8
Suggested Settings for Revit Projects 457
S uggested S et ti ngs a nd
Wo rkflow
S uggest ed S etti ngs f or R ev i t
Projects
TheFileLinkManagerandDWG/DXFImporter
have many settings that you can adjust so you
get the best results when linking or importing a
drawing that you’ve exported from Revit. In this
section, you’ll find some recommended settings
that you can use when linking or import ing
your DWG files. These sett ings are found on the
Basic File Link Settings dialog (page 3–436)
,the
Advanced File Link Settings dialog (page 3–438)
,
the
Spline Rendering File Link Settings dialog
(page 3–441)
,andthe
AutoCAD DWG/DXF
Import Options dialog (page 3–537)
.
Use the R evi t Preset
3ds Max includes a preset named “
Revit
”thatyou
can use when using File Link to link a drawing that
is exported from Revit. The Revit preset has many
of the following suggested settings turned on by
default. Or, you can use the Revit preset as a basis
for your own customized Revit preset containing
the sett ings you prefer.
The Revit preset can be assig ned from the Pre set
list on the Attach panel of the
File Link Manager
(page 3–431)
.Youcan
edit the preset (page 3–444)
bychoosingtheRevitpresetshownonthePresets
panel of the File link Manager.
Ifyouplanoncreatingyourownpresetsor
modifying the Revit preset, use these settings to
streamline the file linking process.
Turn on Weld and set a Weld Threshold
• Weld and Weld Threshold are found on the
BasicpaneloftheFileLinkSettingsdialogorin
the Geometry Opt ions group of the AutoCAD
DWG/DXF Import Options dialog.
When Revit exports model geometry to a DWG
file, objects are translated as multiple sur face
meshes. For example, a single wall is made up
of 6 or more AutoCAD entities; each a polyface
mesh with vertices that overlap their neighbors.
When the meshes get linked to 3ds Max, the File
Link Manager or DWG/DXF Importer recombines
them back to a s ingle object. However, when
the meshes are recombined, their vertices are
not welded, so you end up with a larger and
less elegant model than expected. By turning
on the Weld option and setting an appropriate
Weld Threshold (like 0.1" or smaller), coincident
verticesareweldedtogetherandthefilestructure
is more efficient.
Note: This is particularly important if you plan to
do radiosity rendering because gaps in the model
can cause leaks that greatly increase the rendering
time.
Turn on Views (cameras)
• Views (cameras) is found in the Include group
on the Basic panel of the File Link Settings
dialog and the AutoCAD DWG/DXF Import
Options dialog.
If you’ve set up one or more cameras in your Revit
project, the File Link Manager or DWG/DXF
Importerwillrecognizeandlinkacamerawhen
the Views (cameras) option is turned on. There is,
however, a catch. Before you export a DWG from
Revit,thecameraviewmustbeactiveand
only
the
active camera will be exported.
Avoid Entity and Entity, Blocks as Node
Hierarchy
• On the Advanced File Link Settings dialog,
when choosing a Derive AutoCAD Primitives
By option, avoid Entity and Entity, Block as
Node Hierarchy.