Revit Architecture 2009

Metric Tutorials

240A1-050000-PM04A April 2008

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Contents

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Chapter 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Using the Tutorials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Accessing Training Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Understanding the Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Navigating the User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Performing Common Tasks in Revit Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Express Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Chapter 2 Express Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Creating Details with Revit Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Create a Detail with Imported DWG Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Model-Based Detailing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Keynoting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Creating Drawing Sheets with Revit Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Project Sheet Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Project Detail Sheet Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Project Title Sheet Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Developing Your Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Chapter 3 Creating a Building Information Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Creating the Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Adding Project Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Creating a Column Grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Adding Beams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Adding Braces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Creating a Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Changing Structural Member Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

v
 Linking the Structural Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Adding Floors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Adding a Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Adding a Curtain Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Creating an Entrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Creating a Drop Ceiling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Creating Multi-Level Stairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Creating a Wall with a Non-Uniform Height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Adding Entourage and Site Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Adding a Service Core to the Building Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Modifying a Floor and Adding Railings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Documenting Your Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Chapter 4 Adding Views and Sheets to a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

Creating Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Duplicating Plan Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Creating Elevation and Section Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Creating Callout Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Modifying View Tag Appearance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Setting Visibility and Graphics Options in Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Creating a View Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
View Range and Plan Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Using Filters to Control Visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Masking Portions of a View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Working with Visual Overrides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Creating Drawing Sheets in a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Creating Drawing Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Adding Views to Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Modifying the Building Model from a Sheet View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Creating and Modifying a Title Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202

Chapter 5 Tagging and Scheduling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

Tagging Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Sequentially Placing and Tagging Rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Tagging Doors and Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Tagging Other Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Defining Schedules and Color Diagrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Creating a Window Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Adding Project Parameters to a Window Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Creating a Unit-Based Door Schedule with a Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Creating a Room Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Scheduling Rooms from a Program List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Creating a Room Color Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Creating a Material Takeoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Scheduling Shared Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Creating a Shared Parameter File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Adding Shared Parameters to a Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Placing, Tagging, and Scheduling a Family with Shared Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Scheduling Uniformat Assembly Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Scheduling Uniformat Assembly Codes and Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Exporting Project Information with ODBC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Exporting Schedule Information to Microsoft Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260

Chapter 6 Annotating and Dimensioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263

Changing the Base Elevation of a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Relocating a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265

vi | Contents
 Dimensioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Creating Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Creating Automatic Wall Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Controlling Witness Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Creating an Office Standard Dimension Type from Existing Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Creating Text Annotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Adding Text Notes to the Floor Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290

Chapter 7 Detailing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297

Creating a Detail from a Building Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Detailing the View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Adding Detail Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Adding Text Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Creating Detail Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Adding Keynotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Creating Line-based Detail Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Modifying a Keynote Database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Creating a Drafted Detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Importing a Detail into a Drafting View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Creating a Reference Callout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Creating a Detail in a Drafting View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323

Chapter 8 Finishing the Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339

Using Note Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Creating a Note Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Using Drawing Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Creating a Drawing List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Using Legends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Creating a Symbol Legend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Creating a Component Legend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Using Revision Tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Setting Up a Revision Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Sketching Revision Clouds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358
Tagging Revision Clouds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
Working with Revisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Importing from Other Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Importing Image Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
Importing Text Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
Importing Spreadsheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369

Chapter 9 Using Dependent Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371

Using Dependent Views in Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Using Dependent Views for Floor Plan Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Using Dependent Views for Elevation Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384

Viewing and Rendering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389

Chapter 10 Rendering Views and Creating Walkthroughs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391

Rendering an Exterior View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Applying Materials and Textures to the Building Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392
Adding Trees to the Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
Creating a Perspective View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
Creating the Exterior Rendering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407
Rendering an Interior View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411
Adding RPC People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412
Creating the Interior Perspective View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415

Contents | vii
 Creating the Interior Rendering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419
Creating and Recording Walkthroughs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424
Creating a Walkthrough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425
Changing the Walkthrough Path and Camera Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428
Recording the Walkthrough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430

Chapter 11 Creating Solar Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431

Creating Views for Solar Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431
Creating a Solar Study - Courtyard View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432
Creating a Solar Study Section Cutaway View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433
Creating a Solar Study Plan Cutaway View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435
Saving Solar Study Settings and Previewing Animations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437
Creating Solar Studies - Summer and Winter Solstice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 438
Previewing Solar Study Animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439
Exporting Solar Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440
Exporting the Study as AVI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440
Exporting a Study as PNG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443
Creating an Internal Plan Solar Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444
Creating an Internal Plan Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444
Re-orienting the Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447
Mirroring the Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447
Orienting to True North . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 448
Rendering Interior Shadow Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454
Rendering an Interior View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454

Chapter 12 Presentation Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457

Adding a Floor Plan View to the Analytique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458
Preparing a Floor Plan for the Analytique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 459
Using Advanced Model Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460
Adding the Floor Plan to a Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 462
Adding an Elevation View to the Analytique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466
Preparing the Elevation Analytique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467
Adding the Presentation Elevation View to the Presentation Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 469
Adding Section Views to the Analytique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471
Preparing a Section View for the Analytique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472
Adding Shadows and Silhouettes to a Section View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476
Adding the Presentation Section to the Analytique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478
Working with a Presentation View Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 481
Working in a Callout Analytique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 484
Creating 3D Cutaways with Section Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491
Creating Cutaway Isometric Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 492
Creating Cutaway Perspective Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 499
Annotating the Analytique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503

Importing and Exporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505

Chapter 13 Importing SketchUp Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507

Importing a SketchUp Model as a Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508
Creating a Building from Mass Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 510

Using Advanced Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 523

Chapter 14 Curtain Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525

Flat Curtain System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525
Creating an Entrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525
Adding Mullions to the Curtain System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 536

viii | Contents
 Curved Curtain System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 539
Adding a Curved Curtain System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 539
Adding a Custom Curtain Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 541
Adding Mullions to the Curved Curtain Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 544
Additional Curtain Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548
Sloped Glazings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548
Storefront System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550
Curtain System by Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552

Chapter 15 Roofs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557

Creating Roofs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557
Creating an Extruded Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557
Creating a Gable Roof from a Footprint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 562
Creating a Roof with a Vertical Penetration from a Footprint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 565
Creating a Hip Roof from a Footprint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567
Creating a Shed Roof from a Footprint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 571
Adding Slope Arrows to a Shed Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572
Aligning Roof Eaves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574
Creating a Mansard Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 576
Creating a Low Slope Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 578
Creating Fascia, Gutters, and Soffits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 586
Creating Roof Fascia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 587
Creating Gutters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 588
Creating Soffits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590

Chapter 16 Area Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 593

Using Area Analysis Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 593
Creating Area Schemes and Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 593
Creating Area Schedules and Color Fill Area Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600

Chapter 17 Massing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 603

Using Massing Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 603
Adding Massing Elements to a Building Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 604
Using Massing Tools to Cut Geometry from the Building Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 610
Using Swept Blends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 611
Using Mass Family Files in a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 616
Creating New Mass Family Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 616
Loading and Placing New Mass Families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 618
Joining Mass Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 621
Using Mass Elements with Design Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 624
Mass Elements in Design Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 624
Creating Building Components from Mass Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 627
Creating Walls by Picking Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 628
Creating Floors by Picking Masses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631
Creating a Mass Study Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 634
Creating Roofs by Picking Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 638
Creating Curtain Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 640
Editing Elements Created from Massings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 644
Controlling Mass/Shell Visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 649

Chapter 18 Grouping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 653

Creating, Modifying, and Nesting Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 653
Creating and Placing a Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 653
Modifying a Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 661
Nesting Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 665
Working with Detail Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 668
Creating a Detail Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 668

Contents | ix
 Using Attached Detail Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 671
Saving and Loading Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 674
Saving and Loading Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 674

Chapter 19 Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 677

Using Site Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 677
Creating a Toposurface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 678
Adding Property Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 684
Modifying Contour Visibility and Site Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 689
Creating Topographic Subregions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 690
Grading the Toposurface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 698
Adding a Building Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 703
Adding Site Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706
Tagging Site and Parking Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 710
Creating Parking Space Schedules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 713

Chapter 20 Sharing Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 717

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 717
Using Worksharing in a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 718
Understanding Worksharing Fundamentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 718
Enabling Worksharing and Setting Up Worksets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 722
Working Individually with Worksets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 726
Using Worksets with Multiple Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 729
Borrowing Elements from the Worksets of Other Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 734

Chapter 21 Creating Multiple Design Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 739

Creating Multiple Design Options in a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 739
Creating the Structural Design Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 740
Creating the Roof System Design Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 750
Managing Design Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 757

Chapter 22 Project Phasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 761

Using Phasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 761
Phasing Your Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 762
Using Phase-Specific Room Tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 768

Chapter 23 Linking Building Models and Sharing Coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 771

Linking Building Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 772
Linking Building Models from Different Project Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 772
Repositioning Linked Building Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 781
Controlling Linked Building Model Visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 784
Managing Linked Building Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 786
Sharing Coordinates Between Building Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 789
Acquiring and Publishing Coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 789
Relocating a Project with Shared Coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 791
Working with a Linked Building Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 795
Managing Shared Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 796
Scheduling Components of Linked Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 797

Customizing Project Settings and Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 801

Chapter 24 Modifying Project and System Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 803

Modifying System Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 803
Modifying General System Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 803
Specifying File Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 805

x | Contents
 Specifying Spelling Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 807
Modifying Snap Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 808
Modifying Project Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 811
Creating and Applying Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 811
Creating and Applying Fill Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 815
Controlling Object Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 817
Modifying Line Patterns and Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 820
Modifying Annotations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 825
Specifying Units of Measurement, Temporary Dimensions, and Detail Level Options . . . . . . 827
Modifying Project Browser Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 828
Creating an Office Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 831
Choosing the Base Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 831
Modifying Project Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 832
Loading and Modifying Families and Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 837
Modifying Views and View Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 839
Modifying Import/Export Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 842
Setting up Shared and Project Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 843
Creating Named Print Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 845

Contents | xi
xii
Getting Started

1
2
Introduction
1
This introduction helps you get started with the Revit Architecture 2009 tutorials and presents the fundamental concepts
of the product, including:

■ how Revit Architecture works.

■ the terms used when working with the product.
■ how to navigate the user interface.
■ how to perform some common tasks in the product.

Using the Tutorials

In this lesson, you learn how to use the Revit Architecture tutorials, including where to find the training
files and how to create a new Revit Architecture project from a template file.

3
 The Contents tab of the Revit Architecture Tutorials window displays the available tutorial titles. Expand a
title for a list of lessons in the tutorial. Expand a lesson title for a list of exercises in the lesson.

NOTE You may find it helpful to print a tutorial to make it easier to reference the instructions as you work in Revit
Architecture. The tutorials are also available in PDF format by clicking Help menu ➤ Documents on the Web in
Revit Architecture.

Accessing Training Files

Training files are Revit Architecture projects, templates, and families that were created specifically for use
with the tutorials. In this exercise, you learn where the training files are located, as well as how to open and
save them.

Where are the training files located?

Training files, by default, are located in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application

Data\Autodesk\RAC 2009\Training. Training files are grouped into 3 folders within the training folder:

■ Common: generic files often used to teach a concept. These files are not dependent on imperial or metric
units. Common file names have a c_ prefix.

■ Imperial: files for users working with imperial units. Imperial file names have an i_ prefix.

■ Metric: files for users working with metric units. Metric file names have an m_ prefix.

NOTE Depending on your installation, your training folder may be in a different location. Contact your CAD
manager for more information.

IMPORTANT Content used in the tutorials, such as templates and families, is located and accessed in the training
files location. Although this content may be installed in other locations on your system, all content used in the
tutorials is included in the training files location to ensure that all audiences access the correct files.

What is a training file?

A training file is a Revit Architecture project that defines a building information model and views of the
model that are used to complete the steps in a tutorial. Many tutorials include a Training File section that
references the training file to be used with the tutorial. In other tutorials, you create a project from a template,
rather than opening an existing training file.

Open a training file

1 Click File menu ➤ Open.

2 In the left pane of the Open dialog, scroll down, and click the Training Files icon.
3 In the right pane, double-click Common, Imperial, or Metric, depending on the type of training
file.

4 | Chapter 1 Introduction
 4 Click the training file name, and click Open.
Save a training file

5 To save a training file with a new name, click File menu ➤ Save As.
In many cases, the work you do in a project during a tutorial exercise becomes the starting point
for the next exercise. In many tutorials, you create a project or modify an existing project, save
the changes, and use the saved version of the file to begin the next exercise or lesson.

6 Complete the information in the Save As dialog:

■ For Save in, select the folder in which to save the new file.
You can save the file in the appropriate Training Files folder or in another location. Note
where you save the file so you can open it for additional exercises as required.

■ For File name, enter the new file name.

A good practice is to save the training file with a unique name after you have made changes.
For example, if you open c_settings.rvt and make changes, you should save this file with a
new name such as c_settings_modified.rvt.

■ For Files of type, verify that Project Files (*.rvt) is selected, and then click Save.

Create a project from a template

7 To create a project from a template, rather than using an existing training file, click File
menu ➤ New ➤ Project.

8 In the New Project dialog, under Create new, select Project.

9 Under Template file, verify the second option is selected, and click Browse.

Accessing Training Files | 5

 10 In the left pane of the Choose Template dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\Templates.
11 In the Choose Template dialog, review the Revit Architecture templates.
Templates are available for specific building types: commercial, construction, and residential.
Each template contains predefined settings and views appropriate for the corresponding building
type. For most tutorial projects, you will use the default template, and customize the project as
necessary.

12 Select DefaultMetric.rte, and click Open.

13 Click OK.

Understanding the Basics

In this lesson, you learn what Revit Architecture is and how its parametric change engine benefits you and
your work. You begin with the fundamental concepts on which Revit Architecture is built. You learn the
terminology, the hierarchy of elements, how to navigate the user interface, and how to perform some
common tasks in the product.

What is Revit Architecture 2009?

The Revit Architecture platform for building information modelling is a design and documentation system
that supports the design, drawings, and schedules required for a building project. Building information
modelling (BIM) delivers information about project design, scope, quantities, and phases when you need
it.
In the Revit Architecture model, every drawing sheet, 2D and 3D view, and schedule is a presentation of
information from the same underlying building model database. As you work in drawing and schedule
views, Revit Architecture collects information about the building project and coordinates this information
across all other representations of the project. The Revit Architecture parametric change engine automatically
coordinates changes made anywhere—in model views, drawing sheets, schedules, sections, and plans.

What is meant by parametric?

The term parametric refers to the relationships among all elements of the model that enable the coordination
and change management that Revit Architecture provides. These relationships are created either automatically
by the software or by you as you work. In mathematics and mechanical CAD, the numbers or characteristics
that define these kinds of relationships are called parameters; hence, the operation of the software is
parametric. This capability delivers the fundamental coordination and productivity benefits of Revit
Architecture: Change anything at any time anywhere in the project, and Revit Architecture coordinates that
change through the entire project.
The following are examples of these element relationships:

■ The outside of a door frame is a fixed dimension on the hinge side from a perpendicular partition. If you
move the partition, the door retains this relationship to the partition.

■ Windows or pilasters are spaced equally across a given elevation. If the length of the elevation is changed,
the relationship of equal spacing is maintained. In this case, the parameter is not a number but a
proportional characteristic.

■ The edge of a floor or roof is related to the exterior wall such that when the exterior wall is moved, the
floor or roof remains connected. In this case, the parameter is one of association or connection.

How does Revit Architecture 2009 keep things updated?

A fundamental characteristic of a building information modelling application is the ability to coordinate

changes and maintain consistency at all times. You do not have to intervene to update drawings or links.

6 | Chapter 1 Introduction
When you change something, Revit Architecture immediately determines what is affected by the change
and reflects that change to any affected elements.
Revit Architecture uses 2 key concepts that make it especially powerful and easy to use. The first is the
capturing of relationships while the designer works. The second is its approach to propagating building
changes. The result of these concepts is software that works like you do, without requiring entry of data that
is unimportant to your design.

Element behavior in a parametric modeler

In projects, Revit Architecture uses 3 types of elements:

■ Model elements represent the actual 3D geometry of the building. They display in relevant views of the
model. For example, walls, windows, doors, and roofs are model elements.

■ Datum elements help to define project context. For example, grids, levels, and reference planes are datum
elements.

■ View-specific elements display only in the views in which they are placed. They help to describe or
document the model. For example, dimensions, tags, and 2D detail components are view-specific elements.

There are 2 types of model elements:

■ Hosts (or host elements) are generally built in place at the construction site. For example, walls and roofs
are hosts.

■ Model components are all the other types of elements in the building model. For example, windows,
doors, and cabinets are model components.

There are 2 types of view-specific elements:

■ Annotation elements are 2D components that document the model and maintain scale on paper. For
example, dimensions, tags, and keynotes are annotation elements.

■ Details are 2D items that provide details about the building model in a particular view. Examples include
detail lines, filled regions, and 2D detail components.

This implementation provides flexibility for designers. Revit Architecture elements are designed to be created
and modified by you directly; programming is not required. If you can draw, you can define new parametric
elements in Revit Architecture.

Understanding the Basics | 7

 In Revit Architecture, the elements determine their behavior largely from their context in the building. The
context is determined by how you draw the component and the constraint relationships that are established
with other components. Often, you do nothing to establish these relationships; they are implied by what
you do and how you draw. In other cases, you can explicitly control them, by locking a dimension or aligning
2 walls, for example.

Understanding Revit Architecture 2009 terms

Most of the terms used to identify objects in Revit Architecture are common, industry-standard terms familiar
to most architects. However, some terms are unique to Revit Architecture. Understanding the following
terms is crucial to understanding the software.
Project: In Revit Architecture, the project is the single database of information for your design—the building
information model. The project file contains all information for the building design, from geometry to
construction data. This information includes components used to design the model, views of the project,
and drawings of the design. By using a single project file, Revit Architecture makes it easy for you to alter
the design and have changes reflected in all associated areas (plan views, elevation views, section views,
schedules, and so forth). Having only one file to track also makes it easier to manage the project.
Level: Levels are infinite horizontal planes that act as a reference for level-hosted elements, such as roofs,
floors, and ceilings. Most often, you use levels to define a vertical height or story within a building. You
create a level for each known story or other needed reference of the building; for example, first floor, top of
wall, or bottom of foundation. To place levels, you must be in a section or elevation view.
Level 2 work plane cutting through the 3D view with the corresponding floor plan
next to it

Element: When creating a project, you add Revit Architecture parametric building elements to the design.
Revit Architecture classifies elements by categories, families, and types.

8 | Chapter 1 Introduction
 Category: A category is a group of elements that you use to model or document a building design. For
example, categories of model elements include walls and beams. Categories of annotation elements include
tags and text notes.
Family: Families are classes of elements in a category. A family groups elements with a common set of
parameters (properties), identical use, and similar graphical representation. Different elements in a family
may have different values for some or all properties, but the set of properties—their names and meaning—is
the same. For example, 6-panel colonial doors could be considered one family, although the doors that
compose the family come in different sizes and materials.
Families are either component families or system families:
■ Component families can be loaded into a project and created from family templates. You can determine
the set of properties and the graphical representation of the family.

■ System families include walls, dimensions, ceilings, roofs, floors, and levels. They are not available for
loading or creating as separate files.
■ Revit Architecture predefines the set of properties and the graphical representation of system families.

■ You can use the predefined types to generate new types that belong to this family within the project.
For example, the behavior of a wall is predefined in the system. However, you can create different
types of walls with different compositions.

■ System families can be transferred between projects.

Type: Each family can have several types. A type can be a specific size of a family, such as a A0 title block
or a 910 x 2110 door. A type can also be a style, such as default aligned or default angular style for dimensions.
Instance: Instances are the actual items (individual elements) that are placed in the project and have specific
locations in the building (model instances) or on a drawing sheet (annotation instances).

Navigating the User Interface

One of the advantages of Revit Architecture is its ease of use, specifically its clear user interface. The Revit
Architecture window is arranged to make navigation easy. Even the toolbar buttons are labeled, making it
easy to understand what each button represents. Revit Architecture uses standard Microsoft® Windows®
conventions. If you have used any other product that follows these conventions, learning Revit Architecture
is much easier.
In the following illustration, the user interface is labeled. In the steps that follow, you navigate and become
familiar with the user interface.

Navigating the User Interface | 9

 Start a new project

1 On the Standard toolbar, click (New).

This creates a new project based on the default template.

The Title Bar

2 Place the cursor at the top of the user interface.

The title bar contains the name of the project and the view that is currently open.

By default, new projects are numbered consecutively until saved with a new name. In addition,
the Level 1 floor plan view is the default open view.

TIP The view opened and the view names are dependent on the template on which the project is
based.

10 | Chapter 1 Introduction
The Menu Bar

3 The menu bar across the top of the window includes standard menu names such as File, Edit,
and View. Click View menu ➤ Zoom.

Many of the commands have shortcut keys, which are listed on the menu. For example, the
shortcut key for Zoom in Region is ZR. While working in the drawing area, you type the required
key combination to perform the command.
Another time-saving tool for selecting commands is to place the cursor in the drawing area and
right-click. A shortcut menu displays a list of available commands, depending on the function
you are performing and what is currently selected.

The Toolbar

4 Click Window menu ➤ Toolbar.

There are several toolbars across the top of the window beneath the menu bar. The toolbar
buttons represent common commands. You can control the visibility of the toolbars and turn
the text labels on or off using the Window ➤ Toolbar menu. You can use the toolbar grips to
resize and move each toolbar.

The Options Bar

5 Click Modelling menu ➤ Wall.

The bar beneath the toolbars contains wall design options. The Options Bar is context-sensitive
and varies depending on the tool or selected component.

Navigating the User Interface | 11

 6 Click Modelling menu ➤ Door.
The design options available on the Options Bar are now applicable to doors. On the left side
of the Options Bar, a door type is specified.

The Type Selector

7 The drop-down list on the left side of the Options Bar is called the Type Selector. Select the
drop-down list to view the list of doors.

The Type Selector is a context-sensitive drop-down list. When you select the Door tool, the Type
Selector displays a list of doors available in the project. The list of elements in the Type Selector
is identical to the elements listed in the Families branch of the Project Browser under the
respective category.

8 Click Modelling menu ➤ Wall.

9 In the Type Selector, select the drop-down list to see the walls that are available.
You can use the Type Selector in 2 ways:
■ You can select an element type before you add the element to the building model. For
example, when you add a door, the door type that displays in the Type Selector is the door
type that will be added to the building model.

12 | Chapter 1 Introduction
 ■ You can use the Type Selector to change an element type after it has been added to the
building model. In the drawing area, you can select any element and then change its type
using the Type Selector.

The Design Bar

10 Click Window menu ➤ Design Bars.

The Show Design Bars dialog displays.

The Design Bar is located on the left side of the interface, immediately below the Type Selector.
There are 10 tabs in the Design Bar, containing buttons grouped by function. You can control
which tabs display by selecting them in the Show Design Bars dialog.

Navigating the User Interface | 13

 11 Click OK.
Each tab contains frequently used commands that are also available from the menu bar.
■ Basics tab: commands for creating most basic building model components

■ View tab: commands for creating different views in the project

■ Modelling tab: commands to create model elements

■ Drafting tab: commands for adding annotation symbols and creating sheet details for
construction documents

■ Rendering tab: commands for creating rendered images

■ Site tab: commands for adding site components and producing site plans

■ Massing tab: commands for creating conceptual designs with masses

■ Room and Area tab: commands for making room and area schemes and plans

■ Structural tab: commands for adding structural components to the project

■ Construction tab: commands for creating construction industry information

To access the commands in a tab, click the tab in the Design Bar. The respective commands
display on the Design Bar.

TIP You can control the visibility of each tab by right-clicking on the Design Bar and selecting the
tab from the shortcut menu.

The Project Browser

12 To the right of the Design Bar is the Project Browser. In the Project Browser, select Views (all).

14 | Chapter 1 Introduction
 You can use the Project Browser to quickly manage the views, schedules, sheets, reports, families,
and groups of your current project:
■ Right-click in the browser to add, delete, and rename views, families, and groups.

■ The browser is organized by view type (floor plans, elevations, 3D), family category (doors,
walls, windows), and group name. Expand or collapse the browser list by clicking the + or –
next to the name.

■ To open a view, double-click its name.

■ You can also drag and drop from the browser into the drawing area, making it easy to add
a family or group to the project or add a view to a sheet.

■ The browser is dockable, so you can reposition it by dragging the Project Browser title bar
to a new location.

13 In the Type Selector, scroll through the sorting options available for the Project Browser.

Navigating the User Interface | 15

 14 Click Settings menu ➤ Browser Organization.
You can create and modify Project Browser organization schemes for views and sheets. After
creating a browser organization scheme, you can instantly change the sorting within the Project
Browser by selecting the scheme in the Type Selector.

15 In the Browser Organization dialog, click Cancel.

The Status Bar

16 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Wall.

17 Place the cursor near the center of the drawing area. Do not click.
The cursor displays as a pencil.

In the bottom left corner of the window, the status bar provides information regarding what
you should do next. In this case, it tells you to "Click to enter wall start point."

TIP The tooltip that displays is identical to the note in the status bar.

16 | Chapter 1 Introduction
 18 On the Design Bar, click Modify to end the Wall command.
You can control the status bar visibility from the Window menu. The status bar also provides
information, in conjunction with tooltips, regarding selected elements in a view. When you
place the cursor over an element, it highlights and the status bar displays the element name.

19 Place the cursor over the elevation symbol arrow on the left side of the drawing area.
The elevation symbol consists of two parts: the main symbol and the elevation directional arrow
(a triangle). Make sure you place the cursor over the elevation directional arrow. It highlights
when the cursor is over it.

In the status bar, notice that the name of the highlighted element is Views : Elevation : West.

20 Press TAB, and notice that the highlighted element switches to the main elevation symbol,
Elevations : Elevation : Elevation 5.
When attempting to select a specific element in a complex or crowded view, you can use the
status bar and TAB to switch between elements and select the desired element.

Revit Architecture 2009 Help

21 Click Help menu ➤ Revit Architecture 2009 Help.

Help is available online at all times during a Revit Architecture session. You can use this tri-pane,
HTML help window to search for information and quickly display it to read or print. There are
several tools that help you find information. You can select a topic on the Contents tab, find a
keyword on the Index tab, search for all instances of a word or phrase on the Search tab, or save
commonly used pages on the Favorites tab.
In addition, context-sensitive help is available for many parts of the user interface. You can
access context-sensitive help in the following ways:
■ Dialogs: Many dialogs include Help buttons. Click the Help button, and the topic specific
to the dialog opens. If no Help button displays, press F1 for context-sensitive help.

■ Windows: From any window, press F1 for help.

■ Toolbar: From the toolbar, click on the Standard toolbar, and then click a specific menu
command or button for help. You can also press SHIFT+F1.

■ Tooltips: To see tooltips, rest the cursor over the Toolbar button until the tooltip displays.

TIP You can control the level of tooltip assistance using Settings menu ➤ Options.

22 Close the Revit Architecture Help window.

Performing Common Tasks in Revit Architecture

In this exercise, you learn to perform some of the common Revit Architecture tasks that are included in the
tutorials. After you are familiar with these tasks, it will be easier to work in Revit Architecture and focus on
the lessons of each tutorial.

Performing Common Tasks in Revit Architecture | 17

 Use zoom commands to adjust the view
In the tutorials, you are instructed to use a zoom command to adjust the viewable area in the window. For
example, you may be asked to zoom to a specific region of a view or to zoom to fit the entire building or
floor plan in the view. Understanding how to adjust the view will make it easier to work with the building
model in the window.
There are several ways to access zoom options. In the following steps, you open a training file and practice
adjusting the view with the different zoom commands.

1 Click File menu ➤ Open.

2 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Cohouse.rvt.
The 3D isometric view displays:

3 Click View menu ➤ Zoom to display the zoom menu.

The zoom menu lists the zoom options and their shortcut keys.

4 Click Zoom Out (2x).

In the drawing area, the view zooms out from the building model.

5 On the View toolbar, click the drop-down menu next to the Zoom command to display the
zoom options.

18 | Chapter 1 Introduction
 NOTE Clicking the Zoom icon itself activates the Zoom In Region command.

6 Click Zoom To Fit.

The view of the building model is sized to fit the available window.

7 Click in the drawing area, and type the shortcut ZR to zoom in on a region.
The cursor becomes a magnifying glass.

8 Click the upper left corner and lower right corner of the region to magnify; this is referred to
as a crossing selection.

When you release the mouse button, the view zooms in on the selected area.

9 If you use a mouse that has a wheel as the middle button, you can roll the wheel to zoom the
view. Use the wheel mouse to zoom out to see the entire building again.
If you do not have a wheel mouse, use a zoom menu command or the toolbar option to zoom
out.

NOTE As you zoom in and out, Revit Architecture uses the largest snap increment that represents
less than 2mm in the drawing area. To modify or add snap increments, click Settings menu ➤ Snaps.

Zoom is also available using SteeringWheels. SteeringWheels provide 2D and 3D navigation

tools.

10 To display SteeringWheels, on the View toolbar, click .

The Full Navigation wheel displays in the drawing area.

As you move the mouse, the wheel follows the cursor around the drawing area.

11 Move the cursor over the Zoom wedge of the wheel so that it highlights.
12 Click and hold the mouse button.
The cursor displays a pivot point for the Zoom tool.

Performing Common Tasks in Revit Architecture | 19

 13 Drag the cursor down or left to zoom out.
14 Drag the cursor up or right to zoom in.
You can change the pivot point by releasing the mouse button, moving the wheel to the desired
location, and then using the Zoom tool again.
For more information about SteeringWheels, click the pull-down menu on the Full Navigation
wheel, and click Help. To define settings for SteeringWheels, click Settings menu ➤ Options,
and click the SteeringWheels tab.

15 To exit the wheel, press ESC.

Resize elements using drag controls

16 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click 2nd Flr. Cnst.
When drawing or modifying a building model, it is important to understand how to adjust the
size of components in the drawing area. Small blue dots, called drag controls, display at the
ends of selected lines and walls in a plan view. Similar controls, referred to as shape handles,
display along the ends, bottoms, and tops of selected walls in elevation views and 3D views.

17 Type ZR, zoom in on the upper-left corner of the floor plan, and select the wall, as shown.
Notice the small blue dots that display at both ends of the wall. These are the drag controls.

20 | Chapter 1 Introduction
 18 Click and drag the left control, moving the cursor to the left horizontally, to lengthen the wall.
19 Click in the drawing area to deselect the wall.
Move an element

20 Scroll the view down so you can see the couch and table in the floor plan.

21 Select the Craftsman02 table, and on the Tools toolbar, click (Move).
Some commands, such as Move and Copy, require 2 clicks to complete the command. After
selecting the element to move, for example, click to specify the starting position, and click again
to specify the ending position. In this case, you want to move the table closer to the wall.

22 Click the lower-left endpoint of the table.

23 Click next to the lower wall, as shown.

The table moves down, and the lower-left corner is placed at the move endpoint.

Performing Common Tasks in Revit Architecture | 21

 Another way to move an element is to select it and drag it to a new location.

24 Select the plant, and drag it on top of the table.

Undo commands

25 On the Standard toolbar, click the drop-down menu next to (Undo).

All changes you make to a project are tracked. The Undo command allows you to reverse the
effects of one or more commands. In this example, you decide that you prefer the table in its
original position.

26 On the Undo menu, select the second item in the list, Move.
Selecting the second item in the list will undo the last 2 actions. All commands are canceled up
to and including the selected command. The table and plant are returned to their original
locations.

NOTE To quickly undo the previous action, on the Standard toolbar, click the Undo command, or
press CTRL+Z.

End a command

27 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Lines.

Some commands, such as the Lines command, stay active or current until you choose another
command or end the current command.

28 Click in the drawing area to start the line, and click again to end it.
Notice that the Lines command is still active and you could continue to draw lines.

22 | Chapter 1 Introduction
29 To end the command, use one of the following methods:
■ Choose another command.

■ On the Design Bar, click Modify.

■ Press ESC twice.

30 Close the file without saving your changes.

Performing Common Tasks in Revit Architecture | 23

24
Express Workshop

25
26
Express Workshop
2
The Express Workshop tutorials focus on specific areas of functionality, highlighting powerful features that are integral
to the most common architectural workflows. Each tutorial demonstrates tools you can use to complete tasks that are
common to an overall workflow. When you have finished these tutorials, you will have a basic understanding of the
design and documentation tools, as well as some of the best practices that help you efficiently design and develop an
architectural building project.

Creating Details with Revit Architecture

Revit Architecture provides intuitive native tools to create, detail, and annotate building assemblies, illustrating
how building components work together.
In Revit Architecture, details are either based upon the geometry of the building model as a detail view, or
referenced as a drafting view, with parametric tags that automatically track and display detail view and
drawing sheet placement.

NOTE Revit Architecture is available in both imperial and metric versions, but for training purposes, this tutorial
uses imperial units only.

In this tutorial, you will create building assembly details by performing the following tasks:

■ Create a drafting view detail by importing a DWG file.

■ Create a detail callout and reference a drafting view.

■ Insert a Callout and create a model-based detail view.

■ Use detail components to define an assembly.

■ Use keynotes to annotate a detail.

27
Create a Detail with Imported DWG Data
In this exercise, you will create a drafting view, import a DWG detail, create a reference callout, and reference
a drafting view.
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files.

If necessary, scroll until the folder is displayed.

■ Open Common\Express Workshop\Detailing folder\c_express_workshop_details_start.rvt.

Create a drafting view

1 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Drafting View.
2 In the Drafting View dialog, for Name, enter Window Head Detail.
3 In the Scale list, verify 1 1/2''= 1'-0'' is selected, and click OK.

28 | Chapter 2 Express Workshop

 In the Project Browser, located directly to the left of the drawing area, the new drafting view is
listed under Drafting Views(Detail-Sim.).

NOTE The drafting view you have created is a container into which you have not yet added any
graphical information. The drawing area is still blank.

Import a drawing detail

4 Click File menu ➤ Import/Link ➤ CAD Formats.

5 In the left pane of the Import/Link CAD Formats dialog, click Training Files, and navigate to
Express Workshop\Detailing\ew_window_head_detail.dwg.
6 In the Colors field list, select Black and White, and click Open.
7 Type ZE to zoom out to the extents of the model.

The model zooms out, displaying the extents of the detail.

Create a reference callout

8 In the Project Browser, expand Sections (Wall Sections) view heading and double-click Wall
Section 1.
9 Type ZR, which is the keyboard shortcut for the Zoom in Region command.
The cursor displays as a magnifying glass.

10 In the drawing area, drag the cursor to draw a rectangle around the Level 1 section area, as
shown.

Create a Detail with Imported DWG Data | 29

 The view displays to the specified area.

11 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Callout.

12 On the Options Bar, in the Type Selector, select Detail View: Detail, and in the Scale list, select
1 1/2” = 1’-0”.
13 Click Reference other view, to activate the view selection list. Select Drafting View: Window
Head Detail.
14 In the drawing area, click 2 points to specify opposite corners of the callout bubble as shown.

30 | Chapter 2 Express Workshop

 The reference callout is created, linked to the Window Head Detail drafting view

15 In the drawing area, double-click the reference callout tag head.

The model view displays the linked Window Head Detail drafting view in the drawing area.

16 Close the Window Head Detail drafting view.

Next you will create a detail view and add detail components.

Model-Based Detailing
In this exercise, you will create a detail view defined by a callout, adjust the detail view display settings, and
then add detail components and detail groups to build a model-based detail assembly.
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, c_express_workshop_details_start.rvt.

Create a detail view

1 On the View tab of the Design Bar, select Callout.
2 On the Options Bar, in the Type Selector, select Detail View: Detail, and in the Scale list, select
1 1/2” = 1’-0”.
3 In the drawing area, click 2 points to specify opposite corners of the callout bubble as shown.

Model-Based Detailing | 31
 The new detail view is listed as Detail 0 in the Project Browser, under Detail Views(Detail).

4 Right-click Detail 0, and click Rename.

5 In the Rename View dialog, for Name, enter Wall Base 1, and click OK.
6 In the drawing area, select the Wall Base 1 Callout to expose grips.

7 Drag the grip closest to the Callout Head as shown.

8 On the Design Bar, click Modify to clear the selection.

Adjust display settings

9 In the Project Browser, under Detail Views (Detail), double-click Wall Base 1.

32 | Chapter 2 Express Workshop

 The region you defined with the callout bubble displays in the drawing area, bordered by a solid
line. This is the view crop region.

10 Move the cursor over the boundary of the view crop region to display a dashed line indicating
the boundary of the annotation crop region.

11 Click the boundary of the view crop region to display grips for both regions.

Model-Based Detailing | 33
 12 Drag the annotation crop region grips as shown.

13 On the View Control Bar, click (Hide Crop Region).

The view and annotation crop regions are no longer visible.

14 In the drawing area, right-click, and click View Properties.

15 In the Element Properties dialog, under Graphics, for Display Model, select As Underlay, and
click OK.

16 Click OK.
The model elements in the view display as half-tones, allowing you to see the difference between
the model geometry and any added detail components.

34 | Chapter 2 Express Workshop

Detail components and detail groups

Model based details are created using the model geometry as a background. By including the model geometry
at a medium or fine level of detail, you can accurately place detail components based on the model component
assembly. By grouping detail components, typical details can easily be placed.
17 On the View Control Bar, verify that the view detail level is set to Medium.

18 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Detail Components.

Directly above the drawing area, on the Options Bar, the Type Selector displays the detail
components that are pre-loaded in the model.

19 In the Type Selector, select Gypsum Wallboard-Section : 5/8”.

20 In the drawing area, click the lower-right endpoint of the Basic Wall:Exterior - Brick on Mtl.
Stud.

21 Move the cursor up slightly, type 1' 6'', and press ENTER.

NOTE The detail component is created passing outside of the crop region. If the crop region is
enlarged, the endpoints of the detail components may become visible.

Model-Based Detailing | 35
 22 Press ESC twice to end the command.
23 Using the same method, add the following detail components as shown.
■ Plywood-Section1 : 3/4"

■ Rigid Insulation-Section : 1''

■ Resilient Flooring-Section

■ Resilient Topset Base-Section: 6''

24 On the Design Bar, click Modify to end the command.

25 In the Project Browser, expand Groups ➤ Detail.
Typical construction details have been saved as assemblies by grouping detail components.

26 Right-click Typical 8" Metal Stud NLB Wall, and click Create Instance.
27 Click the top-left corner of the 12'' concrete foundation wall to place the detail, as shown.

36 | Chapter 2 Express Workshop

28 Press ESC to end the command.

29 Repeat this process for the following:

NOTE For each detail group, select the same top-left corner of the 12'' concrete foundation wall used
previously.

■ Typical 12" Foundation- 4" Slab detail.

■ Typical Standard Brick Base

Model-Based Detailing | 37
 30 Type ZE to zoom the view extents.
In the next exercise, you will add and modify keynotes to further develop the detail.

Keynoting
In this exercise you will keynote detail components by element, map keynotes by material, and format
keynote styles.
The Keynoting feature in Revit Architecture provides a simple, consistent means of identifying building
assembly components, special notes, or instructions within a construction documentation package.
Revit Architecture provides a link to a central text file that contains a master list of keynote definitions. You
can customize this list, or create a series of text files specific to a building or project type. The text files can
then be referenced into a Revit Architecture project. For more information about customizing a keynote
database, see Modifying a Keynote Database on page 319.
Continue to work in the Wall Base 1 view of the training file you used in the previous exercise,
c_express_workshop_details_start.rvt.

Keynoting detail components

1 Click File menu ➤ Keynoting, and under Keynote Table, for Full Path, click Browse.
2 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Common\Express
Workshop\Detailing\c_express_workshop_RevitKeynotes_Imperial_2004.txt.
3 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Keynote ➤ Element.

4 On the Options Bar, in the type selector, select Keynote Tag : Keynote Text, and verify that
Horizontal, Leader, and Free End are selected.

38 | Chapter 2 Express Workshop

5 In the drawing area, place the cursor over Bricks-Section : Standard - 3/8" Joint to display the
value specified for the keynote parameter in the element’s properties. If no value has been
specified, a question mark displays.
6 Click the brick detail component to place the arrow end of the leader.

7 Click to place the leader arm.

8 Click to place the tag.

9 Press ESC to end the command.

TIP Annotation that intersects or is outside of the annotation crop region will not be visible in the
drawing area. Either move the text inside, or increase the size of the annotation crop region.

If you would like to complete keynoting the detail, use the same method to place the keynotes
as shown.

Keynoting | 39
 Map keynotes by material

10 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Keynote ➤ Material.

11 Click the batt insulation component to place the arrow end of the leader.

12 Click to place the leader arm.

13 Click to place the tag.
14 In the Keynotes dialog, navigate to Division 07_Thermal and Moisture Protection ➤ 07 21
00_Thermal Insulation.
15 Select 07 21 00.A4_R-19 Batt Insulation, and click OK.

Format keynote styles

The keynotes previously inserted were text only. You will now change all keynotes to keys only.
16 In the drawing area, draw a selection box that encloses the entire detail.

40 | Chapter 2 Express Workshop

 All items within the selection display in red.

17 On the Options Bar, click (Filter Selection).

18 In the Filter dialog:
■ Click Check None.

■ Select Keynote Tags.

■ Click OK.

Only the keynotes remain selected.

19 In the Type Selector, select Keynote Tag : Keynote Number - Boxed.

20 Press ESC to clear the selection.

The keynotes show the CSI Masterformat division key values.

You have completed the first Express Workshop lesson, Creating Details with Revit Architecture.

Creating Drawing Sheets with Revit Architecture

Revit Architecture provides the tools you need to develop drawing sheet documents. You can specify title
blocks and place multiple views, legends, and schedules that communicate design requirements and
project-specific information.

Creating Drawing Sheets with Revit Architecture | 41

 NOTE Revit Architecture is available in both imperial and metric versions, but for training purposes, this tutorial
uses imperial units only.

In this lesson, you will perform the following tasks:

■ Create a drawing sheet.

■ Update drawing sheet and project information.

■ Add labels to a title block.

■ Add and modify a keynote legend on a drawing sheet.

■ Place views on drawing sheets.

■ Add and modify a drawing list on a drawing sheet.

Project Sheet Layout

The Project Browser displays all sheets added to a Revit project and all sheet views and schedules placed on
specific sheets.
In this exercise, you will create a sheet, update the project information element properties, and modify and
update the project sheet title block.

42 | Chapter 2 Express Workshop

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files.

If necessary, scroll until the folder is displayed.

■ Open Common\Express Workshop\Sheet Layout\c_express_workshop_sheet layout_start.rvt.

Create a new sheet

1 Click View menu ➤ New ➤ Sheet.

2 In the Select A Title Block dialog, select E1 30 x 42 Horizontal : Working Drawing.
3 Click OK.

In the Project Browser, the new drawing sheet is listed under Sheets(all), and the title block is displayed in
the drawing area.
In Revit Architecture, a title block is a container that includes placeholders for sheet-specific and
project-specific information.
Enter sheet specific information

You can enter sheet-specific information either directly on the sheet, or in the element properties of the
title block. The sheet name and sheet number can also be entered in the Sheet Title dialog, accessed from
the sheet in the Project Browser.

Project Sheet Layout | 43

 4 Type ZR, which is the keyboard shortcut for the Zoom in Region command.
The cursor displays as a magnifying glass.

5 In the drawing area, drag the cursor to draw a rectangle, as shown:

The display zooms to the specified area. In this tutorial, when you want to change the area of
the model you are working on, you can enter ZE to zoom out. Then, enter ZR and specify a
zoom region to zoom in.
You can also zoom and pan using the mouse wheel. To zoom in and out, roll the wheel. To pan,
hold down the wheel and drag.

6 In the Title Block, double-click Checker.

7 Enter K. Smith and press ENTER.
8 On the Design Bar, click Modify to clear the selection.
9 In the Project Browser, under Sheets(all), right-click A602 - Unnamed, and click Rename.
10 In the Sheet Title dialog:
■ For Number, enter A602.

■ For Name, enter Sections/Details.

■ Click OK.

NOTE The sheet number and sheet name are automatically updated in the Project Browser and the
title block.

Enter project information

Project-specific information is data common to all project sheets. It can be entered or changed directly on
a sheet, or in the project information Element Properties dialog.

44 | Chapter 2 Express Workshop

 11 Click Settings menu ➤ Project Information.
12 In the Element Properties dialog:
■ For Project Issue Date, enter 4/10/2008.

■ For Project Status, enter Design Development.

■ For Client Name, enter J. Smith.

■ For Project Name, enter Freighthouse Flats.

13 Click OK.
Modify the title block family

14 In the drawing area, select the title block.

15 In the Options Bar, click Edit Family and click Yes to open E1 30 x 42 Horizontal for editing.
The Family Editor opens, displaying the E1 30 x 42 Horizontal title block.

16 Type ZR, and zoom in on the top of the Revision Schedule.

17 On the Design Bar, click Text.

18 On the Options Bar, in the Type Selector, select Text : 1/8'', and verify that (Left) is selected.
19 Position the cursor at the left side of the top row as shown.

20 Click and type Project Status.

Project Sheet Layout | 45

 21 On the Design Bar, click Modify to exit the command.
22 Using the same method, enter Project Issue Date below Project Status, as shown.

23 On the Design Bar, click Label.

24 On the Options Bar, in the Type Selector, select Label : 3/16'', and verify that (Left) and
(Top) are selected.
25 Position the cursor in the middle of the row as shown, and click.

26 In the Edit Label dialog, under Category Parameters, select Project Status and click to add
the parameter under Label Parameters.
27 Select Wrap between parameters only, and click OK.

28 Using the same method, add Project Issue Date parameter, as shown.

29 On the Design Bar, click (Load into Project).

46 | Chapter 2 Express Workshop

 30 In the Reload Family dialog, select Override parameter values of existing types, and click Yes.
The title block is updated in the Freighthouse Flats project.

Next you will create, and add a keynote legend and a detail view to a sheet.

Project Detail Sheet Layout

As views and schedules are placed onto a sheet, a viewport displays, representing the view or schedule. The
viewport can be accessed and edited directly from the sheet.
In this exercise, you will create, place and modify a keynote legend, by adding a detail view that contains
keynotes, to a drawing sheet.

Create a keynote legend

1 Click File menu ➤ Keynoting, and under Keynote Table, for Full Path, click Browse.
2 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Common\Express
Workshop\Sheet Layout \c_express_workshop_RevitKeynotes_Imperial_2004.txt.
3 Click View menu ➤ New ➤ Keynote Legend.
4 In the New Keynote Legend dialog, for Name, enter Keynote Legend - Project.

Project Detail Sheet Layout | 47

 5 In the Keynote Legend Properties dialog, on the Appearance tab, under Text, clear Show Headers,
and click OK.

6 Expand the column widths to see all of the information.

TIP Double-click the column dividers to expand the columns to fit the text.

Add a keynote legend

7 In the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), double-click A601 - Sections/Details.

The drawing sheet is displayed in the drawing area.

8 In the Project Browser, expand Legends, and drag Keynote Legend - Project to the lower-left
detail area on the drawing sheet, as shown.

48 | Chapter 2 Express Workshop

 9 Press ESC to clear the selection.
The keynote legend is visible, displaying all keys and corresponding text for keynotes contained
within the project.

Modify the keynote legend display

10 Type ZR, and zoom in on the Keynote Legend - Project as shown.

11 Select the keynote schedule on the sheet.

12 Select the left control of the schedule and drag it to the right to expand the left column width
as shown.

13 Expand the right column width as shown and press ESC to clear the selection.

Project Detail Sheet Layout | 49

 14 Zoom out and pan to include the keynote legend and the detail box to the right as shown.

15 In the Project Browser, under Legends, right-click Keynote Legend - Project, and click Properties.
16 In the Element Properties dialog, for Filter, click Edit.
17 In the Keynote Legend Properties dialog, at the bottom of the Filter tab, select Filter by sheet,
and click OK.
18 In the Element Properties dialog, for View Name, enter Keynote Legend - Sheet, and click OK.
19 Click OK twice.

The Keynote Legend is now blank. Because no views containing keynotes have been placed in
the drawing sheet, the keynote legend has no keynote text or key values to display.

NOTE The detail components of the Window Head detail contained on this sheet do not appear in
the Keynote Legend because they are annotated with text, not keynotes.

Add a detail view

20 In the Project Browser, expand Detail Views (Detail), and drag Wall Base 1 to the detail area
between the keynote legend and the Window Head detail on the drawing sheet, as shown.

50 | Chapter 2 Express Workshop

 The keynote legend is automatically updated, displaying all keynote text and key values present
on the drawing sheet.

Project Title Sheet Layout

In this exercise, you will add a view without a view title to the Title sheet drawing, and then add and update
a Drawing list.

Add a view without a view title

1 In the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), double-click A0 - Title Sheet 1.
The Title sheet is displayed in the drawing area.

2 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all) ➤ 3D Views, and drag Title Sheet view to the upper-left
area of the drawing sheet, as shown.

The view remains selected. The view title with line displays below the viewport.

Project Title Sheet Layout | 51

 When you place a view on a sheet, by default, Revit Architecture displays a view title. You can
specify text attributes for view titles, define the information to include in a view title, or omit
view titles from sheets. You can also define these attributes for individual view titles on sheets.

3 In the Type Selector, select Viewport : Viewport /no title mark.

The Title Sheet view title is no longer displayed.

4 Press ESC to clear the selection.

Add a drawing list

In Revit Architecture, drawing lists are schedules that display all drawing sheets that have the Appears In
Drawing List parameter selected within the sheet’s element properties. As part of a construction document
set, sheets that are external to Revit Architecture can also be included in the drawing list.
5 In the Project Browser, expand Schedules/Quantities, and drag Drawing List to the upper-right
area on the drawing sheet, as shown.

The drawing list remains selected. Press ESC to clear the selection.

6 Type ZR, and zoom in on the drawing list.

52 | Chapter 2 Express Workshop

Update the drawing list

7 In the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), while pressing SHIFT, select A602 - Sections/Details
and select A801 - Ceiling Plans.

NOTE The selected sheets do not have any views placed on them.

8 In the Project Browser, right-click the selected sheets, and click Properties.

9 In the Element Properties dialog, under Identity Data, clear Appears In Drawing List, and click
OK.

The drawing list display is updated, including only sheets that contain views.

You have completed the Express Workshop lesson Creating Drawing Sheets with Revit Architecture.

Project Title Sheet Layout | 53

54
Developing Your Designs

55
56
Creating a Building
Information Model 3
In this tutorial, you learn how to design a building information model (BIM) in Revit® Architecture 2009. You create a
retail building that contains 5 floors, a curtain wall, a central service core, and a sloped roof over one corner of the building.

As you develop the building design, you learn how to use parametric design techniques. Parametric design allows you to
incorporate design intent into your model. Dimensions and other positional constraints define relationships between
elements in the model. For example, a wall or a column can be constrained to the grid. If the grid moves, the wall or
column will move with it.
When you constrain Revit Architecture elements to each other, it is good practice to test the constraints, or “flex the
model” by changing parameters. As you complete the exercises in this tutorial, you learn how to constrain elements and
how to test the parametric relationships between them.

Using this Tutorial

In the first 6 exercises of this tutorial, you create a Revit Architecture project from a template provided with the software.
You set up the project and create the structural frame and foundation of the building. This project will serve as the structural
model and will then be linked into an architectural project for further development. After the beginning exercises,

57
subsequent exercises instruct you to open a project training file. In practice, you load any required family type that is not
in your project, such as a door or window, from the product library. The project training files have pre-loaded family types
and represent the correct state for beginning the exercise, so there is no dependency on previously completed exercises.

Creating the Project

In this exercise, you create the project that will store the retail building design and different views of the
building. The project is stored as a single file, with an RVT extension.
To create the project file, you use a template that is provided with the software. The template file has an
RTE extension and provides default project units, views, levels, and settings, but contains no geometry.

Create the project from the default template

1 In the drawing area, under Projects, click New.
2 In the New Project dialog, under Create new, select Project.
3 Under Template file, verify that the second option is selected, and click Browse.
4 In the left pane of the dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\Templates\DefaultMetric.rte.
Revit Architecture templates are available for specific building types: commercial, construction,
and residential. Each template contains predefined settings and views appropriate for the
corresponding building type. For this project, you will use the default template, and customize
the project as necessary.

5 Click OK.
The new project opens. In the drawing area in the right pane, notice four elevation markers.

In views that display elevation markers, you design inside the elevation markers. Each marker
corresponds to an elevation view in the project: North, South, East, West. You can access these
views by double-clicking the elevation marker arrow, or by opening the view in the Project
Browser.

Explore the project with the Project Browser

6 On the left side of the drawing screen, locate the Project Browser.

58 | Chapter 3 Creating a Building Information Model

 The Project Browser contains a hierarchical tree structure that you use to navigate the views,
sheets, schedules, and families in your project.

7 If necessary, expand Views (all), then expand Floor Plans, Ceiling Plans, and Elevations (Building
Elevation).
The views that display under each of these branches of the tree are the default floor plan views,
reflected ceiling plan views, and elevation views created in the project by the template. These
views are customizable: you can rename them, change their properties, duplicate them, and
delete them. You can also add views to your project as you develop and document the building
information model.

NOTE If you create a project without a template, only a single floor plan view and a single ceiling
plan view are created.

8 Under Floor Plans, verify that Level 1 displays as bold.

The bold type indicates that the Level 1 Floor Plan view is the current view, the view you see in
the drawing area. Notice that in the top left corner of your screen, the software title bar contains
the name of the software and Project 1- Floor Plan: Level 1 to indicate that the Level 1 Floor
plan view is current.

9 Under Elevations (Building Elevation), double-click South.

Two level lines, created by the template, display in the south elevation. Level lines are finite
horizontal planes that you use to define the levels (stories) of your building information model.
You use levels to position Revit Architecture elements in your building model. You can add,
delete, and duplicate levels, as well as change their names, heights, and other properties.

10 In the Project Browser, notice the Legends, Schedules/Quantities, Sheets (all), Families, Groups,
and Revit Links branches that display at the same level as Views (all).
As you design and document your building model, content and building model reports, such
as schedules and legends, will be accessible from the Project Browser.

Save the project

11 Click File menu ➤ Save As.

12 In the left pane of the Save As dialog, click to scroll down to the bottom of the list, and click
Training Files.
13 In the file window, double-click Metric.
This folder contains the Revit Architecture files that you need to complete all of the Revit
Architecture tutorials.

14 For File name, enter Revit Retail Building.

15 For Save as type, verify that Project Files (*.rvt) is selected.
16 Click Save.
As you complete the exercises in this tutorial, you will want to save your work frequently. You
can control how often the software will prompt you to save your work. Click Settings
menu ➤ Options, and on the General tab, view the Save reminder interval.

Creating the Project | 59

 17 Proceed to the next exercise, Adding Project Levels on page 60.

Adding Project Levels

In this exercise, you modify the 2 default project levels and add 5 levels to the project to define the 7 vertical
levels of the building model. You change the names of the 2 default levels, as well as the corresponding
floor and ceiling plan views to create foundation and entry levels for the building. You also change the
elevation of the two levels lines to the appropriate heights for the first two stories of the building. After you
modify the two default levels, you add the remaining 5 levels using different techniques.

You learn how the levels are locked, or constrained, to each other, so that when one level moves, the other
levels move and change with it. When you begin designing, you will use the levels to position building
elements such as walls, doors, and windows within the building model.

Modify the two default project levels

1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Elevations (Building Elevation), and
double-click South.
2 Zoom to the level names at the right end of each level line.
3 Double-click the Level 1 text, enter 00 Foundation, and press ENTER.

TIP Because views list alphabetically or sequentially in the Project Browser, it is good practice to
precede the level names with level numbers so the corresponding views will list sequentially in the
Project Browser.

60 | Chapter 3 Creating a Building Information Model

 4 Click Yes to rename the corresponding floor and ceiling plan views.
5 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans and Ceiling Plans, notice the Level 1 floor and ceiling
plan views are now named 00 Foundation.
6 Click the 00 Foundation elevation height, enter -1800, and press ENTER.
7 Double-click the Level 2 text, enter 01 Entry Level, and press ENTER.
8 Click Yes to rename the corresponding views.
9 Click the 01 Entry Level elevation height, enter 0, and press ENTER.

Next, you add a level by drawing it above the 01 Entry Level.

Use the Draw option to add a level

10 Zoom out so you can see both levels in the view.

11 On the left side of the Project Browser, view the Design Bar.
The Design Bar provides tabs that provide quick access to many commands. By default, not all
the tabs are visible. The command that you use to add levels is on the Basics tab, which should
display by default. If it does not, place the cursor anywhere on the Design Bar, right-click, and
click Basics.

12 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Level.

Notice that the bar above the drawing area changes to display new tools and settings. This is
the Options Bar. The Options Bar displays appropriate options and settings for every command
that you select on the Design Bar.

13 On the Options Bar, verify that (Draw) and Make Plan View are selected.
14 Click Plan View Types, verify that Ceiling Plan and Floor Plan are selected, and click OK.
When you add the new level, a corresponding ceiling plan and floor plan view will be created.

15 Move the cursor to the left endpoint of the 01 Entry Level line, and then move it up.
As you move the cursor, a temporary dimension displays the height between 01 Entry Level and
the cursor position.

16 Enter 3750, and press ENTER to specify the start point of the new level line, 3750 mm above 01
Entry Level. (You do not have to click to specify the start point.)
17 Move the cursor horizontally until a dashed blue line displays alignment with the two existing
levels, click to specify the endpoint of the level line, and press ESC.

Adding Project Levels | 61

 18 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, right-click Level 3, click Rename, and enter 02 Level.
19 Click OK.
20 Click Yes to rename the corresponding level and view.
Notice that the name of the level line changes to 02 Level in the current view.

21 In the Project Browser, verify that you have created an 02 Level ceiling plan view as well.
Next, you add another level, using a different option.

Use the Pick option to add a level

22 On Design Bar, click Level.

23 On the Options Bar, click (Pick Lines), and for Offset, enter 3750.
24 Place the cursor on the 02 Level line, and move it slightly upward.
A dashed blue line indicates where the new level will be drawn, 3750 mm above the 02 Level
line.

25 Click to place the level line.

26 Press ESC, or on the Design Bar, click Modify to end the command.
27 Rename the level 03 Level, and rename the corresponding views.
Add the remaining 3 levels

28 Using either the Draw or Pick option, add 3 levels 3750 mm apart above 03 Level.
Name the levels:
■ 04 Level

■ 05 Roof Garden

■ 06 Roof

NOTE Do not use the Copy command to create the levels. If you create a level by copying it, the
associated floor and ceiling plan views are not created. Copy levels only when you want to use them
for reference.

62 | Chapter 3 Creating a Building Information Model

Display a symbol at the left endpoint of the 06 level line

29 Click the 06 Roof Level line, and zoom to the left endpoint of the line.
30 Select the empty blue box on the left to display a level symbol at the left endpoint of the line,
as shown.

31 Clear the box to redisplay the level symbol on the right side only.
Test the level constraints

32 Select and drag the blue circle to the right or left to shorten or lengthen the level lines.
Notice that by moving the top level, all the levels move. The lock icon that displays indicates
that the levels are vertically constrained. If you select a level and click its lock, the levels are no
longer constrained, and you can move them independently. Verify that the levels are vertically
constrained with locks before you continue on to the next exercise.

33 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating a Column Grid on page 64.

Adding Project Levels | 63

Creating a Column Grid
In this exercise, you create a structural grid in the 00 Foundation floor plan view of the building model.
When the grid is complete, you place the building columns at the grid line intersections. By using the grid
to control the placement of columns, you ensure a level of accuracy early in your design.

In the following exercise, you constrain the column heights to the roof level, so that if the roof elevation
changes, the column height changes as well. In a later exercise, you change the columns to round hollow
steel columns.

Create vertical column grid lines

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 00 Foundation.
2 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Grid.

3 On the Options Bar, select (Draw).

Notice that the status bar prompts you to specify a start point for the grid line.

4 Draw the first vertical grid line:

■ In the lower left corner of the drawing area, specify a start point for the grid line.

■ Move the cursor up, until it is positioned under the top elevation marker, and specify the
grid line endpoint.

■ On the Design Bar, click Modify.

The number 1 displays inside the bubble at the endpoint of the completed grid line.

64 | Chapter 3 Creating a Building Information Model

5 Change the grid bubble number to a letter:
■ Double-click 1 inside the grid bubble.

■ Enter A, and press ENTER.

You can change what displays in grid bubbles at any point in your project.

Next, use the Pick option to create another vertical grid line by offsetting it a specific distance
from the existing line.

6 Offset a second vertical grid line from the first grid line:
■ On the Design Bar, click Grid.

■ On the Options Bar, click (Pick Lines), and for Offset, enter 7500 mm.

■ Move the cursor to the right side of the grid line, and then place the cursor on the grid line
to display the location of the second grid line.

■ Click to place the grid line.

7 Add 3 vertical grid lines:

■ On the Options Bar, for Offset, enter 4500 mm.

■ Move the cursor to the right side of grid line B, and click to place the line.

■ Move the cursor to the right side of grid line C, and click to place the line.

■ On the Options Bar, for Offset, enter 7500 mm.

■ Move the cursor to the right side of grid line D, and click to place the line.

Creating a Column Grid | 65

 8 Press ESC.
Create horizontal grid lines

9 Draw the first horizontal grid line:

■ On the Design Bar, click Grid.

■ On the Options Bar, click (Draw) and specify an Offset of 0 mm.

■ On the upper left side of the grid, specify a start point for the grid line just below grid line
A.

■ Move the cursor horizontally past the vertical grid line E, and specify the grid line endpoint.

The letter F displays inside the bubble at the endpoint of the completed grid line.

10 Change the grid bubble letter to 1.

11 On the Design Bar, click Grid.
12 Using the Pick option and offsets of 7500 mm and 4500 mm, add horizontal grid lines to
complete the grid, as shown.

66 | Chapter 3 Creating a Building Information Model

Dimension the grid and lock the grid spacing

13 On the Design Bar, click Dimension.

14 On the Options Bar, click (Aligned).

15 Starting with grid line A, select each vertical grid line just under its grid bubble.
16 When you select the last vertical grid line, click the drawing area to the right of the line to place
the dimension.
17 Click all 4 lock icons on the dimension string to lock the grid bay spacing.
The locks ensure that the grid spacing cannot be accidentally changed.

18 On the Design Bar, click Dimension.

19 Dimension the horizontal grid lines as shown.

20 Click the 4 lock icons to lock the horizontal grid dimensions.

21 Press ESC twice.
22 While pressing CTRL, select grid lines C and 3.

Creating a Column Grid | 67

 23 Click Edit menu ➤ Pin Position.
Two pins display on the grid lines. By pinning these central grid lines, you ensure that the grid
remains centered and the building will grow out from the center if its grid dimensions are
changed.

24 Press ESC.
The pins are hidden. You must select the grid lines to redisplay the pins.

25 Adjust the grid:

■ On the Design Bar, click Modify, and select grid line A.

■ At the bottom endpoint of the grid line, click and drag the blue circular grip up, until it is
closer to grid line 5, and press ESC.

■ Select grid line 1.

■ At the left endpoint of the grid line, click and drag the blue circular grip to the right, until
it is closer to grid line A, and press ESC.

■ If necessary, adjust the position of the dimension strings by selecting and dragging them.

Create a custom grid family type

In some cases, building geometry requires the need for grid lines to contain breaks or display differently.
The following steps illustrate how to create a grid family type with a gap in the middle of the display.

26 In the drawing area, select grid line 5, and on the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).
27 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
28 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
29 In the Name dialog, enter 6.5mm Bubble with Gap, and click OK.

30 In the Type Properties dialog, click the value for Center Segment, click , and select None.
The Center Segment parameter can be set to not display or to display in a different loaded line
pattern. Additional parameters in this dialog allow you to control the display of the grid line in
both plan and section/elevation views.

31 For End Segments Length, enter 50mm.

32 Click OK twice.
33 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

68 | Chapter 3 Creating a Building Information Model

 34 Draw a selection box to select all of the grid lines.
35 In the Type Selector, select Grid : 6.5mm Bubble with Gap.
Select and change all grids to use the newly created family type.

36 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

37 Select the grid lines again, and in the Type Selector, select Grid : 6.5mm Bubble, and press ESC.
The original continuous grid lines are restored.

Add columns to the grid

38 On the Structural tab of the Design Bar, click Structural Column.

39 In the Type Selector, select UC-Universal Column : 305x305x97UC.
40 On the Options Bar:
■ Select Height and 05 Roof Garden.

■ For Place By, click (Grid Intersection).

41 While pressing CTRL, select all of the grid lines.

42 Verify that all the grid lines are selected (red), and on the Options Bar, click Finish.

Creating a Column Grid | 69

 Columns that span from the 00 Foundation level to the 05 Roof Garden level are added at the
grid line intersections of the column grid.

43 Press ESC.
44 Select the dimension string between grid line A and B, and unlock it.
45 While pressing CTRL, select grid line A.
46 On the Options Bar, click Activate Dimensions, and then select the dimension value between
grid lines A and B.
47 Enter 9000, and press ENTER.
The columns move to the new location at the intersection of the grid lines.

48 On the Standard toolbar, click (Undo) twice to restore the original locked grid dimension.
49 Select the dimension string and verify that it is locked. If it is unlocked, lock it.
Next, create a 3D perspective view with a camera in which to better view the columns. You want
to view the columns as if you were walking toward them.

Create a 3D perspective view of the building

50 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 Entry Level.

51 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Camera.
52 On the Options Bar, for From, select 01 Entry Level.
53 Place the camera and select its target point:
■ Zoom to the lower right corner of the column grid, and click to specify a point beyond the
last horizontal grid line to place the camera.

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 ■ Move the cursor next to grid bubble A, and click to place the target point of the camera.

The 3D perspective view created by the camera displays. The view frame is highlighted in red
and its grips display.

54 Zoom out and resize the view by moving the frame grips until you can see all of the columns.

Creating a Column Grid | 71

 55 Name the view:
■ In the Project Browser, under Views (all), expand 3D Views.
The current view, named 3D View 1 by default, displays in bold under 3D Views.

■ Right-click 3D View 1, and click Rename.

■ In the Rename View dialog, enter To Building, and click OK.

56 Save the drawing.

57 Proceed to the next exercise, Adding Beams on page 72.

Adding Beams
In this exercise, you add beams to build the structure of the building model. You begin by adding beams to
the 01 Entry Level floor plan, and then copy them to subsequent levels.

When you finish adding beams, you change the height of the columns so they extend to the 06 Roof level.

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Add beams to the first level of the building
1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 Entry Level.
2 At the bottom left corner of the drawing area, view the icons on the View Control Bar.
The View Control Bar offers graphical shortcuts to view settings and commands.

3 Click the Detail Level icon , the icon on the right side of the scale.
A flyout menu displays the level of detail in which you can display the elements in the current
view. The view is currently set to Coarse, which displays the structural elements in your view
as single lines.

4 Click Medium.
5 On the Structural tab of the Design Bar, click Beam.
6 In the Type Selector, verify that UB-Universal Beam : 305x165x40UB is selected.

7 On the Options Bar, click (Create Beam On Grid).

8 While pressing CTRL, select each grid line.
The selected grid lines display as red.

9 On the Options Bar, click Finish.

10 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click To Building to view all of the beams.

Adding Beams | 73
 Copy beams from 01 Entry Level to levels 02 through 06

11 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 Entry Level.

12 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

The default 3D view is a southeast isometric view with hidden lines.

13 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

14 Select one of the beams, right-click, and click Select All Instances.
All of the beams attached to the columns display as red.

NOTE The default 3D view is not available in a perspective or camera view.

15 Click Edit menu ➤ Copy to Clipboard.

16 Click Edit menu ➤ Paste Aligned ➤ Select Levels by Name.
17 In the Select Levels dialog, select 02 Level, press and hold SHIFT, select 06 Roof, and click OK.
The beams that you copied from the 01 Entry Level are pasted onto each subsequent level of
the building. Notice that top level beams are not connected to the columns, which only extend

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 to the 5th level. When you created the columns, you specified their height to reach only the
05 Roof Garden level.

Change the height of the columns

18 Select one of the columns, right-click, and click Element Properties.

19 In the Element Properties dialog, under Instance Parameters, view the Top Level parameter.
The parameter is set to 05 Roof Garden. You could change this parameter to 06 Roof in this
dialog to change the height of the column, but it would only change the height of the single
selected column.

20 Click Cancel.
21 With the column selected, right-click, and click Select All Instances.
All of the columns display as red.

22 On the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).

23 In the Element Properties dialog, under Constraints, for Top Level, select 06 Roof, and click OK.
24 Press ESC.
The columns now extend to the top level of the building, 06 Roof.

25 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click To Building, and if necessary, resize the
view to see the entire structure.

Adding Beams | 75
 NOTE If you select the camera to resize the view, press ESC to exit the command before continuing.

View the south elevation of the structure

26 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, double-click South.

You can view the columns and beams in the elevation, but you want to display them in less
detail, as lines only.

27 At the lower left corner of the drawing area, on the View Control Bar:
■ Click Model Graphics Style ➤ Hidden Line.

■ Click Detail Level ➤ Coarse.

The structural elements (columns and beams) display only as lines.

28 Save the drawing.

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 29 Proceed to the next exercise, Adding Braces on page 77.

Adding Braces
In this exercise, you add braces to the 4 corners of the building structure. To better add the braces to the
structure, you create 8 framing elevation views.

Create framing elevation views

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 00 Foundation.
2 On the Structural tab of the Design Bar, click Framing Elevation.
3 On the Options Bar, verify that Attach to Grid is selected.
4 Click near the outer grid lines to place 8 elevation markers around the outside of the grid as
shown, and press ESC to end the command.
Each elevation marker aligns perpendicularly to the grid.

Adding Braces | 77
 Add braces in a framing elevation view

5 On the bottom left side of the grid, double-click the elevation marker arrow.

The associated framing elevation view displays.

6 Select the crop region (if necessary), and use the grips that display to adjust both sides of the
view, so that you can see vertical columns located on grid lines A and B.
7 On the Design Bar, click Brace.
8 In the Type Selector, verify that UB-Universal Beam : 305x165x40UB is selected.
9 Move the cursor to the left endpoint of the beam on 01 Entry Level, and when the endpoint
snap displays, click to specify the start point of the brace.

NOTE Make sure you snap to the endpoints of the beams when adding braces to ensure proper
connectivity in the building model. The endpoints will display when you move the cursor over them,
but when placed the braces are placed, visible offsets between the beam and the brace connection
points displays.

10 Move the cursor diagonally to the right endpoint of the beam on 02 Level, and click to specify
the endpoint of the brace.

11 Using the same technique, add 4 braces on the subsequent levels of the building as shown. After
you add the final brace, press ESC twice.

NOTE Do not copy or array braces. You must place them one by one to establish the proper
connections between elements.

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Lower the height of the roof (06 Roof) and the 04 Level to test the connectivity

12 Double-click the 06 Roof level height, enter 18000 mm, and press ENTER.
The height of the roof lowers.

IMPORTANT If the brace does not move with the level, delete it and redraw it. Make sure that you
use the endpoint snap to connect the brace to the beams.

Adding Braces | 79
 13 Double-click the 04 Level height, enter 10000 mm, and press ENTER.

14 On the Standard toolbar, click (Undo) twice to restore the original level heights.
Add braces in another framing elevation view

15 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 00 Foundation.

16 On the bottom right side of the grid, double-click the framing elevation marker arrow.
17 Add diagonal braces to the structure, but this time add them from right to left.

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Add braces in the remaining views and test the connectivity of the building model structure

18 Add braces to the structure in the remaining framing elevation views, as shown in the 3D view
below.

NOTE As you add braces, periodically open the 3D view to see that the braces are positioned as
expected.

19 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 00 Foundation.

20 Select the dimension string between grid lines A and B, and click the lock that displays to unlock
it.
21 Select grid line A, and on the Options Bar, click Activate Dimensions.
22 Click the dimension value of the first vertical grid bay (the one that you unlocked), enter 12000
mm, and press ENTER.
23 In the Project Browser, open the 3D view and notice the change in the size.

Adding Braces | 81
 24 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, double-click South.
25 Change the height of the 06 Roof level to 24000 mm.
26 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click {3D}.

Test connectivity of the columns, beams, and braces

27 Select one of the columns in the structure, and drag it away from the structure.
The connected beams and braces resize as the columns move.

28 On the Standard toolbar, click (Undo) 3 times to restore the locked dimension, grid size,
and roof height.

29 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 00 Foundation.

30 Select the dimension string of the first vertical grid bay, and if necessary, lock it.
31 Save the drawing.
32 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating a Foundation on page 82.

Creating a Foundation
In this exercise, you place isolated pile caps under the building columns to create a foundation system that
distributes the building load to the ground.

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Before you can add the pile caps, you must load the appropriate pile cap family into the project. You learn
how to access the families that are stored in libraries included with software, and how to load specific families
into a project. After you load the pile cap family, you add the pile caps in the 00 Foundation floor plan view,
where you must adjust the view range before you can see them.

Load a pile cap family

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 00 Foundation.
2 On the Structural tab of the Design Bar, click Foundation ➤ Isolated.
3 In the Revit dialog that displays, click Yes to load a new structural foundation family.
4 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\Families\Structural\Foundations\M_Pile Cap-Rectangular.rfa.
Verify that the pile cap family is loaded in the project

5 In the Project Browser, expand Families, and expand Structural Foundations.

The M_Pile Cap-Rectangular family displays in the tree.

6 Expand M_Pile Cap-Rectangular to display the available pile cap types (sizes).
7 Select 2000 x 2000 x 900mm, and drag it to the drawing area.
Add the first pile cap

8 At the top left of the grid, click the intersection of grid line A and grid line 1.
A warning displays.

9 Close the warning dialog, and press ESC twice.

The pile cap has been added in the view, but the current depth of the view does not allow you
to view it.

10 Edit the 00 Foundation view range:

■ Right-click in the view, and click View Properties.

■ In the Element Properties dialog, under Extents, for View Range, click Edit.

■ In the View Range dialog, under View Depth, for Level, select Unlimited.

■ Click OK twice.

The foundation pile cap now displays.

Creating a Foundation | 83
 Add pile caps to complete the foundation

11 Right-click the pile cap, and click Create Similar.

12 Select each grid intersection to add pile caps that form the foundation. When the final pile cap
is placed, press ESC twice.

13 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click {3D} to view the complete foundation.

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 14 Close the file with or without saving it.
15 Proceed to the next exercise, Changing Structural Member Types on page 85.

Changing Structural Member Types

In this exercise, you change the types of the columns, beams, and braces that you used to create the building
structure. You load new column, beam, and brace families into the project, and learn how to select and
change multiple structural element types to refine the building structure.
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_RRB_update_structure.rvt.

Change the column type

1 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click {3D}.
2 Select one of the columns, right-click, and click Select All Instances.
All columns in the building model display as red.

NOTE The default 3D view is the only 3D view in which the Select All Instances command is available.
It is not available in a perspective or camera view.

Changing Structural Member Types | 85

 3 In the Type Selector, select CHS-Circular Hollow Section-Column : 508x12.5CHS.
4 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
The building model displays the round hollow columns.

Change the beam type

5 Select one of the beams, right-click, and click Select All Instances.
6 In the Type Selector, select M_HSS-Hollow Structural Section : HSS203.2X101.6X15.9.
7 On the Design Bar, click Modify to view the new beam type in the building model.
Because the braces that you added were actually a beam type, the braces as well as the beams
change. In the following steps, you change the brace type.

Change the brace type

8 On the Structural tab of the Design Bar, click Brace.

9 In the Type Selector, select M_Round Bar : 25mm.
This not the size that you want to use, but it is the only size of its type currently available. You
need to create a new bar type by duplicating the 25mm bar type, and changing its size parameter.

10 On the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).

11 In the Element Properties dialog, for Type, click Edit/New.
12 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
13 In the Name dialog, enter 75mm, and click OK.
14 In the Type Properties dialog, under Dimensions, for d, enter 75mm, and click OK twice.
15 In the Project Browser, under Elevations (Interior Elevation), double-click Elevation 1-a.
16 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
17 While pressing CTRL, select the braces in the elevation one by one.
18 In the Type Selector, select M_Round Bar: 75mm.
19 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
The brace type changes, although the framing elevation displays the braces as lines only.

20 Open the other building elevations and change the braces to M_Round Bar: 75mm.
View the building model with the new structural element types

21 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

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 NOTE You may close the project with or without saving it.

22 Proceed to the next exercise, Linking the Structural Model on page 87.

Linking the Structural Model

In this exercise, the structural model created in the previous exercises is linked to an architectural project
containing site information. After the files are linked, the architectural file will be used to further develop
the building information model.
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_RRB_architectural.rvt.

Link the structural model

1 Click File menu ➤ Import/Link ➤ Revit.

2 In the Import/Link RVT dialog, select m_RRB_structure_complete.rvt.
3 Under Positioning, select Auto - Origin to Origin, and click Open.
Use the Origin to Origin option to ensure proper alignment with the site in the architectural
file.

Linking the Structural Model | 87

 4 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, double-click South.

5 On the Tools toolbar, click (Copy/Monitor), and click Select Link.

The Copy/Monitor tool allows you to establish and monitor relationships between elements in
a host project and linked projects. In this case, the host project is the architectural file and the
linked project is the structural model. You use the Link option because it is likely that the
structural model will change. The standard workflow when working with outside consultants
is to link in the structural model; however, it is also possible to design the structural components
as part of the architectural model, depending on the project.

6 In the drawing area, select the linked Revit model.

7 On the Copy/Monitor tab of the Design Bar, click Copy.
After the link is established, you use the copy/monitor function to place the correct levels into
the host project. Grids, structural members, and walls could also be copy/monitored.

8 On the Options Bar, select Multiple.

9 In the drawing area, while pressing CTRL, select Levels 00 through 06.

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 10 On the Options Bar, click Finish.
11 In the Duplicate Types dialog, click OK.
12 Ignore and close any warnings that display.
13 On the Design Bar, click Finish mode.
Create views for each of the new levels

14 Click View menu ➤ New ➤ Floor Plan.

15 In the New Plan dialog, for Floor Plan views, while pressing SHIFT, select 06 Roof (selecting all
levels 00 through 06).
16 Click OK.
The 06 Roof floor plan opens.

Delete existing views

17 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, right-click Level 1, and click Delete.
18 Using the same method, delete the Level 2 floor plan.
Turn off visibility of the site elements

To get the plans to display without the site information, you create a view template and assign it to the new
floor plans. First, you turn off the visibility of the site elements from the Foundation view.

Linking the Structural Model | 89

 19 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 00 Foundation.

20 In the drawing area, select the Topography : Surface, right-click, and click Hide in
view ➤ Category.
21 In the drawing area, select Entourage: Stuart Hall 1 : Stuart Hall 1, right-click, and click Hide in
view ➤ Category.
22 Zoom to fit the drawing in the view.

Create a template from the current view

23 Click View menu ➤ Create View Template from View.

24 In the New View Template dialog, for Name, enter Floor Plans, and click OK.
25 In the View Templates dialog, click OK.
26 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 Entry Level.

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Apply the view template to new views

27 Click View menu ➤ Apply View Template.

28 In the Apply View Template dialog, under Names, select Floor Plans, and click OK.
29 Zoom to fit the plan in the view.
Recreate the To Building camera view

30 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Site.

31 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Camera.
32 Click in the road intersection at the bottom right corner of the building grid.

33 Click at the upper left of the grid.

34 In the 3D view that displays, adjust the borders so that the entire building is visible.

Linking the Structural Model | 91

 35 In the Project Browser, expand 3D Views, right-click 3D View 1, and click Rename.
36 In the Rename View dialog, enter To Building, and click OK.

NOTE You may close the project with or without saving it.

37 Proceed to the next exercise, Adding Floors on page 92.

Adding Floors
In this exercise, you add floors to the 01 Entry Level through the 05 Roof Garden level of the building.

To create floors, you must sketch them first in a Sketch Editor. Some other Revit Architecture elements, such
as roofs, stairs, and railings are also created from sketches. In this exercise, you learn some different techniques
that you can use when sketching objects.
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_RRB_add_floors.rvt.

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Add the 01 Entry Level Floor
1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 Entry Level.
2 Sketch the floor:
■ On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Floor.
Notice the Design Bar now displays the Sketch tab, and elements in the current view display
as gray. You are now in the Sketch Editor.

■ On the Sketch tab, click Lines.

■ On the Options Bar, click (Rectangle).

■ Using a crossing window, sketch a rectangular floor inside the extents of the grid.
The exact dimensions of the sketched floor are not important because you resize it in the
next steps.

3 Place a dimension between the first horizontal grid line and the left floor edge:
■ On the Design Bar, click Dimension.

■ At the top left corner of the grid, select the top floor line, and then the first horizontal grid
line.

■ Move the cursor to the left, past the first vertical grid line, and click above the first horizontal
grid line to place the dimension.
Leave this dimension unlocked. If the grid changes size, the 01 Entry Level floor will resize
with it.

4 Dimension the space between the left floor edge and the first vertical grid line. Do not lock the
dimension.

Adding Floors | 93
 5 Dimension the bottom right corner of the grid. Do not lock the dimensions.

6 Resize the floor sketch by changing its dimensions:

■ On the Design Bar, click Modify.

■ At the top left corner of the grid, select the top floor line.

■ Move the cursor to the left dimension, and click the temporary dimension value.

■ Enter 300, press ENTER, and then press ESC.

■ Select the left floor edge and change the top dimension value to 300.

■ Move the cursor to dimensions at the bottom of the grid, and change their values to 300
mm.

■ Select and lock the dimensions.

7 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch to create the floor.

The dimensions are not visible on the finished floor. They display on the floor sketch.

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 8 Select the floor, and on the Options Bar, click Edit.
The floor sketch and dimensions redisplay. This is how you could modify the floor if you needed
to after creating it.

9 Because you do not need to modify the floor, on the Design Bar, click Quit Sketch.
Next, you will add a floor to the 02 Level of the building model, using a different sketching
technique. You use the Pick option to create a floor from the 01 Entry Level floor geometry.

Add the 02 Level floor

10 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 02 Level.

11 Sketch the floor:
■ On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Floor.

■ On the Sketch tab, click Lines.

■ On the Options Bar, click (Pick Lines), and for Offset, enter 1500mm.

■ Select the right vertical 01 Entry Level floor line, and move the cursor until the dashed blue
line displays in the inside of the 01 Entry Level floor.

■ Select the three remaining floor lines, and press ESC.

IMPORTANT Make sure you select the 01 Entry Level floor lines and not the grid lines.

The 02 Level floor sketch displays.

12 At the top left corner of the grid, dimension the space between the 02 Level floor and the grid
as shown, and lock the dimensions.

Adding Floors | 95
 13 At the bottom right corner of the grid, dimension and lock the space between the 02 Level floor
and the grid.
14 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.
The 02 Level floor displays.

Add the 03 Level floor

15 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 03 Level.

The 02 Level floor is visible in the view.

16 On the Design Bar, click Floor.

17 On the Sketch tab, click Lines.

18 On the Options Bar, click (Rectangle).

19 Sketch a floor inside the 02 Level floor.

20 On the Tools toolbar, click (Align).

The cursor changes to 2 arrows to indicate that the Align tool is active.

21 Select the top 02 Level floor line, and then select the top line of the 03 Level floor sketch.
The sketched floor line is aligned with the top 03 Level floor line, and a lock icon displays.

22 Click the lock to constrain the 03 Level floor line to the 02 Level floor.
23 Continue to align the remaining 3 floor sketch lines with the 02 Level floor. Click the locks to
constrain the floors.

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 24 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.
25 Repeat the previous procedure to create a floor on the 04 Level, and constrain the 04 Level floor
to the 03 Level floor.
Alternatively, you could place the rectangular sketch on the 04 Level, and lock the edges.

Copy and paste the 01 Entry Level floor to the 05 Roof Garden level

26 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 Entry Level.

27 Select the 01 Entry Level Floor.
28 Click Edit menu ➤ Copy to Clipboard.
29 Click Edit menu ➤ Paste Aligned ➤ Select Levels by Name.
30 In the Select Levels dialog, select 05 Roof Garden, and click OK.
31 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 05 Roof Garden.
The 01 Entry Level floor is copied at the same location onto the 05 Roof Garden level.

32 Select the floor, and on the Options Bar, click Edit.

33 At the top left corner of the grid, dimension the space between the 05 Roof Garden level floor
and the grid. Click the lock icons that display next to the dimensions to constrain the 05 Roof
Garden level floor to the grid.
34 At the bottom right corner of the grid, dimension the space between 05 Roof Garden level floor
and the grid. Lock the dimensions to constrain the floor.
35 On the Sketch tab, click Finish Sketch.
View the floors in the 3D building model

36 In the Project Browser, under Views ➤ 3D Views, double-click {3D}.

Adding Floors | 97
 NOTE You may close the project with or without saving it.

37 Proceed to the next exercise, Adding a Roof on page 98.

Adding a Roof
In this exercise, you add a low slope roof over the roof garden on the building.

To create the roof, you use the Roof by Footprint option in Revit Architecture. You sketch the footprint
(perimeter) of the roof in a plan view.
You shape the flat roof of the roof garden to have a roof drain sloping to the center structural member under
the roof. You edit the section of the roof slab so it stays flat across the bottom of the roof slab.
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_RRB_add_roof.rvt.

Add the roof

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 06 Roof.
2 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Roof ➤ Roof by Footprint.
3 On the Design Bar, click Lines.
4 On the Options Bar:
■ Clear Defines slope.

■ Click (Pick Lines).

■ For Offset, enter 1800 mm, and press ENTER.

5 Move the cursor over grid line E, and then move the cursor slightly to the right of the grid line.
When a blue dashed line displays, click to place the roof line.

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6 Select grid line 5, move the cursor slightly below the grid line, and when the blue dashed line
displays, click to place the roof line.

7 On the Options Bar, for Offset, enter 300 mm.

8 Select grid line C to place another roof line (blue line to the left).
9 Select grid line 3 to place the final roof line (blue line above).

Adding a Roof | 99
 10 Press ESC.
11 Trim the rooflines:

■ On the Tools toolbar, click (Trim/Extend).

■ Select the lower portion of the roof line that you created from grid line E (the part you want
to keep), and then select the right portion of the roof line that you created from grid line 5.

■ Continue to trim the lines until you complete the roof as shown.

12 On the Design Bar, click Finish Roof.

Add the roof drain

13 In the drawing area, select the roof.

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 14 On the Options Bar, click (Add new points to the slab shape).
15 On the Options Bar, for Elevation, enter -100 mm, and press ENTER.
16 Select the intersection of grid lines D and 4.

17 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

The result is a roof slab which slopes down to a single point.

Create a section view

18 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Section.

19 Click above the top horizontal line of the roof, on grid D, move the cursor down below the roof,
and click to specify the section.

Adding a Roof | 101

 20 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
21 Double-click the section head to open the section.
22 Zoom in to the upper left corner of the section.

23 Click Window menu ➤ Close Hidden Windows.

24 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 06 Roof.
25 Click Window menu ➤ Tile.
This command tiles the windows so the roof can be seen in section and plan views. In section,
you see that the roof slab is sloped on both faces (upper and lower). The design intent is to have
the underside of the roof flat rather than sloped.

Modify the roof structure

26 In the plan view, select the roof, and on the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).
27 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
28 In the Type Properties dialog, under Construction, for Structure, click Edit.
29 In the Edit Assembly dialog, for Structure [1], select Variable.
The variable check box allows the lower face of the roof to stay flat while the upper face follows
the desired slope.

30 Click OK 3 times.

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 31 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Delete the section view

32 In the floor plan, select the section line, and press DELETE.
33 In the warning dialog, click OK.
34 Maximize the window for the 06 Roof floor plan.
35 Zoom to fit the floor plan in the window.
Add swept fascias

36 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

37 If necessary, on the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Shading with Edges.

38 In the 3D view, zoom in to the roof.

39 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Host Sweep ➤ Roof Fascia.
Host sweeps are profile driven shapes. In this case, the correct profile and fascia have been
defined beforehand. Only the family and the path of the sweep must be defined.

40 In the Type Selector, select Fascia : Fascia - Roof Edge.

You select the upper edge of the roof around the perimeter to define the host sweep path.

41 Starting with the left front edge, moving counter-clockwise, select each edge.

Adding a Roof | 103

 42 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
View the roof

43 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click To Building.

NOTE You may close the project with or without saving it.

44 Proceed to the next exercise, Adding a Curtain Wall on page 104.

Adding a Curtain Wall

In this exercise, you add a curtain wall. You constrain the curtain wall to the grid, so if you resize the grid,
the curtain wall resizes with it.

104 | Chapter 3 Creating a Building Information Model

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_RRB_add_curtainwall.rvt.

Add curtain wall segments

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, click 01 Entry Level.
2 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Wall.

3 In the Type Selector, select Curtain Wall : Storefront, and click (Element Properties).
4 In the Element Properties dialog, for Type, click Edit/New.
5 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
When you duplicate a type, you copy an existing family type and change its name and parameters
to create a new unique type. The type is saved in the project.

6 In the Name dialog, enter Retail Storefront, and click OK.

7 In the Type Properties dialog:
■ Under Construction, for Join Condition, select Horizontal Grid Continuous.

■ Under Vertical Grid Pattern, for Spacing, enter 2100 mm.

■ Under Horizontal Grid Pattern, for Spacing, enter 1050 mm.

■ Click OK twice.

8 On the Options Bar:

■ Click (Pick Lines).

■ For Level, select 01 Entry Level.

■ For Height, select 05 Roof Garden.

■ For Offset, enter 600 mm.

9 Move the cursor over grid line 1 near its endpoint, and move it slightly toward the building
interior.
10 When a blue dashed line displays, click to place the first curtain wall segment.

Adding a Curtain Wall | 105

 11 Select the 3 remaining outermost grid lines to create 3 more curtain wall segments that are offset
600 mm from the grid lines toward the building interior.

Trim the curtain wall segments

12 On the Tools toolbar, click (Trim/Extend), and trim each curtain wall segment.
13 On the Design Bar, click Dimension, dimension both (opposite) corners of the curtain wall to
the grid, and lock the dimensions.
If the grid moves, the locks ensure that the curtain wall moves with it. These dimensions are
not in a sketch, so they remain in the view. If you want to hide them, you can delete the
dimensions, but opt to keep the constraints when prompted.

View the curtain wall

14 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click To Building.

15 On the View Control Bar, verify the view settings:
■ Click Model Graphics Style ➤ Hidden Line.

■ Click Model Graphics Style ➤ Shading with Edges.

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 NOTE You may close the project with or without saving it.

16 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating an Entrance on page 107.

Creating an Entrance
In this exercise, you replace 4 curtain wall panels with doors in the front of the building to create the main
building entrance. You also modify the panels around the doors so they are solid rather than glass.

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_RRB_modify_curtainwall.rvt.

Creating an Entrance | 107

 Modify the South elevation view
1 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), expand Elevations (Building Elevation), and double-click
South.
To better work with the curtain wall panels, you want to change the view so only curtain wall
panels and columns display.

2 On the View Control Bar, click Detail Level ➤ Medium.

3 Click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics.
4 On the Model Categories tab, under the element list, click All.
All the elements in the list are selected.

5 Under Visibility, clear one element to clear all the elements, and click None.
6 Under Visibility, select Curtain Panels and Structural Columns.
Do not select Columns, as these usually represent internal pilasters.

7 Click OK.

8 Zoom in to the entrance area, in the center of the 01 Entry Level.

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 9 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
10 Select 1 panel, press and hold CTRL, and select the other panels around the entrance as shown.

11 When all 9 panels are selected, click the pin to remove it from each of the panels.

12 With the panels selected, in the Type Selector, select System Panel : Solid.
13 Click View menu ➤ Apply View Template.
14 In the Apply View Template dialog, select Architectural Elevation, and click OK.
15 Zoom so you can see the entire drawing.
16 On the View Control Bar, click Detail Level ➤ Medium.
The view template applies a collection of visibility graphics appropriate to the view it is named
for, in this case an architectural elevation. If you select View ➤ Visibility/Graphics, you see that
the visibility of many of the model element categories that you cleared in a previous step are
selected.

17 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click {3D}.

18 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Shading with Edges.

Creating an Entrance | 109

 19 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click To Building.

20 In the Project Browser, under Elevations (Building Elevation), double-click South.

21 Zoom to the front of the building.
22 Move the cursor over the curtain wall mullion as shown.

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23 Press TAB until you are notified that you have selected a grid line, and click to select it.

24 On the Options Bar, click Add or Remove Segments.

25 Select the mullion that you selected previously, select another mullion to the right, and press
ESC to remove the grid lines as shown.

26 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Curtain Grid.

27 On the Options Bar, select One Segment.
28 Select the center of the upper horizontal mullion.

29 Select the center of the upper horizontal mullion to the right.

30 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
31 Select the newly created curtain wall panel (press TAB to cycle through selections), and unpin
it.

32 In the Type Selector, select M_Curtain Wall Sgl Glass.

Creating an Entrance | 111

 33 Repeat for the next 3 panels.

34 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

35 Zoom in to the front of the building, and view the new entrance.

36 Zoom in to the first panel.

37 Move the cursor over the bottom mullion, press TAB until it is selected, select it, and unpin it.

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 38 Press DELETE.
39 Using the same process, remove the mullions from the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th panels.

40 Optionally, open the North elevation, and add an entrance to the north side of the building.
Use the same steps that you used to create the south entrance.

NOTE You may close the project with or without saving it.

41 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating a Drop Ceiling on page 113.

Creating a Drop Ceiling

In this exercise, you create a drop ceiling on the 01 Entry Level of the building.

Creating a Drop Ceiling | 113

 Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_RRB_add_drop_ceiling.rvt.

Display 02 Level as an underlay

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 Entry Level.
2 Zoom in to the lower right corner of the building.

3 Right-click in the view, and click View Properties.

4 In the Element Properties dialog, under Graphics, for Underlay, select 02 Level.
5 Click OK.

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Create a callout

6 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Callout.

The cursor changes to a pencil, which indicates you must draw the callout.

7 Place the callout:

■ Specify a point above the top left column.

■ Move the cursor horizontally below the bottom right column, and click to complete the
callout.

8 Select the callout, select the grip closest to the callout head, and drag the grip down to position
the callout head below the grid as shown.

9 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, right-click Callout of 01 Entry Level, and click Rename.
10 In the Rename View dialog, enter Display Area, and click OK.

Creating a Drop Ceiling | 115

 Create a section

11 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Section.

12 Draw a section line, as shown.

13 Select the section line, right-click, and click Flip Section.

14 Press ESC.
15 Double-click the section marker to view the section.

16 Select the section box, and drag the top grip down to display only 01 Entry Level and 02 Level.

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 17 In the Project Browser, expand Sections (Building Section), right-click Section 1, and click
Rename.
18 In the Rename View dialog, enter Section Display Area, and click OK.
Draw interior walls

19 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 Entry Level.

20 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Wall.
21 In the Type Selector, select Basic Wall : Interior - 135mm Partition (2-hr).
22 On the Options Bar:

■ Click (Draw).

■ For Loc Line, select Finish Face: Exterior.

■ Click (Rectangle).

23 Select the bottom corner of the overhead floor, and then specify a point near the intersection
of grid lines D and 4 to draw a 5000 x 5000 mm square wall inside the grid lines.

24 On the Tools toolbar, click (Align), and align the exterior faces of the right vertical wall
and the bottom horizontal wall with the 02 Level underlay. Lock both alignments.
25 Press ESC twice.
26 On the Design Bar, click Dimension.
27 On the Options Bar, for Prefer, select Wall faces.

Creating a Drop Ceiling | 117

 28 Dimension the space between the exterior face of the left vertical wall and the grid, and lock
the dimension.
29 Dimension the space between the exterior face of the top horizontal wall and the grid, and lock
the dimension.
Add a ceiling

30 In the Project Browser, under Ceiling Plans, double-click 01 Entry Level.

31 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Ceiling.
32 In the Type Selector, select Compound Ceiling : 600 x 600mm Grid.
33 Click inside the newly placed walls to place a ceiling in that space.

34 Press ESC to exit ceiling mode.

35 Align and lock each ceiling line to the interior wall faces. (Press TAB to highlight the ceiling line
or wall face before selecting.)

36 Press ESC twice.

37 In the Project Browser, under Sections (Building Section), double-click Section Display Area.
38 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Wireframe.
Notice that the walls extend to the floor. Next, you modify them to be bulkhead walls.

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Make bulkhead walls

39 In the Project Browser, under Ceiling Plans, double-click 01 Entry Level.

40 Move the cursor over one of the walls, press TAB until the chain of walls is selected, and click
to select the walls.

41 On the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).

42 In the Element Properties dialog, under Constraints, for Base Offset, enter 2700 mm, and click
OK.
43 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

44 Press TAB to highlight the ceiling, click to select it, and click (Element Properties).
45 In the Element Properties dialog, under Constraints, for Height Offset From Level, enter 2700
mm, and click OK.
46 Press ESC.
47 In the Project Browser, under Sections, double-click Section Display Area.

48 Attach the walls to the 02 Level floor:

■ Select one of the vertical walls above the ceiling, press TAB until you select the wall chain,
and click to select the walls.

■ On the Options Bar, for Top/Base, click Attach.

■ Select the 02 Level Floor, and press ESC.

The walls attach to the 02 Level floor.

Creating a Drop Ceiling | 119

 49 In the Project Browser, under Ceiling Plans, double-click 01 Entry Level.
View the ceiling structure

50 Select the ceiling, and click .

51 In the Element Properties dialog, for Type, click Edit/New.
52 In the Type Properties dialog, under Construction, for Structure, click Edit.
53 In the Edit Assembly dialog, view the ceiling structure.

54 Click OK.
55 In the Type Properties dialog, click Cancel.
56 In the Element Properties dialog, click Cancel.
Rotate the ceiling grid

57 Select the center ceiling grid line.

58 On the Edit toolbar, click (Rotate).

59 Move the cursor toward the top left corner of the grid.

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60 Click, enter 45, and press ENTER.

61 Press ESC.

62 Select and drag the diagonal center grid line until it spans the corners of the ceiling grid.

Creating a Drop Ceiling | 121

 View the building in 3D with shadows

63 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click To Building.

64 On the View Control Bar, click Shadows On.

65 On the View Control Bar, click Shadows Off.

66 Optionally, copy the drop ceiling to the other building levels.

NOTE You may close the project with or without saving it.

67 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating Multi-Level Stairs on page 123.

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Creating Multi-Level Stairs
In this exercise, you create multi-level stairs and a stairwell that span the levels of the building. You create
a flight of stairs and stairwell on the 01 Entry Level of the building, and copy it to the 05 Level. You then
cut an opening through the floors on each level.

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_RRB_add_stair.rvt.

Create the stair

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 Entry Level.
2 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Ref Plane.

3 On the Options Bar, click (Pick Lines), and for Offset, enter 1500 mm.
4 Draw 2 reference planes that you will use to locate the flight of stairs:
■ Move the cursor over grid line C, and click to create a reference plane to the left.

■ Move the cursor over grid line B, and click to create a reference plane to the right.

Creating Multi-Level Stairs | 123

 5 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
6 Select the left reference plane, and drag the model ends so the reference plane only displays
between grid lines 2 and 3.
You will create the stair in the area between grid lines B, C, 2, and 3.

7 Using the same method, shorten the right reference plane.

8 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Stairs.

9 Sketch the stair:
■ Select the bottom endpoint of the right reference plane.

■ Move the cursor vertically along the reference plane until the text below the stair flight
displays an equal number of risers created and risers remaining, and specify a point to create
first stair flight.

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 ■ Move the cursor horizontally to the left, and select the 2nd reference plane.

■ Move the cursor down, beyond the end of the stair, and specify a point.

The complete stair displays, with a message that 20 risers have been created and 0 remain.

10 On the Options Bar, click Finish Sketch to create the complete stair, including its handrails.

Draw walls around the stair

11 On the Design Bar, click Wall.

12 In the Type Selector, select Basic Wall : Generic - 225mm Masonry.
13 On the Options Bar:
■ For Loc Line, select Finish Face: Interior.

■ Click (Rectangle).

14 Draw walls around the stair.

Creating Multi-Level Stairs | 125

 15 On the Tools toolbar, click Align.
16 Move the cursor over the top horizontal outside edge of the stair, press TAB until the stair edge
is selected, and click to select it.
Make sure you select the stair and not the railing.

17 Select the interior face of the top horizontal wall, and lock the alignment.
18 Using the same technique, align the 2 vertical side edges of the stair with the 2 vertical walls
and lock the alignments.

19 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Dimension.

20 Dimension the distance from the bottom of the stair to the interior face of the bottom horizontal
wall:
■ On the Options Bar, for Prefer, select Wall faces.

■ Select the bottom of the stair.

■ Select the interior face of the wall, and specify a point away from the wall.

■ Click Modify.

■ Select the wall, select the dimension value, enter 1200 mm, and press ENTER.

■ Lock the dimension.

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 21 Select the dimension, and press DELETE.
Because the dimension is constrained, a warning displays.

22 Click OK to delete the dimension, but leave the stair and wall constrained to each other.
23 Select the stair, and drag it to the left to test the stair and wall constraints.
The stair and walls move to the left.

24 On the Standard toolbar, click (Undo).

25 While pressing CTRL, select both reference planes, and press DELETE.
Add a door to the stairwell

26 On the Design Bar, click Door.

27 In the Type Selector, select M_Single-Flush : 0915 x 2134mm.
28 On the Options Bar, clear Tag on Placement.
29 Select the right side of the lower horizontal wall to place the door.

TIP To flip the door swing, press the SPACEBAR before you place the door.

Creating Multi-Level Stairs | 127

 30 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
Span the height of the building

31 While pressing CTRL, select all 4 walls, and click (Element Properties).
32 In the Element Properties dialog:
■ Under Constraints, for Base Constraint, select 00 Foundation.

■ For Top Constraint, verify that Up to level: 05 Roof Garden is selected.

■ Click OK.

33 Select the stair, and click (Element Properties).

34 In the Element Properties dialog:
■ Under Constraints, for Multistory Top Level, select 05 Roof Garden.

■ Click OK.

35 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

36 On the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels).

37 Press and hold the Orbit button, and move the cursor to spin the building model.
You can see that the walls and stairs span the vertical height of the building, but if you view
the top level of the building, you can see that the stair railings penetrate the floors. You must
cut an opening through the building to accommodate the multi-level stairs.

38 Press ESC to close the SteeringWheels.

Create a shaft opening

39 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 Entry Level.

40 Zoom in to the stairs.
41 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Opening ➤ Shaft Opening.
42 On the Options Bar:

■ Click (Draw).

■ Click (Rectangle).

43 Draw a rectangular shaft opening around the stairs.

44 On the Tools toolbar, click Align.
45 Align the top horizontal shaft sketch line with the top horizontal interior wall face and lock the
alignment.

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 46 Align the 2 vertical shaft sketch lines with the interior face of the 2 vertical walls, and lock the
alignments.
47 Align the bottom horizontal shaft sketch line with the bottom tread of the stair, and lock the
alignment.

48 Click Finish Sketch to complete the shaft.

Copy the door to multiple levels

49 Select the door.

50 Click Edit menu ➤ Copy to Clipboard.
51 Click Edit menu ➤ Paste Aligned ➤ Select Levels by Name.
52 In the Select Levels dialog, select 02 Level through 05 Roof Garden, and click OK.
View the shaft and stair

53 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

54 If necessary, on the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels), and spin the building so you can
see the roof.
Look at the top of building and notice that the shaft is not cutting an opening.

Creating Multi-Level Stairs | 129

 55 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 Entry Level.

56 Select the shaft, and click (Element Properties).

57 In the Element Properties dialog:
■ Under Constraints, for Base Offset, enter 300 mm.
The shaft opening will cut through any level it touches. By offsetting the base, you prevent
it from cutting through the 01 Entry Level floor.

■ For Top Constraint, select Up to Level: 06 Roof, and click OK.

58 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

59 On the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels).

60 Spin the building so that you can see the shaft opening.

61 Click View menu ➤ Orient ➤ Southwest.

NOTE You may close the project with or without saving it.

62 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating a Wall with a Non-Uniform Height on page 130.

Creating a Wall with a Non-Uniform Height

In this exercise, you create a wall on the 05 Roof Garden level. You learn how to access and modify the
profile and height of the wall to create a decorative wall that extends past the height of the 06 Roof level.

130 | Chapter 3 Creating a Building Information Model

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_RRB_wall_profile.rvt.

Add a basic wall to the 05 Roof Garden level

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 05 Roof Garden.
2 Right-click in the view, and click View Properties.
3 In the Element Properties dialog, under Graphics, for Underlay, select 06 Roof, and click OK.

4 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Wall.

Creating a Wall with a Non-Uniform Height | 131

 5 In the Type Selector, select Basic Wall : Generic - 225mm Masonry.
6 Draw the wall above the edge of the roof shown in the underlay. The exact placement is not
important. You must draw the wall from left to right to position it on the correct side of grid
line 3.

7 On the Tools toolbar, click (Align).

8 Select the floor on the right side of the wall, and then select the right face of the wall.
9 Click the lock that displays to constrain the 2 elements.

Modify the profile of the wall

10 Select the wall, and on the Options Bar, click Edit Profile.
11 In the Go To View dialog, select Elevation: South, and click Open View.
12 Zoom in to the top right area between the C and E grid lines.
13 Select the top sketch line for the wall.

14 Select the 3750 mm vertical dimension value, enter 9750, and press ENTER.
15 In the error dialog, click Remove Constraints.
16 On the Design Bar, click Lines.

17 On the Options Bar, click , and click (Fillet arc).

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18 In the upper right corner of the profile, select a point on the profile to the left of the corner,
select a point on the vertical sketch line below the corner, and select a third point within the
corner to create a rounded corner, as shown:

19 On the Options Bar, click , and click (Circle).

20 Draw a circle with a 1200 mm radius just below the fillet arc, as shown:

21 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

22 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click {3D}.

23 Click View menu ➤ Orient ➤ Northwest.

Creating a Wall with a Non-Uniform Height | 133

 NOTE You may close the project with or without saving it.

24 Proceed to the next exercise, Adding Entourage and Site Components on page 134.

Adding Entourage and Site Components

In this exercise, you place planters on the 05 Roof Garden level to create a roof garden, create a sidewalk on
2 sides of the building, and place people and a car on and next to the sidewalk. You learn how to place and
adjust these components in project views.

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Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_RRB_host.rvt.

Create the roof garden

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 05 Roof Garden.
2 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Component.
3 In the Type Selector, select Planter : 1220 x 1220.
4 Add 3 planters on the inside of the floor and grid line 5, between grid lines C and D, as shown.

TIP After you place the 1st planter, move the cursor over the planter and move it to the right to
display a dashed blue line that helps you to place the next planter.

5 On the Basics tab, click Component.

6 In the Type Selector, select M_RPC Tree - Deciduous : Japanese Cherry - 4.5 Meters.
7 Click to place a tree in the center of each planter, and press ESC twice.

Adding Entourage and Site Components | 135

 8 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).
9 Click and hold the left mouse button on the ViewCube, and move the mouse to orient the view
to the Southwest, as shown.
View the roof, and notice that the trees that you placed in the planters protrude through the
roof.

10 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 05 Roof Garden.

11 Select one of the trees, and on the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).
12 In the Element Properties dialog, for Type, click Edit/New.
13 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
14 In the Name dialog, enter Japanese Cherry 1.5 Meters, and click OK.
15 In the Type Properties dialog, under Dimensions, for Height, enter 1500 mm.
16 Click Apply, and then click OK twice.
17 While pressing CTRL, select the 2 remaining trees, and in the Type Selector, select M_RPC Tree
- Deciduous : Japanese Cherry 1.5 Meters.
18 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click {3D}.
The height of the trees no longer extends past the roof.

Create a sidewalk outside of the building

19 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 Entry Level.

20 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Floor.
21 On the Design Bar, click Lines.
22 On the Options Bar:

■ Click (Pick Lines).

■ For Offset, enter 2400 mm.

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23 Move the cursor over grid line 5 between grid lines A and B.
24 Press TAB until a line that is offset 2400 mm below grid line 5 displays between grid lines A and
B, and click to place the line.

25 Using the same method, sketch a line between grid lines 4 and 5.

26 On the Options Bar, for Offset, enter 0 mm.

27 Select the bottom horizontal floor line, and click to sketch a line.
28 Select the right vertical floor line, and click to sketch a line.

29 On the Options Bar, click (Draw).

Adding Entourage and Site Components | 137

 30 On the Options Bar, clear Chain.
31 Select the top endpoint of the right vertical line, move the cursor to the right approximately
1200 mm, and click to finish the line.

32 Press ESC.
33 Select the left endpoint of the line between grid lines A and B, move the cursor up 900 mm,
and click to finish the line.

34 On the Tools toolbar, click (Trim/Extend).

35 Select the line that you just drew, and then select the line that you sketched along the bottom
horizontal line of the floor.
36 Select the line between grid lines A and B, and then select the line that you sketched between
grid lines 4 and 5.
37 Select the line that you sketched between grid lines 4 and 5, and then select the horizontal line
near grid line 1.

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 38 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.
The completed sidewalk displays.

Next, create a new type for the sidewalk element because it is currently a floor element.

39 Select the sidewalk, and on the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).
40 In the Element Properties dialog, for Type, click Edit/New.
41 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
42 In the Name dialog, enter Sidewalk.
43 Click OK twice.
44 In the Element Properties dialog, under Constraints, for Height Offset from Level, enter -250
mm.
45 Click OK.
Place 2 people on the sidewalk

46 Zoom to the lower right corner of the sidewalk.

47 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Component.
48 In the Type Selector, select M_RPC Male : Alex.
49 On the Options Bar, select Rotate after placement.
50 Click to place Alex on the sidewalk, near Column E5.
In plan view, RPC people are represented by a tear drop shape. The pointed end of the shape
indicates the person’s line of sight. Placeholders for RPC content display in 2D and 3D views
only. When you render an image, a photorealistic image displays.

51 Move the cursor to rotate approximately 150 degrees, and click so he is facing the column, as
shown:

Adding Entourage and Site Components | 139

 NOTE If necessary, you can use the Rotate tool to further adjust the component placement.

52 In the Type Selector, select M_RPC Female : Cathy, and click to place her on the sidewalk.
53 Move the cursor clockwise, about 30 degrees, and click to place Cathy so she is facing Alex.

54 In the Type Selector, select M_RPC Beetle.

55 Press the spacebar to rotate it until it is facing away from Alex, and place it along the sidewalk
behind him.
56 Press ESC twice.
57 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Camera, and place it in the corner of the scene as
shown.

58 In the camera view (3D View 1), click the car, and click (Element Properties).

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 59 In the Element Properties dialog, under Constraints, for Offset, enter -300 mm, and click OK.
60 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, double-click West.
61 Zoom in to the area where Alex and Cathy are standing.
Next, you select the sidewalk as a host for both the Alex and Cathy RPC components. When
you select a host for a component, you ensure that the components remain on the same plane
as the host.

Select a host for the RPC components

62 Select Cathy, and on the Options Bar, click Pick Host.

63 Click the sidewalk.
64 Select Alex, and on the Options Bar, click Pick Host.
65 Click the sidewalk.
If the sidewalk changes height, both Cathy and Alex will move with it.

66 Using the same method, pick the sidewalk as the host for the car.
View the front of the building

67 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click To Building.

Adding Entourage and Site Components | 141

 NOTE You may close the project with or without saving it.

68 Proceed to the next exercise, Adding a Service Core to the Building Project on page 142.

Adding a Service Core to the Building Project

In this exercise, you remove the multi-level stairs and stairwell that you created in a previous exercise from
the building, and replace them with a service core.

The service core is contained in an external file that you bring into the current project as a group. After the
service core is positioned, the elements will be ungrouped in the project.

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Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_RRB_add_service_core.rvt.

Remove the stairwell from the building model

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 05 Roof Garden.
2 Zoom in to the stairwell.
3 Select the entire stairwell, including the stairs, walls, and shaft opening.

4 Press DELETE.

5 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

6 On the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels), and use the Orbit tool to spin the building.
Notice that there is no longer a stairwell in the building. By deleting the stairwell from the 05
Roof Garden, you delete the entire stairwell.

Adding a Service Core to the Building Project | 143

 Add the service core as a group

7 Click File menu ➤ Load from Library ➤ Load File as Group.

8 In the left pane of the Load File as Group dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\m_RRB_core.rvt.
9 In the Duplicate Types dialog, click OK.
Ignore and close any warnings that are displayed as the file is imported as a group.

10 In the Project Browser, expand Groups, expand Model, and notice that the linked file is listed.
11 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 00 Foundation.
Create an instance of the group

12 In the Project Browser, right-click m_RRB_core, and click Create Instance.

13 In the drawing area, click to place an instance of the service core between grid lines B and D
and 1 and 2, and on the Design Bar, click Modify.

14 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 Entry Level, and zoom in to the linked
instance.
Position and align the group

15 On the Tools toolbar, click (Align).

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16 Align the core:
■ Click the inner top horizontal floor line.

■ Click the exterior face of the top horizontal wall of the core.

■ Click grid line C.

■ Press TAB to select the wall centerline of the wall between the top 2 rooms, and click to align
the center.

17 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

18 Select the core, and on the Options Bar, click Ungroup.

NOTE This step is not required and may not be recommended if there is more than one instance of
the group, or if the group layout is expected to change.

19 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

20 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

21 On the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels), and spin the building to see the inserted group
(top down view).
Shaft openings were included as part of the group geometry and are created automatically as
the group is placed.

Adding a Service Core to the Building Project | 145

 NOTE You may close the project with or without saving it.

22 Proceed to the final exercise, Modifying a Floor and Adding Railings on page 146.

Modifying a Floor and Adding Railings

In this exercise, you cut away a portion of the floor on the 02 Level of the building. After you modify it, you
add glass railings around the floor edges.

You copy the railing type into your project from another project, where it is hosted within a railing family.
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\m_RRB_modify_floor_add_railings_.rvt.

146 | Chapter 3 Creating a Building Information Model

Open a different project and view a rendering of the building lounge

1 Click File menu ➤ Open.

2 In the left pane of the dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Conference.rvt.
3 In the Conference project, in the Project Browser, expand Renderings, and double-click Lounge
Perspective.
The rendering displays. Notice the glass railing in the foreground. This is the railing that you
want to add to your model.

Copy the railing types into the retail building project

4 In the Project Browser, expand Families, and expand Railings.

5 Expand Railing, press and hold CTRL, and select Glass, Handrail only, and Parapet.
6 Click Edit menu ➤ Copy to Clipboard.
7 Click Window menu ➤ m_RRB_modify_floor_add_railings.rvt.
8 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 02 Level.
9 Click Edit menu ➤ Paste from Clipboard.
10 In the Duplicate Types dialog, click OK.
11 Close the warning dialog that displays.
Modify the 02 Level floor

12 Select the floor, and on the Options Bar, click Edit.

The floor sketch displays.

13 On the Tools toolbar, click (Split).

14 Select the bottom horizontal floor 700 mm to the left of grid line C, and click to split the floor.

Modifying a Floor and Adding Railings | 147

 15 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
16 Select the left endpoint of the floor where you split it, and drag to the left until it intersects with
grid line B.
17 Select the right endpoint of the floor where you split it, and drag it to the right until it intersects
with grid line D.

18 On the Design Bar, click Lines, and on the Options Bar, verify that Chain is not selected.
19 Select the left endpoint of the floor, move the cursor vertically until the line is 1500 mm long,
and click to place it.
20 Click to create a line starting from the endpoint of the line that you just drew, move the cursor
horizontally to the right 1500 mm, and click to draw another line.

21 Sketch the same lines in the opposite direction on the right side of the floor sketch.

22 Select the endpoint of the right horizontal line that you just sketched, move the cursor vertically
1500 mm, and click to draw another line.
23 Complete the sketch as shown.

24 On the Tools toolbar, click (Align).

25 Select grid line B, select the left vertical sketch line along grid line B, and click the lock to lock
the alignment.

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 26 Select grid line D, select the right vertical sketch line along grid line D, and click the lock to lock
the alignment.

27 On the Tools toolbar, click (Align).

28 Align the horizontal sketch lines with each other as shown, and lock the alignment.

29 On the Design Bar, click Dimension, and dimension the floor sketch lines as shown. Lock the
dimensions.

30 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

31 In the Revit dialog, click Yes to attach the top of the walls on 01 Entry Level to the bottom of
the 02 Level floor.
Add railings around the floor

32 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Railing.

33 On the Design Bar, click Railing Properties.
34 In the Element Properties dialog, for Type, select Glass, and click OK.
This is the railing type that you copied from the Conference.rvt project.

35 On the Options Bar:

■ Click (Pick Lines).

■ For Offset, enter 100 mm.

36 Select the floor lines to sketch the railing around the inside of the floor line as shown.

Modifying a Floor and Adding Railings | 149

 37 On the Design Bar, click Dimension.
38 Dimension the railing sketch to the edge of the floor and lock the dimension.

39 Click Finish Sketch.

View the floor and railings

40 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Camera.

41 Place the camera and camera target as shown.

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 A new 3D view of the interior of the 02 Level displays. You can view the railing that you just
added.

42 On the View Control Bar:

■ Click Model Graphics Style ➤ Shading with Edges.

■ Click (Hide Crop Region) to hide the frame around the view.

Modifying a Floor and Adding Railings | 151

 43 Close all project drawings.

152 | Chapter 3 Creating a Building Information Model

Documenting Your
Projects

In this section of the tutorials, you learn to create construction documentation in Revit Architecture 2009. We wish to
thank BNIM Architects, a Kansas City-based architectural firm for providing their Freighthouse Flats renovation project
to use for the tutorial training files in this section.
Located in Kansas City’s popular Crossroads Arts District, the Freighthouse Flats project is an exciting renovation of an
historic three-story warehouse into new urban luxury loft living spaces. BNIM Architects was selected to convert the
existing building into a 22-unit condominium featuring concrete floors, lofty ceilings, balconies, and a roof garden. As
the building is slated to receive historic tax credits, the existing building shell will be maintained and restored. The
additional 4th floor and non-historic north facade will be modernized to include a 4th floor penthouse, exterior fire stairs,
and north facing balconies for the 2nd and 3rd floor units.

NOTE For training purposes, slight modifications to the building design have been made.

153
154
Adding Views and Sheets
to a Project 4
In this tutorial, you begin the construction documentation for the Freighthouse Flats project. You learn to:

■ Create new project views, including plan, elevation, section, and detail views
■ Modify the appearance of tags and other annotation on plans
■ Set visibility and graphic controls in views to produce different presentation effects
■ Create projects sheets that contain project views

Creating Views
In this lesson, you learn how to create views from a building model. You learn how to create new views
from existing views, how to create section and elevation views, and how to create views from callouts that
you place in other views.

Duplicating Plan Views

In this exercise, you create new plan views of the building model by copying existing views and then
modifying the copied views. You duplicate the Level 1 and Level 2 floor plans to create Level 1 and Level 2
furniture plans. You also duplicate the project site plan to create a vicinity plan.

155
 Level 1 Furniture Plan created from the Level 1 floor plan

Vicinity Plan created from the Site plan

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Creating
Views.rvt.

Duplicate the Level 1 floor plan to create a Level 1 furniture plan

1 In the Project Browser, expand Floor Plans, and right-click Level 1 ➤ Duplicate View ➤ Duplicate.

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 2 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, right-click Copy of Level 1 ➤ Rename.
3 In the Rename View dialog, enter Level 1 Furniture Plan, and click OK.
4 In the Project Browser, double-click Level 1 Furniture Plan.

Use an alternate method of view duplication to create a Level 2 furniture plan

5 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, select Level 2.

6 Click View menu ➤ Duplicate View ➤ Duplicate.
7 In the Project Browser, right-click Copy of Level 2 ➤ Rename.
8 In the Rename View dialog, enter Level 2 Furniture Plan, and click OK.
9 In the Project Browser, double-click Level 2 Furniture Plan.

Duplicating Plan Views | 157

 Duplicate a view and change the scale as required

10 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, right-click Site ➤ Duplicate View ➤ Duplicate.
11 Under Floor Plans, right-click Copy of Site ➤ Rename.
12 In the Rename View dialog, enter Vicinity Plan, and click OK.
13 In the Project Browser, double-click Vicinity Plan.

14 On the View Control Bar, click the current scale, and click 1: 1000.
Next, hide the display of the elevation markers in the view.

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 15 Select the body of the south elevation marker.

16 Right-click, and click Hide in view ➤ Category.

All of the elevation markers on the plan are hidden.

17 Click File menu ➤ Save As.

18 Save the file as Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Creating Views_in_progress.rvt.

Creating Elevation and Section Views

In this exercise, you create an additional section and elevation view of the building model.

Creating Elevation and Section Views | 159

 South East elevation view

Section view

Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous lesson, Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Creating
Views_in_progress.rvt.

Add an elevation marker to the Level 1 floor plan

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1.
2 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Elevation.
3 In the Type Selector, select Elevation: Building Elevation.
4 On the Options Bar, for Scale, select 1:100.
5 Specify a point in the drawing in front of the angular wall to place an elevation marker.

NOTE Elevation markers are context sensitive and will automatically try to align parallel to model
geometry.

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Modify the elevation extents

6 On the Design Bar, click Modify, and select the head of the elevation marker that you just placed.
7 Select and drag the upper horizontal line of the elevation until it extends past the upper-left
corner of the building.

8 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Creating Elevation and Section Views | 161

 Rename and view the new elevation

9 In the Project Browser, under Elevations (Building Elevation), right-click Elevation 1-a ➤ Rename.
10 In the Rename View dialog, enter South East, and click OK.
11 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, double-click South East.

Draw a section line on the Level 1 floor plan

12 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 1.
13 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Section.
14 In the Type Selector, select Section: Building Section.
15 On the Options Bar, for Scale, select 1:100.
16 Draw a section line through the building:
■ Specify a point above the top wall of the building between grid lines 2 and 3.

■ Move the cursor down, and specify the section line endpoint between the endpoints of grid
lines 2 and 3.

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Modify the section line

17 Click the blue arrows below the section line head to reverse the direction in which the section
is cut through the building.

18 Select the blue triangular grips on the left side of the section extents, and move them to just
outside of the left side of the building.

Creating Elevation and Section Views | 163

 19 Click the blue arrows below the section tail twice to cycle through the section tail options and
add a section head to the section line endpoint.

20 Add a jog to the section line:

■ On the Options Bar, click Split Segment.

■ Click the midpoint of the section line, drag it to the right (keeping it below the split) until
it cuts through the stair, and click to place it.

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 21 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
View the new section

22 In the Project Browser, expand Sections (Building Section), and double-click Section 1.
23 On the View Control Bar, click Detail Level: Coarse ➤ Medium.

24 Select gridline F, select the blue break mark that displays under the grid bubble, and drag the
top segment of gridline F to the right, using the blue circular drag grip.

Creating Elevation and Section Views | 165

 25 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
26 Click File menu ➤ Save.

Creating Callout Views

In this exercise, you create new views: an enlarged stair plan view and a detail view. To create each view,
you draw a callout around the geometry in another view to specify the contents of each new callout view.
Stair callout on the Level 1 floor plan

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Resulting callout view - Enlarged Stair Plan

Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous lesson, Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Creating
Views_in_progress.rvt.

Create a floor plan callout

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1.
2 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Callout.
3 In the Type Selector, select Floor Plan.
4 On the Options Bar, for Scale, select 1:50.
5 Draw the callout around the large stairs in the center of the plan:
■ Click to specify a point to the upper-right of the stair.

■ Move the cursor to the lower-left of the stair, and click to specify a point to complete the
callout.

Creating Callout Views | 167

 6 Modify the callout leader:
■ On the Design Bar, click Modify, and select the callout boundary.

■ Select the grip on the leader line that is closest to the callout head, and move it to the left
side of the callout boundary.

■ Select the middle grip, and drag it down slightly to create a jog in the leader line.

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 7 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
8 In the Project Browser under Floor Plans, right-click Callout of Level 1 ➤ Rename.
9 In the Rename View dialog, enter Enlarged Stair Plan, and click OK.
Open the callout view

10 Double-click the callout head.

The Enlarged Stair Plan view displays.

Create a detail view callout

11 In the Project Browser, under Sections (Building Sections), double-click Section 1.

12 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Callout.
13 In the Type Selector, select Detail View: Detail.
14 On the Options Bar, for Scale, select 1:50.
15 Create the callout:
■ Zoom in to the upper-left corner of the building, and click to specify a point above and to
the right of the roof overhang.

Creating Callout Views | 169

 ■ Move the cursor diagonally down, and click to specify a point to the left and below the roof
overhang.

16 Modify the callout leader as shown.

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 17 In the Project Browser, expand Detail Views (Details), and right-click Detail 0 ➤ Rename.
18 In the Rename View dialog, enter Roof Overhang Detail, and click OK.
Open the detail callout view

19 In the Project Browser, under Detail Views (Details), double-click Roof Overhang Detail.

20 Click File menu ➤ Save.

Creating Callout Views | 171

Modifying View Tag Appearance
In this exercise, you modify the appearance of tags in a view so that they conform to office CAD standards.
You change the appearance of the section mark head, the elevation markers, and the callout head and
boundary that you placed in previous exercises.
Existing stair callout head and boundary

Modified stair callout head and boundary

Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous lesson, Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Creating
Views_in_progress.rvt.

Modify the section mark head

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1.
2 Click File menu ➤ Open.
3 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, open Metric\Families\Annotations,
select Custom-Section Head.rfa, and click Open.

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 The new section mark head that you want to apply to either endpoint of the section line displays.

4 On the Design Bar, click Load into Project.

5 In the Load into Projects dialog, select the current project, clear any others, and click OK.
The Custom-Section Head family is now loaded in the project, and can be applied to the section
line.

6 Click Settings menu ➤ View Tags ➤ Section Tags.

7 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
8 In the Name dialog, enter Section Head – Custom, Section Tail – Filled, and click OK.
9 In the Type Properties dialog, for Section Head, select Custom-Section Head: Section Head –
Open, and click OK.

10 On the floor plan, select the section line, and click .

11 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
12 For Section Tag, select Section Head - Custom, Section Tail - Filled, and click OK twice.
Modify the line weight of the section line and mark

13 Click Settings menu ➤ Object Styles.

14 In the Object Styles dialog, click the Annotation Objects tab.
15 Under Category, scroll to Section Line.
16 Click in the Line Weight/Projection field, and select 3.
17 Under Category, scroll to Section Marks.
18 Click in the Line Weight/Projection field, and select 2.
19 Click OK.
On the floor plan, notice the updated section marks that display at each endpoint of the section
line.

Modify the shape and weight of the elevation markers

20 Click Settings menu ➤ View Tags ➤ Elevation Tags.

21 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
22 In the Name dialog, enter 12.5mm Square, and click OK.

Modifying View Tag Appearance | 173

 23 In the Type Properties dialog, under Graphics:
■ For Shape, select Square.

■ For Line Weight, select 3.

■ For Dimensions ➤ Width, enter 12.5 mm.

■ Click OK.

24 Select an elevation marker in the drawing, and on the Options Bar, click .
25 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
26 In the Type Properties dialog, for Elevation Tag, select 12.5mm Square.
27 Click OK twice.
On the floor plan, notice the square elevation markers that display.

Modify the callout head

28 Click File menu ➤ Open.

29 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, open Metric\Families\Annotations,
select Custom-Callout Head.rfa, and click Open.
The new callout head that you want to apply to the callout displays.

30 On the Design Bar, click Load into Project.

31 In the Load into Projects dialog, select the current project, clear all others, and click OK.
32 Click Settings menu ➤ View Tags ➤ Callout Tags.
33 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
34 In the Name dialog, enter Custom – Callout Head w/ 6mm Corner Radius, and click OK.
35 In the Type Properties dialog:
■ For Callout Head, select Custom – Callout Head: Callout Head.

■ For Corner Radius, enter 6 mm.

■ Click OK.

36 In the drawing, select the callout, and on the Options Bar, click .
37 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
38 In the Type Properties dialog, for Callout Tag, select Custom – Callout Head w/ 6mm Corner
Radius.
39 Click OK twice.
40 Press ESC.
The custom callout head displays on the floor plan.

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 Modify the callout boundary

41 Click Settings menu ➤ Object Styles.

42 In the Objects Styles dialog, click the Annotation Objects tab.
43 Under Category, scroll down to Callout Boundary.
44 Click in the Line Weight/Projection field, and select 7.
45 For Line Pattern, select Dash.
46 Under Category, expand Callout Boundary.
47 Select Callout Leader Line.
48 Click in the Line Weight/Projection field, and select 4.
49 Click OK.
The new callout boundary displays on the floor plan.

50 Click File menu ➤ Save.

Setting Visibility and Graphics Options in Views

In this lesson, you learn how to control the visibility and graphic characteristics of elements in views. You
learn to create view templates, view regions, filters, masking regions, and visual overrides.

Setting Visibility and Graphics Options in Views | 175

Creating a View Template
In this exercise, you create presentation views that feature elevations of the building. To accomplish this,
you create a view template containing specific presentation quality visibility settings, and apply it to multiple
elevation views. View templates provide an easy way to transfer visibility settings to multiple drawings.
Presentation view

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-VG.rvt.

Set a crop region for the view

1 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, and double-click East.

2 On the View Control Bar, click (Show Crop Region).

3 Select the outer crop region that displays around the view.
The crop region displays as red, and features blue triangular grips and break marks.

4 Select and move the blue triangular grips to resize the crop region as shown.

5 On the View Control Bar, click (Hide Crop Region).

6 On the View Toolbar, click Zoom to Fit.

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Create and apply a view template to an elevation drawing

7 On the View Control bar, click Detail Level: Coarse ➤ Medium.

8 Click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics.
9 In the Visibility/Graphic Overrides dialog, under Visibility, clear Entourage.
10 Click the Annotation Categories tab.
11 Under Visibility, clear:
■ Callouts

■ Elevations

■ Grids

■ Levels

■ Sections

12 Click OK.
Callouts, elevation markers, grids, levels, and section lines are now hidden in the view.

13 On the View Control bar, click Shadows Off ➤ Shadows On.

Creating a View Template | 177

 14 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, right-click East, and click Create View Template From
View.
15 In the New View Template dialog, enter Black and White Presentation Elevation, and click OK.
16 In the View Templates dialog, click OK.
17 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, double-click North.

18 In the Project Browser, right-click North, and click Apply View Template.
19 In the Select View Template dialog, select Black and White Presentation Elevation, click Apply,
and click OK.
20 Using the same method, edit the crop region as before.
The settings in the view template create a presentation-quality elevation view.

21 Click File menu ➤ Save As.

22 Save the file as Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-VG_in_progress.rvt.

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View Range and Plan Regions
In this exercise, you modify the view range and create view plan regions to adjust the display of elements
in the building Penthouse and Roof Plan. You want to display the exterior roof terraces from Level 4 on the
penthouse and roof plan, and the exterior area on the south side of the building, as this structure has not
yet been documented in any of the views.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous lesson,
Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-VG_in_progress.rvt.

Adjust the view range of the Penthouse plan

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Penthouse.

2 In the Project Browser, select Penthouse, right-click, and click Properties.

3 In the Element Properties dialog, under Extents, for View Range, click Edit.
4 In the View Range dialog:
■ Under Primary Range, for Bottom, select Level Below (Level 4).

■ Under View Depth, for Level, select Level Below (Level 4).

■ Click OK twice.

NOTE The Penthouse plan now shows the level below to provide additional context to the view.

View Range and Plan Regions | 179

 Adjust the view range of the Roof plan

5 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Roof Plan.

6 In the Project Browser, select Roof Plan, right-click, and click Properties.
7 In the Element Properties dialog, under Extents, for View Range, click Edit.
8 In the View Range dialog:
■ Under Primary Range, for Bottom, select Level 4.

■ Under View Depth, for Level, select Level 4.

■ Click OK twice.

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Create a plan region to show exterior space on the south side of the building

9 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Plan Region.

NOTE A Plan Region allows you to modify the view range of a specified area defined by the extents
of the Plan Region.

10 On the Design Bar, click Lines.

11 On the Options Bar, click (Rectangle).

12 Sketch a plan region:
■ In the left corner of the building, select the left endpoint of the outer wall.

■ Move you cursor diagonally, and select the endpoint the gridline shown below.

13 On the Design Bar, click Region Properties.

14 In the Element Properties dialog, under Extents, for View Range, click Edit.
15 In the View Range dialog:
■ Under Primary Range, for Bottom, select Unlimited.

■ Under View Depth, for Level, select Unlimited.

■ Click OK twice.

16 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

View Range and Plan Regions | 181

 17 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

18 Click File menu ➤ Save.

Using Filters to Control Visibility

In this exercise, you visually audit the drawing to make sure the fire-rated walls are placed correctly. You
use a filter to quickly apply visual changes to the walls based on defined parameters, in this case, the fire
rating of the walls. After you apply the filter, the fire-rated walls on the floor plan display with a solid red
fill.

Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous lesson,
Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-VG_in_progress.rvt.
1 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 1.
2 Click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics.
3 In the Visibility/Graphics dialog, click the Filters tab.

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 4 At the bottom of the Visibility/Graphics dialog, click Edit/New.

5 In the Filters dialog, under Filters, click (New).

6 In the Filter Name dialog, enter Rated Walls, and click OK.
7 In the Filters dialog, under Categories, select Walls.
8 Under Filter Rules:
■ For Filter by, select Fire Rating.

■ Select contains.

■ Enter Hr.

9 Click OK.
10 On the Filter tab, click Add.
11 Select Rated Walls, and click OK.
12 On the Filter tab, for Rated Walls, under Projection/Surface, click Override under Patterns.
13 In the Fill Pattern Graphics dialog, for Color, click <No Override>.
You click the current color value to open the Color dialog, and apply a color.

14 In the Color dialog, under Basic colors, select the red color, and click OK.
15 In the Fill Pattern Graphics dialog, for Pattern, select Solid Fill.
16 Click OK.
17 Using the same method, apply the red solid fill override to Cut Patterns as well.
18 In the Visibility/Graphics Overrides dialog, click OK.

19 Remove the filter:

■ Click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics.

■ On the Filters tab of the Visibility Graphics dialog, click Remove, and click OK.

The fire-rated walls now display without the solid red fill. The Rated Walls filter can be reapplied
to the drawing at any time, but the overrides associated with the filter must be reapplied as well.

Using Filters to Control Visibility | 183

 20 Click File menu ➤ Save.

Masking Portions of a View

In this exercise, you obscure geometry in portions of a view. To accomplish this, you use masking regions
that you sketch over the areas that you want to hide.
Masking regions sketched over the upper corners of a view

Unit plan view with upper corners masked

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Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous lesson,
Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-VG_in_progress.rvt.

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, right-click Level 1 ➤ Duplicate View ➤ Duplicate.
2 Select Copy of Level 1, right-click, and click Rename.
3 In the Rename View dialog, enter Unit 18 Plan – Level 1, and click OK.
4 On the View Control Bar, click Show Crop Region.
5 On the View menu, click Zoom ➤ Zoom to Fit.
6 Modify the crop region to get close to the desired view at the bottom left, as shown.

7 On the View menu, click Zoom ➤ Zoom to Fit.

8 Select the crop region, and adjust the view again until it displays as shown.

9 On the View Control Bar, click Show Crop Region ➤ Hide Crop Region.
Use a masking region to hide additional model geometry that does not need to be shown

10 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Masking Region.

11 In the Type Selector, select Invisible lines.

NOTE This specifies the line type for the border of the masking region.

Masking Portions of a View | 185

 12 On the Options Bar, click (Rectangle).
13 Sketch 2 masking regions as shown.

14 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

15 View the effects of the masking regions on the floor plan.

16 Click File menu ➤ Save.

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Working with Visual Overrides
In this exercise, you create a presentation plan of one of the residential units on the Level 1 floor plan, and
apply different visual overrides to create presentation effects. You create poche for the walls and you hide
and modify the display of certain elements on the presentation plan.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous lesson,
Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-VG_in_progress.rvt.
1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, right-click Unit 18 Plan - Level 1, and click Duplicate
View ➤ Duplicate with Detailing.

NOTE Duplicate with Detailing is selected so that the masking regions are retained in the new view.

2 Select the Copy of Unit 18 Plan – Level 1, right-click, and click Rename.
3 In the Rename View dialog, enter Presentation Unit 18 Plan – Level 1, and click OK.
4 On the View Control Bar, click the current scale, and click 1: 50.

Create poche for walls

5 Select the diagonal bottom wall, right-click, and click Override Graphics in View ➤ By Category.
6 In the Visibility/Graphic Overrides dialog, under Visibility, select Walls.
7 Under Cut, click in the Patterns field, and click Override.
8 In the Fill Pattern Graphics dialog, under Pattern Overrides, for Color, click <No Override> to
apply a color.
9 On the left side of the Color dialog, click black, and click OK.
10 In the Fill Pattern Graphics dialog, for Pattern, select Solid fill.
11 Click OK twice.

Working with Visual Overrides | 187

 Set the visibility and graphics of other categories in the view

12 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

13 Click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics.
14 In the Visibility/Graphic Overrides dialog, under Visibility, clear Floors.
15 Click the Annotation Categories tab.
16 Under Visibility, clear Grids, and click OK.

Hide elements in the view by category

17 Select the lamp on the table on the floor plan as shown.

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18 Right-click, and click Hide in View ➤ Category.

19 Select 1 of the chairs around the long table on the floor plan as shown.

Working with Visual Overrides | 189

 20 Right-click, and click Override Graphics in View ➤ By Category.
By using the previous method to make the selection, the Visibility/Graphics dialog opens to the
category of the object (Furniture) selected by default.

21 Under Projection/Surface, under Lines, click Override.

22 In the Line Graphics dialog, for Color, click <No Override> to apply a color.
23 In the Color dialog, click a purple color, and click OK.
24 In the Line Graphics dialog, for Pattern, select Dash.
25 Click OK twice.

Modify visibility and graphics by element

26 On the floor plan, select the sofa, right-click, and click Override Graphics in View ➤ By Element.
27 In the View-Specific Element Graphics dialog, click Projection Lines.

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 28 For Color, click By Category Override.
29 In the Color dialog, select a bright green color, and click OK twice.
30 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Reveal hidden elements in a view

31 On the View Control Bar, click .

The lighting fixtures and grid lines that you hid previously display in a dark red color.

32 Select one of the lamps, right-click, and click Unhide in view ➤ Category.

Working with Visual Overrides | 191

 33 On the View Control Bar, click .

34 Click File menu ➤ Save.

Creating Drawing Sheets in a Project

In this lesson, you learn how to create sheets within a Revit Architecture project, how to add views to the
sheets, and how to make changes to the building model from a view on a sheet.

Creating Drawing Sheets

In this exercise, you create project drawing sheets that report the project information in the sheet titleblocks.

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

192 | Chapter 4 Adding Views and Sheets to a Project

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats- Creating
Sheets.rvt.

Create a project sheet

1 On View tab of the Design Bar, click Sheet.

TIP If the View tab is not displayed in the Design Bar, right-click, and click View.

2 In the Select a Titleblock dialog, select A0 metric, and click OK.

A title block and drawing borders are displayed on the drawing sheet.

The title block that you selected is a family that has already been loaded into the project. The
text fields in the titleblock family (shown below) contain labels that associate the project
information parameters with the appropriate text fields.

Creating Drawing Sheets | 193

 NOTE The vertical time and date stamp in the lower-right corner of the sheet view automatically
updates every time the project file is saved.

3 In the Project Browser, expand Sheets (all).

The new sheet is displayed in the Project Browser with the name A102 - Unnamed.

Change the sheet name and number

4 On the Design Bar, click Modify, and select the title block.

5 When the title block highlights, on the Options Bar, click (Properties).
6 In the Element Properties dialog, under Identity Data:
■ For Sheet Name, enter Site Plan.

■ For Sheet Number, enter A101.

■ Click OK.

7 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

8 Zoom in to the lower-right corner of the title block.
Site Plan displays in the title block as the sheet name and is appended to the sheet name in the
Project Browser. The Sheet Number has been updated to display A101.

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Display additional project information in the sheet title block

9 Click Settings menu ➤ Project Information.

10 In the Element Properties dialog, under Other, for Project Address, click Edit.
11 In the Edit Text dialog, enter the following address:
■ 123 Main Street

■ Anytown, MA 12345

12 Click OK.
13 In the Element Properties dialog, continue to add project information:
■ For Project Issue Date, enter 15 May, 2009.

■ For Project Status, enter For Approval.

■ For Client Name, enter J. Smith.

■ For Project Name, enter Freighthouse Flats.

■ For Project Number, enter 2009-1.

14 Click OK.
The new project information displays in the titleblock.

NOTE Text size is determined within the sheet family.

Creating Drawing Sheets | 195

 Create a floor plan sheet

15 In the Project Browser, right-click Sheets (all) ➤ New Sheet.

16 In the Select a Titleblock dialog, select A0 metric, and click OK.
17 In the Project Browser, select the new sheet name, right-click, and click Rename.
18 In the Sheet Title dialog, for Name, enter Floor Plan, and click OK.
Create additional sheets

19 Using the same method as you did in the previous steps, create the following new project sheets:
■ A103 - Layout Plan

■ A104 - Elevations

■ A105 - Elevations

■ A106 - Elevations

■ A107 - Sections

■ A108 - Stairs

In the following exercise, you add views to these sheets.

20 Click File menu ➤ Save As.

21 Save the file as Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Creating Sheets_in_progress.rvt, and click Save.

Adding Views to Sheets

In this exercise, you add views to the sheets that you created in the previous exercise.

196 | Chapter 4 Adding Views and Sheets to a Project

Training File
■ Continue to use the training file you used in the previous lesson, Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Creating
Sheets_in_progress.rvt.

Drag the Level 1 floor plan onto a sheet to create a floor plan
1 In the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), double-click A102 - Floor Plan.
2 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, select Level 1, and drag it to the sheet.
3 Move the cursor to position the lower-right corner of the view in the lower-right corner of the
sheet, and click to place the view.
The border of the view displays as red to indicate that you can reposition it on the sheet.

4 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

The red border around the view no longer displays.

Add elevation views to the A104-Elevation sheet

5 In the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), double-click A104 - Elevations.

6 In the Project Browser, under Elevations (Building Elevation), drag East to the upper-right corner
of the sheet, and click to place it.

Adding Views to Sheets | 197

 7 Drag the North elevation to the lower-right corner of the sheet, align it with the East elevation,
and click to place it.
8 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Add the Building Section view to the A107-Sections sheet

9 In the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), double-click A107 - Sections.

10 Under Sections (Building Sections), drag Building Section to the upper-right corner of the sheet,
and click to place it.
11 Under Detail Views (Detail), drag Roof Overhang Detail to the left of the Building Section view
on the sheet, and click to place it.
12 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

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Change the scale of the detail view

13 Select the Roof Overhang Detail on the sheet, and on the Options Bar, click .
14 In the Element Properties dialog, for View Scale, select 1:5, and click OK.
15 Drag the view to reposition it next to the Building Section view.
Notice the title bar also needs to be resized.

16 Select title bar, and use the blue endpoint grips to resize it so that it spans the length of the
view.

NOTE If you find it difficult to select the left grip on the title bar, zoom in to the grip, move the
cursor over it, and press TAB until it highlights.

Adding Views to Sheets | 199

 Create a sheet with stair and stair detail views

17 In the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), double-click A108 - Stairs.

18 Under Floor Plans, drag Enlarged Stair Plan to the upper-right corner of the sheet, and click to
place it.
19 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

View updated annotation on referenced views

20 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1.

21 Zoom to the stair callout.
Notice that the callout tag has been automatically updated to reference the correct sheet.

22 Zoom in to the section line heads and the east and north elevation markers, and notice they
also reference the correct sheet numbers.
23 Click File menu ➤ Save.

200 | Chapter 4 Adding Views and Sheets to a Project

Modifying the Building Model from a Sheet View
In this exercise, you learn how to modify a building model directly from the drawing sheets that you created
from its views. In order to do this, you must first activate the view on the sheet, and then make changes
and deactivate the view.

Training File
■ Continue to use the training file you used in the previous lesson, Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Creating
Sheets_in_progress.rvt.

Change the roof elevation

1 In the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), double-click A107 - Sections.
2 Select the building section view, right-click, and click Activate View.
3 At the right end of the Roof level line, zoom in to the name and elevation of the level.
4 Double-click the Roof elevation height, enter 16700 mm, and press ENTER.
5 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Modifying the Building Model from a Sheet View | 201

 6 Right-click, and click Deactivate View.
7 In the Project Browser, under Elevations (Building Elevation), double-click North.
Notice that the Roof Plan elevation has been updated.

8 Click File menu ➤ Save.

Creating and Modifying a Title Sheet

In this exercise, you create a title sheet for your drawing set. After you create the sheet, you create a perspective
view of the building and place it on the sheet. You modify the view to hide the view title, as it is not necessary
to display it on the title sheet.
Training File
■ Continue to use the training file you used in the previous lesson, Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Creating
Sheets_in_progress.rvt.

202 | Chapter 4 Adding Views and Sheets to a Project

Create a new sheet

1 In the Project Browser, right-click Sheets (all) ➤ New Sheet.

2 In the Select a Titleblock dialog, select A0 metric, and click OK.
3 In the Project Browser, select the new sheet name, right-click, and click Properties.
4 In the Element Properties dialog:
■ For Sheet Number, enter T.

■ For Sheet Name, enter Title Sheet.

■ Click OK.

Create a view of the building to place on the title sheet

5 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1.

6 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Camera.
7 Place the camera as shown.

The camera view displays.

Creating and Modifying a Title Sheet | 203

 8 On the Options Bar, click .
9 In the Element Properties dialog:
■ Under Extents, select Far Clip Active.

■ For Far Clip Offset, enter 100000 mm.

■ Under Camera, for Eye Elevation, enter 18000 mm.

■ For Target Elevation, enter 1500 mm.

■ Click OK.

10 Select the crop region and adjust the view to fit the building.
11 On the View Control Bar, click Shadows off ➤ Shadows on.
12 On the View Control Bar, click Show Crop Region ➤ Hide Crop Region.

13 In the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), double-click T - Title Sheet.

14 Under 3D Views, drag 3D View 1 onto the sheet, and click to place it in the center of the sheet.

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 15 With the view selected, on the Options Bar, click Size.
16 In the Crop Region Size dialog:
■ Under Change, select Scale (locked proportions).

■ Under Model Crop Size, for Height, enter 635 mm.

■ Click Apply, and then click OK.

17 Reposition the view on the title sheet.

Remove the title bar on the view

18 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

19 Select the view on the sheet, and on the Options Bar, click .
20 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
21 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
22 In the Name dialog, enter Viewport/no title mark, and click OK.
23 In the Type Properties dialog, under Graphics, for Show title, select No.
24 Click OK twice.
25 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
The title bar no longer displays on the sheet.

Creating and Modifying a Title Sheet | 205

 26 Click File menu ➤ Save, and close the exercise file.

206 | Chapter 4 Adding Views and Sheets to a Project

Tagging and Scheduling
5
In this tutorial, you learn how to tag rooms and other components of floor plans, such as doors and windows. You also
learn to create different types of schedules, such as room and window schedules, in your Revit Architecture 2009 projects.

Tagging Objects
In this lesson, you learn how to use some of the annotation features included in Revit Architecture. You
learn how to

■ Sequentially tag rooms on a floor plan

■ Tag doors and windows

■ Modify tag placement and mark text

■ Tag other objects, such as furniture

Sequentially Placing and Tagging Rooms

In this exercise, you sequentially place and tag the rooms on the floor plan. Because of the open style floor
plan, you need to create room separation lines to define the rooms to be tagged. The Room command with
the Tag on placement option selected allows you to place and tag rooms with one command.
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Tagging
Objects.rvt.

Add room separations

1 In the Project Browser, expand Floor Plans, and double-click Unit 18 Plan - Level 1.

207
 2 Zoom in to the upper area of the floor plan.

3 On the Room and Area tab of the Design Bar, click Room Separation.
Adding room separation lines breaks up an open space to make it easier to add rooms.

NOTE If the Room and Area tab of the Design Bar is not active, right-click in the Design Bar, and
click Room and Area.

4 Click the endpoint of the short horizontal wall on the left, move the cursor to the right, and
click the opposite wall to create a horizontal room separation dividing the kitchen from the
dining area (top area of the drawing), as shown:

5 Using the same method, create a vertical separation to divide the kitchen from the entry area
on the right, as shown:

208 | Chapter 5 Tagging and Scheduling

 6 Using the same method, create a horizontal separation above the stair to divide the dining area
from the living area.

7 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Load room tag annotation family

8 Click Settings menu ➤ Annotations ➤ Loaded Tags.

9 In the Tags dialog, click Load.

Sequentially Placing and Tagging Rooms | 209

 10 In the left pane of the Load Family dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\Families\Annotations\M_Room Tag.rfa.
11 In the Tags dialog, click OK.
Tag rooms sequentially

12 On the Room and Area tab of the Design Bar, click Room.
13 On the Options Bar, verify that Tag on placement is selected.
14 For Offset, type 2400 mm.
15 Move the cursor to the room at the upper right of the plan view, and click to place the room
and tag.
The crosshair graphic represents the room area being tagged, and the rectangle contains the
room tag.

16 On the Design Bar, click Modify, and select the room tag.
The room tag number displays in blue, indicating that it can be edited.

17 Zoom in on the tag number, click it, type U18-1, and press ENTER.

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18 Click the room text label, type Entry, and press ENTER.

19 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

20 Place another room and tag:
■ On the Design Bar, click Room.

■ Move the cursor into the room to the left of the one previously tagged.

■ Align the tags by moving the cursor until a dashed green line displays between the placed
tag and the one that displays at the tip of the cursor.

■ Click to place the new room and tag.

NOTE The second tag that you place displays the sequential number U18-2. Sequential letters
are also supported.

21 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

22 Click the room text label, type Kitchen, and press ENTER.
23 Using the same method, place rooms and tags, and edit the tags as shown (Toilet, Dining, and
Living):

Sequentially Placing and Tagging Rooms | 211

 Hide the room separations

24 Click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics.

25 In the Visibility/Graphics Overrides dialog, on the Model Categories tab, expand Lines, clear
Room Separation, and click OK.

Tag rooms on upper level

26 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Unit 18 Plan - Level 2.
27 On the Design Bar, click Room Tag.
The rooms are already placed, but they need to be tagged.

28 Starting with the Balcony (area near the stair), and moving clockwise, click to place a room tag
in each of the 5 rooms.
29 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

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 30 Click File menu ➤ Save As.
31 Save the file as Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Tagging Objects_in_progress.rvt.

Tagging Doors and Windows

In this exercise, you learn how to place door and window tags. You learn how to add tags to the floor plan
and how to simultaneously tag multiple untagged doors and windows.
Training File
Continue using the training file you saved in the previous exercise, Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Tagging
Objects_in_progress.rvt.

Tag Level 1 doors

1 If necessary, in the Project Browser, expand Floor Plans, and double-click Unit 18 Plan - Level
1.
2 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Tag ➤ By Category.
3 On the Options Bar, clear Leader.
4 Select 5 doors in the upper area of the floor plan:
■ Entry door

■ Kitchen pantry door

■ Pocket door in toilet

■ Closet door in dining room

Tagging Doors and Windows | 213

 ■ Closet door in living room

5 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

6 Click the door tag for the entry door, type U18-1, and press ENTER.

NOTE The tag symbol and text size are determined by the tag family.

7 Select the kitchen pantry door to the left, and on the Options Bar, click (Element
Properties).
8 In the Element Properties dialog, under Identify Data, for Mark, type U18-2, and click OK.

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 9 Using one of the methods you just learned, rename the other 3 door tags to match the
corresponding room tags.

10 Select the tag for the pocket door on the right, and drag it down to center it in the doorway.

11 Select the tag for the closet door and move it to the right of the door.

Tagging Doors and Windows | 215

 Tag Level 2 doors

12 In the Project Browser, double-click Unit 18 Plan - Level 2.

13 On the Design Bar, click Tag All Not Tagged.
14 In the Tag All Not Tagged dialog, verify that All objects in current view is selected.
15 Under Category, select Door Tags, and click OK.
16 Move the door tags to center them in the doorway.
17 Edit the numbers of the door tags as shown:

Place window tags

18 In the Project Browser, expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 1.

19 Click Settings menu ➤ Annotations ➤ Loaded Tags.

20 In the Tags dialog, click Load.
21 In the left pane of the Load Family dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\Families\Annotations\M_Window Tag.rfa.
22 In the Tags dialog, click OK.
23 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Tag All Not Tagged.
24 In the Tag All Not Tagged dialog, select Window Tags, and click OK.

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 25 Zoom to the lower-right area of the drawing to view the window tags.

26 Under Floor Plans, double-click Level 2.

27 Zoom to the drawing extents.
28 Using the same method, tag all untagged windows.
29 Save the file.

Tagging Other Objects

In this exercise, you learn how to tag furniture objects, and modify the tag placement and display.
Training File
Continue using the training file you saved in the previous exercise, Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Tagging
Objects_in_progress.rvt.

Add furniture tags

1 In the Project Browser, expand Floor Plans, and double-click Unit 18 Plan - Level 1.
2 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Tag ➤ By Category.
3 On the Options Bar, select Leader.
4 Select a dining room chair.
5 At the confirmation prompt, click Yes to load a tag.
6 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\Families\Annotations\M_Furniture Tag.rfa.
7 Select each of the chairs and the table to place tags; select the edge to which the leader connects.

Tagging Other Objects | 217

 8 Select the furniture in the living room.

9 Click Modify.
Modify tag placement

10 Zoom to the dining table.

Notice that the chair and table tags overlap.

11 Select the tag for the table, and drag it above the chair tag.

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 12 Click the elbow control, and drag it up to form an angled leader.

13 Optionally, modify the position of the chair tags to move them closer to the chairs.
14 Click Modify.
15 Select the tag for the table (TBL-1), and on the Options Bar, clear Leader.
16 Drag the table tag to the center of the table, and on the Design Bar, click Modify.

Tag furniture on Level 2

17 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Unit 18 Plan - Level 2.
18 On the Design Bar, click Tag All Not Tagged, select M_Furniture Tag : Standard, and click OK.
All furniture in the floor plan is tagged.

Tagging Other Objects | 219

 Change tag style

19 Draw a selection box around the top area of the drawing to select the furniture.

20 On the Options Bar, click (Filter Selection).

21 In the Filter dialog, click Check None, select Furniture Tags, and click OK.
22 In the Type Selector, select Furniture Tag: Boxed, and click Modify.

23 Save the file.

Defining Schedules and Color Diagrams

In this lesson, you learn to add schedules. You also learn to add schedule keys to a project by creating a
room schedule and room color diagram. Schedule keys allow you to define common items that can be used
by multiple objects within a schedule.

220 | Chapter 5 Tagging and Scheduling

Creating a Window Schedule
In this exercise, you create a window schedule for the building model shown below.

You begin by creating a window instance schedule; that is, a schedule that lists every window in the building.

Creating a Window Schedule | 221

 You then select a window in the instance schedule and use the Show command to locate it in a view of the
building model.

Next, you group and sort the windows in the instance schedule. Finally, you change the window instance
schedule to a type schedule, in which windows are listed by window type.

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Schedules-Color Diagrams.rvt.

Create a window schedule

1 In the Project Browser, expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 1.
2 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Schedule/Quantities.

TIP If the View tab of the Design Bar is not active, right-click in the Design Bar, and click View.

3 In the New Schedule dialog, under Category, select Windows.

4 For Name, type Building Window Schedule, and click OK.
Define the fields to display as columns in the window schedule

5 In the Schedule Properties dialog, click the Fields tab.

6 Under Available fields, select Comments and click Add.
The Comments field is moved under Scheduled fields.

7 Using the same method, add the following fields to the schedule:
■ Count

■ Height

■ Level

■ Type Mark

222 | Chapter 5 Tagging and Scheduling

 ■ Width

8 Under Scheduled fields, order the fields as shown in the following illustration by selecting them
and clicking Move Up or Move Down.

9 Click OK.
A schedule is created that contains every window in the building model.

Select a window in the schedule and locate it in the building model

10 Select a cell in the window schedule with the C14 Type Mark, and on the Options Bar, click
Show.
If no open view shows the selected element, you are prompted to open one that does.

11 If the confirmation dialog displays, click OK to search through relevant views of the building
model.

Creating a Window Schedule | 223

 The window that corresponds to the information in the schedule row is displayed in a relevant
view of the building model.

12 In the Show Element(s) in View dialog, click Close.

NOTE By clicking Show, you can display other views of the building model that include the selected
window. However, in large building models with many views, this can be a time-consuming process.

13 In the Project Browser, expand Schedules/Quantities, and double-click Building Window Schedule
to redisplay the window instance schedule.
Group and sort the window schedule by type mark

14 In the drawing area, right-click the schedule, and click View Properties.
15 In the Element Properties dialog, under Other, for Sorting/Grouping, click Edit.
16 On the Sorting/Grouping tab of the Schedule Properties dialog, for Sort by, select Type Mark
17 Click OK twice.
The window schedule is displayed, sorted by type mark.

Change type mark from the schedule

18 In the window schedule, change the Type Mark in the first row from 19 to A, and press ENTER.
19 Click OK to confirm that you want to change the type mark for all windows of this type.

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 The type mark is changed to A and the schedule is resorted.

Change the schedule from an instance schedule to a type schedule

20 Right-click on the schedule, and click View Properties.

21 In the Element Properties dialog, under Other, for Sorting/Grouping, click Edit.
22 In the Schedule Properties dialog, clear Itemize every instance.
23 Click OK twice.
The window type schedule is displayed.

24 Change the Type Mark for the other window types, so that the types are sequentially named
from A to H, as shown:

25 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 2.

26 Zoom to the lower area of the floor plan to see that the window tags have changed.

27 Click File menu ➤ Save As, and save the exercise file as m_Freighthouse_Flats-Schedules-Color
Diagrams_in_progress.rvt.

Creating a Window Schedule | 225

Adding Project Parameters to a Window Schedule
In this lesson, you add schedule columns for parameters that are not standard for the scheduled object. In
this case, you want to add columns to the window schedule to describe the detail where head, jamb, and
sill conditions for a window can be found. These parameters cannot be shared with other projects and,
unlike shared parameters, you cannot use them to tag objects.

Training File
Continue using the training file you saved in the previous exercise, m_Freighthouse_Flats-Schedules-Color
Diagrams_in_progress.rvt.

Create project parameters

1 In the Project Browser, expand Schedules/Quantities, and double-click Building Window Schedule.
2 Click Settings menu ➤ Project Parameters.
3 In the Project Parameters dialog, click Add to create the new parameter.
4 In the Parameter Properties dialog:
■ Under Categories, select Windows to associate the parameter with the Windows category.

■ Under Parameter Data, for Name, type Head Detail.

■ For Group parameter under, select Construction.

■ Select Type.

5 Click OK.
The new project parameter Head Detail is displayed in the Project Parameters dialog.

6 Using the same method, create 2 more window parameters: Jamb Detail and Sill Detail.
7 In the Project Parameter dialog, click OK.
Add project parameters to the schedule

8 In the Project Browser, right-click Building Window Schedule, and click Properties.
9 In the Element Properties dialog, under Other, for Fields, click Edit.
10 On the Fields tab of the Schedule Properties dialog, under Available fields, select the following
fields, and click Add to add them to the schedule in order:
■ Head Detail

■ Jamb Detail

■ Sill Detail

11 Use the Move Up control to move the new parameters up in the list, so that they are listed before
Comments.

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 12 Click OK twice.

Group headers in the schedule

13 In the schedule, select Head Detail, Jamb Detail, and Sill Detail.

TIP To select all 3 headers, click in the Head Detail header, and without releasing the left mouse
button, move the cursor over the Jamb Detail and Sill Detail headers.

14 On the Options Bar, click Group.

15 In the grouping field above the detail headers in the schedule, type Window Details.
16 You can add values for the new project parameters directly in the schedule. For example, under
Type Mark A, for Head Detail, type 1/A107; for Jamb Detail, type 2/A107; and for Sill Detail,
type 3/A107.

17 Save the file.

Adding Project Parameters to a Window Schedule | 227

Creating a Unit-Based Door Schedule with a Filter
In this exercise, you create a unit-based door schedule and use a filter to limit the selection of doors to a
single unit. You then hide the column used for the filter, and place the unit-based door schedule on a sheet
with the unit plans.
Training File
Continue using the training file you saved in the previous exercise, m_Freighthouse_Flats-Schedules-Color
Diagrams_in_progress.rvt.

View Level 1 of the building

1 In the Project Browser, expand Floor Plans, and double-click Unit 18 Plan - Level 1.
Create a new door schedule for Unit 18

2 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Schedule/Quantities.

3 In the New Schedule dialog:
■ Under Category, select Doors.

■ Under Name, type Unit 18 - Door Schedule.

■ Verify that Schedule building components is selected.

■ For Phase, verify that Phase 1 is selected.

4 Click OK.
5 In the Schedule Properties dialog, click the Fields tab.
6 Under Available fields, select the following fields, and click Add to add them to the schedule in
order:
■ Count

■ Family and Type

■ Head Height

■ Sill Height

■ Width

■ Mark

7 Click the Filter tab, and specify the following values for Filter by:
■ Select Mark in the first field.

■ Select contains in the second field.

■ Type U18 in the third field.

This filter checks each door in the project to see which unit it is associated with, and produces
a schedule that includes only the doors in Unit 18.

8 Click the Sorting/Grouping tab, and specify the following options:

■ For Sort by, select Family and Type.

■ Clear Itemize every instance (to group the like door types into one row).

9 Click the Formatting tab.

10 Under Fields, select Mark.
11 Under Field formatting, select Hidden field, and click OK.

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 The schedule includes the count and type for doors in Unit 18 only. The Mark field is used to
filter the entries in the schedule, but is not included as a column in the schedule.

Place the schedule on a sheet

12 In the Project Browser, expand Sheets (all), and double-click A102 - Unit 18.
13 In the Project Browser, click Unit 18 - Door Schedule, and drag it to the sheet.

14 Click to place the schedule in the upper left corner of the sheet.
15 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
16 Zoom in to see the details of the door schedule.

Modify the width of a schedule column on the sheet

17 Select the door schedule on the sheet.

18 Select the control at the top of the schedule for the Family and Type column and drag it to the
right to expand the column width.
The wider column makes it easier to read the door descriptions.

Creating a Unit-Based Door Schedule with a Filter | 229

 19 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
20 Save the file.

Creating a Room Schedule

In this exercise, you create a room schedule for the first floor plan. You also add programmed rooms to the
schedule for the public spaces in the building.

NOTE In some cases in this tutorial, partial schedules are shown for illustration purposes.

Training File
Continue using the training file you saved in the previous exercise, m_Freighthouse_Flats-Schedules-Color
Diagrams_in_progress.rvt.

Create a room schedule

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1.
Notice that several rooms have been defined in the floor plan.

2 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Schedule/Quantities.

TIP If the View tab of the Design Bar is not active, right-click in the Design Bar, and click View.

3 In the New Schedule dialog, under Category, select Rooms, and click OK.
Select the fields to display as columns in the room schedule

4 On the Fields tab of the Schedule Properties dialog, under Available fields, select Number, and
click Add.
The Number field is moved under Scheduled fields.

5 Using the same method, add the following fields to the schedule in order:
■ Name

■ Level

■ Area

6 Click the Appearance tab.

7 Under Text, to the right of Header text, select Bold.
8 Click OK.

NOTE The Appearance settings only take effect when the schedule is placed on a drawing sheet.
The bold header is not noticeable until you place the schedule on a drawing sheet.

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Add new rooms to the schedule

9 On the Options Bar, next to Rows, click New.

A new row is displayed at the bottom of the schedule. The room Number is U17-46, and the
Level and Area values are displayed as Not Placed because the room is not placed in the floor
plan.

10 Edit the number to be 101.

11 Using the same method, add 5 more rooms.
The rooms are displayed at the bottom of the list and numbered sequentially, 101-106.

12 Edit the room names in the schedule:

■ In the schedule, for room 101, for Name, type Building Entry, and press ENTER.

■ For 102, type Storage, and press ENTER.

■ For 103, type Corridor, and press ENTER.

■ For 104, select Corridor.

■ For 105, select Storage.

Creating a Room Schedule | 231

 ■ For 106, type Stair, and press ENTER.

13 Save the file.

Scheduling Rooms from a Program List

In this exercise, you add room separation lines, place rooms from a program list, and modify room names.
You also change the bounding behavior of walls in the storage areas of the plan.
Training File
Continue using the training file you saved in the previous exercise, m_Freighthouse_Flats-Schedules-Color
Diagrams_in_progress.rvt.

Specify style for room separation lines

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1.
2 Click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics.
3 Change the display of room separation lines:
■ On the Model Categories tab of the Visibility/Graphics dialog, under Visibility, expand Lines.

■ For Room Separation, under Projection/Surface, click the Lines field.

■ In the Lines field, click Override.

■ In the Line Graphics dialog, click the Color field.

■ Under Custom colors, click the bright green swatch, and click OK.

■ For Weight, select 9.

4 Click OK twice.

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Add room separation lines

5 Zoom in to the center of the building.

6 On the Room and Area tab of the Design Bar, click Room Separation.
7 Click to add 2 room separation lines in the corridor at the right side of the drawing. First, draw
the horizontal line.

8 Draw a vertical separation line from the wall endpoint to the new corridor separation line.

9 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Place rooms from a program list

10 On the Design Bar, click Room.

Scheduling Rooms from a Program List | 233

 Placed rooms are indicated with a crosshair graphic in the drawing.

11 On the Options Bar, for Room, select 101 Building Entry.

12 Click to place the room in the newly defined entry area (lower right).

13 On the Options Bar, for Room, select 102 Storage.

14 For Offset, type 2400 mm.

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 15 Click to place the room in the area to the left of Building Entry.

16 Using the same method, place the following rooms, as shown:

■ Place 103 in the space above room 101.

■ Place 104 in the space to the left of 103.

■ Place 105 in the lower space to the left of the kitchen.

■ Place 106 in the space with the stairs (to the left of room 105).

17 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Change the room bounding behavior of walls

18 In the Project Browser, under Schedules/Quantities, double-click Room Schedule.

Notice the area values for the Storage rooms in the schedule. These values will change after you
change the room bounding behavior of walls in the storage areas.

19 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1, and zoom in to the Corridor.
20 While pressing CTRL, select the 3 small walls (in or adjacent to the storage areas), as shown:

Scheduling Rooms from a Program List | 235

 21 On the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).
22 In the Element Properties dialog, under Constraints, clear Room Bounding, and click OK.
23 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
24 Open the Room Schedule.
Notice that the area for the storage rooms has increased as a result of the change in the room
bounding behavior of the walls.

Create key schedule

25 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Schedule/Quantities.

26 In the New Schedule dialog, under Category, select Rooms.
27 Select Schedule keys, and click OK.
28 In the Schedule Properties dialog, under Available fields, while pressing CTRL, select Base Finish,
Floor Finish, and Wall Finish, and click Add.
29 Click OK to create the new room style schedule.
The Room Style Schedule displays without data.

30 On the Options Bar, for Rows, click New.

31 For Key Name, type Units, and for all 3 finishes, type As Selected.

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 32 Using the same method, add 2 more key names: Service and Public.

33 In the Project Browser, under Schedules/Quantities, right-click Room Schedule, and click
Properties.
34 In the Element Properties dialog, under Other, for Fields, click Edit.
35 In the Schedule Properties dialog, for Available fields, select Room Style, and click Add.
36 Click OK twice.
37 Open the Room Schedule.
The Room Style column is added to the Room Schedule.

38 Under U17-8, for Room Style, select Units.

Specify the Room Style for Level 1 rooms

39 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1.

40 Zoom to the drawing extents.
41 Draw a selection box around floor plan.

42 On the Options Bar, click (Filter Selection).

43 In the Filter dialog, click Check None, select Rooms, and click OK.
All rooms are selected in the floor plan.

44 On the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).

45 In the Element Properties dialog, under Identity Data, for Room Style, select Units, and click
OK.

Scheduling Rooms from a Program List | 237

 46 Open the Room Schedule.
Notice that the Room Style is Units for all rooms on Level 1.

47 Edit the Room Style for rooms 101 through 106:

■ For rooms 101, 103, 104, and 106, select Public.

■ For rooms 102 and 105, select Service.

All rooms on Level 1 now have the room style defined. The Room Style specification will be
used later to determine color fill in a room color diagram.

48 Save the file.

Creating a Room Color Diagram

In this exercise, you create a room color scheme (based on the type of the rooms in the floor plan), and
apply it to the Level 1 view. You also edit the colors used in the color scheme and modify the properties of
the color scheme legend.

Training File
Continue using the training file you saved in the previous exercise, m_Freighthouse_Flats-Schedules-Color
Diagrams_in_progress.rvt.

Create a room color scheme

1 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 1.
2 Click Settings menu ➤ Color Fill Schemes.

3 In the Edit Color Scheme dialog, click (Duplicate).

4 In the New color scheme dialog, for Name, type Room Type, and click OK.
5 For Title, type Room Type.
6 In the Edit Color Scheme dialog, for Color, select Room Style.
7 Because you are creating a new color scheme, at the warning prompt, click OK.
8 In the Edit Color Scheme dialog, click OK.
9 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, right-click Level 1, and click Properties.
10 In the Element Properties dialog, under Graphics, click the Color Scheme field.

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 11 In the Edit Color Scheme dialog, under Schemes, select Room Type, and click OK.
12 In the Element Properties dialog, for Visibility/Graphics Overrides, click Edit.
13 In the Visibility/Graphics Overrides dialog, under Visibility, expand Lines, and clear Room
Separation.
14 Click OK twice.

Add a color scheme legend

15 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Color Scheme Legend.
When you move the cursor over the drawing area, a legend displays at the tip of the cursor.

16 Click in the lower right of the drawing area to place the legend.
17 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Change the fill colors applied to the rooms

18 In the drawing area, select the color legend.

19 On the Options Bar, click Edit Color Scheme.
20 In the Edit Color Scheme dialog, in the first row of the Scheme Definition table (none), clear
Visible.
21 In the second row of the table (Public), click the value in the Color column.

Creating a Room Color Diagram | 239

 22 In the Color dialog, under Custom color, select blue, and click OK.
23 Using the same method, change the colors for Service and Units to cyan and gray, respectively.

24 Click OK.

Specify properties for the legend colors and title

25 With the legend still selected, on the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).
26 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
27 In the Type Properties dialog, under Graphics, for Swatch Width, type 25 mm.
28 Under Title Text, for Size, type 5 mm.
29 Click OK twice.
30 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

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Create a section color diagram

31 In the Project Browser, under Sections, double-click Building Section.

NOTE In order for color fills to be displayed in section, volume computations must be enabled from
Settings menu ➤ Area and Volume Computations. Calculation of room volumes can affect project
performance.

Turn on the visibility of rooms in the building section view

32 In the Project Browser, under Sections, right-click Building Section, and select Properties.
33 In the Element Properties dialog, under Graphics, for Visibility/Graphics Overrides, click Edit.
34 On the Model Categories tab of the Visibility/Graphic Overrides dialog, under Visibility, select
Rooms.
35 Click OK twice.
Place the color scheme legend on the section

36 On the Room and Area tab of the Design Bar, click Color Scheme Legend.
As you move the cursor over the drawing area, the legend displays at the tip of the cursor.

37 Click to place the legend on the drawing.

38 In the Choose Space Type and Color Scheme dialog, for Color Scheme, select Room Type, and
click OK.
39 Using the grip at the bottom of the legend, position the legend horizontally across the bottom
of the section view.

Creating a Room Color Diagram | 241

 40 Draw a selection box around the entire drawing.

41 On the Options Bar, click (Filter Selection).

42 In the Filter dialog, click Check None, select Rooms, and click OK.
Assign all rooms the Units room style

43 On the Options Bar, click .

44 In the Element Properties dialog, under Identity Data, for Room Style, select Units, and click
OK.

45 While pressing CTRL, select all the rooms in the stairwell, and the room to the right of the stair
on level 1 (Corridor 104).

46 Click .
47 In the Element Properties dialog, under Identity Data, for Room Style, select Public, and click
OK.

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Assign the penthouse room the service room style

48 Select the penthouse, and click .

49 In the Element Properties dialog, under Identity Data, for Room Style, select Service, and click
OK.

Add suites as a new room style in the Room Style Schedule

50 In the Project Browser, under Schedules/Quantities, double-click Room Style Schedule.

51 On the Options Bar, for Rows, click New.
52 In the Room Style Schedule, under Key Name for the new row, type Suites.
Assign the Suites room style to all rooms on levels 3 and 4

53 Open the Building Section.

54 While pressing CTRL, select all the rooms on levels 3 and 4, excluding the stairwell spaces.

TIP You may need to use TAB to select the room in the upper right with the entertainment center.

Creating a Room Color Diagram | 243

 55 Click .
56 In the Element Properties dialog, under Identity Data, for Room Style, select Suites, and click
OK.
A new Suites key is added to the color scheme legend.

Use volume calculations to control color fills

57 Click Settings menu ➤ Area and Volume Computations.

58 In the Area and Volume Computations dialog, under Volume Computations, select Areas and
Volumes.
59 Under Room Area Computation, verify that At wall finish is selected, and click OK.
The color fill will extend to the roof, but not beyond it.

Change room heights

60 In the drawing area, select the room on the left side of the top floor.
61 Drag the top Control grip above the bounding roof.
The color fill extends to the roof.

62 Repeat this process for all rooms that are bounded by the sloping roof: the remaining suites and
the public stairs on the top floor.

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Assign the correct heights to the rooms on the first level

63 On the first level, select the stairwell room, and click .

64 In the Element Properties dialog, under Constraints, for Upper Limit, select Loft.
65 For Limit Offset, type 0.0.
66 Click OK.
67 On the first level, select the public room next to the stairs (Corridor 104), the dining room, and
the living room.

68 Click .
69 In the Element Properties dialog, under Constraints, for Upper Limit, select Level 2.
70 For Limit Offset, type -254 mm.
71 Click OK.
72 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Creating a Room Color Diagram | 245

 73 Save the file.

Creating a Material Takeoff

In this exercise, you have already determined the roof configuration for the building. You learn to change
the roof family type and create a material takeoff schedule for the roofing materials. You then add formulas
to the material takeoff to produce cost estimates.
Training File
Continue using the training file you saved in the previous exercise, m_Freighthouse_Flats-Schedules-Color
Diagrams_in_progress.rvt.

Create a material takeoff

1 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click {3D}.

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 2 Zoom in to the roof area of the building.
3 While pressing CTRL, select the roof of the building and the smaller roof for the elevator
penthouse.

4 In the Type Selector, select Basic Roof : Wood Joist - Insulation on Plywood Deck - EPDM.
5 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
6 Click View menu ➤ New ➤ Material Takeoff.
7 In the New Material Takeoff dialog, under Category, select Roofs, and click OK.
8 On the Fields tab of the Material Takeoff Properties dialog, under Available fields, click Family
and Type, and click Add.
9 Using the same method, add Material: Description and Material: Area to the Scheduled fields.
10 On the Sorting/Grouping tab:
■ For Sort by, select Family and Type.

■ For Then by, select Material: Description.

■ Select Grand totals.

■ Clear Itemize every instance.

Creating a Material Takeoff | 247

 11 On the Formatting tab:
■ Under Fields, select Material: Area.

■ Under Field formatting, select Calculate totals.

12 Click OK.
The Roof Material Takeoff Schedule displays.

13 Expand the column widths to see all of the information.

TIP Double-click the column dividers to expand the columns to fit the text.

Add cost information and a formula to calculate estimated cost

14 In the Project Browser, right-click Roof Material Takeoff, and click Properties.
15 In the Element Properties dialog, under Other, for Fields, click Edit.
16 In the Material Takeoff Properties dialog, under Available fields, select Material: Cost, and click
Add.
17 Click Calculated Value.
18 In the Calculated Value dialog, for Name, type Estimated Cost.
19 For Type, select Currency.
20 For Formula, type Material: Area*Material: Cost /(1000mm^2).
The /(1000mm^2) is required to remove the formatting of the fields so that the cost estimate
value can be calculated.

21 Click OK.
22 In the Material Takeoff Properties dialog, click the Formatting tab, and under Fields, click
Estimated Cost.
23 For Field formatting, select Calculate totals, and click OK twice.
24 In the Roof Material Takeoff, for Material: Cost, type the following values:
Material: Description Material: Cost

EPDM 16

Plywood 13.40

Rigid Insulation 50.80

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 Material: Description Material: Cost

Wood Joist 5.35

The Estimated cost is calculated.

Add currency formatting to the schedule

25 Click Settings menu ➤ Project Units.

26 In the Project Units dialog, for Currency, click the Format value.
27 In the Format dialog, for Rounding, verify that 2 decimal places is selected.
28 For Unit symbol, select $.
29 Select Use digit grouping.
Digit grouping, which inserts commas after every three digits, can be used for any number-based
parameter, not just for currency.

30 Click OK twice.
The cost fields are formatted correctly.

31 Save the file.

Scheduling Shared Parameters

In this lesson, you learn how to use shared parameters to define additional parameters that are not included
in predefined instance and type parameters, either within family components or within the project template.
These shared parameters can be added to any family, regardless of category, and are defined and stored in
an external file, ensuring consistency across families and projects. Their values may also be aggregated and
reported within Revit Architecture multi-category schedules.
An example of the use of shared parameters is the need to add specific parameters to a family component
for scheduling and tagging when those parameters are not present by default. This lesson demonstrates the
solution for this situation and covers the process of setting up shared parameters, adding the shared parameters
to a family, creating a generic tag to tag the family, and reporting the shared parameters.
In this lesson, you create an exiting plan for the building. You draw a travel path line, tag the line, and
schedule the total distance of each path. Adding shared parameters to a family allows you to create a tag
and schedule to track this specific information.

Creating a Shared Parameter File

In this exercise, you create a shared parameter file.

Scheduling Shared Parameters | 249

 Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Shared
Parameters.rvt.

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Exiting Plan-Level 1.

2 Click File menu ➤ Shared Parameters.

3 In the Edit Shared Parameters dialog, click Create.
4 In the left pane of the Create Shared Parameter File dialog, click Training Files, for File name,
type OfficeStandardsParameters.txt, and click Save.

NOTE Shared parameter files are typically stored at a network location for use in all projects.

5 In the Edit Shared Parameters dialog, under Groups, click New.

6 In the New Parameter Group dialog, for Name, type Exiting, and click OK.
7 Under Parameters, click New.
8 In the Parameter Properties dialog, for Name, type Path ID, and click OK.
9 Under Parameters, click New.
10 In the Parameter Properties dialog, for Name, type Travel Distance, for Type of Parameter, select
Length.
11 Click OK twice.
12 Click File menu ➤ Save As, and save the exercise file as m_Freighthouse_Flats-Shared
Parameters_in_progress.rvt.

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Adding Shared Parameters to a Family
In this exercise, you add the shared parameters you created to a family file. You then create a generic tag to
tag the family.
Training File
Continue using the training file you saved in the previous exercise, m_Freighthouse_Flats-Schedules-Shared
Parameters_in_progress.rvt.

1 Click File menu ➤ Open.

2 In the Left pane of the Open dialog, Click Training Files, and open
Metric\Families\Annotations\M_Travel Line.rfa.

3 On the Design Bar, click Family Types.

The Family Types dialog displays the parameters that are currently available for this family
category.

4 In the Family Types dialog, under Parameters, click Add.

5 In the Parameter Properties dialog, under Parameter Type, select Shared parameter, and click
Select.
6 In the Shared Parameters dialog, verify that Parameter group is Exiting and that Path ID is
selected, and click OK.
7 In the Parameter Properties dialog, under Parameter Data, for Group parameter under, select
Constraints.
8 Select Instance, and click OK.
9 In the Family Types dialog, under Parameters, click Add.
10 Using the same method, add Travel Distance as a shared parameter, group it under Dimensions,
and select Instance.
11 Click OK.
12 In the Family Types dialog, under Dimensions, for Travel Distance Formula, following the equals
symbol (=), type Length.
13 Click Apply, and click OK.
14 On the Design Bar, click Load into Projects.
If you have multiple projects open, the Load into Projects dialog displays for you to select the
project, otherwise the family loads into the current project.

15 If necessary, in the Load into Projects dialog, select m_Freighthouse_Flats-Shared

Parameters_in_progress.rvt, and click OK.
Create a tag using shared parameters

16 Click File menu ➤ New ➤ Annotation Symbol.

Adding Shared Parameters to a Family | 251

 17 In the left pane of the New Annotation Symbol dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\Templates\M_Generic Tag.rft.
18 Zoom in to the intersection of the reference planes.

19 On the Design Bar, click Label.

20 Click the intersection of the reference planes.

21 In the Edit Label dialog, click (Add Parameter).

22 In the Parameter Properties dialog, click Select.
23 In the Shared Parameters dialog, under Parameters, select Travel Distance.
24 Click OK twice.

25 In the Edit Label dialog, under Category Parameters, select Travel Distance, click (Add
parameter(s) to label), and click OK.

26 On the Design Bar, click Label.

27 Click above the intersection of the reference planes, and use the same method to select the Path
ID parameter.

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28 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
29 In the drawing window, select Path ID, and move it down, so that it is positioned just above
Travel Distance.

30 Select the Note in the upper left area of the drawing window, and press DELETE.

31 Click File ➤ Save As.

32 In the Save As dialog, for File Name, type M_Travel Distance Tag.rfa, and click Save.
33 On the Design Bar, click Load into Projects.
34 On the Load into Projects dialog, verify that m_Freighthouse_Flats-Shared
Parameters_in_Progress.rvt is selected, and click OK.
35 Save the file.

Adding Shared Parameters to a Family | 253

Placing,Tagging, and Scheduling a Family with Shared Parameters
In this exercise, you place the travel line family in the Level 1 and Level 2 exiting plans. You then tag the
travel lines and give them a path ID. After the lines are tagged, you create a schedule that totals the travel
distances in each exiting plan for each path ID.
Training File
Continue using the training file you saved in the previous exercise, m_Freighthouse_Flats-Schedules-Shared
Parameters_in_progress.rvt.

Create Level 1 exiting travel path

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Exiting Plan - Level 1.
2 Zoom in to the corridor.

3 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Component.

4 On the Options Bar, select Chain.
5 Specify a start point for the path at the left end of the corridor as shown.

6 Move the cursor to the right, and click in the center of the corridor, above the exterior door as
shown.

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 7 Move the cursor down, through the door, and click outside of the building.

8 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

9 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Tag ➤ By Category.
10 On the Options Bar, clear Leader.
11 Select each of the travel path lines.
12 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

13 While pressing CTRL, select the 2 dashed travel lines, and click (Element Properties).
14 In the Element Properties dialog, under Constraints, for Path ID, type 1-1, and click OK.

Create Level 2 exiting travel path

15 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double click Exiting Plan - Level 2.
16 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Component.
17 On the Options Bar, verify that Chain is selected.
18 Click in the horizontal corridor below the door on the right side of the floor plan, move the
cursor near the right corner, and click to specify the first segment of the path as shown.

Placing,Tagging, and Scheduling a Family with Shared Parameters | 255

 19 Move the cursor up through the door, and click.

20 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

21 On the Design Bar, click Component.
22 Click at the starting point of the previous path, move the cursor to the left, and click above the
door to the stair.
23 Move the cursor down, and click in the stair.

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 24 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
25 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Tag ➤ By Category.
26 Select each of the travel path lines.
27 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

28 While pressing CTRL, select the 2 dashed travel lines for the left exit path, and click .
29 In the Element Properties dialog, under Constraints, for Path ID, type 2-1, and click OK.
30 Using the same method, specify the Path ID for the right exit path to 2-2.

Create a schedule to total the paths on each plan

31 Click View menu ➤ New ➤ Schedule/Quantities.

32 In the New Schedule dialog, under Category, verify that <Multi-Category> is selected.
33 For Name, type Level 1 Exit Distance, and click OK.

Placing,Tagging, and Scheduling a Family with Shared Parameters | 257

 34 On the Fields tab of the Schedule Properties dialog, under Available fields, while pressing CTRL,
select Path ID and Travel Distance, and click Add.
35 Click the Filter tab.
36 For Filter by, in the first field, select Path ID; in the second field, select contains; and in the third
field, type 1-.
37 Click the Sorting/Grouping tab.
38 For Sort by, select Path ID.
39 Clear Itemize every instance.
40 Click the Formatting tab.
41 Under Fields, select Travel Distance, and under Field formatting, select Calculate totals.
42 Click OK.
The Level 1 Exit Distance schedule displays.

43 In the Project Browser, under Schedules/Quantities, right-click Level 1 Exit Distance, and click
Duplicate View ➤ Duplicate.
44 In the Project Browser, right-click Copy of Level 1 Exit Distance, and click Rename.
45 In the Rename View dialog, type Level 2 Exit Distance, and click OK.
46 In the Project Browser, right-click Level 2 Exit Distance, and click Properties.
47 In the Element Properties dialog, under Other, for Filter, click Edit.
48 In the Schedule Properties dialog, for Filter by, in the third field, type 2-.
49 Click OK twice.
The Level 2 Exit Distance schedule displays.

50 Save the file.

Scheduling Uniformat Assembly Codes

In this lesson, you schedule Uniformat Assembly Codes as they are applied to Revit Architecture components.

Scheduling Uniformat Assembly Codes and Descriptions

In this exercise, you create a wall schedule that includes columns for the Uniformat Assembly Codes and
assembly descriptions of the scheduled walls.
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Uni-Format.rvt.

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Create a wall schedule
1 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Schedule/Quantities.

TIP If the View tab of the Design Bar is not active, right-click the Design Bar, and click View.

2 In the New Schedule dialog, under Categories, select Walls, and click OK.
3 In the Schedule Properties dialog, click the Fields tab.
4 Under Available fields, select the following fields, and click Add to add them to the schedule in
order:
■ Area

■ Volume

■ Width

■ Length

■ Assembly Code

■ Assembly Description

5 Click OK to complete the schedule.

Assign an assembly code to a wall type in the project

6 In the Project Browser, expand Families ➤ Walls ➤ Basic Wall, right-click Generic - 152 mm,
and click Properties.
7 In the Type Properties dialog, under Identity Data, for Assembly Code, click the Value field, and
click .
8 In the Choose Assembly Code dialog, expand C - Interiors ➤ C10 - Interior Construction ➤ C1010
- Partitions ➤ C1010100 - Fixed Partitions, and select C1010145 - Partitions - Drywall w/ Metal
Stud.
9 Click OK twice.
10 In the schedule, expand the Assembly Description column to see the description.

Scheduling Uniformat Assembly Codes and Descriptions | 259

 11 Close the exercise file.

Exporting Project Information with ODBC

In this lesson, you learn how to export project information to an ODBC (Open DataBase Connectivity)
compatible database.

Exporting Schedule Information to Microsoft Access

In this exercise, you learn how to export project information into a Microsoft® Access 2000 database. The
process that you use to export the database is similar for any other ODBC-compliant database.
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Uni-Format.rvt.

1 On the File menu, click Export ➤ ODBC Database.

2 In the Select Data Source dialog, click the File Data Source tab.
3 Click New.
4 In the Create New Data Source dialog, select the Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb), and click Next.
5 Type RevitDSN for the name of the file data source, and click Next.
6 Click Finish.
7 In the ODBC Microsoft Access Setup dialog, under Database, click Create.
8 In the New Database dialog, for Database Name, type Revit_Project.mdb.
9 Under Directories, select a location for the database file, and click OK to create the database.
10 When the confirmation dialog displays, click OK.
11 Click OK 3 times.
12 Open the database in Microsoft Access.

NOTE Depending on your version of Microsoft Access, the database display may be different than
that shown.

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 Revit Architecture creates 2 tables for the following categories of elements (see below): one that
lists all of the element instances in a project and one that lists all of the element types in a
project. Additionally, tables that list instances only are created for levels and rooms because
these categories do not have types.
A unique element ID is used to identify exported elements, so that each table of elements includes
an Id column. Elements IDs are also used to establish relationships between elements in different
tables. For example, instance tables include a TypeId column containing the ID of the instance’s
type, and some instance tables include a RoomId column containing the ID of the room that
the instance is in.
In addition to the tables for instances and types in a category, a table is also created for each
key schedule in a project, as long as the category is one of the categories that Revit Architecture
exports. The exported columns are the same as the columns in the key schedule, in addition to
the Id column. Each key schedule gives elements in its category a new parameter, which is used
for choosing one of the keys from the key schedule. These parameters are also exported and
contain the ID of the key element.
One final table is also exported: Assembly Codes. This table contains one row for each Uniformat
Assembly Code. The columns of the table are Assembly Code and Assembly Description. The
table of types includes an Assembly Code column that references the Assembly Codes table.

13 Close the exercise file.

Exporting Schedule Information to Microsoft Access | 261

262
Annotating and
Dimensioning 6
In this tutorial, you learn how to change the base elevation of a project, and how to annotate and dimension your Revit
Architecture 2009 projects.

Changing the Base Elevation of a Project

In this lesson, you learn how to relocate the base elevation of a project, as the base elevation of most projects
is rarely at 0 mm. You can change the base elevation without changing the elevation value of every other
level in the project, or you can change the base elevation and add its value to the levels above it. You
accomplish this in Revit Architecture by defining levels as either project or shared levels.

263
 Project levels report elevation relative to other levels in the project

264 | Chapter 6 Annotating and Dimensioning

 Shared levels report elevation relative to the base height

Relocating a Project
In this exercise, you relocate the base elevation of a building from 0 m to 10000 m. After you define the
building levels as shared and relocate the project, the height of the elevations above Level 1 report height
relative to Level 1.

Relocating a Project | 265

 Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open m_Freighthouse_Flats-Anno_Dim.rvt.

Define Level 1 as a shared level

1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Elevations (Building Elevation), and
double-click South.
Level 1 displays an elevation value of 0 mm. The levels in the project are not shared, so changing
the height Level 1 would change it only in relation to the other levels in the project.

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 2 Select the Level 1 line to display it as red.

3 On the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).

4 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
In order for the levels to report height relative to the new base elevation after the project is
relocated, you must set the Elevation Base parameter to Shared. If you did that now, the parameter
for all the levels in the project would change. However, to better demonstrate how shared levels
work, only the Elevation Base parameter of Level 1 is shared at this time, and you create a new
shared level type for only Level 1.

5 In the Type Properties dialog:

■ Click Duplicate.

■ In the Name dialog, type 8 mm Head - Shared Elevation, and click OK.

■ Under Constraints, for Elevation Base, select Shared.

6 Click OK twice.
Relocate the project

7 Click Tools menu ➤ Project Position/Orientation ➤ Relocate this Project.

8 Select the Level 1 line.
By selecting the Level 1 line, you specify the point (0 mm) from which you want to relocate the
project.

9 Move the cursor above the elevation line, type 10000 mm, and press ENTER.
By typing 10000 mm in this step, you specify the new location of the project.

10 On the View menu, click Zoom ➤ Zoom All To Fit.

The south elevation is displayed. The base elevation now reads 10000 mm. The elevation of the
other levels remains the same.

Relocating a Project | 267

 Define the remaining project levels as shared

11 Select the Loft level line.

12 In the Type Selector, select Level : 8 mm Head - Shared Elevation.
13 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
The reported value of the Loft level changes to take the new base elevation value into
consideration.

14 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, double-click North.

The changes in elevation have propagated to this view, as well as other views of the building
model.

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15 Define the remaining levels as shared:
■ While pressing CTRL, select Levels 2-4, the Penthouse level, and the Roof Plan level.

■ In the Type Selector, select Level : 8 mm Head - Shared Elevation.

■ On the Design Bar, click Modify.

All the building levels now report elevations relative to the base elevation.

Relocating a Project | 269

 16 If you want to save your changes, click File menu ➤ Save As, and save the exercise file with a
unique name.
17 Proceed to the next lesson, Dimensioning on page 270.

Dimensioning
In this lesson, you learn how to create permanent dimensions to control and document your building
models. In Revit Architecture, there are 2 types of dimensions: temporary and permanent. Temporary
dimensions display automatically when you create and insert components. Permanent dimensions must be
explicitly created, except when you sketch profiles to complete families. In this case, permanent dimensions
are created automatically, although you must turn on their visibility to view them.

Creating Dimensions
In this exercise, you learn how to use dimensioning tools and constraints in Revit Architecture to dimension
and space planter boxes on the north side of the building. You place linear, multi-segmented, radial, and
angular dimensions, and learn to work with dimensioning constraints to control placement of elements in
the model.

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Linear and multi-segmented dimensions

Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise,
Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Anno_Dim.rvt

Place an overall linear dimension

1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 1.

2 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Dimension.

The default dimensioning options display on the Options Bar. By default, dimensions are aligned,
snap to wall centerlines, and are created by selecting individual reference points.

3 Move the cursor over the curtain wall on the top left side of the view, and when a blue dashed
line displays along the left side of the curtain wall, select it.

Creating Dimensions | 271

 4 Move the cursor over the curtain wall on the top right side of the view, and when a blue dashed
line displays along the right side of the curtain wall, select it.

5 Move the cursor above the view, and click to place the dimension.

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 6 Click the lock that displays on the dimension string to lock the dimension.
The lock displays as locked, indicating that you cannot change the distance between the curtain
walls without first unlocking the dimension. Only aligned and angular permanent dimensions
can be constrained in this way.

7 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Place a multi-segmented dimension

8 On the Design Bar, click Dimension.

9 Select the left side of the left curtain wall as you did in a previous step, and move the cursor
over the left endpoint of the first planter to the right.
10 Press TAB until the left endpoint of the planter displays, and select it.
11 Using the same method, select the right endpoint of the planter.

Creating Dimensions | 273

 12 On the Options Bar, for Prefer, select Wall Faces.
13 Move the cursor to the planter on the right, and select its left exterior face.

14 Move the cursor to the right, and continue to select the endpoints and faces of the planters.
15 After you select the reference points on the final planter, select the right side of the curtain wall.
16 Move the cursor up, above the plan view of the building, but below the first dimension that
you placed, and click to place the multi-segmented dimension.

Make the dimension segments equal to space the planters at equal distances

17 With the multi-segmented dimension selected, click to make all the dimension segments
equal and reposition the planters equal distances apart from one another.

18 On the Basics tab, click Modify.

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Create a baseline dimension style

19 Select the dimension string, and on the Options Bar, click .

20 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
21 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
22 In the Name dialog, enter Linear - 2.5 mm Arial - Baseline, and click OK.
23 In the Type Properties dialog, under Graphics, for Dimension String Type, select Baseline.
Create an ordinate dimension style

24 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.

25 In the Name dialog, enter Linear - 2.5 mm Arial - Ordinate, and click OK.
26 In the Type Properties dialog, for Dimension String Type, select Ordinate.
27 Click OK twice.
View and apply the new dimension styles

28 Zoom in to the dimension string.

The dimensions start from 0 mm and increase moving away from the origin.

29 Select the dimension string, and in the Type Selector, select Linear - 2.5 mm Arial - Baseline.
The dimensions are stacked and measure from the same baseline.

Creating Dimensions | 275

 30 In the Type Selector, select Linear - 2.5 mm Arial to return to the original dimension style.
Add text below a permanent dimension

You can add supplemental text above, below, to the left, or to the right of a permanent dimension value.

31 Click the dimension value to which you want to add text, for example . The Dimension
Text dialog displays.
32 In the Dimension Text dialog, under Dimension Value, verify that Use Actual Value is selected.
33 Under Text Fields, for Below, enter Planter.
34 Click OK.

35 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Place a radial dimension with a Typ. suffix

36 Zoom to the planter between grid lines 3 and 4.

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37 On the Design Bar, click Dimension.
38 On the Options Bar:

■ Click (Radial).

■ For Prefer, select Wall faces.

39 Move the cursor over the left exterior curved face of the planter until it highlights, and select
it.
40 Move the cursor outside the wall, and specify a point to place the dimension.
41 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Modify.

42 Select the radial dimension.

43 Select the blue square grip that displays under the dimension value and drag it slightly up and
to the right.

44 With the dimension still selected, click the dimension text.

45 In the Dimension Text dialog, for Suffix, type Typ., and click OK.
46 On the Basics tab, click Modify.

Creating Dimensions | 277

 Place an angular dimension

47 Zoom to the planter near grid line 5.

48 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Dimension.

49 On the Options Bar:

■ Click (Angular).

■ For Prefer, verify that Wall faces is selected.

50 Select the horizontal line.

This line is the edge of a mass that represents the neighboring building.

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 51 Select the left exterior face of the planter.

52 Move the cursor to the left to resize the dimension arc, and click to place the dimension.
53 On the Basics tab, click Modify.

54 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating Automatic Wall Dimensions on page 279.

Creating Automatic Wall Dimensions

In this exercise, you learn to automatically dimension a linear wall and its openings (windows) on the Level
3 floor plan of the building. When you dimension the wall, you select only the wall, instead of the wall and
each individual opening reference point. This automatic dimensioning option provides a convenient way
to quickly dimension walls with multiple openings.

Creating Automatic Wall Dimensions | 279

 Automatic wall dimension

Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise,
Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Anno_Dim.rvt

Open the Level 3 floor plan view

1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 3.
You will dimension the short bottom horizontal wall that includes 3 windows.

Select automatic dimensioning options

2 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Dimension.

3 On the Options Bar:
■ For Prefer, select Wall centerlines.

■ For Pick, select Entire Walls.

■ Click Options.

4 In the Auto Dimension Options dialog:

■ Under Select references, select Openings, and select Widths.

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 ■ Click OK.
These options ensure that the wall dimension includes the openings, and that the opening
widths are referenced in the overall dimension string.

Place the dimension

5 Select the bottom exterior wall.

6 Move the cursor down below the plan view, and click to place the automatic dimension string.

7 On the Basics tab, click Modify.

8 Proceed to the next exercise, Controlling Witness Lines on page 281.

Controlling Witness Lines

In this exercise, you learn to override dimension witness line settings as you place dimensions, and learn
how to change the location of witness lines after you place dimensions.
When you place dimensions, you specify their origin on the Options Bar. However, in some cases, you may
need to override their settings on an instance basis. For example, for a multi-segmented dimension, you
may want to locate the two outermost witness lines on the exterior face of each wall, where the witness lines
referring to interior walls would be located on the centerline of each wall.
Training File

Controlling Witness Lines | 281

 Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise,
Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Anno_Dim.rvt

Override default dimension witness lines

1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 1.
2 Zoom to the planter on which you placed a radial dimension.

3 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Dimension.

4 On the Options Bar:
■ For Prefer, verify Wall centerlines is selected.

■ For Pick, select Individual References.

5 Move the cursor over the left side of the planter.

6 Press TAB to cycle through the selection options until the left face of the planter highlights, and
select it.

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 7 Using the same method, select the right edge of the planter, move the cursor down, and click
to place the dimension.

8 Move the cursor over the bottom of the planter on which you placed the angular dimension.
9 Press TAB until the bottom left endpoint is highlighted, and select it.

10 Using the same method, select the bottom right endpoint.

11 Move the cursor down, and specify a point to place the dimension.

Controlling Witness Lines | 283

 Dimension the partition walls to centerlines

12 On the Basics tab, click Dimension.

13 On the Options Bar, for Prefer, select Wall centerlines.
14 Move the cursor over the left partition wall in the top left corner of the plan, and when the wall
centerline highlights, select it.

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 15 Moving the cursor to the right, select the centerline of each of the 6 remaining partition walls,
and click to place the dimension.
16 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
Adjust the witness line location on the end dimensions to align them to the faces of wall

17 Select the dimension that you just placed, and zoom in on the right end of the dimension.
18 While pressing SHIFT, select the green grip that displays in the middle of the tick mark, and drag
the dimension down the wall.

Controlling Witness Lines | 285

 19 Release SHIFT, select the top blue grip and drag it up to create a witness line gap.

20 Click the blue middle grip, drag it to the right, and press TAB until the dimension aligns with
the outer face of the partition wall.

21 Zoom to the partition wall on the left side of the plan, and using the same methods, create a
witness line gap and align the dimension to the outer left face of the wall.
22 On the Basics tab, click Modify.
23 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating an Office Standard Dimension Type from Existing
Dimensions on page 286.

Creating an Office Standard Dimension Type from Existing Dimensions

In this exercise, you learn how to duplicate the dimension family type of dimension on the floor plan and
then modify its parameters to create an office standard dimension style. After you create the new family
type, you change the dimension tick mark, text font, and text size parameters to create dimensions that
better conform to your office standards.

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Angular and linear dimensions with office standard
text and arrows

Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise,
Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Anno_Dim.rvt

Duplicate an existing dimension type

1 On the Level 1 floor plan, zoom to the planter between grid lines 3 and 4, and select the lower
dimension.

2 Click (Element Properties).

3 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
4 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
5 In the Name dialog, type Office Standard, and click OK.
Modify the parameters of the new Office Standard type

6 In the Type Properties dialog:

■ Under Graphics, for Tick Mark, select Arrow 30 Degree.

■ Under Text, for Text Size, type 3.2 mm.

Creating an Office Standard Dimension Type from Existing Dimensions | 287

 ■ For Text Font, select CityBlueprint.

NOTE Fonts that are available in this list are the Windows fonts installed on your system. If
CityBlueprint does not display in the list, select another font.

■ Click OK twice.

7 On the Basics tab, click Modify.

The dimension that you selected previously now displays the new Office Standard family type.

8 Move the cursor to the planter on the right, and select the bottom dimension.

9 In the Type Selector, select Linear Dimension Style: Office Standard.

10 On the Basics tab, click Modify.

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 11 Using the same method, select the angular dimension on the planter, create a new angular
dimension type, and modify it to use the office standard parameters.

12 Proceed to the next lesson, Creating Text Annotation on page 289.

Creating Text Annotation

In this lesson, you add text notes on the Level 1 floor plan of the building. You create a new office standard
text note type by duplicating the family type of a note on the floor plan. You learn how to change the text
font and size of text notes, and how to add leaders to the text notes.

Creating Text Annotation | 289

Adding Text Notes to the Floor Plan
In this exercise, you add text notes to the Level 1 floor plan.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise,
Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Anno_Dim.rvt

Add a text note

1 On the Level 1 floor plan, zoom to the planter near grid line 5.

2 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Text.

3 On the Options Bar, for Leader, click (None).

4 Move the cursor above grid line 4, but below the upper dimension string, and click and drag to
create a text box.

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 5 In the text box, type EXISTING BUILDING.

Create a new text note family type by duplicating the existing type

6 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

7 Select the text box, and click .

8 In the Element Properties dialog box, click Edit/New.
9 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
10 In the Name dialog box, type 6 mm Arial Notes, and click OK.
11 Under Text, for Text Size, type 6 mm, and click OK.
12 In the Element Properties dialog, under Graphics, select Arc Leaders, and click OK.

Adding Text Notes to the Floor Plan | 291

 You may have to move the text box to avoid overlapping other elements on the floor plan. If
so, select and drag the top left blue symbol to relocate the text box.

Create a text box with leaders

13 On the Design Bar, click Text.

14 Create another text box to the right of grid line 4, and type Planting Bed.
15 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

16 Select the Planting Bed text box.

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 17 On the Options Bar:

■ Click (Add Right Arc Leader).

A downward pointing leader displays on the right side of the Planting Bed text box.

■ Click (Add Left Arc Leader).

Another leader displays on the left side of the Planting Bed text box.

Reposition the leaders

18 Select the blue grip at the end of the right leader, and drag it down to point to the bottom of
the planter.
19 Select the blue grip at the end of the left leader, and drag it down to point to the bottom of the
planter.
20 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

21 Select the Planting Bed text box to select both the text and leaders, and click .
22 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
23 In the Type Properties dialog:
■ Click Rename.

■ In the Rename dialog, for New, type Standard Notes, and click OK.

■ Under Text, for Text Font, select CityBlueprint.

■ Under Graphics, for Leader Arrowhead, select Arrow 30 Degree.

■ Click OK twice.

24 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Adding Text Notes to the Floor Plan | 293

 Add another note using the Standard Note type

25 On the Design Bar, click Text.

26 In the Type Selector, select Text: Standard Notes.

27 On the Options Bar, for Leader, click (Arc).

28 Click the inside bottom face of the rounded planter near grid line 3.

29 Move the cursor up and to the right, over the Planting Bed text.
30 When blue dashed lines that indicate it is aligned with the Planting Bed text, click to place the
text box.

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31 Click in the text box, and type 457 mm Conc. Wall, and click Modify.

32 If you want to save your changes, click File menu ➤ Save As, and save the exercise file with a
unique name.
33 Close the exercise file without saving your changes.

Adding Text Notes to the Floor Plan | 295

296
Detailing
7
In this tutorial, you learn how to create details in Revit Architecture 2009. You can detail directly in a view of the building
information model, using detail components to represent materials like lumber, plywood, and metal studs. These
components display at the required scale. For a detail that you do not want to associate with the model, like a standard
door header condition, you use a separate drafting view in which to create the detail. The "drafted" detail that you create
is not parametrically linked to the building model.

Creating a Detail from a Building Model

In this lesson, you detail the roof overhang of a project building.

In order to detail from the building model, you must define the view in which you want to create a detail.
You define that view by creating a callout view within a section view. In the callout view, you trace over
the building model geometry, add detail components, and then complete the detail by adding break lines
and text notes.

297
Detailing the View
In this exercise, you detail the view of the roof edge. You load detail components, and use the model as an
underlay for the detail. After you add components, you add notes and dimensions to the detail view.
The detail components that you add to the view are two-dimensional family objects. They are also view
specific, which means that all detail components, as well as detail lines, region objects, and insulation objects,
that you add to the view are visible only in this view.
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Detailing.rvt.

Display a detail view

1 In the upper left corner of the building model, double-click the detail callout head.
The roof overhang detail displays.

2 Click View menu ➤ View Properties.

3 In the Element Properties dialog, for Graphics ➤ Display Model, select As underlay, and click
OK.
Load and place a detail component

4 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Detail Component.

5 In the alert dialog, click Yes to load a Detail Items family.
6 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, navigate to
Metric\Families\m_Corrugated Metal.rfa, and click Open.
7 In the drawing area, click in the space below the roof overhang to place the component. Exact
location is not important.

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 8 Delete the component.
You load and place the component so that it is in the project to use in a repeating detail.

Place a repeating detail

9 On the Design Bar, click Repeating Detail.

10 On the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).

11 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
12 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
13 In the Name dialog, enter Corrugated Metal Siding, and click OK.
14 In the Type Properties dialog, for Pattern ➤ Detail, select Corrugated Metal.
15 For Spacing, enter 406.5mm.
16 Click OK twice.
17 In the drawing area, click the bottom of the exterior wall to select the start point.

18 Move the cursor up to generate the graphics for the repeating detail. Specify a point high enough
so the siding reaches the underside of the roof overhang.

NOTE The detail component endpoint may not coincide with the geometry extents.

19 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Detailing the View | 299

 20 Move the component end point:

■ Select the corrugated metal component, and on the Edit toolbar, click (Move).

■ Select the endpoint of the geometry of the corrugated metal component as the move start
point.

■ Select the bottom edge of the roof joist as the move end point.

■ Click Modify.

Add lumber detail components

21 On the Design Bar, click Detail Component.

22 On the Options Bar, click Load.
23 In the left pane of the Load Family dialog, click Training Files, navigate to Metric\Families\Detail
Components\Div 06-Wood and Plastic\06100-Rough
Carpentry\06160-Sheathing\M_Plywood-Section.rfa, and click Open.
24 In the Type Selector, verify that M_Plywood-Section 19mm is selected.
25 Place the plywood component to the right of the metal component as shown in the following
illustration.

TIP You may need to use the Move command to adjust the position of the plywood.

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 Because you still have several components to load, you load them as a group from a single file.

Load components as a group

26 Click File menu ➤ Load from Library ➤ Load File as Group.

27 In the left pane of the Load File as Group dialog, click Training Files, navigate to
Metric\Families\Detail Components\m_Roof Edge Components.rvt, and click Open.
28 In the Duplicate Types dialog, click OK.
29 On the Design Bar, click Detail Component.
30 In the Type Selector, select M_Nominal Cut Lumber-Section : 50 x 150mm Nominal.
31 To properly orient the component, press SPACEBAR 3 times.
32 Click the top right corner of the plywood to select the insertion point.

33 In the Type Selector, select M_Nominal Cut Lumber-Section : 50 x 200mm Nominal, and place
it in the detail view as shown.

Detailing the View | 301

 Add wallboard detail component

34 In the Type Selector, select M_Gypsum Wallboard-Section : 16mm.

35 On the Options Bar, select Chain.
36 Place the wallboard component as shown.

37 Click Modify.
38 Select the horizontal segment, click the Flip instance arrows, and click Modify.
The wallboard segment is now on the underside of the roof joist.

NOTE You can also press SPACEBAR as you place the component to flip the justification.

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Add insulation

39 On the Design Bar, click Insulation.

40 On the Options Bar:
■ For Width, enter 140mm.

■ For Offset, select to near side.

41 Place 2 segments of insulation, as shown.

42 Click Modify.
43 Move the upper segment:

■ Select the upper segment of insulation, and on the Edit toolbar, click (Move).

■ Select the left midpoint of the 50 x 200mm component as the move start point.

■ Select the right midpoint of the 50 x 200mm component as the move end point.

■ Click Modify.

Add lumber components

44 On the Design Bar, click Detail Component.

Detailing the View | 303

 45 In the Type Selector, select M_Nominal Cut Lumber-Section : 50 x 300mm Nominal.
46 Click to place the component at the lower left corner of the roof overhang as shown.

47 In the Type Selector, select M_Plywood-Section : 19mm.

48 Place the component directly above the 50 x 200mm component, as shown.

Add rigid insulation

49 In the Type Selector, select M_Rigid Insulation-Section : 63mm.

50 Add the insulation above the plywood you just placed, and lock the component.

51 Click Modify.
52 Proceed to the next exercise, Adding Detail Lines on page 304.

Adding Detail Lines

In this exercise, you add lines to your detail. Like detail components, they are view specific, meaning they
display only in this view.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, m_Freighthouse_Flats-Detailing.rvt.

Add detail lines

1 On the Design Bar, click Detail Lines.
2 In the Type Selector, select Thin Lines.
3 Sketch a detail line from the lower right corner of the 50 x 300mm component to the lower left
corner of the 50 x 200mm component.

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 4 Click Modify.
5 Select the vertical plywood component; drag the endpoint up to the top of the 50 x 200mm
component.

Add offset lines

6 On the Design Bar, click Detail Lines.

7 In the Type Selector, select Thin Lines.
8 On the Options Bar:

■ Click (Pick Lines).

■ For Offset, enter 10mm, and press ENTER.

9 Select the lines at the top of the 50 x 300mm component and the roof joist, as shown.
Trim and extend the lines as necessary to get the desired result.

10 On the Design Bar, click Detail Lines.

11 In the Type Selector, select Medium Lines.
12 On the Options Bar:

■ Click (Pick Lines).

■ For Offset, enter 10mm, and press ENTER.

13 Add detail lines around the 50 x 300mm component, as shown.

Adding Detail Lines | 305

 Draw detail lines

14 On the Options Bar, click (Draw), and clear Chain.

15 Draw a small diagonal line at the bottom left corner of the 50 x 300mm component, as shown.

16 On the Options Bar, select Chain, and draw the detail lines as shown.

17 Draw a horizontal line as shown.

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 18 In the Type Selector, select Thin Lines.
19 Zoom in to the area where the roof joist and the corrugated metal component abut; draw the
detail lines as shown.

20 Move the top horizontal line down so that it overlays the Penthouse level line.
Modify display properties

21 In the drawing area, select the Penthouse level line, right-click, and click Hide in view ➤ Elements.
22 In the Project Browser, under Views ➤ Detail Views (Detail), right-click Roof Overhang Detail,
and click Properties.
23 In the Element Properties dialog, for Graphics ➤ Display Model, select Do not display, and click
OK.
When you turn the display model off, the model elements such as walls and floors no longer
display in this view. What remains are the detail components and lines that you added.

24 On the View Control Bar, click ➤ Hide Crop Region.

Add a vapor barrier

25 On the Design Bar, click Detail Lines.

26 In the Type Selector, select Vapor Barrier.
27 On the Options Bar:

■ Click (Pick Lines).

■ For Offset, enter 10mm, and press ENTER.

28 Select the interior edge of the vertical segment of gypsum wallboard, and then select the interior
edge of the horizontal segment.

Adding Detail Lines | 307

 29 On the Design Bar, click Detail Component.
30 In the Type Selector, select M_Break Line.
31 Add break lines at the bottom and the right of the detail.

TIP To rotate the break line as you place it, press SPACEBAR as necessary.

32 Click Modify.
33 If a break line does not completely mask the portion of the detail that it is intended to mask,
select the break line and use the shape handle grips to modify it.
34 Proceed to the next exercise, Adding Text Notes on page 308.

Adding Text Notes

In this exercise, you add text notes to complete the detail.
Training File

308 | Chapter 7 Detailing

Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, m_Freighthouse_Flats-Detailing.rvt.

Add text notes to the detail

1 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Text.

2 On the Options Bar, click (Arc) to create an arced leader.

3 Add the leaders and notes as shown:
■ Click in the detail to specify the location of the arrow.

■ Click again to specify the location of the text box.

■ Enter the text.

■ Click in the drawing area to end the text insertion command.

Add a dimension to the detail

4 On the Design Bar, click Dimension.

5 Click the left outer edge of the 50 x 300mm component, click the left edge of the corrugated
metal component, and click to place the dimension.

6 Click Modify.

Adding Text Notes | 309

 7 Select the dimension line, and click the dimension text.
8 In the Dimension Text dialog, under Text Fields, for Suffix, enter Typ., and click OK.

9 Click File menu ➤ Save, and save the exercise file.

10 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating Detail Components on page 310.

Creating Detail Components

In this exercise, you modify the previously drawn detail so that you can annotate it with keynotes rather
than text notes.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, m_Freighthouse_Flats-Detailing.rvt.

Create a duplicate drawing

1 In the Project Browser, under Views (all) ➤ Detail Views (Detail), click Roof Overhang Detail,
right-click, and click Duplicate View ➤ Duplicate with Detailing.
2 Select Copy of Roof Overhang Detail, right-click, and click Rename.
3 In the Rename View dialog, enter Roof Overhang Detail - Keynotes, and click OK.
Remove text notes

4 In the drawing area, select a text note, right-click, click Select All Instances, and press DELETE.
Convert detail lines to components

5 Use a window to select the entire roof detail; on the Options Bar, click (Filter Selection).
6 In the Filter dialog, clear Detail Items and Dimensions, and click OK.
The selected lines need to be replaced with detail components in order for them to accept a
keynote.

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 7 Click Modify.
8 Zoom in to the metal coping; while pressing CTRL, select all the coping linework.
You can also select all the linework by highlighting a segment, pressing TAB, and selecting the
chain.

9 Click Edit menu ➤ Copy to Clipboard.

10 Click File menu ➤ New ➤ Family.
11 In the left pane of the New Family dialog, click Training Files, navigate to
Metric\Templates\Metric Detail Component.rft, and click Open.
12 Click Edit menu ➤ Paste from Clipboard.
13 Click the intersection of the reference planes to place the linework.

14 Click Modify.
15 Use a window to select all linework; in the Type Selector, select Medium Lines.
16 Click Modify.
17 Click File menu ➤ Save As.

Creating Detail Components | 311

 18 In the Save As dialog, navigate to your preferred location; for File name, enter Roof Edge, and
click Save.
Add components to the detail

19 On the Family tab of the Design Bar, click Load into Projects.
The component family is now part of the roof overhang detail, and the component can be
placed in the detail.

NOTE If the Roof Overhang Detail - Keynotes view is not the open view, double-click it in the Project
Browser.

20 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Detail Component.

21 To place the component, click the bottom left endpoint of the metal coping.
22 Click Modify.
23 Using a window, select the coping.
While pressing SHIFT, deselect any extraneous lines that are also selected.

24 On the Options Bar, click .

25 In the Filter dialog, clear Detail Items, and click OK.
The original linework remains selected.

26 Press DELETE.
The underlying linework is deleted and the detail component remains in the drawing.

27 On the Design Bar, click Detail Component.

28 On the Options Bar, click Load.
29 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, navigate to Metric\Families\Detail
Components\m_Metal Fascia w_Drip Edge.rfa, and click Open.
30 In the drawing area, click on the upper end point of the drip edge to place the component.
31 Using the same method used previously, delete the underlying linework.
32 Proceed to the next exercise, Adding Keynotes on page 312.

Adding Keynotes
In this exercise, you place keynotes on objects, and add keynote data to components that do not have data
associated with them.
Training File

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Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, m_Freighthouse_Flats-Detailing.rvt.

Add keynotes to components

1 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Keynote ➤ Element.

2 In the alert dialog, click Yes to load a Keynote Tag family to the project.
3 In the left pane of the Load Family dialog, click Training Files, navigate to
Metric\Families\Annotations\M_Keynote Tag.rfa, and click Open.
4 Add the tag:
■ In the drawing area, select the rigid insulation as the object to tag.

■ Click to place the leader arm.

■ Click the rigid insulation on the roof to place the tag.

■ In the Keynotes dialog, navigate to 07000 ➤ 07200 ➤ 07210 ➤ 07210.B5, 63mm Rigid
Insulation, and click OK.

5 Tag additional components:

■ For the plywood decking, use keynote 06160.D11, 19mm Plywood.

■ For the metal coping, use keynote 07645.C1, Roof Edge4.

6 Click Modify.
Assign keynote parameter to a component

7 In the drawing area, select the metal fascia with drip edge, and click (Element Properties).
8 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.

Adding Keynotes | 313

 9 In the Type Properties dialog, for Identity Data ➤ Keynote, click in the Value column, and click
.
10 In the Keynotes dialog, navigate to 07645.F1, FasciaProfile_1.
11 Click OK 3 times.
12 On the Design Bar, click Keynote ➤ Element.
13 Tag components:
■ Tag the metal fascia with drip edge.
Because you defined the keynote parameter as part of the component properties, the keynote
is automatically read when you place the tag.

■ For the 50 x 300, use keynote 06110.I1.

■ For the 50 x 200, use keynote 06110.G1.

■ For the 50 x 150, use keynote 06110.F1.

■ For the 19mm Plywood Siding, use keynote 06160.D11.

■ For the 2 instances of the 16mm Gypsum Wallboard, use keynote 09250.D1.

14 On the Design Bar, click Detail Component.

15 In the Type Selector, select Corrugated Metal.
16 Place an instance of the component directly on top of the bottom segment of the corrugated
metal repeating component.
You do this in order to keynote the component; a repeating detail cannot be keynoted.

17 Keynote the component, using keynote 07460.A8, 22mm Corrugated Steel - 20 Ga.
18 Save the file.
19 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating Line-based Detail Components on page 314.

Creating Line-based Detail Components

In this exercise, you convert detail lines to detail components so that you can add keynotes to them.

314 | Chapter 7 Detailing

Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, m_Freighthouse_Flats-Detailing.rvt.

Create a detail component

1 Click File menu ➤ New ➤ Family.

2 In the left pane of the New Family dialog, click Training Files, navigate to
Metric\Templates\Metric Detail Component line based.rft, and click Open.
3 On the Family tab of the Design Bar, click Lines.
4 In the Type Selector, select Medium Lines.
5 In the drawing area, select the left end point of the reference line, and select the right end point.
6 Lock the line, and click Modify.
7 Click File menu ➤ Save As.
8 In the Save As dialog, navigate to your preferred location; for File name, enter m_Medium Line
Detail Component, and click Save.
9 On the Design Bar, click Load into Projects.
Convert detail lines to components

10 In the drawing area, select the horizontal line under the roof overhang as shown.

11 Press DELETE.
12 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Detail Component.
The deleted line needs to be replaced with a detail component in order for it to accept a keynote.

13 In the Type Selector, select Medium Line Detail Component.

14 Add the component in the location of the previously deleted horizontal line.
15 Click Modify.

16 Select the component, and click (Element Properties).

17 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
18 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
19 In the Name dialog, enter Prefinished Metal Soffit Panel.
20 Click OK 3 times.
Load line-based detail components

21 On the Design Bar, click Detail Component.

22 On the Options Bar, click Load.
23 In the left pane of the Load Family dialog, click Training Files, navigate to Metric\Families\Detail
Components.
24 While pressing CTRL, select m_Hidden Line Detail Component, m_Invisible Line Detail
Component, and m_Light Line Detail Component, and click Open.

Creating Line-based Detail Components | 315

 25 Next, you create line-based detail components for other line weights (light, invisible, and hidden)
used in the view. You add the components to the project and keynote them.

Add light line components

26 Zoom to the roof overhang.

27 On the Design Bar, click Detail Component.
28 In the Type Selector, select m_Light Line Detail Component.
29 In the drawing area, click the end points of the long detail line above the roof.
30 Click Modify.

31 Select the component, and click .

32 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
33 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
34 In the Name dialog, enter EPDM Membrane, and click OK.
35 In the Type Properties dialog, for Identity Data ➤ Keynote, click in the Value column, and click
.
36 In the Keynotes dialog, navigate to 07000 ➤ 07500 ➤ 07530 ➤ 07530.A1, Single-Ply Membrane
Roofing.
37 Click OK 3 times.
38 On the Design Bar, click Detail Component.
39 Add the Light Line Detail Component to the underside of the overhang.

40 Click Modify.

41 Select the component just added, and click .

42 Using the same method used previously, name the component 50 x 200 Framing, and assign it
keynote 06110.G1.
43 Zoom to the repeating component.
44 On the Design Bar, click Detail Component.
45 Click the upper end of the repeating detail, and click the lower end at the break line.
46 Click Modify.

47 Select the component, and click .

48 Using the same method used previously, name the component Air Barrier, and assign it keynote
07260.A5.

49 With the component selected, on the Edit toolbar, click (Move).

50 Move the air barrier to the right, against the 19mm plywood.

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Add a vapor barrier component

51 On the Design Bar, click Detail Component.

52 In the Type Selector, select m_Hidden Line Detail Component.
53 On the Options Bar, select Chain.
54 Create the component by drawing over the vertical and horizontal dashed detail lines that
represent the vapor barrier.

55 Click Modify.
56 Delete both dashed detail lines, leaving the detail component lines.

57 Select the vertical hidden line component, and click .

Creating Line-based Detail Components | 317

 58 Using the method used previously, name the component Vapor Barrier, and assign it keynote
07260.A4.
Add keynotes

59 Zoom to the drawing extents.

60 On the Design Bar, click Keynote ➤ Element.
61 In the drawing area, add keynotes for the EPDM Membrane, Air Barrier, 50 x 200 Framing, and
Vapor Barrier.

Create an invisible line component

62 Click Window menu ➤ m_Medium Line Detail Component.rfa.

63 In the drawing area, select the component; in the Type Selector, select Invisible Lines.
64 Save the file as m_Invisible Line Detail Component.rfa.
65 On the Family tab of the Design Bar, click Load into Projects.
66 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Detail Component.
67 In the Type Selector, select m_Invisible Line Detail Component.
68 In the drawing area, draw a line in the center of the large vertical segment of insulation.

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 69 Select the component, and click .
70 Using the method used previously, name the component Batt Insul., and assign it keynote
07210.A4.
71 In the drawing area, add a keynote for the component.
72 Save the file.
73 Proceed to the next exercise, Modifying a Keynote Database on page 319.

Modifying a Keynote Database

In this exercise, you add keynote information for a detail component to the database text file. You are then
able to assign the keynote to the component in the drawing.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, m_Freighthouse_Flats-Detailing.rvt.

Add information to the text file

1 In Windows Explorer, navigate to Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\Autodesk\RAC 2008\Training\Metric, and double-click m_Example_RevitKeynotes.txt.
The database file opens in a text editor.

2 Add keynote information for the metal soffit:

■ Position the cursor at the end of the line that begins with 07460.A9, and press ENTER.

■ Enter 07463.A1, and press TAB.

■ Enter Pre-Finished Metal Soffit, and press TAB.

■ Enter 07460.

3 In the text editor, click File menu ➤ Save, and close the text editor.
Update keynote settings

4 In Revit Architecture, click Settings menu ➤ Keynoting.

5 In the Keynoting Settings dialog, under Keynote Table, click Browse.

Modifying a Keynote Database | 319

 6 In the Browse for Keynote File dialog, navigate to m_Example_RevitKeynotes.txt, and click Open.
7 In the Keynoting Settings dialog, under Path Type, select Absolute, and click OK.
Work with keynotes

8 On the Design Bar, click Keynote ➤ Element.

9 In the drawing area, select the metal soffit (horizontal line under the overhang); click to place
the leader, and click to place the note.
10 In the Keynotes dialog, navigate to 07463.A1, and click OK.
11 Click Modify.
12 Apply various keynote styles:
■ In the drawing area, select all the keynotes.

■ In the Type Selector, select M_Keynote Tag : Keynote Number.

Each keynote displays as a simple number.

■ Select Keynote Tag : Keynote Text.

The descriptive text for each keynote displays.

■ Change the keynote style back to the boxed number type.

13 Click Modify.
14 Save the file.

Creating a Drafted Detail

In this lesson, you learn how to create a drafted detail. Drafted details are created in drafting views and are
not directly based on building model geometry. These details do not update with changes to the building
model, as there is no parametric linkage to any building model components.
You can create details in drafting views when you do not need to create callout views from the building
model. You can create drafted details using the drafting tools in Revit Architecture or by importing details
from an existing detail library. After you create a drafting view, you can reference it within the model and
place it on a sheet.

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Importing a Detail into a Drafting View
In this exercise, you place an existing detail in a new drafting view to create a drafted detail. The detail that
you import is in DWG format.
Training File
Use the training file you used in a previous exercise, m_Freighthouse_Flats-Detailing.rvt.

Create a new drafting view

1 Click View menu ➤ New ➤ Drafting View.

2 In the New Drafting View dialog, for Scale, select 1 : 5, and click OK.
Import a complete detail in DWG format

3 Click File menu ➤ Import/Link ➤ CAD Formats.

4 In the Import/Link CAD Formats dialog:
■ In the left pane, click Training Files.

■ Navigate to Metric\m_Roof Edge Detail.dwg.

■ For Colors, select Black and White.

■ For Positioning, verify that Auto - Center to Center is selected.

■ Click Open.

5 Enter zf to zoom to the detail.

The detail is imported as an import symbol.

6 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all) ➤ Drafting Views (Detail), right-click Drafting 1, and
click Rename.
7 In the Rename View dialog, enter EPDM Metal Coping, and click OK.
8 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating a Reference Callout on page 321.

Creating a Reference Callout

In this exercise, you create a callout in the section view of the building model to reference the metal coping
detail that you previously imported.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, m_Freighthouse_Flats-Detailing.rvt.

Importing a Detail into a Drafting View | 321

 Create the callout view

1 In the Project Browser, under Views (all) ➤ Detail Views (Detail), double-click Roof Overhang
Detail to open it in the drawing area.
2 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Callout.
3 On the Options Bar, select Reference other view, and select Drafting View: EPDM Metal Coping.
4 Add the callout bubble by dragging a rectangular bubble around the metal coping.

5 Click Modify.
6 Select the callout, and use the callout grips to move the callout head.

Modify detail view properties

7 In the Project Browser, right-click EPDM Metal Coping, and click Properties.
8 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
9 In the Type Properties dialog, click Rename.
10 In the Rename dialog, for New, enter Detail - No Reference, and click OK.
11 In the Type Properties dialog, for Graphics ➤ Reference Label, delete the existing value.
12 Click OK twice.
The callout head no longer displays a reference label.

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 Display the reference view

13 On the Design Bar, click Modify, and double-click the callout.

The metal coping detail that you imported previously displays.

Add the drafting view to a sheet

14 In the Project Browser, under Views (all) ➤ Sheets (all), double-click A105 - Elev./Sect./Det.
15 Under Drafting Views (Detail - No Reference), drag EPDM Metal Coping onto the sheet.
16 Click on the sheet above the Roof Overhang Detail to place the drafting view.
17 Click Window menu ➤ Detail View: Roof Overhang Detail.
The callout is updated with the sheet information.

18 Save the file.

19 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating a Detail in a Drafting View on page 323

Creating a Detail in a Drafting View

In this exercise, you create a door head condition in the new drafting view. There is no existing DWG file
for this door detail. Modeling elements at this level of detail may be time consuming and can reduce the
overall performance of the product, so you use Revit Architecture tools to draft the detail.

Creating a Detail in a Drafting View | 323

 Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, m_Freighthouse_Flats-Detailing.rvt.

Create a drafting view

1 Click View menu ➤ New ➤ Drafting View.

2 In the New Drafting View dialog, for Name, enter Header @ Sliding Door, and click OK.
3 On the View Control Bar, verify that the scale is 1 : 5.
Add a detail component

4 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Detail Component.

5 In the Type Selector, select M_Nominal Cut Lumber-Section : 50 x 150mm Nominal.
6 Click in the drawing area to place 2 instances as shown.
Press SPACEBAR to rotate the component as you place it.

Create a filled region

7 On the Design Bar, click Filled Region.

You sketch filled regions to represent gypsum wall board.

8 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Region Properties.

9 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
10 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
11 In the Name dialog, enter Gyp. Board, and click OK.

12 In the Type Properties dialog, for Graphics ➤ Fill Pattern, click .

13 In the Fill Patterns dialog, for Name, select Gypsum-Plaster.
14 Click OK 3 times.

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 15 Draw the region:

■ On the Options Bar, click .

■ Select the lower left corner of the 50 x 150 lumber as the start point.

■ Draw a rectangle as shown.

16 Select the left edge of the region, select the width dimension, and enter 20.5mm.
17 Click Modify.
18 While pressing CTRL, select the left and bottom edges of the region.
19 In the Type Selector, select Wide Lines.
20 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

Mirror the region

21 Select the filled region, and on the Edit toolbar, click (Mirror).

22 On the Options Bar, click (Draw).

Creating a Detail in a Drafting View | 325

 23 Draw the mirror line:
■ Select the midpoint of the upper 50 x 150 as the start point.

■ Move the cursor up, and click above the top of the region as the end point.

24 Select the mirrored region, and drag the bottom up to just below the top of the upper 50 x 150.

25 Click Modify.
Add wood filled regions

26 On the Design Bar, click Filled Region.

27 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Region Properties.
28 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
29 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
30 In the Name dialog, enter Wood - Finish, and click OK.

31 In the Type Properties dialog, for Graphics ➤ Fill Pattern, click .

32 In the Fill Patterns dialog, for Name, select Wood - Finish.
33 Click OK 3 times.

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34 Draw the region:

■ On the Options Bar, click (Rectangle).

■ Select the lower left corner of the left gypsum board region as the start point.

■ Draw a rectangle as shown; verify that the thickness is 19mm.

35 Select all the linework for the wood region; in the Type Selector, select Medium Lines.
36 Align the wood region to the 50 x 150:

■ On the Tools toolbar, click (Align).

■ Select the right edge of the lower 50 x 150, and select the right edge of the wood region.

37 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

38 On the Design Bar, click Filled Region.

39 In the Type Selector, select Medium Lines.

40 On the Options Bar, click .

41 Beginning at the lower right of the wood region, sketch the new region as shown; verify that
the width is 19mm and the height is 63.5mm.

Creating a Detail in a Drafting View | 327

 42 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.
Add a reference plane

43 On the Design Bar, click Ref Plane.

44 On the Options Bar:

■ Click (Pick Lines).

■ For Offset, enter 6mm, and press ENTER.

45 Select the top of the vertical wood region to place the reference plane above it.
You use the reference plane as an alignment reference for the gypsum board region above it.

46 On the Tools toolbar, click (Align).

47 Click the reference plane, and click the bottom of the gypsum board region.
48 Click Modify.

Add a door panel

49 On the Design Bar, click Filled Region.

50 On the Options Bar:

■ Click (Pick Lines).

■ For Offset, enter 10mm, and press ENTER.

51 Select the left edge of the horizontal wood region.

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52 On the Options Bar:

■ Click (Draw).

■ For Offset, enter 0, and press ENTER.

■ Select Chain.

53 Draw the door panel outline:

■ Click the top endpoint of the offset line.

■ Move the cursor left 25mm, and click to select the point.

■ Move the cursor down 305mm, and click to select the point.

■ Move the cursor right 25mm, and click to select the point.

54 On the Tools toolbar, click (Trim/Extend).

55 Select the small vertical line of the door panel sketch, and select the bottom horizontal line.
56 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

Creating a Detail in a Drafting View | 329

 Add detail lines for mounting/sliding hardware

57 On the Design Bar, click Detail Lines.

58 In the Type Selector, select Medium Lines.
59 On the Options Bar:

■ Click (Pick Lines).

■ For Offset, enter 3mm, and press ENTER.

60 Select the left, top, and right edges of the door panel region.
61 Click Modify.
62 Select the left detail line, select the height dimension, enter 76.2mm, and press ENTER.
63 Repeat for the right detail line.

Add mounting/sliding hardware

64 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Detail Component.

65 On the Options Bar, click Load.
66 In the left pane of the Load Family dialog, click Training Files, navigate to Metric\Families\Detail
Components\Div 05-Metals\05090-Metal Fastenings\M_A307 Bolts-Side.rfa, and click Open.
67 Add the bolt to the right side of the lower wood region as shown.

TIP Press the SPACEBAR as necessary to rotate the bolt to the correct orientation.

68 Click Modify.
69 Select the bolt; drag the left shape handle until the nut is against the detail line.

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 70 On the Design Bar, click Detail Component.
71 On the Options Bar, click Load.
72 In the left pane of the Load Family dialog, click Training Files, navigate to Metric\Families\Detail
Components\Div 05-Metals\05090-Metal Fastenings\M_Expansion Bolts-Side.rfa, and click
Open.
73 Add the component to the left side of the lower 50 x 150.

NOTE Exact sizes and positioning are not critical when creating the remainder of the detail; use the
images as a guide.

74 Select the expansion bolt; drag the right shape handle until the bolt end is just past the midpoint
of the 50 x 150.
Add detail lines

75 On the Design Bar, click Detail Lines.

76 In the Type Selector, select Wide Lines.
77 Draw a line at the base of the bolt head as shown.

Creating a Detail in a Drafting View | 331

 78 On the Design Bar, click Detail Lines.
79 In the Type Selector, select Thin Lines.

80 On the Options Bar, click .

81 Draw the rectangle to the left of the wide line as shown.

82 Select the rectangle, and on the Edit toolbar, click (Mirror).

83 Select the wide detail line as the axis of reflection.
84 On the Design Bar, click Detail Lines.

85 On the Options Bar, click .

86 Draw a small rectangle between the mirrored rectangles as shown.

87 Click Modify.

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88 Select the detail line to the left of the lower wood region; drag the top end above the mirrored
rectangles as shown.

89 On the Design Bar, click Detail Lines.

90 In the Type Selector, select Medium Lines.
91 Draw a small line from the midpoint of the left mirrored rectangle to the left, as shown.
Do not extend the line to the vertical detail line.

92 Select the line, and on the Edit toolbar, click (Mirror).

93 Select the wide detail line as the axis of reflection.

Creating a Detail in a Drafting View | 333

 94 Select the mirrored line on the right, select the length dimension, enter 3mm, and press ENTER.
95 On the Design Bar, click Detail Lines.
96 Beginning at the end of the 3mm line, draw a line up to the height of the other detail line.

97 On the Options Bar, click .

98 Click the end of the detail line on the left, and click to place the arc as shown.

99 Click Modify.
Add two break lines

100 Zoom to the drawing extents.

101 On the Design Bar, click Detail Component.
102 In the Type Selector, select M_Break Line.
103 Add two break lines as shown.

TIP Rotate and move the break lines as necessary to adjust the masking elements.

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Add dimensions

104 On the Design Bar, click Dimension.

105 In the drawing area, select the left edge of the horizontal wood region, and select the right edge
of the adjoining vertical region.
106 Click to place the dimension, and click Modify.

107 On the Design Bar, click Dimension.

108 In the Type Selector, select Linear Dimension Style : Linear 2.5mm Arial.
109 Add a multi-segment dimension line as shown, and click Modify.

110 Select the dimension line; using the Drag Text grip, drag the text for the smaller dimension.

Creating a Detail in a Drafting View | 335

 Add dimension overrides to represent different wall types

111 Select the wall dimension, and then click the dimension text.
112 In the Dimension Text dialog, under Dimension Value, select Replace With Text, and enter
Varies.
113 Under Text Fields, for Below, enter See Schedule.
114 Click OK.

Add dimension strings based on the wall type

115 On the Design Bar, click Dimension.

116 In the Type Selector select Linear Dimension Style: Detail Linear - 2.5mmArial.
117 Click to place additional dimensions on the wall as shown.

118 Select Modify to end the command.

Add dimension overrides to represent different wall types.

119 Select the topmost of the 3 wall dimensions, and click the dimension text.
120 In the Dimension Text dialog, under Dimension Value, select Replace With Text, and enter 175
mm @ Type A.

336 | Chapter 7 Detailing

 121 Click OK.
122 Repeat this process for the next 2 dimensions:
■ Enter 200 mm @ Type B.

■ Enter 225 mm @ Type C.

123 Click OK.

Add text notes to complete the detail

124 On the Design Bar, click Text.

125 In the Options Bar, click to create an arced leader.

126 In the drawing area, select the gypsum board region on the left, and click to place the text.
127 Enter Gyp. Board, and click Modify.

128 Select the note, and on the Options Bar, click (Add Right Arc Leader).
129 Drag the end of the new leader to the other gypsum board region.

130 Add leaders and text notes to the detail as shown.

Creating a Detail in a Drafting View | 337

 131 On the Design Bar, click Modify to end the command.
132 Save the file.

338 | Chapter 7 Detailing

Finishing the Sheets
8
In this tutorial, you perform tasks to provide finishing touches on your project documentation, including:

■ Creating a note block that contains typical construction notes

■ Creating a drawing list that is automatically populated based on filter selections
■ Creating the 2 most common types of legends produced for construction: annotation legends and building component
legends
■ Tracking and documenting revisions in the project
■ Importing resources (images and text) from other applications into project sheets

Using Note Blocks

In this lesson, you create a typical note block to annotate repairs and renovations to the exterior of the
building.

Creating a Note Block

In this exercise, you add typical construction notes to sheets and then create a note block to expose the note
text. The note block can be used to schedule parameters assigned to a generic annotation family.
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-
Finishing-Sheets.rvt.

Load a generic annotation family

1 In the Project Browser, expand Elevations (Building Elevation), and double-click East.

339
 2 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Symbol.
3 Click Yes to load a generic annotation family into the project.
4 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\Families\Annotations\Sheet Keynote - Hexagon.rfa.
5 On the Options Bar, for Number of Leaders, type 1.
6 Click in the drawing area to the right of the building to place a hexagon tag.

7 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

8 Select the keynote, and drag the endpoint of the leader to position it on the right front door.

340 | Chapter 8 Finishing the Sheets

 9 Drag the midpoint of the leader to position it as shown:

Create annotation marks for items requiring notes

10 With the tag selected, on the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).
11 In the Element Properties dialog, under Identity Data, for Text, type Seal existing doors and
insulate, and click OK.

12 On the Edit toolbar, click (Copy).

13 Select the tag, and click above the tag to place the copy.

Creating a Note Block | 341

 14 With the copy selected, on the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).
15 For Text, type Repair existing door surround. Contact Historic Preservation District official for
specific requirements.
16 For Tag, type B.
17 Click OK.
18 Using the same method, make another copy of the tag and place it on the left side of the building.

19 With the tag selected, on the Edit toolbar, click (Mirror), and on the Options Bar, clear
Copy.
20 To create a vertical mirror image of the tag so the leader points toward the building, position
the cursor over the hexagon tag until a vertical bar displays, and click.

342 | Chapter 8 Finishing the Sheets

21 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
22 Optionally, using the table as a reference, and moving counter-clockwise, continue tagging the
building as shown in the following illustration:
Tag Text

A Seal existing doors and insulate.

B Repair existing door surround. Contact Histor-

ic Preservation District official for specific re-
quirements.

C Clean and repair stone parapet cap as re-

quired.

D Clean and repair existing stone trim as re-

quired.

E Remove all existing windows. Clean opening

and repair as required for new window install-
ation.

F Clean exterior brick wall. Tuckpoint as re-

quired.

G Clean existing concrete loading dock. Repair

as required.

Creating a Note Block | 343

 Tag Text

H Saw cut existing brick wall. Clean cut and

repair wall as required.

Create, format, and place a note block on a sheet

23 Click View menu ➤ New ➤ Note Block.

24 In the New Note Block dialog, for Note block name, type Exterior Construction Notes, and click
OK.
25 Specify values in the Note Block Properties dialog:
■ On the Fields tab, under Available fields, select Tag, and click Add.

■ Select Text, and click Add.

■ On the Sorting/Grouping tab, for Sort by, select Tag.

■ On the Formatting tab, for Heading, type Mark, and for Alignment, select Center.

■ On the Appearance tab, for Header text, verify that Arial is selected, for the value, type 6
mm, and select Bold.

26 Click OK.
The Exterior Construction Notes block displays.

27 In the column header (text), type Description.

28 In the Project Browser, expand Sheets (all), and double-click A103 - Elevations.
29 In the Project Browser, expand Schedules/Quantities, select Exterior Construction Notes, and
drag it to the sheet.
30 Click to place the block in the upper left corner of the sheet, and drag the right column control
to expand the column to display the note text.

344 | Chapter 8 Finishing the Sheets

 31 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
32 Zoom in to see the note block.

33 Save the file as Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-Finishing-Sheets_in_progress.rvt.

Using Drawing Lists

In this lesson, you quickly create a drawing list that is automatically generated from the drawings available
in the project.

Creating a Drawing List

In this exercise, you create an automatically populated drawing list for placement on the title sheet of the
project.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous lesson, Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-
Finishing-Sheets_in_progress.rvt.

1 In the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), double-click T - Title Sheet.

Using Drawing Lists | 345

 2 Click View menu ➤ New ➤ Drawing List.
3 Specify values in the Drawing List Properties dialog:
■ On the Fields tab, under Available fields, select Sheet Number, and click Add.

■ Select Sheet Name, and click Add.

■ On the Filter tab, for Filter by, in the first field, select Sheet Number, in the second field,
select does not equal, and in the third field, type T.

■ On the Sorting/Grouping tab, for Sort by, select Sheet Number.

4 Click OK.
The drawing list displays.

5 In the list title field, change Drawing List to Sheet Index.

6 In the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), double-click T - Title Sheet.
7 In the Project Browser, expand Schedules/Quantities, select Sheet Index, and drag it to the sheet.
8 Click to place it on the sheet in the lower right corner, and expand the right column to
accommodate the text.

346 | Chapter 8 Finishing the Sheets

 9 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
10 Zoom in to the drawing list.

11 Save the file.

Using Legends
Legends provide a way to display a list of the various building components and annotations used in a project.
The two most common types of legends produced for construction documents are annotation legends and
building component legends.
Annotation legends are made up of components (such as section markers and door tags) that are paired with
text that identifies them. On construction documents, annotation legends are often referred to as symbol
legends.
Building component legends list and identify components such as walls, windows, doors, and door frames.
On construction documents, building component legends are often called schedules (wall type schedule,
door frame schedule, and so on).

NOTE A component that is placed in a legend does not count as an additional instance of the component in the
Revit Architecture building model, and thus is not added to the number of instances of that component listed on
a schedule or note block.

Creating a Symbol Legend

In this exercise, you create a legend view and add symbols and text to it. For the text, you use a text type
you create by duplicating an existing text type and modifying the type properties. Finally, you add the
completed symbol legend to multiple sheets for easy reference.
Training File

Using Legends | 347

 Continue to use the training file you used in the previous lesson, Metric\m_Freighthouse_Flats-
Finishing-Sheets_in_progress.rvt.

Create a legend view

1 Click View menu ➤ New ➤ Legend.

2 In the New Legend View dialog, for Name, type Typical Symbol Legend, and click OK.
Add symbols to the legend

3 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Symbol.

4 Add the following symbols to the legend view, selecting each from the Type Selector and placing
it in the legend as shown.
■ Custom-Section Head: Section Head - Open

■ Level Head - Circle

■ M_Door Tag

■ M_Window Tag

■ Sheet Keynote - Hexagon : Tag

Create a text type

5 On the Design Bar, click Text.

Because the text size for the symbol legend is not available in the Type Selector, you create a
text type with the necessary size. You do this by duplicating the standard text type and modifying
the type properties.

6 On the Options Bar, click .

7 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
8 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate, for Name, type Legend Text, and click OK.
9 For Text Font, select Arial.
10 For Text Size, type 3mm, and click OK twice.

348 | Chapter 8 Finishing the Sheets

Add text to the legend

11 In the Type Selector, verify that Text : Legend Text is selected, and for Leader, verify that
is selected.
12 Click to the right of the first symbol to specify the text start point.
13 Type Detail Callout for the text note.
14 Working from the top down, type the following text for the remaining symbols in the legend:
■ Level Indicator

■ Door Tag

■ Window Tag

■ Sheet Keynote

Place the symbol legend on a sheet

15 In the Project Browser, expand Sheets (all), and double-click A101 - Site Plan/Floor Plan.
16 In the Project Browser, expand Legends, click Typical Symbol Legend, drag it to the lower right
corner of the sheet, and click to place it.

Creating a Symbol Legend | 349

 17 In the Type Selector, select Viewport : No Titlemark.
18 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
The symbol legend is added to the project sheet.

19 In the Project Browser, under Sheets, double-click A102 - Unit 18.

20 Drag Typical Symbol Legend to the lower right corner of the sheet, and click to place it.

21 In the Type Selector, select Viewport : No Titlemark.

22 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
A legend view is unlike any other view and can be placed onto multiple sheets for reference
where required.

23 Save the file.

350 | Chapter 8 Finishing the Sheets

Creating a Component Legend
In this exercise, you create a building component legend for the wall types in the building model. You use
the text type that you created in a previous exercise to create annotations that identify the material used in
each wall component. You then add the completed legend to a project sheet.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise,
m_Freighthouse_Flats-Finishing-Sheets_in_progress.rvt.

Create a legend view

1 Click View menu ➤ New ➤ Legend.

2 In the New Legend View dialog, for Name, type 4th Floor Wall Types.
3 For Scale, select 1 : 50, and click OK.
Add components to the legend

4 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Legend Component.

5 On the View Control Bar, select Medium for Detail Level.
6 On the Options Bar:
■ For Family, select Walls: Basic Wall: 4th Floor Balcony Divider.

■ For View, select Section.

■ For Host length, type 900 mm, and press ENTER.

7 Click near the top left of the drawing area to specify the insertion point for the wall.
8 Click directly below the first wall to place a second wall.

Creating a Component Legend | 351

 9 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
10 Select the second wall, and on the Options Bar, for Family, select Walls : Basic wall : 4th Floor
Exterior.

Add titles to the legend components

11 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Text.

12 In the Type Selector, verify that Text : Legend Text is selected.

13 On the Options Bar, for Leader, click to add text without a leader.
14 Click below the upper wall component to specify the start point for the text, and type Wall Type
1 Patio Divider.

NOTE Press ENTER to force the text to start on the next line, for example to force a line break between
''Wall Type 1'' and ''Patio Divider.''

15 Click below the lower wall and type Wall Type 2 Exterior Wall.

352 | Chapter 8 Finishing the Sheets

Add text to the legend

16 On the Options Bar, click to add text with a single-segment leader.

17 Click the right side of the Wall Type 1 component to specify the leader start point.
18 Click to the right of the wall to end the leader and specify the text start point.
19 Type the following text, pressing ENTER between component descriptions, and click Modify on
the Design Bar: 33mm Decking 50x100 Stud 33mm Decking.
The text note with leader is added to the legend.

20 Use the following illustration as a guide for entering the text annotations on the lower wall
component.

Place the legend on a sheet

21 In the Project Browser, right-click Sheets (all), and click New Sheet.
22 In the Select a Titleblock dialog, click OK to accept the default titleblock.
23 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, select Level 4, and drag it to the new sheet.
24 Click to place the floor plan on the right side of the sheet.

Creating a Component Legend | 353

 25 In the Project Browser, under Legends, select 4th Floor Wall Types, drag it onto the sheet, and
click to place it in the upper left corner of the sheet.

26 On the Design Bar, click Modify to end the command.

The floor plan and legend are added to the new sheet.

Tile views in the drawing window

27 In the Project Browser, double-click 4th Floor Wall Types.

28 Click Window menu ➤ Close Hidden Windows.
29 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 4.
30 Click Window menu ➤ Tile.
The open drawings are both visible, allowing you to select a component type in one drawing
and then apply the type in the second drawing.

354 | Chapter 8 Finishing the Sheets

Match a component type

31 On the Tools toolbar, click (Match Type).

32 In the 4th Floor Wall Types Legend view, select the Wall Type 2 component.
Notice that the eyedropper changes to filled, indicating that it captured the wall type properties.

33 In the floor plan view, zoom to the lower right area of the floor plan including the patio divider
wall.

34 Select the patio divider wall.

35 On the View Control Bar, select Detail Level: Medium.
Changing the detail level displays the hatching for each material of the wall component. The
wall type in the floor plan matches wall type 2 from the Wall Type Legend.

Creating a Component Legend | 355

 36 Optionally, click if you do not want to save the change to the wall type.
37 Save the file.

Using Revision Tracking

Revit Architecture provides tools that enable you to track revisions to your project. You can create a sequence
of revisions, and you can draw revision clouds around elements in your project that have changed. You can
use revision tags to notate the revision clouds, and can then display the revisions in schedules that appear
in the titleblock of each project sheet.

Setting Up a Revision Table

There are likely to be changes to your construction documents after you have issued the original set of
documents for bid or after you have received a signed contract. These changes can be due to owner requests,
contractor inquiries, unanticipated changes in construction conditions, or changes in building material
availability. In this exercise, you open a revision table in which you can add rows that represent a sequence
of revisions. Using the table, you can specify the numbering method for revisions in a project, and you can
add data such as release date and description to each revision.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous lesson,
m_Freighthouse_Flats-Finishing-Sheets_in_progress.rvt.

Specify a revision numbering method

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 4.

356 | Chapter 8 Finishing the Sheets

 2 Click Settings menu ➤ Revisions.
3 On the right side of the Sheet Issues/Revisions dialog, for Numbering, verify that Per Project is
selected.
When you use this option, the revisions are numbered according to the sequence of revisions
in the Revisions dialog. For example, if the active revision is number 1, all tags and schedules
display the numeral 1. If you select Per Sheet, the revisions are numbered according to the
sequence in which they are added to a sheet.

Add a revision to the project

4 For Date, type a date.

This is the date the revisions are sent out for review.

5 For Description, type Relocate 4th floor partition dividing walls.

In general, revision descriptions should be comprehensive, yet as concise as possible.

6 Verify that Issued is cleared.

When Issued is selected, the revision is locked and issued to the field.

7 Under Show, verify that Cloud and Tag is selected.

If Visible is not selected, any revision cloud you draw to indicate this particular revision is not
visible in the view in which you create it. In most instances, you would turn off visibility only
after a revision was issued.

Setting Up a Revision Table | 357

 8 Click OK.
9 Save the file.

Sketching Revision Clouds

In this exercise, you make changes to the project floor plan, and then indicate the changes graphically with
a revision cloud. Revision clouds have read-only properties, including revision number and revision date,
which are inherited from the revision table you created for the project.
You can sketch revision clouds in all views except 3D views, but each cloud is visible only in the view in
which it is sketched. You can draw multiple revision clouds for each revision.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise,
m_Freighthouse_Flats-Finishing-Sheets_in_progress.rvt.

Modify a wall
1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 4.
2 Zoom in to the left area of the drawing to see the 4th Floor Balcony Divider.

3 Select the divider.

4 On the Edit toolbar, click (Move).

5 Select the divider, move the cursor up, and click to reposition the divider closer to the upper
wall.
6 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

358 | Chapter 8 Finishing the Sheets

Add a revision cloud

7 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Revision Cloud.

Revit Architecture is now in sketch mode.

NOTE To turn off snaps when drawing a revision cloud, click Settings menu ➤ Snaps. In the Snaps
dialog, select Snaps Off, and click OK.

8 In the drawing area, click near the partition you moved, and move the cursor clockwise to create
a segment of the revision cloud.

9 Click to end that segment and begin a new segment.

10 Continue adding segments until the cloud encompasses the area that you changed.
11 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.
The revision cloud is displayed around the modified partition.

Sketching Revision Clouds | 359

 Modify revision cloud style

12 Select the revision cloud.

13 Click Settings menu ➤ Object Styles.
14 In the Object Styles dialog, click the Annotation Objects tab.
15 Under the Revision Clouds category, for Line Weight, select 6.
16 Click OK.

17 Save the file.

Tagging Revision Clouds

In this exercise, you load a revision tag into the project, and then apply the tag to the revision cloud in the
current drawing. The tag number that is displayed in the drawing is based on the numbering method you
specified when you set up the revision table in a previous exercise.
Training File

360 | Chapter 8 Finishing the Sheets

 Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise,
m_Freighthouse_Flats-Finishing-Sheets_in_progress.rvt.

Load a revision tag

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 4.
2 Zoom in to the area with the revision cloud.
3 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Tag ➤ By Category.
4 On the Options Bar, click Tags.
5 In the Tags dialog, scroll down to Revision Clouds.
Because there are no tags loaded for revision clouds, you need to add one.

6 Click Load.
7 In the left pane of the dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\Families\Annotations\M_Revision Tag.rfa.
8 In the Tags dialog, notice that M_Revision Tag is the loaded tag for Revision Clouds; click OK.
Tag a revision cloud

9 On the Options Bar, select Leader.

10 In the drawing area, position the cursor just outside the revision cloud to the left.
If the cursor is just inside the cloud, the tag is displayed inside the cloud.

11 Click to place the tag.

The tag displays the revision number of the cloud. The number is based on the numbering
method you specified when you set up the revision table. Because you chose to number by
project, and because the revision is the first in the project, the cloud is tagged as number 1.

12 Save the file.

Working with Revisions

In this exercise, you view a sheet on which you place a revised view. You then issue a revision, which creates
a record of the revision and locks it from further changes. Because a real-world project can undergo several
revisions before it is completed, you create additional revisions in the revision table.
Training File

Working with Revisions | 361

 Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise,
m_Freighthouse_Flats-Finishing-Sheets_in_progress.rvt.

View the revision schedule on a sheet

1 In the Project Browser, under Sheets, double-click A107 - Unnamed.
2 Zoom to the revision schedule in the sheet titleblock.
The information you added to the revision table in a previous exercise is displayed in the revision
schedule.
After you make the necessary changes to the project and add the revised views to a sheet, you
prevent further changes to the revision. You do this by issuing the revision.

Issue a revision

3 Click Settings menu ➤ Revisions.

4 For the Sequence 1 revision, select Issued, and click OK.

NOTE After you issue a revision, you can no longer modify it. You cannot add revision clouds to the
revision in the drawing area, nor can you edit the sketch of the existing clouds.

Create additional revisions

5 Click Settings menu ➤ Revisions.

Your project may have several revisions before it is completed. You can continue to add revisions.

6 In the Sheet Issues/Revisions dialog, click Add.

A new row is added below the existing rows in the revision table.

7 For Description, type Modify Paving Area, and enter a date for the revision.
8 Add another revision row, with the description Relocate Door, and enter a date.
9 Click OK.

362 | Chapter 8 Finishing the Sheets

Change revision scheme from numeric to alphabetic

You place the new revisions on a sheet, and then specify the revision table sequence to alphabetic.
10 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 4.
11 On the Drafting tab, select Revision Cloud.
12 In the drawing area, click to add a revision clouds.

13 Click Finish Sketch.

Apply revisions to revision clouds

14 In the drawing area, select the revision cloud.

15 On the Options Bar, for Revision, select Seq. 2 - Modify Paving Area.
16 Add another revision cloud as shown.

17 Using the same method learned previously, apply Seq. 3 - Relocate Door to the revision cloud.
Tag the revision clouds

18 On the Drafting tab, select Tag ➤ By Category.

19 To add tags, in the drawing area, click outside each of the two revision clouds you just drew.
20 On the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), double-click A107 - Unnamed.
21 Zoom in to the revision schedule in the titleblock.
Information for all tagged revisions displays in the schedule.

Working with Revisions | 363

 Change the sequencing of revision to use alpha characters

22 Click Settings menu ➤ Revisions.

23 In the Sheet Issues/Revisions dialog:
■ For Sequence 1, clear Issued.
You do this so that the revision can be changed. You want to change the numbering value
from numeric to alphabetic for all sequences.

■ For each revision, for Numbering, select Alphabetic.

■ Click Options.
You can modify the sequence of characters used for the alphabetic numbering scheme.

24 In the Sequence Options dialog, for Sequence, delete the first 3 characters.
25 Click OK twice.
The revision schedule now uses alphabetic characters, beginning with "D".

Edit the titleblock family

The revision schedule is part of the titleblock family. In order to make formatting changes (appearance,
height, and rotation) to the revision schedule, you edit the titleblock family.
26 In the drawing area, select the titleblock.

364 | Chapter 8 Finishing the Sheets

 27 On the Options Bar, click Edit Family.
28 In the alert dialog, click Yes, and then zoom in to the revision schedule.
Modify the revision schedule properties

29 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all) ➤ Schedules, right-click Revision Schedule, and click
Properties.
30 In the Element Properties dialog, under Other, for Appearance, click Edit.
31 In the Revision Properties dialog, on the Appearance tab:
■ Under Graphics, for Build Schedule, select Bottom-up.

■ Select Grid lines.

Grid lines will now be dynamically added as the revision schedule is built.

■ Select Outline, and select Wide Lines for the outline type.

■ Clear Blank row before data.

32 Click OK twice.
Relocate revision schedule

You relocate the revision schedule to the bottom of the revision area, and delete the schedule lines because
the table will be dynamically built.
33 Select the schedule header, and drag it above the schedule area.

34 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

35 Select the existing schedule lines, and press DELETE.
36 Drag the header to the bottom of the revision schedule area.

Reload the titleblock family into the project

Because you changed the titleblock family, all sheets that use this titleblock in the project will be affected.
37 On the Family tab of the Design Bar, click Load into Projects.
38 In the Reload Family dialog, click Yes.

Working with Revisions | 365

 The revision schedule is now shown in a bottom-up format.

Rotate revision schedule to display it vertically

39 Using the same method learned previously, open the titleblock family for editing.
40 Select the revision schedule header, and on the Options Bar, for Rotation on Sheet, select 90°
Counterclockwise.
41 Drag the header to the right side of the titleblock.

Modify the properties of the revision schedule

42 In the Project Browser, right-click Revision Schedule, and click Properties.

43 In the Element Properties dialog, under Other, for Formatting, click Edit.
44 On the Formatting tab of the Revision Properties dialog, for Heading, enter Rev..
45 On the Appearance tab, for Height, select User defined.
When the height property is variable, the schedule continues to add rows as revisions are created.
With a user-defined height, the schedule is restricted to a specific size, and the most current
revisions display in the available rows.

46 Click OK twice.
Use grip editing to resize the revision schedule

47 In the drawing area, select the revision schedule.

48 Click the circular grip and drag it so that the schedule fills the revision area.

366 | Chapter 8 Finishing the Sheets

 Load revised schedule into the project

49 On the Family tab of the Design Bar, click Load into Projects.
50 In the Reload Family dialog, click Yes.
The modified revision schedule displays on the project sheet.

51 Save the file.

Importing from Other Applications

In this lesson, you learn to import information (such as images, text, and spreadsheets) from other applications
into a project.

Importing from Other Applications | 367

Importing Image Files
In this exercise, you import a logo image in JPG format into a project, and place it on a sheet.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous lesson,
m_Freighthouse_Flats-Finishing-Sheets_in_progress.rvt.
1 In the Project Browser, under Sheets, double-click T - Title Sheet.
2 Click File menu ➤ Import/Link ➤ Image.
3 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Common\Freighthouse
Logo.JPG.
4 Click in the upper right area of the sheet to place the logo.
5 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

6 Click File menu ➤ Save.

Importing Text Documents

In this exercise, you import text from another application using a cut and paste function to populate a text
object on a sheet.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise,
m_Freighthouse_Flats-Finishing-Sheets_in_progress.rvt.

Create a text element on the title sheet

1 In the Project Browser, under Sheets, double-click T - Title Sheet.
2 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Text.

3 On the Options Bar, for Leader, click to add text without a leader.
4 Click and drag to place a text box on the right side of the sheet.

368 | Chapter 8 Finishing the Sheets

 Copy the text

5 Open the Training Files\Common\Bidding Statement.doc text file in another window.

6 Select the text.
7 Click Edit menu ➤ Copy.
Paste the text on the sheet

8 In the Revit Architecture window, with the new text box still selected, click Edit menu ➤ Paste
from Clipboard.
The text is pasted into the new text box on the sheet.

9 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

10 Zoom in to view the pasted text.

NOTE Some formatting may be required after the text is placed in Revit Architecture.

11 Save the file.

Importing Spreadsheets
In this exercise, you have existing information in a spreadsheet format and would like to use it in the project.
The only way to do this is to convert the spreadsheet file to a raster format (JPG or BMP) and import it as
an image.
Training File

Importing Spreadsheets | 369

 Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise,
m_Freighthouse_Flats-Finishing-Sheets_in_progress.rvt.

1 In the Project Browser, under Sheets, double-click A102 - Unit 18.

2 Open the Microsoft Excel worksheet, Training Files\Common\Lighting Fixtures.xls.

NOTE You need to print/export the spreadsheet to a raster format. This process may vary from system
to system. This exercise demonstrates a common method.

3 In Microsoft Excel, click File menu ➤ Print.

4 Under Printer, for Name, select the document writer.
5 Click OK.
6 In the left pane of the Save the file as dialog, click Desktop, for File name, type Fixture
Schedule.mdi, and click Save.
Now that you have the worksheet in a raster format, you could use a screen capture utility to
save the worksheet in BMP or JPG format. This step has been completed for you, and saved as
Fixture Schedule.JPG.

7 In the Revit Architecture window, click File menu ➤ Import/Link ➤ Image.

8 In the left pane of the Import Image dialog, click Training Files, and open Common\Fixture
Schedule.JPG.
9 Click to place the image on the sheet.
10 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
11 Zoom in to see the Fixture Schedule.

12 Save the file.

370 | Chapter 8 Finishing the Sheets

Using Dependent Views
9
In this tutorial, you work with a large project for a bird sanctuary.

The drawings include the aviary and observation area of the site, as well as a large lab building.

The large floor plan, or footprint, for the sanctuary will not fit onto a plotted sheet as one plan. To effectively document
this project, you break up the plan into sections, called dependent views.

371
Dependent view of lab building

Dependent view of aviary and observation platforms

Dependent views can be placed on sheets for documentation purposes.

372 | Chapter 9 Using Dependent Views

Using Dependent Views in Documentation
In this lesson, you

■ Create split dependent views of a large floor plan and elevation

■ Annotate the primary view to indicate where the view is split and to provide links to the dependent
views

■ Apply the specifications of the dependent views to other views in the project

■ Add dependent views to sheets for documentation

Using Dependent Views for Floor Plan Views

In this exercise, you

■ Create split dependent views of a large floor plan view

■ Add a matchline to the primary view to indicate where the view is split

■ Place dependent views on sheets

■ Add view references to the primary view to link to dependent views

■ Apply dependent view specifications to other views

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Dependent_Views.rvt

Using Dependent Views in Documentation | 373

 Create dependent views
1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 2.

2 In the Project Browser, right-click Level 2, and click Duplicate View ➤ Duplicate as a Dependent.
The dependent view opens.

3 In the Project Browser, under Level 2, right-click Dependent on Level 2, and click Rename.
4 In the Rename View dialog, for Name, enter Level 2 - Aviary, and click OK.
5 Click in the drawing area, and on the Zoom flyout of the View toolbar, click Zoom To Fit.
6 In the drawing area, select the crop region.
The following image shows a plan view with the model and annotation crop regions visible.
The annotation crop is the exterior crop region, and the model crop is the interior crop region.

7 Select the inside (model crop) control on the right and drag it toward the center of the view to
crop out the lab building.

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8 Click the inside control on the bottom and drag it up, confining the view to the upper-left area
of the drawing (the aviary).

9 On the View Control Bar, click (Hide Crop Region).

Using Dependent Views for Floor Plan Views | 375

 10 Click in the drawing area, and on the Zoom flyout, click Zoom To Fit.
11 In the Project Browser, right-click Level 2, and click Duplicate View ➤ Duplicate as a Dependent.
12 In the Project Browser, right-click Dependent on Level 2, and click Rename.
13 In the Rename View dialog, for Name, enter Level 2 - Labs, and click OK.
14 Click in the drawing area, and on the Zoom flyout, click Zoom To Fit.
15 Select the crop region.
16 Use the inside controls to crop the view to the lower-right building (the labs).

17 Select the outside control on the left and drag it to the left to reveal the notes.

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 The outside controls adjust the annotation crop region.

18 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

19 On the View Control Bar, click (Hide Crop Region).

20 Click in the drawing area, and on the Zoom flyout, click Zoom To Fit.
Add matchline to indicate split view

21 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 2.

22 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Matchline.
Matchlines are annotation lines that you add to a view to indicate where a view is split for
dependent views.

23 Draw the matchline by specifying the following points:

■ Click above and to the right of the intersection of the lab building and the aviary. (Align
with the second column of lab cubicles.)

Using Dependent Views for Floor Plan Views | 377

 ■ Move the cursor down and click just above the lab building.

■ Click above the left corner of the lab building.

■ Click just below the lower intersection of the lab building and the aviary.

■ Move the cursor left about 4800 mm, and click.

24 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

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 25 Click Settings menu ➤ Object Styles.
26 In the Object Styles dialog, click the Annotation Objects tab.
27 Under Matchline, for Line Weight, select 9.
28 For Line Pattern, select Double Dash, and click OK.

Create sheets and place dependent views

29 Click View menu ➤ New ➤ Sheet.

30 In the Select a Titleblock dialog, click OK to accept the default titleblock.
31 In the Project Browser, expand Sheets, right-click A101 - Unnamed, and click Rename.
32 In the Sheet Title dialog, for Name, enter Level 2 Aviary, and click OK.
33 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, click Level 2 - Aviary, and drag it onto the sheet.
34 Click to place the view in the center of the sheet.

Using Dependent Views for Floor Plan Views | 379

 35 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
36 Use the same method to create another sheet, rename the sheet Level 2 Labs, and place the Level
2 - Labs dependent view on the sheet.

Add reference annotations to sheets

37 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 2.

38 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click View Reference.
You add view references near the matchline to annotate and link to the dependent views.

39 On the Options Bar, for Target view, verify that Floor Plan: Level 2 - Aviary is selected.
40 Click to the left of the top of the matchline.

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 The Sheet number of the dependent view displays to the left of the matchline.

41 On the Options Bar, for Target view, select Floor Plan: Level 2 - Labs.
42 Click to the right of the top of the matchline.

43 Use the same method to add View References above (A101) and below (A102) the lower-left end
of the matchline.

NOTE Double-clicking a view reference opens the dependent view that it references.

44 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

45 On the Zoom flyout, click Zoom To Fit.

Using Dependent Views for Floor Plan Views | 381

 46 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 2 - Aviary.

47 On the View Control Bar, click (Show Crop Region).

48 Select the crop region, click the far right control, and drag it slightly to the right to expand the
annotation region so you can see the view reference.

NOTE View references display in all views except for the view that it is referencing. Notice that the
view reference for the aviary does not display in the aviary dependent view.

49 If, after modifying the annotation crop region, the tags for Cubicles 3 and 14 display, select the
room tag for Cubicle 3 (upper-right room tag) in the annotation area, right-click, and click Hide
in view ➤ Elements.

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 50 Use the same method to hide Cubicle 14 (directly below Cubicle 3), leaving 4 rooms visible in
the view.

51 On the View Control Bar, click (Hide Crop Region).

Apply dependent view settings to other plans

52 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, right-click Level 2, and click Apply Dependent Views.
After you have set up dependent view configuration for one view, you can apply the view and
crop region specifications to parallel views of the same scale.

53 In the Select Views dialog, select all views in the list, and click OK.
New dependent views display in the Project Browser under the primary view, but are not placed
on sheets.

54 In the Project Browser, expand Level 1, and double-click Dependent (2) on Level 1.
55 On the Zoom flyout, click Zoom To Fit.
Notice that the matchline and crop regions from Level 2 are applied to Level 1.

56 Double-click Dependent on Level 1.

Using Dependent Views for Floor Plan Views | 383

 57 On the Zoom flyout, click Zoom To Fit.

Using Dependent Views for Elevation Views

In this exercise, you

■ Create dependent split views of an elevation view

■ Annotate the primary view to indicate where the view is split

■ Place dependent views on a sheet

■ Add view references to the primary view to link to dependent views

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Dependent_Views.rvt

Create dependent views

1 In the Project Browser, expand Elevations (Building Elevation), and double-click South Elevation.
The matchline is already placed in the view.

2 In the Project Browser, right-click South Elevation, and click Duplicate View ➤ Duplicate as a
Dependent.

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 The dependent view opens.

3 In the Project Browser, expand South Elevation, right-click Dependent on South Elevation, and
click Rename.
4 In the Rename View dialog, for Name, enter South Elevation - Left, and click OK.
5 In the drawing area, select the Crop Region.

6 Select the inside crop region control on the right, and drag it toward the center of the view,
cropping the view to the aviary.

7 On the View Control Bar, click (Hide Crop Region).

8 In the Project Browser, right-click South Elevation, and click Duplicate View ➤ Duplicate as a
Dependent.
9 In the Project Browser, right-click Dependent on South Elevation, and click Rename.
10 In the Rename View dialog, for Name, enter South Elevation - Right, and click OK.
11 Select the crop region.
12 Select the inside crop region control on the left, and drag it toward the center of the drawing,
cropping the view to the lab building.

Using Dependent Views for Elevation Views | 385

 13 On the View Control Bar, click (Hide Crop Region).
Create a sheet and place both dependent views on the sheet

14 Click View menu ➤ New ➤ Sheet.

15 In the Select a Titleblock dialog, click OK to accept the default titleblock.
16 In the Project Browser, under Sheets, right-click A103 Unnamed, and click Rename.
17 In the Sheet Title dialog, for Name, enter South Elevation, and click OK.
18 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, click South Elevation - Left, and drag it onto the sheet.
19 Click to place the elevation view at the top of the sheet.

20 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, click South Elevation - Right, and drag it onto the
sheet.
21 Click to place the elevation view at the bottom of the sheet.

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22 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
23 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, double-click South Elevation.
24 On the Views tab of the Design Bar, click View Reference.
25 On the Options Bar, for Target view, verify that Elevation: South Elevation - Left is selected.
26 Click to the left of the top of the matchline at the center of the elevation.
27 Click to the left of the bottom of the matchline.

28 On the Options Bar, for Target view, select Elevation: South Elevation - Right.
29 Click to the right of the top and the bottom of the matchline.

Using Dependent Views for Elevation Views | 387

 30 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
31 In the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), double-click A103 - South Elevation.

NOTE If the view references are not visible, you can modify the annotation region for the dependent
view from the sheet. Right-click the view, and click Activate View. Select the crop region, and use the
annotation crop controls to modify it.

388 | Chapter 9 Using Dependent Views

Viewing and Rendering

389
390
Rendering Views and
Creating Walkthroughs 10
In this tutorial, you learn to use the rendering features in Revit Architecture 2009 to create rendered interior and exterior
views of a building information model. You also learn how to create and record animated walkthroughs of a model.

Rendering an Exterior View

In this lesson, you learn how to create an exterior perspective view of a pool house building model and
create rendered images for daytime and nighttime lighting.
Daytime rendering of the pool house

391
 Nighttime rendering of the pool house

You learn to create and apply materials to the building model, add trees to the building site, and create the
perspective view that you want to render. After you create the perspective view, you specify options that
define the model environment, and then render a final exterior view.

Applying Materials and Textures to the Building Model

In this exercise, you learn how to view and modify the material that is applied to a building component in
a building model. You also learn how to create a new material and apply it to a building component. You
work with a building model that already has materials applied to it.

In this exercise, you:

■ change the render appearance of the wood material applied to the exterior screen wall of the pool house.

■ change the material of the pad of the pool house from the default material to concrete.

■ define a new black anodized aluminum material and apply it to the curtain wall mullions of the pool
house wall.

When you complete these changes, you render a region of the building that includes the exterior wall, the
pad, and the curtain wall to view and verify the material and texture changes.

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Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Common\c_Pool_House.rvt.

View the finish material of the screen wall

1 Verify that the 3D view of the pool house is displayed.

2 Zoom in to the wall of the house near the pool.

Applying Materials and Textures to the Building Model | 393

 3 In the drawing area, select the wooden screen wall, and on the Options Bar, click (Element
Properties).
You check the construction of the screen walls to determine the material assigned to the wall,
so you can change the render appearance for the material.

4 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.

5 Under Construction, for Structure, click Edit.
6 In the Edit Assembly dialog, verify that the material for Structure [1] is Wood - Teak, Solid.
7 Click OK 3 times.
Change the render appearance of the wood material

8 Click Settings menu ➤ Materials.

The Wood - Teak, Solid material is currently a light stained teak. The design calls for the use of
a dark stained, satin-finished teak.

9 In the Materials dialog, for Materials, select Wood - Teak, Solid.

10 On the Render Appearance tab, click Replace.

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 11 In the Render Appearance Library dialog, click Wood Teak Stained Dark Medium Gloss, and
click OK.
You do not want the medium gloss finish, but it is the closest material to what you want. You
make modifications to the settings for this material to more closely match the desired finish.

12 On the Render Appearance tab of the Materials dialog, for Finish, select Satin Varnish.
13 Click Update Preview, and click OK.
The Update Preview option provides a real time rendering of the changes to the material. It can
be used for visual feedback to see if the setting produces the desired results.

Change the material of the pad from the default material to concrete

14 In the drawing area, select the pad, and on the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).
The material assignment for the pad is currently set to By Category, which is using a default
material. You change the material assignment to use a concrete with a straight broom finish.

15 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.

16 Under Construction, for Structure, click Edit.
17 In the Edit Assembly dialog, for the Structure [1] Material value, click <By Category>, and click
.
18 In the Materials dialog, select Concrete - Cast-in-Place Concrete.
19 On the Render Appearance tab, for Finish, select Broom Straight, and click Update Preview.
20 Click the Graphics tab, and review the material patterns.
21 Click OK 4 times.
22 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Applying Materials and Textures to the Building Model | 395

 Define a new material and apply it to the mullions

23 Zoom in to view the curtain wall mullions.

24 Click Settings menu ➤ Materials.

You create a black anodized aluminum material, and apply it to the mullions of the pool house
wall.

25 In the Materials dialog, select Metal - Aluminum.

You use an existing material as a template to create the black anodized aluminum material.

26 At the bottom left corner of the Materials dialog, click (Duplicate).

27 In the Duplicate Revit Material dialog, for Name, enter Metal - Aluminum, Anodized - Black,
and click OK.
28 On the Graphics tab of the Materials dialog, select Use Render Appearance for Shading.
By selecting this option, the color used for this material in shaded views is an average color
defined by the render appearance.

29 On the Render Appearance tab, click Replace.

30 In the Render Appearance Library, click Aluminum Anodized Black, and click OK.
31 On the Graphics tab of the Materials dialog, review the material appearance (color and pattern),
and click OK.

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 32 Click Settings menu ➤ Object Styles.
The mullions and frame for the wall are defined as By Category. You change the material used
by the curtain wall mullion category.

33 In the Object Styles dialog, for Curtain Wall Mullions, select the Material value, and click .
34 In the Materials dialog, select Metal - Aluminum, Anodized - Black.
35 Click OK twice.

36 Zoom to fit the drawing in the view.

Render a region of the model to view the material changes

37 On the View Control Bar, click (Show Rendering Dialog).

38 At the top of the Rendering dialog, select Region.
39 Select the rendering crop boundary.

Applying Materials and Textures to the Building Model | 397

 40 Adjust the extents of the region by dragging the borders in tight around the areas where the
materials changed (pool house screen, mullions, and pad).

NOTE The smaller the region, the faster the image renders. It is a good practice to define a precise
render region until you are ready to create the final rendered image.

41 Zoom in to the region in order to see the results of the rendering test more clearly.

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 42 Specify options in the Rendering dialog:
■ Under Quality, for Setting, select Medium.
Several quality settings are available. The higher the quality, the longer the rendering process
will take. Refer to the Revit Architecture Online Help for best practices for optimizing quality
and output settings.

■ Under Lighting, for Scheme, select Exterior: Sun only.

■ For Sun, select Sunlight from top left.

43 Click Render.
The Rendering Progress dialog displays, providing information on the status and duration of
the rendering process.

44 To display the building model, after the rendering process completes, on the Rendering dialog,
under Display, click Show the model.
45 Close the Rendering dialog.
46 Click File menu ➤ Save, and save the project as c_Pool_House_in_progress.rvt.
47 Proceed to the next exercise, Adding Trees to the Site on page 399.

Adding Trees to the Site

In this exercise, you place trees and shrubs on the building site in order to provide a more realistic context
for rendering the project.

Adding Trees to the Site | 399

 In a later exercise, when you render an exterior view of the model, the RPC model is used in the rendering.

NOTE For simplicity, imperial components and units are used in this lesson. Specific types and sizes of trees are
referenced in the steps, but any type and size can be used.

Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, c_Pool_House_in_progress.rvt.

Add shrubs and trees to the site

1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Site.

2 Zoom in so you can easily view the area surrounding the pool house and walkway.

400 | Chapter 10 Rendering Views and Creating Walkthroughs

3 On the Site tab of the Design Bar, click Site Component.

TIP If the Site tab is not displayed, right-click in the Design Bar, and click Site.

4 In the Type Selector, select RPC Shrub : Yew 2'-4''.

NOTE If planting families are not loaded into a project, they can be loaded from the Content Library.
See Loading Families in the Revit Architecture 2009 Online Help.

5 Place 4 shrubs to the right of the patio, near the walkway, as shown. (Exact placement is not
important.)

6 In the Type Selector, select RPC Tree - Deciduous : Red Maple - 30', and place 2 trees in the
project, similar to the locations shown.

Adding Trees to the Site | 401

 7 In the Type Selector, select RPC Tree - Deciduous : Scarlet Oak - 42', and place a tree to the left
of the pool house between the 2 maple trees.

Create a tree type and add it to the site

8 In the Type Selector, select RPC Tree - Deciduous : Honey Locust - 25', and on the Options Bar,

click (Element Properties).

9 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
You change the size of the existing Honey Locust tree family.

10 In the Type Properties dialog, click Rename.

11 In the Rename dialog, for New, enter Honey Locust - 18', and click OK.
12 In the Type Properties dialog, for Height, enter 18'.
13 Click OK twice.
14 Click in the drawing area to the right of the pool house to place the tree.

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 15 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

16 Click File menu ➤ Save.

17 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating a Perspective View on page 403.

Creating a Perspective View

In this exercise, you define the exterior perspective view of the building model that you want to render.

Creating a Perspective View | 403

 Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, c_Pool_House_in_progress.rvt.

Place a camera in the site view

1 With the Site view open, on the View tab of the Design Bar, click Camera.
2 Add the camera to the view by specifying points for the camera position and the camera target
point:
■ Specify the first point along the curve of the walkway facing the pool house to position the
camera.

■ Specify the second point in the upper left corner of the pool house to define the target point
of the camera.

Exact placement is not important because you modify the view as required.

The perspective view displays.

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 3 Zoom out, and select the crop boundary.
4 Adjust the crop boundary to display the entire building and some of the pool in the foreground,
as shown.
Depending on camera placement, the back wall of the yard may be cut off.

Adjust the field of vision and back clipping plane

5 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Site, and adjust the field of vision, as
necessary.
If the camera is not shown in the view, in the Project Browser, right-click 3D View 1, and click
Show Camera. With the camera shown, the triangle that represents the field of vision can be
adjusted. Adjust the back clipping plane so that it is beyond the wall in the yard. The camera
can also be moved along the walkway to get the desired perspective view.

Creating a Perspective View | 405

 6 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, right-click 3D View 1, and click Rename.
7 In the Rename View dialog, enter Exterior - Day, and click OK.
8 In the Project Browser, double-click Exterior - Day to open the view, and make any final
adjustments to the crop boundary to improve image composition.
9 Zoom to fit the perspective view in the window.

10 Save the file.

11 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating the Exterior Rendering on page 407.

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Creating the Exterior Rendering
In this exercise, you specify the time and location settings for the rendering, and render a daytime view of
the exterior.

You then duplicate the view, modify render settings, and create lighting groups for a nighttime view of the
exterior.

Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, c_Pool_House_in_progress.rvt.

Display the perspective view

1 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click Exterior - Day.

Creating the Exterior Rendering | 407

 Specify rendering settings for a daytime view

2 On the View Control Bar, click (Show Rendering Dialog).

You create a location and time for the rendering. For information on how the rendering/sun
relates to the location settings, see Re-orienting the Project on page 447.

3 In the Rendering dialog, under Lighting, for Sun, select Edit/New.

4 On the Still tab of the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, select Spring Equinox, and click Rename.
5 In the Rename dialog, for New, enter Spring Equinox - Santa Monica, 3pm.
6 Click OK twice.
7 In the Rendering dialog, under Background, select Sky: Cloudy.
You adjust cloud settings as required. In this case, the sky will be a procedural sky based on
cloud settings and time of day.

NOTE If a background image is required, export the resulting image in PNG or TIFF format. The PNG
and TIFF formats place the chosen background on an alpha channel for easier manipulation during
photoediting.

8 Under Quality, for Setting, select Medium, and click Render.

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 9 In the Rendering dialog, click Show the model.
After the image is rendered, you can switch between the rendered view and the model view as
long as the Revit Architecture session is open.

10 In the Rendering dialog, click Show the rendering.

Export the rendered image to an external file

11 In the Rendering dialog, click Export.

12 In the Save Image dialog:
■ In the left pane, click Desktop.

■ For Files of type, select Portable Network Graphics (*.png).

■ Click Save.

The image file is saved to the Desktop for later reference.

13 Close the Rendering dialog.

Creating the Exterior Rendering | 409

 Specify rendering settings for a nighttime view

14 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, right-click Exterior - Day, and click Duplicate
View ➤ Duplicate.
To create a similar view using different rendering settings, you duplicate the view and change
the settings.

15 Rename the Copy of Exterior - Day view to Exterior - Night.

16 With the Exterior - Night view open, on the View Control Bar, click (Show Rendering
Dialog).
17 In the Rendering dialog, under Lighting, for Scheme, select Exterior: Artificial only, and click
Artificial Lights.
You change the rendering settings to create a nighttime rendering of the same view.

Create lighting groups

18 In the Artificial Lights - Exterior - Night, dialog, under Group Options, click New.
Lighting groups allow greater control over lighting schemes used in renderings.

19 In the New Light Group dialog, for Name, enter Pool Lights, and click OK.
20 In the Artificial Lights dialog, under Ungrouped Lights, highlight 9 :Sconce Light - Flat Round
: 60W - 120V through 14 :Sconce Light - Flat Round : 60W - 120V, and click Move to Group.
To select a sequential list, select the first light, press and hold SHIFT, and select the last light.

21 In the Light Groups dialog, verify that Pool Lights is selected, and click OK.
22 Using the same method, add 30 :Sconce Light - Flat Round : 60W - 120V through 35 :Sconce
Light - Flat Round : 60W - 120V to the Pool Lights group.
23 In the Artificial Lights dialog, under Group Options, click New.
24 In the New Light Group dialog, for Name, enter Pool House Lights, and click OK.
25 Using the same method, under Ungrouped Lights, add 16 :Light Fixture through 29 :Light Fixture
to the Pool House Lights group.
26 In the Artificial Lights dialog, click OK.
27 In the Rendering dialog, click Render.

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 Adjust the exposure

28 In the Rendering dialog, under Image, click Adjust Exposure.

After the image is rendered, the exposure can be modified to improve the output. In this example,
you change the brightness of the exposure, but the other settings can be modified as well to
control the final rendering. Settings can be changed at any time within the Revit Architecture
session.

29 In the Exposure Control dialog, for Exposure Value, enter 4, and click OK.

30 In the Rendering dialog, click Show the model, and then switch between the views by clicking
Show the rendering.
31 Close the Rendering dialog.
32 Save the file.
33 Proceed to the next lesson, Rendering an Interior View on page 411.

Rendering an Interior View

In this lesson, you create a nighttime and a daytime rendering of the interior view of the building model
that you worked with in the previous lesson.

Rendering an Interior View | 411

 Draft nighttime rendering of the interior

High quality daytime rendering of the interior

To create the rendered view, you add ArchVision® realpeople (RPC content) to the interior of the pool house,
define the perspective view and rendering settings, and finally, render the views.

Adding RPC People

In this exercise, you add an RPC person to the interior view that you render in a later exercise. RPC people
are represented by a 2D symbol in plan view and resemble real people only when rendered in a 3D view.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, c_Pool_House_in_progress.rvt.

412 | Chapter 10 Rendering Views and Creating Walkthroughs

Add an RPC figure to the view
1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1.
2 Zoom in to the pool house.

3 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Component.

4 In the Type Selector, select RPC Female : YinYin, and place the component inside the pool
house.
Exact placement is not important, but place the figure close to the front of the vanity so that
her reflection displays in the mirror after the scene is rendered.

5 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

6 Select the figure, and on the Edit toolbar, click (Rotate).

7 Rotate the figure:
The pointed portion of the symbol represents the front of the figure, the person’s line of sight.
■ Click to set the rotate start point at the line of sight.

Adding RPC People | 413

 ■ Rotate clockwise about 20 degrees, and click so that the figure is angled toward the vanity.

Enable reflective properties for RPC content

8 With the RPC figure selected, on the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).
In order to see the figure’s reflection, the reflective properties must be turned on for the family
type. By default, the reflection of RPC content is turned off in order to enhance rendering
performance. If reflections of RPC content are important to the rendering, you can enable this
option.

9 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.

10 In the Type Properties dialog, under Identity Data, for Render Appearance Properties, click Edit.
11 In the Render Appearance Properties dialog, under Parameters, select Cast Reflections.
12 Click OK 3 times.
13 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
14 Save the file.

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 15 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating the Interior Perspective View on page 415.

Creating the Interior Perspective View

In this exercise, you create the interior perspective view that you will render in the final exercise in this
lesson. You define the interior perspective by placing a camera, and using a section box to limit the geometry
included in the rendering process.

Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, c_Pool_House_in_progress.rvt.

Add a camera
1 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Camera.
You place a camera into the view to create an interior perspective. Exact placement is not
important because you will adjust the crop boundary of the view in later steps.

2 Add the camera to the view by specifying points for the camera position and target point:
■ Click inside the lower right corner of the pool house to place the camera.

■ Click outside of the pool house to the left to place the target point.

Creating the Interior Perspective View | 415

 The perspective view displays.

Add a section box to limit the extents of the rendered view

3 Zoom to fit the view in the window.

4 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, right-click 3D View 1, and click Properties.
You can use a section box to limit the geometry included in a rendering.

5 In the Element Properties dialog, under Extents, select Section Box, and click OK.
6 Zoom out so that you can see the selection box.

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 7 Click Window menu ➤ Close Hidden Windows.
In order to accurately adjust the section box, you display an elevation/section view and a plan
view, in addition to the 3D view.

8 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1.

9 In the Project Browser, under Elevations (Building Elevations), double-click South.
10 Click Window menu ➤ Tile.

11 In the 3D view, select the section box.

Creating the Interior Perspective View | 417

 12 In the floor plan view, size the box as shown.

13 In the South Elevation view, size the box as shown.

14 In the 3D view, select the section box, right-click, and click Hide in view ➤ Category.

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 15 Maximize the 3D view, and adjust the crop boundary to match the illustration.

16 Zoom to fit the view in the window.

17 Save the file.
18 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating the Interior Rendering on page 419.

Creating the Interior Rendering

In this exercise, you define artificial lighting and render a nighttime view of the interior. To create a daytime
view, you define daylight portals for the glazed panels of the curtain wall, and render the interior view.
Daylight portals improve the quality of light that shines through windows, doors that contain windows or
glass, and curtain walls.

Training File

Creating the Interior Rendering | 419

 Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, c_Pool_House_in_progress.rvt.

Define lighting for a nighttime view

1 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, right-click 3D View 1, and click Rename.
2 In the Rename View dialog, enter Interior - Night, and click OK.

3 On the View Control Bar, click (Show Rendering Dialog).

4 In the Rendering dialog, under Lighting, for Scheme, select Interior: Artificial only.
The Interior: Artificial only option defines a baseline for the exposure and other settings for an
interior rendering without daylight. These settings can be adjusted after the rendering is complete
using the Adjust Exposure option.

5 Click Artificial Lights.

6 In the Artificial Lights dialog, clear Pool Lights, and click OK.
Because the exterior pool lights will not have an effect on this rendering, you turn them off for
this scene. Using light controls and lighting groups can help to define multiple lighting conditions
for views.

7 Under Quality, for Setting, select Draft.

You can specify a lower quality, and render the view to check lighting levels and material
selections. After these settings are established, the view can be rendered at a higher quality level.

8 In the Rendering dialog, click Render.

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 9 Close the Rendering dialog.
Create an interior day view

10 In the Project Browser, right-click Interior - Night, and click Duplicate View ➤ Duplicate.
You create a view for the interior during the day. You can duplicate the view for each lighting
condition/time of day you want to render.

11 Rename the copied view to Interior - Day.

Specify rendering settings

12 On the View Control Bar, click (Show Rendering Dialog).

13 In the Rendering dialog, for Scheme, select Interior: Sun only.
14 For Setting, select Edit.
15 In the Render Quality Settings dialog, click Copy To Custom.
The preset schemes are read-only. You have to copy a preset scheme to your custom settings in
order to make changes. In this case, in order to turn on daylight portals, you must create a
custom setting.

NOTE The custom setting is only applied to this view. This process must be repeated if you want to
use custom settings in other views.

16 Scroll to the bottom of the dialog; for Daylight Portal Options, select Curtain Walls, and click
OK.
For sunlit interiors, the daylight portals can be turned on. By default they are turned off, but
the space will receive standard daylighting. The daylight portals help to further refine this
daylight into a more realistic rendered effect. For more information on daylight portals, see the
Revit Architecture Online Help.

IMPORTANT Enabling daylight portals can drastically increase rendering times.

17 In the Rendering dialog, for Sun, select Spring Equinox - Santa Monica, 3pm, select Region, and
click Render.

Creating the Interior Rendering | 421

 18 In the Rendering dialog, under Image, click Adjust Exposure.
19 In the Exposure Control dialog:
■ For Exposure Value, enter 10.

■ For Saturation, enter 1.

■ Click OK.

Notice that the speckling on the wooden column in the foreground is reflecting too much light.
In the next steps, you adjust the material of the column to improve the effect.

20 In the Rendering dialog, click Show the model, and close the Rendering dialog.
Modify the column material

21 In the drawing area, select the column on the right, and on the Options Bar, click (Element
Properties).
View the properties of the column and note that the assigned material is Wood.

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 22 In the Element Properties dialog, click OK.
23 With the column still selected, click Settings menu ➤ Materials.
24 In the Materials dialog, select Wood.
25 Specify options on the Render Appearance tab:
■ For Finish, select Unfinished.

■ For Bump, select Based on wood grain.

■ For Amount, move the slider to the right until the value is approximately 5.6.

■ For Rotate, enter 90.

You change the varnish setting, add a bump map to create texture, and rotate the material so
that the grain of the wood runs vertically along the column.

26 Click Update Preview, and click OK.

Create a print quality rendering

27 On the View Control Bar, click (Show Rendering Dialog).

After you use the test renderings to verify that you made the correct lighting and material
selection, you can define the output and quality settings for final output. The rendered output
can be set to a printed ratio and the printed size of the output as well as the DPI for the image
can be controlled. As size and DPI are increased, the render time increases significantly.

28 In the Rendering dialog, clear Region.

29 In the Rendering dialog, under Output Settings, for Resolution, select Printer.
30 In the drawing area, select the crop boundary, and on the Options Bar, click the dimensions for
Size.
31 In the Crop Region Size dialog:
■ Under Change, select Scale (locked proportions).

■ For Width, enter 5''.

■ Click OK.

32 In the Rendering dialog, for Setting, select High, and click Render.

Creating the Interior Rendering | 423

 The rendered image displays. The file can now be exported or saved to the Revit project.

33 Close the exercise file with or without saving.

By completing the two rendering lessons included in this tutorial, you rendered an exterior and an interior
view. You learned to create perspective views suitable for rendering and to modify rendering options in
order to optimize the final output.

Creating and Recording Walkthroughs

In this lesson, you learn how to create and record animated walkthroughs of your building models in Revit
Architecture 2009. A walkthrough is created in a 3D perspective view by default, but you can also create it
in a 3D orthographic view.

Creating and Editing a Walkthrough

The first step in creating a walkthrough is to define the walkthrough path, which is the path that a camera
will follow through the building model. Usually, you define the walkthrough path in a plan view, but you
can also define it in a 3D, elevation, or section view. The walkthrough path is a spline, and you create it by
specifying points that create the spline. Each point becomes a key frame in the walkthrough. Additional
frames that comprise the walkthrough are created between the key frames. You can edit the walkthrough
path by selecting and moving the key frames. In a plan view, you can also specify the height of the camera
along the walkthrough path.

Recording a Walkthrough

After you create a walkthrough, you can record it by exporting it to an AVI file that you can play with any
available video player, independent of the Revit Architecture software. When you export your walkthrough
to an AVI, you can select one of the following display options for the building model in your walkthrough:

■ Wireframe

■ Hidden Line (wireframe view with hidden lines)

■ Shading

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 ■ Shading with Edges

■ Rendering

Creating a Walkthrough
In this exercise, you learn how to create and edit a walkthrough of the first floor of a townhouse.

You create a walkthrough that begins in the breakfast room of the townhouse, proceeds through the dining
room, and ends in the far corner of the living room.

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Common\c_Townhouse.rvt.

NOTE Some imperial values are used by default in this exercise. If you prefer to use metric values, click
Settings ➤ Project Units, and change unit formats as desired.

Create a walkthrough of the first floor of the building model

1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click 1st Floor.
2 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Walkthrough.

TIP If the tab that you need does not display in the Design Bar, right-click in the Design Bar, and
click the tab in the context menu.

3 To create the walkthrough in a 3D perspective view, on the Options Bar, verify that Perspective
is selected.
4 Move the cursor under the text label in the Breakfast room, and click to specify the start point
(the first key frame) of the walkthrough.
5 Specify 4 additional points to define key frame positions on the walkthrough path as shown.

Creating a Walkthrough | 425

 6 After you specify the final point of the walkthrough path in the Living room, on the Options
Bar, click Finish.
Edit and play the walkthrough

7 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all) ➤ Walkthroughs, and double-click Walkthrough 1.
The last frame of the walkthrough is displayed, surrounded by a crop boundary with grips as
shown. Your frame may look a bit different from the frame in the illustration because the
walkthrough path is not precisely the same.

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 8 Verify that the crop boundary of the walkthrough frame is selected and is displayed as red with
blue grips. If it is not, select the crop boundary.
Two options are displayed on the Options Bar: Edit Walkthrough and Size.

9 To change the size of the walkthrough frame crop region, on the Options Bar, click the
dimensions for Size.
10 In the Crop Region Size dialog, for Width, enter 16'', and for Height, enter 9''.
11 Under Change, verify that Field of view is selected, and click OK.
12 On the View menu, click Zoom ➤ Zoom Out (2x), and select the crop boundary.

13 On the Options Bar, click Edit Walkthrough.

The walkthrough controls are displayed on the Options Bar. The frame that is displayed is frame
300 of a total of 300 frames.

14 Click .
15 In the Walkthrough Frames dialog, enter 60 to reduce the total number of frames in the
walkthrough from 300 to 60, and click OK.
16 On the Options Bar, for Frame, enter 1, and press ENTER to set the walkthrough to play from
the beginning (the key frame).

17 Click .

Creating a Walkthrough | 427

 The walkthrough plays. The current display is wireframe with hidden lines.

NOTE To stop playing the walkthrough at any time, press ESC.

18 When the walkthrough stops playing, proceed to the next exercise, Changing the Walkthrough
Path and Camera Position on page 428.

Changing the Walkthrough Path and Camera Position

In this exercise, you learn how to edit the walkthrough path and change the camera position in the
walkthrough that you created in the previous exercise.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, c_Townhouse.rvt.

Change the properties of the camera

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 1st Floor.
The walkthrough path is displayed in the floor plan of the first floor.

2 On the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).

3 In the Element Properties dialog, under Extents, clear Far Clip Active, and click OK.
Clearing this option disables the far clipping plane of the camera.

Edit the walkthrough path

4 On the Options Bar, click Edit Walkthrough.

The camera is displayed at the first key frame position on the walkthrough path in the breakfast
room.

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5 Select the target point of the camera (the magenta grip), and adjust it to view the kitchen as
shown.
Your walkthrough path may vary from the one in the illustration, so do not be concerned if the
camera displays at a slightly different location.

6 On the Options Bar, for Controls, select Path.

Blue grips are displayed at each key frame. You can move any camera target or key frame position.

7 Click the third key frame position, and drag it to the location shown.

Changing the Walkthrough Path and Camera Position | 429

 Play the walkthrough to view the changes that you made

8 In the Project Browser, under Walkthroughs, double-click Walkthrough 1.

9 To play the walkthrough, on the Options Bar, click Edit Walkthrough, and then click .
10 Proceed to the next exercise, Recording the Walkthrough on page 430.

Recording the Walkthrough

In this exercise, you record the walkthrough that you created in the previous exercise by exporting it to an
AVI file. When you export the walkthrough, you can select to display the walkthrough in wireframe, hidden
line, shading, shading with edges, or rendering.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, c_Townhouse.rvt.

1 Click File menu ➤ Export ➤ Walkthrough.

2 In the Length/Format dialog, under Output Length, for Frames/sec, enter 15.
3 Under Format, for Model Graphics Style, select <Shading>, and click OK.
4 In the Export Walkthrough dialog, specify a path and a file name for the AVI, and click Save.
5 In the Video Compression dialog, for Compressor, select any codec (compression/decompression)
that is available on your system, and click OK.

NOTE The available Compressor options are specific to your current computer system. If you are
unsure of what option to use, the Full Frames (Uncompressed) option is available to all users. It
produces files that are larger than compressed files, but that do not suffer loss due to compression
quality.

The walkthrough is recorded.

6 Double-click the AVI file to play the walkthrough from the location that you specified previously,
without opening Revit Architecture 2009.
7 Try creating other walkthroughs, specifying the number of frames, reducing the size of the
image, perhaps to 6'' wide x 4'' height, and with a frame rate of from 15-30 frames per second.
If you had 150 frames and a frame rate of 15 seconds, then you are moving from the breakfast
area to the living room window in 10 seconds. Reducing the size of the output images and
managing the frame rate lets you create realistic and smooth movement.
8 If you want to save this exercise, click File menu ➤ Save As, and save the exercise file with a
unique name.
9 Close the exercise file without saving your changes.

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Creating Solar Studies
11
The ability to create solar studies for a specific project and site can be very valuable for creating sustainable designs. Exterior
solar studies can show the impact of shadows on a site by the terrain and the surrounding buildings. Interior solar studies
can illustrate how effectively natural light penetrates inside a building during specific times of the day and year.
In this tutorial, you create interior and exterior views of a building information model to be used in solar studies that you
define. You specify settings for summer and winter solstice solar studies and export one solar study as a video and the
other as a series of images.
More specifically, you learn how a solar study of different perspective views of a building can support passive solar design
by showing where shadows fall during the warmest time of the day and at different times throughout the year.

Creating Views for Solar Studies

In this lesson, you learn to create three 3D views of a building information model for use with solar studies.

■ A courtyard perspective view illustrates how shadows impact the site and buildings.

■ A cut section view enables you to see the effect of shadows and light on the interior of a building.

■ A plan view provides information on how sunlight and shadows play on the floor of a building.

431
Creating a Solar Study - Courtyard View
In this exercise, you customize a 3D external view of the building to enhance Solar Study analysis.
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Common\c_Solar_Study.rvt.

1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click 01 Entry.
2 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Camera.
3 Click in the lower right corner of the drawing area outside of the courtyard to place the camera
and click in the upper left corner above the courtyard to place the camera target point, as shown.

A 3D view is created. The view you create may differ slightly from the illustrations in the exercises
because of minor variations in camera placement.

4 On the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels), and use the Orbit tool to adjust the view, as
shown.

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 5 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
6 Click the view boundary to select it, and drag the blue circular controls to see more of the
perspective view, if necessary.
7 In the Project Browser, expand 3D Views, right-click 3D View 1, and click Rename.
8 In the Rename View dialog, enter Solar Study - Courtyard View, and click OK.
9 On the File menu, click Save As, and save the exercise file with a unique name.
10 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating a Solar Study Section Cutaway View on page 433.

Creating a Solar Study Section Cutaway View

In this exercise, you create a section cutaway view.
Training File
Continue to use the c_Solar_Study.rvt training file you saved in the previous exercise.

Create section
1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 Entry.
2 Enter ZR to zoom in on the house, as shown.

3 On the Design Bar, click Section.

4 Click to the right of reference plane 9 between A and B and, and then click to the left outside
of the house to sketch the horizontal section line shown in the following illustration.

Creating a Solar Study Section Cutaway View | 433

 5 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
6 To view the section, double-click the section head.

7 In the Project Browser, expand Sections, right-click Section 1, and click Rename.
8 In the Rename View dialog, enter Section for Solar Study Cutaway, and click OK.
Create 3D section view

9 On the View toolbar, click .

10 On the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels).

11 On the SteeringWheel, click the pull-down arrow to display the Wheel menu, and click Orient
to View ➤ Section: Section for Solar Study Cutaway.
12 Use the Orbit tool to adjust the view down and to the right, as shown.

13 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

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 14 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, right-click {3D}, and click Rename.
15 In the Rename View dialog, enter Solar Study Section Cutaway, and click OK.
16 On the View Control Bar, click Detail Level ➤ Coarse, then select Medium, then Fine.

NOTE With the detail level set to Coarse, some structural elements are shown as a single line rather
than solid and do not cast a shadow. In some cases, changing to Medium or Fine provides a better
view for a shadow study.

17 To hide the section box, click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics. On the Annotation Categories
tab, clear Section Boxes, and click OK.
18 On the File menu, click Save.
19 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating a Solar Study Plan Cutaway View on page 435.

Creating a Solar Study Plan Cutaway View

In this exercise, you create a plan cutaway view.

NOTE A plan view of a shadow study should be created in a 3D view with top orientation. Typical plan views,
such as floor plans and ceiling plans, do not display many elements in 3D, so no shadows will be cast from these
elements.

Training File
Continue to use the c_Solar_Study.rvt training file you saved in the previous exercise.

Create callout
1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 Entry.
2 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Callout.
3 Click in the upper left corner and lower right corner to sketch a selection around the site,
including the house, as shown.

4 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Callout of 01 Entry.

5 In the Project Browser, right-click Callout of 01 Entry, and click Rename.
6 In the Rename View dialog, enter Solar Study Callout for Plan Cutaway, and click OK.
Create 3D Plan View

7 On the View toolbar, click .

Creating a Solar Study Plan Cutaway View | 435

 8 On the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels).
9 On the SteeringWheel, click the pull-down arrow to display the Wheel menu, and click Orient
to View ➤ Floor Plan: Solar Study Callout for Plan Cutaway.
10 Use the Orbit tool to adjust the view to the right and back to view the front side, as shown.

11 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

12 Select the section box in the drawing area.
13 Select the blue down arrow control at the bottom of the model and drag down to expose the
full first level of the model.
14 Select the blue up arrow control in the center of the model and drag up to expose the second
floor of the building, as shown.

15 Select the Roof.

16 On the View Control Bar, click Temporary Hide/Isolate ➤ Hide Category, so you can see into
the building from the top.

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 17 On the View Control Bar, click Temporary Hide/Isolate ➤ Reset Temporary Hide/Isolate.
18 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, right-click {3D}, and click Rename.
19 In the Rename View dialog, enter Solar Study Plan Cutaway, and click OK.
20 On the View Control Bar, click Detail Level ➤ Fine.
21 On the File menu, click Save.
Display study views

22 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click each of the sun study 3D views that you
created in this lesson:
■ Solar Study - Courtyard View

■ Solar Study Plan Cutaway

■ Solar Study Section Cutaway

These views will be used in additional lessons in this tutorial.

Saving Solar Study Settings and Previewing Animations

In this lesson, you create a solar study for winter and summer solstice, and preview the effects of each study
as an animation. The animations of solar activity at a particular place and time allow you to study the impact
of natural light and shadows on the buildings and site.

Saving Solar Study Settings and Previewing Animations | 437

Creating Solar Studies - Summer and Winter Solstice
In this exercise, you create a single-day solar study for the summer solstice.
Training File
Continue to use the customized c_solar_study.rvt training file you used in the previous lesson.

Create summer solstice study

1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand 3D Views, and double-click Solar Study -
Courtyard View.
2 On the View Control Bar, click Shadows ➤ Advanced Model Graphics.
3 Select Cast Shadows.
You can change the intensity of the shadows by dragging the slider in the Shadow field. For
this study, leave the slider at 50.

4 For Sun Position, click .

The Sun and Shadows Settings dialog displays. You can create a still, single-day, or multi-day
solar study.

5 Click the Single-Day tab.

For the Single-Day solar study, you specify the location, date, and time range, as well as a time
interval for the frames of the solar animation.

6 Click the Multi-Day tab.

For the Multi-Day solar study, you specify the location, date range, and time, as well as a time
interval for the frames of the solar animation.

7 Create a Single-Day study from an existing study. Click the Single-Day tab.
8 Confirm that One Day Solar Study - Boston, MA, USA is selected, and click Duplicate.
9 In the Name dialog, enter Summer Solstice, Los Angeles, and click OK.

10 Under Place, click .

11 In the Manage Place and Locations dialog, for City, click , select Los Angeles, CA, USA, and
click OK.
Changing the place in this dialog changes the setting defined for the project.

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 12 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog:
■ For Date, select June 22, 2008.

■ For Time Range, verify that Sunrise to sunset is selected.

NOTE If you clear Sunrise to sunset, you can specify the start and stop times for the solar study.

■ For Time Interval, verify that the value is set to 15 minutes.

13 Select Ground Plane at Level.

Notice that 01 Entry is selected as the level. You can select the level to be used for shadow
display.

14 In this case, you want to see how the shadows fall on the terrain and not for a specific level.
Clear Ground Plane at Level.
Create winter solstice study

15 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, confirm that Summer Solstice, Los Angeles is selected,
and click Duplicate.
16 In the Name dialog, enter Winter Solstice, Los Angeles, and click OK.
17 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, for Date, select December 22, 2008, and click OK.
18 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, click OK.
19 On the File menu, click Save.
20 Proceed to the next exercise, Previewing Solar Study Animation on page 439.

Previewing Solar Study Animation

In this exercise, you preview the solar studies you created in the previous exercise.
Training File
Continue to use the c_Solar_Study.rvt training file you saved in the previous exercise.

Preview winter solstice animation

1 Confirm that the 3D View Solar Study - Courtyard View is currently displayed.
2 On the View Control Bar, click Shadows ➤ Advanced Model Graphics.

3 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, for Sun Position, click .
4 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, on the Single-Day tab, select Winter Solstice, Los Angeles,
and click OK.
5 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, click OK.
6 On the View Control Bar, click Shadows ➤ Preview Solar Study.
7 On the Options Bar, under Frame, you can specify to go to a specific frame in the solar study
animation:
■ Under Frame, enter 10 and press ENTER.

■ Under Frame, enter 20 and press ENTER.

8 On the Options Bar, click the control buttons to preview the animation:

■ To display the previous key frame, click .

Previewing Solar Study Animation | 439

 ■ To display the next key frame, click .

■ To display the previous sequential frame, click .

■ To display the next sequential frame, click .

■ To play the animation from start to finish, click .

NOTE You can stop viewing the animation at any time by clicking Cancel in the Status Bar.

Preview summer solstice animation

9 On the View Control Bar, click Shadows ➤ Advanced Model Graphics.

10 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, for Sun Position, click .
11 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, on the Single-Day tab, select Summer Solstice, Los
Angeles, and click OK.
12 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, click OK.
13 On the View Control Bar, click Shadows ➤ Preview Solar Study.

14 On the Options Bar, click .

The solar study animation plays, showing the progression at 15-minute intervals for the location
and date specified.

Exporting Solar Studies

In this lesson, you export the summer solstice solar study as an AVI file. AVI files are standalone video files
that can be easily distributed and viewed by colleagues or clients. You also export the winter solstice solar
study as a series of PNG format images. Each PNG is a still image of a sequential frame in the animation.
PNG format images can be easily displayed on a web site or sent via e-mail.

Exporting the Study as AVI

In this exercise, you annotate a floor plan to identify different activities for the building and export a solar
study for a cutaway view as an AVI video file.
Training File
Continue to use the c_Solar_Study.rvt training file you saved in the previous lesson.

Annotate view for solar study

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 Entry.
2 Enter ZR and zoom in on the house.
3 Label areas in the house:
■ On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Text.

■ Click in the drawing area and enter Living Area, approximately as shown.

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 ■ Click outside of the text box to end the command.

■ Click and enter Dining, approximately as shown.

4 Sketch rooms:
■ On the Design Bar, click Lines.

■ On the Options Bar, click .

■ Click in the drawing area and sketch a rectangle around the living area, as shown.

■ Click in the drawing area and sketch around the Dining area, as shown.

NOTE The building is a shell and you are considering alternative layouts for the interior space.
Sketching the living and dining room areas in the house and using a solar study to determine where
direct light is in the floor plan helps to determine the best layout.

5 In the Project Browser, expand 3D Views, and double-click Solar Study Section Cutaway.
6 On the View Control Bar, click Shadows ➤ Advanced Model Graphics.
7 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, verify that Cast Shadows is selected.

8 For Sun Position, click .

Exporting the Study as AVI | 441

 9 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, on the Single-Day tab, select Summer Solstice, Los
Angeles, and click OK.
10 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, click OK.
11 To display the section box, click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics. On the Annotation Categories
tab, select Section Boxes, and click OK.
12 In the drawing area, select the section box.

13 Click the right blue control and drag the right edge of the section box to reveal the roof overhang,
as shown.

NOTE ZR for Zoom To Region to make it easier to select the control.

14 Click outside of the section box, and enter ZF to zoom to fit the building to the drawing area,
if necessary.
15 To hide the section box, click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics. On the Annotation Categories
tab, clear Section Boxes, and click OK.
Export as AVI

16 Click File menu ➤ Export ➤ Animated Solar Study.

17 Specify the export options:
■ In the Length/Format dialog, under Output Length, select Frame Range, and enter 5 to 50.

NOTE The first and last few frames (sunrise and sunset) show large triangular shadows from the
terrain. Limiting the range from 5 to 50 omits these frames.

■ For Frames per second, verify that the value is set to 15.

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 ■ Under Format, for Model Graphics Style, verify that Hidden Line is selected.

■ For Dimensions, enter 450 in the first field (width), and click in the second field (height) to
see the value dynamically changed.
To maintain the proportions of the frame, you only enter one dimension and the other one
is calculated automatically. The equivalent zoom percentage is also set if you specify frame
dimensions.

■ Click OK.

■ In the Export Animated Solar Study dialog, click the Desktop icon on the left to save the file
to the computer Desktop.

■ For File Name, enter Summer Solar Study Section Cutaway - Los Angeles.

■ For Files of Type, select AVI Files.

18 Click Save.
19 In the Video Compression dialog, for Compressor, verify that Full Frames (Uncompressed) is
selected, and click OK.
The animation plays as the AVI file is saved to the Desktop.

NOTE Uncompressed AVI files can be zipped to reduce the file size. The AVI can then typically be
played from within the zip file.

20 Click File menu ➤ Save.

21 Proceed to the next exercise, Exporting a Study as PNG on page 443.

Exporting a Study as PNG

In this lesson, you export the Winter Solstice Solar Study to create a solar animation that is output as
individual ping (PNG format) graphics. To view the animation, you open each image, or frame, of the
animation separately.
Training File
Continue to use the c_Solar_Study.rvt training file you saved in the previous exercise.

Export as PNG
1 Confirm that the 3D View Solar Study Section Cutaway is displayed.
2 On the View Control Bar, click Shadows ➤ Advanced Model Graphics.

3 For Sun Position, click .

4 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, on the Single-Day tab, select Winter Solstice, Los Angeles,
and click OK.
5 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, click OK.
6 Click File menu ➤ Export ➤ Animated Solar Study.
7 Specify the export options:
■ In the Length/Format dialog, under Output Length, select Frame Range, and enter 5 to 10.

■ For Frames per second, verify that the value is set to 15.

■ Under Format, for Model Graphics Style, verify that Hidden Line is selected.

Exporting a Study as PNG | 443

 ■ For Dimensions, enter 450 in the first field (width), and click in the second field (height) to
see the value dynamically changed.

■ Click OK.

■ In the Export Animated Solar Study dialog, click the Desktop icon.

■ For File name, enter Winter Solar Study Section Cutaway - Los Angeles.

■ For Files of Type, select PNG.

NOTE When you export to PNG, or any single-frame format, such as JPEG, TIFF, BMP, or GIF, it is
recommended that you first create a folder to export to because the export process creates several
files, depending on the Frame Range. In this example, the Frame Range was set to just 5 files to avoid
cluttering the Desktop.

8 Click Save.
The animation plays as the files are saved to the Desktop. The resulting PNG images are date
and time stamped, as shown:

9 On the File menu, click Save.

Creating an Internal Plan Solar Study

In this lesson, you create a 3D view of a plan and create a solar study to animate the effects of natural light
on the inside of the building.

Creating an Internal Plan Study

In this exercise, you create an internal solar study for a plan to determine where shadows fall inside the
building during the warmest part of the day.
Training File
Continue to use the c_Solar_Study.rvt training file you saved in the previous lesson.

Create plan interior view

1 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click Solar Study Plan Cutaway.

444 | Chapter 11 Creating Solar Studies

2 Select the section box in the drawing area.

NOTE Enter ZF for Zoom To Fit if necessary to see the entire building on the screen.

3 Select the blue left arrow control and drag it to the left to expose the roof overhang and posts,
as shown.

Creating an Internal Plan Study | 445

 4 Click View menu ➤ Orient ➤ Top.

5 Select the roof, and on the View Control Bar, click Temporary Hide/Isolate ➤ Hide Category.
Hiding the roof allows you to see how shadows fall on the interior floor of the building.

Create multi-day solar study

6 To hide the section box, click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics. On the Annotation Categories
tab, clear Section Boxes, and click OK.
7 Adjust settings on the View Control Bar:
■ Click Shadows ➤ Shadows On.

■ Click Detail Level ➤ Fine.

8 On the View Control Bar, click Shadows ➤ Advanced Model Graphics.

9 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, for Sun Position, click .
10 On the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, click the Multi-Day tab.
11 Select Multi Day Solar Study - Boston, MA, USA, and click Duplicate.
12 In the Name dialog, for File name enter 2pm - Los Angeles - Week Interval, and click OK.
13 Specify values for the multi-day study:
■ For Time, specify 2:00 pm.

■ For Time Interval, select One week.

■ Clear Ground Plane at Level so that the shadows fall on the terrain, and click OK.

14 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, click OK.

Notice that the dining area receives full sun during the warmest part of the day.

446 | Chapter 11 Creating Solar Studies

 15 Export the animation:
■ Click File menu ➤ Export ➤ Animated Solar Study.

■ In the Length/Format dialog, click OK.

■ In the Export Animated Solar Study dialog, for File Name, enter 2pm Los Angeles Plan
Cutaway.

■ Click the Desktop icon, and click Save.

16 In the Video Compression dialog, for Compressor, select Full Frames (Uncompressed), and click
OK.
The animation plays as the AVI file is saved to the desktop.

17 On the View Control Bar, click Shadows ➤ Solar Study Off.

18 Click File menu ➤ Save.

Re-orienting the Project

In this lesson, you re-orient a building information model by creating an exact mirror of the project along
an axis, such as East - West or North - South. You also re-orient the project to True North and compare how
shadows display when the project is oriented to Project North and when it is changed to True North.

Mirroring the Project

In this exercise, you use the Mirror Project feature to create a mirror of the project along an axis. When you
mirror a project, you mirror all model elements, model views, and annotations in non-drafting views.
Training File
Continue to use the c_Solar_Study.rvt training file you saved in the previous exercise.

Mirror the project

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 Entry.
2 Zoom to fit the drawing in the view.

Re-orienting the Project | 447

 3 Click Tools menu ➤ Project Position/Orientation ➤ Mirror Project.
4 In the Mirror Project dialog, select East - West, and click OK.

NOTE Some elements may have to be checked manually for proper placement after the mirror
process. For additional information, see Revit Architecture 2009 Online Help.

5 In the warning dialog, click OK.

The project is mirrored along the East - West axis.

6 On the Standard toolbar, click (Undo) to restore the project to its original configuration.

Orienting to True North

Drafting convention is that Project North is the top of the view. In this exercise, you create still solar studies
and observe that the shadows extend straight up when the project is set to the default orientation of Project
North. Then, you change the orientation to True North to see how the change in orientation can impact
solar study accuracy.
Training File
Continue to use the c_Solar_Study.rvt training file you saved in the previous exercise.

View still solar studies

1 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click Solar Study Plan Cutaway.
2 In the drawing area, select the roof, right-click, and click Hide in view ➤ Elements.

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 3 On the View Control Bar, click Shadows ➤ Advanced Model Graphics.
4 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, select Cast Shadows.

5 For Sun Position, click .

6 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, click the Still tab, and select Winter Solstice, and click
OK.
7 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, click Apply.
Notice that the shadows display in an upward direction in the cutaway view.

8 For Sun Position, click .

9 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, on the Still tab, select Summer Solstice.
10 Under Date and Time, specify 11:00 AM for time, and click OK.

NOTE Solar Studies do not have a Daylight Savings setting, so you may need to make your own
adjustment for specific studies. For example, to see the sun at its highest point on June 22, you would
set the time to 1:00 PM rather than 12:00 PM.

11 For Sun Position, click .

12 Under Date and Time, change the time back to 12:00 PM, and click OK.

Orienting to True North | 449

 13 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, click OK.
14 On the View Control Bar, click Shadows ➤ Advanced Model Graphics.

15 For Sun Position, click .

16 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, click the Still tab, and select Winter Solstice, and click
OK.
17 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, click OK.
Rotate project to True North

True North and Project North can have different values for rotation. Plan views are defined to use Project
North or True North for the representation. In order to rotate True North so it is not coincident with Project
North, the view settings must be set for True North.
18 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 01 Entry.
19 In the Project Browser, right click 01 Entry, and click Properties.
20 In the Element Properties dialog, for Orientation, select True North, and click OK.
Notice that the drawing did not change when you changed the orientation from True North to
Project North. When a project is started, the Project North and True North are coincident and
pointing toward the top of the computer monitor (in most cases).

IMPORTANT After you toggle the views, make sure to click in the view and zoom slightly in and out.
This process establishes the view setting to True North.

21 Click Tools menu ➤ Project Position/Orientation ➤ Rotate True North.

22 Re-orient the project:
■ To relocate the rotation center point, click at the intersection of the arrows that have been
draw in the project representing True North and Project North.

NOTE When rotating True North it is often helpful to draw lines representing the relationship
between Project North and True North.

450 | Chapter 11 Creating Solar Studies

■ To establish the True North direction, click above the end of the magenta line representing
True North.

■ To establish the new direction of True North, click toward the top of the screen, as shown.

The floor plan rotates in the view.

Orienting to True North | 451

 23 In the Project Browser, right-click 01 Entry, and click Element Properties.
24 In the Element Properties dialog, for Orientation, select Project North, and click OK.

25 In the Project Browser, right-click 01 Entry, right-click, and click Duplicate View ➤ Duplicate.
26 Right-click Copy of 01 Entry, and click Rename.
27 In the Rename View dialog, enter True North Orientation, and click OK.
28 In the Project Browser, select True North Orientation, right-click, and click Properties.
29 In the Element Properties dialog, for Orientation, select True North, and click OK.
Notice that the view now displays the plan in the correct orientation for True North.

View the solar study with the Project North orientation

30 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click Solar Study Plan Cutaway.
31 Click View menu ➤ Refresh.
Notice that the shadows lengthen now that the project is oriented to True North.

32 On the View Control Bar, click Shadows ➤ Advanced Model Graphics.

33 For Sun Position, click .

34 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, click the Still tab, select Summer Solstice, and click
Apply.

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 35 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, click the Single-Day tab, click Summer Solstice, Los
Angeles, and click OK.
36 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, click OK.

Export animated solar study

37 Export the animation:

■ Click File menu ➤ Export ➤ Animated Solar Study.

■ In the Length/Format dialog, under Format, for Dimensions, enter 600 in the first field, and
click in the second dimension field to see the value calculated automatically.

■ Click OK.

■ In the Export Animated Solar Study dialog, click the Desktop icon.

■ For File Name, enter True North Summer Solstice Plan Cutaway.

■ For Files of Type, verify that AVI Files is selected.

■ Click Save.

38 In the Video Compression dialog, for Compressor, verify that Full Frames (Uncompressed) is
selected, and click OK.
The animation plays as the AVI file is saved to the desktop.

NOTE Retain the 45° value for the Angle from project to True North to maintain accuracy in shadow
display for this project.

39 Click File menu ➤ Save.

Orienting to True North | 453

Rendering Interior Shadow Views
In this lesson, you render an interior view to observe how sunlight and shadows play in a specific room.
Since a rendered image is temporary, you also save the image to the project and export it as a JPEG file for
future use. JPEG format images can be easily displayed on a web site or sent via e-mail.

Rendering an Interior View

Shadow calculations are not reliable for camera views in which a shadow would fall onto the camera’s
location in the view. This would include some exterior views and most interior views. Rendered views do
not have this limitation. Rendered views will also show shade from plants and seasonal foliage. Refer to
Rendering Views and Creating Walkthroughs on page 391 for additional information on rendering.
In this exercise, you confirm that the winter solstice has sunlight in the living room by creating one rendering,
capturing it, and exporting it as a JPEG image.
Training File
Continue to use the c_Solar_Study.rvt training file you saved in the previous exercise.
1 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click Solar Study Plan Cutaway.
2 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click each of the following views to review the
available views for rendering:
■ to house from SW

■ to west facade of house

■ living area
This view most accurately shows the interior of the living room.

3 On the View Control Bar, click (Show Rendering Dialog).

4 Specify rendering options:
■ In the Rendering dialog, under Quality, for Setting, select Medium.

■ Under Lighting, for Scheme, select Interior: Sun only.

■ For Sun, select Edit/New.

■ On the Still tab of the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, select Winter Solstice, and click
Duplicate.

■ In the Name dialog, enter Winter Solstice 2pm Los Angeles, and click OK.

■ In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, under Settings, for Date and Time, select 12/22, and
2:00 PM, and click OK.

5 In the Rendering dialog, click Render.

The scene is rendered in full color at medium quality.

454 | Chapter 11 Creating Solar Studies

6 In the Rendering dialog, click Save to Project.

NOTE Rendered views are temporary, so use the Save to Project option to save the view in the project.

7 In the Save To Project dialog, enter living area_winter solstice, and click OK.
The rendered image is saved under the Renderings folder in the Project Browser.

8 Export the image as a JPEG:

■ In the Rendering dialog, click Export.

■ In the left pane of the Save Image dialog, click Desktop.

■ For Files of type, verify that JPEG Files is selected, and click Save.

9 Click File menu ➤ Save.

Rendering an Interior View | 455

456
Presentation Views
12
In this tutorial, you learn various methods of communicating your design intent by creating presentation views.
Whether the audience is the general contractor, a consultant, an outside reviewer, or the client, tailoring the presentation
is just as important as the accuracy of the content. Many tools in Revit Architecture 2009 describe number, length, type,
and other quantifiable elements in construction documents. Other tools in the software, however, help to explain the
subjective complexity of the work, transcending the building process to recognize the architecture of the project.
Revit Architecture provides several options for expressing the architecture. They include rendering, advanced model
graphics, linework, and section boxes. When organizing presentation graphics, you can choose between realism and
stylistics. In this series of exercises, you explore the stylistic approach. For the realistic approach, use the tutorials for the
rendering features of Revit Architecture, Rendering Views and Creating Walkthroughs on page 391.
In this tutorial, you learn several graphic techniques using various tools to create an analytique. The analytique is a classic
Beaux Arts method of representing a work of architecture for analysis by graphically showing the relationship among
plans, sections, elevations, and details. You can use the analytique to graphically compare the organization and forms of
a particular building or space by superimposing and overlapping measured drawings at multiple scales. Using the pre-built
building model, Co-house, you organize an analytique by creating and modifying several views.

457
Adding a Floor Plan View to the Analytique
In this lesson, you create a presentation floor plan. To fit the floor plan into the analytique, you create a
copy of the plan, change the visibility settings to remove unwanted documentation, and place the plan on
a dark background for contrast.

458 | Chapter 12 Presentation Views

Preparing a Floor Plan for the Analytique
In this exercise, you create a copy of a floor plan in preparation for the analytique.

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Cohouse.rvt.

Copy the floor plan

1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all) ➤ Floor Plans, right-click 2nd Flr. Cnst, and click
Duplicate View ➤ Duplicate.
A copy of the floor plan is created and opened.

2 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, right-click Copy of 2nd Flr. Cnst, and click Rename.
3 In the Rename View dialog, enter Presentation Second Floor Plan, and click OK.
Modify visibility/graphics

4 Click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics.

TIP If the Visibility/Graphics option is not active, exit the menu, click in the drawing area, and click
View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics again.

Preparing a Floor Plan for the Analytique | 459

 5 In the Visibility/Graphic Overrides dialog, click the Annotation Categories tab, and clear Show
annotation categories in this view.
This turns off the visibility of all tags, dimensions, sections, elevations, and other annotations
in this view.

6 Click the Model Categories tab.

7 Under Visibility, expand the Stairs category, and clear DOWN Text, Down Arrow, UP Text, and
Up Arrow.

NOTE Stair text is considered part of a stair component rather than an annotation.

8 Click OK.
No annotations display in the view.

Modify the view scale

9 On the View Control Bar at the bottom of the drawing area, click the Scale control and select
1:100.
Notice the immediate change in the line weights; this represents the view getting smaller.

10 Click File menu ➤ Save As.

11 In the Save As directory, navigate to the folder of your choice, name the project
m_Cohouse_Presentation_Views.rvt, and click Save.
12 Proceed with the next exercise, Using Advanced Model Graphics on page 460.

Using Advanced Model Graphics

In this exercise, you use advanced model graphics to cast shadows and add a sense of texture to the new
floor plan view.

460 | Chapter 12 Presentation Views

Training File
Continue to use the training file you saved in the previous exercise, m_Cohouse_Presentation_Views.rvt.

Modify advanced model graphics settings

1 If the Floor Plan: Presentation Second Floor Plan is not the active view, double-click it in the
Project Browser.
2 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Hidden Line.

3 On the View Control Bar, click (Shadows Off), and click Advanced Model Graphics.

Changes made in the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog apply only to the active view.

4 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, specify the following:

■ Under Shadow, select Cast Shadows.

NOTE Shadows can display in all view styles except Wireframe.

■ For Contrast, specify 35.

The shadow contrast dictates the darkness of the shadow display. The higher the number,
the darker the shadows.

■ For Sun Position, click .

The sun and shadow settings can also be used when rendering a 3D view.

5 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, on the Still tab, select Sun and Shadow Settings.
6 Under Settings, select By Date, Time and Place.
7 For Place, click .
Within a project, you can specify one place where the project resides in the world. At that place,
you can create, modify, and delete multiple locations to analyze a single prototype.

8 In the Manage Place and Locations dialog, click the Place tab.
9 For City, select Boston, MA, and click OK.

NOTE For this step, you can select any city. If you select a different city, however, most of the images
in the remainder of this tutorial may differ from those on your screen.

10 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, for Date and Time, specify 10/27, 1:00 PM.
11 Select Ground Plane at Level, and select 1st Flr. Cnst.
This is the level the shadow will be cast upon.

12 Click OK.
13 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, click OK.

Using Advanced Model Graphics | 461

 Notice the series of shadows based on the specified sun angles. This gives the plan depth and
creates a sensation of space beyond what you can normally express in a plan view.

Turn off the ground plane shadows

14 On the View Control Bar, click (Shadows On), and click Advanced Model Graphics.

15 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, for Sun Position, click .
16 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, under Settings, clear Ground Plane at Level, and click
OK.
This turns off the shadows cast on the ground.

17 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, click OK.

This plan view is now ready to be added to a sheet.

18 Click File menu ➤ Save.

19 Proceed with the next exercise, Adding the Floor Plan to a Sheet on page 462.

Adding the Floor Plan to a Sheet

In this exercise, you add the floor plan to a sheet and modify the view to enhance the contrast.

462 | Chapter 12 Presentation Views

Create a new sheet
1 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Sheet.

TIP If the View tab is not available, right-click the Design Bar, and click View.

2 In the Select a Titleblock dialog, select Arch Portrait, and click OK.
The blank D-sized sheet is portrait oriented.

3 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Add View.

4 In the Views dialog, select Floor Plan: Presentation Second Floor Plan, and click Add View to
Sheet.
The viewport displays at the cursor.

5 Move the cursor to the center of the sheet as shown, and click to place it.

6 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

7 Zoom in around the viewport, and notice the view title.

Adding the Floor Plan to a Sheet | 463

 Because the view title needs to be removed for the analytique, you need to create a new viewport
type that does not display the view title.

Create a new viewport type

8 Select the viewport in the center of the sheet.

9 On the Options Bar, click .

10 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
11 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
12 In the Name dialog, enter Presentation, and click OK.
13 In the Type Properties dialog, under Graphics, for Show Title, select No, and click OK.
14 In the Element Properties dialog, click OK.
The viewport no longer displays a view title.

For this analytique, you need to create a base of contrast for the centered plan. To accomplish
this, you will create a dark filled region for the floor plan view.

Create a solid fill background for contrast

15 Right-click the viewport, and click Activate View.

464 | Chapter 12 Presentation Views

 This activates the Presentation Second Floor Plan within the context of the sheet.

16 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Filled Region.

You enter sketch mode where you define the line type, fill properties, and the boundary of the
region.

17 In the Type Selector, select Invisible lines.

18 On the Options Bar, click .

19 Draw a rectangle around the view as shown. The space between the perimeter of the building
model and each line should be equidistant.

Now that you have defined the outer perimeter of the filled region, you must define the inner
perimeter by drawing a chain of lines around the perimeter of the building model.

20 On the Options Bar, click , and select Chain.

21 Starting at the upper-left corner of the building model, draw a chain of lines around the exterior
face of the building model as shown. The lines shown below are enhanced for training purposes.

TIP Use care when sketching this chain. You may want to zoom in while sketching some details, and
you should take advantage of endpoint snapping when available. If necessary, use the Trim tool to
clean up gaps or overlapping intersections.

TIP If you have difficulty sketching with invisible lines, create the interior chain of lines using Medium
or Wide lines. When you finish drawing the chain, select the entire chain (use Tab) and change the
line type back to Invisible lines by selecting it from the Type Selector.

22 On the Design Bar, click Region Properties.

23 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.

Adding the Floor Plan to a Sheet | 465

 24 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
25 In the Name dialog, enter Solid Black, and click OK.
26 In the Type Properties dialog, under Graphics, for Fill Pattern, click .
27 In the Fill Patterns dialog, under Name, scroll down, select Solid fill, and click OK.
28 In the Type Properties dialog, verify that the Background is Opaque and the Color is Black, and
click OK.
29 In the Element Properties dialog, click OK.
30 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.
Notice how the filled region enhances the view contrast.

Name the sheet

31 Right-click anywhere on the sheet, and click Deactivate View.

32 Right-click the edge of the sheet, and click View Properties.
33 In the Element Properties dialog, under Identity Data, for Sheet Name, enter Presentation, and
click OK.
34 Click File menu ➤ Save.
35 Proceed with the next lesson, Adding an Elevation View to the Analytique on page 466.

Adding an Elevation View to the Analytique

In this lesson, you create an elevation and add it to the presentation sheet that you created in the first
exercise.

466 | Chapter 12 Presentation Views

Preparing the Elevation Analytique
In this exercise, you copy an elevation view and use advanced model graphics to cast shadows on the view.

Training File
Continue to use the training file you saved in the previous exercise, m_Cohouse_Presentation_Views.rvt.

Copy and rename the elevation view

1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all) ➤ Elevations, right-click South, and click Duplicate
View ➤ Duplicate.
A copy of the south elevation view becomes the active view.

Preparing the Elevation Analytique | 467

 2 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, right-click Copy of South, and click Rename.
3 In the Rename View dialog, enter Presentation South Elevation, and click OK.
Modify visibility/graphic overrides

4 Click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics.

TIP If the Visibility/Graphics option is not active, exit the menu, click in the drawing area, and click
View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics again.

5 In the Visibility/Graphic Overrides dialog, on the Model Categories tab, under Visibility, click
in the Walls row. In the Projection/Surface Patterns column for Walls, click Override.
6 In the Fill Pattern Graphics dialog, under Pattern Overrides, clear Visible, and click OK.
This turns off the visibility of all wall surface patterns in this view.

7 In the Visibility/Graphic Overrides dialog, under Visibility, scroll up, expand the Doors category,
and clear Elevation Swing.
8 Click the Annotation Categories tab, and clear Show annotation categories in this view.
This turns off the visibility of all annotations in this view.

9 Click OK.

Apply advanced model graphics

10 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Hidden Line.

11 On the View Control Bar, click (Shadows Off), and click Advanced Model Graphics.
Changes made in the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog apply only to the active view.

12 Under Shadow, select Cast Shadows.

13 For Contrast, specify 35.

14 For Sun Position, click .

15 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, click Duplicate.
16 In the Name dialog, enter Sun and Shadow Settings Elevation, and click OK.
17 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, under Settings, select By Date, Time and Place.
18 For Time, specify 2:30 PM, and click OK.
By changing the angle of the sun, you can create more interesting shadows on the elevation
view.

19 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, click OK.

468 | Chapter 12 Presentation Views

 20 Click File menu ➤ Save.
21 Proceed with the next exercise, Adding the Presentation Elevation View to the Presentation
Sheet on page 469.

Adding the Presentation Elevation View to the Presentation Sheet

In this exercise, you add the Presentation South Elevation view to the Presentation sheet.

Training File
Continue to use the training file you saved in the previous exercise, m_Cohouse_Presentation_Views.rvt.

Add a view to the sheet

1 In the Project Browser, under Views (all) ➤ Sheets (all), double-click A105 - Presentation.
2 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Add View.
3 In the Views dialog, select Elevation: Presentation South Elevation, and click Add View to Sheet.
4 Center the viewport above the presentation plan view as shown.

TIP Use the snap feature to snap the viewport to the center reference plane.

Adding the Presentation Elevation View to the Presentation Sheet | 469

 The viewport displays a view title.

5 In the Type Selector, select Viewport : Presentation.

The view title no longer displays.

470 | Chapter 12 Presentation Views

 6 Drag the Presentation South Elevation viewport downward until it shares an edge with the
presentation floor plan.
7 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

8 Click File menu ➤ Save.

9 Proceed with the next lesson, Adding Section Views to the Analytique on page 471.

Adding Section Views to the Analytique

In this lesson, you create section and callout views and place them in the analytique. You add silhouette
edges and filled regions to the views. You also create a view template for presentation views and apply it to
other views.

Adding Section Views to the Analytique | 471

Preparing a Section View for the Analytique
In this exercise, you create and modify the section view that you later add to the analytique.

Training File
Continue to use the training file you saved in the previous exercise, m_Cohouse_Presentation_Views.rvt.

Add a section in a plan view

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 1st Flr. Cnst.
2 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Section.
3 On the Options Bar, for Scale, select 1: 100.

TIP You can also change the scale of the section view after you create it.

4 Add the section shown below.

The section should cut through the center of the building model and extend past the front of
the building (lower wall). Adjust the controls to modify the extents, and use the flip arrows if
necessary.

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 Section 2 is added to the building model.

Create a callout of the section view

5 In the Project Browser, expand Sections (Callout 1), and double-click Section 2.

To fit correctly in the analytique, this view needs to be rotated 180°. To accomplish this, you
will create a callout around the building model in the section view.

6 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Callout.

7 On the Options Bar, for Scale, select 1 : 100.
8 Draw a callout around the building model in the section view, as shown.
Use the controls to adjust the precise location of the boundary and to move the callout head
so you can see it easily.

Preparing a Section View for the Analytique | 473

 Rename the callout

9 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

10 In the Project Browser, under Sections (Callout 1), right-click Callout of Section 2, and click
Rename.
11 In the Rename View dialog, enter Presentation Section 2, and click OK.
12 In the Project Browser, under Sections (Callout 1), double-click Presentation Section 2.

Modify visibility/graphic overrides

13 Click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics.

14 In the Visibility/Graphic Overrides dialog, click the Model Categories tab.
15 Under Visibility, click in the Walls row. In the Projection/Surface Patterns column for Walls,
click Override.
16 In the Fill Pattern Graphics dialog, under Pattern Overrides, clear Visible, and click OK.
This turns off the visibility of all wall surface patterns in this view.

17 Under Visibility, scroll up, expand the Doors category, and clear Elevation Swing.
18 Turn off the visibility of the following model categories:
■ Casework

■ Ceilings

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 ■ Furniture

■ Lighting Fixtures

■ Specialty Equipment

19 Click the Annotation Categories tab, and clear Show annotation categories in this view.
This turns off the visibility of all annotations in this view.

20 Click OK.

Hide the crop region

21 Select the crop region.

When you select the crop region, Revit Architecture displays 2 boundaries. The inner boundary
shows the crop region for model elements. The outer boundary (indicated with dashed lines)
shows the crop region for annotation elements.

22 On the View Control Bar, click (Hide Crop Region).

The crop regions no longer display.

23 Click File menu ➤ Save.

24 Proceed with the next exercise, Adding Shadows and Silhouettes to a Section View on page 476.

Preparing a Section View for the Analytique | 475

Adding Shadows and Silhouettes to a Section View
In this exercise, you use advanced model graphics to cast shadows on the section view. In addition, you
apply silhouette edges to contrast the edges of the view.

Training File
Continue to use the training file you saved in the previous exercise, m_Cohouse_Presentation_Views.rvt.

Add shadows to the section view

1 If Presentation Section 2 is not the active view, in the Project Browser, under Sections (Callout
1), double-click Presentation Section 2.
2 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Hidden Line.

3 On the View Control Bar, click (Shadows Off), and click Advanced Model Graphics.
4 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, specify the following:
■ Under Shadow, select Cast Shadows.

■ For Contrast, specify 35.

■ Click Apply.
The shadows do not offer much contrast.

TIP You may need to move the dialog to see the view.

In the steps that follow, you create new sun and shadow settings to add contrast to the
presentation view.

■ For Sun Position, click .

5 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, click Duplicate.

6 In the Name dialog, enter Sun and Shadow Settings Section, and click OK.

476 | Chapter 12 Presentation Views

 7 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, do the following:
■ Under Settings, select Directly.

■ For Azimuth, specify 135°.

■ For Altitude, specify 70°.

■ Select Relative to View.

■ Click OK.

8 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, click OK.

The shadows now provide more contrast and a sense of depth.

TIP The current view of your model may vary from the illustrations in the tutorial based on the
placement of the section line in the previous exercise.

Apply silhouette edges

9 On the View Control Bar, click (Shadows On), and click Advanced Model Graphics.
10 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, for Silhouette style, select Silhouette Edges,
and click OK.

NOTE The line style, Silhouette Edges, was added to this training file for training purposes. You can
modify this line style by clicking Settings menu ➤ Line Styles.

Notice the application of heavy line weights to the edges of the building model.

TIP You can also use the Linework tool to emphasize individual surface edges.

11 Click File menu ➤ Save.

12 Proceed with the next exercise, Adding the Presentation Section to the Analytique on page 478.

Adding Shadows and Silhouettes to a Section View | 477

Adding the Presentation Section to the Analytique
In this exercise, you add the Presentation Section 2 view to the analytique and rotate the view 180°.

Training File
Continue to use the training file you saved in the previous exercise, m_Cohouse_Presentation_Views.rvt.

Add the view to the presentation sheet

1 In the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), double-click A105 - Presentation.
2 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Add View.
3 In the Views dialog, select Section: Presentation Section 2, and click Add View to Sheet.
4 Move the cursor under the centered plan view as shown, and click to place the selected view.

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 5 In the Type Selector, select Viewport : Presentation.
The view title no longer displays.

6 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

The section needs to be rotated 180°. In the steps that follow, you accomplish this by rotating
the callout in the section view.

Rotate the callout

7 In the Project Browser, under Sections (Callout 1), double-click Section 2.

8 Select the callout that you added previously.

9 On the Edit toolbar, click (Rotate).

To rotate an object, you click to specify the start radius, move the cursor in the direction of the
rotation, and enter the degrees of rotation or click to specify the end radius.

10 Specify the start radius to the right of the callout. Using a clock as a reference, specify 3 o’clock
as the rotation start point.
11 Move the cursor a slight distance counter-clockwise, enter 180 to specify the degrees of rotation,
and press Enter.

Adding the Presentation Section to the Analytique | 479

 The callout rotates 180°. Its boundaries need to be adjusted to fit around the edges of the building
model.

12 Drag the callout boundaries until they extend just past the perimeter of the edges of the building
model as shown.

Reposition the viewport

13 In the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), double-click A105 - Presentation.

The Presentation Section 2 view has rotated 180° and needs to be repositioned.

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 14 Select the Presentation Section 2 viewport, and drag it up and to the left as shown.

15 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

16 Click File menu ➤ Save.
17 Proceed with the next exercise, Working with a Presentation View Template on page 481.

Working with a Presentation View Template

In this exercise, you create a view template for presentation views to reduce repetitive work when creating
subsequent views. After applying the view template to a new section view, you add the modified view to
the presentation sheet.

Working with a Presentation View Template | 481

 Training File
Continue to use the training file you saved in the previous exercise, m_Cohouse_Presentation_Views.rvt.

Create a presentation view template

1 In the Project Browser, under Sections (Callout 1), double-click Presentation Section 2.
2 Click View menu ➤ Create View Template from View.
3 In the New View Template dialog, enter Presentation, and click OK.
4 In the View Templates dialog, click OK.
Create a new presentation view

5 In the Project Browser, under Sections (Type 1), right-click Section 1, and click Duplicate
View ➤ Duplicate.
6 In the Project Browser, under Sections (Type 1), right-click Copy of Section 1, and click Rename.
7 In the Rename View dialog, enter Presentation Section 1, and click OK.
Rather than repeat numerous steps to prepare this view for the analytique, you can simply apply
the presentation view template.

Apply the presentation view template

8 Click View menu ➤ Apply View Template.

482 | Chapter 12 Presentation Views

 9 In the Apply View Template dialog, under Names, select Presentation, and click OK.
The furniture, lighting fixtures, annotations, and elevation swings no longer display.

Add the view to the presentation sheet

10 In the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), double-click A105 - Presentation.

11 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Add View.
12 In the Views dialog, select Section: Presentation Section 1, and click Add View to Sheet.
13 Place it to the left of the plan view.
14 In the Type Selector, select Viewport : Presentation.
15 Right-click the viewport, and click Activate View.
Rather than use a callout to rotate this view after it is added to a sheet, you can use a view
property to accomplish the same thing.

16 Click View menu ➤ View Properties.

17 In the Element Properties dialog, under Graphics, for Rotation on Sheet, select 90°
Counterclockwise, and click OK.
18 Right-click the viewport, and click Deactivate View.
19 Move the view so the walls line up similar to the image shown.

Working with a Presentation View Template | 483

 20 Click File menu ➤ Save.
21 Proceed with the next exercise, Working in a Callout Analytique on page 484.

Working in a Callout Analytique

Typically, traditional analytiques contain a detail, such as a tracery window or a column capital. In this
exercise, you create a wall section and add it to the right side of the analytique.

484 | Chapter 12 Presentation Views

Training File
Continue to use the training file you saved in the previous exercise, m_Cohouse_Presentation_Views.rvt.

Create a callout
1 In the Project Browser, under Sections (Type 1), double-click Section 1.
2 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Callout.
3 Draw a callout around the front balcony as shown.
After you add the callout, click Modify, select the callout, and modify its boundaries and the
location of the callout head, as shown.

4 In the Project Browser, under Sections (Callout 1), right-click Callout of Section 1, and click
Rename.

Working in a Callout Analytique | 485

 5 In the Rename View dialog, enter Presentation Callout, and click OK.
6 In the Project Browser, under Sections (Callout 1), double-click Presentation Callout.

7 Select the crop region, and adjust the bottom to create a small gap, as shown.
This gap is used later in the exercise to place a fill region.

8 Right-click, and click View Properties.

9 In the Element Properties dialog, under Extents, clear Crop Region Visible, clear Annotation
Crop, and click OK.

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Add the callout to the presentation sheet

10 In the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), double-click A105 - Presentation.

11 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Add View.
12 In the Views dialog, select Section: Presentation Callout, and click Add View to Sheet.
13 Place it on the right side of the presentation sheet.
14 In the Type Selector, select Viewport : Presentation.
15 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
Modify the presentation callout on the sheet

16 Right-click the Presentation Callout viewport, and click Activate View.

17 Click View menu ➤ View Properties.
18 In the Element Properties dialog, do the following:
■ For View Scale, select Custom.

■ For Scale Value 1, specify 22.

■ Click OK.

Working in a Callout Analytique | 487

 19 Right-click the callout presentation view, and click Deactivate View.
20 Select the callout presentation viewport, and move it to the position shown below.

NOTE If the presentation callout view does not fit properly on the sheet, activate the viewport, turn
on the crop region from the view properties dialog, and make adjustments as necessary. When
finished, hide the crop region and deactivate the viewport.

The composition set for the analytique is now complete. In the steps that follow, you add a
heavy base to the floors and a poche to the base. Although you can use several methods to create
these areas of contrast, the easiest method is to apply filled regions to the presentation callout.

Apply filled regions to the presentation callout

21 In the Project Browser, under Sections (Callout 1), double-click Presentation Callout.
22 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Filled Region.
23 On the Design Bar, click Region Properties.
24 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.

488 | Chapter 12 Presentation Views

 25 In the Type Properties dialog, for Fill Pattern, click .
26 In the Fill Patterns dialog, select Solid fill, and click OK 3 times.
27 Using the drawing tools on the Options Bar, sketch the filled regions on the floors and roof
shown below. When you are finished, on the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.
You can sketch one filled region at a time or all of them at once. You do not have to replicate
the image exactly. The intent of the analytique is not so much a measured construction document
as a stylized representation of the architectural forms.

28 In the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), double-click A105 - Presentation.

Add a poche region

29 Right-click the Presentation Callout viewport, and click Activate View.

30 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Filled Region.

Working in a Callout Analytique | 489

 31 On the Options Bar, click , and sketch the rectangle shown below.

32 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

The entire poche region does not display because the crop region does not encompass the new
filled region.

33 On the View Control Bar, click (Show Crop Region).

34 Select the crop region, and drag the left and bottom boundaries until the entire poche region
displays.

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 35 On the View Control Bar, click (Hide Crop Region).
36 Right-click the Presentation Callout viewport, and click Deactivate View.

37 Click File menu ➤ Save.

38 Proceed with the next lesson, Creating 3D Cutaways with Section Boxes on page 491.

Creating 3D Cutaways with Section Boxes

In this lesson, you create isometric 3D views and use section boxes to create cutaways with shadows. You
then add perspective views to the presentation and annotate the sheet.

Creating 3D Cutaways with Section Boxes | 491

Creating Cutaway Isometric Views
In this exercise, you create 3 similar isometric views with different cutaways, and apply shadows to the views.
You then add each view to the presentation sheet.

Training File
Continue to use the training file you saved in the previous exercise, m_Cohouse_Presentation_Views.rvt.

Create a southwest isometric view

1 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click Isometric.

2 Click View menu ➤ Orient ➤ Southwest.

3 On the View Control Bar, click the Scale control, and click 1 : 200.
Apply advanced model graphics

4 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Hidden Line.

5 On the View Control Bar, click (Shadows Off), and click Advanced Model Graphics.

492 | Chapter 12 Presentation Views

 6 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, specify the following:
■ Under Shadow, select Cast Shadows.

■ For Contrast, specify 35.

■ For Sun Position, click .

7 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, click Duplicate.

8 In the Name dialog, enter Sun and Shadow Settings Isometric, and click OK.
9 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, do the following:
■ Under Settings, select Directly.

■ For Azimuth, specify 135°.

■ For Altitude, specify 45°.

■ Select Relative to View.

■ Select Ground Plane at Level.

■ Select 1st Flr. Cnst. in the list.

■ Click OK.

10 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, for Silhouette style, select Silhouette Edges,
and click OK.

Rename and duplicate isometric views

11 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, right-click Isometric, and click Rename.
12 In the Rename View dialog, enter Isometric 1, and click OK.
13 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, right-click Isometric 1, and click Duplicate
View ➤ Duplicate.
14 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, right-click Copy of Isometric 1, and click Rename.
15 In the Rename View dialog, enter Isometric 2, and click OK.
Add a section box to Isometric 2

16 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click Isometric 2.

17 Click View menu ➤ View Properties.
18 In the Element Properties dialog, under Extents, select Section Box, and click OK.
A section box displays around the building model.

Creating Cutaway Isometric Views | 493

 19 Select the section box.
Grips display on each face of the section box. These grips allow you to modify the boundaries
of the section box.

TIP Notice the rotation symbol. You can use this to rotate the section box.

20 Select the grip for the top plane of the section box, and drag the plane downward until it cuts
halfway through the third floor, as shown.
When you are finished, click Modify on the Design Bar.

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 Before turning off the visibility of the section box, make a copy of the view.

21 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, right-click Isometric 2, and click Duplicate
View ➤ Duplicate.
22 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, right-click Copy of Isometric 2, and click Rename.
23 In the Rename View dialog, enter Isometric 3, and click OK.
24 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click Isometric 2.
25 To hide the section box, click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics. On the Annotation Categories
tab, clear Section Boxes, and click OK.
The section box no longer displays.

Modify the section box of Isometric 3

26 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click Isometric 3.

27 Select the section box.
28 Select the grip for the top plane of the section box, and drag the plane downward until it cuts
halfway through the first floor as shown.
When you are finished, click Modify on the Design Bar.

NOTE Depending on the precise location of the top plane of the section box, the stairs and railings
may display. If desired, you can adjust the plane location, or turn off the visibility of railings and stairs
using the Visibility/Graphics dialog.

29 To hide the section box, click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics. On the Annotation Categories
tab, clear Section Boxes, and click OK.
Next, you stack the 3 isometric views in a vertical column on the presentation sheet to show
the continual erosion of the structure.

Add isometric views to the presentation sheet

30 In the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), double-click A105 - Presentation.

31 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, drag Isometric 3 under the left section view as shown.
In the Type Selector, select Viewport : Presentation.

Creating Cutaway Isometric Views | 495

 32 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, drag Isometric 2 under Isometric 3 as shown. In the
Type Selector, select Viewport : Presentation.

33 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, drag Isometric 1 under Isometric 2 as shown. In the
Type Selector, select Viewport : Presentation.
The filled region partially covers the view. You resolve this problem in the steps that follow.

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Modify filled region boundaries

34 Right-click the Presentation Callout viewport, and click Activate View.

35 Select the poche filled region. On the Options Bar, click Edit.
36 On the Design Bar, click Region Properties.
37 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
38 In the Type Properties dialog, for Fill Patterns, select Concrete.
39 For Background, select Transparent.
40 Click OK twice.
This will make it easier to draw lines. You change the fill pattern back to solid fill when you are
done.

41 On the Design Bar, click Lines.

42 Using the drawing tools, redraw the portion of the filled region so it follows the boundary of
Isometric 1. You may need to use the Split tool and the Trim tool to modify lines during this
process. The image below shows the redrawn lines.

Creating Cutaway Isometric Views | 497

 43 On the Design Bar, click Region Properties.
44 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
45 In the Type Properties dialog, for Fill Pattern, select Solid fill.
46 Click OK twice.
47 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.
48 Right-click the Presentation Callout viewport, and click Deactivate View.

49 Click File menu ➤ Save.

50 Proceed with the next exercise, Creating Cutaway Perspective Views on page 499.

498 | Chapter 12 Presentation Views

Creating Cutaway Perspective Views
In this exercise, you create the final view for the analytique, a cutaway perspective view. After adding shadows
and silhouette edges to the view, you add it to the presentation sheet.

Training File
Continue to use the training file you saved in the previous exercise, m_Cohouse_Presentation_Views.rvt.

Create a perspective view

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 1st Flr. Cnst.
2 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Camera.
Adding a camera is a 2-click process: first you specify the eye location, then you specify the eye
direction and range.

3 Place the camera in the southwest corner of the view as shown, and specify the range and
direction just outside the upper right corner of the building model.

The view opens immediately.

Creating Cutaway Perspective Views | 499

 4 Adjust the crop region so the entire building model fits in it.

Add shadows and silhouette edges

5 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Hidden Line.

6 On the View Control Bar, click (Shadows Off), and click Advanced Model Graphics.
7 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, specify the following:
■ Under Shadow, select Cast Shadows.

■ For Contrast, specify 35.

■ For Sun Position, click .

8 In the Sun and Shadows Settings dialog, for Name, select Sun and Shadow Settings Isometric,
and click OK.
9 In the Advanced Model Graphics Settings dialog, for Silhouette style, select Silhouette Edges,
and click OK.

500 | Chapter 12 Presentation Views

Add a section box

10 Click View menu ➤ View Properties.

11 In the Element Properties dialog, under Extents, select Section Box, and click OK.
A section box now cuts through the building model.

12 Select the section box.

Grips display on each plane of the section box.

13 Use the section grips to modify the location of each plane until your view resembles the following
image. You may need to adjust the location of the crop region as well.

Creating Cutaway Perspective Views | 501

 14 Select the crop region.
15 On the Options Bar, click Size.
Because scale does not apply to perspective views, you must specify the actual size of the image.

16 In the Crop Region Size dialog, under Change, select Scale (locked proportions).
17 Under Model Crop Size, for Width, enter 165 mm, and click OK.

18 On the View Control Bar, click (Hide Crop Region).

19 To hide the section box, click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics. On the Annotation Categories
tab, clear Section Boxes, and click OK.

Add the view to the presentation sheet

20 In the Project Browser, under Sheets (all), double-click A105 - Presentation.

21 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, drag 3D View 1 onto the presentation sheet, and place
it in the upper-left corner as shown. In the Type Selector, select Viewport : Presentation.

502 | Chapter 12 Presentation Views

 22 Click File menu ➤ Save.
23 Proceed with the next exercise, Annotating the Analytique on page 503.

Annotating the Analytique

In this exercise, you complete the analytique by adding text to the presentation sheet.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you saved in the previous exercise, m_Cohouse_Presentation_Views.rvt.

Create new text types

1 If the Sheets: A105 - Presentation sheet is not the active view, double-click it in the Project
Browser.
2 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Text.

3 On the Options Bar, click .

4 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
5 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
6 In the Name dialog, enter Title, and click OK.
7 In the Type Properties dialog, under Text, specify a text size of 40 mm, select a font, and click
OK.
8 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
9 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
10 In the Name dialog, enter Description, and click OK.
11 In the Type Properties dialog, under Text, specify a text size of 6 mm, select the same font as
the title, and click OK.
12 In the Element Properties dialog, click OK.
Add a title and description

13 In the Type Selector, select Text : Title.

14 Add a title to the analytique as shown.

Annotating the Analytique | 503

 15 Click in the drawing window to complete the title text.
16 In the Type Selector, select Text : Description.
17 Add a description of your choosing and add it to the analytique as shown.

18 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

19 Click File menu ➤ Save.
This completes the Presentation Views tutorial.

504 | Chapter 12 Presentation Views

Importing and Exporting

505
506
Importing SketchUp Files
13
The ability to import SketchUp® files directly into Revit Architecture allows you to quickly integrate sketch concepts into
the Revit environment and reuse the SketchUp model without having to manually rework it. Once the model has been
imported, you can easily add detail with Revit components.
In this tutorial, you import a SketchUp file into a Revit Architecture project as an in-place mass family.

After you import the SketchUp model, you create a small building from the front mass form. You use the mass faces of
the mass form to create Revit elements, such as walls, curtain walls, and roofs, that compose the building.

507
Importing a SketchUp Model as a Mass
In this exercise, you create a Revit Architecture project, and import a SketchUp model into the project as an
in-place mass family. The in-place mass family is saved only in context of the project, and not in the library.

Create a Revit project

1 Click File menu ➤ New ➤ Project.

2 In the New Project dialog, under Template file, click Browse.
3 In the left pane of the Choose Template dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\Templates\DefaultMetric.rte.
4 In the New Project dialog, click OK.
5 Click File menu ➤ Save As.
6 In the Save As dialog, for File name, enter Import SketchUp, and click Save.
Import a SketchUp model

7 On the Design Bar, click the Massing tab.

TIP If the Massing tab does not display in the Design Bar, right-click in the Design Bar, and click
Massing on the context menu that displays.

8 On the Massing tab of the Design Bar, click Create Mass.

9 In the informational dialog, click OK.
10 In the Name dialog, enter SketchUp Model, and click OK.
11 Click File menu ➤ Import/Link ➤ CAD Formats.
12 In the Import/Link dialog:
■ Click the Training Files icon.

■ Double-click the Common folder.

■ For Files of type, select SketchUp Files.

■ Click the Sketchup file, buildings.skp.

■ For Colors, select Preserve.

■ For Layers, select All.

This option allows you to select what to import: all elements, visible elements, or select from
a list.

■ For Import units, select Auto-Detect.

508 | Chapter 13 Importing SketchUp Files

 You can have Revit automatically detect and convert incoming units to project units
(Auto-Detect) or you can specify the units for the SketchUp drawing if you know that
information.

■ For Positioning, select Manual - Center.

■ For Place at level, select Level 1.

In a new project, Level 1 is the only choice. An existing project may have options for many
levels to choose from, depending on the complexity of the project.

■ Click Open.

The model displays in the view on the Level 1 floor plan.

13 Click to place the lower right building inside of the elevation markers.

14 On the View toolbar, click .

15 Enter ZR to zoom in on the lower right building.
16 On the Design Bar, click Finish Mass.

NOTE A warning message displays because the mass contains only mesh geometry. The mesh
geometry (faces) will be used in another exercise to create Revit elements, such as walls, curtain walls,
and roofs.

17 In the warning dialog, click the Close button.

Importing a SketchUp Model as a Mass | 509

 18 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating a Building from Mass Faces on page 510.

Creating a Building from Mass Faces

In this exercise, you use the faces of the front mass form to create Revit Architecture elements, such as walls,
curtain walls, and roofs, that compose the building. The mass faces are not converted to Revit elements:
they remain in the project. You turn their visibility off to view only the building.
After you create the building from the mass faces, you modify the roofs and add doors to complete the
design.

Create roofs from mass faces

1 Zoom in to the front mass form, and on the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics
Style ➤ Shading with Edges.

2 On the Massing tab of the Design Bar, click Roof by Face.

3 In the Type Selector, verify Basic Roof: Generic - 400mm displays.
4 On the Options Bar, for Level, verify Level 2 is selected.
5 Move your cursor over the top face of the left mass, and when the cursor displays a plus sign,
select the face so that it highlights in red.

510 | Chapter 13 Importing SketchUp Files

 The cursor displays a plus or a minus sign, indicating that you are adding or subtracting faces
to and from the selection.

6 On the Options Bar, click Create Roof.

A roof is created from the mass face. (It is difficult to see the roof in the current view. To see the

new roof, on the View toolbar, click to turn off mass visibility in the view. Click again
to display masses.)

7 With the Roof by Face command still active, on the Options Bar, verify that Select Multiple is
selected.
This option enables you to select more than 1 face when you create a roof.

8 Select the top 3 faces of the mass on the right.

9 On the Options Bar, click Create Roof.

10 Adjust the view:

■ On the View toolbar, click SteeringWheels to display the Full Navigation Wheel.

Creating a Building from Mass Faces | 511

 ■ Click the Orbit section of the Full Navigation Wheel and drag your cursor
to rotate your viewpoint as shown so you can see the front of the mass form.

11 Close the Full Navigation Wheel.

12 On the Design Bar, click Roof by Face.
13 Select the top 4 faces of the mass.

14 On the Options Bar, click Create Roof.

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 15 On the Design Bar, click Modify to end the command.

16 On the View toolbar, click to turn off the mass visibility in the view, and display only the
roofs that you created.

17 Click again to redisplay the masses.

Create walls from mass faces

18 On the View toolbar, click SteeringWheels to display the Full Navigation Wheel.

19 Click the Orbit section of the Full Navigation Wheel and drag your cursor to
rotate your viewpoint as shown so you can see the front of the mass form.

20 Close the Full Navigation Wheel.

21 On the Design Bar, click Wall by Face.
22 In the Type Selector, verify Basic Wall: Generic - 200mm displays.
23 On the Options Bar, for Loc Line, select Core Face: Exterior.
This option lets you create the walls on the inside of the mass.

Creating a Building from Mass Faces | 513

 24 Select the 4 mass faces that have been highlighted in red below.

25 On the View toolbar, click to view only the walls and roofs.

26 Click to redisplay the masses.

Create curtain systems from mass faces

27 On the Design Bar, click Curtain System by Face.

28 In the Type Selector, verify Curtain System: 1500 x 3000mm displays.
29 Select the left face of the left mass.

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 30 On the Options Bar, click Create System.

31 Using the same technique, create the 2 curtain systems shown below.

32 On the View toolbar, click SteeringWheels to display the Full Navigation Wheel.

33 Click the Orbit section of the Full Navigation Wheel and drag your cursor to
rotate your viewpoint as shown so you can see the back of the mass forms.

Create walls from mass faces

34 Close the Full Navigation Wheel.

Creating a Building from Mass Faces | 515

 35 On the Design Bar, click Wall by Face.
36 Select the 5 walls highlighted below.

TIP If you have difficulty selecting a wall that shares an edge with another wall, select the other wall,
press TAB until the desired wall highlights, and select it.

Create a roof from a mass face

37 On the Design Bar, click Roof by Face.

38 Select the mass face shown below, and on the Options Bar, click Create Roof.

Create additional curtain systems from mass faces

39 On the Design Bar, click Curtain System.

40 Select the 4 mass faces shown below, and on the Options Bar, click Create System.

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Create the final wall

41 On the Design Bar, click Wall by Face, and select the mass face shown below.

42 On the View toolbar, click to view the building that you have created.

43 Click to redisplay the masses.

Create a 3D perspective view of the building with a camera

44 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1.

45 Zoom out beyond the drawing extents.
46 Place the camera and its target:
■ On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Camera.

■ Below the right corner of the view, specify a point to place the camera.

Creating a Building from Mass Faces | 517

 ■ In the far left corner of the building that you created, specify a point for the camera target,
as shown.

The perspective view created by the camera displays. The view frame is highlighted in red
and its grips display.

47 Resize the view by moving the frame grips until you can see the building, and click in the
drawing area to hide the grips.

48 On the View toolbar, click to view only the walls, roofs, and curtain systems that make up
your building in the view.
You may need to resize the view again. Click the frame to display its grips.

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Change the justification of the curtain systems

49 On the Design Bar, click Modify, and select the left curtain system in the view.

50 On the Options Bar, click .

51 In the Element Properties dialog:
■ Under Grid 1 Pattern, for Justification, select Center.

■ Under Grid 2 Pattern, for Justification, select Center.

■ Click OK.

52 Repeat the preceding steps to change the justifications of the 2 other curtain systems in the
view.
Modify the roofs

53 On the Views toolbar, click .

Creating a Building from Mass Faces | 519

 54 Select each roof to display its grips, and move the roof edges as shown below.

55 Right-click, and click Cancel to end the command.

56 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click 3D View 1.
57 On the View Control Bar:
■ Click Model Graphics Style ➤ Hidden Line.

■ Click Model Graphics Style ➤ Shading with Edges.

Add doors to the building

58 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click {3D}.

59 On the View toolbar, click SteeringWheels to display the Full Navigation Wheel.

60 Click the Orbit section of the Full Navigation Wheel and drag your cursor to
rotate your viewpoint as shown so you can see the front of the building.
61 Close the Full Navigation Wheel.
62 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Door.
63 In the Type Selector, verify M_Single-Flush: 0915 x 2134mm displays.

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64 Add doors to the building as shown below.

65 Save and close the drawing.

Creating a Building from Mass Faces | 521

522
Using Advanced Features

523
524
Curtain Systems
14
Curtain systems are not walls, and they are not windows. Like walls, they can define space and separate the exterior from
the interior. They are typically not load-bearing and are not cut for doors or windows. Like windows, they can usually
include mullions and have glazed panels. Unlike windows, curtain systems are usually assembled on site as a single unit.
A typical curtain system comprises a wall, panel, grid lines, and mullions, and you can change these elements individually.
This affects the entire curtain system. For example, to resize the system, you need to change the length of the wall. To
switch panel types, you need to select a panel. To change grids, you select the grid.
You can add curtain systems with the wall command, or you can use a specific curtain system command.

Flat Curtain System

In this lesson, you further develop the building information model by creating a flat curtain system at the
entrance of the model.

Creating an Entrance
In this exercise, you create a curtain system using the wall command. This type of curtain system is also
referred to as a curtain wall.
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Curtain_Walls.rvt.

525
 1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all) ➤ Floor Plans, and double-click Ground Floor.
2 Zoom in to Grid F where it meets the arc in the floor.

This floor edge will be the entrance to the building.

Creating a curtain system using the wall command

3 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Wall.

4 In the Type Selector, select Curtain Wall : Curtain Wall 1.
5 Start the curtain system where shown.

6 Move the cursor down along the edge of the floor, and finish at the outside face of the exterior
wall as shown.

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 7 Zoom in to the join between the curtain system and the exterior wall.

8 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all) ➤ 3D Views, and double-click Southeast Isometric.
9 Click View menu ➤ Orient ➤ Northeast.
10 Zoom in to the curtain system you just added.

Creating an Entrance | 527

 11 Select the curtain system, and click (Properties).
Note that a curtain system created from the wall command has similar properties to other walls:
base constraint, top constraint, top and base attachments, and room bounding.
You want the curtain system to attach to the roof.

12 In the Element Properties dialog:

■ For Constraints ➤ Top Constraint, select Up to level: TOP OF ROOF.

■ For Top Offset, enter 1200.

■ Click OK.

The curtain system is now at the same height as the other existing curtain systems.

13 The curtain system is a single glazed panel; you are going to subdivide the panel into several
smaller panels, using curtain grids.

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Adding curtain grids

14 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click GROUND FLOOR.

15 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Elevation.
16 Place the elevation symbol in front of the curtain wall and click Modify on the Design Bar.
17 Click the elevation arrow to display the crop boundary, and resize the crop boundary as shown.

18 In the Project Browser, right-click Elevation 1 - a, and click Rename.

19 Enter Entrance Elevation, and click OK.
20 In the drawing area, double-click the elevation symbol arrow to open the new elevation view.
21 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Curtain Grid.
22 Move the cursor along the edge of the wall, and click to place a horizontal curtain grid 1200
mm above the ground floor level line.

23 Place another grid 1500 mm above the first grid.

24 Place another grid so that it snaps to the SECOND FLOOR level line.
25 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Creating an Entrance | 529

 26 While pressing CTRL, select the 3 grid lines you just placed.
27 Click Edit menu ➤ Copy to Clipboard, or press CTRL + C on the keyboard.
28 Click Edit menu ➤ Paste Aligned ➤ Select Levels by Name.
29 In the Select Levels dialog, while pressing CTRL, select SECOND FLOOR, THIRD FLOOR, FOURTH
FLOOR, FIFTH FLOOR, SIXTH FLOOR, and SEVENTH FLOOR, and click OK.
The selected grid lines are now at each of these levels.

30 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Curtain Grid.

31 Place the cursor on grid 2 so that it highlights. Click to create a vertical grid.
This divides the curtain wall vertically into 2 panels, one larger than the other.

32 Move the cursor along the GROUND FLOOR level (left of the vertical grid line) until it snaps to
the midpoint of the larger vertical panel. Click to place another grid line.

TIP To be sure that the curtain grid is at the midpoint of the panel, watch the tooltips and the Status
Bar.

33 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

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 Next, you add a doorway to the curtain system. Instead of using the Door command, you set
up a doorway on a curtain panel, and then you replace that panel with a curtain system door
panel.

Adding the doorway

34 Zoom in to the ground floor level in the Entrance Elevation view.

35 Select the left vertical grid line, and on the Options Bar, click Add or Remove Segments.
You enter an editor that lets you select segments of the grid line to remove them.

36 Select the lowest segment of the left grid line, and then select the segment above it.
The segment line style changes to dashed.

37 Click in any white space to exit the editor.

The two segments are removed.

Creating an Entrance | 531

 38 Using the same method, remove the horizontal segment that intersects the vertical segment
removed in the previous step.

39 On the Design Bar, click Curtain Grid.

40 On the Options Bar, select One Segment.
41 Place 4 vertical grid lines as shown.

42 Place dimensions as shown, and lock them.

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 TIP You may need to adjust your zoom settings to view the dimensions.

43 Delete the dimensions.

44 When the warning about locked dimensions being deleted displays, click OK to leave the curtain
grids constrained.
You now have two 1800 mm wide panels between smaller rectangular panels.

45 Select the horizontal grid line that is 1200 mm above the ground floor.
46 Click Add or Remove Segments on the Options Bar.
You are going to add more segments to an existing curtain grid.

47 Click the horizontal grid line between the smaller panels. The line style changes from dashed
to solid to indicate a grid segment has been added. Do not click between the 1800 mm panels.
Use the following image as a guide.

TIP The middle grid lines are centered between the long vertical grid above them. To get the horizontal
grid to display between the vertical grids, click once to the right of the long grid and then click once
to the left of it.

48 When the grids are placed (line style have changed to solid), click in any white space to exit the
editor.

Creating an Entrance | 533

 Next, you replace the 2 larger 1800 mm panels with curtain system doors.

49 Click File menu ➤ Load From Library ➤ Load Family.

50 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\Families\Doors\M_Curtain Wall-Store Front-Dbl.rfa.
51 Select the left 1800 mm panel. You will have to press TAB to highlight it. Watch the Status Bar
to be sure you are highlighting the panel.
52 On the Type Selector, click M_Curtain Wall-Store Front-Dbl: Store Front Double Door.
The panel changes to a double door.

53 Use the same method to replace the other panel with a double door.
54 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

These panels schedule as doors, not as curtain panels. They are part of the curtain panel category.

55 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click GROUND FLOOR to see the plan view
door swings of the curtain wall doors.
Now, on the new curtain system you added, you replace some of the transparent panels with
solid ones.

56 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, double-click Entrance Elevation.

57 On the View Control Bar, click , and click Wireframe. This changes the graphics style of the
view.
Next, you change panels in front of ceilings from glazed to solid.

Changing panels

58 Zoom in to the FIFTH FLOOR level.

59 Select one of the panels below the FIFTH FLOOR level line.

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60 On the Type Selector, click System Panel : Solid.
The glazed panel is changed to a solid panel.

61 With the panel still selected, click .

62 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New to open the Type Properties of the panel.
The Offset property specifies the distance from the centerline of the curtain wall. Thickness
specifies the depth of the panel, and Material specifies the shading and patterning.

63 Click OK twice.
64 Replace the two adjacent glazed panels with solid panels.
65 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Shading with Edges.
The glazed panels display in blue, and the solid panels display in white.

66 Change the graphics style back to Wireframe.

67 Change the remaining glazed panels in front of ceilings to solid panels.

Creating an Entrance | 535

 68 On the File menu, click Save As. Name the file m_Curtain_Walls-in_progress.rvt.
This completes the exercise for creating an entrance.

Adding Mullions to the Curtain System

In this exercise, you place mullions on curtain panel grids.
Training File
■ Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise.

1 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Mullion.

2 On the Options Bar, select Grid Line Segment.
3 Place a mullion on the grid segment at the ground floor immediately to the right of the right
set of doors.

4 On the Options Bar, select Entire Grid Line.

5 Place a mullion on the horizontal grid that is 1200 mm above the ground floor.

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 6 On the Options Bar, select All Empty Segments.
7 Place the cursor on any empty grid segment on the curtain system and click.

Now all empty grid segments have mullions on them; however, there are a few that you do not
want, so you remove them next. The two mullions below the doors are not necessary, because
their width reduces the size of the doors.

Removing mullions

8 Zoom in to the set of doors.

9 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, clickModify.
10 Delete the mullions below them.

Mullions can change their joins to other mullions. You are going to change some mullion joins.

Changing mullion joins

11 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Hidden Line.
12 Select the vertical mullion above and between the set of double doors.

Adding Mullions to the Curtain System | 537

 Two mullion join controls display.

13 Click the lower mullion join control.

The bottom of the mullion meets the top of the horizontal mullion.

14 Click the top mullion control.

The top of the vertical mullion now meets the bottom of the horizontal mullion above.

TIP After selecting the vertical mullion, you can also right-click, and click Join Conditions ➤ Break at
Join to break the mullion at both joins.

15 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

16 In the Project Browser, double-click Southeast Isometric.
17 Save the file.
This completes the exercise for adding mullions.
This also completes the lesson on creating a flat curtain system. You learned how to create a basic curtain
wall system and how to subdivide it with grids. You also learned how to modify grids and change panels.
Finally, you learned how to add mullions and change their joins.

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Curved Curtain System
In this lesson, you create a curved curtain system near the entrance of the model that was just completed.
You also create a custom curtain panel for the system. Finally, you add both predefined and custom mullions
to the system.

Adding a Curved Curtain System

In this exercise, you add a curtain system using the wall command. The curtain wall is sketched as an arc.
Training File
■ Continue to use the training file you used in the previous lesson.

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click GROUND FLOOR.

2 Zoom in to the circular space above the entrance that was just completed.
3 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Wall.
4 In the Type Selector, select Curtain Wall : Curtain Wall 1.

5 Click .
6 In the Element Properties dialog:
■ Under Constraints, for Top Constraint, specify Up to level: FIFTH FLOOR.

■ For Top Offset, enter 1200.

■ Click OK.

7 On the Options Bar, click (Arc passing through three points).

8 Start the wall by clicking at the left edge of the circle at the centerline of the intersecting wall.

9 Place the second point at the lower right side.

Curved Curtain System | 539

 10 Finish the wall by clicking at the top of the arc.

The curtain wall displays as one flat panel between the first and second points placed. Next,
you place grids on the system. The curtain grid command snaps only to the curved arc. You are
going to use one of these snaps points.

11 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Curtain Grid.

12 Snap the cursor to the midpoint of the curved arc and click. Watch the Status Bar to ensure you
are at the midpoint.

13 Continue to place more grids by using the snap points on the arc. Divide the halves into quarters,
eighths, and then sixteenths.
14 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, double-click East.

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 15 Zoom in to the cylinder, and snap the cursor to each level line and click to add horizontal curtain
grids. Do not add a grid on the GROUND FLOOR level.

16 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Next, you change some panels in the system.

Using walls as panels

17 Using a selection box, select the bottom layer of panels. Remember to click to filter out all
other elements from the selection except Curtain Panels.
18 In the Type Selector, select Basic Wall: Generic - 300mm.

19 Save the file.

This completes the first exercise for creating a curved system. Next you create a custom panel and add it to
the system.

Adding a Custom Curtain Panel

In this exercise, you create a custom curtain panel and place it into the curved curtain system.

Adding a Custom Curtain Panel | 541

 Training File
■ Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise.

1 Click File menu ➤ New ➤ Family.

2 In the left pane of the New dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\Templates\Metric
Curtain Wall Panel.rft.
3 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, double-click Exterior.
4 On the Design Bar, click Solid Form ➤ Solid Extrusion.
5 On the Design Bar, click Lines, and on the Options Bar, for Depth, enter 100.

6 On the Options Bar, click .

7 Start the sketch at the upper left reference line intersection and finish at the lower right reference
line intersection.

8 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

9 Select the extrusion, and click .

10 In the Element Properties dialog, for Identity Data ➤ Subcategory, select Glass, and click OK.
11 On the Design Bar, click Model Lines.

12 On the Options Bar, clear Chain, and click .

13 Sketch 2 lines that crisscross the extrusion.

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14 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
15 Click File menu ➤ Save As, and save the family as Curtain Panel - Pattern.rfa.
16 Click File menu ➤ Close, and return to the project file.
17 Click File menu ➤ Load from Library ➤ Load Family.
18 Load the Curtain Panel - Pattern.rfa family.
19 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click FOURTH FLOOR.
20 Press TAB until a panel in the arc is highlighted, right-click, and click Select Panels ➤ Along
Horizontal Grid.
All fourth floor panels are selected.

21 In the Type Selector, select Curtain Panel - Pattern.

All the panels change to the custom panel you created.

22 Select the curved arc curtain wall.

23 Right-click, and click Change Walls Orientation.

24 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

25 On the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels).

26 Spin the model so that you can see the curved curtain system.

Adding a Custom Curtain Panel | 543

 The structure of the curved curtain system now matches that of the main part of the building.

27 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click FIFTH FLOOR.

28 Highlight a panel in the arc, right-click, and click Select Panels ➤ Along Horizontal Grid.
All fifth floor panels are selected.

29 In the Type Selector, select System Panel - Solid.

All the panels change to the solid panel.
The finished arc wall should look like the following image.

30 Save the file.

This completes the exercise for adding a custom curtain panel.

Adding Mullions to the Curved Curtain Panel

In this exercise, you add both custom and predefined mullions to the curved curtain panel.

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Training File
■ Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise.

1 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, double-click East.

2 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Mullion.
3 Select each horizontal grid line on the curved curtain panel, except at the GROUND FLOOR
level.

For vertical mullions, you use the Family Editor to create a custom mullion.

Creating a custom mullion in the Family Editor

4 Click File menu ➤ New ➤ Family.

5 In the left pane of the New dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\Templates\Metric
Profile.rft.
6 Click Settings menu ➤ Family Category and Parameters.
7 In the Family Category and Parameters dialog, for Profile Usage, select Mullion, and click OK.
8 On the Design Bar, click Lines.
9 On the Options Bar:

■ Click (Polygon).

If Polygon does not display on the Options Bar, click , and select it.

■ For Sides, enter 8.

■ Select Radius, and enter 50 mm for the radius.

10 Place the cursor at the intersection of the reference planes and click to enter the octagon starting
point. Click again to specify the ending point. Notice that both the starting and ending points
are in the same location.

Adding Mullions to the Curved Curtain Panel | 545

 11 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
12 Select the lines in the octagon.
13 On the Options Bar, click Visibility.
14 In the Family element visibility settings dialog, clear Fine, and click OK.
This controls the detail level at which the mullion profile displays.

15 Click File menu ➤ Load from Library ➤ Load Family.

16 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\Families\Detail
Components\m_Cylinder Mullion - detail.rfa.
17 On the Design Bar, click Detail Component.
18 Place the detail component so that it snaps to the mullion profile as shown.

19 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

20 Select the detail component, and click Visibility.
21 In the Family element visibility settings dialog, clear Coarse and Medium, and click OK.
The detail component becomes the true representation in plan view.

22 Click File menu ➤ Save As.

23 Save the family as Cylinder Mullion.rfa.
24 Click File menu ➤ Close, and return to the project file.
25 Click File menu ➤ Load from Library ➤ Load Family.
26 Load the Cylinder Mullion.rfa family.
After the new profile is loaded, it can be added as a mullion type.

27 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click Southeast Isometric.

28 On the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels).

29 Spin the model so that you can see the curved curtain system.
30 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Mullion.

31 Click .

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32 In the Element Properties dialog, select Circular Mullion for Family.
33 Click Edit/New.
34 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
35 Enter Cylinder Mullion for Name, and click OK.
36 Under Construction, for Profile, select Cylinder Mullion : Cylinder Mullion.
37 Click OK twice.
38 On the Options Bar, select All Empty Segments.
39 Click on any grid line in the entry cylinder.
40 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

You have placed more mullions than you want, so you remove the unwanted ones.

41 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click GROUND FLOOR.

42 Highlight a mullion in the arc, right-click, and click Select Mullions ➤ On Gridline.
43 Press DELETE.

44 Save the file.

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 This completes the exercise for adding mullions, as well as the lesson on creating a curved curtain system.
In this lesson, you learned to create a curved curtain system, make custom curtain panels and mullions, and
then apply those custom elements to the system.

Additional Curtain Systems

In this lesson, you create additional types of curtain systems: a sloped glazing system, a storefront system,
and a ruled curtain system.

Sloped Glazings
Sloped glazings are useful when you are creating skylights and other glazed roofing systems.
Training File
■ Continue to use the training file you used in the previous lesson.

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click TOP OF ROOF.

2 Zoom in to the skylight at the center of the building between Grids 2 and 3 and D and E.

3 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Roof ➤ Roof by Footprint.
4 On the Design Bar, click Pick Walls.
5 On the Options Bar, select Defines slope.
6 Select the inside faces of the base walls.

TIP To chain select all the walls, place the cursor on the inside face of one of the walls, and press
TAB. All the inside faces highlight, and you can click to select them all.

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 7 On the Design Bar, click Roof Properties.
8 In the Element Properties dialog:
■ For Family, select System Family: Sloped Glazing.

■ For Constraints ➤ Base Offset From Level, enter 600.

■ Click OK.

9 On the Design Bar, click Finish Roof.

10 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click Southeast Isometric.
11 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Hidden Line.
12 Zoom in to the skylight.

13 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Mullion.

14 On the Options Bar, select Entire Grid Line.
15 Select the grid lines that define the edges of each panel in the sloped glazing.
16 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
17 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Shading with Edges.

18 Save the file.

This completes the exercise for creating a sloped glazing system.

Sloped Glazings | 549

Storefront System
In this exercise, you embed curtain walls into other walls to create a storefront system.
Training File
■ Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise.

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click GROUND FLOOR.

2 Zoom in to the wall at the right of the model.

You are going to place a storefront system in this wall. You can place the curtain wall right
inside this wall.

3 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Wall.

4 In the Type Selector, select Curtain Wall : Storefront.
5 On the Options Bar, select Unconnected for Height, and enter 2400.
6 Start the wall 1200 mm from one end of the wall on the wall centerline.

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 7 Sketch a curtain wall along the wall centerline to the approximate length shown.
The curtain wall cuts the original wall.

8 Click the temporary dimension, enter 10200 mm, and press ENTER.
This specifies an exact length for the wall.

9 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

10 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click Southeast Isometric.
11 Zoom in to the new storefront wall.

The storefront wall already has a curtain grid layout, which is specified in the type. To see how
the grid layout is defined, you can look at the properties of the storefront wall.

12 Select the storefront wall, and click .

13 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
The type parameters under the Vertical Grid Pattern and Horizontal Grid Pattern headings create
the predefined layout. For this wall, the Layout (Vertical Grid Pattern) is set to Maximum Spacing,
and the Spacing (Vertical Grid Pattern) is set to 1524 mm. This indicates that the curtain grids
are placed at even intervals along the length of the curtain wall at a distance up to 1524 mm.
The Layout (Horizontal Grid Pattern) is set to Fixed Distance, and the Spacing (Horizontal Grid
Pattern) is set to 2400 mm. This means that the panel heights will be exactly 2400 mm, even if
the wall height changes.

14 After you have looked at the Vertical Grid Pattern and Horizontal Grid Pattern parameters, click
OK to close the Type Properties dialog and return to the Element Properties dialog that displays
the instance parameters.

Storefront System | 551

 The Instance Parameters list includes additional parameters that define the curtain grid layout.
Under the Vertical Grid Pattern heading, you find Number, Justification, Angle, and Offset. You
see these same parameters for Horizontal Grid Pattern. Under Vertical Grid Pattern, the Number
is the number of vertical curtain grids you want on the curtain instance. The Justification specifies
the vertical spacing at the beginning, center, or end. By setting the Angle value, you are rotating
the grid lines to an angle on the face of the panel. The Offset is the distance the spacing starts
from the justification point. The Horizontal Grid Pattern counterparts are the same but for the
perpendicular direction. For more information about these curtain wall parameters, see the Revit
Architecture help.

15 To see how these parameters can affect the wall, for Vertical Grid Pattern ➤ Angle, enter 45 and
for Horizontal Grid Pattern ➤ Angle, enter 15.
16 Click OK.

17 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Mullion.

18 On the Options Bar, select All Empty Segments.
19 Select a curtain grid.

20 Save the file.

This completes the exercise on creating a storefront. In this exercise, you learned how to embed a curtain
wall and set up a grid layout.

Curtain System by Lines

In this exercise, you create a curtain wall based on 2 lines that have been sketched at different elevations
on the model. This type of curtain system is known as a ruled curtain system.
Training File
■ Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise.

1 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click Southeast Isometric.

2 Orient the view to the storefront wall you added in the last exercise.

552 | Chapter 14 Curtain Systems

3 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Hidden Line.
4 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Curtain System ➤ Curtain System by Lines.
5 Place the cursor at the top edge of the SECOND FLOOR slab, making sure Lines : Model Lines :
Line is highlighted.
Watch the Status Bar and Tooltips to be sure you are highlighting the model line. Press TAB to
select the line if it does not immediately highlight.

6 Click the highlighted line.

7 Place the cursor at the top edge of the TOP OF ROOF level, and highlight the model line.

Curtain System by Lines | 553

 8 Select the highlighted line.
A panel between the 2 lines is created.
A ruled curtain system does not have all the properties of a curtain wall.

9 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

10 Select the panel, and click .

Notice there are very few properties for the ruled curtain system.

11 Click OK.
Next, you subdivide the ruled curtain system using curtain grids.

NOTE The next few steps are intended as a guide to finish the system, but now that you have created
a ruled curtain system, you can vary the steps to style the system the way you want.

12 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Curtain Grid.

554 | Chapter 14 Curtain Systems

 13 Using the midpoint curtain grid snaps, place horizontal grids that divide the panel into halves,
quarters, and then eighths.
This is similar to placing the grids on the curved curtain system.

14 Place vertical grids that snap to the midpoints on the panel and divide the panel into halves,
quarters, and then eighths.
Finally, you replace some of the glazed panels in front of the ceilings with solid panels.

15 Highlight a top level glazed panel, right-click, and click Select Panels ➤ Along Grid 2.
16 In the Type Selector, select System Panel : Solid.
17 Change the THIRD FLOOR level panels to solid.

18 Save the file.

This completes the exercise for creating a ruled curtain system, and the lesson on creating additional curtain
systems. In this lesson you learned to create a sloped glazing system, embed a curtain system inside another
wall, and define a ruled curtain system.

Curtain System by Lines | 555

556
Roofs
15
In this tutorial, you learn how to create different types of roofs in Revit Architecture 2009. In addition, you learn how to
add fascia, gutters, and soffits to the roofs that you create.

Creating Roofs
In this lesson, you learn to create several different types of roofs, including hip, gable, shed, mansard, and
low sloped roofs. In this lesson, you create roofs from footprints and by extrusion.

Creating an Extruded Roof

In this exercise, you create an extruded roof over a breezeway between a house and a garage.

You create the roof by sketching the top roof profile and extruding it over the length of the breezeway.
Before you can sketch the roof profile, you need to select a work plane to use as a sketching guide. You do
not need to create the work plane; a work plane named Breezeway exists for the purpose of this exercise.

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Roofs.rvt.

557
 1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 1.

2 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Roof ➤ Roof by Extrusion.
3 In the Work Plane dialog, select Name, and then select Reference Plane : Breezeway.
4 Click OK.
5 In the Go To View dialog, verify that Section: Section1 is selected, and then click Open View to
select a section view parallel to the work plane in which to sketch the roof.
6 In the Roof Reference Level and Offset dialog, verify Level 3 is selected for Level, and click OK.
The section view is automatically cropped around the area where you want to sketch the roof.

Before you can sketch the profile of the roof, you need to define four reference planes to help
determine key points on the profile sketch.

7 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Ref Plane.

8 Sketch the first reference plane 450 mm to the left of the left exterior breezeway wall face.

TIP Instead of trying to place the reference plane in its exact location initially, you can place it in the
general location and then zoom in and use temporary dimensions. This helps ensure that the plane
is measured from the face of the wall rather than from the wall centerline. To change where the
temporary dimension is measured from (face, centerline, and so on), click the blue square on the
witness line.

558 | Chapter 15 Roofs

 9 Sketch a similar reference plane 450 mm to the right of the right exterior breezeway wall face.

10 Sketch a vertical reference plane centered between the two vertical walls.

11 Sketch a horizontal reference plane 450 mm below Level 2.

Creating an Extruded Roof | 559

 Next, sketch the roof profile.

12 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Lines.

13 On the Options Bar, select Chain.
14 Sketch two sloped lines to create the roof profile.
Begin the sketch at the intersection of the left vertical reference plane and the horizontal plane.
Use automatic snaps to link the chain to the reference plane intersections.

15 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch to complete the roof.
The roof is automatically extruded from the Breezeway work plane in one direction.

16 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View) to display the model.

560 | Chapter 15 Roofs

 Notice that the breezeway roof penetrates the house walls inappropriately.

Next, use the Join Roofs command to adjust the length of the roof and join the roof edges to
the exterior walls.

17 On the Tools toolbar, click (Join/Unjoin Roof).

18 Select the edge of the roof, and then select the exterior wall face of the garage to join the roof
to the garage wall.

Use the Join Roof command again to join the opposite end of the breezeway roof to the exterior
wall of the house that joins the breezeway.

19 On the Tools toolbar, click (Join/Unjoin Roof).

20 Select the breezeway roof edge, press TAB, and then select the exterior face of the wall.

The roof should resemble the following illustration.

The breezeway walls still penetrate the roof, so you next attach the breezeway walls to the
breezeway roof.

21 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Sections (Type 1), and double-click Section
1.
22 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Modify.
23 Select one of the breezeway walls, press CTRL, and select the second wall.

Creating an Extruded Roof | 561

 24 On the Options Bar, click Attach for Top/Base, and then verify that Attach Wall: Top is selected.
25 Select the roof to join the wall tops to the roof.

26 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View) to view the completed breezeway roof in the
model.

27 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating a Gable Roof from a Footprint on page 562.

Creating a Gable Roof from a Footprint

In this exercise, you create a gable roof over a garage from a footprint.

562 | Chapter 15 Roofs

You begin by sketching the perimeter of the roof in plan view to create the roof footprint. You use roof slope
lines to define the roof gable ends.

To complete the gable roof with the correct pitch, you set the roof slope as a property of the footprint slope
lines.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, m_Roofs.rvt.

1 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Roof ➤ Roof by Footprint.
2 Select Garage Roof to move the roof to the correct level, and click Yes.
3 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Garage Roof.

Next, sketch the roof footprint.

4 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Pick Walls.

5 On the Options Bar, verify that Defines slope is selected, and enter 600 for Overhang.
6 Select the left vertical wall of the garage to define the first roof slope line. Verify that a dashed
blue line displays to the left of the wall from the edge of the roof as you select the wall.

Creating a Gable Roof from a Footprint | 563

 7 Select the parallel wall on the right to define the second roof slope line. Verify that a dashed
blue line displays to the right of the wall from the edge of the roof as you select the wall.

8 On the Options Bar, clear Defines slope.

9 Select the two horizontal walls to create a closed loop and complete the roof footprint.

Next, edit the properties of the two vertical slope definition lines to change the roof pitch.

10 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Modify.

11 Press CTRL, select both slope definition lines, and on the Options Bar, click (Properties).
The Element Properties dialog is displayed. By default, the roof slope has a 750 mm rise over a
1000 mm run.

12 In the Element Properties dialog, under Dimensions, enter 500 mm for Rise/1000 to change the
roof slope, and click OK.
13 On the Design Bar, click Finish Roof.
14 When you see the informational dialog, click Yes to attach the highlighted exterior garage walls
to the roof.

15 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View) to view the gable roof and attached walls in
the model.

16 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating a Roof with a Vertical Penetration from a Footprint on
page 565.

564 | Chapter 15 Roofs

Creating a Roof with a Vertical Penetration from a Footprint
In this exercise, you add a main gable roof to a house from a footprint. The roof requires an opening to
accommodate a chimney.

You begin by sketching the perimeter of the roof in plan view to create the roof footprint. After you define
the roof slope lines and complete the footprint, you sketch a closed rectangular opening around the chimney.
When you complete the roof, the opening that you sketched becomes a void in the roof.

Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, m_Roofs.rvt.
1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 3.
2 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Roof ➤ Roof by Footprint.
3 On the Options Bar, clear Defines slope, and enter 600 for Overhang.

NOTE You add the slope defining lines in a later step.

4 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Pick Walls.

5 Place the cursor over one of the exterior walls, press TAB, and then verify that a dashed blue line
displays to the exterior side of the walls.

Creating a Roof with a Vertical Penetration from a Footprint | 565

 6 Click to select all the walls.
Next, sketch the chimney opening.

7 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Lines.

8 On the Options Bar, click (Rectangle).

9 Using automatic snaps, sketch a rectangle from the upper left corner of the exterior chimney
face to the lower right corner of the exterior chimney face.

10 On the View menu, click Zoom ➤ Zoom To Fit to view the entire floor plan.
Next, add new slope lines to the roof.

11 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Modify.

12 Select the uppermost horizontal line.
13 On the Options Bar, select Defines Slope.
14 Select one of the shorter line segments shown in the following illustration.

15 On the Options bar, select Defines Slope.

16 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Finish Roof.
17 When you see the informational dialog, click Yes to attach the walls to the roof.

566 | Chapter 15 Roofs

 18 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View) to view the new roof in the model.

19 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating a Hip Roof from a Footprint on page 567.

Creating a Hip Roof from a Footprint

In this exercise, you create a hip roof over the rear of a house from a footprint.

Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, m_Roofs.rvt.
1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 2.

2 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Roof ➤ Roof by Footprint.
3 On the Options Bar, select Defines slope, and enter 600 for Overhang.
4 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Pick Walls.

Creating a Hip Roof from a Footprint | 567

 5 Select the exterior edges of the three walls that create the rear addition to the house. Verify that
a dashed blue line displays on the exterior side of the wall from the edge of the roof as you select
the walls.

Next, close the roof sketch. Roof sketches must create a closed loop before you can create the
roof. The sketched lines cannot overlap or intersect each other.

6 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Lines.

7 On the Options Bar, clear Defines Slope, and click (Pick Lines).
8 Select the exterior edge of the uppermost horizontal wall of the main building, using the following
illustration for guidance.

Next, trim the extra line segments that result from the intersection of the sketch lines. You must
trim these lines to create a valid sketch.

9 On the Tools toolbar, click (Trim/Extend).

10 On the Options Bar, verify that the Trim/Extend to Corner option is selected.
11 To trim the first line segment, select the left vertical slope definition line, and then specify a
point near the midpoint of the line that you sketched along the wall of the main building.
Make sure you select the segment on the side that you want to keep.

568 | Chapter 15 Roofs

12 Repeat the trim procedure on the adjacent corner to create a closed loop without intersections.

Next, raise the roof 600 mm above the current level.

13 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Roof Properties.

The Element Properties dialog is displayed.

14 Under Constraints, enter 600 for Base Offset From Level, and click OK.
15 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Finish Roof.

16 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View) to display the model.

17 On the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels), and use the Orbit tool to view the back of the
house. (Press ESC to close the SteeringWheels.)
Notice that the walls do not join to the roof. Use the Attach Top/Base command to join the
walls to the roof.

18 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

19 Select one of the walls under the hip roof, click Attach for Top/Base on the Options Bar, and
then verify that Attach Wall: Top is selected.
20 Select the roof to join the wall top to the roof.

Creating a Hip Roof from a Footprint | 569

 21 Click (SteeringWheels), and use the Orbit tool to view the remaining walls that support
the hip roof.

22 Using the same method that you used previously, join the two remaining walls to the roof. Press
and hold CTRL to select and join the two remaining walls at the same time.
Notice that the new hip roof does not properly join to the back of the house. Next, use the Join
Roof command to fix the roof.

23 On the Tools toolbar, click (Join/Unjoin Roof).

24 Select the edge of the hip roof, and then select the edge of the main roof to join the roofs.

The properly joined roof should resemble the following illustration.

25 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating a Shed Roof from a Footprint on page 571.

570 | Chapter 15 Roofs

Creating a Shed Roof from a Footprint
In this exercise, you create a shed roof over the entrance to a house from a footprint.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, m_Roofs.rvt.
1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 2.

2 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Roof ➤ Roof by Footprint.
3 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Pick Walls.
4 On the Options Bar, clear Defines Slope, and enter 300 for Overhang.
5 Place the cursor over one of the exterior walls that defines the entry way, press TAB, and then
click to select all three of the entry way walls.
Verify that a blue dashed line displays around the exterior side of the walls before clicking to
select the walls.

6 On the Options Bar, enter 0 for Overhang.

7 Select the exterior face of the main wall to close the sketch.

Next, trim the extra line segments that result from the intersection of the sketch lines. You must
trim these lines to create a valid sketch.

8 On the Tools toolbar, click (Trim/Extend).

9 On the Options Bar, verify that the Trim/Extend to Corner option is selected.
10 To trim the first line segment, select the left vertical roof line, and then select a point near the
midpoint of the upper horizontal line you sketched earlier. Make sure you select the segment
on the side that you want to keep.

Creating a Shed Roof from a Footprint | 571

 11 Repeat the trim procedure on the adjacent corner to create a closed loop without intersections.

Next, you add a slope-defining line.

12 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Modify, and select the lower horizontal line at the
front of the roof.
13 On the Options Bar, select Defines slope.
Notice the rise value is displayed next to the slope marker.

14 Enter 500 mm for the rise value to change the roof slope, and press ENTER.

15 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Roof Properties.

16 Under Constraints, enter -600 for Base Offset From Level, and click OK.
17 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Finish Roof to complete the roof.
18 Click Yes to attach the walls to the roof.

19 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View) to display the model.

20 On the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels), and use the Orbit tool to rotate the model.

21 Proceed to the next exercise, Adding Slope Arrows to a Shed Roof on page 572.

Adding Slope Arrows to a Shed Roof

In this exercise, you add slope arrows to the shed roof.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, m_Roofs.rvt.
1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand 3D Views, and double-click 3D.

572 | Chapter 15 Roofs

 2 Select the shed roof over the entrance of the house.
3 On the Options Bar, click Edit to activate the roof footprint sketch.
4 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 2.
5 On the View menu, click Zoom ➤ Zoom in Region, and zoom in around the shed roof footprint.
Before you can add slope arrows, you need to split the slope defining line into three segments.
To help locate the position of each split, you need to add two reference planes.

6 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Ref Plane.

7 On the Options Bar, click (Pick Lines), and enter 600 for Offset.
8 Select the two vertical sketch lines. Verify that the reference planes are located inside the shed
roof sketch.

9 On the Tools menu, click Split Walls and Lines.

10 Split the slope defining line where the reference planes intersect as shown in the following
illustration.

Next, change the longest slope line segment (the middle segment) so that it no longer defines
slope.

11 On the Design Bar, click Modify, and select the middle segment of the slope defining line.
12 On the Options Bar, clear Defines Slope.
Next, add two new slope arrows.

13 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Slope Arrow.

14 On the Options Bar, verify (Draw) is selected.

15 Sketch a slope arrow from the reference plane to the midpoint of the lower horizontal roof line:
■ Select the intersection of the left vertical reference plane and the roof line to specify the
location of the slope arrow tail.

Adding Slope Arrows to a Shed Roof | 573

 ■ Move the cursor along the roof line until the midpoint displays, and then select it to specify
the location of the slope arrow head.

16 Repeat steps 13 - 15 to add the second slope arrow.

Begin the tail at the right reference plane, and move the cursor to place the arrow. The head
should snap to the midpoint of the line as in the previous steps.

17 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Modify.

18 Press CTRL, select both slope arrows, and click (Properties).

19 Under Constraints, select Slope for Specify.
20 Under Dimensions, enter 500 for Rise/1000, and then click OK.
21 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Finish Roof to complete the roof.

22 Click (Default 3D View) on the View toolbar to display the model.

NOTE If the front wall is separated from the roof, use the Attach Top/Base command to join the wall
to the roof.

23 Proceed to the next exercise, Aligning Roof Eaves on page 574.

Aligning Roof Eaves

In this exercise, you convert the gable roof over the garage to a hip roof and use the Align Eaves tool to
adjust the eave heights. When you sketch a hip roof, the adjacent eave heights must align. When eave
heights differ, you can use the Align Eaves tool to align them.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, m_Roofs.rvt.
1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Garage Roof.
2 Select the gable roof over the garage.
3 On the Options Bar, click Edit.

574 | Chapter 15 Roofs

 4 Select the two gable end lines (the lines without slope definition).
5 On the Options Bar, select Defines Slope.

6 With the two gable end lines selected, on the Options Bar, click (Properties).
7 In the Element Properties dialog, under Dimensions, enter 800 mm for Rise/1000, and click OK.
8 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Align Eaves.
The eave lines display with a dimension. This dimension is the height of the eave measured
from the sketch plane.

9 Select the left vertical eave to use to align the eaves. When aligning eaves, you must select one
eave to use to align both eaves.
Next, select a method to align the eaves.

10 On the Options Bar, select Adjust Overhang to align the eaves by adjusting the overhang to
match the eave height of the first eave.
11 Select both the horizontal eave lines.
Notice how the overhang adjusts to match the eave height of the first eave.

12 On the Design Bar, click Finish Roof.

13 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View) to display the model.

14 If you want to save your changes, on the File menu, click Save As, and save the exercise file with
a unique name.
15 Close the exercise file without saving your changes.
16 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating a Mansard Roof on page 576.

Aligning Roof Eaves | 575

Creating a Mansard Roof
In this exercise, you create a mansard roof by cutting off a hip roof at a specific level and adding another
roof on top of it.

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Mansard_Roof.rvt.

1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Elevations, and double-click North.
Notice the model has four defined levels:

In the next steps, you constrain the current roof so it does not rise above Level 3.

2 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Modify.

3 Select the roof and, on the Options Bar, click (Properties).

4 In the Element Properties dialog, under Constraints, select Level 3 for Cutoff Level.
5 Click OK to cut the top of the roof off at level 3.

576 | Chapter 15 Roofs

 6 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View) to display the model.

Next, create a new roof that starts at level 3 and completes the mansard roof.

7 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 3.

8 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Roof ➤ Roof by Footprint.
9 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Lines.

10 On the Options Bar, click (Pick Lines), and then select Defines slope.
11 Select the four edges of the roof cutoff.

12 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Modify.

13 Select one of the roof cutoff lines, press TAB, and select the remaining three lines.

14 On the Options Bar, click .

15 In the Element Properties dialog, under Dimensions, enter 750 mm for Rise/1000, and click OK.
16 On the Sketch tab of the Design Bar, click Finish Roof.

Creating a Mansard Roof | 577

 17 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View) to display the model with the complete
mansard roof.

18 If you want to save your changes, on the File menu, click Save As, and save the exercise file with
a unique name.
19 Close the exercise file without saving your changes.
20 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating a Low Slope Roof on page 578.

Creating a Low Slope Roof

In this exercise, you add a roof to a building shell. After you add the roof, you modify the slab to represent
roof drains in the low slope roof. You also modify the structure of the roof slab to more accurately represent
the tapered insulation condition used to create the roof drainage system.

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Common\c_Low_Slope_Roof.rvt.

NOTE This exercise uses a common training file and Imperial units.

578 | Chapter 15 Roofs

Create a flat roof by footprint
1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Roof.

2 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Roof ➤ Roof by Footprint.
3 On the Design Bar, click Pick Walls.
4 On the Options Bar, verify that Defines slope is not selected, and that Overhang is 0' 0''.
5 In the drawing area, select the interior face of the curved wall on the right.

6 Select the interior face of a wall segment on each side of the building and 1 on either side of
the arc wall at the entry.

Creating a Low Slope Roof | 579

 Because the walls are not continuous, you cannot use TAB to select the chain of walls. Instead
you select walls on each side of the building and then use the Trim tool to create a closed loop
sketch.

7 On the Tools toolbar, click (Trim/Extend).

8 Select the walls to create a closed loop, as shown:

9 On the Design Bar, click Roof Properties.

10 In the Element Properties dialog, for Type, select Steel Truss - Insulation on Metal Deck - EPDM,
and click OK.
11 On the Design Bar, click Finish Roof.

580 | Chapter 15 Roofs

Open a section view

12 In the drawing area, double-click the section head to open the section view.

13 Zoom in to the upper left area of the roof.

The roof has been created, but it is a flat object with no slope or indication of roof drainage. In
the next steps, you alter the shape of the slab to represent a roof drainage layout.

Add split lines to segment the roof

14 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Roof.

15 Use the TAB key to highlight the roof, and click to select it.

16 On the Options Bar, click (Draw Split Lines).

You use this tool to split the roof slab into 6 regions so that you can modify the slope
independently.

Creating a Low Slope Roof | 581

 17 Select the midpoint of the top horizontal roof line.

18 Move the cursor down, and select the midpoint of the bottom horizontal roof line
You create a split line vertically down the center.

19 Select the lower endpoint of the arc line, move the cursor horizontally to the left, and select a
point on the opposite roof line.
20 Using the same method, add a second horizontal split line beginning at the top endpoint of the
arc.

582 | Chapter 15 Roofs

 The roof is now divided into 6 sections. Next, you begin to shape the slab by adding points for
the roof drains and modifying the elevations of the points and edges.

Add elevation points

21 With the roof still selected, on the Options Bar, click (Add points).
22 Click to add a point close to the center of each section.
In this exercise, exact placement of the points is not important. Layout tools in Revit Architecture
such as reference planes and dimensions can be used to more accurately place editing points
on a roof slab.

23 On the Options Bar, click (Modify Sub-Elements).

You modify the points individually. You could also select multiple points and change them all
at once from the Options Bar.

Creating a Low Slope Roof | 583

 24 Select the point in the upper left region of the roof, for the dimension, enter -2'', and press
ENTER.
The dimensional value is relative to the roof plane.

25 Using the same method, specify a -2'' dimension for the remaining 5 points.
The lines on the roof now represent the ridges of the deformed slab shape.

Edit the roof edges

26 On the Options Bar, click (Modify Sub-Elements).

584 | Chapter 15 Roofs

 27 Press and hold CTRL, and select all of the roof edges, including the interior edges of the roof
regions, as shown:

28 On the Options Bar, for Elevation, enter 4'', and press ENTER.
29 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
Clicking Modify or pressing ESC exits the editing mode and the shape edits are applied to the
slab.

Modify the construction of the slab type

30 In the drawing area, double-click the section head to view the additional affects of the shape
editing.

31 Select the roof slab, and on the Options Bar, click (Properties).

Creating a Low Slope Roof | 585

 The slab has not responded exactly as intended. The entire slab is sloped. In some cases this
type of slope is desired, but in this case you want the insulation layer to create the slope. You
edit the construction of the slab type to achieve this result.

32 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.

33 In the Type Properties dialog, under Construction, for Structure, click Edit.
34 In the Edit Assembly dialog, for the Thermal/Air Layer, select Variable.
By making the insulation layer variable, the slope will be accommodated in the insulation layer,
leaving the other layers to maintain the original plane of placement for the roof.

35 Click OK 3 times.
36 View the results in the section view.
The insulation now tapers from the edges to the drain in the center.

37 If you want to save your changes, on the File menu, click Save As, and save the exercise file with
a unique name.
38 Close the exercise file without saving your changes.
39 Proceed to the next lesson, Creating Fascia, Gutters, and Soffits on page 586.

Creating Fascia, Gutters, and Soffits

In this lesson, you learn how to create roof fascia, gutters, and soffits in Revit Architecture. After you create
a roof, you can easily create its fascia, gutters, and soffits.

586 | Chapter 15 Roofs

Creating Roof Fascia
In this exercise, you learn to use the Host Sweep command to create fascia on the roof of a condominium.

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Common\c_Condominium.rvt.

1 Click File menu ➤ Load From Library ➤ Load Family.

2 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\Families\Profiles\Roofs.
3 Press CTRL, select M_Fascia-Built-Up.rfa and M_Gutter-Cove.rfa, and click Open.
4 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Host Sweep ➤ Roof Fascia.

5 On the Options Bar, click (Properties).

6 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New to access the type properties of the fascia.
7 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
8 In the Name dialog, enter Built-up Fascia, and click OK.
9 In the Type Properties dialog, under Construction, select M_Fascia-Built-Up: 38 x 184mm x 38
x 286 for Profile, and click OK twice.
10 Move the cursor to the top edge of the roof.

Creating Roof Fascia | 587

 11 Select the top edge of the roof to place the fascia.

12 Select all of the roof top edges to place the fascia around the building.

13 On the Design Bar, click Modify to exit the Fascia command.

14 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating Gutters on page 588.

Creating Gutters
In this exercise, you use the Host Sweep command to place a gutter at the bottom edge of the roof on a
condominium building model.

Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, c_Condominium.rvt.

1 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Host Sweep ➤ Roof Gutter.

2 On the Options Bar, click (Properties).

588 | Chapter 15 Roofs

 3 In the Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
4 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
5 Enter Cove Shape Gutter for Name, and click OK.
6 In the Type Properties dialog, under Construction, select M_Gutter-Cove: 125 x 125mm for
Profile.

7 Under Materials and Finishes, click in the Value field for Material, and then click .
8 In the Materials dialog, select Metal-Aluminum for Name, and click OK three times.
9 Move the cursor to the bottom edge of the roof.

10 Click to place the gutter.

11 Continue to add gutters to the other roof edges of the building model.
12 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating Soffits on page 590.

Creating Gutters | 589

Creating Soffits
In this exercise, you learn how to place a roof soffit. You add the soffit underneath the roof of the
condominium building model that you used in the previous exercise.

Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, c_Condominium.rvt.
1 In the Project Browser, expand Views, expand Floor Plans, and double-click Roof.

2 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Roof ➤ Roof Soffit.
3 On the Design Bar, click Pick Roofs.

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4 Select the roof.

5 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

6 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand 3D Views, and double-click 3D.
Notice that the geometry of the roof and the soffit overlap.

7 On the Tools menu, click Join Geometry.

8 Select the roof, and then select the soffit to join them.

Creating Soffits | 591

 9 If you want to save your changes, on the File menu, click Save As, and save the exercise file with
a unique name.
10 Close the exercise file without saving your changes.

592 | Chapter 15 Roofs

Area Analysis
16
In this tutorial, you learn how to use area analysis tools to define and label spatial relationships. The first step in area
analysis is the definition of area schemes. Two schemes are provided by default: Gross Building and Rentable. You can
edit the rentable scheme and create additional schemes. You then create area plans for each scheme as needed. Each area
scheme can have multiple area plans. Finally, you create area schedules and color fill plans based on the area schemes
and plans.

Using Area Analysis Tools

In this lesson, you use the two predefined area schemes to create respective area plans to define gross area
and a rentable area. You add and modify the area boundaries and add areas. In the final exercise, you create
a color fill plan and area schedule based on the area schemes and plans.

Creating Area Schemes and Plans

In this exercise, you use the two predefined area schemes to create respective area plans to define gross area
and a rentable area. You add and modify the area boundaries and add areas.
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Common\c_Area.rvt.

NOTE Images in this exercise reflect Imperial values. If you are using metric units, your values will be different.

Set units of measurement to metric

1 On the Settings menu, click Project Units.
2 In the Project Units dialog, under Length, click Format and specify the following:
■ For Units, select Millimeters.

■ For Unit Suffix, select mm.

■ Click OK.

3 Under Area, click Format and specify the following:

■ For Units, select Square meters.

593
 ■ For Rounding, select 2 decimal places.

■ For Unit Suffix, select m2.

■ Click OK.

4 In the Project Units dialog, click OK.

View predefined area schemes

5 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and verify that Level 1 is the
active view.
6 On the Room and Area tab of the Design Bar, click Settings.

TIP If the Room and Area tab is not visible, right-click in the Design Bar, and click Room and Area.

7 In the Room and Area Settings dialog, click the Area Schemes tab.
There are two schemes currently defined: Gross Building and Rentable. These schemes define
spatial relationships.
■ Gross Building: Total constructed area of a building.

■ Rentable: Area measurements based on the standard method for measuring floor area in
office buildings.

Although you can create new schemes that are based on the Rentable scheme, it is not necessary
in this exercise.

8 In the Room and Area Setting dialog, click the Room Calculations tab.
You can specify the height where the room area is calculated.
■ At system computed height: Generally defaults to or 1000 mm above the level.

NOTE If the room area includes a room separation line, the system-computed height defaults to
the level, or 0.

■ At specified height: You specify the height above the level that area is calculated.

You can specify the boundary location to be used for room area calculations, as well as selecting
whether to have room volumes calculated automatically.

9 Click Cancel.

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Create a gross building area plan

10 On the Room and Area tab of the Design Bar, click Area Plan.
11 In the New Area Plan dialog, do the following:
■ Select Gross Building for Type.

■ Select Level 1 for Area Plan views.

■ Verify that Do not duplicate existing views is selected.

NOTE If you clear Do not duplicate existing views, you can create a copy of the area plan with
subsequent changes to the original area plan duplicated in the copied plan.

■ Verify that the scale is 1/8'' = 1'-0''.

■ Click OK.

12 When the informational dialog displays, click Yes to create the boundary lines automatically.
When you select Yes in this dialog, area boundary lines are automatically placed on the exterior
walls of the building model, forming a closed loop. If you select No, you must manually add
these boundary lines.

13 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), notice there is a new view type called Area Plans (Gross
Building). Expand Area Plans (Gross Building), and notice that the Level 1 area plan is the active
view.

14 On the Room and Area tab of the Design Bar, click Area.

NOTE The Area command is used to create and tag new areas. The Area Tag command is used to
tag existing areas. An area is represented by two crossed reference lines. To modify the area, you
must select one of the reference lines, rather than the area tag. The area reference lines are for design
purposes only and do not print.

15 Click in the middle of the room on the lower left corner of the building model to place the tag.

Creating Area Schemes and Plans | 595

 NOTE An area tag measures area based on the area plan boundary lines. A room tag measures the
area enclosed within the room-defining walls at the boundary location specified in Room and Area
Settings.

Next, you create a new area plan for rentable space. You add and use area boundary lines to
define the office areas, common areas, and store area.

Create a rentable area scheme and plan

16 On the Room and Area tab of the Design Bar, click Area Plan.
17 In the New Area Plan dialog, do the following:
■ Select Rentable for Type.

■ Select Level 1 for Area Plan views.

■ Verify that Do not duplicate existing views is selected.

■ Click OK.

18 Click Yes to automatically define the area boundary lines.

Notice that the area boundary lines are on the inner face of the exterior walls.

NOTE The area lines follow some of the windows hosted by the exterior wall. Although the rule for
these lines is to follow the inside face of the wall, if the window glass is greater than 50% of the wall
height, the area boundary lines are placed on the face of the glass.

Notice that there is a new view type called Area Plans (Rentable). Expand Area Plans (Rentable),
and notice that the Level 1 area plan is the active view.

19 Zoom out until you can see the entire building model.
Add area boundary lines

20 On the Design Bar, click Area Boundary.

21 On the Options Bar, verify that Pick Lines and Apply Area Rules are selected.
When you add area boundary lines, you can either draw them or pick them. When you pick
the walls, you can select the option "Apply Area Rules" so that the area boundary lines adjust
to the area type. If you do not select this option, the area boundary lines do not update
automatically.

22 Select all the interior walls by clicking them one at a time.

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23 On the Design Bar, click Area.
24 In the upper left corner of the building model, click inside the middle of the room to place the
tag.

25 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

26 Select the area you added to the room in the upper left corner of the building model.

NOTE If you have difficulty selecting the area, place the cursor over the Area Tag and press Tab until
Area displays in the status bar, and click to select the area.

27 On the Options Bar, click .

28 In the Element Properties dialog, do the following:
■ Enter Tenant 1 for Name.

■ Select Office area for Area Type.

Creating Area Schemes and Plans | 597

 ■ Click OK.

29 On the Design Bar, click Area.

30 Add the area to the room on the lower left corner of the building model.
31 On the Design Bar, click Modify and select the area.

32 On the Options Bar, click .

33 In the Element Properties dialog, do the following:
■ Enter Tenant 2 for Name.

■ Select Office area for Area Type.

■ Click OK.

34 Using the techniques learned in previous steps, add an area in the common space to the right
of the double doors hosted by the west exterior wall.
In the Element Properties dialog, do the following:
■ Enter Circulation for Name.

■ Select Building Common Area for Area Type.

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 ■ Click OK.

35 Add an area to the building model core, enter Core for Name, and select Major Vertical
Penetration for Area Type.

36 Add the last two areas to the two spaces on the right side of the building model. Name the areas
Tenant 3 and Tenant 4, and select Store Area for Area Type. Tenant 3 should be in the upper
right, and Tenant 4 in the lower right.

Creating Area Schemes and Plans | 599

 Notice that within the two store areas, the area boundary lines have adjusted to the new area
type.

37 On the File menu, click Save.

38 Navigate to your preferred directory, name the project Area-in progress.rvt, and click Save.

NOTE This project is required in its current state if you intend to continue with the next exercise.

In this exercise, you used the two predefined area schemes to create respective area plans to define gross
area and a rentable area. You added and modified the area boundaries and applied area tags to define spaces.
In the next exercise, you create a color fill area plan and an area schedule.

Creating Area Schedules and Color Fill Area Plans

In this exercise, you create a color fill area plan and an area schedule.

NOTE This exercise requires the completion of the previous exercise.

Create a color scheme legend

1 On the Room and Area tab of the Design Bar, click Color Scheme Legend.
2 Move the cursor under the left corner of the building model, and click to place the legend.

600 | Chapter 16 Area Analysis

 3 When the dialog displays, click OK to make the required visibility setting changes.

Create an area schedule

4 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Schedule/Quantities.

5 In the New Schedule dialog, under Category, select Areas (Rentable), and click OK.
6 In the Schedules Properties dialog, click the Fields tab.
7 Under Available fields, select Area Type and click Add.
8 Add the fields Area and Name.

Creating Area Schedules and Color Fill Area Plans | 601

 9 Click OK.
The fields you selected in the Schedule Properties dialog are displayed as column headings within
the schedule.

602 | Chapter 16 Area Analysis

Massing
17
You can use massing tools during the initial design process to convey a potential design concept without the level of detail
usually found in a project. You can create and modify the geometric shapes that aggregate to form the building model
shell. At any time, you can pick massing faces and make building model elements such as walls, floors, curtain systems,
and roofs. After creating mass floors, you can create a schedule to assign usages and to analyze the design.
After you make building elements, you can specify the view to display massing elements, building elements, or both.
Massing elements and building elements are not linked automatically. If you modify a massing face, you then need to
update the building face.
In this tutorial, you create a new building model using the various massing tools to add and cut mass. You use mass floors
to divide the mass at each level of the building model. You create a mass floor schedule and assign mass usage to analyze
floor area, volume, and perimeter information. After you create the basic geometric shape of the building model, you
convert to the basic shell elements of the building model. You then modify the building model in both the massing view
and the shell view to see how changes propagate throughout the project.

Using Massing Tools

In this lesson, you create the basic geometric shape of the building model using various massing tools. You
assign the default wall, floor, and roof types so that when you convert the massing elements to shell elements
in the final exercise, the building model uses those element types to define the walls, roofs, and floors.

603
Adding Massing Elements to a Building Model
In this exercise, you create the basic geometric shape of a building model by adding solid and void extrusions,
sweeps, and cutting geometry.

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Massing_Start.rvt.

Add a mass element

1 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1.
2 On the Massing tab of the Design Bar, click Create Mass.

TIP If the Massing tab is not available on the Design Bar, right-click anywhere over the Design Bar,
and click Massing.

3 Click OK in the Show Mass mode informational dialog.

4 Click OK in the Name dialog to accept the default name Mass 1.
The Design Bar title changes to Mass.

5 On the Design Bar, click Solid Form ➤ Solid Extrusion.

604 | Chapter 17 Massing

 6 On the Sketch Design Bar, click Lines, and on the Options Bar, click (Line).
7 Sketch the shape as shown using the exact values.

TIP You may want to dimension and constrain the lines to maintain the exact dimensions.

8 On the Design Bar, click Extrusion Properties.

9 In the Element Properties dialog, under Materials and Finishes, click the value for Material, and
click .
10 In the Materials dialog, for Name, select Mass (Opaque), and click OK.
11 In the Element Properties dialog, under Constraints, for Extrusion End, enter 25000, and click
OK.
12 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

13 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

Create next extrusion form

14 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1.
15 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Wireframe.
16 On the Design Bar, click Solid Form ➤ Solid Extrusion.

17 On the Sketch Design Bar, click Lines, and on the Options Bar, click (Pick Lines).
18 On the Options Bar, for Offset, enter 1550 mm.
This means the sketch line is placed 1550 mm from the position you pick with the cursor.

19 Place the cursor in the drawing area on an edge of the existing form so that the edge is
highlighted.
Watch the Status Bar in the lower-left corner of the screen to be sure you are highlighting the
Form : Extrusion : Shape Handle.

20 Click the edges of the form to create sketch lines as shown.

Adding Massing Elements to a Building Model | 605

 Be sure to click to the inside of the extrusion.

21 On the Design Bar, click Extrusion Properties.

22 In the Element Properties dialog, under Materials and Finishes, click the value for Material, and
click .
23 In the Materials dialog, for Name, select Mass (Transparent), and click OK.
24 In the Element Properties dialog, under Constraints, for Extrusion Start, enter 25000, for Extrusion
End, enter 27500, and click OK.
25 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.
26 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), double-click {3D} to see the results.
The second form is on top of the first form.

Continue creation of next massing form

27 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under Elevations (Building Elevation), double-click
West.
28 On the Design Bar, click Solid Form ➤ Solid Blend.
29 In the Work Plane dialog, select Pick a plane, and click OK.
30 In the drawing area, highlight the larger form.

TIP If necessary, press TAB to highlight the entire face.

606 | Chapter 17 Massing

 31 Click to select the face.

32 On the Sketch Design Bar, click Lines, and on the Options Bar, click (Pick Lines).
Sketch the blend base

33 Select the top of the larger extrusion as shown.

34 On the Options Bar, click (Draw), and clear Chain.

Next, you draw a sketch line that acts as a construction line to create an arc.

35 Place the cursor at the midpoint of the sketch line as shown, and click to select the line start
point.
The triangle indicates that the cursor is at the midpoint.

36 Sketch a line 6000 mm up as shown.

37 On the Options Bar, click (Arc passing through three points).

Adding Massing Elements to a Building Model | 607

 TIP If you do not see this option, click the arrow next to the drawing options, and click Arc passing
through three points from the menu.

38 Sketch the arc as shown with the top of the arc snapping to the top of the construction line.

39 On the Design Bar, click Modify, and delete the vertical construction line.
40 Select the arc and the horizontal line.

41 On the Edit toolbar, click (Move).

42 Click the cursor at the midpoint of the horizontal sketch line as shown.

43 Move the cursor straight up and click at the top horizontal line of the smaller extrusion as
shown.

Sketch the blend top

44 On the Design Bar, click Edit Top.

45 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under Elevations (Building Elevation), double-click
East.

46 On the Design Bar, click Lines and, on the Options Bar, click (Line).
47 Sketch the horizontal line as shown.

608 | Chapter 17 Massing

 48 On the Options Bar, click (Arc passing through three points).
49 Create an arc as shown.

50 On the Design Bar, click Blend Properties.

51 In the Element Properties dialog, for Material, verify that Mass (Opaque) is selected, and that
-92000 is specified for Second End, and click OK.
52 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

53 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

54 Proceed to the next exercise, Using Massing Tools to Cut Geometry from the Building Model
on page 610.
In this exercise, you created two extrusions and a blend that form the basic geometric shape of the building
model.
In the next exercise, you use the massing tools to cut geometry from the shapes you have created.

Adding Massing Elements to a Building Model | 609

Using Massing Tools to Cut Geometry from the Building Model
In this exercise, you use a void extrusion to cut geometry from one of the massing shapes you added in the
previous exercise.

NOTE This exercise requires the completion of the previous exercise and the resulting building model.

Training File
■ Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, m_Massing_Start.rvt.

1 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1.
2 In the drawing area, select the mass.
Add reference planes

3 On the Mass tab of the Design bar, click Ref Plane.

4 On the Options bar, click (Pick Lines) and enter 15000 for Offset.
5 Place the cursor near the left edge of the massing element so that the edge is highlighted, and
place the first reference plane 15000 mm to the right.
6 Place another reference plane 15000 mm to the right of the first reference plane.
7 Using the same technique, place 3 more reference planes 15000 mm apart from left to right, as
shown.

When sketching the void extrusions in the steps that follow, you specify the intersection of the
reference planes and the top and bottom edges of the massing element. These reference planes
act primarily as sketching aids.

Sketch extrusion voids

8 On the Design Bar, click Void Form ➤ Void Extrusion.

9 On the Design Bar, click Lines.

10 On the Options Bar, click (Line), and select Chain.

610 | Chapter 17 Massing

 NOTE If the file is currently in shaded mode, on the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics
Style ➤ Hidden Line.

11 Enter SI for intersection snap, and sketch the first void extrusion as shown.

12 Sketch 2 additional void extrusions as shown.

When sketching each extrusion, snap the corners to the intersections.

13 On the Design Bar, click Extrusion Properties.

14 Under Constraints, for Extrusion End, enter 12000 and for Extrusion Start, enter 0.
15 Click OK.
16 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

17 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

In this exercise, you cut voids through an extrusion you added in the first exercise.

Using Swept Blends

In this exercise, you add a swept blend shape to the massing study created in the previous exercises. The
curved form you create connects 2 pieces of the sloped face side of the massing.

Using Swept Blends | 611

 NOTE This exercise requires the completion of the previous exercises and the resulting building model.

Training File
■ Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, m_Massing_Start.rvt.

Sketch a 2D path
1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1.
2 On the Mass tab of the Design Bar, click Solid Form ➤ Solid Swept Blend.
3 On the Design Bar, click Sketch 2D Path, and click Lines.

4 On the Options Bar, click (Arc passing through three points).

5 Sketch the arc:
■ Select the midpoint of the lower face of the middle mass.

■ Select the lower left endpoint of the left mass.

■ For the radius, select a point below the mass elements.

612 | Chapter 17 Massing

 Use a radius for the arc (about 180 degrees) that will make the beginning and end planes of
the sweep parallel to the face of the existing mass. The only way to align these elements is
visually.

6 On the Design Bar, click Finish Path.

Sketch profile 1

7 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

From a 3D view you can sketch the profiles for the 2 ends of the swept blend.

8 On the Design Bar, click Profile 1.

9 On the Options Bar, verify that <By Sketch> is selected, and click Edit.
10 On the Design Bar, click Lines.

11 On the Options Bar, click (Rectangle).

12 Select the right endpoint of the arc as the lower right endpoint of the rectangle, and sketch a
6000mm x 6000mm rectangle on the face of the mass, as shown.

Using Swept Blends | 613

 13 On the Tools toolbar, click (Align).
14 Align the left edge of the rectangle to the mass edge, and press ESC.

15 On the Design Bar, click Finish Profile.

Sketch profile 2

16 On the Design Bar, click Profile 2.

17 Using the same method, sketch a second rectangle:
■ Click to position the lower left corner of the rectangle at the left endpoint of the arc, and
sketch a rectangle on the face of the mass. (The size of the rectangle is not important because
you align it to the mass edges.)

■ Align the right sketch line of the rectangle with the right edge of the mass.

■ Align the top of the rectangle with the top edge of the cut extrusion, as shown:

614 | Chapter 17 Massing

 18 On the Design Bar, click Finish Profile.

Change the material properties of the mass

19 On the Design Bar, click Swept Blend Properties.

20 In the Element Properties dialog, under Materials and Finishes, click <By Category>, and click

.
21 In the Materials dialog, select Mass (Transparent).
22 Click OK twice.
23 On the Design Bar, click Finish Swept Blend.

Using Swept Blends | 615

 24 On the Design Bar, click Finish Mass.

25 Click File menu ➤ Save As.

26 Save the file as m_Massing_Complete.rvt.
In this exercise, you added a swept blend shape to the massing study.

Using Mass Family Files in a Project

In this lesson, you open a predefined mass family file and create new types from it. You then load that mass
family file and others into a project. You place several instances of the mass families into the project. Finally,
you use the Join Geometry command to join several instances of the mass elements.

Creating New Mass Family Types

In this exercise, you create new family types from a mass family file.

616 | Chapter 17 Massing

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\Families\Massing\Box.rfa.

Create 3 family types

1 On the Design Bar, click Family Types.
2 In the Family Types dialog, click New.
3 In the Name dialog, enter 15000 mm x 18000 mm x 12000 mm, and click OK.
4 In the Family Types dialog, under Other, for Width, enter 15000mm, for Height, enter 12000
mm, for Depth, enter 18000 mm, and click Apply.

5 Click New, and for Name, enter 68000 mm x 9000 mm x 18000 mm, and click OK.
6 For Width, enter 68000 mm, for Height, enter 18000 mm, for Depth, enter 9000 mm, and click
Apply.
7 Click New, and for Name, enter 46000 mm x 6000 mm x 11000 mm, and click OK.
8 For Width, enter 46000mm, for Height, enter 11000 mm, for Depth, enter 6000 mm, and click
Apply.
9 Click OK.
10 Click File menu ➤ Save As.
11 Save the file as Box-Training.rfa.
In this exercise, you opened a mass family file and created 3 new types of this family file.

Creating New Mass Family Types | 617

Loading and Placing New Mass Families
In this exercise, you load and place the new family types that you created in the previous exercise. You also
load other existing mass families and place them.

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Massing_In-place.rvt.

1 If not already selected, on the View toolbar, click (Show Mass) to show the massing model.

TIP Zoom out to see the entire massing model.

2 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under Floor Plans, double-click Site.
3 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Wireframe.
4 Click File menu ➤ Load from Library ➤ Load Family.
5 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open the Metric\Families\Massing
folder.
6 Open the Box-Training.rfa, Arc Dome.rfa, Semi Barrel Vault.rfa, and Triangle.rfa family files.
7 On the Massing tab of the Design Bar, click Place Mass.
8 In the Type Selector, select Box-Training: 68000 mm x 9000 mm x 18000 mm.
9 Place the box mass family on the in-place mass family, as shown.

TIP You may want to use the Move tool to accurately place the mass families.

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10 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

11 Select the box, and on the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).
12 In the Element Properties dialog, for the Material parameter, specify Mass (Transparent), and
click OK twice.
13 On the Massing tab of the Design Bar, click Place Mass.
14 In the Type Selector, select Box-Training: 15000 mm x 18000 mm x 12000 mm.
15 Place 3 of these box families on the larger box family, as shown.

16 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

17 Press CTRL, select the 3 boxes, and click (Element Properties).

18 In the Element Properties dialog, for the Material parameter, specify Mass (Opaque), and click
OK twice.
19 On the Massing tab of the Design Bar, click Place Mass.
20 In the Type Selector, select Triangle: 15000 x 45000 x 10500.
21 On the Options Bar, select Rotate after placement.
22 Place the cursor in the drawing area, and click to place the mass.
23 On the Options Bar, enter 90 for Angle.
24 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
25 In the drawing area, select the triangle, and use the Move command on the Edit toolbar to place
the triangle as shown.

Loading and Placing New Mass Families | 619

 26 Select the triangle, and click (Element Properties).
27 In the Element Properties dialog, for the Material parameter, specify Mass (Transparent), and
click OK twice.
28 On the Massing tab of the Design Bar, click Place Mass.
29 In the Type Selector, select Box-Training: 46000 mm x 6000 mm x 11000 mm.
30 Place the box mass family as shown.

31 Select the box and click (Element Properties).

32 In the Element Properties dialog, for the Material parameter, specify Mass (Opaque), and click
OK twice.

33 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

34 Use the ViewCube to orient the view to the Northeast.

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 Notice that the triangle and the box masses that you just placed overlap. In the next exercise,
you join these mass elements.

In this exercise, you loaded and placed the new family types that you created in the previous exercise. You
also loaded other existing mass families and added them to the building model.

Joining Mass Elements

In this exercise, you join and modify the mass elements that you placed in the previous exercise.

Training File
■ Continue using the m_Massing_In-place.rvt file.

Join geometry

1 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

2 On the Tools toolbar, click (Join Geometry).

NOTE When you join geometry, the first mass element selected cuts volume from any subsequently
selected mass element.

Joining Mass Elements | 621

 3 Select the middle Box-Training: 15000 mm x 18000 mm x 12000 mm mass element as shown.

4 Select the triangle.

Modify existing massing elements

5 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under Floor Plans, double-click Site.
6 Select the right edge of the Box-Training: 46000 mm x 6000 mm x 11000 mm and drag it to
the left edge of the middle Box-Training: 15000 mm x 18000 mm x 12000 mm as shown.

Mirror the modified mass element

7 With the smaller box still selected, on the Edit toolbar, click (Mirror).

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 8 On the Options Bar, for Axis, click (Draw).
9 Position the cursor over the upper edge of the middle box, enter SM, and snap to the midpoint
of the edge.
10 Click to select the mirror axis start point.
11 Move the cursor down to create a vertical axis of reflection, as shown.

TIP Pressing SHIFT while dragging the cursor locks the axis orthogonally.

12 Click to mirror the existing massing element.

Join geometry

13 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

14 On the Tools toolbar, click (Join Geometry).

15 Select one instance of the modified Box-Training: 46000 mm x 6000 mm x 11000 mm first, and
then select the triangle.
16 Repeat for the other instance of the modified mass element and the triangle.
17 Press ESC to see the result.

Joining Mass Elements | 623

 In this exercise, you joined mass elements together. The first selected mass element cut geometry from the
subsequently selected mass element. You also modified and mirrored a mass element before joining its
geometry with that of another element.

Using Mass Elements with Design Options

In this lesson, you continue using the same file from the previous lesson. You add mass elements to design
options to experiment with different versions of the design. You then make one of the design options the
primary one for the model.

Mass Elements in Design Options

In this exercise, you place the mass elements from the previous exercise into Design Options. You then
switch between different design options to get different versions of the design.

Training File
■ Continue using the file m_Massing_In-place.rvt.

1 On the Design Bar, click Modify, and select the triangle mass element.
2 On the Window menu, click Toolbar ➤ Design Options.
(If Design Options is already selected, do not clear the check mark.)

3 On the Design Options toolbar, click (Add to Design Option Set).

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 4 In the Add to Design Option Set dialog, select Sloped (primary), clear Curved, and click OK.
5 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under Floor Plans, double-click Site.
Place semi barrel vaults

6 On the Massing tab of the Design Bar, click Place Mass.

7 In the Type Selector, select Semi Barrel Vault: 10000 x 15000 x 7500.
8 On the Options Bar, select Rotate after placement.
9 Place the cursor in the drawing area and click to place the mass.
10 On the Options Bar, for Angle, enter 90.
11 Place a semi barrel vault where shown.

TIP You may want to use the Move tool to place the mass precisely.

12 Place another semi barrel vault as shown.

13 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

14 In the drawing area, select the 2 semi barrel vaults, and click (Element Properties).
15 In the Element Properties dialog, for the Material parameter, specify Mass (Transparent), and
click OK twice.
Place arc dome mass elements

16 On the Massing tab of the Design Bar, click Place Mass.

17 In the Type Selector, select Arc Dome: 6000R x 2750H.
18 Place 3 arc domes as shown.

Mass Elements in Design Options | 625

 TIP Use the snap control lines to assist in placing the domes.

19 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

20 In the drawing area, select the three arc domes, and click (Element Properties).
21 In the Element Properties dialog, for the Material parameter, specify Mass (Transparent), and
click OK twice.
22 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under Elevations, double-click North.
23 On the View Control Bar, Model Graphics Style ➤ Wireframe.
24 Move the 3 arc domes to the position shown.

Create a Design Option set

25 Select the 3 arc domes and the 2 semi barrel vaults.

TIP To find the correct shapes, move the cursor over shapes in the drawing, and watch the status
bar. It will indicate when you locate an arc dome or semi barrel vault. While pressing CTRL, click to
select each of the arc domes and semi barrel values.

26 On the Design Options toolbar, click (Add to Design Option Set).

27 In the Add to Design Option Set dialog, select Curved, clear Sloped, and click OK.
28 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under 3D Views, double-click {3D}.

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 29 Click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics.
30 In the Visibility/Graphics dialog, click the Design Options tab.
31 Click the value for Design Option, select Curved from the Design Option menu, and click OK.

You can now see the shapes that are part of the curved design option. Because it is likely that
your client prefers the design option with curved shapes, you can make it the primary option.

32 On the Design Options toolbar, click (Design Options).

33 In the Design Options dialog, select Curved and, under Option, click Make Primary.
34 Close the warning that displays, and click Close.
35 On the File menu, click Save As and save the file as m_Massing_Design_Options.rvt.
In this exercise, you placed mass elements into Design Options. You then switched between different design
options to get different versions of the design.

Creating Building Components from Mass Elements

In this lesson, you use building component creation tools to make building components from mass faces.

Creating Building Components from Mass Elements | 627

Creating Walls by Picking Faces
In this exercise, you pick massing faces to create walls.

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\m_Massing_Building_Components.rvt.

1 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), double-click {3D}.

2 On the View toolbar, click (Show Mass) to show the massing model.

TIP Zoom out to see the entire massing model.

3 Use the ViewCube to orient the view to the Southeast.

Create walls

4 On the Massing tab of the Design Bar, click Wall by Face.

5 In the Type Selector, select Basic Wall: Exterior - Brick on CMU.

6 On the Options Bar, click (Pick Faces), and for Loc Line, select Wall Centerline.
7 Place the cursor in the drawing area and select the face of the in-place mass family as shown.

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 The southeast wall of the mass model is now Brick on CMU.

8 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under Floor Plans, double-click Level 3.
9 On the Design Bar, click Wall by Face.
10 Select all the faces shown in red.

NOTE If a Warning dialog is displayed, alerting you that the highlighted walls overlap, ignore the
warning and continue selecting wall faces.

11 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under Floor Plans, double-click Level 5.
12 On the Design Bar, click Wall by Face.
13 Select the face indicated by the arrow as shown.

14 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1.
15 On the Design Bar, click Wall by Face.
16 In the Type Selector, select Curtain Wall : Storefront.
17 Select the 3 faces shown in red.

Creating Walls by Picking Faces | 629

 18 Select all the faces shown in red.

You can ignore the warnings about walls overlapping. If desired, you can select the overlapping
curtain wall, and click Edit Profile on the Options Bar. You can then edit the profile to clean up
the overlapping geometry.

19 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under Floor Plans, double-click Level 9.
20 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Wireframe.
21 On the Design Bar, click Wall by Face.
22 Select all the faces shown in red.

23 Open the 3D view to see the results.

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 In this exercise, you picked several massing faces and created both basic walls and curtain walls.

Creating Floors by Picking Masses

In this exercise, you pick mass elements and select levels to create floors. When you select levels, Revit
Architecture generates a mass floor for each selected level that intersects the mass. The following information
is available for mass floors: mass floor area, perimeter, volume, and exterior surface area.

Training File
■ Continue using the file m_Massing_Building_Components.rvt.

1 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), double-click {3D}.

2 Click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics.
3 On the Model Categories tab, clear Curtain Panels, Curtain Systems, and Walls.
4 Click OK.

Creating floors

5 Select the in-place mass family Mass 1.

6 On the Options Bar, click Mass Floors.
7 In the Mass Floors dialog, select all levels, and click OK.
8 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Creating Floors by Picking Masses | 631

 9 Use the ViewCube to orient the view to the Northeast.
10 Press CTRL, and select the three15000 mm x 18000 mm x 12000 mm box mass elements and
the mirrored 46000 mm x 6000 mm x 11000 mm box masses as shown.

11 On the Options Bar, click Mass Floors.

12 In the Mass Floors dialog, select Levels 1-4, and click OK.
13 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

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14 On the Options Bar, clear Exclude Design Options (to allow you to select the semi vault barrel
elements in the next step).
15 Press CTRL, and select the 2 semi vault barrel mass elements and the 68000 mm x 9000 mm x
18000 mm box mass element as shown.

NOTE The semi vault barrel elements are the 2 sloped components in the front of the view. The box
mass is the long box element in the middle of the model.

16 On the Options Bar, click Mass Floors.

17 In the Mass Floors dialog, select Level 1, and click OK.

Creating Floors by Picking Masses | 633

 In this exercise, you created floors by selecting mass elements and levels for the floors. Now that the floor
areas have been added to the mass objects, schedules can be created using the mass floors.

Creating a Mass Study Analysis

In this exercise, you generate mass floor schedules for the hotel and retail massing in the model.

Training File
■ Continue using the file m_Massing_Building_Components.rvt.

Create a mass floor schedule

1 Click View menu ➤ New ➤ Schedule/Quantities.

2 In the New Schedule dialog, under Category, select Mass Floor, and click OK.
3 In the Schedule Properties dialog, under Available fields, select Floor Area, press and hold SHIFT,
and select Level, and click Add.
The Floor Area, Floor Perimeter, Floor Volume, and Level fields should display under Scheduled
fields (in order).

4 Using the same method, add the following additional fields:

■ Usage

■ Mass: Family and Type

You use the Mass: Family and Type field to help sort the schedule so it is easier to assign usage
to the different masses.

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 5 On the Sorting/Grouping tab, for Sort by, select Mass: Family and Type.
6 Verify that Itemize every instance is selected, and click OK.
The Mass Floor Schedule displays.

7 Adjust the schedule columns so the entire field is displayed.

NOTE Double-click the column divider in the schedule header to automatically expand the column
to fit the text.

Assign usage values to the mass components

8 In the first entry in the schedule, for Usage, enter Retail.

9 Enter or select the appropriate usage value for all items in the schedule, according to the following
guidelines:

NOTE After you enter a usage value in the schedule, you can select it from the drop-down list for
subsequent entries.

Mass Family Usage

Box-Training: 1500 mm x 1800 mm x Retail

1200 mm

Creating a Mass Study Analysis | 635

 Mass Family Usage

Box-Training: 46000 mm x 6000 mm x Atrium

1100 mm

Box-Training: 68000 mm x 9000 mm x Atrium

18000 mm

Mass 1: Mass 1 Hotel

Semi Barrel Vault: 10000 x 15000 x 7500 Atrium

Modify the schedule to calculate hotel floor area

10 In the Project Browser, expand Schedules/Quantities, right-click Mass Floor Schedule, and click
Properties.
11 In the Element Properties dialog, under Other, for Fields, click Edit.
12 In the Schedule Properties dialog, under Scheduled fields (in order), select Mass: Family and
Type, and click Remove.
After you assign usage, the column Mass: Family and Type can be deleted. You can also arrange
the schedule so it is more useful for analyzing the massing.

13 With Usage selected, click Move Up until Usage is listed first.

14 Select Level, and click Move Up until Level is listed second.

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 15 On the Sorting/Grouping tab, for Sort by, select Usage, for Then by, select Level, and select
Grand totals.
16 On the Formatting tab, under Fields, select Floor Area, for Field formatting, select Calculate
totals, and click OK.
17 In the Element Properties dialog, under Other, for Filter, click Edit.
18 On the Filter tab, for Filter by, select Usage, and in the field below, enter Hotel.
You create separate schedules to calculate retail and hotel space independently.

19 Click OK twice.
20 Click in the title of the schedule, and enter Hotel Floor Area Schedule.

Create a retail floor area schedule

21 In the Project Browser, right-click Hotel Floor Area Schedule, and click Duplicate
View ➤ Duplicate.
22 In the Project Browser, right-click Copy of Hotel Floor Area Schedule, and click Rename.
23 In the Rename View dialog, enter Retail Floor Area Schedule, and click OK.
24 In the Project Browser, right-click Retail Floor Area Schedule, and click Properties.
25 In the Element Properties dialog, under Other, for Filter, click Edit.
26 In the Schedule Properties dialog, in the field under Filter by, enter Retail (instead of Hotel).
27 Click OK twice.

TIP The values from these floor area schedules can be tagged in section, elevation, and plan views.

Creating a Mass Study Analysis | 637

 In this exercise, you created mass floor schedules. The mass floor schedules list, by level, the floor area, floor
perimeter, and floor volume information of hotel and retail massing in the model.

Creating Roofs by Picking Faces

In this exercise, you pick massing faces to create roofs.

Training File
■ Continue using the file m_Massing_Building_Components.rvt.

1 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), double-click {3D}.

Create roofs

2 On the Massing tab of the Design Bar, click Roof by Face.

3 Select the top face of the left 15000 mm x 18000 mm x 12000 mm box mass element as shown.

638 | Chapter 17 Massing

4 In the Type Selector, select Basic Roof : Generic - 400mm.
5 On the Options Bar, click Create Roof.
6 Create the same roof on the remaining 15000 mm x 18000 mm x 12000 mm box mass elements,
and also on the top faces of the 46000 mm x 6000 mm x 11000 mm box mass elements.

NOTE Each time you select a face on an instance of the 15000 mm x 18000 mm x 12000 mm box
mass element family, click Create Roof. This creates the roof and lets you pick another face to create
a new roof.

Your model should now look as shown.

7 Use the ViewCube to orient the view to the Southwest.

Creating Roofs by Picking Faces | 639

 8 Using the method you just learned, create the same roof on the swept blend (curved) mass.

9 Use the ViewCube to orient the view back to the Northeast.

10 With the Roof by Face command still selected, in the Type Selector, select Sloped Glazing.
11 Select the left semi barrel vault mass element.
12 On the Options Bar, click Create Roof.
13 Using the same method, create a sloped glazing roof on the other semi barrel vault mass element.
14 Click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics.
15 Click the Model Categories tab, select Curtain Panels, Curtain Systems, and Walls, and click OK.

In this exercise, you created roofs by picking faces of massing families.

Creating Curtain Systems

In this exercise, you create curtain systems by picking non-planar massing faces.

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Training File
■ Continue using the file m_Massing_Building_Components.rvt.

1 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), double-click {3D}.

2 On the Massing tab of the Design Bar, click Curtain System by Face.
3 In the Type Selector, select Curtain System: 1500 x 1500mm.
4 On the Options Bar, verify that Select Multiple is selected.
5 Press CTRL, and select both halves of the left arc dome mass element as shown.

6 On the Options Bar, click Create System.

Creating Curtain Systems | 641

 7 Using the same method, create a curtain system for each of the other 2 domes.

8 With the Curtain System by Face command still selected, select the blended form on the in-place
mass.

642 | Chapter 17 Massing

 9 On the Options Bar, click Create System.

10 Use the ViewCube to orient the view to the Southwest.

11 Using the same method, create a curtain system for the walls of the swept blend (curved mass).

Creating Curtain Systems | 643

 12 Click Modify to exit the command.
In this exercise, you created curtain systems on non-planar faces.

Editing Elements Created from Massings

In this exercise, you change the size of an existing mass family, and modify building elements to resize with
the new mass family.

Training File
■ Continue using the file m_Massing_Building_Components.rvt.

644 | Chapter 17 Massing

1 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under Floor Plans, double-click Site.
2 On the View menu, click Visibility/Graphics.
3 On the Model Categories tab, clear Curtain Panels, Curtain Systems, Floors, Roofs, and Walls,
and then click OK.
Next, you resize one of the 15000 mm x 18000 mm x 12000 mm box mass elements.

4 Select the box mass family as shown, and click (Element Properties).

5 In the Element Properties dialog, for Width, enter 30000, and click OK.

6 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

7 On the Options Bar, clear Exclude Design Options.
8 Drag a selection box over the box family and the dome family.

9 Use the Move tool to position the box and dome families as shown.

Editing Elements Created from Massings | 645

 10 Open the 3D view to see the result.

The curtain system is no longer aligned with the dome family. In the next steps, you remake
several of the building elements to fit to the new size of the massing family.

11 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1.
12 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Wireframe.
13 Zoom in to the upper right-hand portion of the model and select the 3 walls shown.

646 | Chapter 17 Massing

 TIP To select the curtain wall, press TAB several times until the Status Bar indicates you are highlighting
the Walls : Curtain Wall : Storefront. Also, remember that there are two curtain walls of this type that
are overlapping here; you want to select the smaller one.

14 On the Options Bar, click Remake.

15 In the Exclude Hosts dialog, click OK.

16 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

17 Select the roof as shown.

Editing Elements Created from Massings | 647

 18 On the Options Bar, click Remake.

19 Select the arc dome curtain system, and click Remake.

648 | Chapter 17 Massing

 20 In the Project Browser, under Schedules/Quantities, double-click Retail Floor Area Schedule.
Notice that the values have changed in the schedule to reflect the changes in the mass elements.
In this exercise, you changed the size of an existing mass family. You then modified building elements to
resize with the new mass family.

Controlling Mass/Shell Visibility

In this exercise, you switch the visibility of the view between the massing elements and the model (shell)
elements.
Training File
■ Continue using the file m_Massing_Building_Components.rvt.

1 Open the 3D view.

Turn off massing

2 On the View toolbar, click (Show Mass) to turn off massing.

Controlling Mass/Shell Visibility | 649

 The 3D view now shows only the building shell.

Now you create a 3D view that shows only the massing.

3 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, right-click {3D}, and click Duplicate View ➤ Duplicate.
4 Rename the view 3D - Massing only.
5 Click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics.
6 On the Model Categories tab, click All to select all categories.
7 Clear one of the check boxes.
8 Click None to clear the selection.
9 Select Mass, and click OK.

650 | Chapter 17 Massing

In this exercise, you switched the visibility of the 3D view to show either the building shell or the mass
model.
This concludes the massing tutorial. If desired, you can continue adding additional Revit Architecture
modeling components, such as columns and an extruded roof, to the building shell. You might create the
model shown.

Controlling Mass/Shell Visibility | 651

652
Grouping
18
Using the grouping functionality in Revit® Architecture 2009, you can create reusable entities that represent layouts
common to many building projects. By grouping objects, you not only simplify their placement, you also simplify the
modification process. For example, when you make changes to a single instance of a model group, all instances in the
building model are updated, and all new instances that you place contain the modifications.
You can also nest groups within other groups. In this tutorial, you create a model group for a typical kitchen, and then
you nest the kitchen in a 2 bedroom condominium unit group. Modifications to the nested group are automatically
included in the host group.
Saving a group to a library gives you the ability to share the group with other team members working on the same project,
or with those working on a different project. This functionality ensures consistency within and across projects. It also
gives all those with access to the library the ability to load any group from the library into their project drawing. Because
existing groups can be duplicated and then customized for another purpose, creating a library of groups for your office
can reduce the amount of work needed to create, place, and modify repetitive units.

Creating, Modifying, and Nesting Groups

In this lesson, you learn how to use model groups to collect related elements to simplify placement of
repetitive units. Examples of the types of units for which groups are intended include condominium units,
hotel rooms, and typical office layouts.
After you create a model group, you can place instances of the group in the building model using various
methods. You can also update all instances of a group in the building model by editing a single instance of
the group and saving the changes.
In another exercise, you add the new model group to a previously created group. The new group is considered
nested within the host group, and is contained in every instance of the host group that you place in the
building model. When you make changes to a nested group, the host group is also updated automatically.

Creating and Placing a Group

In this exercise, you create a model group for a typical kitchen for a condominium unit. You create the group
by selecting drawing objects and grouping them as a single entity.
In this exercise, you place 2 new instances of the kitchen group in the floor plan. You mirror one instance
of the group, and rotate the other instance to modify the layout position.
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

653
 ■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Groups-Condominium.rvt.

NOTE You may need to scroll the left pane to see the Training Files folder.

Create a group for the typical kitchen layout

1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click First Floor.

2 Click in the drawing area, enter ZR, and zoom to the kitchen in the upper-left area of the floor
plan.

654 | Chapter 18 Grouping

3 Draw a selection box (lower-right corner to upper-left corner) around the kitchen.

4 On the Edit toolbar, click (Group).

5 In the Create Model Group dialog, enter Typical Kitchen, and click OK.
The objects are now grouped and can be placed in the drawing as a single entity.

Creating and Placing a Group | 655

 Change the origin point for the group

6 In the drawing area, select the center control for the group origin, and drag it to the upper-right
corner of the kitchen.

7 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

8 Click View menu ➤ Zoom ➤ Zoom To Fit.

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Place instances of the group

9 In the Project Browser, under Groups, expand Model, right-click Typical Kitchen, and click
Create Instance.
10 Zoom to the center of the floor plan, and click the upper-left corner of the lower unit to place
the kitchen group.

11 Click in the upper-right corner of the stairwell to place a second instance.

12 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

13 Select the first instance of the Typical Kitchen group that you just placed.

Creating and Placing a Group | 657

 14 On the Edit toolbar, click (Mirror).
15 On the Options Bar, clear Copy.
16 Select the adjacent wall near the sink as the axis of reflection.

The kitchen is now positioned correctly in the floor plan.

NOTE If the kitchen is not placed exactly as shown in the following image, select the group and use
the arrow keys on your keyboard to make any minor adjustments.

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17 Select the kitchen in the stairwell, and on the Edit toolbar, click (Rotate).

18 Click in the drawing area to the left of the kitchen.

19 Click above the right area of the kitchen to rotate the placement.

Creating and Placing a Group | 659

 NOTE If the kitchen is not placed exactly as shown in the following images, select the group and
use the arrow keys on your keyboard to make any minor adjustments.

20 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

21 Click View menu ➤ Zoom ➤ Zoom To Fit.

You should now have three instances of the Typical Kitchen group in your model: one with the
original orientation, one mirrored, and one rotated, as shown.

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 Save the training file

22 On the File menu, click Save As.

23 Navigate to your preferred directory, name the file m_Groups-Condominium_in_progress.rvt,
and click Save.

Modifying a Group
In this exercise, you make changes to an instance of a group. When you finish editing, all instances of the
same group in the drawing are updated.
Training File
Continue using the training file saved at the end of the previous exercise,
m_Groups-Condominium_in_progress.rvt.

Modify visibility of elements in a group

1 Zoom in to the kitchen on the right above the stair.
2 Move the cursor over the wall to the left of the kitchen, press TAB to highlight the wall, and
click to select it.

Modifying a Group | 661

 3 Click (Group Member. Click icon to exclude in this group instance.).
This element remains in the group but is not visible in the project view for this group instance.

NOTE To display an excluded element, select the element, and click (Restore excluded group
member to group instance.).

4 Move the cursor over the door, press TAB, and click to select the door.

5 Click (Group Member. Click icon to exclude in this group instance.).

6 Move the cursor over the horizontal wall, press TAB, and click to select the wall.

7 Click (Group Member. Click icon to exclude in this group instance.).

8 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

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Add elements for a unique condition

9 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Wall.

10 In the Type Selector, select Basic Wall : Generic - 127mm.
11 Click at the endpoint of the short vertical wall in the kitchen entrance, move the cursor to the
left, and click to draw a horizontal wall that extends to the left vertical wall.

12 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

13 On the Design Bar, click Door.
14 In the Type Selector, select Bifold-4 Panel : 1220 x 2134mm.
15 On the Options Bar, clear Tag on Placement.
16 Click in the new wall on the left and on the right to place 2 sets of folding doors for a closet.

Modifying a Group | 663

 17 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
18 Click View menu ➤ Zoom ➤ Zoom To Fit.
Modify geometry of a group and have changes display in all group instances

19 Zoom in to the kitchen in the left area of the floor plan.

20 Select the Typical Kitchen group.
21 On the Options Bar, click Edit Group.
In edit group mode, the background color of the drawing area is pale yellow, and the group
editor toolbar initially displays in the upper left corner. The elements in this instance of the
group remain displayed in their object style. All other elements in the model are grayed out.

22 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, select Opening ➤ Wall Opening.
23 In the drawing area, select the vertical wall to the left of the long counter top.
24 Click near the bottom corner of the wall, move the cursor up, and click near the top corner of
the wall to create an opening.

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 25 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

26 Select the opening, and on the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).
27 In the Element Properties dialog, under Constraints, for Unconnected Height, enter 2134.
28 For Base Offset, enter 1000, and click OK.
29 On the group editor toolbar, click Finish.
All instances of the Typical Kitchen are updated to reflect the change.

30 Click File menu ➤ Save.

Nesting Groups
In this exercise, you add the Typical Kitchen group, created in an earlier lesson, and the wall and folding
doors for the closet, to the 2 Bedroom Unit group. The kitchen group is then nested within the 2 bedroom
unit group, which acts as the host. When you nest the kitchen in the 2 bedroom unit, all instances of the
host group are updated to contain the nested group.

Nesting Groups | 665

 Training File
Continue using the training file saved at the end of the previous exercise,
m_Groups-Condominium_in_progress.rvt.

Add elements to an existing group

1 If necessary, in the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click First Floor.
2 Select the 2 Bedroom Unit group in the top area of the floor plan.

3 On the Options Bar, click Edit Group.

4 On the group editor toolbar, click (Add to Group).

5 In the drawing area, select the Typical Kitchen group.

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6 Press TAB, select the wall between the folding doors, and each of the bifold doors.

7 On the group editor toolbar, click Finish.

8 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Second Floor.
9 Select the 2 bedroom group.
Notice that the Typical Kitchen and pantry are nested within the 2 bedroom group.

Nesting Groups | 667

 10 Click File menu ➤ Save.

Working with Detail Groups

In this lesson, you work with groups in order to use them in the most efficient manner within and across
projects. Detail groups are created when you group view-specific elements, such as text, and filled regions.
You create a detail group in the First Floor plan and add the group to the Second Floor plan of the building
model.
Attached detail groups are created when you group view-specific elements that are associated with a specific
model group, such as door and window tags. In the next exercise, you add door tags to a group, and create
an attached detail group containing the tags. You work with the attached detail group in a different way
than you had previously worked with host and nested groups because attached detail groups require more
manual manipulation.

Creating a Detail Group

In this exercise, you sketch and annotate a rectangular filled region that represents an area of tiled flooring
in front of the elevators in the building model. You then save the region and the text note as a detail group.
You can add the detail group to other views of the building model.
Training File
Continue using the training file saved at the end of the previous exercise,
m_Groups-Condominium_in_progress.rvt.

Draw a filled region

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click First Floor.
2 Zoom in to the stair area in the center of the floor plan.

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3 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Filled Region.

4 On the Options Bar, click to draw a rectangular region.

5 Click the upper-right endpoint below the elevators as the start point of the rectangle.

6 Move the cursor down and to the left, and select a point below the left elevator.

7 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

A rectangular region with a diagonal cross hatch pattern is added in front of the elevator doors.

Creating a Detail Group | 669

 Add a text note

8 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Text.

9 On the Options Bar, click to add an arc leader.

10 Click in the filled region to specify the leader start point.
11 Click below the filled region to end the leader and specify the text start point.
12 Enter Tile, and on the Design Bar, click Modify.
The text note with arc leader is added to the building model.

Create a detail group

13 Press and hold CTRL, and select the text note and the filled region.

14 On the Edit toolbar, click (Group).

15 In the Create Detail Group dialog, enter Elevator Lobby Tile, and click OK.
16 In the drawing area, select the instance of the Elevator lobby tile group.
17 Move the origin of the group to the corner of the elevator shaft, as shown.

670 | Chapter 18 Grouping

 18 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
Add a group instance to a different view

19 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Second Floor.

20 In the Project Browser, under Groups, expand Detail, right-click Elevator Lobby Tile, and click
Create Instance.
21 In the drawing area, click to place the detail group in front of the elevators.

22 On the Design Bar, click Modify

23 Click View menu ➤ Zoom ➤ Zoom To Fit.
24 Click File menu ➤ Save.

Using Attached Detail Groups

In this exercise, you add door tags to the 2 Bedroom Unit group, and then use the door tags to create an
attached detail group. Because the detail group contains variables, it cannot be added to a group in the same

Using Attached Detail Groups | 671

 manner that a drawing component can be added; you must manually attach it to each instance of the 2
Bedroom Unit group.
Training File
Continue using the training file saved at the end of the previous exercise,
m_Groups-Condominium_in_progress.rvt.

Place door tags

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click First Floor.
2 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Tag ➤ By Category.
3 On the Options Bar, clear Leader.
4 Place door tags (10 total) in the original instance of the 2 Bedroom Unit, as shown.

NOTE Your door tag numbers may be different.

5 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Create an attached detail group

6 In the drawing area, draw a selection box (lower-right corner to upper-left corner) around the
right area of the floor plan including the door tags.

672 | Chapter 18 Grouping

 7 On the Options Bar, click (Filter Selection).
8 In the Filter dialog, click Check None, select Door Tags, and click OK.

9 On the Edit toolbar, click (Group).

10 In the Create Model Group and Attached Detail Group dialog, for Attached Detail Group Name,
enter 2 Bedroom Door Tags, and click OK.

11 In the Project Browser, expand Groups\Model\2 Bedroom Unit, and view that Floor Plan: 2
Bedroom Door Tags is attached.
Place a detail group in another group instance

12 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Second Floor.

Using Attached Detail Groups | 673

 13 Select the model group 2 Bedroom Unit.
14 On the Options Bar, click Place Detail.
15 In the Attached Detail Group Placement dialog, select Floor Plan: 2 Bedroom Door Tags, and
click OK.
Door Tags are placed on the Second Floor instance of the 2 Bedroom Unit group.

NOTE Component instance numbering is sequential; therefore, the doors are numbered based upon
the order in which you placed each group.

16 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

17 Click File menu ➤ Save.

Saving and Loading Groups

In this lesson, you save a typical condominium layout to a library where it can be accessed by other team
members for use in other projects. When you load the group from the library into a new project, you can
then work with it in the context of the new project. You also convert the group instance to a linked file to
replace the group with an alternative unit layout.

Saving and Loading Groups

In this exercise, you save a group to a library so that you can use the group in a new project. This enables
you to create a library of groups that can be shared with other team members and used on multiple projects.
Using groups from a library ensures consistency and increases productivity for projects that reuse similar
typical layouts for repetitive units.
Training File

674 | Chapter 18 Grouping

Continue using the training file saved at the end of the previous exercise,
m_Groups-Condominium_in_progress.rvt.

Save a group to a library

1 In the Project Browser, under Groups\Model, right-click 2 Bedroom Unit, and click Save Group.
2 In the left pane of the Save Group dialog, click Desktop.
3 For File name, verify that Same as group name is selected, and click Save.
You can save a group as a Revit project file (RVT) if you are working in a project, or a Revit family
file (RFA) if you are working in the Family Editor. In this case, the file is saved as a Revit project
file (RVT).

Load the group in a new project

4 Click File menu ➤ New ➤ Project.

5 In the New Project dialog, accept the default template file, for Create new, verify that Project is
selected, and click OK.
6 Click File menu ➤ Load from Library ➤ Load File as Group.
7 In the Load File as Group dialog, browse to the Desktop, select 2 Bedroom Unit.rvt, and click
Open.
8 In the Duplicate Types dialog, click OK.
A warning dialog displays, explaining that duplicate types were found and the types from the
new project will be used.

Place an instance of the loaded group

9 In the Project Browser, expand Groups, and expand Model.

10 Right-click 2 Bedroom Unit, and click Create Instance.
11 Click in the drawing area to place the group instance.
12 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

13 Zoom in to the 2 Bedroom Unit group.

Saving and Loading Groups | 675

 Convert group instance to a linked file

14 Select the group, and on the Options Bar, click Link.

15 In the Convert Group to Link dialog, click Use Existing.
When a group is converted to a link, either the selected group can be used to make a new linked
file, or the group instance can be replaced with an existing linked file.

16 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Common\c_2 Bedroom
Unit-Alternate.rvt.
17 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

18 In the Project Browser, expand Revit Links.

The 2 Bedroom Unit-Alternate.rvt file is added as a link to the project.

Convert the linked model to a group

19 In the drawing area, select the linked Revit model.

20 On the Options Bar, click Bind.
21 In the Bind Link Options dialog, verify that Attached Details is selected only, and click OK.
22 In the Duplicate Types dialog, click OK.
23 In the confirmation dialog, click Yes to replace the existing Typical Kitchen group with the
alternate Typical Kitchen group.
24 In the message dialog, click Remove Link.
This message indicates that all instances of the linked model will be deleted from the project,
but the linked model file will still be loaded in the project. You can remove the linked file from
the project by clicking Remove Link, or you can remove it at a later time from the Manage Links
dialog.

25 The linked file is converted to a new model group stored in the project, and the link is removed.
26 Close the file with or without saving it.

676 | Chapter 18 Grouping

Site
19
In this tutorial, you use the site tools in Revit Architecture 2009 to add and modify site components within a project.

Using Site Tools

In this lesson, you use site tools to add and modify site components within a project. You start by importing
the site contour data and converting it to 3D contour data. You add property lines manually, convert the
data to a table, and then modify the data. You add subregions to the area to define parking areas, islands,
and walkways. After grading the topography to create a slightly elevated and flat surface, you add a building
pad to the site. In the final exercises, you add parking and planting components and create a parking space
schedule.

677
 The exercises are sequential and must be done in order.

Creating a Toposurface
In this exercise, you create a toposurface using two different methods. Using the first method, you create a
toposurface by manually placing elevation points in the site plan. In the second part of this exercise, you
import contour data from a DWG file and use it to create the project toposurface.

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_First_Project.rvt.
This project file was created using the default metric template.

Create a toposurface by adding elevation points

1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Site.
The scale of this view is 1 : 100.

2 On the Site tab of the Design Bar, click Toposurface.

TIP If the Site tab is not displayed, right-click in the Design Bar, and click Site.

3 On the Design Bar, click Point.

4 On the Options Bar, enter an absolute elevation of 3000 mm.

678 | Chapter 19 Site

5 Click in the drawing area to specify a point.

6 Add two additional points to create a triangle. Use the following illustration as a reference.

Triangulation boundaries display only after you add the third elevation point. A toposurface
must have at least three elevation points.

7 Add additional points to create a contour circle similar to the following illustration. The circle
should be approximately 55000 mm wide.

Creating a Toposurface | 679

 8 On the Options Bar, enter an absolute elevation of 6000mm.
9 Add a concentric circle of 6000mm elevation points inside the 3000mm contour.

TIP Do not be concerned with the exact quantity or placement of the points.

10 Repeat the previous step for 9000mm, 12000mm, 15000mm, and 18000mm absolute elevations.
Try to add each circle concentrically inside the previously created circle. Use the following
illustration as a reference.

11 On the Design Bar, click Finish Surface.

12 On the Settings menu, click Site Settings.
13 In the Site Settings dialog, under Additional Contours, under Increment, enter 1500mm, and
click OK.

680 | Chapter 19 Site

 This setting reduces the quantity of contour lines in the view.

14 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

15 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Shading with Edges.

16 On the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels), and use the Orbit tool to spin the toposurface
to view it at various angles.

Use imported contour data to create a toposurface

17 Select the toposurface and, on the Standard toolbar, click to delete it.
18 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), expand Elevations (Building Elevation), and double-click
South.
Before importing the contour data, modify the level names and elevations.

19 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

20 Zoom in around the Level 2 head, click the elevation value, enter 1000mm, and press ENTER.

Creating a Toposurface | 681

 21 Click the Level 2 text, rename the level Basement, and press ENTER.
22 When you are asked if you want to rename corresponding views, click Yes.
23 Click the Level 1 text, rename the level Base Site Elevation, and press ENTER.
Click Yes when prompted to rename corresponding views.

24 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under Floor Plans, double-click Site.
25 Click File menu ➤ Import/Link ➤ CAD Formats.
26 In the Import/Link dialog:
■ In the left pane, click Training Files.

■ Select the c_Import_Site file located in the Common folder.

■ For Colors, select Preserve.

■ For Layers, select Specify.

■ Verify that Current view only is not selected.

■ Click Open.

You are immediately prompted to select the layers you want to import.

27 In the Select Layers/Levels to Import/Link dialog, clear layer 0 and layer C_bench_mark, and
click OK.
28 On the Design Bar, click Modify, and zoom out until you can see the entire topography within
the view.
29 Select the imported topography.
Until it is exploded, it is considered an import symbol.

30 On the Edit menu, click Pin Position.

This ensures the import symbol is not accidently moved.

682 | Chapter 19 Site

31 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
Notice the elevation symbols are displayed.

32 On the View menu, click Visibility/Graphics.

33 In the Visibility/Graphics dialog, click the Annotation Categories tab.
34 Under Visibility, clear Elevations, and then click OK.
35 On the Site tab of the Design Bar, click Toposurface.
36 On the Design Bar, click Use Imported ➤ Import Instance.
37 Place the cursor over the imported symbol and, when the edges highlight, select it.

When you select the import symbol, you are prompted to select the layer that will generate the
elevation points.

38 In the Add Points from Selected Layers dialog, clear C_INDX, and click OK.

Creating a Toposurface | 683

 The import symbol is converted to elevation points and contours.

39 On the Design Bar, click Finish Surface.

40 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

41 Enter ZF to zoom to the extents of the image.

42 On the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels), and use the Orbit tool to spin the toposurface
to view it at various angles. Notice that the change in this toposurface elevation is minor.

43 Click File menu ➤ Save As.

44 Navigate to your preferred folder, name the project Site-in progress.rvt, and click Save.

NOTE If you intend to complete the next exercise, this project file is required in its current state.

45 Proceed to the next exercise, Adding Property Lines on page 684.

Adding Property Lines

In this exercise, you add property lines using two methods. Using the first method, you sketch the property
lines and then convert the sketch into survey data. Using the second method, you create property lines by
entering survey data into a table of distances and bearings.

684 | Chapter 19 Site

This exercise requires the completion of the previous exercise and the project file in its current state. If you
have not completed the previous exercise, do so before continuing.
Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, Site-in progress.rvt.

Sketch property lines

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Site.
2 On the Site tab of the Design Bar, click Property Line.
3 In the Property Line Creation dialog, select Create property lines by sketching, and click OK.
4 On the Design Bar, click Lines.
5 Using the sketching tools available on the Options Bar, sketch the shape shown in the following
illustration. Although you can use your preferred sketching method, you can quickly create the
shape by doing the following:
■ Sketch the rectangle first.

■ Click Modify.

■ Select and delete the right vertical line.

■ On the Design Bar, click Lines.

Adding Property Lines | 685

 ■ Using the 3-point Arc tool, add an arc line on the right.

NOTE The weight of the sketch lines has been increased in the illustration for training purposes.

6 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

The property lines are displayed with a dash-dot line type on the topography.

7 Move the cursor over the property lines and, when they highlight, select the lines.
8 On the Options Bar, select Edit Table.
A warning dialog is displayed, informing you that converting a property line sketch to a table
cannot be undone.

9 In the warning dialog, click OK.

10 In the Property Lines dialog, click OK.

NOTE The values displayed in the Property Lines dialog depend on the exact dimensions and location
of your sketch.

Create property lines using a table of distances and bearings

11 Select the property lines and, on the Standard toolbar, click to delete them.
12 On the Design Bar, click Property Line.
13 In the Property Line Creation dialog, select Create property lines by table of distances and
bearings, and click OK.

686 | Chapter 19 Site

 14 In the Property Lines dialog, click Insert three times until there are four rows of deed data.
15 Starting in Row #1, enter the following deed data for rows 1 through 4:
■ 100000 S 0°0'0" E

■ 80000 N 90°0'0" W

■ 100000 N 0°0'0" E

■ 80000 N 90°0'0" E

Notice that after you complete the last line, the distance that displayed under From last to first
point now displays Closed. This means there is no gap in the property lines. If the gap is not
closed, review your data entry and make necessary corrections.

16 Click OK.
The property lines are displayed at the tip of the cursor.

17 Move the cursor over the topographic surface and using the following illustration as a reference,
click to place the property lines.

Tag property lines

18 On the Settings menu, click Annotations ➤ Loaded Tags.

19 In the Tags dialog, scroll down the list of categories until you find Property Lines and notice
there are no tags loaded for Property Line Segments.

Adding Property Lines | 687

 20 Click Load.
21 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\Families\Annotations\Civil\M_Property Line Tag.rfa.
22 In the Tags dialog, notice a tag is now loaded for property line segments, and click OK.
Before adding property line segment tags, the visibility of the imported symbol needs to be
turned off. Even though you converted the symbol to elevations points and contours, the original
DWG file remains visible in the view.

23 On the View menu, click Visibility/Graphics.

24 In the Visibility/Graphics dialog, click the Imported Categories tab.
25 Under Visibility, clear the checkbox for c_Import_Site.dwg and click OK.
26 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Tag ➤ By Category.

NOTE If the Drafting tab of the Design Bar is not visible, right-click in the Design Bar, and click
Drafting.

27 On the Options Bar, clear Leader.

28 Zoom in and place the cursor over the center of the north property line. When the tag displays
at the tip of the cursor, click to place it.

29 Tag the three remaining property lines.

30 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Shading with Edges.
The tags display more prominently in this view.

31 Click File menu ➤ Save.

NOTE If you intend to complete the next exercise, this project file is required in its current state.

32 Proceed to the next exercise, Modifying Contour Visibility and Site Settings on page 689.
In this exercise, you created two sets of property lines. The first set you sketched and then converted into
deed data. You created the second set of property lines directly from deed data and located it on the
topography. In the final step, you loaded and tagged the property line segments.
In the next exercise, you modify site settings and contour line visibility.

688 | Chapter 19 Site

Modifying Contour Visibility and Site Settings
In this exercise, you create a new object style subcategory to mark a specific elevation. You also modify the
site settings so that the new subcategory is displayed at the specific elevation.

Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, Site-in progress.rvt.

Create an object style subcategory for specific elevation

1 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Wireframe.

2 On the Settings menu, click Object Styles.
3 On the Model Objects tab of the Object Styles dialog, scroll down the list of categories and
expand Topography.
4 Under Modify Subcategories, click New.
5 In the New Subcategory dialog, enter the name Working Contour, for Subcategory, select
Topography, and click OK.
In the Object Styles dialog, the new object style subcategory is displayed under Topography.

6 In the Object Styles dialog, specify the following settings for the Working Contour subcategory:
■ Verify that the Line Weights are 1.

■ Under Line Pattern, select Dash dot.

■ Under Line Color, select a shade of Brown.

7 Click OK.
Modify site settings

8 On the Settings menu, click Site Settings.

9 In the Site Settings dialog, under Contour Line Display, specify an interval of 1000mm passing
through elevation 0.0mm.
10 Under Additional Contours, specify the following values:
■ Under Start, enter 1000.

■ Under Range Type, select Single Value.

■ Under Subcategory, select Working Contour.

Modifying Contour Visibility and Site Settings | 689

 11 Click OK.
The object style subcategory, Working Contour, displays on the topography only at the elevation
you specified.

12 Click File menu ➤ Close. Click Yes when prompted to save changes.
The next exercise requires a new training file.

13 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating Topographic Subregions on page 690.

In this exercise, you created a new object style subcategory for topography. You then modified the site setting
to distinguish a specific contour interval using this subcategory.
In the next exercise, you create topographic subregions to define roads, parking areas, and islands.

Creating Topographic Subregions

In this exercise, you create subregions in order to define roads, parking areas, and islands. Creating a subregion
does not result in separate surfaces; it merely defines an area of the surface where you can apply a different
set of properties, such as material.

690 | Chapter 19 Site

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Site.rvt.

Sketch initial parking area

1 On the Site tab of the Design Bar, click Subregion.
2 On the Design Bar, click Lines.
3 Using the sketching tools on the Options Bar, sketch the shape highlighted in the illustration
below. Although the exact dimensions are not important, try to replicate the location and
proportion.

TIP You can either sketch the shape freehand or draw two perpendicular rectangles, use the trim
tool to create just one closed loop, and use the fillet arc sketching tool to add the curved corner. The
horizontal rectangle is approximately 7500 mm wide; the vertical rectangle is approximately 19500
mm wide.

Creating Topographic Subregions | 691

 NOTE In the Metric training file, you may see fewer contour lines than in the images shown in this
exercise.

Notice that the left edge of the subregion overhangs the site topography. When you finish the
sketch in a later step, the subregion will end at the edge of the defined topography.

Specify subregion properties for parking area

4 On the Design Bar, click Properties.

5 In the Element Properties dialog, under Materials and Finishes, click the value for Material, and
click to open the Materials dialog.
6 In the Materials dialog, select Site - Tarmacadam for Name, and click OK.
7 In the Element Properties dialog, under Identity Data, enter Parking for Name, and click OK.
8 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

692 | Chapter 19 Site

 9 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Shading with Edges.

Notice that the new subregion uses the material Site - Tarmacadam. Although you can select
each toposurface region separately and apply different properties to each, the toposurface and
its contour data remain one element.
You can create a toposurface schedule to report information regarding each toposurface region.

Open the topography schedule

10 In the Project Browser, expand Schedules/Quantities, and double-click Topography Schedule.

NOTE Your values may differ depending on your sketch.

This topography schedule uses a filter to omit unnamed topographic regions. As you create new
subregions, they display within this schedule.

Modify the subregion

11 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Site.

12 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Hidden Line.
13 Select the subregion you created in the previous steps.
14 On the Options Bar, click Edit Boundary.
15 Add new lines and modify the existing lines to create a boundary similar to the one shown in
the following illustration. The two additional parking areas in the top portion of the sketch
must be at least 5500 mm deep to accommodate parking spaces.

Creating Topographic Subregions | 693

 TIP Add the two upper parking areas as rectangles. Delete overlapping lines, and use the split and
trim tools to clean up the sketch. Mirror the arc line to create an exact duplicate.

16 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

17 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Shading with Edges.
18 In the Project Browser, under Schedules/Quantities, double-click Topography Schedule.
Notice that the project area has increased.

Add additional subregions

19 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Site.

In this training project, additional subregions are required to create a more attractive parking
area. Within each subregion, you apply different materials such as grass and concrete.

20 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Hidden Line.
21 On the Site tab of the Design Bar, click Subregion.
22 On the Design Bar, click Lines.

694 | Chapter 19 Site

23 In the upper-right parking area, use the sketching tools available on the Options Bar to sketch
the parking island shown in the following illustration. Precise dimensions are not important at
this time.

24 On the Design Bar, click Properties.

25 In the Element Properties dialog, under Materials and Finishes, click the value for Material, and
click to open the Materials dialog.
26 In the Materials dialog, select Site - Grass for Name, and click OK.
27 In the Element Properties dialog, under Identity Data, enter Island - Grass for Name, and click
OK.
28 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.
29 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Shading with Edges.

30 In the Project Browser, under Schedules/Quantities, double-click Topography Schedule.

Notice that the schedule has been updated with the new information.

Creating Topographic Subregions | 695

 31 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Site.
Using the techniques learned in previous steps, add the three additional subregions shown in
the following illustration. You must sketch each region separately. Name each region Island -
Grass, and apply the material Site - Grass.

32 In the Project Browser, under Schedules/Quantities, double-click Topography Schedule.

Notice that the schedule has been updated.

Add the concrete walkway

33 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Site.

34 On the Design Bar, click Subregion.
35 On the Design Bar, click Lines.
36 Use the sketching tools available on the Options Bar to sketch the new concrete walkway shown
in the following illustration. Name the subregion Walkway, and apply the material Concrete -
Cast-in-Situ - walkway.

696 | Chapter 19 Site

 WARNING Subregions cannot intersect, so you need to offset coincident lines between the subregions
by 100 mm.

37 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

NOTE Although several toposurface subregions now exist within this project, there is still only one
toposurface. If you want to modify the elevation points of a particular subregion, you must either
edit the entire toposurface or split the toposurface.

38 In the Project Browser, under Schedules/Quantities, double-click Topography Schedule.

Notice that the schedule has been updated.

Creating Topographic Subregions | 697

 39 Click File menu ➤ Save As.
40 Navigate to your preferred folder, name the project Site tutorial-in progress.rvt, and click Save.

NOTE If you intend to complete the next exercise, this project file is required in its current state.

41 Proceed to the next exercise, Grading the Toposurface on page 698.

Grading the Toposurface

In this exercise, you grade the toposurface to create a slightly elevated and flat parking area. When you use
the grading tool, the existing topography is demolished and a new toposurface is created where you can
edit the elevation points.

Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, Site tutorial-in progress.rvt.

Modify toposurface phase assignment

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Site.
2 Select the toposurface.

698 | Chapter 19 Site

3 On the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).
4 In the Element Properties dialog, under Phasing, select Existing for Phase Created, and click OK.
A warning dialog is displayed, stating that subregions must have the same Phase Created
parameter and the same Phase Demolished parameter as the host toposurface. Click OK to set
the subregion phase to match the toposurface.

5 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

Notice that the toposurface displays differently. The display settings are controlled by the phase
filter.

RELATED For more information regarding phasing, see the tutorial, Using Phasing on page 761.

6 On the Design Bar, click Graded Region.

7 In the Graded Region dialog, select Copy Internal Points, and click Select and Edit.
Copying internal points lets you delete only the points in the parking area without altering the
remaining elevation points.

8 Select the topographic surface.

Grading the Toposurface | 699

 Delete elevation points

9 Draw a pick box outside the main parking area as in the following illustration. Make sure the
pick box allows a significant buffer around the area. The intent is to select all the elevation
points inside and around the parking area.

10 Press DELETE.

700 | Chapter 19 Site

 Notice the toposurface displays with different colors representing the different phases: existing,
demolished, and new.

11 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Hidden Line.
12 Draw another pick box around the driveway and remaining parking area as in the following
illustration.

Grading the Toposurface | 701

 13 Press DELETE.
Add new elevation points

14 On the Design Bar, click Point.

15 On the Options Bar, specify an Absolute Elevation of 5500 mm.
16 Add elevation points outside the perimeter of the entire parking area and walkway as in the
following illustration. Place the points until there are no contour lines crossing the parking area
or walkway.

17 On the Design Bar, click Finish Surface.

The parking and walkway areas are now elevated and flat.

18 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

19 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Shading with Edges.

702 | Chapter 19 Site

 20 On the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels), and use the Orbit tool to spin the toposurface
to view it at various angles.
The phase filter for this view allows both the new and demolished surfaces to display. This
accounts for the red surface that you see in this view.

Delete the demolished toposurface from the project

21 On the View menu, click View Properties.

22 In the Element Properties dialog, under Phasing, specify Existing for Phase, and click OK.
Only the components created in or assigned to the Existing phase display in this view. Therefore,
only the original toposurface displays, because you assigned it to the Existing phase before
grading. Because this toposurface is no longer required for this project, you can delete it.

23 Select the toposurface, and delete it.

24 On the View menu, click View Properties.
25 In the Element Properties dialog, under Phasing, specify New Construction for Phase, and click
OK.
Only the graded topography displays.

26 Click File menu ➤ Save.

NOTE If you intend to complete the next exercise, this project file is required in its current state.

27 Proceed to the next exercise, Adding a Building Pad on page 703.

Adding a Building Pad

In this exercise, you create a building pad. A building pad is a toposurface hosted element and cannot be
added to any other element, nor can you add it without first adding a topographic surface. When you add
a building pad, it automatically cuts a hole in the toposurface and places it at the depth you specify.

Adding a Building Pad | 703

 Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, Site tutorial-in progress.rvt.

Add a building pad to the project

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Site.
2 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Hidden Line.
3 On the Site tab of the Design Bar, click Pad.

NOTE By default, the Pick Walls command is active. If you have an existing building model, you can
pick the exterior walls to define the building pad.

4 On the Design Bar, click Lines.

5 Using the sketching tools available on the Options Bar, sketch an approximate replica of the
outline shown in the following illustration. The building pad should border the concrete walkway
on the right and the upper parking area.

6 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

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 TIP You can slope building pads by adding a slope arrow to the sketch. Properties of the slope arrow
specify height offsets for the slope of the pad. For additional information on using slope arrows to
modify geometry, see Adding Slope Arrows to a Shed Roof on page 572.

7 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Shading with Edges.

8 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

9 On the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels), and use the Orbit tool to spin the toposurface
to view it at various angles. Notice the new building pad.

10 Click File menu ➤ Save.

NOTE If you intend to complete the next exercise, this project file is required in its current state.

11 Proceed to the next exercise, Adding Site Components on page 706.

Adding a Building Pad | 705

Adding Site Components
In this exercise, you add parking and planting components to the site surface.

Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, Site tutorial-in progress.rvt.

Add parking components

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Site.
2 On the Site tab of the Design Bar, click Parking Component.
3 In the Type Selector, select M_Parking Space: 4800 x 2400mm - 90 deg.
4 Zoom in on the upper parking area that borders the building pad and add a parking component
to the area.

5 On the Design Bar, click Modify, and select the parking space.
6 Use the flip arrows so it displays as shown below and move it toward the lower left corner of
the parking area.

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 NOTE Make sure you place the parking space a slight distance above the building pad.

7 Add 6 additional parking spaces to the right of the first space. Verify that the spaces are
horizontally aligned and the left edge of each space is aligned with the right edge of the previous
space.

TIP You could also use the Array tool to accomplish this task.

8 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

Adding Site Components | 707

 9 On the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels), and use the Orbit tool to spin the toposurface
to view it at various angles. Notice the new parking spaces.

Add planting components to the site

10 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Site.

11 On the Site tab of the Design Bar, click Site Component.
12 In the Type Selector, choose any tree type, and add a tree to each of the two round parking
islands as shown below.

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13 Add some more trees outside the parking area as shown below.

14 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

15 On the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels), and use the Orbit tool to spin the toposurface
to view it at various angles. Notice how the trees vertically attach to the toposurface.

NOTE Plants are displayed as simple geometry unless rendered. In the following illustration, the
landscape shown in the previous illustration has been rendered.

16 Click File menu ➤ Save.

Adding Site Components | 709

 NOTE If you intend to complete the next exercise, this project file is required in its current state.

17 Proceed to the next exercise, Tagging Site and Parking Components on page 710.

Tagging Site and Parking Components

In this exercise, you tag the planting and parking components that you added previously. You also add spot
dimensions to the parking area and the terrain to display the actual elevation at selected points.

Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, Site tutorial-in progress.rvt.

Tag site components

1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Site.
2 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Tag All Not Tagged.
3 In the Tag All Not Tagged dialog, select the line for the category Parking Tags that uses the
loaded tag M_Parking Tag: Boxed, and click Apply.
4 Select the line for the category Planting Tags that uses the loaded tag M_Planting Tag: Boxed,
click Apply, and click OK.
5 On the View menu, click Hidden Line.
6 Zoom in to the upper parking area and around the trees.

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 Notice each is tagged with no instance mark. In the following exercise, you use a parking schedule
to number the parking spaces.

NOTE Site components can also be numbered by clicking the tag number and changing the value.

Add spot dimensions

7 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Spot Dimension ➤ Spot Elevation.
You place spot dimensions on either side of the drive entrance. You also add a spot dimension
to the terrain to see how the elevation is reported. The exact position of the dimensions is not
important.

8 On the Options Bar, verify that Leader and Shoulder are selected.
9 Add a spot dimension to the drive entrance:
■ Click in the upper left corner of the drive entrance.

■ Click up and to the left, outside of the site, to position the shoulder of the leader.

■ Click again to the left to position the leader, as shown:

10 Using the same method, add 2 more spot dimensions:

■ Add a spot dimension in the lower left corner of the drive entrance.

Tagging Site and Parking Components | 711

 ■ Add a spot dimension to the terrain below the drive.

11 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

12 Press and hold CTRL, and select the 3 spot dimensions.
13 Modify the display of the spot dimensions by selecting and clearing options on the Options
Bar:
■ Clear Shoulder.

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 ■ Clear Leader.

■ Select Leader and Shoulder.

14 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

15 Click File menu ➤ Save.

NOTE If you intend to complete the next exercise, this project file is required in its current state.

16 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating Parking Space Schedules on page 713.

Creating Parking Space Schedules

In the final exercise of this tutorial, you create a parking schedule. You can use a parking schedule to report
the quantity and area of each type of parking space.

Creating Parking Space Schedules | 713

 Training File
Continue to use the training file you used in the previous exercise, Site tutorial-in progress.rvt.

Create a parking schedule

1 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Schedule/Quantities.
2 In the New Schedule dialog, select Parking for Category, and click OK.
3 In the Schedule Properties dialog, click the Fields tab.
4 Under Available fields, select Mark, and click Add.
5 Under Available fields, select Type, and click Add.
6 Click the Formatting tab.
7 Under Fields, select Mark, and under Heading, enter Space.
8 Under Fields, select Type, and under Heading, enter Size, and click OK.
The parking schedule is displayed. If necessary, you can resize the column width by dragging
the column edges.

9 On the Window menu, click Close Hidden Windows.

This closes all the views except the parking schedule.

10 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under Floor Plans, double-click Site.
11 On the Window menu, click Tile.
This tiles the Site plan next to the parking schedule.

12 In the Site plan, zoom in around the upper parking lot where you previously added the parking
spaces.

13 In the Parking Schedule, under Space, number the first three spaces consecutively.

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 Notice that the parking spaces in the Site plan update automatically. Also notice that when you
place the cursor in the parking schedule, the selected space highlights in the Site plan. This
allows you to know which space you are numbering.

14 In the Parking Schedule, under Space, finish numbering the remaining spaces.

15 Click File menu ➤ Save.

Creating Parking Space Schedules | 715

716
Sharing Projects
20
When working with large building projects, architects commonly work in teams with each person assigned to a specific
functional area. This involves simultaneously working on and saving different portions of the project at the same time,
called Worksharing. In this tutorial, you learn how to use Worksharing to divide a project into worksets so multiple users
can access the project and have all their changes coordinated by Revit Architecture 2009.
You can enable Worksharing for any project. A workset is a collection of building elements, such as walls, doors, floors,
stairs, and so on. Only one user can edit each workset at a given time. All other team members can view this workset;
however, they cannot make changes to it. This prevents possible conflicts within the project. If you need to modify an
element that belongs to a workset that someone else is actively working on, you can borrow that element without requiring
the workset owner to relinquish control of the entire workset.
Using Worksharing, team members adding and changing elements in worksets can save their work to a local file on the
network or their own hard drive and publish work to a central file whenever they choose. They can update their local
files at any time in order to see the changes other team members have published.

Overview
Sharing a project for the first time

To share a project, you must first enable Worksharing. The first time you activate worksets within a project,
a dialog displays allowing you to set up the initial sharing of the project. After the project is shared, each
building element in the project is contained in exactly one workset. You can change the workset assignment
of any modeling element within the property dialog for that element.

Working in a shared project

In a shared project, you can only make changes to the worksets that are editable by you. To make a workset
editable, go to the Worksets dialog, select the desired workset, and click Editable. Each workset can only be
editable by one user at a time. If you only need to modify a single element within a workset that someone
else has checked out, use Element Borrowing.
When you are working on a shared project, you specify an active workset. Any new model elements are
automatically assigned to the active workset. Elements specific to a view, such as annotations and dimensions,
are automatically assigned to the view workset of the current view.

Increasing performance using selective open

When opening a Worksharing-enabled project, you can select which worksets are open or closed. Elements
in closed worksets are not read from disk until they are required. This reduces the time it takes to open the
file and the amount of memory it uses. You can close or open worksets at any time using the Worksets

717
 dialog. You can improve the display-related performance of Revit Architecture by opening only those worksets
required for your work.
In the lessons and exercises that follow, you learn some of the strategies that maximize your use of worksets.
You gain valuable practical experience setting up a project for worksets and working within that project.

Using Worksharing in a Project

In this lesson, you learn the fundamentals of Worksharing. This includes how to plan and execute the use
of worksets in a project in order to maximize project and team performance. After learning the fundamentals,
you enable Worksharing within a project and set up the initial workset environment. In the next exercise,
you learn how to work as an individual with the central and local project files. You then learn how to work
within a Worksharing-enabled project with multiple users and borrow particular elements from other users.

Understanding Worksharing Fundamentals

In this conceptual exercise, you learn the fundamentals of Worksharing application. You learn what to
consider before enabling and using Worksharing. You learn the basic steps of project sharing as well as tips
for dealing with common workplace scenarios.

When planning a Worksharing-enabled project

The decisions you make when sharing a project and setting up its worksets can have long-lasting effects on
the project team. When setting up Worksharing, you should take several considerations into account:

General Considerations:

■ Project size

■ Team size

■ Team member roles

■ Default workset visibility

You can maximize long-term project performance more easily if you plan Worksharing appropriately and
use the feature correctly. Establishing practical policies on how all team members access and create new
worksets in the project will maintain performance for existing users and ease the process of introducing new
team members to the project.

Project size
The size of your building may affect the way you decide to segment the worksets for your team. Unlike
AutoCAD Xrefs, you do not need to make separate worksets for each floor of the building. Instead, you
should separate the project into worksets that allow team members to work without interfering with
each other. In a multi-story structure, you could create separate worksets for a set of building elements
that will only appear on one floor, such as a tenant interior. If the project floor plan is so large that you
need to split it with match lines to fit it on sheets, you may want to create separate worksets for each
portion.

Team size
You should take into consideration the size of the project team at the time you enable Worksharing. You
should have at least one workset for each person, not including the Project Standards, Shared Levels and
Grids, and View worksets. In most projects, greater subdivision improves workflow by reducing interference
between team members. Experience has shown that, for a typical project, the optimum number of
worksets is approximately four for each team member.

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 Team member roles
Typically, designers work in teams, with each assigned a specific functional task. By subdividing the
project based on these task roles, each team member has control over a portion of the design. A typical
scenario for a multi-story commercial building is shown in the following illustration. Notice that the
workset names refer to functional roles.

TIP As new team members create new worksets for their own use, make sure visibility defaults are set
appropriately.

Default workset visibility

After a project has been shared, a Worksets tab displays on the Visibility/Graphics dialog. On this tab,
you control workset visibility on a per view basis. If you are sure that the elements of a particular workset
should not appear in a view, you can turn off the visibility of that workset within that view. This allows
Revit Architecture to display the view faster because computing time is not spent figuring out if the
element belongs to a workset that should be displayed.
When you create a new workset, you decide whether or not the elements in that workset are visible by
default in each view. Regardless of the default setting, you can change the visibility setting in the
Visibility/Graphics dialog. Long-term performance is improved if new worksets are not visible by default
unless they need to be. Team size usually increases as the project progresses from the design stage to the
documentation stage. As new members create worksets for their own use, the worksets they add often
do not need to be visible by default.

Conceptual stages of project sharing

The following steps explain the basic stages of project sharing.

Step 1: Start the project with one user

One user starts to work on the project. This project file should incorporate as many office/project standards
as possible and it should include many of the families required by the project. The building model should
also reach a reasonable point of development before you enable Worksharing.

Step 2:Activate Worksharing

After the building model is ready for multiple user access, the project coordinator should enable Worksharing.

Step 3: Create additional worksets

After enabling Worksharing, the project coordinator should create the additional worksets required by the
team. When creating the new worksets, remember to create worksets for functional roles and properly assign
default visibility.

Step 4: Subdivide the building model into worksets

After you have created the initial worksets, you must assign building model elements to their respective
workset. For example, if a workset named Interior was created, you would want to assign the interior walls
and other interior components to that workset.

Understanding Worksharing Fundamentals | 719

 Step 5: Create the central file

The first time you save a project after Worksharing has been enabled, the file is saved as the central file. The
central file coordinates and propagates the changes of each user and keeps track of which worksets are
available. Therefore, it is essential that you save the central file to a location accessible to all team members.
Generally, the central file is not a file that a team member would open and work in directly.

Step 6: Create local files

Each team member creates a local file that makes it possible to check out worksets and work on their respective
portion of the building model. When finished or at regular intervals, each user saves their changes back to
the central file where the changes can be propagated to all team members. You create a local file by opening
the central file and using “Save As” to create a local copy of the central file. Local files are user-specific and
can only be accessed by the users that created them.

Step 7: Open worksets

Whenever you open a central or local file, you have the option to choose which worksets to open. This is
called “Selective Open.” When opening a Worksharing-enabled project, you can shorten the time required
to open the file by selecting to open only the worksets required to complete your assigned tasks.

Step 8: Check out worksets from the central file

When you “check out” a workset, you make that workset editable by you. This gives you the right to make
changes to the elements in the workset and to add to the workset. There is no limit to the number of worksets
you can have editable at one time. However, no other users can make modifications to any elements in
those worksets until you check them back into the central file.

Step 9:Work on the project

Work on the project, within the local file, proceeds as usual. As you work, new building elements are assigned
to the workset that is active at the moment. On the Options Bar, you can select which workset is active. You
can make a workset active only if it is editable by you.

Step 10: Saving your changes

As you work on the project throughout the day, you should save the file locally and to the central file at
regular intervals. When you save locally (to your local file), your changes are saved; however, they are not
propagated to the rest of the team. When you save to the central file, your changes propagate to the entire
team. When you save to the central file, you should relinquish any worksets that you no longer need. This
makes them available to other team members. Any changes that other users have made to the building
model become visible to you after you save to the central file or when you select Reload Latest.

Step 11: Closing a local file

At the end of a work session, you should save to the central file and relinquish control of all worksets that
you set as editable. After saving to the central file, you should then save to your local file. This ensures that
your local file is synchronized with the central file.

Tips and common scenarios

1 When working on a Worksharing-enabled project, you can still work remotely as an individual
and as a team. The tips discussed below provide useful information for working creatively with
worksets.

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Taking your computer to a remote location with the project

2 You do not need to have access to the central file in order to work on the project. You can work
on the project from a remote location by doing the following:
■ Before leaving the office and disconnecting from the networked access to the central file,
make any required worksets editable, save to the central file, and then save the local file.

■ When working remotely, you work no differently then you would in the office. You can
modify any elements in an editable workset and all new elements are added to the active
workset. You can also add new elements to any View or Project Standards workset even if
they are not editable.

If you realize that you need to modify elements in a workset that you did not make editable
before going remote, you can make the workset Editable at Risk. In this situation, you will not
be able to save your changes back to the central file if another user has changed the same workset
and already published those changes back to the central file. In this instance, if you know who
checked out the required workset, you may want to phone them and make arrangements rather
than waste valuable work time. If you choose Editable at Risk and the owner of the at-risk workset
has already published their files to the central file, you will not only lose the changes to that
workset, you will lose the changes you made to all your worksets. If the owner of the at-risk
workset agrees to relinquish editability of the contested workset, you can save your changes
back to the central file but then the other owner loses all their work.
Since making a workset Editable at Risk carries a high risk that work will be lost, you should use
it only when:
■ You do not intend to save your changes back to the central file, or

■ You are very confident that no other user will make that workset editable in your absence.
If you have a colleague who is in the office with access to the central file, you may want to
request that someone start a session of Revit Architecture, change the username to your
name under Settings ➤ Options, and make that workset editable. This will guarantee that
no other user can make it editable during the remainder of your absence.

WARNING You should avoid editing a workset “at risk” whenever possible.

Multiple users working remotely

3 Users can work remotely provided the remote users have high-speed network access to the central
file; for instance, using VPN. Alternatively, a user can transfer a local file to someone with
network access who can then publish the changes back to the central file, reload the latest
changes from the central file, and transfer the updated local file back to the remote user.

Remote rendering

4 While rendering remotely is supported, it is not recommended unless you understand the
implications for the rest of the team. If you intend to render the building model while away
from the office, you will probably be changing material definitions and other project settings.
To do this, you should check out the Materials workset. This means that other team members
will not be able to change any materials while you have the Materials workset checked out.

In this conceptual exercise, you learned what to consider before enabling Worksharing. You learned the
basic steps of project sharing as well as tips for dealing with common workplace scenarios.
In the next exercise, you enable Worksharing in a project and set up some initial worksets.

Understanding Worksharing Fundamentals | 721

Enabling Worksharing and Setting Up Worksets
In this exercise, you enable Worksharing within an existing project. You subdivide the project into worksets
and save the project as the "Central File."
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Common\c_Worksets.rvt.

Enable Worksharing
1 On the File menu, click Worksets.
A confirmation dialog displays indicating that you are about to enable Worksharing. It also
informs you that existing elements in your project move to a default workset.

2 Click OK to accept the default workset names.

The Worksets dialog displays.

Notice that all worksets are open and editable by you.

Your username displays as the present owner.

TIP You can change your username by selecting Options under the Settings menu. You cannot
change your username with an unsaved Worksharing-enabled project open. Do not change your
username during this exercise unless explicitly instructed to do so.

3 In the Worksets dialog, under Show, select:

■ Families

■ Project Standards

■ Views

4 Scroll down the list of workset names, and notice all are editable by you.
When you enable worksharing, Revit Architecture creates new worksets and moves project
elements and settings into the new worksets:
■ Families: Loaded families in the project move into separate worksets.

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 ■ Project Standards: All project-wide settings defined from the Settings menu move to Project
Standards worksets.

■ Views: Each view moves into a separate View workset. For example, Floor Plan Level 1 view
moves into a workset called View: "Floor Plan Level 1".

5 Under Show, clear Families, Project Standards, and Views.

Only User-Created worksets should display.
In this simple training project, a small number of team members are working on the building
model. For training purposes, imagine four users including yourself. The project must be
subdivided in such a way as to reflect the tasks of each user. In this case, one user is assigned to
the development of the exterior, another is assigned the interior layout, a third team member
is assigned furniture placement, and the remainder of the team must work on wall section
details.
Therefore, you must create worksets that allow each team member to work independently.

Creating new worksets

6 In the Worksets dialog, click New.

7 Enter the name Interior Layout.
Notice that Visible by default in all views is checked. Because the interior walls appear in many
views, it is better to make them visible by default.

8 Click OK.
The next workset you create is for the furniture layout. Because furniture should only be visible
in specific views, you should turn off Visible by default in all views. This improves performance
since fewer components need to be generated in each view.

9 Click New.
10 Enter Furniture Layout, clear Visible by default in all views, and click OK.
The final new workset is for the exterior shell of the building model. Rather than create a new
workset for these elements, you can rename the default workset, currently named Workset1.

11 In the Worksets dialog, select Workset1.

12 Click Rename.
13 In the Rename dialog, type the name Exterior Shell, and click OK
You have created the required worksets for each team member working on this project. The
next step is to assign elements within the building model to specific worksets. This is why all
worksets are editable immediately after you enable worksets.

14 In the Worksets dialog, click OK.

When you initially activate Worksharing, all building model elements are placed into Workset1
by default. Because you renamed Workset1 to Exterior Shell, all building model elements are
assigned to that workset. In this training file, furniture components have not been added to the
building model and therefore do not need to be moved to the respective workset. You do,
however, need to reassign the interior elements to the Interior Layout workset.

Subdividing the project into worksets

15 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 1.
16 In the drawing area, select any of the exterior walls of the building model.

17 On the Options Bar, click .

18 In the Element Properties dialog, under Identity Data, notice that the Workset parameter is set
to Exterior Shell.

Enabling Worksharing and Setting Up Worksets | 723

 19 Click OK.
20 Select one of the interior walls.

21 On the Options Bar, click .

22 In the Element Properties dialog, under Identity Data, select Interior Layout for Workset, and
click OK.
23 Select all of the interior elements, including the interior doors, stairs, and walls.
The easiest way to do this is to drag a pick box beginning inside the lower right corner and up
to the upper left corner.

TIP You can also hold CTRL down to select multiple elements. Hold Shift down to deselect an element.

24 On the Options Bar, click .

25 In the Element Properties dialog, under Identity Data, select Interior Layout for Workset, and
click OK.
You can verify that all interior elements have been reassigned to the Interior Layout workset by
turning off the visibility of that workset.

26 On the View menu, click Visibility/Graphics.

27 In the Visibility/Graphics dialog, click the Worksets tab.
Notice that the visibility of the Furniture Layout workset is turned off in this view. This is because
you turned off “Visible by default in all views” when you created the workset.

28 Clear Interior Layout to turn off the visibility of that workset in the view.
29 Click OK.

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 The Level 1 floor plan should display with only the exterior shell visible. If any interior elements
remain, select them and change their workset assignment to Interior Layout.

30 On the View menu, click Visibility/Graphics.

31 In the Visibility/Graphics dialog, click the Worksets tab.
32 Select Interior Layout, and click OK.
33 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under Floor Plans, double-click Level 2.
34 In the drawing area, select all of the interior elements of the building model.

35 On the Options Bar, click .

36 In the Element Properties dialog, under Identity Data, select Interior Layout for Workset, and
click OK.
Create the central file

37 On the File menu, click Save As.

The central file is created automatically the first time you save the project after enabling worksets.
Navigate to a location on a network drive that all team members have access to, but be sure not
to save the file in the training files location. This is imperative if you and another user intend
to complete the multi-user exercise later in this tutorial. If you do not have access to a network
and still want to complete that exercise, this can be accomplished by saving the central file to
your hard drive and changing your user name before accessing the project.

38 In the Save As dialog, enter Worksets Project-Central as the file name.

39 Click Save.
Now that you have created the central file, you must relinquish workset editability so that other
users can have access to the worksets they need.

Checking in the worksets

40 On the File menu, click Worksets.

41 In the Worksets dialog, select all the User-Created worksets by pressing CTRL + A.
42 On the right side of the dialog, click Non Editable.
Notice that your name has been removed as the owner of the worksets and all Editable values
are set to No.

43 Click OK.
44 On the File menu, click Close.
If you intend on completing the remaining exercises in this tutorial, make sure you remember
the location of this central file. You must access it in each of the remaining exercises.

In this exercise, you enabled Worksharing on a project, created new worksets to accommodate each team
member, and then assigned building model elements to the worksets. You then created the central file and
checked in all worksets. This project is now ready for individuals to access it and check out their required
worksets.

Enabling Worksharing and Setting Up Worksets | 725

Working Individually with Worksets
In this exercise, you create your local file, check out worksets, make modifications to the building model,
and publish your changes back to the central file where other team members can see them.
This exercise requires the completion of the previous exercise and access to the resulting central file. If you
have not yet completed the exercise, Enabling Worksharing and Setting Up Worksets on page 722, please do
so before continuing.

Creating a local file

1 On the File menu, click Open, and navigate to the location where you saved the central file
created in the previous exercise.
2 In the Open dialog, select the central file.
3 Click the arrow next to the Open button, and select Specify.
4 Click Open.
Using selective open allows you to choose which worksets you want to open. Only the worksets
you select and any worksets already editable by you are opened. In addition, any referenced
workset is opened but hidden. This reduces the amount of time required to open very large
project files and increases performance while you work.

5 In the Opening Worksets dialog, select all the User-Created worksets, and click OK.
6 On the File menu, click Save As.
7 In the Save As dialog, click Options.
8 In the File Save Options dialog, verify that Make this a Central File after save is not selected,
and click OK.
9 Navigate to a directory on your hard drive, name the file Worksets Project_Local-User1, and
click Save.
You have created a local file which is for your use only. Next, you check out worksets so you
can modify the building model.

Checking out worksets

10 On the File menu, click Worksets.

The project sharing environment allows you to choose which worksets are opened during a
working session. Only the worksets that are opened are visible during that session. In this case,
you are assigned the task of designing the interior layout of the building model.

11 In the Worksets dialog, select Interior Layout for Name, and select Yes for Editable.
Your name displays as the owner of the Interior Layout workset.

12 Click OK.
You are now ready to modify the interior layout of the building model. Before working on the
model, you should activate the Worksets toolbar.

13 On the Window menu, click Toolbar ➤ Worksets.

The Worksets toolbar displays with a drop-down list that allows you to specify the active workset.

14 On the Worksets toolbar, select Interior Layout.

Any new elements that you add to the building model are automatically assigned to the active
workset.

15 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 1.

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16 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Modify.
On the Options Bar, notice the Editable Only option. If this is selected, you can only select
editable elements within the drawing area. Verify that it is cleared.

17 Select the upper exterior wall and notice a symbol displays indicating that the element belongs
to a workset that is not currently editable.

18 On the Options Bar, click .

19 In the Element Properties dialog, under Identity Data, notice that this element is assigned to
the Exterior Shell workset and that the Edited by value is blank.
Even though you have not checked out the Exterior Shell workset, you can still edit this wall.

20 Under Constraints, select Finish Face: Exterior for Location Line, and click OK.
Because this element is not owned by another user, Revit Architecture borrows it for you and
applies your changes. If it was owned by another user, a message would display and you would
have the option to cancel the change or make the element editable.
The upper exterior wall should still be selected.

21 On the Options Bar, click .

Notice that the wall still belongs to the Exterior Shell workset; however, the Edited by value is
now assigned to you.

22 Click OK.
23 On the File menu, click Worksets.
In the Worksets dialog, notice that you do not own the Exterior Shell workset, but you are listed
as a borrower of that workset. In this case, you have borrowed the ownership of the upper
exterior wall.

24 Click OK.

Working Individually with Worksets | 727

 Modify the building model

25 Select the door on the right side of the corridor.

26 Delete the door.

27 Select the wall that hosted the deleted door, and modify the length so that the corridor is open.

28 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Wall.

29 In the Type Selector, select Basic Wall: Interior - 126mm Partition (2-hr).
30 Using the following illustration as a guide, add a horizontal wall in the lower right corner. The
precise location is not important.

31 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

32 Select the vertical interior wall in the upper right corner, and extend the lower end until it
intersects the horizontal wall you added previously.

33 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Door.

34 In the Type Selector, select M_Sgl Flush: 864 x 2032mm.

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 35 Using the following illustration as a guide, add two door openings into the rooms you created.

All of the new elements that you added were automatically assigned to the Interior Layout
workset. If you click Modify on the Design Bar and then place the cursor over any of the new
elements, a tooltip, which matches the information in the Status Bar, displays the workset as
well as the element type.
When working in your local file, you should perform regular saves. It is recommended that you
locally save your work approximately every 30 minutes and save to central every 1-2 hours.

Saving your work

36 On the File menu, click Save to Central.

The Save to Central dialog displays with the path to the central file automatically filled in.
Whenever you save, you can relinquish the user-created worksets as well as any borrowed
elements. By default, Borrowed Elements is selected. In this particular case, you borrowed the
upper exterior wall in order to modify it. You should check this element back into central so
that others can use it if necessary.
In addition, notice that there is an option to save the local file immediately after the save to
central. Although this is not a necessary option if you are in the middle of a work session, it is
recommended. At the end of a work session, you should relinquish all worksets, save to central,
and save locally immediately afterward.

37 In the Save to Central dialog, select:

■ Borrowed Elements

■ User-created Worksets

■ Save the Local File after “Save to Central”

38 Click OK.
If you intend to complete the remainder of this tutorial by proceeding to the multi-user exercise,
leave this file open in its current state.

In this exercise, you created your local file, checked out worksets, and borrowed an element from a workset
you did not own. You modified the building model, and published your changes back to the central file
where other team members can see them.

Using Worksets with Multiple Users

In this exercise, two users access the central file through a network connection. For training purposes, they
are referred to as User 1 and User 2. Each modifies the building model within their local file and publishes
it back to the central file where the other user can see the changes. Throughout the process, each user must
check out worksets, make elements editable, and reload the latest changes.
This exercise requires the completion of the previous workset exercises and access to the resulting local and
central files. If you have not yet completed these exercises, please do so before continuing.

Using Worksets with Multiple Users | 729

 Although this exercise is designed specifically for two separate users with network access to the central file,
a single user can complete this exercise by opening up an additional session of Revit Architecture and setting
the username to User 2. In the following section of this exercise, instructions are provided on how to
accomplish this.

NOTE If you are working with a second user (User 2), skip the following section, and proceed to Creating a local
copy.

Using a second Revit Architecture session to mimic User 2

1 Minimize the current Revit Architecture window.
2 Start a new Revit Architecture session by double-clicking the Revit Architecture icon on the
desktop or by selecting it from the Start menu.
3 On the Settings menu, click Options.
4 Click the General Tab and, under Username, enter User 2, and click OK.

WARNING After completing this tutorial and closing the project file, return to the Settings dialog,
and reset the Username to your computer login name. This is a system setting.

Creating a local copy

5 In this exercise, two users work on the building model residing in the central file you created
and saved in a previous exercise. If both users have completed the previous worksets exercises
and created central files on the network, select one of those central files to be used in this
exercise.
Regardless of which central file you choose to use, one user has already created a local file. For
training purposes, consider that person to be User 1. The user who has not yet created a local
file for the chosen central file is User 2. The next series of steps create a local file for User 2.
Throughout the remainder of this exercise, instructions are staggered, specifically sequenced,
and refer explicitly to User 1 and User 2.

User 2: Create a local file, and check out worksets

6 On the File menu, click Open, and navigate to the location where you saved the central file
named Worksets Project-Central.rvt.
7 In the Open dialog, select the central file.
8 Click the arrow next to the Open button, and select Specify.
9 Click Open.
Using selective open allows you to choose which worksets you want to open. Only the worksets
you select and any worksets already editable by you are opened. In addition, any referenced
workset is opened but hidden. This reduces the amount of time required to open very large
project files and increases performance while you work.

10 In the Opening Worksets dialog, select all the User-Created worksets, and click OK.
11 On the File menu, click Save As.
12 In the Save As dialog, click Options.
13 In the File Save Options dialog, verify that Make this a Central File after save is not selected,
and click OK.
14 Navigate to your preferred location on the hard drive, name the file Worksets Project_Local-User2,
and click Save.
You now have a local copy of the project. This file is for your use only.

15 On the File menu, click Worksets.

16 Select the Exterior Shell workset, and select Yes for Editable.

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 You are now the owner of that workset.

17 Click OK.
User 1: Check out worksets, modify the building model, and publish changes

18 User 1 should still have the local file open. If it is not open, open it now.
19 On the File menu, click Worksets.
Notice that the Exterior Shell workset is checked out by User 2.

20 Try to change the Editable status for Exterior Shell to Yes.

A warning is displayed informing you that you cannot check out this workset because it is
already checked out by another user.

21 Click OK to return to the Worksets dialog.

22 Select the Interior Layout workset, and select Yes for Editable.
Notice that you own this workset and the active workset is now Interior Layout. If you only
have one workset checked out, it becomes the active workset.

23 Click OK.
24 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 1.
25 Select the vertical interior wall shown in the following illustration, and move it to the left until
it approaches the centerline of the exterior double door on the south wall.

A warning is displayed informing you that a conflict exists.

26 Click anywhere in the empty drawing area to ignore the warning.

27 On the File menu, click Save to Central.
28 In the Save to Central dialog, select Save the Local File after “Save to Central.”
29 Click OK.
User 2: Modify the building model and publish changes

30 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 1.
Notice that the changes made by User 1 do not immediately display in the local file of User 2.
That is because changes made to the central file display in local files only when the worksets
are explicitly updated.

31 Using the following illustration as a guide, select the lower exterior wall, and move it upward
approximately 2 meters.

Using Worksets with Multiple Users | 731

 A message displays warning you that several windows are not cutting anything. This is because
windows are wall-hosted components and cannot float in the air without a wall to host them.

32 Click Delete Instances to delete the windows.

33 On the File menu, click Save to Central.
34 In the Save to Central dialog, select Save the Local File after “Save to Central.”
35 Click OK.
When you save to central, you publish your changes and load the changes other users have
made to the building model. The wall conflict with the door opening that User 1 introduced
now displays.

36 Using the following illustration as a guide, delete the left window on the lower exterior wall,
and move the door to the right in order to avoid the conflict.

37 On the File menu, click Save to Central.

38 In the Save to Central dialog, select Save the Local File after “Save to Central.”
39 Click OK.
User 1: Reload latest worksets, and check out additional worksets

40 On the File menu, click Reload Latest.

The changes User 2 made are apparent.

41 On the File menu, click Worksets.

42 Select Furniture Layout, select Yes for Editable, and click OK.
Because you now have more than one workset checked out, you are asked if you want to make
the Furniture Layout workset the active workset. Click Yes.
Even though the Furniture Layout workset is active, you still have complete access to the elements
belonging to the Interior Layout workset. However, any elements added to the building model
are automatically assigned to the active workset.
Before adding any furniture, you should create a furniture plan view.

43 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under Floor Plans, right-click Level 1, and click Duplicate
View ➤ Duplicate.
44 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, right-click Copy of Level 1, and click Rename.
45 In the Rename View dialog, enter Level 1 Furniture Plan, and click OK.
46 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1 Furniture Plan.

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 47 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Component.
48 In the Type Selector, choose any desk, and click inside any room.
A message displays informing you that the component you are trying to place is not visible in
that view. This is because when the Furniture Layout workset was created, the Visible by default
option was not selected. Therefore, the visibility of the workset is not turned on even though
it is checked out and is the active workset. You should turn on the visibility before adding
furniture.

49 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

50 On the View menu, click Visibility/Graphics.
51 In the Visibility/Graphics dialog, click the Worksets tab, select Furniture Layout to turn on its
visibility, and click OK.
52 Notice that the desk you added previously now displays.

53 On the File menu, click Save to Central.

54 In the Save to Central dialog, select Save the Local File after “Save to Central.”
55 Click OK.
User 2: Make an element editable on the fly

56 On the File menu, click Reload Latest.

Notice the new Level 1 Furniture Plan view in the Project Browser.

57 Right-click the upper exterior wall, and click Element Properties.

58 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
59 In the Type Properties dialog, click Rename.
60 In the Rename dialog, enter Exterior Wall - 200mm, and click OK.
61 Click OK 2 times.
62 On the File menu, click Worksets.
63 In the Worksets dialog, under Show, select Project Standards.
64 Scroll down to the bottom of the list until you see Wall Types.
Notice you have borrowed a portion of the workset.

NOTE System families, such as Wall Types, are placed under Project Standards, rather than Families.

65 Click OK.
66 On the File menu, click Save to Central.
67 In the Save to Central dialog, select:
■ Borrowed Elements

■ User-created Worksets

■ Save the Local File after “Save to Central”

68 Click OK.

Using Worksets with Multiple Users | 733

 If you intend to complete the final portion of this tutorial by proceeding to the Element
Borrowing exercise, leave this file open in its current state.

User 1: Reload latest, and save

69 On the File menu, select Reload Latest.

70 On the File menu, select Save to Central.
71 In the Save to Central dialog, select the following, and click OK.
■ User-created Worksets

■ Save the Local File after “Save to Central”

In this exercise, two users worked on the same building model using worksets. Each user checked out worksets,
modified the building model, and published their changes back to the central file.
In the final exercise of this tutorial, you learn how to borrow elements from worksets that other users are
actively working on.
If you intend to complete the final exercise of this tutorial, Borrowing Elements from the Worksets of Other
Users on page 734, leave this file open in its current state. This exercise also requires two users and you can
skip the first sections of the exercise and proceed directly to the section, Checking out worksets.

Borrowing Elements from the Worksets of Other Users

In this exercise, two users are working on the same project with separate local files. As each of you work,
you must borrow elements that belong to worksets that the other user has checked out. You learn how to
make borrowing requests and how to grant them.
This exercise requires two users and, throughout this training, they are referred to as User 1 and User 2.
There are specific instructions for each user. Each user must have network access to the central file.
Although this exercise is designed specifically for two separate users with network access to the central file,
a single user can complete this exercise by opening up an additional session of Revit Architecture and setting
the username to User 2. At the appropriate point in this exercise, instructions are provided on how to
accomplish this.

NOTE If you are working with a second user (User 2), finished the previous workset exercises, and still have your
local files open, proceed directly to the section Checking out worksets.

If you have not completed the previous workset exercises, you need to set up your central and local files.
Only one user needs to open the training file and save the central file to a network location.

NOTE When you open the training file for this tutorial, you may receive a message informing you that the central
file has been relocated. Click OK to this message and subsequent messages. These messages are a result of the
central file being relocated (to your PC). In subsequent steps, you save the training file as a central file, and these
problems are rectified.

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Common\c_Worksets Project-Central.rvt.

Save the training file as the central file on the network

1 On the File menu, click Save As.
2 Navigate to a directory on the network that both users have access to.
3 In the Save As dialog, click Options.

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 4 In the File Save Options dialog, select Make this a Central File after save, and click OK.
5 Click Save.
You have created a new central file for User 1 and User 2.

User 1: Create local file

For the sake of simplicity, the user that saved the central file should be User 1. The central file should still
be open.
6 On the File menu, click Save As.
7 Navigate to a directory on your hard drive.
8 In the Save As dialog, click Options.
9 In the File Save Options dialog, verify that Make this a Central File after save is not selected,
and click OK.
10 Name the file Worksets Project_Local-User1, and click Save.
This is the local file for User 1.

User 2: Create local file

11 If you are a single user and want to replicate the multi-user experience, perform the following
steps to create a session for User 2:
■ Start a second session of Revit Architecture by double-clicking the icon on the desktop or
by selecting it from the Start menu.

■ On the Settings menu, click Options.

■ Click the General tab of the Options dialog.

■ Set the Username to User 2, and click OK.

This Revit Architecture session is now set up for User 2.

WARNING After completing this tutorial and closing the project file, return to the Settings dialog,
and reset the Username to your computer login name. This is a system setting.

12 On the File menu, click Open, and navigate to the network location where User 1 saved the
central file.
13 In the Open dialog, select the central file.
14 Click the arrow next to the Open button, and select Specify.
15 Click Open.
Using selective open allows you to choose which worksets you want to open. Only the worksets
you select and any worksets already editable by you are opened. In addition, any referenced
workset is opened but hidden. This reduces the amount of time required to open very large
project files and increases performance while you work.

16 Select all the User-Created worksets, and click OK.

17 On the File menu, click Save As.
18 In the Save As dialog, click Options.
19 In the File Save Options dialog, verify that Make this a Central File after save is not selected,
and click OK.
20 Navigate to a directory on your hard drive, name the file Worksets Project_Local-User2, and
click Save.
You have created a local file which is for your use only. Next, you check out worksets so you
can modify the building model.

Borrowing Elements from the Worksets of Other Users | 735

 Checking out worksets

Both User 1 and User 2 can check out their worksets at the same time. Afterwards, the steps for each user
have to be followed in sequence.
User 1: Check out worksets

21 On the File menu, click Worksets.

22 In the Worksets dialog, if any User-Created worksets are not open, select them, and click Open.
23 Select the Exterior Shell workset, and select Yes for Editable.
You are now the owner of that workset.

24 Under Active Workset, select Exterior Shell, and then click OK.
User 2: Check out worksets

25 On the File menu, click Worksets.

26 In the Worksets dialog, select the Interior Layout workset, and select Yes for Editable.
You are now the owner of that workset.

27 Under Active Workset, select Interior Layout, and then click OK.
User 2: Borrow an element from User 1

28 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1.

29 On the Options Bar, verify that Editable Only is cleared.
This allows you to select elements that belong to worksets that you do not own.

30 On the left exterior wall, select the second window from the top.

A symbol appears letting you know that it belongs to a workset you do not own.

31 Move the window 500 mm toward the upper exterior wall. You can do this by dragging the
window or by modifying one of the temporary dimension values.
A warning message informs you that you must obtain permission from User 1.

32 Click Place Request to ask User 1 for permission to edit the window.
After you submit the request, a message informs you that you are waiting for permission from
User 1.
At this point, you should inform User 1 that you are waiting for permission to edit a borrowed
element. Leave this dialog open until User 1 grants permission.

User 1: Grant User 2 permission to borrow element

33 When User 2 contacts you and informs you that a borrowing request is pending your
authorization, click the File menu, and click Editing Requests.

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 34 In the Editing Requests dialog, select the request submitted by User 2.

35 Click Grant.
36 Click Close.
User 2: Check for editability grant

37 In the Check Editability Grants dialog, click Check Now.

A message informs you that your request has been granted.

38 Click OK, and notice the window is in the new location.

User 1 and 2: Save to Central, to Local, and close

39 On the File menu, select Save to Central.

40 In the Save to Central dialog, select the following, and click OK.
■ User-created Worksets

■ Borrowed Elements (User 2 only)

■ Save the Local File after “Save to Central”

41 On the File menu, click Close.

In this multi-user exercise, you learned how to borrow elements from another workset even though that
workset was actively being edited by another user. In this case, you requested permission to edit the element,
and the other user granted it.

Borrowing Elements from the Worksets of Other Users | 737

738
Creating Multiple Design
Options 21
When working with a building model, it is common to explore multiple design schemes as the project develops. These
schemes can be conceptual or can be detailed engineering designs. Using design options, you create multiple design
schemes within a single project file. Because all design options coexist in the project with the main model (the main
model consists of elements not specifically assigned to a design option), you can study and modify each design option
and present the options to the client.

In this tutorial, you learn how to create and manage multiple design sets and options within a single building model.

Creating Multiple Design Options in a Project

You can use design options to explore multiple design schemes as the project develops. At any time in the
design process, you can have multiple sets of design options, and each option set can have multiple schemes.
For example, you can have an option set called roofing with multiple subordinate roofing schemes. In
addition, you can have an option set for the roof structure with multiple subordinate structural design
schemes. After you and the client agree on the final design, you can designate a primary design scheme for
each option set.
In this particular case, the task is to develop two roof schemes for an addition to an existing house. The
client is interested in a pergola and sunshade for the roof terrace but is not sure of the specific layout or
materials. The client has asked you to create various options.

739
 In the first exercise in this lesson, you set up the design option names and add the modeling elements to
the structural design option set. In the second exercise, you create two roof system design options that work
with the structural options. In the final exercise of this lesson, you learn how to manage and organize the
design options, make your final design decision, and delete the unwanted options from the project. These
three exercises are designed to be completed sequentially with the second and third exercises dependent on
the completion of the previous exercise.

Creating the Structural Design Options

In this exercise, you set up multiple design option sets, each with multiple design options. After setting up
the design option sets and their subordinate options, you design each of the structural options. The first
option is a simple combination of columns and beams. With the second option, you create a unique in-place
family as the structural system.
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Urban_House.rvt.

Create first design option

1 On the Tools menu, click Design Options ➤ Design Options.

The first time you open the Design Options dialog within a project, the only available command
is to create a new option set. There is no limit to the number of option sets you can create. Each
option set represents a portion of the building model wherein design alternatives are being
considered. After you create a design option, you can edit it. Any new elements introduced at
that time become part of that option.

2 In the Design Options dialog, under Option Set, click New.

Notice Option Set 1 has been created with a design option: Option 1 (primary). This option will
be the first structural scheme consisting of 75 mm round columns and 50 mm round bars.

TIP In this exercise, the roof and structure systems must work together; therefore, each is constructed
for interchangeability.

3 Select Option 1 (primary), click Edit Selected, and click Close.

Any new elements introduced to the building model are added to this option.

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 4 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click ROOF TERRACE.
5 On the View menu, click Zoom ➤ Zoom in Region, and zoom in on the upper half of the building
model.
6 On the Modelling tab of the Design Bar, click Column.
7 In the Type Selector, select Round Column: 75mm Diameter.
8 Using the following illustration as a guide, add three columns. Arrows and the dimension lines
have been added for training purposes only. The left column should be centered at the
intersection of the notch and the wall, the second column directly across from it at the
intersection of the two walls, and the third column centered between the two.

TIP To center the middle column, either add a centered reference plane and snap the column to it,
or add a dimension string between the columns, and click the EQ symbol to equalize the segments.
You should delete the dimension and unconstrain after adding the column.

9 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

10 Select the three columns either by dragging a pick box around them or by selecting them
individually while holding CTRL.

11 On the Edit toolbar, click .

12 On the Options Bar, select:
■ Constrain

■ Copy

■ Multiple

The Copy command is a two-click process. The first click specifies the reference point on the
element to be copied, and the second click specifies the point on the building model the reference
point is copied to. In this case, the three columns need to be copied three times to create a 3 x
4 grid of 12 columns. By selecting Multiple, you can continue adding new copies without
reselecting the reference point (the first click). Selecting Constrain limits the movement and
helps ensure the post-copy alignment of the columns.

13 Zoom in around the left column that is embedded in the notch.

14 Click at an identifiable part of the notch construction. Because it is important that you select
the same location on the notches you copy to, make sure you select a point that is easily
recognizable. In the following illustration, the midpoint of the lower notch line is selected.

Creating the Structural Design Options | 741

 TIP You can zoom in and out easily during this process using the wheel on your wheel mouse.

15 Zoom out and move downward to the notch just below this one.

16 Zoom in around the notch construction, and click in the same location as you did for the
previous notch.

A copy of the three selected columns is added.

17 Zoom out and, using the same technique, add a copy of the columns to the next two notches
below this one. When you are finished, click Modify on the Design Bar to end the copy process.
Because of the size of the columns, they are difficult to see in this view.

18 On the View toolbar, click .

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 Notice the 12 columns that you added.

Next, you add the beams that span the columns.

19 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click TOP OF CORE.

20 On the Structural tab of the Design Bar, click Beam.
Adding a beam is a two-click process. The first click specifies the beam start point. The second
click specifies the end of the beam.

21 In the Type Selector, select Round Bar : 50mm.

22 Add the first beam between the upper left and right columns by using the following steps:
■ Zoom in on the upper-left column, and click at its center to set the beam start point.

■ Zoom out and move the cursor over the upper right column.

■ Zoom in on the upper right column, and click on the center to set the beam endpoint.

Use the following illustration as a guide. In it, two callouts with thin lines have been added to
clarify the location of the start and end points of the beam.

23 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

24 Select the Beam you added previously.
The beam needs to be added between the remaining columns. You can do this manually or use
the Copy command.

Creating the Structural Design Options | 743

 25 On the Edit toolbar, click .
26 On the Options Bar, select:
■ Constrain

■ Copy

■ Multiple

27 Zoom in around the upper left column that is embedded in the notch, and click the center
point.
This is the reference point for the subsequent copies.

28 Zoom out, move down to the next set of columns, zoom into the left column, and select the
center of the column to add a copy.
29 Repeat this step twice more until a beam is added to each set of columns.

30 On the View toolbar, click .

744 | Chapter 21 Creating Multiple Design Options

 Notice that the beams complete the bracket structure for the proposed roof.

Organize design option sets and subordinate options

31 On the Tools menu, click Design Options ➤ Design Options.

32 In the Design Options dialog, notice that you are still editing Option Set 1: Option 1 (primary).
33 Click Finish Editing.
34 In the Design Options dialog, under Option, click New.

NOTE Be sure you are creating a new option, not a new option set.

35 Select Option 1 (primary) and, under Option, click Rename.

36 In the Rename dialog, enter Brackets for New, and click OK.
37 Select Option 2 and, under Option, click Rename.
38 In the Rename dialog, enter Beam for New, and click OK.
39 Select Option Set 1 and, under Option Set, click Rename.
40 In the Rename dialog, enter Structure for New, and click OK.

Logically naming the option sets and relative options allows you to more easily manage them.

41 Under Option Set, click New.

42 Select Option Set 1 and, under Option Set, click Rename.
43 In the Rename dialog, enter Roofing for New, and click OK.
44 Select the option set Roofing and, under Option, click New.
There should now be two roofing design options.

45 Under Roofing, select Option 1 (primary).

46 Under Option, click Rename, name the option Louvers, and click OK.

Creating the Structural Design Options | 745

 47 Under Roofing, select Option 2.
48 Under Option, click Rename, name the option Sunscreen, and click OK.
You have completed the initial setup of the design option sets and their subordinate design
option names. This allows you to more easily manage the project.

Design the second structural design option

49 In this section of the exercise, you create the second design option. When finished, it will
resemble the following illustration.

50 In the Design Options dialog, under Structure, select Beam.

51 Under Edit, select Edit Selected.
Under Now Editing, notice that Structure: Beam is displayed.

52 Click Close.
Notice that the columns added to the Brackets design option do not display.

53 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click ROOF TERRACE.

54 Zoom in toward the top of the roof terrace near the stairs.

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55 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Component.
56 In the Type Selector, select M_Roof Beam.
57 Place a roof beam into the drawing area as shown.

58 On the Tools menu, click Align.

Using the Align tool requires two clicks. The first click sets the plane that the object will be
aligned to. The second click represents the plane that is moved.

59 Align the roof beam by clicking the lower edge of the adjacent horizontal wall and then clicking
the lower edge of the roof beam. Refer to the following illustration.

Creating the Structural Design Options | 747

 60 After aligning the beam, click the padlock that displays to lock the alignment.
61 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

62 Select the beam and, on the Edit toolbar, click .

63 On the Options Bar:
■ Clear Group and Associate

■ Enter 4 for number

■ Select 2nd for Move To:

■ Select Constrain

Using the Array tool requires two clicks. The first click sets the move start point. The second
click represents the move end point.

64 Click the start point at the alignment of the beam and wall as shown.

65 Move the cursor down to the next intersection of the lower edge of the horizontal wall and the
beam. Click to indicate the end point of the move.

748 | Chapter 21 Creating Multiple Design Options

 Three more roof beams are placed at the same intersection as the first beam.

66 On the View toolbar, click .

Notice the new design option for the structural elements supporting the roof system.

67 On the Tools menu, click Design Options ➤ Design Options.

68 In the Design Options dialog, click Finish Editing.
Notice that even before you close the dialog, the 3D view has reverted back to the brackets rather
than the structural beams you just created.
That is because the brackets option is set to primary, which is visible by default. Design option
visibility is covered in more detail later in the tutorial.

69 Click Close.
70 On the File menu, click Save As.
71 Navigate to your preferred directory, name the file, m_Urban_House-in progress.rvt, and click Save.

NOTE If you intend to continue with the next exercise, you need this file in its current state. You can
leave it open and proceed immediately to the next exercise.

Creating the Structural Design Options | 749

 In this exercise, you set up multiple design option sets, each with multiple design options to pick from. After
setting up the design option sets and their subordinate options, you designed each of the structural options:
one for brackets, the other for beams. The first option is a simple combination of columns and beams. With
the second option, you created a unique in-place family as the structural system.
In the next exercise, you create the roof systems that compliment these structural design options.

Creating the Roof System Design Options

In this exercise, you design each of the roofing options. The first option, a Louver system, is constructed of
50 mm x 250 mm rafters and 50 mm x 150 mm louvers. The second roofing system, Sunscreen, is a simple
fabric roof created using an extrusion. Both of these options are designed to work in conjunction with each
of the structural design options.
This exercise is designed to work in conjunction with the other exercises in this tutorial. All are sequential
and dependent on the previous exercise. If you have not completed the first exercise in this tutorial, do so
now.

Create the first roofing design option

1 If you do not have the project file that you saved at the end of the previous exercise open, open
it now. You should have named it m_Urban_House-in progress.rvt.

2 On the Tools menu, click Design Options ➤ Design Options.

3 In the Design Options dialog, under Roofing, select Louvers (primary).
4 Under Edit, click Edit Selected.
Under Now Editing, Roofing: Louvers (primary) should display.

5 Click Close.
6 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click TOP OF CORE.
7 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Component.
8 In the Type Selector, select Rafter 50mm x 250mm.
9 Zoom in on the lower half of the building model until you can see the bottom set of columns
and the beam traversing the span.
10 Referring to the following illustration, place the rafter 900 mm inside the wall shown and overlap
the horizontal beam 900 mm.
The dimensions shown are for training purposes. If you need to add dimensions, delete them
after the rafter is in place.

750 | Chapter 21 Creating Multiple Design Options

11 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Modify.
12 Select the rafter you added previously.

13 On the Options Bar, click .

14 In the Element Properties dialog, under Other, enter 11750 mm for Length, and click OK.
The rafter should now span the entire vertical length of the proposed roof system.

15 On the Edit menu, click Array.

16 On the Options Bar, specify the following:
■ Clear Group and Associate.

■ Enter 5 for Number.

■ Select 2nd for Move To.

■ Select Constrain.

You are creating an array of five rafters that are 990 mm apart.

17 Zoom in on the intersection of the lower end of the rafter and the intersecting beam; click in
the center of the intersection to specify the array start point.

Creating the Roof System Design Options | 751

 18 Move the cursor horizontally to the right and, when the listening dimension displays, enter
990, and press ENTER.

Zoom out to see that the rafter array is created.

752 | Chapter 21 Creating Multiple Design Options

Add the louvers to the design option

19 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Component.

20 In the Type Selector, select Louver 50mm x 150mm.
21 Place the first horizontal louver in the upper left corner according to the following illustration.

22 On the Design Bar, click Modify, and select the louver you just placed.

23 On the Options Bar, click .

24 In the Element Properties dialog, under Other, enter 5475 mm for Length, and click OK.
The louver now spans the horizontal plane of the roof system.

25 With the louver still selected, click the Edit menu, and click Array.
26 On the Options Bar, specify the following:
■ Clear Group and Associate.

■ Enter 34 for Number.

■ Select 2nd for Move To.

■ Select Constrain.

27 For the array starting point, click in the center of any intersection between the louver and the
beam.

Creating the Roof System Design Options | 753

 28 Move the cursor vertically downward, and, when the listening dimension displays, enter 300,
and press Enter.

Zoom out to see that the 34 louvers array 300 mm apart.

29 On the View toolbar, click .

754 | Chapter 21 Creating Multiple Design Options

 The louver roof system is complete.

30 On the Tools menu, click Design Options ➤ Design Options.

31 In the Design Options dialog, under Edit, click Finish Editing.
The louver roof system still displays in the 3D view because it is the primary option.

Create sunscreen roof system

32 In the Design Options dialog, under Roofing, select Sunscreen.

33 Under Editing, click Edit Selected, and then click Close.
Notice that the louver roof system no longer displays.

34 In the Project Browser, expand Elevations, and double-click West.

35 Zoom in on the upper level where the roof design is taking place.

36 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Roof ➤ Roof by Extrusion.
37 In the Work Plane dialog, select Reference Plane : Roof Extrusion for Name, and click OK.
The roof extrusion reference plane has been added to the training file specifically for this purpose
and is hidden in all views.

38 You are prompted to verify the roof level and offset. Click OK.
Because an extruded roof has a roof type associated with it, you only need to sketch a single
line or a string of lines to define the shape of the extruded roof. In this case, you must create a
draped canvas sunscreen. Therefore, the sketch should be a series of arcs connected at the ends
where they connect to the columns.

39 On the Design Bar, click Lines.

40 On the Options Bar, click .

Creating the Roof System Design Options | 755

 This tool allows you to sketch an arc line using three points. The first two points define the ends
of the line, and the third point defines the arc.

41 Select the top of the left column, the top of the next column on the right, and then adjust the
dip of the arc until it is 60 degrees. You can adjust the degrees by clicking the blue temporary
dimension value immediately after you create the line.

42 Repeat the previous step and create two more arcs between the columns.

NOTE As you sketch the arcs, try to get the angle value as close to 60 degrees as possible, then you
can modify it through the dimension. Do not be too concerned if your sketch lines do not exactly
connect. You will fix this in a later step.

43 On the Design Bar, click Properties.

44 In the Element Properties dialog, specify the following:
■ Select Sunscreen Fabric for Type.

■ Under Constraints, enter 300 mm for Extrusion Start.

■ Under Constraints, enter 5800 mm for Extrusion End.

45 Click OK.
The roof sketch must be a continuous line. You must make sure the arcs are connected where
they connect to the columns. The easiest way to accomplish this is to use the Trim tool.

46 On the Tools menu, click Trim/Extend.

47 Select the left arc and then the center arc. Select the right arc, then the center arc.
The arcs should connect.

48 On the Design Bar, click Finish Sketch.

49 On the View toolbar, click .

756 | Chapter 21 Creating Multiple Design Options

 The louver roof system is complete.

You have completed the sunscreen roof system.

50 On the Tools menu, click Design Options ➤ Design Options.

51 In the Design Options dialog, under Edit, click Finish Editing, and then click Close.
52 On the File menu, click Save.

NOTE If you intend to continue with the final exercise, you need this file in its current state. You can
leave it open and proceed immediately to the next exercise.

In this exercise, you designed each of the roofing options. The first option, a Louver system, was constructed
of 50 mm x 250 mm rafters and 50 mm x 150 mm louvers. The second roofing system, Sunscreen, was a
simple fabric roof created using an extrusion. Both of these options are designed to work in conjunction
with each of the structural design options.

Managing Design Options

In this exercise, you explore how to present each of the design options by creating multiple views to display
the various combinations. After exploring the combinations, you select a design, make it part of the building
model, and delete the discarded design options.
This exercise is designed to work in conjunction with the other exercises in this tutorial. All are sequential
and dependent on the previous exercise. If you have not completed the previous exercises in this tutorial,
do so now.

Create new views for each design option

1 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), expand 3D Views.
Because the client wants to see 3D building models of each of the designs, you must create a
named 3D view for the primary, secondary, tertiary, and last options.

2 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under 3D Views, right-click {3D}, and click Rename.
3 In the Rename View dialog, enter Primary Option, and click OK.
4 In the Project Browser, right-click the 3D View Primary Option, and click Duplicate. Repeat this
step two more times until you have three copies of the view.

Managing Design Options | 757

 5 Right-click each of the copies, and click Rename. Rename the three copies as follows:
■ Secondary Option

■ Tertiary Option

■ Last Option

6 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under 3D Views, double-click Primary Option.
7 On the View menu, click Visibility/Graphics.
8 In the Visibility/Graphics dialog, click the Design Options tab.
Notice that both option sets are set to automatic. This ensures that the primaries (currently
bracket and louver) are visible.

9 Click OK.

10 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under 3D Views, double-click Secondary Option.
11 On the View menu, click Visibility/Graphics.
12 In the Visibility/Graphics dialog, click the Design Options tab.
13 Specify Beam for the Structure design option, and click OK.

758 | Chapter 21 Creating Multiple Design Options

14 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under 3D Views, double-click Tertiary Option.
15 On the View menu, click Visibility/Graphics.
16 In the Visibility/Graphics dialog, click the Design Options tab.
17 Specify Brackets for the Structure design option, specify Sunscreen for the Roofing design option,
and click OK.

18 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), under 3D Views, double-click Last Option.
19 On the View menu, click Visibility/Graphics.
20 In the Visibility/Graphics dialog, click the Design Options tab.
21 Specify Beam for the Structure design option, specify Sunscreen for the Roofing design option,
and click OK.

At this point, all isometric views are ready to be placed on a titleblock or exported and e-mailed
to the client.
In this case, the client has reviewed the design options and has decided that the beam system
coupled with the louver roofing system is the preferred design. In your design options, the beam
and the louver roofing should be selected as primary.

Managing Design Options | 759

 22 On the Tools menu, click Design Options ➤ Design Options.
23 In the Design Options dialog, under Structure, select Beam.
24 Under Option, select Make Primary. This was the client choice for structural.
Because the client has selected the design option, the current primaries are no longer options;
but should be accepted as part of the building model.

25 Select Structure.
26 Under Option Set, click Accept Primary.
An alert is displayed, asking if you are sure you want to delete all elements of secondary options
in this option set and remove the option set.

27 In the alert dialog, click Yes.

The set is deleted, the beam option becomes part of the model, and you get a dialog asking if
you want to delete dedicated option views.

28 In the Delete Dedicated Option Views dialog, click Delete to remove the views that used options,
since you no longer need them.
29 Select Roofing.
30 Under Option Set, click Accept Primary to take the louvers into the model, delete the other
design option geometry and any dedicated option views.
31 In the alert dialog, click Yes.
32 In the Delete Dedicated Option Views dialog, click Delete.
33 In the Design Options dialog, click Close.
34 In the Project Browser under 3D Views, double-click Primary Option. The other options were
removed along with any dedicated option views.
The beam and louver systems are now part of the building model.

35 On the File menu, click Save.

In this exercise, you learned how to present each of the design options by creating multiple views to display
the various combinations. After exploring the combinations, you selected a design, made it part of the
building model, and deleted the discarded design options.

760 | Chapter 21 Creating Multiple Design Options

Project Phasing
22
In any project, you or the client may want to view the model according to phases. Phases represent distinct time periods
over the duration of a project. You can create as many phases as necessary and assign building model elements to specific
phases. You can use phase filters to control the flow of building model information into views and schedules. This allows
you to create phase-specific project documentation, complete with schedules. For the client, you can create a visual time
line of phase-specific 3D views.
In the lesson and exercises that follow, you work in a simple building model that requires renovation. You create new
phases, demolish existing construction, and then add new building model elements. In the second exercise, you apply
phase-specific room tags to rooms that vary with each phase.

Using Phasing
In the lesson and exercises that follow, you work in a simple building model that requires renovation. You
create new phases, demolish existing walls and doors, then add new walls and doors in a different location.
This changes room definition and total building model area.

In the second exercise, you apply phase-specific room tags to rooms that vary with each phase and observe
the differences in the phase-specific room schedules.

761
Phasing Your Model
In this exercise, you work in a simple model that requires renovation. You create new phases and phase
filters and modify graphic overrides. During the demolition and renovation process, you create new
phase-specific views in order to visualize the changes that you make to the model.
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Common\c_Phasing.rvt.

NOTE The units of measurement in this project file are imperial. Because units of measurement have little bearing
on the goals of this tutorial, you do not need to change the project units to metric. If you wish to do so, go to
the Settings menu, click Project Units, define the units, and click OK.

View current phase conditions

1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 1.

When you create a new project, two phases exist by default: Existing and New Construction.
As you add new elements to the building model, they are assigned to the New Construction
phase by default. This phase assignment is controlled by a setting within the view properties.
You can control the default phases and view phase setting by changing the settings within a
template. If you change the view property settings and the phase definitions within a template
file, then new building model elements are assigned to a phase according to those settings.

2 Click View menu ➤ View Properties.

3 In the Element Properties dialog, under Phasing, notice that Show All is selected for Phase Filter
and New Construction is selected for Phase.
This means that all building model elements, regardless of phase, are visible in this view. Any
new elements that you add to the building model are assigned to the New Construction phase.

4 Click Cancel.
5 Select any of the exterior walls.

6 On the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).

In the Element Properties dialog, under Phasing, notice that New Construction is selected for
Phase Created, and None is selected for Phase Demolished.

7 Click Cancel.
8 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Modify.

762 | Chapter 22 Project Phasing

Change the phase of the existing building model elements

9 In the drawing area, draw a selection window around the entire building model to select all of
the elements in it.

TIP If this were a multi-story building, you may want to select the building model in a 3D view to
ensure you capture all of the components.

After you release the mouse button, all of the building model elements, including the door tags,
are highlighted in red. Door tags are not phase-specific and must be filtered from the selection.

10 On the Options Bar, click (Filter Selection).

11 In the Filter dialog, clear Door Tags, and click OK.

12 On the Options Bar, click .

13 In the Element Properties dialog, under Phasing, for Phase Created, select Existing, and click
OK.
14 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
Notice that the line style of the walls and doors is displayed as gray rather than black because
of the phase and phase filter settings in the view properties.
Because this is a renovation project, it requires a plan view for demolition and for new
construction. After you create the views, you modify their view properties to make each view
phase specific.

Create phase-specific views

15 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, right-click Level 1, and click Rename.
16 In the Rename dialog, enter Level 1 - Existing, and click OK.
You are asked if you want to rename corresponding level and views. This refers to the ceiling
plan and the level line visible in any of the elevation views. Because this is a phase-specific view,
you do not want to rename the corresponding views and level.

17 Click No.
18 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, right-click Level 1 - Existing, and click Duplicate
View ➤ Duplicate.
19 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, right-click Copy of Level 1 - Existing, and click Rename.
20 In the Rename dialog, enter Level 1 - Demo, and click OK.

Phasing Your Model | 763

 You should now have a separate floor plan for the existing building model and the planned
demolition.

21 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1 - Existing.

22 Click View menu ➤ View Properties.
23 In the Element Properties dialog, under Phasing, for Phase, select Existing, and click OK.
The line style of the walls and doors returns to black.

24 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1 - Demo.

Notice that the line pattern is still gray. You may need to zoom in to see this.
This view uses a different line style because the phase property of this view is set to New
Construction. On a logical time line, new construction occurs after existing construction, to
which all the building model elements belong. Because of this time relationship, a graphic
override is used to make “older” elements use the gray line style. Later in this exercise, you
modify these settings.
Next, you use phase filters to define which building model elements display in a particular view.

Define phase filters

25 Click Settings menu ➤ Phases.

26 In the Phasing dialog, click the Phase Filters tab.
There are five default phase filters. In this case, however, you need a filter that takes all of the
phases into account with a particular graphic override.

27 Click New.
A new phase filter is displayed at the bottom of the Filter Name list.

28 Under Filter Name, enter Composite Plan.

29 For Composite Plan, under New, select Overridden.
This new filter uses graphic overrides to set the display of all building model elements: New,
Existing, Demolished, and Temporary.

View graphic overrides

30 Click the Graphic Overrides tab.

Graphic Overrides define the appearance of building model elements according to their phase
status. Phase status is time-dependent. You can change the cut and projection line color for a
demolished object.

764 | Chapter 22 Project Phasing

 31 Under Phase Status, select Demolished.
32 In the Demolished row, under Cut ➤ Lines, select the line style.
33 In the Line Graphics dialog, click the value for Color.
34 In the Color dialog, select red.
35 Click OK twice.
36 Using the same method, specify red for the Projection/Surface line style for the Demolished
phase.
Change cut lines and patterns for new objects

37 Change the line style for New ➤ Cut ➤ Lines to blue.

38 For New ➤ Cut ➤ Patterns, select a lighter blue.
39 In the Phasing dialog, click OK.
Next, you begin demolition. There are two ways to demolish an element. You can select it and
change its Phase parameter to Demolished, or you can use the demolish tool.

Demolish building model elements

40 On the Tools toolbar, click (Demolish).

The cursor is displayed as a hammer.

41 Referring to the walls that display as dashed lines in the following illustration, select the interior
walls one at a time.
As you click each wall, its display changes to a red dashed line. This was the display override
that was set for demolished objects in the previous steps.

Notice that the doors display as demolished even though you did not specifically demolish
them. That is because doors are wall-hosted elements. When you demolish the host, you demolish
all elements hosted by it.

42 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1 - Existing.

Notice that the demolished walls continue to display. This is because the view phase filter is set
to Show All.

Add new construction

43 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1 - Demo.

Phasing Your Model | 765

 44 Click View menu ➤ View Properties.
45 In the Element Properties dialog, under Phasing, for Phase Filter, select Show Previous + New,
and click OK.
The demolished walls no longer display.

46 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Wall.

47 In the Type Selector, select Basic Wall: Interior - 4 7/8" Partition (1-hr).
48 Using the following illustration as a guide, add a long horizontal wall, and then add four short
vertical walls between it and the upper exterior wall.

49 On the Design Bar, click Door.

50 In the Type Selector, select Sgl Flush: 34" x 84".
51 Add a door leading into each room. Click the control arrows to adjust the opening and face
directions.

52 Open Level 1 - Existing.

Notice this view still displays the original walls and doors.

53 Open Level 1 - Demo.

54 Click View menu ➤ View Properties.
55 In the Element Properties dialog, under Phasing, for Phase Filter, select Composite Plan for Phase
Filter, and click OK.

766 | Chapter 22 Project Phasing

 The composite plan phase filter uses graphic overrides and shows demolished as red dashed,
new is shown in blue, and existing shows as half-tone.
Notice that all building model elements display using the composite filter.

Create a new construction view

56 Change the Phase Filter to Show Previous + Demo.

57 In the Project Browser, right-click Level 1 - Demo, and click Duplicate View ➤ Duplicate.
58 Rename the copy to Level 1 - New.
59 Open Level 1 - New, and change the Phase Filter to Show Previous + New.
The renovated building model plan is displayed. This filter displays all original components
that were not demolished (Show Previous) and all new components added to the building model
(+ New).

60 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

61 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Shading with Edges.
All elements are displayed in this view, regardless of phase, because the phase filter is set to
Show All. You could create multiple 3D views that display each phase just as you did with the
floor plans.

62 If necessary, spin the building model so you can see the demolished walls, which are displayed
as red.

Phasing Your Model | 767

 Notice that all the elements are displayed using the material defined by the graphic overrides.

63 Close the file.

If you wish to save this file, you can do so at this time.

In this exercise, you created a building model with three distinct phases and created views with appropriate
phase filters to display each phase.
In the next exercise, you learn how to use phase-specific room tags.

Using Phase-Specific Room Tags

In this exercise, you add room tags to a building model that has multiple phases. Floor plans have been
created to display each phase of the project: existing conditions, demolition, and new construction. As the
renovation process continues, the rooms change in both definition and size, and the information that each
room tag reports adjusts accordingly.
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open
Common\c_Phase_Specific_Room-tags.rvt.

NOTE The units of measurement in this project file are imperial. Because units of measurement have little bearing
on the goals of this tutorial, you do not need to change the project units to metric. If you wish to do so, go to
the Settings menu, click Project Units, define the units, and click OK.

Add room tags

1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 1 - Existing.
Notice that this view is the original building model.

2 Open Level 1 - Demo.

In this view, the walls marked for demolition display using a dashed line style. They are the
same walls that display as red in the 3D view.

3 Open Level 1 - New.

In this view, you can see the new walls added to the building model. The three level 1 floor plan
views show the progression of the renovation. You can also see that the room quantities, sizes,
and locations change depending on the phase of the project.
All room boundaries are phase-specific; therefore, room tags report information based on the
phase of the view in which the rooms were added.

768 | Chapter 22 Project Phasing

 4 Click Settings menu ➤ Phases.
In the Phasing dialog, notice that there are two phases defined in this project. Phase 0 is for
existing conditions and Phase 1 is for demolition and new construction.

5 Click OK.
6 Open Level 1 - Existing, and maximize the view.
7 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Room.
8 Using the following illustration as a guide, click in each room to create a room and place a room
tag.

9 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

10 Open Level 1 - New.
11 On the Design Bar, click Room.
12 Starting in the room in the upper left corner, click in each room as you move to the right. Use
the following illustration as a guide.

Notice that the two rooms in the lower corners are identical to both the existing phase and the
new phase, yet they have different room numbers.

13 Open Level 1 - Demo.

14 On the Room and Area tab of the Design Bar, click Room Tag.

Using Phase-Specific Room Tags | 769

 15 Using the following illustration as a guide, add a room tag to the three rooms adjacent to the
lower exterior wall. The room tag command allows you to tag existing rooms.
Notice the room tags in this view get the same room tag numbers as the tags in the view
displaying new construction. That is because the same phase is assigned to both views. In this
case, both views are assigned the same phase yet have different phase filters.

View phase-specific room schedules.

16 In the Project Browser, expand Schedules/Quantities, and double-click Room Schedule - Existing.
17 On the Window menu, click Close Hidden Windows.
18 Open Room Schedule - New Construction.
19 On the Window menu, click Tile.
The two schedule views tile.

Notice that in each phase-specific schedule, room information differs based upon the phase of
the view the tags are in. In addition, notice the new construction has 25 less total square feet
than the original building model. This is because the additional interior walls in the new
construction occupy more space than the original.

20 Close the file.

In this exercise, you added room tags to various floor plans that are assigned different phases. You also
opened two schedules to observe how the room information is reported by phase.

770 | Chapter 22 Project Phasing

Linking Building Models
and Sharing Coordinates 23
Many projects consist of disparate buildings in an overall campus, or of a group of related but semi-independent sub-projects.
In these situations, you can use model linking and shared coordinates to create the campus within one project file while
allowing work to proceed on the individual building models in other project files. This maximizes efficiency, performance,
and productivity by working in a smaller project file while retaining the ability to place that building model into a larger
context.

Specific examples when you may want to use model linking and shared coordinates:

■ A campus plan that contains links to several structures.

■ A residential development in which a few different prototypes are configured differently in an area.
■ Comparison of alternatives on a site.

In this tutorial, you link several building models within a single project file in which only a site plan has been developed.
You position the building models on the site plan, modify their visibility, and manage the links throughout the project.
In the final lesson, you share the coordinates so that the linked files remember their location within the host project.

771
Linking Building Models
In this lesson, you work within a project in which only the site components have been developed. You link
multiple instances of one building model and a single instance of another. You position the building models
on the site, modify their visibility, and manage their locations in coordination with their originating project
files.

NOTE You must complete the exercises in this lesson in sequence.

Linking Building Models from Different Project Files

In this exercise, you open a project in which only site components have been developed. You link two
building models to the project. One building model is a condominium, and the other is a townhouse.

Placement options when linking building models

When you link a building model in a project, you have the option to manually place the linked building
model or allow Revit Architecture 2009 to automatically place it.

Automatic placement options:

■ Auto - Center to Center: Revit Architecture places the center of the imported geometry at the center of
the model.

NOTE The center of a Revit Architecture model is the center of the model geometry. This center changes as
the footprint of your model changes.

772 | Chapter 23 Linking Building Models and Sharing Coordinates

■ Auto - Origin to Origin: The origin of the imported geometry is placed at the invisible origin of the Revit
Architecture model.

■ Auto - By Shared Coordinates: When using Model Linking in conjunction with Shared Coordinates, this
option will place the link at a predefined location.

RELATED See the lesson, Sharing Coordinates Between Building Models on page 789.

Manual placement options:

■ Manual - Origin: The origin of the linked document is centered on the cursor.

NOTE Revit Architecture projects have an internal coordinate system; however, this system is not exposed to
the user.

■ Manual - Base Point: Not applicable for linked Revit Architecture Files. This option is grayed out.

■ Manual - Center: The geometric center of the linked document is at the cursor location.

This tutorial requires write permission to all the training files used. Because training files are used in multiple
tutorials and are normally installed as read-only, you need to copy the three training files to a different
directory and make them writable. If you are comfortable doing this using Windows Explorer, you can do
so. The required files can be found in the Common folder of the Training files: c_Site, c_Townhouse,
c_Condo_Complex. Otherwise, use the following steps to copy the training files to a new location.

Save training files to different folder

1 Create a new folder on your hard drive called Model Linking.
2 On the File menu, click Open.
3 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Common\c_Site.rvt.

NOTE You may need to scroll down in the left pane to see the Training Files folder.

4 On the File menu, click Save As, navigate to the Model Linking folder you created in the first step,
and save the file there.
5 On the File menu, click Close.
6 Repeat the previous five steps for the following files:
■ c_Townhouse

■ c_Condo_Complex

7 Open the Model Linking folder, select the three files, right-click, and click Properties.
8 Clear Read-only, and click OK.
All three files now reside, with write permission, in the Model Linking folder that you created.

Link condo complex into site project

9 On the File menu, click Open.

■ Navigate to the Model Linking folder.

■ Select c_Site.

■ Click Open.

Linking Building Models from Different Project Files | 773

 NOTE The three project files used in this lesson use imperial units of measurement. Because model
linking and sharing coordinates are not dependent on project units, you do not need to change the
project units to metric. If you wish to do so, you can go to the Settings menu, click Project Units, and
make your changes.

10 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and double-click Level 1.
Notice the blue detail lines. These represent the footprint outlines of the three building model
sites.

11 On the File menu, click Import/Link ➤ Revit.

12 In the Import/Link RVT dialog:
■ Navigate to the Model Linking folder and select c_Condo_Complex.

■ For Positioning, select Auto - Origin to Origin.

13 Click Open.

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 The condo complex building model is placed approximately at the center of the site model.

Move the condo complex building model

14 Select the linked building model.

After you select it, Linked Revit Model: c_Condo_Complex.rvt displays in the Type Selector.
Standard move commands work with linked building models. The linked model moves as one
object, similar to the behavior of imported DWG objects.

15 On the Edit toolbar, click (Move).

The Move command requires two clicks. The first click specifies the move start point. The second
click specifies the move endpoint.

16 For the move start point, click the upper-left corner of the linked condo complex building model.

17 For the move endpoint, click the upper-left corner of the matching blue detail lines above it.

Linking Building Models from Different Project Files | 775

 After you specify the location to move to, the linked file displays within the confines of the
blue detail lines.

18 On the View menu, click Zoom ➤ Zoom To Fit.

Link the townhouse building model

19 On the File menu, click Import/Link ➤ Revit.

20 In the Import/Link RVT dialog:
■ Navigate to the Model Linking folder, and select c_Townhouse.

■ For Positioning, select Auto - Origin to Origin.

21 Click Open.

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 The townhouse building model displays above the site model.

Rotate the townhouse

22 Zoom in around the townhouse model and select it.

23 On the Edit toolbar, click (Rotate).

To rotate an object, you first specify the rotation start point, and then click to specify the end
of the rotation. In this case, the townhouse must be rotated 90 degrees clockwise.

24 Place the cursor just north of the townhouse and, when the vertical line displays, click to specify
the rotation start point.

25 Move the cursor 90 degrees clockwise, and click to specify the end of the rotation.

Linking Building Models from Different Project Files | 777

 The rotated townhouse should resemble the following illustration.

Move the townhouse

26 On the Edit toolbar, click (Move).

This townhouse building model needs to be moved inside the blue detail lines in the lower-left
corner of the site model. Do not be concerned if the detail lines do not match the exact footprint
of the townhouse.

27 Click the lower-left corner of the townhouse building model as the move start point.

28 Select the lower-left corner of the lower-left set of blue detail lines as the move endpoint.

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 The townhouse is located within its required footprint.

Copy the townhouse

29 On the Edit toolbar, click (Copy).

The Copy command works much like the Move command. The first click specifies the start
point, and the second click specifies the copy-to point.

30 For the starting point, select the upper-right corner of the townhouse.
31 Select the upper-right corner of the blue detail lines on the right to specify the copy-to point.

Linking Building Models from Different Project Files | 779

 A copy of the townhouse displays on the right side of the site project.

32 On the Edit menu, click Rotate, and rotate the townhouse 180 degrees.

NOTE After you rotate the townhouse, if it does not fit reasonably well within the detail lines, use
the Move command to make any adjustments.

33 Click the first instance of the townhouse on the left.

34 On the Options Bar, click .

35 In the Element Properties dialog, under Identity data, for Name, enter Townhouse A, and click
OK.
36 Use the same technique to name the instance of the Townhouse on the right to Townhouse B.

37 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

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 38 On the File menu, click Save.

NOTE If you intend to complete the next exercise of this tutorial, you need this project file open and
in this view.

In this exercise, you linked two separate Revit Architecture 2009 models into a site model. After linking the
files, you rotated and moved the building models to fit them into their designated positions within the site
development.
In the next exercise, you modify the elevation of the townhouses.

Repositioning Linked Building Models

In this exercise, you reposition the townhouses in respect to their elevation. When you originally linked
the files, they were placed too low within the site topography. In this exercise, you modify their vertical
position so that the townhouses sit correctly on the site.

NOTE This exercise requires the completion of the previous exercise in this tutorial and the resulting project files.
If you have not completed the previous exercise, do so before continuing.

Modify the vertical position of the townhouses

1 On the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels).

2 On the SteeringWheels, click and hold Orbit, and then spin the model until it resembles the
following illustration.

NOTE If this is the first time you are using the SteeringWheels, click Try Me for the Full Nav Large
Wheel.

Repositioning Linked Building Models | 781

 Notice that the townhouse is not at the proper elevation in relationship to the site toposurface.
This is apparent because there is a planter below ground level that was designed to sit on top
of the site surface.

3 In the Project Browser, under Views (all), expand Elevations, and double-click South.

4 Zoom in around the townhouse on the left.

5 Place the cursor over the townhouse and notice that, when it highlights, the status bar displays
the name of the linked file.
6 Zoom in closer on the lower half of the townhouse and notice the ground floor level of the
townhouse is 11 feet below Level 1 of the site project.

In the steps that follow, you use the Align command to reposition the linked model within this
project. When using the Align command, you first select the plane you want to align to, and
then select the plane that you want to align. In this case, you align the Ground Floor level to
Level 1 of the site plan.

7 On the Tools toolbar, click (Align).

8 Select the Level 1 line of the Site project, move the cursor over the Ground Floor level of the
Townhouse project, and click to select it.

TIP Place the cursor over the Level 1 line of the Site project, press TAB until Level 1 : Reference displays
in the status bar, and click to select the line. This process ensures that you are aligning to the level
marker in the site project and not to the linked condo complex project. If you experience difficulty
finding the Level1 : Reference, you may want to hide the Condo Complex from the view. To do this,
click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics. Click the Revit Links tab, clear Visibility for the
c_Condo_Complex.rvt, and click OK. Remember to turn on visibility of the Condo Complex after you
have completed this task.

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 Notice that the townhouse is now at the proper height within this project. Also notice the option
displays for you to lock the alignment. Do not lock the alignment of the linked file. This would
over-constrain the model.

9 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, double-click North.

10 Using the same technique learned in the previous steps, align the Ground Floor level of the
remaining townhouse to Level 1 of the Site project.

11 Return to the South elevation view.

Both townhouses should be at the proper level.

12 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

13 On the View toolbar, click (SteeringWheels).

14 On the SteeringWheels, click and hold Orbit, and then spin the model until it resembles the
following illustration.

15 On the File menu, click Save.

Repositioning Linked Building Models | 783

 NOTE If you intend to complete the next exercise of this tutorial, you need this project file open and
in this view.

In this exercise, you changed the elevation of the townhouses relative to the host project. As you can see,
each linked file can have a separate set of levels and relative heights and you can accommodate those
differences within the host project.
In the next exercise, you modify how the linked files display within the host project.

Controlling Linked Building Model Visibility

In this exercise, you modify the visibility settings of the linked files within the site project. After you link a
Revit Architecture 2009 project file within another project, you can independently control the visibility
settings, detail level, display settings, and the halftone settings for each linked project.

NOTE This exercise requires the completion of the previous exercises in this tutorial and the resulting project files.
If you have not completed the previous exercise, do so before continuing.

Modify visibility settings

1 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, double-click South.
2 On the View menu, click Visibility/Graphics.
3 In the Visibility/Graphics dialog, click the Revit Links tab.
4 Under Visibility, expand c_Townhouse.rvt.
Notice that you can change visibility settings of an entire linked file or selected instances of a
linked file.

NOTE You have three options for controlling visibility settings of a linked file. By host view matches
the display to the settings of the current active project view. By linked view matches the display to
the settings of the linked project view. Custom allows you to override specific visibility settings for a
linked project or an instance of the linked project. When you link a file, the defaults are set to By host
view for all options.

5 Under Display Settings for c_Townhouse.rvt, click By Host View.

6 On the Basics tab of the RVT Link Display Settings dialog, click Custom.
If the Basics page is set to Custom, then the other pages on the RVT Link Display Settings dialog
may be set to By host View, By linked view, or Custom.

7 Click the Annotations Categories tab.

8 For Annotation Categories, select <Custom>.
9 Under Visibility, scroll down and clear Levels.
10 Click OK.
11 In the Visibility/Graphics dialog, click OK.
Notice the Level lines for both townhouses no longer display.

NOTE Changes to Visibility/Graphics are per view only. The townhouse level lines still display in the
remaining elevation views.

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 12 Using the same technique learned in the previous steps, clear the Levels display for
c_Condo_Complex.rvt.

Apply halftone

13 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 1.

14 On the View menu, click Visibility/Graphics.
15 In the Visibility/Graphics dialog, click the Revit Links tab.
16 Under Visibility, expand c_Townhouse.rvt.
Notice the option to halftone individual instances of the townhouse model.

17 Select Halftone for the Townhouse project, and click OK.

Halftone displays objects with half their normal darkness. With linked files, you can apply
halftone to the entire linked project or individual instances of the model. Using the Custom
option, you can also apply halftone to individual categories. Notice both townhouses display
in halftone.

Detail levels of a linked file

18 On the View menu, click Visibility/Graphics.

19 In the Visibility/Graphics dialog, click the Revit Links tab.
20 For c_Townhouse.rvt, under Display Settings, click By Host View.
21 In the RVT Link Display Settings dialog, on the Basics tab, select Custom.
22 Click the Model Categories tab.
23 In the Model categories list, select <Custom>.
By default, the detail level for the linked townhouse project is set to By Host View. This means
that the detail level of the linked file is matched to the detail level of the current active project
view. By selecting custom under Model Categories, you can independently set the detail level
for each model category for each link on a per view basis. You can click the value for Detail
Level, and then set the detail level to coarse, medium, or fine.
In this case, no detail level changes are required.

24 Click OK.

Controlling Linked Building Model Visibility | 785

 Modify display settings of linked files

You can use display settings to control the view range, phase, and phase filter of a specific link.
25 On the Revit Links tab, under Visibility, select c_Townhouse.rvt.
Notice that the Custom button displays under Display Settings.

26 Under Display Settings, click Custom for the Townhouse link.

27 In the RVT Link Display Settings dialog, select Floor Plan: Ground Floor for Linked view.
By default, the view range of a linked project uses the current view of the host project to define
its view range. In most cases, this is preferable. However, there are situations, on a sloped site
for instance, where you need to specify a different view range so that all the building model
plan views cut at the same height. In this case, the townhouse view range now uses the same
view range defined within the Floor Plan: Ground Floor of the original linked file.

28 Select By linked view for View range.

Notice the Phase and Phase filter specified are By host view. In this case, the host view specifies
New Construction for the Phase and Show All for the phase filter.
This means that the phase named New Construction for the linked building model is displayed,
with Show All as the phase filter applied to the link. With the Show All filter applied, all new,
existing, demolished, and temporary components in that particular phase (New Construction)
are displayed. All other components are grayed out.

29 Click OK.
30 In the Visibility/Graphics dialog, click OK.
31 On the File menu, click Save.

NOTE If you intend to complete the next exercise of this tutorial, you need this project file open and
in this view.

In this exercise, you modified the visibility settings of the townhouse link by turning off the visibility of the
level lines and applying halftone in a plan view. You also changed the view range of the townhouse so it
would cut through the building model at the same height as the other linked building model.
In the next exercise, you manage the linked files.

Managing Linked Building Models

In this exercise, you manage the links within the host project by unloading and reloading the linked projects.
After you link a Revit Architecture 2009 project into another project, a connection to the linked project
continues to exist. If the host file is closed and one of the linked files is modified, those modifications are
reloaded into the host project when it is reopened.

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NOTE This exercise requires the completion of the previous exercises in this tutorial and the resulting project files.
If you have not completed the previous exercise, do so before continuing.

Unload and reload links

1 On the File menu, click Manage Links.
2 In the Manage Links dialog, click the Revit tab.
Notice the Loaded, Locations Not Saved, and Saved Path fields are read only. They supply
information regarding the links.

NOTE The Locations Not Saved field is only relevant for links with shared coordinates. In a shared
coordinate environment, any changes made to the locations of a linked file are saved within the linked
file rather than the host project. As links are moved to new locations in the host project, you can use
the Save Locations command to save the new locations to the linked project. You learn more about
this in the next lesson, Sharing Coordinates Between Building Models.

3 Under Path Type, notice that you have a choice between Relative and Absolute.
The default path type is Relative. In general, you should use a relative path rather than an
absolute. If you use a relative path and move the project and linked file together to a new
directory, the link is maintained. If you use an absolute path and move the project and linked
file to a new location, the link is broken because the host project continues to look for the link
in the absolute path specified. The most common scenario for using Absolute is when the linked
file is on a network where multiple users need access to it.

4 Under Linked File, select c_Condo_Complex.rvt.

The buttons at the bottom of the dialog are now active.

5 Click Unload.

NOTE Unloading linked projects may increase performance by reducing the quantity of components
that must be opened and drawn.

6 At the confirmation prompt, click Yes.

The Loaded option for that linked file is now clear.

7 Click OK.
Notice that the condo complex link no longer displays in the host project.

Managing Linked Building Models | 787

 TIP In the Manage Links dialog, you can also remove a link completely or reload the link from a
different location.

Linking building models with Worksharing enabled

In some cases, you may need to link projects that have Worksharing enabled. In these cases,
you should consider the following:
■ Selective open of worksets: When linking a Worksharing-enabled building model, you can
specify which worksets to open after the link is made. In the Import/Link RVT dialog, click
the arrow next to the Open button, and select Specify. This enhances performance by reducing
the quantity of components that must be opened and drawn.

■ Changing the linked worksets: While working in a host file with Worksharing-enabled linked
files, you may decide that you need to see additional worksets of one of those linked files.
To do this, go to the Manage Links dialog and use the Reload From command. You can then
specify the additional worksets you need opened.

■ Linking a building model into multiple host projects: Although the same Worksharing-enabled
building model can be linked within multiple host projects, the specific worksets opened in
each host project must be identical. The user who creates the first link determines the status
for all other linked files.

■ Host files with Worksharing enabled: When the host file has Worksharing activated, you
must keep in mind which workset the link is placed in. Links consist of two parts: the link
symbol and the link instance. When you initially place the link, both the link symbol and
the link instance are placed in the active workset. However, link instances can be reassigned
to different worksets. In general, you should try to keep all instances of a link on the same
workset.

TIP When opening a Worksharing-enabled host file, it is possible to specify which links are loaded
when the host file opens. A link is only loaded if the workset that the link instance is assigned to
opens. If you choose not to open that workset, the link is not loaded.

8 In the Project Browser, expand Revit Links, right-click c_Condo_Complex.rvt, and click Reload.

NOTE Some of the more frequently-used commands from the Manage Links dialog can be accessed
by right-clicking the link in the Project Browser.

Notice the condo complex building model has been reloaded into its previous location.

9 On the File menu, click Save As.

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 10 In the Save As dialog, navigate to the Model Linking folder you created in the first exercise, name
the file Site_Project, and save it as an RVT file.

NOTE If you intend to complete the next lesson, Sharing Coordinates Between Building Models, it
is important that this file exist in the same directory as the condo complex and townhouse projects.

In this exercise, you managed the linked files by unloading and reloading the townhouse project. In the
next lesson, you learn how to share the coordinates between the host and linked projects.
If you intend to complete the next lesson now, leave the project file open in its current view.

Sharing Coordinates Between Building Models

In this lesson, you learn how to share coordinates between project files so that you can correctly locate
building models with respect to each other. When used in conjunction with model linking, you can keep
track of the multiple locations in which a linked building model may reside.
When you share coordinates between projects, you are deciding which coordinate system will be used by
the two files. In essence, you are establishing a shared origin point.

TIP You can also use shared coordinates with linked DWG files. When Revit project views are exported to DWG,
project or shared coordinates can be specified in the Export Options dialog.

This lesson requires the completion of the lesson Linking Building Models on page 772, and the resulting
project files. If you have not completed the previous lesson, do so before continuing.

Acquiring and Publishing Coordinates

In this exercise, you publish the coordinates from a host project file to two different buildings that are linked
to that project. The host file consists primarily of site components.
When you link a Revit Architecture 2009 project into another project (the host project), you can choose to
use the coordinates of either the host project or the linked project. In most cases where the host project
consists primarily of site components and the linked projects contain the building models, the host project

Sharing Coordinates Between Building Models | 789

 coordinates are used. This ensures all the linked building models define their position with respect to the
site data.
When you are working in the host project, you can publish the coordinates of the linked files. This sends
the coordinate information to the linked project so that its internal coordinate system matches the host
project.
You can also acquire coordinates when working in the host project. In this case, the host file acquires the
coordinates of a specified linked file. You may want to do this in a case when the link refers to a DWG that
has an established coordinate system that you want the host project to adopt.

NOTE This exercise requires the completion of the previous lesson, Linking Building Models on page 772, and the
resulting project files. If you have not completed the lesson, do so before continuing. If you have closed the project,
open it before continuing.

Training File
■ On the File menu, click Open.

■ Navigate to the Model Linking folder you created in the first exercise of this tutorial.

■ Select Site_Project.rvt and click Open.

Publish coordinates
1 Verify that the floor plan Level 1 is the active view.

2 On the Tools menu, click Shared Coordinates ➤ Publish Coordinates.

As indicated in the Status Bar, you must now select a linked project to publish coordinates to.

3 In the drawing area, click the Condo Complex. It is the building model in the upper center of
the host project.

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 4 In the Manage Place and Locations dialog, select Location 1, and click OK.
On the Status Bar, notice you are still in Publish Coordinates mode and Revit Architecture is
waiting for you to select another link.

5 On the Design Bar, click Modify to end the Publish Coordinates process.

NOTE If you intend to complete the next exercise of this lesson, you need this project file open and
in this view.

You have published the coordinates of the host project to the linked project. Both projects now share a
coordinate system and can be linked to one another using this common coordinate system.

Relocating a Project with Shared Coordinates

When a Revit Architecture 2009 model is linked into a host project, it is placed at a specific location. Until
coordinates are shared between the link and the host, this location is not saved outside of the host project.
However, if coordinates are published from the host to the linked project, then the location becomes saved
in the linked file. This location is defined as being a specified location with respect to the origin of the Host.
Linked files using shared coordinates must have at least one defined location, but can have multiple additional
locations. An example of a linked file with many locations is a prototype model of a house that is placed
on 3 different lots. These three locations can be named Lot A, Lot B, and Lot C. Each of these lots is simply
a different position for the same house design. Each of the locations can then be saved within the linked
file for reference. This makes it possible to use the same building file to represent identical buildings on a
site.
In this exercise, you specify and save the two townhouse locations, even though both models originate from
one linked file. You also relocate the shared origin of the project.

NOTE This exercise requires the completion of the previous exercise within this lesson and the resulting project
files. If you have not completed the exercise, do so before continuing.

Specify a townhouse location

1 In the drawing area of the floor plan Level 1, move the cursor over the left townhouse and,
when the edges highlight, click to select it.

Relocating a Project with Shared Coordinates | 791

 2 On the Options Bar, click .
3 In the Element Properties dialog, under Instance Parameters, notice the Shared Location value
is Not Shared.
4 Under Value, click Not Shared for Shared Location.
Because this is the first time you are setting up the shared coordinates between the host and the
linked models, a dialog displays telling you to reconcile the coordinates. This means that you
need to choose which coordinate system will be shared by both files. This is a one-time operation.

5 In the Share Coordinates dialog:

■ Select Publish the shared coordinate system.

■ Under Record selected instance as being positioned at location, click Change.

6 In the Manage Place and Locations dialog, click Rename.

7 In the Rename dialog, enter Lot A for New, and click OK.
8 In the Manage Place and Locations dialog, click OK.
9 In the Select Location dialog, click Reconcile.
10 In the Element Properties dialog, notice the Shared Location value is now Lot A, and click OK.
Constrain a link to a specific location

11 Select the townhouse building model on the right side of the host project.
After a link instance is assigned a shared location, changing the position of that instance can
affect the definition of the location that is saved with the linked file. When constraining a link
to a location, you have only two choices:
■ Move the instance to an existing location that is not already in use.

■ Record the current position as a location.

12 On the Options Bar, click .

13 In the Element Properties dialog, under Instance Parameters, click Not Shared for Shared Location.
In the Choose Location dialog, notice that you do not have an option to acquire or publish
coordinates. This is because the coordinates for this linked file have already been shared. It is
only necessary to reconcile coordinates once.

14 In the Choose Location dialog, select Move instance to.

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 Notice the OK button is not active. This is because you cannot choose a location where an
instance link already exists. You created the Lot A location in previous steps, and the left
townhouse resides at that location.

15 In the Choose Location dialog, select the second option, Record current position as.
Notice the OK button is still not active. Because Lot A is currently in use, you cannot redefine
its location.

16 Click Change.
17 In the Manage Place and Locations dialog, click Duplicate, enter Lot B for Name, and click OK.
18 In the Manage Place and Locations dialog, make sure Lot B is selected, and click OK.
19 In the Select Location dialog, click OK.
20 In the Element Properties dialog, click OK.
You now have two different locations for the townhouse building model: Lot A and Lot B.

Save locations

21 On the File menu, click Manage Links.

22 In the Manage Links dialog, click the Revit tab, and then select the townhouse project.
23 Click Save Locations.
24 In the Save Modified Linked Model dialog, select Save, and click OK.
When you create a location, it is not automatically saved within the linked file. To explicitly
save a location, you must go to the Manage Links dialog and save the locations there.

NOTE If you attempt to close a host file without saving location changes made to linked files, you
are prompted to save the locations to the linked files.

25 In the Manage Links dialog, notice the Locations Not Saved option for the townhouse project
is no longer selected.
26 Click OK.
27 Select the townhouse on the right in Lot B and drag it a short distance in any direction. When
you release the mouse button, a warning displays.
You are informed that you have attempted to move a linked file that has been saved to a specific
location. You are given the opportunity to save the new location, ignore the warning, or cancel
the action.

28 Click Cancel to return the townhouse to Lot B.

You can relocate an entire project with respect to all the linked files that are shared with it.
When you relocate a project, the active location position is moved, although it may appear that
the linked files are moving. By relocating a project, you essentially move the origin of the shared
coordinates.

Relocate a project

29 On the View menu, click Zoom ➤ Zoom to Fit.

30 On the Tools menu, click Project Position/Orientation ➤ Relocate this Project.
This is a two-click process. The first click specifies the move start point. The second click specifies
the move endpoint.

31 Click just north of the site topography and just below the North elevation symbol.

Relocating a Project with Shared Coordinates | 793

 32 Move the cursor horizontally to the left approximately 40' and click to relocate the shared origin.

Notice the site topography and the linked building models no longer line up, and the linked
projects are offset the distance that you moved the origin.

33 On the Edit menu, click Undo to return the origin to its original position.
34 On the File menu, click Save.
35 In the Save Modified Linked Model dialog, select Save, and click OK.
36 On the File menu, click Close.

NOTE In the following exercise, you work in one of the linked projects. You cannot work on a host file and one
of its linked files simultaneously in the same session of Revit Architecture.

In this exercise, you created and saved the locations of each townhouse. You have also learned how to
relocate the host project with respect to the linked projects.

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Working with a Linked Building Model
After a file has been linked into a host and its coordinates are shared, the linked file contains information
about its location with respect to the host. When opening the linked file, you can select which of the defined
locations is the active location that you would like to work on. Also, if other models were linked into the
same host, you could link them in and have them retain their correct position.
In this exercise, you work on the townhouse building model and modify its location.

NOTE This exercise requires the completion of the previous exercises within this lesson and the resulting project
files. If you have not completed the exercises, do so before continuing.

Training File
■ On the File menu, click Open.

■ Navigate to the Model Linking folder you created in the first exercise of this tutorial.

■ Select c_Townhouse and click Open.

Link a project
1 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 1st Floor.
This project is currently linked to the Site_Project.rvt file. It is located in Lot A and Lot B within
that project file. In addition, the condo complex is linked within the Site_Project.rvt file.

2 On the File menu, click Import/Link ➤ Revit.

3 In the Import/Link RVT dialog:
■ Navigate to the Model Linking folder you created in the first exercise of this tutorial.

■ Select c_Condo_Complex.

■ For Positioning, select Auto - By Shared Coordinates.

■ Click Open.

Because this building model only has one named location, it is placed automatically within the
host project.

4 Zoom out to see the condo complex building model.

The condo complex is positioned relative to the active location of the townhouse building
model. The current active location is Lot A.

Working with a Linked Building Model | 795

 Change the active location

5 On the Settings menu, click Manage Place and Locations.

Notice that Lot A is the current active location.

6 Select Lot B, and click Make Current.

7 Click OK.
Notice that the condo complex link has repositioned itself as though the townhouse was on
Lot B.

NOTE If you intend to complete the next exercise of this lesson, you need this project file open and
in this view.

In this exercise, you worked within a project that is linked within another project. You loaded a linked file
into the townhouse project and then changed the active location to see how the project reacts to the changes.
In the next exercise, you manage the shared locations.

Managing Shared Locations

The Manage Place and Locations command allows you to quickly create new location names or rename
existing ones. These new locations can be assigned later within a host file. In this exercise, you create a new
location, orient a view to true north, and use the Report Shared Coordinates tool.

NOTE This exercise requires the completion of the previous exercises within this lesson and the resulting project
files. If you have not completed the exercises, do so before continuing.

Manage locations
1 On the Settings menu, click Manage Place and Locations.
2 In the Manage Place and Locations dialog, click Duplicate.
3 In the Name dialog, enter Lot C, and click OK.
4 In the Manage Place and Locations dialog, click OK.
Lot C now exists as a location although it has not been specified as an instance. In the host file,
you can select Lot C if necessary.

Orient a view to true north

5 On the View menu, click View Properties.

6 In the Element Properties dialog, under Graphics, select True North for Orientation, and click
OK.

796 | Chapter 23 Linking Building Models and Sharing Coordinates

 7 Click View menu ➤ Zoom ➤ Zoom to Fit.
Notice that the orientation of the model resembles the site project.

Report shared coordinates

8 On the Tools menu, click Shared Coordinates ➤ Report Shared Coordinates.

This command allows you to determine the location of elements and points in the model with
respect to the shared coordinate origin.

9 Click any component or in any location on the drawing area.

On the Options Bar, notice the coordinates display in regards to the direction and distance to
the origin.

10 On the File menu, click Close. You can save the file if you wish.
In this exercise, you created a new location using the Manage Place and Locations tool. You rotated a view
to true north and used the Report Shared Coordinates tool to locate components in regards to the origin.

Scheduling Components of Linked Files

In this exercise, you schedule components of the host file and of all linked files.

NOTE This exercise requires the completion of the previous exercises within this lesson and the resulting project
files. If you have not completed the exercise, do so before continuing.

Training File
■ On the File menu, click Open.

■ Navigate to the Model Linking folder you created in the first exercise of this tutorial.

■ Select Site_Project.rvt and click Open.

Create a door schedule

1 Verify that the floor plan Level 1 is the active view.

Scheduling Components of Linked Files | 797

 2 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Schedule/Quantities.
3 In the New Schedule dialog, under Category, select Doors, and click OK.
Select the fields to display in the door schedule

4 In the Schedule Properties dialog, click the Fields tab.

5 Under Available fields, select Count, and click Add.
6 Add the remaining fields in the following order:
■ Family and Type

■ Comments

■ Cost

7 Select Include elements in linked files.

798 | Chapter 23 Linking Building Models and Sharing Coordinates

 8 Click OK.

In order to see a concise listing of all the doors in the campus project, you can sort the schedule
data and display a single table entry per door type.

Sort schedule data

9 In the Project Browser, expand Schedules/Quantities, right-click Door Schedule, and click
Properties.
10 In the Element Properties dialog, under Other, click Edit for Sorting/Grouping.
11 In the Schedule Properties dialog, select Family and Type for Sort by.
12 Select Grand totals, clear Itemize every instance, and then click OK twice.

Because you did not itemize every instance of each door type, the schedule lists the total count
for each door type, and a grand total for the number of doors in the project buildings.

13 On the File menu, click Save.

14 On the File menu, click Close.
In this exercise, you created a schedule of doors in the host file and all linked files of a project. You also
sorted the schedule data to produce a consolidated listing of the components.
You have completed this tutorial.

Scheduling Components of Linked Files | 799

800
Customizing Project
Settings and Templates

801
802
Modifying Project and
System Settings 24
In this tutorial, you learn how to modify your Revit Architecture 2009 working environment. In the first lesson, you
modify the system environment, which is independent of the project settings. In the second lesson, you modify project
settings to control the appearance of components and subcomponents within that project. Finally, you create an office
template, and set it as your default template.

Modifying System Settings

In this lesson, you learn how to control the system settings for Revit Architecture. System settings are local
to each computer and applied to all projects; they are not saved to project files or template files.

Modifying General System Options

In this exercise, you modify the settings that control your local Revit Architecture working environment.
These settings control the graphics, selection default options, notification preferences, journal cleanup
options, and your username when using worksets.

Set graphics settings

1 Click File menu ➤ Close to close all open projects.

2 Click Settings menu ➤ Options.
3 In the Options dialog, click the Graphics tab.
4 Under Colors, select Invert background color, and click OK.
5 Click File menu ➤ New ➤ Project to open a new Revit Architecture project.
6 In the New Project dialog, under Template file, click Browse.
7 In the left pane of the Choose Template dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\Templates\m_Tutorial_Default.rte.
8 In the New Project dialog, click OK.
Notice that the drawing area is black.

9 Click Settings menu ➤ Options.

10 In the Options dialog, click the Graphics tab.
11 Under Colors, click the value for Selection color.

803
 12 In the Color dialog, select yellow, and click OK.

NOTE You can also specify the Alert Color. When an error occurs, the elements causing the error
display using this color.

13 Click the General tab.

14 Under Notifications, specify the following options:
■ For Save reminder interval, select One hour.

■ For Tooltip assistance, select None.

15 Click OK.
16 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Wall.
17 Sketch a straight horizontal wall in the center of the drawing area.
18 On the Design Bar, click Modify, and select the wall.

Notice the selected wall is yellow rather than the default red.

19 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

20 Place the cursor over the wall but do not select it.
Notice that a tooltip is not displayed. However, the status bar displays information about the
highlighted element.

21 Click File menu ➤ Close.

22 When prompted to save changes, click No.
23 Click File menu ➤ Open.
24 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Settings.rvt.
Notice that the system settings apply to this project.

25 Click Settings menu ➤ Options.

26 In the Options dialog, click the Graphics tab, and make the following changes:
■ Under Colors, clear Invert background color.

■ For Selection color, select red.

804 | Chapter 24 Modifying Project and System Settings

 27 Click the General tab, and make the following changes:
■ Under Notifications, select your preferred Save reminder interval. For Tooltip assistance,
select Normal.

■ Under Username, enter the name you want to use during worksharing. Your login name
displays by default.

■ Under Journal File Cleanup, select values for When number of journals exceeds and Delete
journals older than (days).
Journal files are deleted automatically after their number exceeds the value you specify.
Journal files are text documents that record each step during your Revit Architecture sessions.
These files are used in the software support process. Journals can be run to detect a problem
or recreate lost steps or files. They are saved at the termination of each Revit Architecture
session.

28 Click OK.
Notice that the drawing area background colors are no longer inverted and that tooltips display
when you place the cursor over any building component.

29 Click File menu ➤ Close. If prompted, do not save the changes.

30 Proceed to the next exercise, Specifying File Locations on page 805.

Specifying File Locations

In this exercise, you specify default file locations. These settings control locations of important Revit
Architecture files, including your default project template, family template files, and family libraries.

Set file locations

1 Click Settings menu ➤ Options.

2 In the Options dialog, click the File Locations tab.
3 Under Default template file, click Browse.
Notice that you can choose an industry-specific template as your default template.

TIP To view a template, you can start a new project with that template. Click File
menu ➤ New ➤ Project, and click Browse to select a template.

4 Click Cancel.
5 Under Default path for user files, click Browse.
6 In the Browse For Folder dialog, select the folder to save your files to by default, and click Open.
7 In the Options dialog, under Default path for family template files, click Browse.
This path is set automatically during the installation process. These are the family templates
that you use to create new families. It is unlikely that you would ever want to modify this path.
However, there are some circumstances where you may need to modify the path, such as in a
large, centralized, architectural firm where customized templates reside on a network drive.

8 Click Cancel.
Specify library settings and create a new library

9 In the Options dialog, click Places.

10 In the Places dialog, notice the list of library names.
The list is dependent on the options that you selected during installation. Each library path
points Revit Architecture to a folder of families or training files. You can modify the existing

Specifying File Locations | 805

 library names and path, and you can create new libraries. An icon for each library displays in
the left pane of all Revit Architecture Open, Save, Load, and Import dialogs.

When you are opening, saving, or loading a Revit Architecture file, you can click on the library
folder located in the left pane of the dialog. In the following illustration, notice that the libraries
display as icons in the left pane of the dialog.

11 In the Places dialog, under Libraries, click (Add Value).

12 Click in the Library Name field of the new library, and change the name to My Library.

13 Click in the Library Path field for My Library, and click the icon that displays on the right
side of the field.
14 Navigate to C:\My Documents or a folder where you want to create a personal library of Revit
Architecture projects, templates, or families, and click Open.

TIP You may want to create a new folder first, and select it as the library path.

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 The new library displays in the left pane of all Revit Architecture Open, Save, Load, and Import
dialogs. The library icons display in the order in which they are listed in the Options dialog.

15 Under Library Name, click My Library.

16 Click (Move Rows Up) until My Library is at the top of the list, and click OK twice.
17 Click File menu ➤ Open.
18 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click the My Library icon.
Notice that Revit Architecture navigates directly to the library path. If you work in a large office,
you may want to set up an office library on a network path to increase productivity and maintain
office standards.

19 Click Cancel.
20 Click Settings menu ➤ Options.
21 Click the File Locations tab.
22 Click Places.
23 Select My Library.

24 Click (Remove Value) to delete the library.

25 Click OK.
Specify rendering settings

26 Click the Rendering tab.

27 Under Render Appearance Library Location, view the current path.
This path specifies the location of the Render Appearance Library. This path is determined during
installation. If you want to relocate this path, specify the new location here.
Under Additional Render Appearance Paths, you can specify the locations of other files used to
define render appearances, such as bump maps, custom color files, and decal image files.

28 Click OK.
29 Proceed to the next exercise, Specifying Spelling Options on page 807.

Specifying Spelling Options

In this exercise, you modify the spelling settings and the custom dictionaries for Revit Architecture.

Modify spelling settings

1 Click Settings menu ➤ Options.

2 In the Options dialog, click the Spelling tab.
3 Under Settings, select Ignore words in UPPERCASE.
4 Under Personal dictionary contains words added during spell check, click Edit.
The custom dictionary opens in your default text editor.

5 In the text editor, enter sheetmtl-Cu.

6 Click File menu ➤ Save.
7 Click File menu ➤ Exit.
8 Under Building industry dictionary, click Edit.
9 In the text editor, scroll down the list of building industry terms.
10 Click File menu ➤ Exit.

Specifying Spelling Options | 807

 11 In the Options dialog, click OK.

12 On the Standard toolbar, click (New) to open a new Revit Architecture project using the
default template.
13 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Text.
14 Click in the drawing area, and enter This is sheetmtl-Cu and SHTMTL-CU.
15 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Modify.
16 Click Tools menu ➤ Spelling.
Notice that the spell checker allowed sheetmtl-Cu because you added it to the custom dictionary.
It allowed SHTMTL-CU because you set the spelling options to ignore words in uppercase.

17 Click Settings menu ➤ Options.

18 In the Options dialog, click the Spelling tab.
19 Under Settings, click Restore Defaults.
This command resets the spelling settings to their original configuration.

20 Under Personal dictionary, click Edit.

The custom dictionary opens in your default text editor.

21 In the text editor, delete sheetmtl-CU.

22 In the text editor, click File menu ➤ Save, and then click File menu ➤ Exit.
23 In the Options dialog, click OK.
24 Click File menu ➤ Close. If prompted, do not save the changes.
25 Proceed to the next exercise, Modifying Snap Settings on page 808.

Modifying Snap Settings

In this exercise, you modify snap settings. Snap settings are system settings that are applied to all projects
and not saved within a project file. You can turn snap settings on and off, or use the shortcut keys to force
a particular snap method. In this exercise, you modify snap increments, work with snapping turned off, and
use shortcut keys to control snapping on an instance basis.

Modify snap increments

1 Click File menu ➤ New ➤ Project to open a new Revit Architecture project.
2 In the New Project dialog, under Template file, click Browse.
3 In the left pane of the Choose Template dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\Templates\m_Tutorial_Default.rte.
4 In the New Project dialog, click OK.
5 Click Settings menu ➤ Snaps.
Notice that you can modify both length and angular snap increments. As you zoom in and out
within a view, Revit Architecture uses the largest increment that represents less than 2mm in
the drawing area. You can add an increment by entering the value with a semicolon after it.

808 | Chapter 24 Modifying Project and System Settings

 6 Under Dimension Snaps, click in the Length dimension snap increments box following the
value 1000 ; and enter 500 ;.

7 Under Object Snaps, notice the 2-letter acronyms next to each object snap option.
You can use these shortcut keys at any time when working on the design. For example, if you
want to snap an object to a wall midpoint, enter SM, and only midpoint snaps are recognized
until you commit an action. After you click to place the object at the midpoint, snapping reverts
to the system default settings.

8 In the Snaps dialog, click OK.

9 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Wall.
10 On the Options Bar, clear Chain.
11 Click in the center of the drawing area, and move the cursor to the right.

Notice that the listening dimension snaps at 1000 mm increments. If it does not, zoom out
until it does so.
A listening dimension refers to the dimension that displays while you are sketching. This
dimension reacts to the movement of the cursor and numerical keyboard entries.

TIP To zoom while sketching, use the wheel button on your mouse. If you do not have a wheel
button, you can right-click and select a zoom option from the shortcut menu. While sketching, you
can also use the zoom shortcut keys, such as ZO to zoom out.

Modifying Snap Settings | 809

 12 While sketching a generic straight wall, zoom in until the listening dimension snap increment
shifts to 500 mm.
This is the increment that you added previously.

Sketch without snapping

13 While sketching the wall, enter the shortcut key SO to turn snaps off.

Notice that when snapping is turned off completely, the listening dimension reflects the exact
length of the wall as you move the cursor to the left or right.

14 Click to set the wall endpoint.

15 Click in the drawing area to start a second wall, and move the cursor to the right. Do not set
the wall end point.

Notice that snapping is once again active. When you use shortcut keys to control snapping, the
command is only active for one click of the mouse.

Use snapping shortcut keys

16 On the Design Bar, click Modify, and click Wall.

17 Place the cursor over the horizontal wall you added previously.
Notice that the cursor snaps to various points on the wall. If you move the cursor along the
wall, it will snap to the endpoints, the midpoint, and the wall edges.

18 Enter SM.
This is the snap shortcut key that restricts all snapping to midpoints.

19 Notice that the cursor now snaps only to the midpoint of the wall.

20 Click to start the wall at the midpoint.

21 Move the cursor downward, and specify the wall endpoint.
22 Click Settings menu ➤ Snaps.
23 Under Dimension Snaps, click in the Length dimension snap increments box, and delete the
value 500 ;.
Make sure you also delete the semicolon.

24 Click OK.
25 Click File menu ➤ Close, and do not save the file.
26 Proceed to the next lesson, Modifying Project Settings on page 811.

810 | Chapter 24 Modifying Project and System Settings

Modifying Project Settings
In this lesson, you learn how to control the project environment by using the options available on the
Settings menu. Using these options, you modify the appearance of components and subcomponents in a
project. You create and modify materials, annotations, lines, fill patterns, and object styles. Finally, you
modify the way the Project Browser organizes the project.
The exercises in this lesson should be done sequentially using the same project file. If you cannot complete
the exercises in their entirety, save the project file with a unique name, and use it to complete the remaining
exercises.

Creating and Applying Materials

In this exercise, you create a new material and apply it to a model element. When you apply a material to
an element, it defines the appearance of that element in shaded and rendered views. Well designed materials
provide the foundation for photorealistic renderings.
In the steps that follow, you begin with a simple building model consisting of brick on CMU exterior walls.

This building model has a generic roof and generic floor. After you create a new fieldstone material and
apply it to the exterior wall face, you render a region to observe the changes.

Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\m_Settings.rvt.

Create a new material

1 Click Settings menu ➤ Materials.

Modifying Project Settings | 811

 Notice the materials listed on the left side of the dialog. This list includes all materials available
for use on model elements. When a model element is loaded into a project, all materials that
are part of that family are also loaded into the project.

2 Scroll down the materials list, and select Masonry - Stone.

Notice that no surface pattern is defined for this material. However, this material provides a
starting point for the new material, Masonry - Fieldstone.

3 Click (Duplicate).
This command creates a new material using the selected material settings as the starting point.

4 In the Duplicate Revit Material dialog, enter Masonry - Fieldstone, and click OK.
You have created a new material that can be applied to any model element in this project. Notice
that the material settings have not changed from the material that you duplicated. In the steps
that follow, you modify the material so that it displays correctly in a shaded or rendered view.

Change the render appearance

5 Click the Render Appearance tab.

The properties describe the color, scale, and texture of the material. These details will display
in rendered images.

6 Click Replace.
The Render Appearance Library is a local, read-only library for render appearances. When you
change properties of a render appearance, the modified render appearance is stored as part of
the project file. It is not stored in the read-only Render Appearance Library.

7 In the Render Appearance Library dialog, for Class, select Stone.

The list displays only render appearances that belong to the stone class.

8 Select Riverstone Blue, and click OK.

In the Materials dialog, the Render Appearance tab updates to display properties for the selected
stone.

9 Click Apply.
10 Click the Graphics tab.
Notice that the surface pattern is still blank. In the next exercise, you create a fieldstone pattern
and apply it to the Masonry - Fieldstone material.

11 Click OK.
Apply the new material

12 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all) ➤ Floor Plans, and double-click 02 Entry Level.

13 Select the lower exterior wall, and click (Element Properties).

812 | Chapter 24 Modifying Project and System Settings

14 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
15 Click Duplicate.
16 Enter the new wall name, Fieldstone on CMU, and click OK.
17 For Structure, click Edit.
18 For Finish 1, click in the Material field.
Layer #1 is the exterior finish of the wall. It is currently assigned the material Masonry - Brick.

19 On the right side of the Material field, click .

20 In the Materials dialog, select Masonry - Fieldstone, and click OK.
This is the material that you created.

21 Click OK three times.

When you render a 3D view that includes the lower wall, the wall will display the render
appearance specified for Masonry - Fieldstone.

22 Select the left exterior wall.

23 While pressing CTRL, select the rear exterior wall.
24 In the Type Selector, select Basic Wall: Fieldstone on CMU.
All of the exterior walls of this project are now Fieldstone on CMU.

25 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

26 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style, and verify that Shading with Edges is
selected.

Creating and Applying Materials | 813

 Notice that the exterior walls are no longer brick, and there is no stone pattern applied in this
view. This is because a surface pattern was not selected when the fieldstone material was defined.
In the following exercise, Creating and Applying Fill Patterns on page 815, you create a fieldstone
pattern and apply it to this material.

27 On the Rendering tab of the Design Bar, click Rendering Dialog.

TIP If the Rendering tab is not available on the Design Bar, right-click the Design Bar, and click
Rendering.

28 In the Rendering dialog, select Region.

29 In the 3D view, select the render region (a red rectangle), and drag its blue grips to adjust the
render region around the building.

30 Zoom in on the render region so you can see the building more clearly in the drawing area.
31 In the Rendering dialog, under Quality, for Setting, select Low or Medium.
Higher quality renderings require more time to generate.

32 In the Rendering dialog, click Render.

The rendering process begins. When finished, the rendered image displays fieldstone walls.

814 | Chapter 24 Modifying Project and System Settings

 TIP If you want to see the material in greater detail, in the Rendering dialog, click Show the model.
Zoom into the model, and adjust the boundaries of the render region to describe a smaller area.
Then click Render again.

33 In the Rendering dialog, click Show the model, and clear Region.
34 Close the Rendering dialog.
35 Click File menu ➤ Save As.
36 Navigate to a folder of your preference, and save the file as m_Settings-in progress.rvt.
37 Proceed to the next exercise, Creating and Applying Fill Patterns on page 815.

Creating and Applying Fill Patterns

In this exercise, you create a new pattern called Fieldstone and apply it to the material you created in the
previous exercise.
There are 2 types of fill patterns: model and drafting. Model patterns represent actual element appearance
on a building, such as brick coursing or ceramic tile on a wall. Model patterns are fixed and scale with the
model. Drafting patterns represent material in symbolic form, such as steel, which consists of a
double-diagonal hatching pattern. Drafting pattern density is fixed. Both pattern types are created and
applied in a similar way.

NOTE This exercise requires the completion of the previous exercise. Use the project file that you saved at the
end of that exercise, m_Settings-in progress.rvt.

Create a new fill pattern

1 In the Project Browser, expand Elevations, and double-click West.

Notice that no model surface pattern displays on the fieldstone wall.

2 Click Settings menu ➤ Fill Patterns.

3 Under Pattern Type, choose Model.
4 Scroll down the list of patterns.
Notice that a fieldstone pattern is not available.

5 Click New.
6 In the Add Surface Pattern dialog, select Custom.
7 Under Custom, click Import.

Creating and Applying Fill Patterns | 815

 8 In the left pane of the Import Fill Pattern dialog, click Training Files, and open
Common\Fieldstone_Model.pat.
9 Under Custom, select fldstn, and for Import scale, enter .56.
10 For Name, enter Fieldstone, and click OK.
The new model pattern is available in the Fill Patterns dialog.

11 Click OK.
Apply the fieldstone pattern

12 Select the west exterior wall with windows.

13 On the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).

14 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
15 For Structure, click Edit.
16 In the Edit Assembly dialog, for Finish 1, click in the Material field.
Finish 1 is the exterior finish of the wall. It is currently assigned the material Masonry - Fieldstone.

17 On the right side of the Materials field, click .

In the Materials dialog, notice that no surface pattern is applied to the Masonry - Fieldstone
material.

18 Under Surface Pattern, click to select a fill pattern.

19 In the Fill Patterns dialog, under Pattern Type, select Model.
20 Select the Fieldstone model pattern, and click OK.
21 In the Materials dialog, click OK.
22 Click OK three times.
The west wall of the building displays as solid fill.

23 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

24 Zoom into the model until the fill pattern appears.

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 25 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

TIP If the pattern does not display, adjust your zoom settings as needed.

26 Click File menu ➤ Save.

27 Proceed to the next exercise, Controlling Object Styles on page 817.

Controlling Object Styles

You can use object styles to control the appearance of components and subcomponents. Object styles are
applied in every view and can be overridden in a particular view by modifying the Visibility/Graphics settings.
Object styles allow you to control the appearance of multiple component types.
For example, there are often multiple window types within a project. The client may not be certain of the
exact window frame color to use and may want to see renderings of various options. Rather than continually
modify the type properties of each window type, you can set the window frame material to By Category.
You can then change the material in the Object Styles dialog and apply it to all window types.

NOTE This exercise requires the completion of the previous exercise. Use the project file that you saved at the
end of that exercise, m_Settings-in progress.rvt.

Apply object styles by category

1 In the Project Browser, expand 3D Views, and double-click 3 Windows.

2 On the keyboard, use the shortcut keys ZR (Zoom in Region), and drag a rectangle around the
3 windows facing you.

Controlling Object Styles | 817

 3 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Shading with Edges.
4 Select one of the rectangular windows.

5 On the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).

6 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
7 In the Type Properties dialog, under Materials and Finishes, for Trim Exterior Material, click in

the Value column, and click .

8 In the Materials dialog, click By Category (located under the materials list).
This means that the material is assigned by the Object Styles setting.

9 Click OK twice.
10 Select the arched window.

11 On the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).

12 In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New.
13 In the Type Properties dialog, under Materials and Finishes, for Trim Exterior Material, click in

the Value column, and click .

14 In the Materials dialog, click By Category.
15 Click OK twice.
16 On the Design Bar, click Modify.
Notice the exterior frames of all the windows are now gray.

818 | Chapter 24 Modifying Project and System Settings

Change the render appearance

17 Click Settings menu ➤ Object Styles.

18 On the Model Objects tab, expand Windows, and select Trim.

19 For Trim, click in the Material column, and click .

20 In the Materials dialog, select Trim, and click (Duplicate).

21 In the Duplicate Revit Material dialog, for Name, enter Trim - red paint, and click OK.
22 Click the Render Appearance tab.
23 Click Replace.
24 In the Render Appearance Library dialog, for Class, select Paint.
25 In the search field, type red.
The list displays render appearances that belong to the Paint class and whose names, descriptions,
or keywords include the word red.

26 Select Paint Dark Red Glossy, and click OK.

When you render a 3D view, the rendered image will show dark red paint for the window trim.

Change the color in shaded views

27 Click the Graphics tab.

28 Under Shading, select Use Render Appearance for Shading.
Revit Architecture determines the average color for the render appearance. It uses this color to
represent the material in 2D and 3D views whose model graphics style is Shading or Shading
with Edges.

29 In the Materials dialog, click OK.

30 In the Object Styles dialog, click OK.
Notice that the red paint trim material is applied to all windows regardless of their type.

Controlling Object Styles | 819

 31 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D view).
32 Click File menu ➤ Save.
33 Proceed to the next exercise, Modifying Line Patterns and Styles on page 820.

Modifying Line Patterns and Styles

In this exercise, you create a new line pattern and apply it to the fascia of the roof. You then create a new
line style to mark the zoning setback from the property line.

NOTE This exercise requires the completion of the previous exercise. Use the project file that you saved at the
end of that exercise, m_Settings-in progress.rvt.

Create a new line pattern

1 Verify that the project from the previous exercise, m_Settings-in progress.rvt, is open with the 3D
view active.
2 Click Settings menu ➤ Line Patterns.
3 In the Line Patterns dialog, click New.
4 In the Line Pattern Properties dialog, for Name, enter Roof Line.
5 Enter the Types and Values shown in the following illustration:

6 Click OK twice.
Now that you have created a line pattern, you can apply it using either of the following methods:
■ Use Visibility/Graphics settings to modify the roof appearance in a specific view.

■ Use object styles to apply the change to all views.

7 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style ➤ Hidden Line.
8 Click Settings menu ➤ Object Styles.
9 In the Object Styles dialog, under Category, select Roofs.
10 For Line Color, select Red.
11 For Line Pattern, select Roof Line.

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12 Click OK.
The line style is applied to the roof in the view.

13 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, double-click to Building.

14 On the View Control Bar, click Model Graphics Style, and verify that Hidden Line is selected.
Notice that the line color displays in this view, but not the line pattern.

Modifying Line Patterns and Styles | 821

 NOTE The line pattern is most appropriate in plan views. The pattern is not applied in a perspective
or camera view where you expect to see a solid line. Plans, sections, elevations, and orthogonal 3D
views show line color and pattern.

15 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 03 Roof.

16 Click Settings menu ➤ Object Styles.

17 In the Object Styles dialog, under Category, select Roofs.
18 For Line Color, select Black.
19 For Line Pattern, select Solid.
20 Click OK.
21 Click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics.
22 On the Model Categories tab, for Visibility, select Roofs.
23 For Projection/Surface Lines, click Override.
This setting overrides the appearance of the roof only in the current view.

24 In the Line Graphics dialog, specify the following options:

■ For Weight, select 5.

■ For Color, select Blue.

■ For Pattern, select Roof Line.

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 25 Click OK twice.

Create a new line style

26 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Site.

Notice the site topography and the property lines.

27 Click Settings menu ➤ Line Styles.

28 In the Line Styles dialog, under Modify Subcategories, click New.
29 For Name, enter Zoning Setback, and click OK.
30 For the Zoning Setback category, specify the following values:
■ For Line Weight Projection, select 2.

■ For Line Color, select Red.

■ For Line Pattern, select Double dash.

31 Click OK.
32 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Lines.
33 In the Type Selector, select Zoning Setback.
34 On the Options Bar, specify the following:
■ For Plane, select Level: 02 Entry Level.
This places the line above the topography.

■ Click (Draw).

■ Click (Line).

35 Draw lines for the setback approximately as shown:

Modifying Line Patterns and Styles | 823

 NOTE If you only want the setback to display on the site view, use the Detail Lines command on the
Drafting tab of the Design Bar. Detail lines only show in the view where they are created, as if they
are placed on an overlay of the view.

36 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

Notice that the Zoning Setback lines display in this view.

37 Click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics.

38 On the Model Categories tab, expand Lines, and clear Zoning Setback.
This turns off the visibility of the Zoning Setback lines only in this view.

39 Click OK.
40 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 02 Entry Level.
41 Click View menu ➤ Visibility/Graphics.
42 On the Model Categories tab:
■ Expand Lines, and clear Zoning Setback.

■ Expand Site, and clear Property Lines.

NOTE If Site is not selected, select it, and then clear Property Lines.

43 Click OK.

44 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

45 Click File menu ➤ Save.
46 Proceed to the next exercise, Modifying Annotations on page 825.

824 | Chapter 24 Modifying Project and System Settings

Modifying Annotations
In this exercise, you create a new dimension style using units of measurement that differ from the project
settings. You also load a new window annotation symbol and apply it to show the window instance number
rather than the window type.

NOTE This exercise requires the completion of the previous exercise. Use the project file that you saved at the
end of that exercise, m_Settings-in progress.rvt.

Create a new dimension style

1 Verify that the project from the previous exercise, m_Settings-in progress.rvt, is open with the 02
Entry Level floor plan active.
2 Click Settings menu ➤ Annotations ➤ Dimensions ➤ Linear.
3 In the Type Properties dialog, click Duplicate.
4 Enter the name Linear - Imperial and click OK.
5 Under Text, for Units Format, click the default value.
6 In the Format dialog:
■ Clear Use project settings.

■ For Units, select Feet and fractional inches.

7 Click OK twice.
You have created a new dimension style.

8 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Dimension.

9 In the Type Selector, select Linear - Imperial, and place a dimension on the floor plan.
To place a dimension, click one wall, click another wall, and then click outside the second wall.

10 On the Standard toolbar, click (Undo).

11 On the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Modify.
Load a new window tag

12 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click 02 Entry Level.

Notice that the windows on the west wall are tagged, and that the tags display the window type
rather than the window instance number.

13 Select a tagged window in the west wall.

Modifying Annotations | 825

 14 On the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).
15 In the Element Properties dialog, notice the Mark value differs from the window tag value.
The window tag used in this project is designed to display the type. In the steps that follow,
you load a new window tag that displays the window instance mark.

16 Click Cancel.
17 Click Settings menu ➤ Annotations ➤ Loaded Tags.
18 In the Tags dialog, under Category, scroll down to Windows.
Notice that there is a window tag loaded and applied to windows.

19 Click Load.
20 In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open
Metric\Families\Annotations\M_Window Tag - Number.rfa.
In the preview image, notice that the label displays 1i. This indicates this tag is designed to
display the window instance value rather than the type value.

21 In the Tags dialog, scroll to Windows and notice that M_Window Tag - Number is now the
assigned tag.
This tag is used when tagging windows By Category.

22 Under Loaded Tags, click M_Window Tag - Number, and select the drop-down arrow that
displays.
Notice that you can choose between the two window tag types loaded into this project. Leave
M_Window Tag - Number as the assigned tag.

23 Click OK.
24 While pressing CTRL, select the 3 window tags. Then press Delete.
25 On the Drafting tab of the Design Bar, click Tag ➤ By Category.
26 On the Options Bar, clear Leader.
27 On the west wall, click the bottom window.
A window instance tag displays on the selected window.

28 On the Design Bar, click Tag All Not Tagged.

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 Under Category, notice Window Tags appears twice. Each Window Tag category has a different
loaded tag: one displays the type value, the other displays the instance value.

29 Select the Window Tag category with the loaded tag, M_Window Tag - Number.
30 Under Leader, verify that Create is clear, and click OK.
The remaining untagged windows are tagged by instance value. Both window tag types can
coexist within the same view.

31 On the Design Bar, click Modify.

TIP Using the techniques learned in the previous steps, you can have multiple views: one displaying
window type tags and the other displaying window instance values.

32 On the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).

33 Click File menu ➤ Save.
34 Proceed to the next exercise, Specifying Units of Measurement, Temporary Dimensions, and
Detail Level Options on page 827.

Specifying Units of Measurement,Temporary Dimensions, and Detail Level

Options
In this exercise, you modify 3 settings that have a broad impact on the project. In the first section, you
specify the project units of measurements. Unless overridden, dimension values display using this setting.
In the second section, you modify the temporary dimension settings. In the final section, you modify the
detail level assignments.

NOTE This exercise requires the completion of the previous exercise. Use the project file that you saved at the
end of that exercise, m_Settings-in progress.rvt.

Set units of measurement

1 Click Settings menu ➤ Project Units.

2 In the Project Units dialog, for Length, click the default value.
3 In the Format dialog, for Rounding, select To the nearest 100, and click OK.
4 In the Project Units dialog, for Area, click the default value.
5 In the Format dialog:
■ For Rounding, select 0 decimal places.

■ For Unit symbol, select meters squared.

■ Click OK.

Modifications to area rounding are displayed in schedules and area tags.

6 Click OK.
Unless overridden, dimensions use these project settings.

Specify temporary dimension properties

7 Click Settings menu ➤ Temporary Dimensions.

8 Under Walls, select Faces.
9 Under Doors and Windows, select Openings, and click OK.

Specifying Units of Measurement,Temporary Dimensions, and Detail Level Options | 827

 In this project, temporary dimensions now snap to the wall faces and to the door and window
openings. The location of temporary witness lines can be changed by clicking their controls.

Specify detail levels

10 Click Settings menu ➤ Detail Level.

When you create a new view and specify its view scale, the detail level is specified automatically
according to the arrangement in the table.

TIP You can override the detail level at any time by specifying the Detail Level parameter in the View
Properties dialog or the Detail Level icon on the View Control Bar.

In this table, you use the arrows between the columns to move view scales from one detail level
to another. You do not select a view scale to move it. The view scale moves either from the
bottom or the top of the column based on the direction.

11 Between the columns Coarse and Medium, click .

Notice the 1 : 50 view scale moved to the Medium column. Any new view created using this
scale is automatically assigned the detail level Medium.

12 Click OK.
13 Click File menu ➤ Save.
14 Click File menu ➤ Close.
15 Proceed to the next exercise, Modifying Project Browser Organization on page 828.

Modifying Project Browser Organization

In a typical project, you often produce multiple packages of related drawings. These drawings and sheets
can become so numerous that navigating a lengthy Project Browser list can be cumbersome. To organize
the views and sheets into sets of deliverables, you can use the Project Browser settings to instantly modify
how the Project Browser groups and sorts.
In this exercise, you modify the Project Browser organization and create new methods of grouping and
sorting the views and sheets.
Training File
■ Click File menu ➤ Open.

■ In the left pane of the Open dialog, click Training Files, and open Common\c_Project_Browser.rvt.

Organize the Project Browser by views

1 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all), expand Floor Plans, and expand 3D Views.

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 Notice that the views are listed alphabetically.

2 In the Project Browser, expand Sheets (all).

Notice that the sheets are listed alphanumerically based on the sheet number.

3 Open each of the 3D views in the following order, and notice the progression of each view:
■ Main Bldg - Phase 1-Structure

■ East Wing - Phase 2-Structure

■ West Wing - Phase 3-Structure

■ Completed Project-Structure

■ Completed Structure w/ Roof&Floors

■ Completed Project

Each of the 3D views varies by phase and discipline.

4 Click Settings menu ➤ Browser Organization.

5 On the Views tab, select Discipline, and click OK.
In the Project Browser, notice that Views are divided into Architectural and Structural disciplines.

6 In the Project Browser, expand both the Architectural and Structural views.
7 Click Settings menu ➤ Browser Organization.
8 Select Phase, and click Apply.
In the Project Browser, notice that views are grouped by phase.

9 In the Browser Organization dialog, select Type/Discipline, and click OK.

10 In the Project Browser, expand each view type, and notice that each is grouped by discipline.

Modifying Project Browser Organization | 829

 Organize Project Browser by sheets

11 Click Settings menu ➤ Browser Organization.

12 Click the Sheets tab.
13 Select Sheet Prefix, and click OK.
14 In the Project Browser, under Sheets, expand each sheet set.

Create a new browser organization name

15 Click Settings menu ➤ Browser Organization.

16 Click the Views tab, and click New.
17 Enter Phase/Type/Discipline, and click OK.
18 In the Browser Organization Properties dialog, click the Folders tab, and specify the following:
■ Group by: Phase

■ Then by: Family and Type

■ Then by: Discipline

19 Click OK.

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 20 In the Browser Organization dialog, select Phase/Type/Discipline as the current browser
organization, and click OK.
21 In the Project Browser, under Views, expand Complete, expand 3D Views, and expand both
Architectural and Structural.
Notice that the Project Browser has reorganized all the views within this project according to
Phase, View Type (Family and Type), and Discipline.

22 Click File menu ➤ Close.

If you want to save this file, navigate to your preferred directory, enter a unique file name, and
click OK.
Proceed to the next lesson, Creating an Office Template on page 831.

In this lesson, you modified various project settings that affect project appearance and organization. All the
settings that you changed in this lesson are saved with the project. You can also save these settings in a
template file. By saving these settings as a template and using it throughout the office, you maintain consistent
standards and reduce the amount of repetitive work. In the lesson that follows, you create an office template.

Creating an Office Template

In this lesson, you create a Revit Architecture template file and specify it as your default template. When
you create new projects, the project template is used to provide the initial project settings such as materials,
dimensions styles, levels, and view names. You can save Project Browser organization schemes and named
print settings in a template. Although Revit Architecture provides many templates to choose from, you may
decide to modify one or more of these templates to the specific needs of your company. A well designed
template will ensure that office standards are maintained and will reduce repetitive work.
The lesson begins with choosing the correct base template and progresses through many of the most common
modifications that you should consider to make a template unique to your situation.

Choosing the Base Template

In this exercise, you select the starting point for your office template.
Whenever you create a new project or template, a group of settings is used to specify the project environment.
For example, when you create a new project, you can select an existing template or begin the project with
no template. Even if you choose not to base that project on a template, certain baseline settings are still
assigned to the new project. When you create a new template based on an existing template, the same rules
apply. You can use an existing template as the baseline or use no template at all. You should choose the
option that will help you develop the best template with the least amount of work.

Review existing templates

1 Click File menu ➤ New ➤ Project.

2 Under Template file, click Browse.
3 In the left pane of the Choose Template dialog, click Training Files, and open Metric\Templates.
You can choose from several templates. The template selection may vary depending on your
installation.
The first step in creating your office template is deciding which template to use as your starting
point. You may need to have a variety of office templates if your work requires it. In that case,
you can modify one template and use Transfer Project Standards to copy the changes to other
templates.

4 Select the Construction-DefaultMetric.rte template, and click Open.

Creating an Office Template | 831

 5 In the New Project dialog, for Create new, select Project.
6 Click OK.
7 In the Project Browser, expand Views (all) ➤ Elevations, and double-click North.
8 Click View menu ➤ Zoom ➤ Zoom in Region and, in the drawing area, drag a zoom region
around the level heads.
Notice that there are more predefined levels than you normally see in the default template.

9 In the Project Browser, navigate throughout the various views and schedules.
Notice that the construction template is more complex than the default template. Other templates
are simple in respect to the predefined views and schedules, but the view properties have been
modified to maximize the use of various tools.

10 Click File menu ➤ Close.

If you have additional projects open, close them.

11 Click File menu ➤ New ➤ Project.

12 Under Template File, click Browse.
13 Select the default template.

TIP This template is the starting point for your new template. If you want to use a template other
than the default, you can select it now.

14 Click Open.
15 Under Create new, select Project template, and click OK.
16 Proceed to the next exercise, Modifying Project Settings on page 832.

Modifying Project Settings

In this exercise, you modify the project settings for your new template. These settings control the appearance
of components and their subcomponents within a project. To maintain office standards and reduce rework,
you can establish settings that are common to most projects. For example, you can create the materials
commonly used in most projects. When you create the material, you can dictate its appearance in all views
and when rendered.
In this exercise, you modify the following:

■ Materials

■ Fill patterns

■ Object styles

■ Line styles, weights, and patterns

■ Annotations

■ Project units

■ Temporary dimensions

■ Detail levels

■ Project Browser organization

In addition to the list above, there are additional commands under the Settings menu that allow modifications
that can be saved in a template. The specifics regarding each of these are addressed at the end of this exercise.

832 | Chapter 24 Modifying Project and System Settings

During this exercise, specific modifications are not dictated. You are merely pointed to each area where you
can adapt the template to your needs. For more details on modifying these settings, see the previous lesson,
Modifying System Settings on page 803, or refer to the online help.

Create and modify materials

1 Click Settings menu ➤ Materials.

2 Scroll down the materials list.
Observe the materials that are already defined. You may want to rename or modify some of the
existing materials. If certain materials are commonly used in your office or industry, create and
modify them as needed.

TIP For more information about creating new materials, see Modifying Project Settings on page 811,
or refer to the online help.

When you create or modify a material, you can specify its appearance in rendered images,
including color, texture, transparency, and similar attributes. You do this by defining the render
appearance.

3 Click the Render Appearance tab.

You can assign a different render appearance to a material, see a preview of the rendered material,
and change render appearance properties.

4 Click Replace.
If you change render appearance properties, the changes are saved as part of the project template,
not in the read-only Render Appearance Library. Any related files (such as image files or bump
maps) should be stored in a location that is accessible to all users of the template. For more
information, see Specifying File Locations on page 805.

5 Click OK twice to close the Render Appearance Library and Materials dialogs.
Create and modify fill patterns

6 Click Settings menu ➤ Fill Patterns.

7 Scroll through the list of model patterns and drafting patterns.
Drafting patterns represent materials in symbolic form. Model patterns represent actual element
appearance on a building. You can align, rotate, and move model patterns. You can also
dimension to model pattern lines.

8 Create new fill patterns as needed, or modify existing patterns.

See Modifying Project Settings on page 811 for more information on creating new fill patterns.

9 Click OK when finished.

Specify object styles

10 Click Settings menu ➤ Object Styles.

In the Object Styles dialog, you can set line weights, line colors, line patterns, and materials for
model objects, annotation objects, and imported objects.

TIP When the material of an object is set to by category, it adopts the material assigned to its object
styles category.

11 Click the Model Objects tab, and scroll through the list of categories.
12 Modify the properties of any existing categories as needed.
13 If necessary, create new subcategories.
14 Click the Annotation Objects tab.

Modifying Project Settings | 833

 15 Modify categories, and create new subcategories as needed.
16 Click OK to close the Object Styles dialog.
Modify line styles

17 Click Settings menu ➤ Line Styles.

18 For existing line categories, modify the line weight, line color, or line pattern as needed.
19 If necessary, create new line subcategories.
20 Click OK.
Modify line weights

21 Click Settings menu ➤ Line Weights.

The Line Weights command controls the display of line widths for each scale of a view. You
can add and delete view scales.
The dialog has 3 tabs:
■ The Model Line Weights tab controls the line width of model elements (such as walls and
windows) in orthographic views. The widths are dependent on the scale of the design. You
can define the widths of 16 different pens for 6 different drawing scales.

■ The Perspective Line Weights tab controls the line width of model elements in perspective
views.

■ The Annotation Line Weights tab controls the line width of annotation symbols, such as
section lines and dimension lines. Annotation line widths are independent of the view scale.

22 Click the Model Line Weights tab.

23 Modify existing line weights as needed.
24 Add and delete view scales as needed.
25 Click the Perspective Line Weights tab.
26 Modify existing line weights as needed.
27 Click the Annotation Line Weights tab.
28 Modify existing line weights as needed.
29 Click OK.
Modify line patterns

30 Click Settings menu ➤ Line Patterns.

31 Scroll through the list of line patterns.
32 To modify a line pattern, select it, and click Edit.
33 Add and delete line patterns as needed.
34 Click OK.
Modify arrowheads

35 Click Settings menu ➤ Annotations ➤ Arrowheads.

The arrowheads configured within this dialog can be applied to text notes, tags, and dimensions.

36 Select the Type drop-down list, and notice the list of existing arrowhead styles.
To see the details of a particular style, select it from this list.

37 Modify the properties of existing arrowhead styles if necessary.

38 Click Rename if you want to rename an existing arrowhead.
39 If you need to create a new arrowhead style, click Duplicate, name the style, and specify the
properties.

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 40 Click OK.
Modify dimension styles

41 Click Settings menu ➤ Annotations ➤ Dimensions ➤ Linear.

Linear, angular, and radial dimensions are modified separately.

42 Select the Type drop-down list, and notice the list of existing linear dimension styles.
To see the details of a particular style, select it from this list.

43 Modify the properties of existing linear dimension styles if necessary.

44 Click Rename if you want to rename an existing style.
45 If you need to create a new linear dimension style, click Duplicate, name the style, and specify
the properties.
46 Click OK.
47 Repeat the previous 5 steps for angular and radial dimensions.
■ Click Settings menu ➤ Annotations ➤ Dimensions ➤ Angular.

■ Click Settings menu ➤ Annotations ➤ Dimensions ➤ Radial.

Modify loaded tags

48 Click Settings menu ➤ Annotations ➤ Loaded Tags.

The tag assignments in this dialog dictate the default tag for each category. For example, when
you add a door with the tag option selected, the door is tagged using the tag assigned to the
Doors category in this dialog. You can override tag assignment using the Type Selector.

49 Scroll through the list of loaded tags.

Notice many categories do not have loaded tags. You can have multiple tags loaded for any
category. When more than one tag has been loaded for a category, the last loaded tag becomes
the default tag. In the Tags dialog, you can override the assignment by selecting a different tag
from the drop-down list.

50 To load new annotation tags, click Load.

51 After you have loaded the necessary tags, make sure each category is assigned the desired tag,
and click OK.
Specify project units

52 Click Settings menu ➤ Project Units.

53 For Length, click Format.
54 Modify the unit settings if necessary.
55 Click OK.
56 Repeat the previous two steps for the Area, Volume, and Angle settings.
57 Specify the Slope option, and choose a decimal symbol.
58 Click OK.
Specify temporary dimensions

59 Click Settings menu ➤ Temporary Dimensions.

60 Under Walls, specify where you want the temporary dimensions to measure from by default.

TIP In the drawing area, you can modify the location of temporary dimension witness lines.

61 Under Doors and Windows, specify the default location for temporary dimensions.
62 Click OK.

Modifying Project Settings | 835

 Specify detail levels

63 Click Settings menu ➤ Detail Level.

When you create a new view, the detail level of that view is automatically assigned using this
table. The detail level is based on view scale. You can override the detail level at any time by
specifying the Detail Level parameter in the View Properties command.
View scales are organized under the detail level headings Coarse, Medium, or Fine. Using the
arrows between the columns, you can move view scales from one detail level to another.

64 Review the table, and move view scales as needed.

NOTE You cannot select specific scales in this dialog. To move the view scales, click the arrows
between columns. The view scales move from the lower-left to the upper-right and vice-versa.

65 Click OK.
Modify project browser organization

66 Click Settings menu ➤ Browser Organization.

In a typical project, you often produce multiple packages of related drawings. These views and
sheets can become so numerous that navigating a lengthy Project Browser list can be cumbersome.
To organize the views and sheets into sets of deliverables, you can use the Project Browser settings
to instantly modify the grouping and sorting within the Project Browser. If you routinely create
the same documentation sets, you may want to modify the browser organization settings within
the template.

RELATED For more information on modifying browser organization, see Modifying Project Browser
Organization on page 828.

67 In the Browser Organization dialog, click the Views tab.

68 Delete, rename, or edit existing organization types.
69 If necessary, create new browser organization types.
70 Click the Sheets tab.
71 Delete, rename, or edit existing organization types.
72 If necessary, create new browser organization types.
73 Click OK.
Additional project settings

74 The Settings menu offers several additional commands that control the project environment.
Although these settings can be saved within a template, you should consider each carefully
before applying changes to a template.
For example, you can save phases or named print settings in a template. However, you may
only want to add generic settings that would be applicable to most projects. In such a case, you
must decide if the time investment is offset later by the reduction in repetitive work.
Each of these areas is covered later in this lesson or in other tutorials. Use the table below as a
checklist, and make modifications in each area as necessary. Links to associated tutorials are
provided. You can find additional information in Help. Each command is available on the
Settings menu.

Settings Menu Associated Tutorial Considerations

Command

Project Parameters This command is covered in an exer- If necessary, you can add project (and shared)
cise later in this lesson. See Setting up parameters to a template. This could be useful

836 | Chapter 24 Modifying Project and System Settings

 Settings Menu Associated Tutorial Considerations
Command

Shared and Project Parameters on for things such as hardware, furniture, or elec-
page 843. trical fixtures.

Phases Project Phasing on page 761 If necessary, you can set up the phases, phase
filters, and graphic overrides applicable to most
projects.

Area and Volume Area Analysis on page 593 You can create area schemes if default settings
Computations apply to most projects. You can also specify how
room volumes are computed.

View Templates This command is covered in an exer- Create and modify the view templates to control
cise later in this lesson. See Modifying the appearance of default views and rendered
Views and View Templates on page images.
839.

Site Settings Modifying Contour Visibility and Site If necessary, you can set the default contour line
Settings on page 689 interval, the section cut material, and the poche
depth.

75 Proceed to the next exercise, Loading and Modifying Families and Groups on page 837.

Loading and Modifying Families and Groups

In this exercise, you load and modify families or groups into the template started in the previous exercise.
If you have not completed the previous exercise, do so before starting this exercise. Depending on the
intended use of this template, you may want to load families into the template to save time later or ensure
consistency throughout the office.
You can load any family or group into a template. You should only load components that tend to be used
in every project and are not likely to change. For example, you could load detail components, title blocks,
and electrical fixtures. You may want to modify wall types to add a more diverse selection within the template.
Although the options are endless, there are some important thoughts to consider.
You should not load every conceivable family into a template file. Although this is possible, it is not
recommended because it would increase the file size significantly before the first component was added to
the project. In addition, each component loaded will add to the length of the relative Type Selector list. For
example, if you load every available window type, you must scroll through a lengthy list of windows every
time you change a window in a project. This would be cumbersome and counterproductive. You should
think very carefully about what families or groups to load and modify within a template.

Load and modify families

1 Use the project started in the previous exercise, and in the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click
Door.
2 In the Type Selector, notice the list of doors already loaded.
If this selection is satisfactory, you can move onto the next component type. However, you may
want to delete, modify, or add to this selection. You can do this in several ways: select a
component type and click Properties, or use the Project Browser. In the steps that follow, you
do both.

Loading and Modifying Families and Groups | 837

 3 To modify, create, or load a new door type, click (Element Properties) on the Options
Bar.
Use the instructions in the table below to load, create, or modify a door.

Goal: Steps:

Load new door type In the Element Properties dialog, click Load. Navigate to the directory con-
taining the door type. Select it, and click Open.

Modify door type In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New. Make modifications, and
click OK.

Create new door type In the Element Properties dialog, click Edit/New. Click Duplicate. Enter a
name, and click OK. Modify type properties, and click OK.

4 Click OK.
5 Repeat the process for any component type that you want to modify.
You may want to open other Design Bar tabs and make modifications to components not
available on this tab.
You can also load families and groups from the File menu.

6 Click File menu ➤ Load from Library.

Notice that you have the option to Load Family or Load File as Group. Loading from the library
is the quickest when you know exactly what families you want to load.

7 Press ESC twice to return to the template.

Use the Project Browser to modify families

8 In the Project Browser, expand Families.

Notice that each family category is listed. You can use the Project Browser to modify family
types.

838 | Chapter 24 Modifying Project and System Settings

 9 Expand Annotation Symbols.
Notice that a title block symbol is loaded. (The title block name may vary depending on the
template you started with.)

10 Expand the title block, and select the title block type.

11 On the Options Bar, click (Element Properties).

12 Click Preview.
This title block is currently part of the template. Notice it has Autodesk Revit in the upper-right
corner. You may want to load a title block applicable to your office and then delete this title
block.
To load a title block, click Load.

13 Click OK.
You can use the Project Browser to delete a component from the project or template. To do so,
right-click the component, and click Delete.

14 Using any of the techniques learned in previous steps, load, create, or modify any component
families or groups as necessary.
15 Proceed to the next exercise, Modifying Views and View Templates on page 839.

Modifying Views and View Templates

At the beginning of this lesson, you created new projects using different templates, and you noticed that
each template had a unique set of predefined views. In this exercise, you create the views required for your
template. In addition, you create and apply the underlying view templates that control their initial appearance.
View templates help standardize the look of all views by providing the initial settings for a view. In addition,
you can apply a template to an existing view at any time using the Apply View Template command. The
view inherits view properties such as View Scale, View Range, Discipline, Detail Level, and the visibility

Modifying Views and View Templates | 839

 settings of categories and subcategories. In this exercise, you will first modify view templates, and then create
new views that will automatically use those templates.

Create and modify view templates

1 Click Settings menu ➤ View Templates.

2 Under Names, select Architectural Plan.
These settings are applied when you create a new plan view by adding a new level. At any time,
you can apply a view template to any view. These values represent the starting point for each
plan view.
By modifying the view templates according to your specific needs, you reduce rework and
increase consistency across projects.

3 Specify each value according to your needs. Keep in mind that these settings are the default
settings for this view type.
4 If necessary, rename or duplicate the view template and make modifications.
5 Repeat the steps above for each of the view templates in the list.
6 Click OK.
Apply view templates

7 In the Project Browser, expand Views ➤ Floor Plans, and double-click Level 1.
8 Click View menu ➤ Apply View Template.
Applying a view template to a view is a one-time action. The view properties of the target view
are instantly reset to match those of the template.
After applying the template, the view is not linked to the template in any way. Subsequent
modifications to the view template do not affect any current views unless you reapply the view
template.
There is no limit to the number of times you can apply a view template to a view. In addition,
there is no limit to the number of view templates that you can apply.

9 Select the Architectural Plan template.

10 Select Apply automatically to new views of same type.
Every time a new plan view is created, it will use this view template to set the initial view
properties.

11 Click Apply, and click OK.

12 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Level 2.
13 Click View menu ➤ Apply View Template.
14 Select the Architectural Plan template, click Apply, and click OK.
15 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, double-click Site.
16 Click View menu ➤ Apply View Template.
17 If you made modifications to the Site Plan template, select Site Plan, click Apply, and then click
OK.

NOTE Do not select Apply automatically to new views of same type. This would result in the Site
Plan view template becoming the default template for all new plan views.

18 If you modified any other view templates, open the view from the Project Browser, and apply
the appropriate template.
Create and modify views

19 In the Project Browser, under Elevations, double-click South.

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 Notice the level names. Blue level heads have associated plan views. Black level heads have no
associated views.

20 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, review the existing floor plans.
21 In the Project Browser, under Floor Plans, right-click Level 1, and, in the shortcut menu, notice
that you have the option to rename, duplicate, or delete this view.
22 In the Project Browser, review the floor plans, ceiling plans, and elevations. Rename, duplicate,
or delete them as needed.
23 To add more levels to the template, on the Basics tab of the Design Bar, click Level.
Make sure you are still in the South elevation view.

24 On the Options Bar, select Make Plan View.

25 Add the new level within the elevation view.
The associated floor plan will use the Architectural Plan view template to set its initial view
properties.

26 Rename and reposition the level as needed.

27 Create additional levels as needed.
Create 3D views

28 To add 3D views to the template, on the View toolbar, click (Default 3D View).
29 In the Project Browser, expand 3D Views.
30 In the Project Browser, under 3D Views, right-click {3D}, and click Rename.
31 Rename the 3D View.
If you want to modify view properties, in the Project Browser, right-click the view name, and
click Properties.

32 (Optional) To change the orientation of the 3D view, use the ViewCube.

By default, the ViewCube displays in the upper right corner of the drawing area for 3D views.
If it does not display, click Window menu ➤ ViewCube.

You can change the view orientation in many ways:

■ Click a corner, a face, or an edge of the ViewCube.

■ To orient the 3D view to another view, right-click the ViewCube, click Orient to View, and
select the desired view.

■ To orient the 3D view to a direction, right-click the ViewCube, click Orient to a Direction,
and select the desired direction.

33 To save the re-oriented view, right-click the ViewCube, and click Save View. If prompted, enter
a view name.
The view is listed in the Project Browser under Views (all) ➤ 3D Views.

Create and modify schedules

34 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Schedule/Quantities.

Modifying Views and View Templates | 841

 You can add schedules to a template. You may want to consider adding the schedules that you
use most often, and modify their properties accordingly. This can save significant time and
ensure that office standards are maintained.

35 If you want to add schedules to your template, select the category type, and click OK.
36 In the Schedule Properties dialog, make the following modifications as needed:
■ On the Fields tab, select and order required fields.

■ On the Filter tab, assign filters.

■ On the Sorting/Grouping tab, modify settings as needed.

■ On the Formatting tab, modify settings as needed.

■ On the Appearance tab, modify settings as needed.

37 Click OK.
38 Repeat the steps above for each schedule type you add to the template.
Add sheets to the template

39 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Sheet.

You are prompted to select a title block. If you have already loaded your office title blocks into
the template, select one, and click OK.

TIP You can add sheets to the template and delete the title block. To do so, select the default title
block, and click OK. After the sheet is created, select the title block and delete it. You can still add
views to the sheet. To later add a title block to a sheet, click View menu ➤ New ➤ Place Titleblock.

40 To add views to the sheet, on the View tab of the Design Bar, click Add View. Select a view, and
click Add View to Sheet.

TIP You can also drag and drop views directly from the Project Browser onto the sheet.

41 To rename or renumber the sheet, in the Project Browser, expand Sheets (all). Right-click the
sheet name, and click Rename.
42 Create new sheets as needed.
Subsequent sheets are numbered consecutively based on the previous sheet.

43 Proceed to the next exercise, Modifying Import/Export Settings on page 842.

Modifying Import/Export Settings

In this exercise, you modify the export layer settings for DWG/DXF and DGN files. You then set the import
line weights for DWG/DXF. When you import a DWG or DXF file, each layer in the file is assigned a line
weight based on the pen number/line weight settings you created.

Modify export layers for DWG and DXF

1 Click File menu ➤ Import/Export Settings ➤ Export Layers DWG/DXF.

The Export Layers command maps Revit Architecture categories and subcategories to specific
layer names that are available after exporting to other CAD programs. Revit Architecture presets
the layer names to American Institute of Architects (AIA) industry standards. The layer names
are stored in a text file (exportlayers.txt for AutoCAD, or exportlayersdgn.txt for MicroStation),
and then are exported along with your project into the appropriate CAD program. The layer
mapping files reside in the Data folder of the Revit Architecture program installation directory.

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 TIP In the Export Layers dialog, Color ID corresponds to an AutoCAD or MicroStation color ID. Layer
name corresponds to level name for MicroStation.

2 For each category, specify the following:

■ Projection Layer name and Color ID

■ Cut Layer name and Color ID

3 If you modified the settings in this dialog, click Save As, name the file, and click Save.
Modify export layers for DGN

4 Click File menu ➤ Import/Export Settings ➤ Export Layers DGN.

5 For each category, specify the following:
■ Projection Level Number and Color ID

■ Cut Level Number and Color ID

6 If you modified the settings in this dialog, select Save As, name the file, and click Save.
Modify import line weights

7 Click File menu ➤ Import/Export Settings ➤ Import Line Weights DWG/DXF.

You can import pen numbers from a DWG or DXF file and map them to a Revit Architecture
line weight. You can save these mappings to a text file, and they become the set mappings for
the project. These settings are retained within the project template; therefore, you do not need
to worry about where the text file is saved.

8 In the dialog, match the pen (DWG/DXF Color Number) to the appropriate line weight, for
example, Pen Number 1 to Line Weight Number 1, Pen Number 2 to Line Weight Number 2,
and so on. Set as many pen-line weight mappings as desired.
9 Click Save As, name the file, and click Save.
When you import a DWG or DXF file, each layer in the file is assigned a line weight based on
the pen number/line weight settings you created.

10 Proceed to the next exercise, Setting up Shared and Project Parameters on page 843.

Setting up Shared and Project Parameters

In this exercise, you continue the refinement of the template by setting up shared parameters, project
parameters, and related multi-category tags and schedules.
Using shared parameters, you can define additional parameters that are not included in the pre-defined
instance and type parameters within family components or within the project template. You can add these
shared parameters to any family regardless of category. Their definitions are stored in an external file ensuring
consistency across families and projects. Their values may also be aggregated and reported using multi-category
schedules. For example, you can use shared parameters to add specific parameters to an existing family
component for scheduling and tagging when those parameters are not initially present by default.
Project parameters are parameters (either instance or type) that are used within a single project for the
purposes of scheduling information specific to that project. They cannot be shared with other projects, and
they cannot be used to tag objects (as with shared parameters).
Multi-category tags use shared parameters to permit tagging of any family component regardless of category.
When scheduling, you normally schedule a single category: rooms, doors, windows, and so on. When you
create a multi-category schedule, it lists components regardless of category by using an external parameter
as a filter.

Setting up Shared and Project Parameters | 843

 This exercise does not provide detailed instructions, because each office has a unique set of needs. If you
are unfamiliar with shared parameters, project parameters, and the creation of multi-category tags and
schedules, see Scheduling Shared Parameters on page 249 or Adding Project Parameters to a Window Schedule
on page 226. If you do not need to make changes to shared or project parameters, you can skip this exercise
and move onto the last exercise of this lesson, Creating Named Print Settings on page 845.

Set up shared parameters

1 Click File menu ➤ Shared Parameters.

NOTE This procedure is for creating a new shared parameter file. If a file already exists, you can
browse to that file and modify it as needed.

2 Click Create.
3 Name and save the file.
If this template will be used by multiple team members, you may want to save the file to a
network location.

Create parameter groups

4 In the Edit Shared Parameters dialog, under Groups, click New.

5 Enter the group name, and click OK.
6 Create as many groups as needed.
For each parameter group, you can create a list of parameters.

Create shared parameters

7 Under Parameter group, select a group to add parameters to.

8 Under Parameters, click New.
9 Name the parameter, and specify its discipline and type.
10 Click OK.
11 For each parameter group, add required parameters.
12 Click OK when you have finished creating shared parameters.
Set up project parameters

13 Click Settings menu ➤ Project Parameters.

14 Click Add.
15 In the Parameter Properties dialog, select Project parameter.
16 Under Parameter Data, for Name, enter a parameter name.
17 Under Discipline, select a parameter discipline type.
18 Under Type of Parameter, select a parameter value type.
19 Under Group parameter under, select the group you want the parameter to be listed with in the
Element Properties dialog.
20 Choose whether the parameter is stored by instance or type.
21 Under Categories, select the element categories to which this parameter applies.
22 Click OK.
23 Add project parameters as needed.
24 To add a shared project parameter, click Add, and select Shared Parameter.
25 Click Select, and choose a shared parameter.
26 Click OK.

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 27 Choose whether you want the shared parameter to be an instance parameter or a type parameter,
indicate the group to which the parameter belongs, and assign the categories to which this
parameter applies.
28 Click OK.
29 Add shared project parameters as needed. Click OK.
Create and load multi-category tags

30 Create required multi-category tags in the Family Editor.

For information on creating multi-category tags, see the tutorial referenced in the introduction
of this exercise, or refer to the online help.
After you have created the multi-category tags in the Family Editor, you can load them into the
template.

31 Click File menu ➤ Load from Library ➤ Load Family.

32 Navigate to the directory, select the tag, and click Open.
The tag is now part of the template.

Create multi-category schedules

33 On the View tab of the Design Bar, click Schedule/Quantities.

34 For Category, select Multi-Category.
35 For Name, enter a name for the schedule, and click OK.
36 Create the schedule as you did in the previous exercise.
Notice that the shared parameters created in previous steps are available within the list of
available fields.

37 When you have completed the schedule, click OK.

38 Create additional multi-category schedules as needed.
39 Proceed to the final exercise, Creating Named Print Settings on page 845.

Creating Named Print Settings

Depending on your office environment, you may find it beneficial to add named print settings to the
template. This is especially true if you have numerous printers in a large networked office. For each printer,
you can set options such as sheet sizes, paper placement, and the percent of actual size. You can also create
named settings for printing to DWF and to a PDF writer. By creating named settings within the template,
you need only select a setting, make minor modifications if necessary, and print.
In this exercise, you create named print settings, save the file as a template, and make it your default template
file.

Create named print settings

1 Click File menu ➤ Print.

By going first to the Print command, you can select the printer for each set of named settings
in the Print Setup dialog.

2 Under Printer, for Name, select a printer for which you want to create named settings.
3 Under Settings, click Setup.
4 Modify the printer settings.
5 Click Save As.
6 In the New dialog, enter a name for the print setting and click OK.

Creating Named Print Settings | 845

 7 If you want to have multiple settings for this printer, modify the printer settings, click Save as,
enter a new name for the printer, and click OK. Create additional settings as needed.
8 Click OK when you have finished creating named settings for this printer.
9 In the Print dialog, select a different printer, click Setup, and create new settings for this printer.
10 Repeat these steps as needed.

TIP You can also create named settings for your DWF and PDF writer.

11 Click Close when finished.

Your template is complete. The only remaining task is to save it.

Save the template

12 Click File menu ➤ Save.

13 Navigate to the directory where you want to save the template.
If you need to share this file with others, save it in a network location.

14 Under Save as type, select Template Files (*.rte).

15 Name the template, and click Save.
16 Click File menu ➤ Close.
Use the template

17 Click File menu ➤ New ➤ Project.

18 Click Browse, and navigate to the location where you saved the template.
19 Select the template, and click Open.
20 Click OK.
The changes you made to the template are now the starting point for this project.
You can also set this template as your default template.

Set the template as your default template file

21 Click Settings menu ➤ Options.

22 Click the File Locations tab.
23 For Default template file, click Browse.
24 Navigate to the template location, select it, and click Open.
25 Click OK.

TIP There are other ways you can create a template. If you have a project, you can delete the model
geometry and save the empty project as a template file. This can provide a good starting point for a
template. In addition, you can use the Transfer Project Standards tool to move standards from one
project to another.

In this lesson, you modified settings, loaded components, and saved them to a template. By investing the
time to individualize your template, you ensure that office standards are maintained. In addition, you
significantly reduce the amount of repetitive work that would be done by each employee for each project.

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