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REVIT: FIRST PROJECT 101

GOAL:
Produce a printed construction document set using a combination of Revit and AutoCAD.

ASSUMPTIONS:
You’ve had basic Revit training and can produce a building model, create a simple parametric
Family, and work on a project with others using a project Central File.

Ideally, at least one member of the Revit team has detailing, project management, and
construction management experience. In other words, “knows how to construct an actual building.”

You are familiar with the project type and have a good AutoCAD document set to use as a guide.

MUST READ:
For basics, look at the following as well as other AUGI online help:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/9773803/Understanding-Revit-Architecture-Beginners

► SET UP REVIT BEFORE YOU MODEL

Options / General / Username

Each user must enter a unique name so that the Central File will know who is
doing what.

Project File

Open a new one using an appropriate Template. Save it as a Central File to the
server and confirm that everyone can access and save to the Central File.

Project Information

Fill in as much as you know as soon as possible.

Levels

Set them up in an Elevation View and allow Revit to create the corresponding
Floor Plan Views

Use a naming convention for Levels which will make Views easy to find in the
st nd
Project Browser. For instance, use “1 Floor” and “2 Floor” instead of “first
floor” and “second floor”

Project Browser

Organize the View section.

Try this:
Add a Project Parameter called “View Use”

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Set up the Project Browser View Properties to organize folders first

by View Use and then by Family and Type

Open the Properties for a Floor Plan View and type in “WORKING”
for View Use

Duplicate the Working Floor Plan View, open Properties for the
duplicate, and type in “PRINT” for View Use

Continue until you have full sets of WORKING and PRINT Views

This approach will allow you to have Views that you use for “Working” on the
model and other Views that you use to “Print” or “Export to ACAD” or
whatever you need.

► BUILD THE REVIT MODEL AND SET UP REVIT SHEETS

Model

Start building the model in the “Working” Views.

Mockup

Using your good AutoCAD set as a guide, decide which sheets will come from
the Revit model (cover sheet, sheet index, plans, elevations, building sections,
schedules) and which will be printed from AutoCAD (wall sections, details,
standard general notes).

Visibility/Graphics

Set the Print Views (where you will be placing notes and dimensions) to turn off
Reference Planes and other elements that you don’t want to print.

As you set up your Views, you can start to develop View Templates which can
help you standardize and quickly set Visibility/Graphics.

Graphic Elements

Create Tags, Text Styles, Dimension Styles, Title Blocks and other graphic
elements which will match the ones you use with AutoCAD.

In the Title Blocks, be sure to include Labels which use Project Information,
Sheet Name and Sheet Number parameters.

Sheets

Set them up and drag the Print Views onto the appropriate Sheets.

Include a Revit Sheet for any sheets that will be printed out of AutoCAD so that
the Revit Sheet Index will be complete. You will also need to add empty Revit
Sheets for any consultant sheets to be included in the set.

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MUST READ:
Titles for Views on Sheets – How to make them look the way you want them to
AU Tech Talk Article by Doug Bowers at AU Online:
http://au.autodesk.com/?nd=tech_talk_detail&article_id=18&jid=9835

Project Browser

Organize the Sheets section

Try this:
Add a Project Parameter called “Sheet Use”

Set up the Project Browser Sheet section properties to organize

folders first by Sheet Use and then by Sheet Number.

This will allow you to have multiple sets of Sheets. For instance, you
may want a set with a special Title Block for Presentation and then a
set with your standard CD Title Block. Also, you may want a set for
Sheets which will be included in the Sheet Index but NOT printed out of
Revit.

Remember that a View can be placed on only one Sheet, so you may
need multiple sets of Views for multiple sets of Sheets.

Sheet Index

Create a new Schedule for the Sheet Index (View-Schedule-Drawing List) and
place it on the appropriate Sheet (maybe on the cover where you might also
place a nice perspective view of the model).

Room and Door Schedules

Create and format these Schedules. The information in them will come from the
properties of Rooms and Doors and their Tags as they are entered. Drag the
Schedules to the appropriate Sheets.

► COORDINATE THE REVIT MODEL AND AUTOCAD DETAILS

Revit

Building Section

Place a section tag in a Plan or Elevation View to create a Building

Section View.

Duplicate the View and set this copy’s View Use as “Export to ACAD”.
Export this View to a DWG file.

Export the same View to the same DWG filename as needed as the
model evolves so you will always have a current XREF background as
you develop the AutoCAD sections and details.

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Import Link DWG Files

Temporarily bring in AutoCAD details as needed only as a reference for

coordinating the model with the details.

AutoCAD

Section and Detail Drawings

XREF Overlay the DWG file exported from Revit into AutoCAD to use
as a background for creating detailed Wall Sections and Section Details.

Create the AutoCAD section and detail drawings in such a way that you
can efficiently Import Link them into the Revit model.

Sheet Files

Create sheet files for wall sections and details which you will print out of
AutoCAD.

Make sure that AutoCAD Title Blocks match Revit and that each
AutoCAD sheet is represented by a blank Sheet in Revit.

MUST READ:
For great advice about when, why and procedures for linking AutoCAD files to Revit,
see the AU Tech Talk Article by Lonnie Cumpton at AU Online:
http://au.autodesk.com/?nd=tech_talk_detail&article_id=29&jid=9835

► PRINT THE COMPLETE SHEET SET

AutoCAD

You already know how to print sheets from AutoCAD to PDF or to your large
format printer.

Revit

Set up Line Styles, Weights and Patterns in Revit, using your standard
AutoCAD pen settings as a guide.

This will take some trial and error and maybe more than a few test prints since
the Line Weight settings in AutoCAD are by color and in Revit they are by
element.

Open a Sheet View and go through the Print Setup dialog box to configure
settings for printing both to PDF and to your large format printer. Be sure to save
a name for each Print Setup when you get it to work.

This will take some trial and error, too, to be sure that the Revit print matches
your AutoCAD print, both in appearance and in placement on the paper.

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