2D DATA TYPES | 119

For details, you can generally use the manual options and place the details where required.
Trying these options in a blank project file before you bring any file into your live project is
always a good rule of thumb; it gives you a sense of where the objects are going to be and
whether the scale is correct.
Figure 5.5 indicates the options available for import units. Although Auto-Detect is the
default option and usually works, sometimes the originators of your imported data are not as
rigorous as they should be and their units don’t quite match their documentation. So specifying
the units is preferable to letting Revit apply a default. Also, the scale used in the view should
match the scale intended to display the detail in the original software used to make it. This
ensures that geometry, hatching, and fonts will be as close to the same as possible. If this isn’t
set before importing the detail, then the poor fidelity can compound the issue of units
being wrong.

Figure 5.5
Import Units options

You have the option to correct lines that are slightly off axis, as shown in Figure 5.6.

Figure 5.6
Correcting lines that
are slightly off axis

This feature should be used with care, however, because those “slightly off-axis lines” may be
part of the design intent!

2D Data for Plans, Sections, and Elevations

Let’s say that you are using Autodesk Revit MEP and want your staff members to keep using
that program, even though you have other projects in your office for which the architect is
using traditional CAD-based drafting methods. Should you do these projects in AutoCAD
or Revit? Once you have been using Revit for a while, using anything else feels like it takes
far too long, and there’s all that back-referencing and checking that sections tie up with the
plans!
I’ll show you how to create a wireframe 3D model using the supporting 2D CAD files from
the architect. The following Revit workflow has been tried, rigorously tested, and used for
numerous real world projects. Your staff members retain their knowledge, and the project
design is still coordinated (albeit only with the other building services, not with the architec-
ture—although the architect can provide you with sections as well as plans).
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When going down this route, you need to consider how your project team generally
works: either in one multiservice file or in multiple project files with only one service. If all
services are in one model, linking the plans and sections into that file is probably the best way
forward.
However, experience shows that working with multiple project files—Architecture,
Structure, Electrical, HVAC, Fire, Plumbing, and Drainage is sometimes the better option.
This is sometimes born of necessity because the project teams are in different geographic loca-
tions. Although a company might have technology to support distributed file servers and proj-
ect teams on different continents, the reality is that managing this process can cause a lot of
extra work.
In this workflow, linking the 2D files into each project file is an option. The linked files
appear only as linked overlays, the same way they do in AutoCAD. Managing the location of
multiple linked files in multiple project files is a messy and time-consuming task. You have to
rely on users not moving or deleting anything accidentally. Of course, this applies in any proj-
ect, but the problem can become compounded under these circumstances. The best option here
is to have one “architectural” file—one place to update and manage—and keep all your services
files at the same stage for printing. This does require some setup at the start of the project, but
once it’s complete, it is almost as manageable as linking a model from the Revit Architecture
software.

File Cleanup
Before you import anything into Revit, consider taking a few minutes to “sanitize” the fi le. Th is
could be a simple task such as running an AutoLISP® routine in AutoCAD to purge unnecessary
objects such as layers or blocks (named and unnamed). Change the Colors option to By Layer and
delete anything that isn’t necessary for your project, such as all those objects just outside the
viewport that the architect was saving for a rainy day. Sometimes these objects can affect the
positioning of an imported fi le: if an object is more than 20 miles (32.2 km) from the origin, inac-
curacies and position issues can occur. In this case, it is necessary to open the fi le and delete those
extraneous objects and resave.
If you do not have access to AutoCAD, an alternative is to start a new Revit project fi le, import
the drawing, and fully explode it. Then export that view back to AutoCAD and import it into your
Revit project. Th is approach is a bit circuitous, but it’s a great way to clean a drawing as long as the
fidelity of data such as line patterns, hatches, and text is maintained.

The following exercise will take you through linking plans and elevations into a new proj-
ect file, creating levels and default views that any of the project engineers can use to obtain
the prints they require for markup. Although this exercise uses a few of the more basic Revit
 2D DATA TYPES | 121

commands, it is mainly designed to show a best-practice workflow, especially when linking this
file into your services project files. At the end on the exercise, you will end up with a 3D wire-
frame model, as shown in Figure 5.7.

Figure 5.7
3D wireframe model

Follow these steps:

1. Create a new Revit MEP 2016 project file using the template RMEP2016_Ch05_Project
TEMPLATE.rte. This file can be found at www.sybex.com/go/masteringrevitmep2016.
2. Open the Level 1 floor plan, and from the Insert tab, select Link CAD and select the
drawing file RMEP2016_Ch05_FloorplanLevel01.dwg. Use the following settings,
shown in Figure 5.8:
◆ Current View Only: Not selected
◆ Colors: Black And White
◆ Layers/Levels: All
◆ Import Units: Auto-Detect
◆ Correct Lines That Are Slightly Off Axis: Not selected
◆ Positioning: Auto – Origin To Origin
◆ Place At: Level 1
◆ Orient To View: Selected
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Figure 5.8
Import settings

3. The next step is to create building grids based on the architectural floor plan. From the
Architect tab, select the Grid tool. With this active, use the Pick Lines option from the
Draw panel.
Although this is a quick method of creating grid lines, be sure to keep an eye on the grid
head location. If the lines have been drawn in different directions, the result is that the
grids are oriented differently. Clicking the grid head and selecting the adjacent check
mark to swap the orientation will work—but only in this view. As long as you create
these elements consistently, they will be displayed in a consistent manner through the
rest of the project.
Start with Grid 1 and select each subsequent grid, except the intermediate grids. You
can come back and do those after creating Grid 10. Once the vertical grids are complete,
do the horizontal ones. Starting at A, you will rename this first alphabetic grid and then
follow with B, C, and so on. Once all the major grids are created, go back and create the
intermediate ones. With this workflow, you have to rename only a few grids rather than
every single one.

Pick lines
 2D DATA TYPES | 123

4. With the grids complete, open the North Elevation.

5. Navigate back to the Insert tab, select Link CAD, and select the file RMEP2016_Ch05_
ElevationNorth.dwg. Use the Auto – Center To Center positioning option, and ensure
that Orient To View is checked.
6. Notice that the elevation drawing, while oriented in the correct plane, is not in the correct
location with respect to the levels and grids. Use the Align tool to correct this, aligning
Level 1 with 01-Entry Level and Grids 1, as shown in Figure 5.9. Then align Level 2 with
02-Floor in the linked drawing.

Figure 5.9
Align the
linked DWG

7. One other thing to notice is that the existing levels do not share the same name as the
linked DWG. Select the Level 1 line and click the blue highlighted name of the level.
Change this to match the DWG, and do the same for level 2. Revit then asks if you would
like to rename corresponding views. Click Yes, as shown in Figure 5.10.
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Figure 5.10
Renaming levels

Naming New Levels

The newly created levels do not have the same names as the link file, so you need to edit them. When
you are editing level names, Revit prompts you with a message, as shown here:

It is important to click Yes. At this point, you are trying to create a set of default views that match
the architecture. Having a building level and a floor plan with matching names will save you and
anyone else looking at the project fi le a lot of time.

8. Create additional levels for levels 03 - Floor, and Roof, renaming each level to match
the link file. You may find that the created levels do not show up in the Project
Browser where you expect. In Figure 5.11, the levels created have ended up filed under
Architectural/Power/Floor Plans. To place these views into Architectural/BASE
PLANS/Floor Plans, select both views in the Project Browser (A), right-click, and select
Apply View Template (B). In the Apply View Template dialog box, select Architectural
Plan (C) and click Apply Properties (D). You will see the views move in the Project
Browser (E).
9. Repeat step 2, opening each level (02 - Floor, 03 - Floor, and Roof) and linking the follow-
ing DWG files:
◆ RMEP2016_Ch05_FloorplanLevel02.dwg
◆ RMEP2016_Ch05_FloorplanLevel03.dwg
◆ RMEP2016_Ch05_FloorplanRoof.dwg
 2D DATA TYPES | 125

Figure 5.11
Applying the view
template

C
A
B

10. With all the floor plans linked, we can turn our attention to the rest of the elevations. You
already have the North elevation linked (step 5), and looking at the default 3D view, you
can see in Figure 5.12 that although the file is aligned correctly in relation to levels and
grid 1, it is in the middle of the building. (The upper floor DWGs have been hidden for
clarity.) Open 01 - Entry Level plan and use the Align tool to move the elevation to the
north “face” of the floor plan.

Figure 5.12
Aligning the
elevation to the plan

11. Repeat steps 5 and 6, opening each of the remaining elevations in turn and linking the
following files:
◆ RMEP2016_Ch05_ElevationSouth.dwg
◆ RMEP2016_Ch05_ElevationWest.dwg
◆ RMEP2016_Ch05_ElevationEast.dwg
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12. Repeat step 10 for each elevation. It’s a good idea to do this straight after linking each one;
that way you don’t end up aligning the incorrect one.
13. Open floor plan 01 - Entry Level and activate Visibility Graphics. Select the Imported
Categories tab and uncheck all the linked DWG files except RMEP2016_Ch05_
FloorplanLevel01.dwg.
Also, as indicated in Figure 5.13, click the plus sign to expand the layers in the link and
turn off anything unwanted—like grids (S-GRIDIDM), for example.
14. Repeat step 13 for all the other floor plans and elevations, leaving only the link file appro-
priate to each view visible.
When you have finished, open a 3D view. Your “building” should look similar to
Figure 5.7.
15. Save the file. This can now act as the architectural link file for your entire project.
16. Using the same template file you used in step 1, create a new project file. This can be your
HVAC documentation model.
17. Open the North elevation view and delete the two existing levels. The message that
appears, displayed in Figure 5.14, informs you that views are being deleted. This is nor-
mal, so click OK.

Figure 5.13
Applying visibility/
graphic overrides
for links
 2D DATA TYPES | 127

Figure 5.14
Viewing deletions

18. Link the file RMEP2016_Ch05_COMPLETE.rvt by using the Origin To Origin method.
Notice that none of the linked drawings are visible—you’ll adjust that in step 20.
19. As with a standard Revit project, copy/monitor the levels and grids, and then create your
plan views. Each of these views will display only the grids, not the linked drawing files.
20. In each of these views, adjust the visibility/graphics to override the view to the required
settings, as shown in Figure 5.15. (1) Click on By Host View, which displays the RVT Link
Display Settings; change this to Custom (2); and then select the Import Categories tab (3).
Also change the Import Categories to Custom (4); you are now able to override the layer
settings (5) in the nested, linked dwg file.

Figure 5.15
Visibility/Graphic
Overrides

3
4

Whether you’re linking or importing CAD data from other formats, although you can use the
overrides to change what you see or how you see it, you can also, in fact, use the Import Line
Weights option, as shown in Figure 5.16. This enables you to specify a DWG color number and