GH TE D MA TE RI AL Chapter 1 PY RI The Revit World CO Getting comfortable with the Revit Architecture interface Learning to use the Design ribbon Navigating through the Project Browser Learning about file types and families
C hapter 1 • The Revit World B efore we get started, I think we should set the record straight. I’m sure you have seen plenty of presentations on how wonderful and versatile this 3D Revit revolution thing is. And I’m sure you may be thinking, “This all seems way too complicated for what I do. Why do I need 3D anyway?” The answer to that question is: you don’t.
The Revit Architecture Interface not need every command that a mechanical engineer would need. An electrical engineer would not need the functionality that an architect would require. What you will find as you start getting comfortable with Revit is that there are many, many choices and options behind each command. Let’s start at the beginning: 1. To open Revit Architecture, click the icon on your desktop (see Figure 1.1), or choose Start ➣ All Programs ➣ Revit Architecture 2010 (see Figure 1.2).
C hapter 1 • The Revit World brand-new template by clicking the Project Template radio button. (We will cover template creation later in the book.) For now, just click OK to create a new project using the default template. You do not need to alter anything in this dialog. F i g u r e 1 . 2 : You can also launch Revit Architecture using the Windows Start menu (this shows the Windows Vista operating system). F i g u r e 1 .
The Revit Architecture Interface F i g u r e 1 . 4 : You can create a new model or browse for an existing one. F i g u r e 1 . 5 : The New Project dialog allows you to start a new project using a preexisting template file, or you can create a new template file. Now that the task of physically opening the application is out of the way, we can delve into the application. At first, you are going to notice many differences between Revit and CAD.
C hapter 1 • The Revit World 6 F i g u r e 1 . 6 : The Design bar is the backbone of Revit Structure. F i g u r e 1 . 7 : The Options bar replaces the command prompt from AutoCAD. MicroStation users will be more familiar with this method. You will hear this throughout the book: always remember to look at your options. With no command prompt, the Options bar will be one of your few guides. 3.
The Revit Architecture Interface The Ribbon You will be using the Ribbon for all of the commands you execute in Revit. As you can see, you don’t have much of a choice to do otherwise. However, this is good, because it narrows your attention to what is right in front of you. When you pick an icon on the Ribbon, Revit will react to that with a new tab giving you the specific additional commands and Options you need.
C hapter 1 • The Revit World Now that you are starting to see how the ribbons and the tabs flow together, let’s take a look at another feature within the Ribbon panels that allows you to reach beyond the immediate Revit interface. The Change Element Type Menu When you pick the wall button, an entirely new set of commands appears. What you will immediately notice is that there is a picture of the item you are placing in the model (in this case it’s a wall).
The Revit Architecture Interface F i g u r e 1 . 1 0 : The Element Properties button gives you access to many variables associated with the item you are adding to the model. Clicking the Element Properties button provides you with a new world of choices and options. You will soon see that the power of Revit is hiding just below the surface. Element Properties Hidden within the Options bar is a single button that will gain you access to a multitude of choices and parameters.
C hapter 1 • The Revit World F i g u r e 1 . 1 1 : The element properties hold a wealth of parameters and control over families in Revit. F i g u r e 1 . 1 2 : The instance parameters will change only the currently placed item or the currently selected item. F i g u r e 1 . 1 3 : The type parameters, when modified, will alter every occurrence of this specific wall in the entire model.
The Revit Architecture Interface F i g u r e 1 . 1 4 : The Edit Type button allows you to access the type parameters. At this point, you have one of two choices. You can either make a new wall type (leaving this specific wall unmodified) by clicking the Duplicate button, or you can start editing the wall’s type properties, as shown in Figure 1.15. W a r n i n g I cannot stress enough that if you start modifying type properties without duplicating the type, you need to do so in a very deliberate manner.
C hapter 1 • The Revit World Now that you have gained experience with the Element Properties dialog, it is time to go back and study the rest of the Options bar as it pertains to placing a wall: 1. Since we are only exploring the element properties, click the Cancel button twice to return to the model. 2. Back in the Options bar, find the Location Line: menu. This will allow you to set the wall justification. Select Finish Face: Exterior (see Figure 1.16). 3.
The Revit Architecture Interface The View Window To put it simply, the big white area where the objects go is the view window. As a result of your actions, this area will become populated with your model. Notice the background is white — this is because the sheets you plot on are white. In Revit, what you see is what you get … literally. In Revit, you aren’t counting on color #5, which is blue, for example, to be a specific line width when you plot.
C hapter 1 • The Revit World F i g u r e 1 . 1 9 : The procedure for “drawing” a wall in Revit Architecture 3. Another thing you will notice is a blue dimension extending from the first point to the last point. Although dimensions cannot be typed over, this type of dimension is a temporary dimension, and is there for just that. Type 100, and press the Enter key. (Notice you did not need to type the foot mark ('). Revit thinks in terms of feet.) The wall is now 100' long. See Figure 1.19. 4.
The Revit Architecture Interface Revit understands symmetry. Once you see this alignment line, and the temporary dimension says 100'–0", pick this point. 7. Move your cursor straight down and type 16. 8. Move your cursor to the right and type 16. 9. Hit the Esc key. Do your walls look like Figure 1.21? If not, try it again. You need to be able to do this and to be comfortable with this procedure (as much as possible). F i g u r e 1 .
C hapter 1 • The Revit World Object Selection Revit has a few similarities to AutoCAD and MicroStation. One of those similarities is the ability to perform simple object selection, and to be able to execute common modify commands. For this example, we are going to mirror the two 16'–0" L-shaped walls to the bottom of the building: 1. Type ZA (zoom all). 2. Click the Modify button on the Design bar. 3.
The Revit Architecture Interface Boxes A box is an object selection method that will only select the items that are 100 percent inside the window being placed. This method is useful when you want to select only specific items while passing through larger objects that you may not want in the selection set. A box always starts from the left and works to the right. The line type is a continuous line (see Figure 1.23). F i g u r e 1 .
C hapter 1 • The Revit World F i g u r e 1 . 2 4 : The Ribbon adds the appropriate commands. F i g u r e 1 . 2 5 : There are options you will have to choose for every command in Revit. 4. Make sure the Copy checkbox is selected (see Figure 1.25). 5. Hover your cursor over the inside face of the 80'–0"-long vertical wall until you get to the midpoint. Revit will display a triangular icon, indicating that you have found the midpoint of the wall. See Figure 1.26. F i g u r e 1 .
The Revit Architecture Interface line appear, as illustrated in Figure 1.27. Once the alignment line appears, you can pick another point along the path. Once you pick the second point, the walls are mirrored and joined with the south wall. Again, refer to Figure 1.27. F i g u r e 1 . 2 7 : Mirroring these walls will involve first, picking the midpoint of the vertical wall, then second, picking a horizontal point along the plane.
C hapter 1 • The Revit World Building on Existing Geometry Now that you have some geometry to work with and you have some objects placed in your model, Revit starts to come alive. The benefits of using building information modeling (BIM) will become apparent quickly, as explained later in this chapter. For example, because of the fact that Revit knows that walls are walls, you can add identical geometry to the model by simply selecting an item and telling Revit to create a similar item.
The Revit Architecture Interface F i g u r e 1 . 3 0 : Just because you started the command from the view window does not mean you do not have to look at your options. 7. Again with the Options? Yes. Make sure your Location Line: is set to Finish Face Exterior. 8. With your wheel button on your mouse, zoom into the upper corner of the building and select the top endpoint of the wall, as shown in Figure 1.31. The point you are picking is the corner of the heavy lines.
C hapter 1 • The Revit World F i g u r e 1 . 3 2 : The completed exterior walls should look like this illustration. Just because you have placed a wall in the model, that does not necessarily mean it looks the way you would like. In Revit Architecture, there is a lot you can do with view control and how objects are displayed. View Control and Object Display Although this is a nice way to add walls to a drawing, it does not reflect the detail you are going to need to produce construction documents.
The Revit Architecture Interface F i g u r e 1 . 3 4 : The scale menu allows you to change the scale of your view. F i g u r e 1 . 3 5 : The detail level control allows you to set different view levels for the current view. If you want this view to appear with more graphical information you would select the Fine choice. To see how the view is adjusted using this control, follow these steps: 1. Select the detail level icon and choose Fine. 2. Zoom in on a wall corner.
C hapter 1 • The Revit World When you change the view control in a view, it is not a temporary display. You are telling Revit how you want to plot this view. If you see it on the screen, you will see it when it comes out of the plotter. T i p There are other items on the View Control bar, but we’ll discuss them when they become applicable to the exercises. The View Tab Since Revit is one big happy model, you will quickly find that simply viewing the model will become quite important.
The Revit Architecture Interface To use the steering wheel, follow along: 1. Pick the steering wheel icon from the Navigation bar, as shown in Figure 1.37. 2. Once the steering wheel is in the view window (as illustrated in Figure 1.37), click (left-click) and hold the Zoom choice. You can now zoom in and out. F i g u r e 1 . 3 7 : You can use the steering wheel to navigate through a view. 3. Now click and hold the Rewind choice in the steering wheel. You can now find an older view, as shown in Figure 1.
C hapter 1 • The Revit World Although you can do all of this with your wheel button, some users still prefer the icon method of panning and zooming. For those of you who prefer the icons for the previous items, you will also want to use the icons for the traditional zooms as well. Traditional Zooms The next items on the Navigation bar are the good old zoom controls that you are used to. The ability to zoom in, zoom out, and pan are all included in this function, as shown in Figure 1.39.
The Revit Architecture Interface 27 To practice using the thin lines function, follow along: 1. Pick the thin lines icon. 2. Zoom in on the upper-right corner of the building. 3. Pick the thin lines icon again. This toggles the “mode” back and forth. 4. Notice the lines are very heavy. The line weight should concern you. As mentioned earlier, there is no such thing as layers in Revit Architecture. This topic is addressed in Chapter 13. The next icon on the View toolbar is the show mass icon.
C hapter 1 • The Revit World F i g u r e 1 . 4 3 : Shadows create a nice effect, but at the expense of RAM. Within the 3D view is the ViewCube. It is the cube in the upper-right corner of the view window. You can switch to different perspectives of the model by picking on the quadrants of the cube (see Figure 1.44). F i g u r e 1 . 4 4 : The ViewCube lets you freely look at different sides of the building. T i p The best way to navigate a 3D view is to press and hold the Ctrl key on the keyboard.
The Project Browser The Project Browser Revit is the frontrunner of BIM. BIM is sweeping our industry for a reason. One of the biggest reasons is the fact that you have a fully integrated model right in front of you. What this means is that when you need to open a different floor plan, elevation, detail, drawing sheet, or 3D view, you can find it all right here in the model. Also, this means our workflow is going to change. In most cases, it is going to change drastically.
C hapter 1 • The Revit World bar is for that view only. When you went to Level 2 for the first time, that change has not been made yet. 4. In the view window, you will see little icons that look like houses (see Figure 1.47). These are elevation markers. The elevation marker to the right might be in your building. If this is the case, you need to move it out of the way. 5. Pick a box around the elevation marker.
The Project Browser 7. In the Project Browser, find the Elevations (Building Elevations) category. Double-click on South. 8. Also in the Project Browser, notice there is a 3D category. Expand the 3D category, and double-click on the {3D} choice. This will bring you back to the 3D view you were looking at previous to this exercise. Now that you can navigate through the Project Browser, adding other components to the model will be much easier. To start with, we can begin to add some windows.
C hapter 1 • The Revit World F i g u r e 1 . 4 9 : The Window menu lists all the current views that are open. 3. Go to the {3D} view by selecting it from the Window menu, by clicking the 3D icon at the top of the screen, or by going to the {3D} view in the Project Browser. 4. On the Windows panel, click Close Hidden Windows. 5. Close this window by pressing Esc on the keyboard. 6. In the Project Browser, open Level 1. 7. Go to the Window Panel and select Tile.
F i l e Ty p e s a n d Fa m i l i e s Notice it is now selected in the 3D view to the side. These views you have open are mere representations of the model from that perspective. Each view of the model can have its own independent view settings. You are at a good point now to save the file. And this brings the book to a good point to discuss the different file types, and their association to the BIM model.
C hapter 1 • The Revit World 4. Under the Preview section, you can specify which view this file will be previewed in. I like to keep it as the current view. That way, I can get an idea if the file is up-to-date based on the state of the view. Click OK. F i g u r e 1 . 5 2 : The Options in the Save As function allow you to specify number of backups as well as the view it will use for the preview. 5. Create a folder somewhere, and save this file into the folder.
F i l e Ty p e s a n d Fa m i l i e s System and Hosted Families (.rfa) As mentioned earlier, a Revit model is based on a compilation of items called families. There are two types of families: system families and hosted families. A system family can only be found within a Revit model and cannot be stored in a separate location. A hosted family is inserted similar to a block (or cell) and is stored in an external directory. The file extension for a hosted family is .rfa.
C hapter 1 • The Revit World insert it, it will be appended to a wall. Hosted families carry a file extension of .rfa. To insert a hosted family into a model, follow these steps: 1. Open the NER.rvt file or your own file. 2. Go to Level 1. 3. On the Home tab, select the Door button. 4. On the Place Door tab, click the Load family button, as shown in Figure 1.53. F i g u r e 1 . 5 3 : You can load an RFA file during the placement of a hosted family. 5. Browse to the Doors directory.
F i l e Ty p e s a n d Fa m i l i e s F i g u r e 1 . 5 4 : Each family .rfa file will contain multiple types associated with that family. 8. Zoom in on the upper-left corner of the building as illustrated in Figure 1.55. 9. To insert the door into the model, you must place it in the wall. (Notice that before you hover your cursor over the actual wall, Revit will not allow you to add it to the model, as shown in Figure 1.55.
C hapter 1 • The Revit World You will be using this method quite a bit in this book and on a daily basis when you use Revit. One thing to note is the fact that when a family is loaded into Revit Architecture, there is no live path back to the file that was loaded. Once it is added to the Revit model, it becomes part of that model. To view a list of the families that are within the Revit model, go to the Project Browser and look for the Families category.
F i l e Ty p e s a n d Fa m i l i e s F i g u r e 1 . 5 7 : A new Revit model is based on an RTE template file. Whenever you start a project, this is the type of template you are going to use. When you are starting a new family, however, you will want to use an RFA. Using Revit Family Files (.rft) The .rft extension is another type of template, only this one pertains to a family template. It would be nice if Revit had every family fully developed to suit your needs. Alas, it does not.
C hapter 1 • The Revit World 2. Browse through these templates. You will most certainly use many of them. 3. Click the Cancel button. Tempting? I know! We will thoroughly cover creating in Chapter 17, “Families.” As mentioned earlier, you are only going to get to a certain point before you run out of Revit provided content. If you are feeling brave, go ahead and play around in one of the templates. You have nothing to lose (except time).
