Mouse Control in Revit

Revit has different functions associated with aspects of the mouse. Below is a list of those functions.

Clicking the right button brings up the above dialog box. Personally, I find this function useful when location an item in the project browser.

Clicking the left button allow you to select items in Revit. Holding the control key while clicking with the left button allows you to select multiple items. Holding the shift key while clicking with the left button allows you to deselect items.

Using the mouse’s scrolling wheel allows to zoom in and out while in Revit. Holding down the wheel allows you to pan across the page. Holding the control key while using the wheel also allows you to zoom in and out.

Troubleshooting : No Dialog box appears after clicking the “Select Views / Sheets” button when printing in Revit

1. Go to the View Tab

   1. User Interface

   2. Browser Organization

2. In the Browser Organization dialog box go to sheets tab

3. Select sheet prefix

4. OK

Creating a Barreled Ceiling

1. While in the section view where you want the barreled ceiling to be located at

2. Architecture tab

   1. Build section

      1. Select down arrow on the Component function

      2. Select Model in Place

         1. Please note this function is not available on Revit LT

3. Select ceilings in the family category and parameters

4. Name ceiling

5. Extrusion

6. Pick a Plane

7. Select wall perpendicular to barreled ceiling

8. Draw arch using draw tool

9. Close the extrusion

10. Green Check Mark

11. Green Check Mark Finish Model

12. Adjust Ceiling as needed

Custom family : Making materials changeable in model (Type Parameter)

1. Open Family

2. Modify tab

3. Select family types dialog box

4. Select Now

5. In the Parameter Properties dialog box

1. Name Parameter Material

2. Under Data Type select Material

3. Select Instance

6. Select OK

7. Select OK

8. In the 3D View select the extrusion you want to change materials on

9. Select associated family parameters in the properties tab

10. Select Materials

11. OK

12. Ensure that Subcategory is None

13. Load family into project

Void Sweeps in Families (Beveled Edge)

1. After drawing the shape in which you want to have a beveled edge in. Extrude set backs in which the void sweep should start

2. Create

3. Void Forms

4. Void Sweeps

5. Pick Path

6. Select the setback created

1. Ensure that the sweep path is closed

7. To draw the sweep profile ensure that the profile is < by sketch >

8. Edit Profile

9. Draw profile in which you want voided

10. Select green check mark

11. Select green check mark

12. Delete setback

Door hardware in 3D view

The door families already loaded in Revit have door hardware already loaded in the family.

The hardware is only visible in detail level : fine.

Changing the detail level to fine will also allow the door hardware to appear in Enscape.

• Handles on refrigerators and dishwashers will also appear in detail level fine

Adding Mullions to Windows and Doors

1. Select door or window that you want to add mullions to

2. Edit family

3. Elevation

4. Interior or exterior

   1. Depending on which side of the window / door you are working on

5. Set

6. Pick a plane

7. OK

8. Select glass plane that you want to add mullion to

9. Model Line

10. Draw that mullions on the window

11. Modify tab

12. Align tool

13. Align modify lines to the edge of the glass and lock it in place

Note: This will not show up on Enscape

Creating custom paint colors and painting

1. Go to manage tab

2. Select Materials in setting tab

3. Select new materials

4. Create new materials

5. Default new materials should generate

6. Rename new materials to desired paint color name

7. In appearance table select color

8. Sherwin Williams list the RGB value of each color. Enter the RGB value of desired color

9. OK

10. Apply

11. OK

12. Modify tab

13. Select paint

14. Search desired color

15. In floorplan view select walls you want painted

You can also use the paint tool to apply different materials to a wall without changing the materials of the wall.

Please note the painted color / materials will not show up in Enscape if the wall is in existing phase.

Room Schedule SF Grand Total

1. When the Room schedule is open, select sorting / grouping on the properties tab

2. Check grand totals

3. Select title and totals in the drop down menu

4. Select formatting tab

5. Select Area

6. Calculate totals

7. OK

Adjust the order of a Revit Schedule

1. While the room schedule is open, select the sorting / grouping on the properties tab

2. Sort by: Number

3. Ensure ascending is selected

Color Schemes

Useful if you want to change the color of your drawing space

1. File

2. Options

3. Colors

4. Under Canvas colors

   1. Canvas color schemes:

      1. Chose your preferred light or dark

Phasing / Creating a Demo Sheet

I recommend setting up phasing before drawing anything in the project. Bonus points if you set if up in your template.

1. Select Manage Tab

2. In the Phasing section select Phases

3. Phasing box should open

4. Insert new phase between existing and new construction

   1. Name new phase as DEMO

5. Select Graphics Overrides

6. Change the dashed lines for the demolished phase status to red dashed lines

7. Select OK

8. You can ensure that you are in the correct phasing on the properties parameters box under phasing tab

9. Draw the existing floorplan in the Phase Filter and Phase

1. Phase Filter = Show All

2. Phase = Existing

10. After drawing the existing floor plan, you should create a DEMO View

1. Duplicate view

   1. Duplicate with detailing

   2. Rename new View to DEMO

      1. EX: Level 1 DEMO

2. Change Phasing to below Phase Filter and Phase

   1. Phase Filter = Show previous + Demo

   2. Phase + New Construction

11. Change phasing in original view to below Phase Filter and Phase

1. Phase Filter = Show Previous + New

2. Phase = New Construction

12. To DEMO an item in the drawing (There are alternative ways to demolish an item. This is my preferred way)

1. Select the item that needs to be demolished

2. Change phasing to the below phase

   1. Phase Created = DEMO

   2. Phase Demolished = New Construction

13. If you set up the DEMO sheet and New Construction plan correctly, the demolished item should disappear from the New Construction plan and appear on the DEMO plan in red dashed lines.

14. When drawing New Construction items ensure you are in the below phasing

1. Phase Created = New Construction

2. Phase Demolished = None

15. You can check to see if you phased correctly by doing the following

1. Ensure you are in view with new construction phase

2. Turn off the thin line

3. New construction phase should be bold black lines

4. Existing construction phase should be thin gray lines

5. Demo phase should be red dashed lines

Bonus: Image from my trip to Iceland

Changing Dimensions / Rounding

Useful when you want to easily read dimensions in a project

1. Annotate tab

2. Under dimension section select down arrow

3. Linear Dimension Types

4. Under the primary units section select the box next to unit format

5. Units : feet and fractional inches or fractional inches

6. Rounding : to the nearest 1/4” (or to your desired rounded dimension)

Callouts / Crop Views

There are two ways to focus the view on a specific portion of the model

Callouts

1. View tab

2. Callout

   1. Found in the create portion of the tab

3. Create box around portion of model you want to view

4. Right click the callout and select go to view or in project browser open the call out you created

Crop View

1. Duplicate the view in which you want to see a portion of

2. Remain the view

3. Turn on crop region visible in the properties parameter box under extents

4. Use the crop region to section off area in which you want to focus on

5. Select crop view and unselect crop region visible

Bonus: Image from my trip to Iceland

Underlay

Useful when aligning upper and lower floors when drawing existing buildings.

Useful when doing designing lighting plans on reflected ceilings, to know what is on the floorplan.

• Found on the properties browser under underlay

• You can select base and top viewing range and view orientation

Room Schedules

1. View Tab

2. Schedules found in the create tab

3. Schedules / Quantities

4. Select Rooms under category

5. Ensure you are creating the schedule with the correct construction phase

6. OK

7. Move over the following fields into the

   1. Number

   2. Name

   3. Area

Please note that you have to create room tags , and name them on the floorplan for this information to show up on the room schedule

8. If you want to separate the room schedule by levels

1. Duplicate schedule

2. Rename to corresponding level

3. Open schedule properties

4. Fields tab

   1. Add levels

5. Filter tab

   1. Filter by level

   2. Filter by corresponding level

Bonus: Image from my trip to Colorado

Design Options

Design Option is useful when you want to create multiple design layouts for one space. Please note that this is not available on Revit LT.

1. Manage Tab

2. Design Options

   1. Design Options

3. Option Set

4. New

5. You can create as many option that you want under Option

6. You can switch between the different design option while in the new construction view. Located on the bottom tool bar in Revit, select what option you want to view

Please note that you cannot adjust the rest of the model while in a view, you have to return to the main model to adjust view.

Please note, detailed lines and annotated text will not save in the different option, you have to convert the detail lines to model lines and use model text for the different options.

Bonus: Image from my trip to Iceland

Filled Region

Useful to add 2D texture or to call out a specific area

1. Annotate tab

2. Region

   1. Found in Detail section

3. Filled region

4. Draw the area in which you want to fill in and select what texture / color you want to use

Bonus: Image from my trip to Iceland

Loading Families

Revit provides a wide range of families that you can plug into your model. You can load them into the project be doing the below:

1. Insert Tab

2. Load Autodesk Family

3. After finding family that you need, select load

If you can not find a family that you need already loaded into Revit, below are some sites to look at:

• BIM objects

• Revit City

• Kohler

  • Plumbing

  • Lighting

• Brizo

  • Plumbing

• Herman Miller

  • Furniture

• Subzero - Wolf

  • Appliances

Bonus - Image from my trip to Iceland

Saving PDF as Arch D

1. Ensure the view you want saved is on an appropriately sized Sheet

2. File

3. Export

4. PDF

5. Name the PDF

   1. File

   2. File Name

   3. Last Name of client

6. Place PDF in preferred location

   1. File

   2. Location

   3. Select Browse

   4. Browse for folder box should open

      1. select desired folder

7. Ensure correct paper size is selected

   1. Size

   2. Paper size

   3. Arch D: 24x36

8. Paper Placement

   1. Offset from corner

   2. No Margin

9. Zoom

   1. Size

   2. Zoom

   3. Zoom: 100%

10. If only one sheet is needed for the PDF hit OK

11. If multiple sheets are needed for the PDF:

    1. Export Range

    2. Selected views/ sheets

       1. Select pencil button

       2. Select sheets needed for PDF

       3. Select

    3. If new Sheets set needed to be created

       1. Create new empty set (page with explosion in corner)

       2. Select sheets needed for PDF

       3. Select

12. OK

Bonus: Image from my trip to Iceland - Sun Voyager