Parameters for Sheet List

As many users know in Revit if there are multiple disciplines working in different models things can be scheduled from those linked models, sheets are no exception.  However most companies will have custom parameters to get the schedule to sort, group and filter a give way.  So I am asked a lot how can the consultant easily get this information?

The common answer I hear is to Transfer Project Information which will bring along the necessary project parameters needed to fill out for the prime to get their schedule set up accordingly.  The problem with this feature is that it will bring along all of the project parameters, most of which will not mean anything to a team outside the prime office.

My suggestion is to open the model of the project lead and find the schedule that is being utilized.  Simply Copy that schedule to the clipboard and paste it into your project.  This will bring only the project parameters utilized for the sheet index and leave all the unneeded values behind.

My personal favorite is an option where the project lead creates a blank project that only has the project parameters and has the appropriate schedule inside of it, along with instructions on how to use all of the values that are needed for the sheet index.  This way the consultants can use Transfer Project Information easily and only get what is needed and have a direction on how to utilize them.

 

Revit 2016 Room Improvements

In Revit 2016 (both R2 and prior) there has been a subtle improvement to the display of room while in a section view.  With a room selected in a section view Revit will display the values for both the Upper Limit Offset as well as the Base Offset for that given room.  It will also display the Computation Height for the level associated to the room.  Small changes like this stream line our workflows allowing us to visualize values with out looking at the properties dialog.

2016 Room Selection Section

Revit 2016 r2 Family Types Dialog

One thing that has changed in Revit 2016 R2 is the dialog box for Family Types while in the family editor.  It is following along with the rest of Revit and has allowed for Searching.  This is a welcomed feature for those families that have a bunch of parameters involved.  This dialog has also moved all of the buttons (i.e. New Type, Add Parameter) from the side of the dialog to the top and bottom.  Again a nice touch for viewing those long formula strings associated to parameters.

What has also changed is the fact that the dialog box doesn’t remember the size of the columns.  For instance if you make the formula column wider once the dialog is closed and reopened it goes back to the default column widths.  Not a good feature addition.

Revit 2016 R2 subtle change Sketch lines

While creating an extrusion in a family the other day I noticed a subtle change to the sketch lines.  In Revit 2016 or prior when a sketch line was selected there was a property “Visible” which could be turned ticked off, or a parameter could be added to the variable.  This did absolutely nothing for the sketch or the family.  In Revit 2016 R2 this property value has been removed.  Not a big deal but removing unnecessary values to objects does make things cleaner and less confusing.

Revit 2016 r2 reference planes follow up

In one of the forums a user had suggested that Autodesk set the default value to newly placed reference planes “Is Reference” value be set to “Not a Reference” instead of weak reference.  This has been possible to set up for a while now.  If you create your own family templates then make sure to start to draw a reference plane, but before clicking on screen set the “Is Reference” value to “Not a Reference” then draw a reference plane, and delete it.  Now save the family and rename in windows explorer to .rft.  This feature doesn’t however work on everything, it will still be a “Weak Reference” when copied or mirrored.

So yes I agree it would be nice if Autodesk would make the default setting to be “Not a Reference” when reference planes are created no matter if drawn, copied, mirrored or whatever.