The Revit Clinic

Double-click Options & Selection Enhancements for Revit 2014

Timely post by Steve Stafford over at Revit OpEd on Double-Clicking Tags!  Here are some additional tidbits:

Revit 2014 expanded on some of the double-click functionality introduced in Revit 2013.  By default you can customize these settings under Options > User Interface > Double-click Options:

Another change was made to editing parameters in tags.  In Revit 2013 to edit a parameter in a tag you had to select the tag then single-click over the parameter.  If you double-clicked on the tag or parameter it would open the tag family for edit:

Based on user feedback in Revit 2014 this functionality was modified.  You can still select the tag and single-click to edit the parameter value.  But now you can also double-click on the parameter value to edit it.  If your mouse cursor is near a tag parameter double-click to edit tag parameters take priority over double-click to edit the family.  Even if you have double-click settings for Family set to ‘Do Nothing’ double-click to edit parameters still functions:

These double-click settings can be set in the Revit.ini using the following lines; look for [UserInterface]:

[UserInterface]
DoubleClickFamily=EditType \ EditFamily \ NoAction
DoubleClickSketchedElement=EnterEditMode \ EditType \ NoAction
DoubleClickViewOnSheet=ActivateView \ NoAction
DoubleClickAssembly=EnterEditMode \ EditType \ NoAction
DoubleClickGroup=EnterEditMode \ EditType \ NoAction
DoubleClickComponentStairs=EnterEditMode \ NoAction

(All available options per category are included after = include only 1 setting)

Speaking of the Revit.ini, you can also preset the new 2014 selection enhancements there as well; adjust or add the following lines to the Revit.ini.  Look for [Selection]

[Selection]
AllowFaceSelection=1
AllowUnderlaySelection=1
AllowLinkSelection=1
AllowPinnedSelection=1
AllowPressAndDrag=1

0 = Disabled
1 = Enabled

You want to update a revision/issue title block label globally in multiple sheet views

A user who recently migrated from AutoCAD to the Revit Architecture Program and wanted to know how to update a revision/issue title block label globally in multiple sheet views without the need to edit every single individual sheet view contained within the project. When the user used to issue drawings using AutoCad, every drawing has a revision consisting of an xref with the revision data attached to every drawing.

Following these simple steps set out in this link below to our Technical Solution contained within our Knowledge Base to explain how to add a label to a titleblock, which can be updated globally in multiple sheet views in Revit Architecture 2012.

You want to update a revision/issue title block label globally in multiple sheet views

Scheduling Duct and Pipe Elbows by Angle

A common request we are seeing is the desire to schedule duct and pipe elbows by angle so that they can be scheduled and ordered. As the Angle parameter is a System Family it cannot be scheduled normally.

The help automate this process we have found that creating a Shared Parameter with a formula should pull the angle of the elbow, which in turn can be scheduled.

The process for goes like this:

1. Create a Shared Parameter file.
2. Edit the elbow families and add the Shared Parameter.
3. In the Family Types, set the formula for the Elbow Angle parameter to = Angle.
4. In the project, create a duct or pipe fitting schedule with the Elbow Angle Parameter (along with any other parameters). 

 

You should now have a schedule that shows the Angles. From here, you can filter the information to best suit your needs.

One thing to keep in mind, is that initially the schedule will show all fittings (Tees, Crosses, Transitions, etc.), so filtering by "Elbow Angle > Parameter Exists", should only show the elbow families with the shared parameter.

Here is a video of the process:

Credit to Jason Martin for verification of the process.

 

In the project, create a duct or pipe fitting schedule with the Elbow Angle Parameter (along with any other parameters). 

You should now have a schedule that shows the Angles. From here, you can filter the information to best suit your needs.

One thing to keep in mind is that initially the schedule will show all fittings, so to only show the elbows set the schedule to filter by "Elbow Angle > Parameter Exists".

Here is a Video of the process:

Saving upgraded family in 2012 causes error...

A new knowledge base document has been created for the issue where an error message stating that a Revit file was not found when saving an upgraded family in Revit 2012.

This dialog will appear when a parameter begins with a decimal (.). The most common situations are dimensional parameters using fractions of an inch. To resolve the issue, verify that no parameters begin with a decimal.

Content Updated in UR2 - 2012

In case you didn't read the readme for UR2, UR2 for 2012 Revit products patches content files that are part of your installation.  Some of you might not use the out of the box families, but if you use the templates, this is still important because some templates have been patched.  Also, make sure you look at the note about updated shared content.

Here is the listed on content patched by UR2 (click the image to make it bigger):

Lots of Metric content is being patched in UR2...

Family Editor Course on Lynda.com

Have you seen lynda.com?  Lynda.com is a great resource for product training.

Paul Aubin has some great Revit training on the site.  He just released his latest course on the Family editor.  Paul is a excellent instructor and speaker (one of the best at AU every year, IMHO).  

Go check out Paul's site for more information about the new family editor course here: http://paulaubin.com/blog/new-revit-family-editor-course-on-lynda-com/

Its great learning material for Revit and the family editor.  

Unable to Override Imported SketchUp File Material in Revit

I want to expand on our previous post here, focusing specifically on a SketchUp® file being imported into a Revit in-place component.  You go through the process, but you are unable to override the Object Style > Imported Objects > Material.

It may not be immediately obvious in Revit, but if the SketchUp material [in use] has a texture image applied the Revit Object Style > Imported Objects > Material typically will not display.  A painted solid color material should display by default from SketchUp > Revit.  However a painted material using a texture image will not display in Revit:

If you run into geometry you cannot override in Revit, open the SketchUp file and check for materials in use which utilize texture images.  You can save a copy of the file, and delete the materials in the file leaving only the default.

Then in Revit if you re-import the file you should be able to override materials to each layer as expected.

Filled Region Blocking your Lines in a Project Title Block?

You have filled regions and lines inside your title block family.  You load it into your project, and you notice the display order changes for the lines \ filled regions.  The filled region is now in front, and it also prints in this manner:

If you experience this behavior, I would recommend the following:

1.  Start a new Revit generic annotation family.

2.  Cut & paste the filled region[s] into the generic annotation family.

3.  Load the generic annotation family into the title block family.

While the display order may appear incorrect in the title block family, it should now appear \ print in the expected order once loaded back into the project.  And if you had any visibility yes\no parameters for the filled region, you can still associate those to the generic annotation family in the title block as well.

Download Video

Shared Parameter Text File: could not be read, or is not a valid shared parameter file

I wanted to outline a potential error dialog and 2 scenarios where this could occur related to the shared parameters text file:

The file ‘XX’ could not be read, or is not a valid shared parameter file.

In these 2 scenarios, the text file is read fine in Revit 2011 and 2012.  However Revit 2010 generates this message.

This can occur in the 2 examples below:

1.  Load Classification Type

In a Revit MEP Family > Manage > Shared Parameters > New > Discipline > Electrical > Type of Parameter > Load Classification.

This will add this parameter to the shared parameter file.

2.  Divided Surface Type

In the Conceptual Mass Environment > Manage > Shared Parameters > New > Type of Parameter > <Divided Surface Type><Curtain Panels>.

This will add this parameter to the shared parameter file.

In both cases above, Revit 2010 [or earlier releases] did not have the same type of parameters.  So when the file is initially read, Revit does not recognize the lines and generates the error message.

For 2010 or earlier releases you can save a copy of the shared parameter text file, and search for the following:

Load Classification Type  - Search for:

LOADCLASSIFICATION

Divided Surface Type – Search for:

DIVIDEDSURFACETYPE

You can either take note of the parameters you need to remove in the copy for Revit 2010, or remove the lines in the text file.  Once the applicable parameters are removed in the copy, it will be read as expected in Revit 2010 or earlier releases.

Plugin of the Month - Wall Opening Area for Revit

Quick heads-up if you haven’t seen it, the Autodesk Labs Plugin of the Month is Wall Opening Area for Revit.

Plugin of the Month