodesk.