Learn Revit

REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #1 / SUMMER 2016
WORKSETS
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© Copyright 2016 - BIM Pure productions
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PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #1 / SUMMER 2016 / WORKSETS
WHAT ARE WORKSETS ?

A workset is a collection of elements. Worksets name and use are decided
by users. They are usually classified by function, such as interior, exterior
and site. To use worksets, you need to be in a project that has allowed
worksharing.
WHAT IS WORKSHARING ?
If multiple users want to work on a Revit Project, worksharing needs to be
enabled. Enabling worksharing means that worksets will be created and
that the Revit file will become a central model after save. User will then
need to create a local file to work on the project. Allow worksharing by
going to the “Collaborate” tab and click on “Worksets”.
Smaller projects with a single user usually don’t require the use of
worksharing, meaning worksets are not used. If you are a Revit LT
user, you cannot use worksets, so grab a drink and wait for the autumn
pamphlet :)
If you are indeed working with worksets, the next pages provide 10 tips
that will make your life easier and turn you into a worksets master.
REVIT PURE - © Copyright 2016 - BIM Pure productions 3

PAMPHLETS
1- ORGANIZE YOUR WORKSETS

By default, Revit will create 2 worksets once you enable worksharing:
Shared Levels and Grids and Workset1.
Workset1 is a very boring name and won’t help our cause, so we need
to rename it as well as creating other necessary worksets. You should
use prefix A for architecture elements worksets and prefix Z for linked
elements. Here is a typical worksets list for basic projects:
A-Interior
A-Exterior
A-Site
A-Finishes
Shared Level and Grids
Z-Structure
Z-MEP
PAMPHLETS
2- PLACE LEVELS AND GRIDS ON

SAME WORKSET
If you are working with engineers, consultants, designers that are using
your model in a linked file, it is crucial that you enforce the proper use of
Shared Levels and Grids workset. If you don’t do so, the consultants you
work with will see your grids and worksets in each of their views, like in the
image below.
While you can use Visibility Graphics or Hide Element to remove these
overlapping grids, this is a tedious process that can be simplified by using
worksets correctly.
In the Manage tab, select Manage Links, click on the correct revit link
and then click on Manage Worksets. You can then close every worksets
you don’t want to see. In this case we would close Shared Levels and Grids
from the linked model, solving the problem above.

PAMPHLETS
3- CREATE A WORKSET FOR EVERY

LINKED REVIT MODEL
Each linked model should be put on a separate workset. Remember to
use prefix Z before the workset name to distinguish from worksets on
your own model. For example, if you receive a model from the structural
engineer, create workset Z-Structure. Receive a model from Mechanical
engineer ? Create Z-MEP. Model from a designer ? Create Z-Design. You
get the idea.
This technique allows simplified control on linked files. You can close
worksets containing linked models or set them to not visible, making your
own model much faster.
4- CLOSE WORKSETS YOU DON’T USE

There is two way to shut down worksets from appearing on your views.
The first is to close the workset. Closing a workset only affect your local
model, meaning it will still be visible to other users.
You can also set workset to not visible by default, which is a change that
will be effective to the central file and to every users. You can still make a
workset visible on a specific view by using Visibility Graphics.
Closing a workset is the best method for model performance, while using
not visible by default is the best method to control overall visibility.

PAMPHLETS
5- UNDERSTAND WHAT “EDITABLE”

WORKSET MEANS
An EDITABLE workset mean you are the sole owner of that workset. That
can be confusing since you could think something being editable means
it can be modified by anyone. No, it means you locked it. Other users
cannot make any modifications to elements that are part of it unless you
grant them the right to do so. There is two main reasons you would want
to use this:
1- Permanent lock on critical part of the project. For example, you can
make “Shared Grids and Levels” editable, which means other users have
to ask your permission to modify elements that are part of this workset,
therefore protecting your precious grids from being deleted. The workset
will remain editable until you use the Relinquish All Mine command in the
Collaborate tab.
2- Temporary lock for worksets undergoing major change. Let’s say there
is major changes on every exterior wall and you are the user assigned to
do the change. It would then make sense to set the A-Exterior workset to
editable, preventing other users from interfering with your work without
your approval.

PAMPHLETS
6- SET ELEMENTS TO “EDITABLE” TO

CONTROL THEM
Making a whole workset editable can be a serious annoyance to your
colleagues. That means each element they want to modify on the workset
you made “editable” has to be approved by a request.
Often it is better to make elements editable instead. You can do this by

clicking the icon with 3 cubes that appears next to a selected element.
This will prevent other users from making changes to this wall without
your approval.
When you quit Revit, make sure you Synchronize with Central. If you
don’t do so, Revit will ask if you want to Relinquish Elements or to Keep
Ownership. Unless you want to block changes to elements you own, it is
almost always better to use the first choice and to Relinquish.
Every Revit user had issues with colleagues that left the office while
still owning walls that needed to be changed. In case of doubt, always
Relinquish! Else, you might feel the wrath of colleagues the next morning.

PAMPHLETS
7- CLEAN YOUR WORKSETS EVERY FRIDAY

People forget to model things in the right workset. Not a big deal, but you
need to clean worksets weekly to make sure you don’t lose control. Why
friday ? Because you leave for the weekend with a peaceful mind knowing
your model is under control.
The easiest way to make sure elements are in the right workset is to use
Worksharing Display and set it to Worksets. You can find this tool on the
bottom left of your screen, next to the Reveal Hidden Elements lamp-
shaped button. You can change the color associated to each workset by
clicking “Worksharing Display Settings...”.

PAMPHLETS
8- USE WORKSHARING DISPLAY TO KEEP

TRACK OF YOUR MODEL
When you open a large project with many users, you might wonder what
is everyone up to. By turning on Worksharing Display and setting it to
Owners, elements will be colored to match the owner.
In the above image we know that user RevitPure is working on the WC

and the exterior wall. Meanwhile Sarah is making changes to the closet.
If you are John and you try to modify an exterior wall, user RevitPure will
receive an editing request. This tool is useful to have a quick glance of
what is going on the project.

PAMPHLETS
9- USE CHECKOUT STATUS TO AVOID REQUESTS

In addition to knowing who owns what, you can also set Worksharing
Display to Checkout Status. This allows you to see what you are allowed
to modify without having to send an editing request. Everything in red
is owned by someone else. Everything green is owned by you. The rest
is owned by no one. That means you are free to make changes to these
elements without having to bother anyone.
10- CREATE WORKSET A-FINISHES

If you are on a larger project that requires finish plans, you should make
sure you model separate thin ceramic (or carpet) walls and floors, and set
them to A-FINISHES. This way finishes and their complex pattern can be
easily shut down in big scale floor plan. Set “A-FINISHES” to not visible
by default, and only open the workset in required views. Note: advanced
users usually don’t use worksets to control visibility. The “best practice“
workflow is to use filters, visibility graphics and view templates.
REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #2 / FALL 2016

SCHEDULES
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #2 / FALL 2016 / SCHEDULES
WHAT IS THIS “PAMPHLET” ?

Revit Pure Pamphlets are published 4 times a year by email. Each edition
covers a very specific Revit theme.
We like to pick themes that are complex and confusing. Our job is to make
these topics simple for you.
WHAT ARE SCHEDULES ?

Schedules are spreadsheets connected to your model. Imagine excel
sheets being automatically updated with every change in your Revit file.
If you modify an element in the model, it will be updated in the schedule

and the other way around.
You can create a schedule for every model element. You can use them to
calculate cost. To create plan notes. To create sheet and views lists.
WHY ARE SCHEDULES SO COMPLICATED ?

As awesome and useful as schedules are, Autodesk made them quite
complicated to use. The menus and interface are labyrinths.
Good news! You found this pamphlet and will hopefully become a schedule
Grand Master. Enjoy the ride and please have fun with us.

PAMPHLETS
TYPES OF SCHEDULES
Schedules are located in the View tab of the Ribbon. You have to choose
one of these schedule types:
BASIC SCHEDULE: LIST AND QUANTIFY ALL ELEMENTS

Most common schedule type, this is used to list and quantify all elements.
Below, we have a wall schedule sorted by level, listing type and area.
SHEET + VIEW LISTS

Sheet lists are usually placed on the front page, while view list are usually
used internally to control the project.

PAMPHLETS
MATERIAL TAKEOFF: CALCULATE MATERIALS

Want to know how many plywood boards area you have in the project?
This is the schedule you are looking for. Quantities are calculated
regardless if the material is part of the wall, roof, ceiling or column. This
can be used to estimate cost.
NOTE BLOCK: ORGANIZE PLAN NOTES

This schedule type is used to list 2D generic annotation families. The main
use is to produce plan notes.

PAMPHLETS
CREATE A BASIC SCHEDULE

When creating a new schedule, you will be asked to choose a model
category. Also select the phase and name your new schedule.
FIELDS
Fields are parameters that you select
to be part of your schedule. Depending
on the Category you chose, different
parameters will be available.
The top field of this menu will appear

on the left of the schedule, the bottom
one will appear on the right.

PAMPHLETS
19 TIPS TO BECOME A SCHEDULE MASTER

1. USE FILTERS TO EXCLUDE SPECIFIC ELEMENTS
Go to Filters menu to exclude specific elements from the schedule. For

example, if you want a schedule with walls that are at least 1000mm long,
add a “is greater than or equal” Length filter. As you see in the resulting
schedule, walls below 1000mm are hidden.
2. SORT AND CLASSIFY YOUR SCHEDULE
Go to Sorting/Grouping menu to select a way to sort the schedule. For

example, if we Sort the wall schedule by Type, walls will be classified by
type, in alphabetical order.

PAMPHLETS
3. UNCHECK ITEMIZE EVERY INSTANCE TO GROUP ITEMS
By default, every elements are visible in a schedule. That means if you

create a wall schedule, every single wall will be shown individually.
Most of the time, you want to group these walls. Go to Sorting/Grouping

menu and uncheck Itemize every instance. Walls will be grouped together
by the Sort category. In the example below, walls are grouped by Type.

PAMPHLETS
4. ADD HEADER AND FOOTER
In Sorting/Grouping menu, activate Header to add a Title above each

category. Footers has 3 options you can choose: Title, Counts (number of
elements) and Totals (for each field).

PAMPHLETS
5. GO TO FORMATTING MENU TO ACTIVATE TOTALS
To calculate total for a field, make sure Calculate Totals is activated in the
Formatting properties of a specific field. In the example below, we activate
totals for area but not for length.
You also need to make sure totals are activated in the footer, else they
won’t show up.

PAMPHLETS
6. TOTALS FOR GROUPED ITEMS DON’T NEED FOOTER
If you don’t use Itemize Every Instance, elements are grouped and don’t
need a footer to get totals. If totals are deactivated for a field (like the
length field below), the schedule field will be blank. However, walls with a
single instance in the project will still show the value of that instance, like
for the RP- Funky Wall and Wood Wall type below.
7. USE GRAND TOTALS
What if you want to know the total

area of every single wall in the
project? Go to Sorting/Grouping
and activate Grand Totals.

PAMPHLETS
8. HIDE FIELDS YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE
Sometimes, a field can be required to filter or calculate value, but don’t

need to be visible in the actual schedule. Go to Formatting and select
Hidden Field. You can also select a column and use the Hide tool in the
Ribbon.
9. USE VERTICAL HEADER FOR LONG TITLES
Long headers names can make your schedule very wide. Making them
vertical will make your schedule thinner. Go to Formatting and set heading
orientation to Vertical for each required field.

PAMPHLETS
10. GROUP HEADERS TO ORGANIZE YOUR SCHEDULE
Select many field headers by using Shift or dragging your cursor. Then
click the Group button in the contextual tab. Add a name to the new
subcategory header.
11. HIGHLIGHT ELEMENT IN MODEL
Sometimes, you see an element in a schedule, yet you have no idea where
it is located in the model. Click Highlight in Model and a view will open
with the element appearing in blue.

PAMPHLETS
12. USE CALCULATED PARAMETER TO GET PRICE
When creating a Material Takeoff schedule type, use the Calculated

Parameter to calculate values together. For example, multiply the Material
Cost with the Material Area to get the total price for each material. Click
Calculated in the ribbon, select Currency and set the Name. Then select
the two field in the formula and put * between them. Add a /1 at the end of
the formula to fix units. In this example we used price, but this tool can be
used to calculate anything or create percentages.
13. PLACE SCHEDULES ON SHEET TO PRINT THEM
You can’t print a schedule on the schedule view. It needs to be placed on a

sheet first. Use print screen or Windows snipping tool if you need to print
the schedule directly from the view.

PAMPHLETS
14. SET TITLE VISIBILITY AND SELECT FONTS
Do you want Titles and Headers to

be visible? Go to Appearance menu
to deactivate them if required. Also
select fonts to be used in schedule.
The Schedule Default font is Arial,
so if you want another font, select a
text style from your project.
15. DESIGN SCHEDULE LOOK WITH GRIDLINES
What kind of schedule look do you want? Free-spirit or accountant? Use

gridlines in Appearance menu to select that. Want to remove grids for a
specific column? Use the Borders tool in the ribbon.

PAMPHLETS
16. MODIFY SCHEDULE APPEARANCE ON SHEET
A schedule placed on a sheet looks completely different from what you

see inside the view. The “Sheet Look” is what your schedule going to look
like once printed. So make sure you verify schedules inside sheets when
designing appearance.
17. ADJUST COLUMNS WIDTH WITH LITTLE ARROWS
When inside a sheet, click on a schedule and move the little arrows to
modify the width of each column. If you want a precise value for the
column width, use Resize button in the Ribbon.
18. DOUBLE-CLICK ON SCHEDULE TO MODIFY IT
You can’t modify a schedule directly on a sheet. Double-click the schedule

to enter the schedule view, where you have access to all options.

PAMPHLETS
19. USE THE RIBBON TO ADJUST COLUMNS STYLE
Use the ribbon to make adjustments to the visual style of each column.
For example, in the schedule below we changed the Area column by using
a centered horizontal alignment, a top vertical alignment, changed the
font to be bold and underlined and used a pink shading. All these awkward
changes can be set back by using Reset button.
You can’t change the look of rows, this is for columns only.

PAMPHLETS
THANKS FOR READING !

We hope you had fun with us. The best way to get really good at schedules
is to experiment with them, so keep messing around.
Did you enjoy this pamphlet? Was this helpful to you? Or was it the worst
PDF you ever opened in your life? We want to know! Please email us at
nick@revitpure.com and let us know what you thought.

REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #4 / SPRING 2017
CAD
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #4 / SPRING 2017 / CAD

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WHY TALK ABOUT CAD?

In an ideal world, no one would use CAD, ever. Sadly, we don’t live in
that world yet so we have to deal with consultants and friends that send
us CAD files we have to integrate in Revit. These people also want us to
convert Revit to CAD and send the files back.
A lot of people don’t really know what they are doing when they import
CAD into Revit, resulting in pure chaos and sadness. Don’t worry: we got
you covered. The following pages will guide you to make sure you use CAD
files in a simple, clean and efficient way.

PAMPHLETS
PREPARING CAD FILES

Any CAD files linked into Revit must follow a careful process.
1- BIND XREFS: Xrefs can cause problems. Open the Xref dialog box and
Bind them all, preventing duplicate layers.
2- RUN “PURGE”: This removes unused layers, linetypes, blocks, etc.
3- RUN “SETBYLAYER”: All lines settings should be set to layers,

ignoring any color, linetype or lineweight overrides. Use the Setbylayer
command to quickly resolve this problem.
4- FREEZE USELESS LAYERS: Freeze all layers not required in Revit.
5- SAVE A COPY: Keep the original DWG file just in case. Save the
modified file in a Revit “CAD Links” subfolder.
USE LINK CAD, NOT IMPORT CAD

Now that your DWG file is ready, you can bring it to Revit.
You will notice that there is two options to bring the DWG
file: Import and Link.
Avoid using Import CAD. It makes your model heavier, causing

performance issues. Link CAD is better: it loads the latest version of the
DWG each time you open Revit and is more efficient to manage the files.

PAMPHLETS
9 TIPS FOR EFFICIENT CAD USE IN REVIT
1- USE THESE LINKED CAD FILES SETTINGS
You have many settings to adjust when linking a DWG file. Follow the tips
below for the best results.
ACTIVATE CURRENT VIEW ONLY: If left unchecked, the DWG file

will appear in all views of the model. In most cases it is better to import to a
single view only.
COLORS: BLACK AND WHITE: The default setting is Colors, but you
should change that to Black and White. It provides better visibility.
LAYERS: VISIBLE: By default, all CAD layers will be imported. Set

the option to Visible, which means layers that are hidden or frozen in
AutoCAD won’t be imported.
POSITIONING: The best way to position DWG file is usually to use

Manual - Center option.

PAMPHLETS
2- USE QUERY TOOL TO HIDE CAD LAYERS
Select a DWG file inside your Revit Model. In the contextual tab,
you will find the Query tool. Click a line inside the DWG, then use
Hide or Delete to make the layer invisible.
3- SET BACKGROUND OR FOREGROUND
Set the instance properties of the CAD file to Background or Foreground.

PAMPHLETS
4- RELOAD OR ADJUST DWG FILE IN “MANAGE LINKS”
Go to the Insert tab and click Manage Links. Go to the Cad Formats
tab in the menu. Click Reload to refresh to the latest version of the
CAD file, or Reload From... to replace the DWG by a different file.
5- USE COLORED OVERRIDE ON DWG
Need to use information from a DWG to create a Revit model? Set

a colored override to distinguish the CAD from the model. Use the
tool in the contextual tab.

PAMPHLETS
6- NEVER EXPLODE A CAD FILE INSIDE REVIT
Exploding a DWG file inside your model will create a linetype

for each CAD layer. That means you will create complete
chaos inside your model. Don’t do it. Ever.
7- IMPORT CAD DETAIL INSIDE FAMILY
If you plan to use CAD for Revit detailing, the best way is to import the
CAD inside a family and use the Pick Lines tool to recreate it with Revit
Lines.
If you are short on time, you can also keep the DWG intact inside the
family. In the image, we import a DWG file to a Mullion Profile family.
Using the Visibility Settings, we set it to be visible only in Fine settings.
Whatever technique you use, avoid using DWG detail files directly on the
model, always insert them in a family first.

PAMPHLETS
8- ADJUST LINKED CAD FILES LINEWEIGHT
Go to the Insert tab and click on the little diagonal arrow below the
Manage Images icon. This will open a menu containing Lineweight option
for DWG. You can either load a file containing settings or manually adjust
them. The numbers in the left column are associated with CAD colors,
while the column on the right are associated to Revit weight styles.
9- CREATE Z-CAD WORKSETS
For easy control of DWG files visibility, create a Z-CAD workset and put
all the linked CAD files inside it. Set the workset to “not visible” by default
and manually activate it for the required views.
If you are an advanced user, you can avoid using worksets for this purpose
and instead use filters and View Templates to control CAD visibility.

PAMPHLETS
10- CONTROL CAD LAYERS IN VISIBILITY GRAPHICS
All layers from a CAD files can be controlled in the Visibility Graphics
menu for each view. Collapse the menu for the required DWG file. Then
check and uncheck layers you want to see. Add overrides for each layers if
required.
To control the visibility for a CAD file in all views, go to Object Styles.

PAMPHLETS
HOW TO EXPORT TO DWG

Want to create CAD files from your model? Click the big R on the upper
left of the screen, then select CAD format and DWG.
You might want to adjust export settings. To do that, click ... in the export
setup.
Select Units & Coordinates and the specific CAD version you want to
export to. Also select if you want to export using XRefs or not.

PAMPHLETS
ASSIGN SPECIFIC LAYERS
In the export settings layers submenu, you can set a custom layer name to
be assigned to each category. Also select an AutoCAD color.

We hope you enjoyed this pamphlet. Please email us at nick@revitpure.
com and let us know what you thought, as well as which Revit theme you
would like covered for the next Pamphlet.

REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
FILTERS
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #5 / SUMMER 2017 / FILTERS

WHY USE FILTERS?

While visibility of elements can be controlled using worksets and override
graphics in view, the most efficient way is to use filters. Filters gives you
a lot of freedom and lets you be creative on how you want elements to
display.
This pamphlet will cover the basics of how to use filters, then we’ll share 10
tips to get you all primed up and energized about them.

PAMPHLETS
HOW TO CREATE A FILTER

In the view tab, you will find the Filters tool just
next to Visibility/Graphics and Thin Lines. You can
also access Filters by going to Visibility Graphics
menu (shortcut: VG) and clicking Filters.
To add a new filter to your project, click on Edit/New button in the menu.
CREATE FILTER
The first step is to click the button to
create a new filter. Use the “Define rules”
filter for the moment.
SELECT CATEGORY
Then, select one or multiple categories
to be included in your filter. In this
example, we pick walls.

PAMPHLETS
PICK FILTER RULES

Now, pick the filter rules. That means
you have to select a parameter
available from the element category
and set a constraint. In this example,
the filter will include all walls with a
Fire Rating greater than 60.
10 TIPS TO CREATE FILTERS

1- FILTERS ARE APPLIED TO A SINGLE VIEW
Your filter is now in the project, but you still need to bring it to a view for
it to have an actual effect. Go to the Filters tab and click on the “Add”
button. The filter is now added to the view you are currently in.

PAMPHLETS
2- MAKE FILTERED ELEMENTS INVISIBLE
One of the most common use of the filter feature is to make elements
invisible in a view. Uncheck the Visibility parameter for the filter in the
filters submenu: all walls with a fire rating above 60 minutes will be hidden.
3- CHANGE THE FILTERED ELEMENTS VISUAL STYLE
The other way to use filters is to change the visual style of filtered
elements. In this case, we set a red solid pattern fill for all cut walls that
have a fire rating above 60.

PAMPHLETS
4- A FILTER CAN BE USED FOR MULTIPLE VISUAL STYLES
The same filter could be used in two different views for a completely
different effect. For example, in view #1 we set the filter to a red override,
while in view #2 we use a green override. The same filter is shared in both
views, but the visual override is different.
5- ADD FILTERS TO VIEW TEMPLATES
Filters become extremely useful when added to view templates. That

means filters can be applied to multiple views in a single click. In big
projects, taking control of filters with view templates is critical. In the View
Template management window, make sure the Filters box is ticked.

PAMPHLETS
6- CREATE A SELECTION FILTER
In previous tips, we used parameters to create rule-based filters It is also

possible to create a filter using a saved selection of elements.
Go to a view and pick any elements you want. Then click the Save
Selection button in the contextual tab.
This selection filter is now available in the Filters menu and can be used in
the exact same way as rule-based filters.

PAMPHLETS
7- ADJUST FILTERS ORDER BY PRIORITY
If you have multiple filters in a single view, the one at the top of the list
will have priority over the ones below. So if some elements are included in
multiple filters, the top one will be the most important.
In the example below, we have walls that are covered both by the fire
rating filter and the selection filter. The fire rating cut wall pattern override
is visible. However, the halftone override from the selection filter also
affects the elements.

PAMPHLETS
8- USE FILTERS TO CREATE A FIRE RATING PLAN VIEW
We already explored how to create a fire rating filter. Now, let’s create
another bunch of these filters to create a useful plan view filter.
Try creating a filter for 45 minutes, 60 minutes and 120 minutes

resistance. Use “Equal” instead of “Is Greater Than”. Adjust the parameter
for each wall type.

PAMPHLETS
9- USE FILTERS TO HIDE UNNEEDED VIEW TAGS
If you are creating construction documents for your project, you don’t
want all view tags to be visible in the views. Instead of manually hiding
each view, use filters to automate the process. In this example, we take for
granted that all CD views are located on sheets starting with the letter A.
Create a filter including sections, elevations and callouts. Then, select the
sheet number parameter and set the rule “Does Not Begin With: A”.
Back in the filters submenu, simply uncheck the new filter visibility.

PAMPHLETS
10- USE FILTERS TO CREATE OWNER ELEMENTS STYLE
What if your client asks you to show certain elements he will provide in
gray, so they have a different visual style than the ones provided by the
contractor?
Create a new filter including all required architecture elements (casework,

furniture, wall, doors, etc). Then, create a new parameter by clicking the
small dots in the Filter Rules menu. Call the parameter “Provided By”, set
it to instance and to a text value. Select all model categories required. In
the filter menu, set “equals: Owner”.
Then, set the Provided By Owner filter to halftone in the view. Select the
elements you want to turn gray and set “Provided By” value to “Owner”.

PAMPHLETS

How did you like this pamphlet? Was it helpful, or was it the worst PDF
you ever opened in your life? Let us know at nick@revitpure.com. Also,
please let us know what theme you would like covered for the next
pamphlet.

REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
VIRTUAL REALITY
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #6 / FALL 2017 / VIRTUAL REALITY

WHAT’S UP WITH VIRTUAL REALITY?

It is still unclear whether VR will turn out to be a complete fad for the
general public. I know that the use in architecture is undeniably cool and
useful. The problem is: with so many headsets and apps, it is easy to get
lost in the VR world. Don’t worry, we got you covered.
This guide is built to help you understand everything you need to know to
bring your Revit model to the alternate universe . Enjoy and have fun.

PAMPHLETS

PAMPHLETS
360 STEREO PANORAMA

(WITH SMARTPHONE)
The cheapest and easiest way to try VR with Revit is to create 360 stereo
panoramas. They are like regular renderings, except you visualize them
by putting on a VR headset and moving your head around. You cannot
move around the model, use hands or interact with the environment.
The observer point of view is fixed. These panoramas are visualized with
smartphone compatible VR headsets.
Pros:
• Cheap
• Easy to set-up
• Easy to carry around.
• Compatible with most Revit rendering plug-ins.
• No expensive graphic cards required.
Cons:
• No interaction with the model.
• Smartphone VR is not as good quality as computer VR.
• Cannot use hand-guided menus.
• Harder for the eyes to adjust than with computer VR.
Compatible VR devices:
• Samsung Gear VR
• Google Daydream
• Google Cardboard

PAMPHLETS
Best Revit Plug-ins:

• Autodesk Cloud Renderings
• Lumion
• Enscape
• V-Ray
If you never experienced VR with architecture projects before, 360 stereo
panorama is the best way to start. If you like the experience, then you can
try Full VR with a computer.

PAMPHLETS
FULL VR
(WITH COMPUTER)
Full VR means you can move around inside a Revit model, interact
with it, crouch and even change the time of the day. Unlike 360 stereo
panoramas, the experience is not limited to a single point of view.
However, you need a killer graphic card and an expensive VR headset.
Pros:
• Possible to move around the model.
• Possible to use hand controllers.
• Great visual quality.
Cons:
• Require an expensive VR headset (Oculus at 399$ or Vive at 599$).
• Requires an expensive graphic card.
• Longer to set-up.
• Not convenient to carry around.
Compatible VR devices:
• Oculus Rift
• HTC Vive
Best Revit Plugins:
• Iris Prospect
• Enscape

PAMPHLETS
WHICH HEADSET TO BUY?

SMARTPHONE HEADSETS:
Smartphone powered VR headset work by plugging you phone in front
of the device. You can use navigation tool on the headset itself or with a
remote controller. The better VR devices are only available with Android
phones for the moment. If you have an iPhone, your only option is the
limited Google Cardboard.
You have to be aware that VR performance with a phone is OK, but for an
actually amazing, mind-blowing experience you are much better off with
the more expensive computer devices.

PAMPHLETS
Samsung Gear VR
The Samsung Gear VR was the first major consumer VR headset to be

released, in November 2015. The software components are handled by
Oculus, the same company that made the Oculus Rift device and who is
now owned by Facebook.
Price: 99$
Compatible Smartphones:
• Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge
• Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge
• Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+
• Samsung Galaxy Note 5
• Samsung Galaxy Note 8

PAMPHLETS
Google Daydream
Google released their own VR mobile device in November 2016. It is small

and cute with a textile design instead of the usual cheap black plastic we
usually see. The remote controller is great. The apps and menus are limited.
Price: 79$
Compatible Smartphones:
• Google Pixel and Pixel XL
• Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+
• Asus ZenFone AR
• Motorola MotoZ
• Huawei Mate 9 Pro
• ZTE Axon 7

PAMPHLETS
Google Cardboard
Almost 10 millions copies of the Cardboard have been sold.: This is by far
the most democratic VR device out there. Unfortunately, the cardboard is
very limited. It can make you dizzy and nauseous quite quickly.
Price: 15$
Compatible Smartphones: Most recent phones. The better the phone, the
better the performance.

PAMPHLETS
WHICH ONE SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?
Find a device that fits with your phone. If you have an iPhone, your only
option is the cardboard. Honestly, the experience might leave you dizzy
and disappointed.
The Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream are similar. The Daydream
is more sleek and cute while the Samsung Gear VR has the better apps
and interface. The visual quality for both devices is very similar.
COMPUTER HEADSETS
Computer based VR headsets require high-quality graphic card. A Nvidia
GeForce 1060 GTX might work, but we recommend at least the GeForce
1070 GTX.
For the moment, 2 headsets are dominating the PC market: the Oculus
Rift and the HTC Vive. Both are great devices. Read the following pages
to learn more.

PAMPHLETS
Oculus Rift
The Oculus Rift is the device that put VR on the spotlight after many
years in the dark. It was conceived by Palmer Luckey and financed through
kickstarter in 2012. Facebook bought Oculus in 2014 and released the
first consumer version in 2016.
The Touch controllers were released in late 2016. They add another degree
of immersion, making you feel like you actually have hands.
Price: 399$

PAMPHLETS
HTC Vive
The HTC Vive was co-designed by HTC and Valve, famous for the Steam
gaming platform and legendary games such as Half-Life. It was announced
in 2014 and released in 2016.
Price: 599$
WHICH ONE SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?
Both these products are great. The Oculus Rift is more sleek, lightweight
and easier to set up. It also has integrated headphones. The HTC Vive is
heavier and bulkier, but is the better device in terms of quality and sensor
precision. The Oculus Touch controller are slightly better. If you can pay
the difference, go with the Vive. If price is an issue, go for the Rift. Either
way, both devices are excellent.

PAMPHLETS
STEREO PANORAMA - THE BEST PLUGINS

Most Revit rendering apps can now produce stereo panorama. That means
you probably won’t need to learn a new software to use VR. Here are the
best plugins:
Autodesk Cloud Rendering
If you have an Autodesk subscription, that means you have access to

Cloud renderings. No need to buy another plugin: simplify your life by
using basic Revit settings, materials and lighting.
If you haven’t already, you should try the Autodesk 360 panorama feature.
The stereo version does the same thing, but two images are rendered and
can be experienced with a VR headset.
Create a basic cloud rendering. Make sure you like it, then select “Make
A Rendering With Different Settings” and select Stereo Panorama. Low
quality renderings are free and high quality renderings are available with
cloud credits.
Once the rendering is done, you have the option to download the
rendering to GearVR.
Website: gallery.autodesk.com/a360rendering

PAMPHLETS
Enscape
Enscape is the best Revit rendering tool. It is incredibly simple to use and
produce great quality renderings in seconds. It also has capabilities for
stereo panorama of any resolution. As you will reader later on, it also has
options for a full VR experience.
Price: 449$/year for fixed-license, 679$/year for floating license.
Website: enscape3d.com
Lumion
Lumion is awesome. The default libraries contains thousands of people,

trees and other beautiful 3D objects. You can walk around the model and
easily add environment elements. You can produce and export a 360
stereo panorama in a few minutes. The process of linking to Revit is a little
more complicated than with Enscape, even if still mostly simple.
Price: 1 800$ to 3 600$ (permanent license)
Website: lumion3d.com

PAMPHLETS
V-Ray
V-Ray has been around for a long time, and it still one of the best
rendering program. It now has direct Revit plugin integration and can
produce stereo panorama. It is probably the rendering tool with the best
visual quality, but it lacks the simplicity of new apps like Enscape and
Lumion.
Price: 695$ (permanent license)
Website: vray.us/vray-revit
FULL VR- THE BEST 2 PLUGINS
This is where we get serious: walk around your Revit model in VR. Among
the plugins I tried, two of them where clearly better.
First, you have to know what exactly you are looking for. There is a lot of
Full VR solutions out there, but many of them implies a complex process
of exportation and importation. What you want is a one-click solution. It
should be quick, efficient and noob-friendly. This eliminates a few of the
solutions: Revit Live by Autodesk seems promising, but at the moment the
workflow is too complicated and unreliable.

PAMPHLETS
IrisVR
IrisVR is a one-click solution. Simply pick a 3D view inside Revit and click
“Experience in VR”.
Why it is awesome: Using IrisVR, I felt like I was back in architecture

school. The first thing you see when putting the VR headset is your model
sitting on a table, like if it was an actual physical model. You can spin and
scale the model using the controllers. I really liked the “Outlines” option,
which add lines for each object edge.
You can then teleport at any point inside the model, where you can
experience your project from a first-person perspective. It is possible to
change the time of the day with the controllers. You can also add a section
to cut part of the model, or add red 3D paint around by pressing the
trigger.
Although I have a GTX 970 graphic card, which is below the

recommended GTX 980 minimum, the performance was perfect for all
the small and medium projects I tried. The rendering, although not ultra-
realistic, is smooth and sharp.
I got a few glitches with the glass effect in large projects, but this is
probably related to my graphic card.

PAMPHLETS
What could be better: The visual style is kind of cartoonish. I actually enjoy
this look since it is similar to physical models, but if you are looking for an
ultra-realistic visual style with reflection, occlusion and photons, this is not
the plugin you are looking for. Interior renderings are quite basic. There is
no artificial lighting options available.
IrisVR was probably designed for Sketchup first: It works with surfaces
instead of solids. This is obvious when cutting the model: elements don’t
have thickness. This is not a major issue though.
If you add entourage like people and trees, the appearance will be kept to a
2D cardboard style. Other plugins automatically transform the entourage
to beautiful 3D objects.
The price is quite steep.
Price: 200$/month/user
Website: irisvr.com

PAMPHLETS
Enscape
Why it is awesome: Enscape is already my favorite Revit visualization

plugin for it’s simplicity. Turns out it is also among the best tool for VR in
Revit.
Enscape is incredibly simple to use. Inside Revit, pick a view and click
“Start” to open Enscape. Then, click on “Allow VR” and put your headset
on. That’s it. The entourage, trees and grass are automatically converted to
be visually realistic.
As opposed to IrisVR, Enscape does render your model with reflection and
other visual effects. That means you will need a powerful machine to run it
properly. With my GTX 970 video card, I had to use the “Medium” visual
quality, which was ok-ish on small projects.
Another thing I like is that Enscape is already a killer app to produce

renderings. No need to buy and learn another plugin, you could do both
renderings and VR in the same one. It also has the stereo panorama
feature, as described in page 15.

PAMPHLETS
What could be better: The visual quality is great, but there seems to be
weird things going on if you move your head too quickly. Materials with
reflection effects seem to have some glitches when moving. This issue is
probably resolved with a killer graphic card like the GTX 1080.
On edges that are far away from the observer, there also seem to have
aliasing and quality problems. The problem seemed to be solved with
higher rendering quality, although it made it drop below 60 fps. At this
frame-rate, users might get nauseous.
The features are more limited than in IrisVR: you can’t turn off layers,
use sections or annotate the model. The most useful feature is available
though: change the time of the day by simply holding a button and twisting
the hand. If you can afford a killer graphic card, I would say this plugin is
the obvious choice.
Price: 449$ a year for fixed-license, 679$ a year for floating license.
Website: enscape3d.com

PAMPHLETS
THE FUTURE OF VR
VR is still in the infancy stage. All the plugins explored in this pamphlet will
be 10 times better within 5 years. Here is a list of exciting developments
you can expect in the near future:
Standalone VR: HTC and Google are collaborating on a Standalone VR

headset. That means you won’t need a smartphone or a computer to use it.
Your Revit model could be directly exported to the headset by Wifi.
Multiple users in the same model: Right now, experiencing VR with Revit
is something you do alone. What if you could hang out in your Revit model
with a bunch of friends or with clients? This feature is already available with
many video games, so expect it in Revit sooner than later.
Manipulate objects and the environment: How cool would it be to actually

use your hand to turn the handle of the door to enter the building you
designed? In the next iterations of VR plugins, we can expect to have
more interactive objects, including furniture and interior lighting.
Augmented Reality: What if VR is eclipsing a better technology? AR

might be the actual champion. It mixes the real with the virtual in a way
that might be more interesting for use in the field. Headsets like the
Microsoft HoloLens can be used to go to an actual construction site and
visualize your Revit model in-place. Have a look at the Visualive3D plugin.
Website: visualive3d.com

PAMPHLETS

you ever opened in your life? Please send your thoughts at
nick@revitpure.com. Also, please let us know what theme you would like
covered for the next pamphlet.

REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #7 / WINTER 2018
3D VIEWS
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #7 / WINTER 2018 / 3D VIEWS

MAKE REVIT BEAUTIFUL

Revit presentation capabilities are amazing and underused. How many
times did someone tell you that drawings and views made in Revit are ugly?
This myth needs to be destroyed.
The goal of this pamphlet is to teach you simple techniques to navigate

and create beauty from your 3D views.

PAMPHLETS
CREATING 3D VIEWS
Clicking on the Default 3D Views icon create an orthographic view
of your model.
To spin your model around, hold SHIFT + Mouse Wheel. The center of the
spin will be the selected element.
VIEW CUBE: Click on the corners or faces of View Cube to adjust view.
SECTION BOX: Activate in view properties, use arrows to adjust box.

PAMPHLETS
CREATE A PERSPECTIVE
Perspectives (camera) are created by clicking an observer point,
then clicking where the observer is looking.
Then, adjust Crop Region to set the limits of the perspective.
To adjust the observer, click the crop region and go to plan view. The
camera will be visible and you can adjust the position. If some part of the
view is invisible, make sure to adjust Far Clip settings.

PAMPHLETS
THE NAVIGATION WHEEL

The navigation wheel is an underused tool that is incredibly helpful to
navigate inside 3D views. Activate the tool on the right side of your 3D
view window.
WALK AROUND THE MODEL
Use the Walk tool in the navigation wheel to walk around in the view. Then,
user the Pan or Look tool to make final visual adjustments. Use Rewind to
go back to previous view limits.

PAMPHLETS
ADJUST THE FOCAL LENGTH OF A PERSPECTIVE
When adjusting the crop region of a perspective, the view might become
distorted. To avoid this problem, change the Focal Length by opening
the navigation wheel, clicking the small arrow sub-menu and selecting
“Increase/Decrease Focal Length”.

PAMPHLETS
9 TIPS TO CREATE BEAUTIFUL 3D VIEWS
1- ACTIVATE ANTI-ALIASING
Aliasing occurs when an angled line looks pixelated. To activate anti-

aliasing, go to Graphic Display Options in the view and check “Smooth
Lines With Anti-Aliasing”.

PAMPHLETS
2- ACTIVATE SILHOUETTES
Go to Graphic Display Options in the view settings. In the silhouettes

menu, select a line with a sufficient thickness. As you can see below, the
3D view becomes much more alive and gain a sense of depth.

PAMPHLETS
3- ACTIVATE CAST SHADOWS
Go to Graphic Display Options in the view settings. Go to the shadow

option and check “Cast Shadows”.
In the Lighting sub-menu, you can adjust the value for Shadows. Reducing
the value to about 20-30 is often a good idea.

PAMPHLETS
4- ACTIVATE AMBIENT SHADOWS
There is a second type of shadows available in Revit, called Ambient

Shadows. They are used to mimic the natural lighting condition from a
cloudy sky and reflection from surrounding objects. Go to Graphic
Display Options in the view settings. Go to the shadow option and check
“Ambient Shadows”.

PAMPHLETS
5- USE CONSISTENT COLORS VISUAL STYLE
The best visual style for casual visualization is Consistent Colors.

While not the most realistic style, it produce a quality good enough for
conceptual styles view. This visual style is also very fast and loads quickly.

PAMPHLETS
6- HAVE FUN WITH THE GRADIENT BACKGROUND
An underused tool in Revit visualization is the gradient background.

The default colors are OK, but by messing around with different color
schemes, you can get pretty interesting and artistic results. Go to Graphic
Display Options, then to the background submenu. Pick colors for sky and
horizon. In the image below, we experiment with a very emotive sunset.

PAMPHLETS
7- TRY SKETCHY LINES FOR CONCEPTUAL VIEWS
Sketchy lines can be useful to produce a 3D view ressembling a

conceptual sketch. When shown to a client, it indicates that the project is
still evolving. Views that are over-realistic should be avoided early in the
design process.
Go to Graphic Display Options, then to the Sketchy Lines submenu.

PAMPHLETS
8- USE HIDDEN LINE STYLE WITH MATERIALS ACCENT
An alternative to the Consistent Colors style is to use the Hidden Line

style with a touch of accent colors.
In the image below, we go to the Materials menu in the manage tab

and set a solid fill pattern for the glass material. As you see in the 3D view,
everything is white except for the windows.

PAMPHLETS
9- USE AN IMAGE BACKGROUND
When you are ready for a more realistic type of view, try using a .jpeg
image for the background. Go to the background tab and select your
image. Use the Offset tool to adjust the height.

PAMPHLETS

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REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
PLAN NOTES
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #8 / SPRING 2018 / PLAN NOTES

WHY PLAN NOTES?
The last two issues of Pamphlets focused on the design and presentation
aspects of Revit, with 3D Views and Virtual Reality. In this issue, we are
back to the technical stuff! This is a tutorial to create an efficient plan note
system. You will also learn how to create an elevation material legend.

PAMPHLETS
6 STEPS TO CREATE EFFICIENT PLAN NOTES

This guide will teach you all the steps required to create a plan note
system using a Generic Annotation family and the Note Block tool. While
it is possible to create a similar system using Keynotes, it is much more
complicated and we recommend the Note Block technique for most
users.
1- CREATE A BUBBLE GENERIC ANNOTATION FAMILY
Create a new Generic Annotation family. Draw a circle bubble or any

shape that you want for your note number, using the Line tool or a
Masking Region if you want it to be opaque.

PAMPHLETS
2- ADD THESE 4 TYPE PARAMETERS
Go to the Generic Annotation type properties and add these 4

parameters. All of them are instance parameters. “Text Visibility” is a Yes/
No type parameter that is grouped by Visibility.
Create a label in the center of the circle. Use the new “Note Number”
parameter.

PAMPHLETS
Add another label next to the bubble symbol. Use the Note Text
parameter. Then, set the Text Visibility parameter to control the visibility
of the text. That is used to be able to open and close the label with a single
click.
3- USE THE SYMBOL TOOL TO CREATE A NOTE BUBBLE
Go to the Annotation tab and click on Symbol. Select your new generic
annotation family and click on the plan to create a note bubble.

PAMPHLETS
Fill out all the information directly on the view or in the instance
properties. Make sure to select a View Type that match the view you
are in. In this cas, we select Floor Plan. You can check and uncheck Text
Visibility to hide the text description in the view.
4- CREATE NOTE BLOCK SCHEDULE
In the View tab, click on the schedule

and select the Note Block tool. Select
the new Bubble generic annotation
you’ve just created and type a name.

PAMPHLETS
Add the 3 parameters in the schedule like in the image below.
Next, you have to filter the Note Block using the View Type parameter. In
this case, this specific schedule will be used for Floor Plan notes, so View
Type has to equal Floor Plan.

PAMPHLETS
Then, go to the Sorting/Grouping menu. Sort by Note Number. Then,

sort by Note Text. If you don’t do that, the Note Text will disappear in
the schedule if you have multiple notes using the same numbers but with
different text.
The final step is to check the Hidden Field box for View Type in the
Formatting menu of the Note Block. We need this field to filter the
schedule, but it has to be invisible in the schedule itself.

PAMPHLETS
5- CREATE NOTES AND ADJUST THE SCHEDULE
You can now start creating all the notes for your views. There is a couple
things you need to know with these notes. Like you see below, if you have
a note that appears multiple times in a project and share the same number
and text, the multiple instances will be grouped in the schedule.

PAMPHLETS
In the example below, we change the number for note #1 - ALIGN

THE BRICK. As you see, all instances of this note number are adjusted.
The strength of this note system is that changing numbers and text is
extremely fast, easy and efficient. If you realize you have been using the
same number for multiple descriptions, it can be fixed instantly.

PAMPHLETS
6- CREATE AN «ALL NOTES» SCHEDULE TO MANAGE
Finally, to keep track of all the notes in the project, create another Note
Block schedule with the same parameters as the other one, but this time
add the Count parameter. You can remove the View Type filter we used in
the other Note Block.

PAMPHLETS
In the Sorting/Grouping menu, sort by View Type and check the Header
box. Then, sort by Note Number and Note Text. Make sure to keep the
Itemize Every Instance box unchecked.

PAMPHLETS
As you see in the image below, this result in a schedule containing all notes
from all view types. It also display the Count parameter, which indicate
how many instances of each note exist in the project. This schedule is
usually not placed in a sheet. It is used internally to keep control over the
project.
You can select a note in the schedule and use the Highlight in Model tool
to show each note in a view.

PAMPHLETS
CREATE AN EXTERIOR MATERIAL LEGEND

While the plan notes system works great for specific notes, there is an
even better technique available to tag exterior materials. You have to
create a Material Tag, then create a Material Takeoff schedule.
CREATE A «MARK» MATERIAL TAG
The first step is simple: create a Material Tag. Use the Mark parameter in
the label. Use the tag in elevations to annotate your exterior materials. You
can fill the material mark number you wish to use directly in the tag.
In the example below, we tag the walls and assign mark BR1 to the brick
material and WD1 to the wood siding.

PAMPHLETS
CREATE A MATERIAL TAKEOFF SCHEDULE
To create the schedule that will be used as a legend, use the Material
Takeoff type in the schedule sub-menu. Then, add all the parameters like
in the image below.
Then, add a filter for Material:Name containing EXT, or any abbreviation

you would like to use.

PAMPHLETS
FIT MATERIAL FIELDS WITH DESIRED LEGEND HEADERS
Here is the tricky part: you cannot add new parameters to materials. And
you can’t rename the existing parameters. In the image below, you can see
the material properties and how we map the existing parameters. Make
sure to add the EXT prefix in the name of your material if you want it to
show up in the schedule.

PAMPHLETS
This is the result once you have filled all the fields. Every time you want to
add a new material to this schedule legend, you have to actual add it inside
the project. Then you have to make sure the prefix EXT is used in the
material name.

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PAMPHLETS
COORDINATES
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #9 / SUMMER 2018 / COORDINATES

covers a very specific Revit theme. We like to pick themes that are
complex and confusing. Our job is to make these topics simple for you.
WHY COORDINATES?
The coordinate system inside of Revit is weird and complicated. Even with
7 years of Revit experience, I had to spent dozen of hours of research and
experiments to properly understand how it all works and write this guide.
But friend, I’ve got you covered. You will learn how to place the origins,
how to export files at the right coordinates, how to place the north and
how to create a shared site. Good luck.

PAMPHLETS
16 TIPS TO UNDERSTAND COORDINATES

1- UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALL 3
COORDINATE ORIGIN POINTS
There is 3 different origin points in a Revit project: the Project Base Point,
the Survey Point and the secret Internal Origin.

PAMPHLETS
PROJECT BASE POINT: This point is used almost

exclusively for internal purpose. It is used to place
dimensions relatively to the building. It is represented
by a blue circle with a cross in the middle. It can also
be used to set the angle difference between the True
North and the Project North.
SURVEY POINT: This is used to create a “shared

coordinates” system among multiple linked Revit or
CAD files. That means it’s location is most useful
when exporting and importing files. It is usually placed
relatively to a real world site element such as the
intersection of 2 property lines or a geodetic marker.
INTERNAL ORIGIN: This is the tricky one. This point

is invisible and cannot be moved. Most users don’t
even know it exists. By default, importing or exporting
a CAD or Revit file will be made relatively to this super
secret point, therefore confusing many people.
2- LOCATE THE INTERNAL ORIGIN
Now that you are aware of this super secret internal origin, you should
locate it in a plan view using reference planes. Actually, you should locate
it in your Revit Template so you will be able to track it’s location for all new
projects.

PAMPHLETS
To locate the point, go to your site plan and make sure the Project Base
Point is set to visible in the Visibility/Graphics settings.
The next step is to select the project base point and click on the clip icon.
A red dash should appear on the icon. The next step is to right-click on the
project base point and select “Move to Startup Location”

PAMPHLETS
The project base point should now be located at the exact same spot as the
Internal Origin. Mark this spot in the project by creating two reference
planes that intersect at the point. You should also add a text note to
indicate the location to other users. Make sure to pin the reference planes
as well as the project base point.
The 3 origin points not only have X/Y coordinates, but also a Z-axis
elevation. Therefore, you should open an elevation view and unhide the
Project Base Point and Survey Point. Create a third reference plane to
indicate the height location of the Internal Origin.

PAMPHLETS
3- BY DEFAULT, SET THE 3 ORIGINS AT THE SAME SPOT
In most project, the Project Base Point, the Survey Point and the Internal
Origin can all remain in the same spot without any problem. In your
template, make sure they all fit together in a corner of your building, at the
intersection of grids A and 1. Make sure to pin all these points, reference
planes and grids.
While the default stance is to keep these points together, the next tips will
teach you in which case they should be moved.

PAMPHLETS
4- TOPOSURFACE IS RELATIVE TO INTERNAL ORIGIN
The 3 origins points each can have a different elevation value. When
creating a toposurface, you have to set values referring to Absolute
Elevation. This value is relative to the Internal Origin.
5- SET LEVELS RELATIVE TO PROJECT BASE POINT
In most projects, it is a smart move to set the project first level at 100’-
0’’ or 10 000mm. This is an arbitrary value that has no relation to the sea
level. The best practice is to set this value in relation to the Project Base
Point. Select a level, click on Edit Type and make sure that the Elevation
Base is set to Project Base Point.

PAMPHLETS
6- USE THE INTERNAL ORIGIN AS SEA LEVEL = 0
In a project where you want to spot elements in relation to the sea level,
you should use the Internal Origin to represent sea level 0.
In this example, the 10 000mm project level fits the 4 835mm sea level.
That means we have to move the Project Base Point so it is 5 165mm
below the Internal Origin base elevation.

PAMPHLETS
If you want to spot any element in your project in relation to the sea level,
create a new Spot Elevation tag that use Relative as the Elevation Origin.
Placing the Project Base Point relatively to the Internal Origin should be
your first move when starting a project. Else, you won’t be able to model
the site using the sea level elevation values.
In a project where the site and project are already modeled without using
the sea elevation, the solution is to use the Survey Point as the sea level
origin.

PAMPHLETS
7- CREATE A SPOT COORDINATE FOR EACH ORIGIN
The Spot Coordinate tool is used to specify coordinate relatively to one of

the 3 origin. You can find this tool in the Annotate tab.
In your template, it is a smart move to create a Spot Coordinate for each

of the 3 origin type. Edit the type of the spot coordinate and use the
duplicate tool. Scroll down the settings options and will see the Coordinate
Origin parameter. Create a different tag for all 3 origins (Survey, Project
Base and Internal). Relative refers to the Internal Origin of the project.

PAMPHLETS
Once you are done, you should have 3 different Spot Coordinate types
like in this image.

PAMPHLETS
As you can see in the image below, each spot coordinate are used to spot
the same element. However, they indicate different data since they each
refer to a different origin. These tags can be useful when you are confused
about the location of the origin or of a specific element.

PAMPHLETS
8- UNCLIP PROJECT BASE POINT BEFORE MOVING IT
If you want your project base point to be in a different spot than the
internal origin, you can move it. However, if you try to move it, everything
in the project will also move except the survey point.
To avoid this issue, unclip the project base point first. Move it to the
proper emplacement, then clip it again. As you see, the coordinates will be
changed: the N/S and E/W coordinates are always relative to the Survey
Point.

PAMPHLETS
9- NEVER UNCLIP THE SURVEY POINT
While unclipping the project base point is the standard procedure before
moving it, you should never unclip the Survey Point. If you unclip and
move the Survey Point, you will cause a lot of pain, horror and confusion
for people working in your model.
The only thing that moving an unclipped survey point will do is to move the
icon representation of the survey point, not the survey point itself. There is
absolutely no reason to ever make such a move.
If you click a survey point and you see something else than 0,0,0
coordinates, that means someone messed up and decided to move an
unclipped survey point. Simply change the values back to 0,0,0.

PAMPHLETS
10- USE PROJECT BASE POINT TO SET THE TRUE NORTH
Each project contains a Project North and a True North. The Project
North is a virtual orientation used to model your project so it is orthogonal
to your screen. The True North is a real-world north used to properly
locate the orientation of your building. To set a True North value, select
the Project Base Point and enter the angle.
In the view properties of each view, you can specify the orientation you
want to use. In almost all cases, Project North will be used.

PAMPHLETS
Revit weirdness alert: although the True North value is set in the Project
Base Point, the value is actually embedded in the Survey Point. Even
weirder :you can have multiple Survey Points in a project. That means you
can have many multiple True North value in a single project... Yes, that’s
weird. See tip #XX to learn how to create multiple survey points.
11- SET THE CAD EXPORT COORDINATES SETTINGS
Most users are confused about the project origin when exporting to CAD.
The reason is that the Internal Origin is used by default. You can access
the exportation options by going to File/Export/CAD Format and by
clicking the 3 small dots next to the Select Export Setup menu. Go to the
Units & Coordinates tab.

PAMPHLETS
If you export a Revit view to DWG, the default setting is Project internal.
That setting will use the Internal Origin as the 0,0,0 point location in
AutoCAD.
The other option is called Shared. This will use the Survey Point as the
0,0,0 point in AutoCAD.

PAMPHLETS
Watch out: If you are using the Shared setting and you entered an angle
value for the True North, the project will be appear rotated once opened
in AutoCAD. To avoid this issue, export the sheet where the view is placed
instead of exporting the view. The shared site coordinates won’t be used
when exporting a sheet.

PAMPHLETS
12- USE LINK CAD TO SET THE SURVEY POINT AS THE

ORIGIN
The Link CAD tool has more positioning options available than Import
CAD. If you want to use the Survey Point as the origin for the CAD file,
you have to use Link CAD and select By Shared Coordinates. Else, the
Origin to Origin option will match the Revit file Internal Origin to the
DWG 0,0,0 point.

PAMPHLETS
13- USE “ORIGIN TO ORIGIN” WHEN LINKING REVIT FILE
Revit offers a fancy “Shared Site” and “Shared Coordinates” system to

link Revit files... but the truth is that you don’t need to use these feature
in 90% of projects. The Origin to Origin tool works perfectly fine. This
option will match the models Internal Origins.
When linking a model, it is a wise move to PIN it immediately. If it moves

around by mistake, right-click the model and use the “Reposition to
Internal Origin” tool.
There is a few cases where you might want to use the Shared Coordinates
system when linking Revit models. The next tips should help you.

PAMPHLETS
14- WHAT THE HELL IS A SHARED SITE????
A shared site basically means a Survey Point that is shared among multiple
models. Why would you use this “shared site” feature? In a case where you
want the survey points and the coordinates to be the same on multiple
models. In the example below, we have 4 Revit models: a site model, a big
house model as well as 2 instances of a smaller house model.
In this case, we want all the houses model to acquire the coordinates from
the site model. First, link one of these model inside the site model. You can
pick the Shared Coordinates option if you want, but since the models are
not coordinated yet, you will receive a warning and the center to center
option will be used anyway.

PAMPHLETS
Below is the warning you receive by default. This Shared Coordinates

positioning option is basically useless, you can assign the shared site with
any other positioning option later on anyway.
Find the proper position you want for your linked model inside the site
model. Pin your model. Once it is done, select the linked model and click
“Shared Site” in the properties.

PAMPHLETS
When clicking Shared Site, here are all the options available to you:
In this case, you should pick the first option: you want to publish the
coordinates from the Site model to the House model. Basically, this will
move the survey point in the House model to be in the same position as
the site model. The operation will only be complete once you close the Site
model: you will be asked what to do with the linked house model position.
Select the first option, which will update the survey point in the model.

PAMPHLETS
Try opening the house model: the survey point position will be updated to
fit the same position as in the site model. That means you can use the spot
elevation and spot coordinates tool (with the survey point option) that will
match the linked site model.
15- CREATE MULTIPLE SHARED SITES IN A MODEL
Let’s say you are pre-fab house manufacturer and you plan to use a house
model in many site models. Revit gives you the ability to use multiple
Shared Sites within the same model. When publishing coordinates from
the site plan to the house model, click duplicate to create a second site.

PAMPHLETS
Save and close the site model, then open the pre-fab house file. Find the
Survey Point and double click on the blue text “Survey Point - Internal”.
Select the site you currently wish to use and click “Make Current”. The
survey point location in the file will move to the correct coordinates.
In the end, you could have a pre-fab house model with 200 associated
sites that you can activate whenever you want. In the example below, we
have multiple address. The survey point indicate the current active one.

PAMPHLETS
16- CREATE A MODEL WITH MULTIPLE TRUE NORTHS
As mentioned in tip #10, the true north value is changed in the Project
Base Point, but is actually embedded in the Survey Point. That means you
can have many true norths for the same project. This can be useful if you
want to create renderings using a certain north for lighting that is different
from the real world north.
In this case, create a second site in your survey point menu. Change the
true north value in the Project Base Point. As you can see below, each
site has it’s own angle from Project North to True North. When creating
renderings, activate “RENDERINGS” site. When printing the plans to
PDF, use the “REAL NORTH” site.

REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
SCOPE BOXES
revitpure.com
by: Nicolas Catellier, Architect

PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #10 / FALL 2018 / SCOPE BOXES

WHY SCOPE BOXES?
For years, I didn’t like scope boxes. These dashed green boxes just looked
silly and were kind of annoying. And in a sense, they are probably not
necessary for most small projects.
In the recent years, I’ve worked on several large projects with multiple
wings. That’s when I started to truly grasp the power of scope boxes. When
you have 50 views cropped to the exact same area, not using a scope box
is an insane waste of time. With Revit 2019, scope boxes can now be used
with 3D views, automatically creating a section box to match the extents.
If like me, you used to ignore scope boxes, it’s time to reconsider and start
unleashing their power. This pamphlet is the right place to get started.

PAMPHLETS
16 TIPS TO UNDERSTAND SCOPE BOXES

1- SCOPE BOXES ARE CREATED IN PLAN VIEWS BUT ARE
VISIBLE IN OTHER VIEW CATEGORIES
To create a Scope Box, you have to be in either a Plan View or in a

Reflected Ceiling Plan. However, once a scope box is created, it is going
to be visible in the other view categories: sections, callouts, elevations and
3D views. In elevations and sections, the scope box is only going to be
visible if it intersects the cut line. You can adjust the extents of the scope
box in all view categories.

PAMPHLETS
2- SCOPE BOXES ARE USED TO QUICKLY CROP VIEWS
Consider this office building renovation project. The area affected is in

the middle of the building. You want the views to be cropped to fit the red
rectangle.
The thing is: you have a lot of views to create. Existing floor plan.
Demolished floor plan. New floor plan. Ceilings. Finishes. Layout. All in all,
you’ll have about 10 views that need the exact same crop region.
An archaic workflow would be to manually adjust the crop region of each

view. That would probably work. But what if the project changes and the
area affected gets bigger? You have to adjust all the crops again?

PAMPHLETS
That’s when the power of scope boxes come into play. Go to the View tab
and create a Scope Box. Match it to your intervention area. Give it a name.
Have a look at the Instance Properties of your plan view. Under Extents,
you will find the Scope Box parameter. Assign the scope box you’ve just
created to the plan view.

PAMPHLETS
As you see, the Crop Region of the view now perfectly matches the scope
box limits. The blue dots that can usually be used to modify the crop region
are now invisible: that’s because you can’t modify it.
Now, apply the scope box to all the views that will be using this crop. To
save time, select all the views in the project browser by holding the CTRL
key.

PAMPHLETS
Look at all these views, sharing the exact same perfect crop. Isn’t it
beautiful? Adjusting the new Scope Box will affect all these views.
3- VIEWS WITH A SCOPE BOX CAN’T BE UNCROPPED
The moment a scope box is assigned to a view, the Crop Region is

locked and can’t be modified. Also, you can’t use the Do Not Crop
View tool. To see the whole project in a view, you’ll have to create a
different plan or remove the scope box temporarily.

PAMPHLETS
4- ROTATING SCOPE BOX ALSO ROTATE CROP REGION
In addition to controlling the extents of a crop region, a scope box can also
be used to control the angle of a view. In the project below, a scope box is
created and rotated to fit the angled shape of the building. Then, the view
is duplicated and the extents are assigned to the new scope box. The crop
region is automatically adjusted to fit the angle. Removing the scope box
from a view will revert the crop angle back to default.

PAMPHLETS
5- ADJUST SCOPE BOX HEIGHT IN THE OPTIONS BAR
Have a look at the option bar when creating a scope box: you can give a
specific name and enter a height value. This is your only chance to give a
specific value number to the height.
Scope boxes can only be created in plan views, but they can be adjusted in
elevation, sections and 3D views. If you didn’t set the correct height value
when initially created, drag the blue arrows to adjust.

PAMPHLETS
6- SCOPE BOXES ARE USED TO AVOID A MESS WITH

LEVELS AND GRIDS
Managing the visibility and extends of levels and grids can be a nightmare.
On projects with many levels, getting the grids to share the same extends
is complicated.
That’s where scope boxes come into play. Scope boxes are used to control
the extents of elements like grids, levels and reference planes. Each of
these elements can be assigned to a specific scope box, limiting the 3D
extents to the dashed green line limit.
In the example below we assign all the grids to a scope box. The 3D
extents of all grids are now the exact same. That also includes the bottom
and top elevation value of the grid.

PAMPHLETS
7- SCOPE BOXES AFFECT 3D EXTENTS BUT NOT 2D
3D extents affect all views in the model and are represented

by an open blue circle.
2D extents affect a single view and are represented by a blue

dot.
When you assign a scope box to datum elements, the 3D extents will
become locked to the limits of the scope box. Dragging the open blue
circle won’t work. However, you can adjust the blue dots to modify the
2D extents of the grid.

PAMPHLETS
8- AN AUTOMATIC GAP BETWEEN 2D AND 3D EXTENTS

IS CREATED AFTER SECTION BOX IS ASSIGNED
You learned that 2D extents are not affected by scope boxes. However,
when you assign a scope box to datum elements, Revit will automatically
create a small gap between the 2D and 3D extents. This is to provide
better default visibility to the levels and grids values.
In the example below, the grid default 2D extension seems overextended.

At the same time, the levels are too close to the building for proper clarity.
Drag the blue dots to resolve the issue.

PAMPHLETS
9- USE “PROPAGATE EXTENTS” TO SHARE 2D EXTENTS
Using Scope Boxes resolves the issue of inconsistent 3D extents among

multiple levels and grids. However, it doesn’t solve the issue of 2D extents
disparity among multiple views. In the example below, the datum elements
are adjusted in Elevation 1 but remain problematic in Elevation 2.
To solve the issue, select all datum elements in Elevation 1 and click on
Propagate Extents. Check Elevation 2 in the list. The 2D extents will
become identical among both views.

PAMPHLETS
10- RESET 2D EXTENTS TO GO BACK TO DEFAULT
Maybe you messed up the 2D extents and you want to go back to default.
Select the Datum element and use the right-click menu. Click on Reset
to 3D Extents. The grid 2D extents will go back to the initial position
after you first assigned the Scope Box. That means you will revert to the
automatic gap that was described in tip #8.
This behavior is specific to scope boxes: if you use the Reset to 3D

Extents tool to an element without a Scope Box, the 2D extents will
perfectly match the 3D extents.

PAMPHLETS
11- ASSIGN SCOPE BOX TO REFERENCE PLANES
The most common use of a scope box is with Levels and Grids, but
Reference Planes can also be assigned to a scope box. Similar to levels
and grids, reference planes can have both 2D and 3D extents. When first
assigned to a scope box, an automatic gap will be created between the two
extents values. The Propagate Extents tool can be used with Reference
Planes if required. Reference planes are usually not printed so the visibility
concerns are not as important.

PAMPHLETS
12- SCOPE BOXES ARE ALWAYS SQUARE
Here is the annoying part about scope boxes: you can’t have angles. That
means that when working with a slanted wall, placing a scope box will be
awkward. The purpose of a scope box is usually to match the exterior walls.
That becomes a complicated task when the building has a lot of angles.
A Datum element can only have a single Scope Box assigned. In a case
like above, you’ll have to select which wall the scope box will be parallel to.
Some of the grids 3D extents will go way beyond the scope box.
Despite this serious and annoying limitation, the use of scope boxes in a
angled building remains worth it.

PAMPHLETS
13- ELEMENTS ASSIGNED TO A SCOPE BOX CAN BE

MADE INVISIBLE IN A VIEW
The elements contained in a scope box can be turned invisible in a specific

view. In the example below, you want to turn off Scope Box 1 and all the
associated grids in the main floor plan view. Select Scope Box 1 and click
on “Views Visible”.

PAMPHLETS
As you can see in the image below, not only the scope box becomes
invisible, but also grids A, 2 and 3.
This feature is mostly helpful on large project with multiple wings, where
views might slightly overlap with grids from neighboring areas. This feature
allows you to use a systematic approach to hiding datum elements instead
of individually using the Hide Element tool.
In a view where the scope box is already not visible, the Views Visible menu
will display Invisible in the Automatic Visibility column.

PAMPHLETS
14- BY DEFAULT, SCOPE BOXES WON’T PRINT
There is almost no reason why you would want to see scope boxes once
you print to PDF or to paper. In the Print settings, the option Hide scope
boxes is activated by default.

PAMPHLETS
15- IN REVIT 2019, ASSIGN A SCOPE BOX TO A 3D VIEW
In Revit 2019, it is now possible to assign a Scope Box to a 3D view. This

will perfectly match a Section Box to the scope box. This tool can be used
to quickly create 3D view of multiple areas in a project.

PAMPHLETS
16- INCLUDE A SCOPE BOX IN YOUR REVIT TEMPLATE
When creating a new project, you will have to move the default levels and
grids. To avoid the pain of dealing with each datum element separately,
include a scope box in your template and assign all levels and grids to
it. The will make the process of creating a new project faster and less
confusing. Just make sure everyone using the template understand how to
use scope boxes.

PAMPHLETS

As always, send your thoughts at nick@revitpure.com. I read and answer
all emails. Let me know if you loved or hated this pamphlet.

REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
FINISHES
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #11 / WINTER 2019 / FINISHES

WHY FINISHES?
There is many ways to create interior finishes drawings in Revit. Most of

them are terrible and inefficient. After years of experimentations and
trying different systems, we found the best way to create finishes plan. The
technique taught in this pamphlets aims to provide a consistent strategy
that can be used in plan views, elevations and even 3D views. The system
use thin model elements and material takeoff as legends. Read on.
PAMPHLETS
13 TIPS TO CREATE FINISH PLANS IN REVIT

1- MODEL ADDITIONAL THIN FLOORS AND WALLS
Create a new wall and floor type with a thickness of about 12mm (1/2”).
Call these elements INT-Finish Floor and INT-Finish Wall. You can adapt
the name to match your existing standards.
Model these elements where you want to indicate a specific finish in your
documents. In the case of a floor, make sure to set an offset equivalent to
the element thickness so it sits over the main floor element. Also, make
sure the main model elements don’t include a finish layer.

PAMPHLETS
2- JOIN THE MAIN WALL WITH THE FINISH WALL
By default, the additional finish wall will go over openings such as doors
and windows. The trick to fix this issue is quite simple: use the Join
feature in the Modify tab to join both walls together. The finish wall will
then automatically embed all the openings.

PAMPHLETS
3- ADD A FILTER TO HIDE FINISH ELEMENTS IN MOST

VIEWS
A benefit of this strategy is that it allows you to hide the floors and walls
finish pattern in most views. That way, the finishes can be seen in specific
finishes view but remain invisible in other construction documents.
Go to the Visibility/Graphics menu by using shortcut VG. Go to the filter

submenu. Click to add a new filter.

PAMPHLETS
Create a filter called Interior Finishes. Include the Floors and Walls
categories. Set the rules so the Type Comments equals FINISH.
Add this new filter to the view. Uncheck the visibility parameter.

PAMPHLETS
The final step to make the filter works is to add the FINISH parameter
value in the Type Comments of the finish wall and floor. You can adjust this
value by selecting the thin finish wall/floor and by clicking on Edit Type.
Scroll down to find the Type Comments parameter.
The views that include the Interior Finishes filter with visibility turned off
won’t show the finishes. The finishes will be visible in all other views. Make
sure to use view templates to quickly add this filter to multiple views at
once.

PAMPHLETS
4- USE THE PAINT TOOL TO ASSIGN MATERIAL FINISHES
Most projects have several interior finishes. Instead of creating multiple

types of finish wall/floor, use the Paint tool to save time and avoid
creating hundreds of wall types. You will find the paint tool in the modify
tab.
In the example below, we assign a wood boards material. The original

pattern is turned into a horizontal lines pattern that represents wood.
Make sure that the material you assign has been customized to display the
appropriate surface pattern.

PAMPHLETS
5- USE SPLIT FACE TO CREATE COMPLEX PATTERNS
If you need to assign multiple materials on a thin wall/floor, use the

Split Face tool. In the example below, we use the tool to split the wall
at 1000mm above the ground. This way, we can use two different kinds of
finishes without having to model multiple walls.
To use Split Face, select the tool and click on the face of the element you
want to split. Draw a line that doesn’t exceed the yellow boundary lines.

PAMPHLETS
6- CREATE A CUSTOM MATERIAL TAG
Create a new family by using the Material Tags template. It is good idea to
use a different tag shape than the exterior material tag. In this example, we
use some kind of extended hexagonal shape. Add a label that displays the
material Mark. Load the family in your project and create a Material
Tag for each different material.

PAMPHLETS
7- CREATE A MATERIAL TAKEOFF SCHEDULE TO USE AS

A LEGEND
Time to create a material legend using the Material Takeoff tool. Go to

the View tab and click on the Schedules drop-down menu. Select Material
Takeoff. Use the fields described in the image below.
Then, add a filter for Material:Name containing FINISH, or any

abbreviation you would like to use.

PAMPHLETS
In the Sorting/Grouping submenu, sort by Keynote (and add a Header)

then sort by Mark. Uncheck Itemize Every Instance.
Go to the Formatting submenu and activate the Hidden field box for the
Material: Name parameter. This parameter is used for filtering but is not
required in the schedule itself.

PAMPHLETS
8- ADJUST MATERIAL NAME WITH “FINISH” PREFIX
Now, modify the names of the material you want to include in your
schedule. You must add the FINISH prefix in their name so they appear
in the schedule. In the example below, we add the prefix to the carpet,
ceramic and hexagonal tiles materials. However, we keep the Gypsum
material without the prefix because it is not used as a finish and doesn’t
belong in the schedule.

PAMPHLETS
9- ADJUST MATERIAL TAKEOFF HEADERS
The image below represent what you should see in your schedule. It
is impossible to add new parameters to materials. Instead, use the
existing parameters and use them for your own purpose. For example,
Material:URL becomes NOTES and Material:Description becomes
DIMENSIONS. Fill out the headers like in the image below.

PAMPHLETS
10- FILL OUT INFORMATION FOR EACH MATERIAL
Now, time to fill out the schedule with all the required information about
the materials. There is two ways to do such a thing. The first is to fill the
information directly on the schedule.
The problem is that we have no idea what material is in the first row,
especially because the Material:Name is hidden. The workaround is to add
the info directly on the Material Tab. Go back to the Material menu and
find the materials that are missing on your schedule.
Check out the image next page to find out how to use each material
parameter so it fits in the schedule.

PAMPHLETS

PAMPHLETS
11- PLACE SCHEDULE AND ALL INTERIOR DRAWINGS

ON A SHEET
Time to put everything together on a sheet so you can put the final touch.
Adjust the appearance of the schedule: add thick outline grids, adjust the
fonts of the title, headers and body. Adjust the columns size. Center the
text for each column. Another important point to know: changing the
Type Mark on a material tag inside a view will also affect the value inside
the schedule. Check out pamphlet #2 to learn more about schedules.

PAMPHLETS
12- IN REVIT 2019, USE DOUBLE PATTERNS TO INDICATE

A MATERIAL TINT
Revit 2019 introduced the ability to use 2 patterns in a single material.

The most common use of this feature is to have a line pattern in the
foreground and a grey solid fill pattern in the background. In the example
below, we have 2 carpet colors. For the dark carpet, we add a background
light grey solid fill. The plan is much easier to understand with this change.

PAMPHLETS
13- TRY USING MATERIAL TAGS IN 3D VIEWS
What is so great about this strategy is that all the important information
is actually modeled. That means you can use any view type to indicate
material finishes. In the example below, we create an isometric 3D and add
material tags. You will have to lock the view before you can assign tags.

REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
LINE WEIGHTS
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #12 / SPRING 2019 / LINE WEIGHTS

WHY LINE WEIGHTS?

Architects often criticize the ugly, boring and flat drawings produced by
Revit. They are sometimes right. The default line weights offered by the
out-of-the-box template are a little stiff. The problems is that the line
weights tool can also be a little complicated to learn and master. The goal
of this pamphlet is to teach you everything you need to know to adjust
all the line weights options in your projects, giving you to power to create
whatever thickness hierarchy you wish to use.

PAMPHLETS
17 TIPS TO UNDERSTAND LINE WEIGHTS

1- ADJUST LINES THICKNESS ON THE “LINE WEIGHTS”
MENU
Click on “Additional Settings” in the Manage tab. Select Line Weights.

This is where you will assign a thickness value to each number. In the
Model Line category, you can assign a different thickness for different
scales. We will explore this custom scale feature later. For now, use 1:100
(1’ = 1/8’’) as the basic scale and set the thickness values you want to use.

PAMPHLETS
2- THICKNESS VALUES ARE FOR PRINTED DOCUMENTS
When viewing a Revit model on a computer screen, the thickness of

elements is dynamic. That means elements will appear to be thicker
when you are zoomed in and thiner when you are zoomed out. That is the
opposite of a printed document, where the thickness never changes.
That is why changing the scale of a view from 1:100 to 1:200 will make
all elements appear much thicker on your screen, while in reality, the
elements are twice as small on a sheet of paper.
To reduce the confusion of this effect, consult views when placed on a

sheet. The title block will help to contextualize the scale and thickness of
elements. To properly test out your settings, you will need to print the
drawings using the correct scale. That means avoiding print screen or the
“Fit to page” print settings. Make sure to use Zoom 100% when printing.

PAMPHLETS
3- SET LINE WEIGHTS TO ELEMENTS IN OBJECT STYLE
Once you set all the line weight thickness values you want to use, go to the
Object Style menu located in the manage tab.
You will have to set both a Projection and a Cut thickness value. Projection
lines are seen from a distance. Cut lines are usually thicker and are used
when an element intersect the cut plane of the view.
Let’s start with the Wall category. As you see, there are subcategories
such as Cornice where you can assign a different thickness value. You can
also use this menu to specify a line color and pattern.

PAMPHLETS
In the image below, you can see a wall using the settings we’ve just applied
in the Object Style menu. The 1 and 3 thickness numbers refer to the
thickness values assigned in the Line Weights menu. In the test #3, we’ve
reduced the thickness value of line weight 3 in the 1:200 scale to 0.30mm
instead of 0.35mm.

PAMPHLETS
4- ADJUST LINES THICKNESS IN SPECIFIC VIEW BY

USING VISIBILITY GRAPHICS MENU
Using the combo of Object Style and Line Weights will affect all elements
in all views. If want to modify the thickness of a category of elements
in a specific view, you will have to use the Visibility Graphics menu. Use
shortcut VG. Scroll down to the walls category. Click on the Override
button for Cut Lines. This will make all walls thicker in the view where this
override is applied.

PAMPHLETS
5- ADJUST PERSPECTIVE LINE WEIGHTS
Since perspective views don’t use a scale, customize the thickness in

the Line Weights menu. Make sure to place perspectives on sheets to
properly gauge the thickness. For full control of line thickness hierarchy in
perspectives , consider using tool such as Silhouettes and Linework.

PAMPHLETS
6- ADJUST ANNOTATION LINE WEIGHTS
To adjust the thickness of annotation elements like sections marks,

dimensions, generic annotations and tags, you will have to use the
Annotation Line Weights menu. As you see below, modifying these values
doesn’t affect model elements or detail lines.

PAMPHLETS
7- ADJUST ANNOTATION ELEMENTS THICKNESS

VALUES IN OBJECT STYLES
Last page, you learned how to adjust the line weight of all annotation
elements. You must also set a numerical value to each annotation element
category in the Object Styles menu. Click on the Annotation Objects
category. In the example below, we adjust the line weight of the generic
annotation category, which affects our note bubble family.

PAMPHLETS
8- CREATE SUBCATEGORIES IN A FAMILY FOR CUSTOM

LINE WEIGHTS
What if the effect of the Object Style menu is too broad for you? Below,
we modify a note bubble generic annotation family. We create a custom
“Bubble Thick Lines” in the object styles of the family and assign it to the
masking region of the note bubble.

PAMPHLETS
We also add a small tail to the bubble that uses the “Bubble Thin Line”
subcategory. Then, we save and insert the family into the project.
Go back to the Object Style menu of the project. As you can see in
the image below, the new custom “bubble” subcategories are added
to the project. This way, you can adjust the line weight of the bubble
generic annotation without affecting the line weight of the other generic
annotation families.
Another quick tip: the leader line weight is controlled by the Generic
Annotation category. Sadly, this cannot be reassigned.

PAMPHLETS
9- MODIFY SYSTEM FAMILIES TYPE PROPERTIES TO

ADJUST THICKNESS
You’ve just learned how to modify a loadable family and use the object
style menu to properly control line weight. However, Revit also contains
System Families which cannot be edited in the family editor. Such families
include levels, grids, dimensions and many others. In the example below,
we modify the type properties of a dimension. Both the Line Weight and
the Tick Mark can be assigned to a specific line weight numerical value.

PAMPHLETS
10- MATERIALS PATTERNS ARE ALWAYS LINE WEIGHT “1”
When setting the pattern in a material properties, you don’t have the
option to pick a line weight. That’s because all the weights are set to 1 and
cannot be changed.
There is an exception to this rule: a line weight can be assigned to a pattern

when used in a Fill Region.

PAMPHLETS
11- CEILING PATTERN LINES ARE ALWAYS WEIGHT “2”
The line weight of almost all elements can be customized. The ceiling
pattern lines are an exception. The weight of ceilings is always 2. That’s
why ceiling patterns tends to be quite thick. There is no way to modify that
thickness except by using the Line Weights menu.

PAMPHLETS
12- ADJUST CAD IMPORT LINE WEIGHT
Most CAD files use a color system to assign a thickness. In the image
below, you can see the typical color hierarchy. The problem is that by
default, Revit will ignore the AutoCAD color system and set everything to
the basic line weight 1.
To fix the issue, go to the Insert

tab and click on the small arrow
below “Manage Images”.

PAMPHLETS
Below, you can see that the Line Weight in the default settings are all
set to 1. Adjust the values to fit the DWG color number. When you re-
import the DWG file, the lines thickness will match the Revit Line Weight
settings.

PAMPHLETS
13- ADJUST CAD LINE WEIGHT IN OBJECT STYLE
In some cases, you will work with a CAD file where a thickness is directly
assigned to a layer instead of using the color code. When Revit import
such a file, it will match the thickness of the CAD line to the closest value
inside your Revit Line Weight setting. For example, a CAD line with a
0.30mm thickness will be assigned to Line Weight 3, which is 0.35mm.
It is always possible to customize the line weight of all imported CAD

layers. Go to the Object Styles menu, then to the Imported Objects tab.
As you see below, you can reconfigure the weight, color and pattern of all
CAD layers. This will affect all instances of the CAD file in the model.

PAMPHLETS
14- MAKE THE THICKNESS THE SAME FOR ALL SCALES
Now that we’ve covered how line weight is used in Revit, time for some
strategic advice. In tip 1, we covered how it is possible to use different
weight for different scales. While it can be helpful in specific cases, you
should use the same scale everywhere to simplify your template. This way,
you know that the numerical value always refer to the same thickness. We
also slightly beef up the thickness to get better lines hierarchy.

PAMPHLETS
15- CREATE LINE NAMES THAT MATCH THE LINE

WEIGHT NUMERICAL VALUE
By default, Revit has lines called Thin Lines, Medium Lines and Thick Lines.
That’s vague. Instead, create line names that are using the numerical value
set in the Line Weights menu (see image below).
To create a line, go to Line Styles menu. It is located under Additional

Settings in the manage tab. You can also add the real thickness value to
the line name, but only if you are using the same thickness for all scales like
recommended in the previous tip.

PAMPHLETS
16- CREATE A LEGEND VIEW WITH ALL LINES
To make sure all users understand the lines contained in your template
and the line weight used by elements, you should create a legend view
that contain all lines. Indicate both the numerical value and the actual
thickness.

PAMPHLETS
17- ADVANCED STRATEGY: KEEP LINEWEIGHT 1 AND 2

EXCLUSIVELY FOR PATTERNS
Ok. Now we are getting deep. If you are an beginner/intermediate user,

you might want to skip this tip.
There is a debate raging about how lineweights should be used. We learned

in tip 10 that lineweight 1 is always used for patterns and that lineweight 2
is always used for ceiling pattern. Many BIM managers recommend using
lineweight 1 and 2 exclusively for patterns and ceilings. That means 3 would
be the lowest value for all other elements.
Implementing this strategy can be long and complicated. You will have to
modify all your families and family templates so they never use lineweight
1 and 2. In the image below, you have an overview of how to properly use
this system.
For most people, I would advise to not use this system. If you are
experienced and want more control over your line weights, go for it.

REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
DOORS
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #13 / SUMMER 2019 / DOORS

WHY DOORS?
This is the most epic pamphlet ever created. We go deep. You are going to
learn a lot.
Doors families are among the most puzzling and challenging to create. You
will learn the basic principles of a good door family. Then, you will get step-
by-step instructions to great a simple steel frame door family. Next, you
will learn how to create a custom nested plan swing family. Finally, you will
learn how to create different plan swing line style for phasing.

PAMPHLETS
THE OPTIMAL REVIT DOOR FAMILY

PAMPHLETS
9 TIPS TO UNDERSTAND DOOR FAMILIES

The previous page illustrate the optimal door family structure. Some
elements are included directly in the main family, while some other
elements are used in nested families. The following tips will guide you in the
basic door family principles.
1- USE EXTRUSION TO MODEL DOOR PANELS

Door panels are modeled using the Extrusion tools.
The edge of the panels are locked to reference planes.
These reference planes are usually locked to “Height”
and “Width” dimension labels. The thickness of the
door panel is usually assigned in plan view.
2- USE SWEEP TO MODEL DOOR FRAMES
Door frames are usually modeled using the Sweep tool. When creating a
sweep, you draw a profile that will be extruded following a specific path.
Frame profiles are usually aligned and locked to reference planes.

PAMPHLETS
3- MAKE DOOR 3D GEOMETRY INVISIBLE IN PLAN

VIEW
The door panel and frame visibility should be turned off in a plan view by
using the Visibility / Graphics Overrides menu. Instead, use symbolic lines
to represent simple geometry that is more appropriate in a plan view.
Below, you can see the 3D geometry is turned off in Plan and RCP.
4- CREATE FORMULAS FOR ROUGH DIMENSIONS
By default, door families include “Rough Height” and “Rough Width”

parameters. These values are usually assigned to the Opening Cut
that creates a hole in the wall. You can find the exact value for these
dimensions by adding the door panel with part of the frame thickness.

PAMPHLETS
5- CREATE A NESTED PLAN SWING FAMILY
The 2D representation of the door swing in a plan view should be created

in a separate, nested door family. This family can be customized to create a
swing angle and add different line style depending on phasing. You will learn
how to create such a family in page 27.
6- ADD EXTERNAL FAMILIES FOR HARDWARE
To add realism to 3D views and renderings, it can be a smart move to add

handles and hinges to your door family. Use external families instead of
modeling them directly in the main door family. This way, you can use the
same hardware in multiple families.

PAMPHLETS
7- AVOID DOOR SUPERFAMILIES
If you download door families on random BIM and vendor websites, you
are likely to get garbage, over-modeled super-families. A “super-family”
means that there is a lot of customization options that can be activated by
checking some parameters. The problem is that these families are often
very heavy and will slow down your model performance. They also have a
ton of parameters that will poison your model.
Instead of using these behemoths, create multiple small and efficient door
families. The default Autodesk door families are a good starting point for
beginners.
8- CREATE A CUSTOM DOOR FAMILY TEMPLATE
If you are going to create multiple similar door families, it might be a good
idea to create a custom family template. Create all the basic common
parameters, reference planes and geometry. Then, save the family and
rename the extension from .rfa to .rft. Every time you create a new door
family, use this custom family template.

PAMPHLETS
9- PLAN THE DOOR YOU WANT TO CREATE
Before creating the family, make sure you understand what kind of door
family you want to create. Here is the kind of information you need to
know:
- Will you be using a steel frame or a wood frame?

- Is it a simple door or a double door?
- Do you want a trim around the door opening?
- Are you going to use the door for 3D views and renderings? If so, you
will need to think about hardware families for more realism.
- Are you creating a door with a simple solid panel, or with a multiple
panels and glazing?
- Are you creating a garage door? A pocket door? A swing door?
- What dimensions to you want to be customizable apart from the width
and height of the door?
Draw a sketch of the door you need.

PAMPHLETS
16 STEPS TO CREATE A SIMPLE DOOR FAMILY

Now that you’ve learned the basic principles, let’s put them in application.
In this tutorial, we will create a simple swing door. The door will have a steel
frame and will be adapted mostly for an interior use on dry walls. It will
have a simple panel with no glazing.
It will include a simple handle lever hardware on both side of the panel, with
a customizable strike distance height. The door swing will be customizable
with an angle parameter. It will include a formula to calculate a value
for Rough Height and Rough Width dimensions. The materials will be
customizable inside a project for the door frame, door panel and all the
hardware.

PAMPHLETS
1- CREATE NEW FAMILY WITH THE DEFAULT TEMPLATE
Create a new family. Use the Metric - Door or Imperial - Door default
Autodesk template.
This door family template is made for a residential wooden door family
by default. Since we are building a door with a steel frame, you’ll need to
delete a few elements. Go to the plan view. Delete the trim elements.

PAMPHLETS
2- CREATE ROUGH DIMENSIONS REFERENCE PLANES
Let’s create additional reference planes to adapt for the full door opening
that includes the frame. Go to the front elevation view. Create new
reference planes like displayed in red in the image below. Don’t worry
about dimensions for now.
The red reference planes are used for more clarity in the tutorial, but it’s ok
if you use the standard green ones.

PAMPHLETS
3- CREATE FRAME THICKNESS PARAMETER
To fully automate the complete door opening, you need to create a new
Frame Thickness parameter. Go to the Family Type menu. Click on the
small icon to create a new parameter. Use the settings like in the image
below.

PAMPHLETS
4- CREATE ROUGH WIDTH AND HEIGHT FORMULAS
Type in a standard value for the Frame Thickness, like 50mm. Now, type
in formulas like in the image below for both the Rough Width and the
Rough Height parameter. These values are calculated by adding the frame
thickness to the door height and width. Subtract a number to account for
the overlap between the frame and the wall. In this case, we use 19mm.
5- ASSIGN ROUGH DIMENSIONS TO REF. PLANES
Now, go back to the family elevation. Add a new dimension between the
two red vertical reference planes and the central one. Click on the EQ
button.

PAMPHLETS
Create new dimensions like illustrated below. Assign the “Rough Width”
and “Rough Height” labels.
6- LOCK OPENING CUT TO ROUGH WIDTH /HEIGHT
In the elevation, select the Opening Cut. Click on Edit Sketch. Use the
Align tool (shortcut: AL) to align each boundary line to the red reference
planes. Click on the Lock icon to lock the constraint. The opening cut will
now include part of the frame instead of just the door panel.

PAMPHLETS
7- MODEL DOOR PANEL IN ELEVATION
Stay in the elevation view and select the Extrusion tool. Use the Pick Line
tool and click on the green reference lines assigned to the Height and
Width. Lock all the boundary lines. Then, use the Trim tool (shortcut: TR)
to cut the excess line segments. Click on the green check to complete.

PAMPHLETS
8- ASSIGN DOOR THICKNESS IN PLAN VIEW
Go back to the plan view. Create a new reference plane below the exterior
wall face, like in the image below. Create a dimension between the
reference planes and assign the “Thickness” parameter to it. Make sure to
lock the thickness parameter. Use the Align tool (shortcut: AL) to match
the panel to that new reference plane. Click on the lock icon.

PAMPHLETS
9- DEACTIVATE PANEL VISIBILITY IN PLAN VIEW
The 3D door panel we’ve just created should be visible in 3D views and
elections, but not in a plan view. Instead, we’re going to load a plan swing
family later on.
Select the door panel. In the instance parameter, click on Visibility /

Graphics Overrides.

PAMPHLETS
10- CREATE A SWEEP FOR THE DOOR FRAME
Go to the elevation view. Select the Sweep tool. Click on Pick Path, then
select the 3 edges of the opening cut. Click the green check to complete.

PAMPHLETS
11- DRAW THE FRAME PROFILE IN PLAN VIEW
Draw the sweep profile in the floor plan view. Draw the boundary lines like
in the image below. Make sure to lock all the dimensions. Create a new
vertical reference plane with the “Frame Thickness” parameter assigned.
Keep a 5mm distance from the door panel to the frame middle section. If
you want, you can include the frame thickness (like on the right image).
Test the frame by changing the door width and the default wall thickness.

PAMPHLETS
12- CREATE A COARSE FRAME MASKING REGION
When working in view using the Coarse setting, you might want to see
a simple frame instead of the complex sweep we’ve created. Select the
frame sweep and click on Visibility/Graphics Settings in the instance
properties. Uncheck visibility for coarse setting. Then, use the Masking
Region tool with Frame/Mullion [cut] lines and create a rectangle that is
locked to the reference planes. Make it visible only in coarse views.

PAMPHLETS
13- ASSOCIATE A NESTED PLAN SWING FAMILY
Earlier, we deactivated the door panel visibility in plan view. Now, it’s time
to load a nested Plan Swing Family. You can use an Autodesk made family,
but it would be smart to create your own plan swing family. Be warned:
making such family is not an easy task. We describe all the steps on this
pamphlet. Check it out on page 27.
When the family is ready, make sure to associate the Thickness, Width and
Swing Angle parameters to the main door family. Align and lock the swing
family to the reference planes in the main family.

PAMPHLETS
14- LOAD HARDWARE FAMILIES
Now, we’ll insert an Autodesk Handle Lever Family. Go to the Insert tab
and click on Load Family. Go to the Hardware subfolder in the doors
category. Place the family in a plan view. Align and lock to reference
planes. Set and lock distance from the door panel edge.

PAMPHLETS
Go to the elevation view. Create a new horizontal reference plane. Create

a dimension from the base level. Assign a new parameter called “Strike
Distance”. See tip 4 if you don’t remember how to create a new length
parameter. Align the center of the handles to this reference plane and
lock.
Go back to plan view and disable the plan view visibility for the handles.

PAMPHLETS
15- ASSIGN SUBCATEGORY TO ELEMENTS
To properly control the visibility and graphics of each door component,

you need to properly assign the correct subcategories. Go to the plan
view. Select the door frame sweep. In the instance properties, set it to
Frame/Mullion. Repeat the same steps to place the door panel to the
Panel subcategory. Make sure to place any door element to the correct
subcategory.

PAMPHLETS
16- CREATE MATERIAL PARAMETERS
You need to create new material parameters for the door frame, panel and
all the hardware components.
Click on the door panel. In the instance properties, click on the small
rectangle. Create a new parameter called “Panel Material”. You’ll be able
to assign a material once inside a project. Repeat the same step for the
frame and create a “Frame Material”.

PAMPHLETS
17 STEPS TO CREATED A PLAN SWING FAMILY

The 2D representation of a door you see in a plan view should come from
a nested Door Swing family, not from the door 3D geometry. In this next
tutorial, you are going to learn how to create a plan swing family from
scratch.
If you really don’t feel like creating this family, you can use the default one
created by Autodesk. Open any door family and scroll down to find the
Doors subcategory. Right-click on the Door Swing-Single family and click
on “Edit Family”.
Be careful: creating a nested family is actually a little complicated. You will

learn a lot about families, including how to use the Reference Line and how
to properly use angle dimensions. Let’s get started.

PAMPHLETS
1 - CREATE A “GENERIC MODEL” FAMILY
Create a new Revit family using the Metric Generic Model family template.
Of course, you can use imperial if you prefer.

PAMPHLETS
2 - SWITCH FAMILY TO DOORS CATEGORY
Go to the Family Category And Parameters menu. Switch the family from
the Generic category to the Door category. A couple of new parameters
like width and thickness will be created automatically.

PAMPHLETS
3 - CREATE VERTICAL REFERENCE PLANE
Go to the plan view of the family. Create a new reference plane to the left
of the existing vertical reference plane. Create a dimension between the
two vertical reference planes and assign the Width parameter.

PAMPHLETS
4 - CREATE REFERENCE LINE, ALIGN END POINT TO

REFERENCE PLANES
Anytime you want to use an angle parameter inside Revit, you need to
create a reference line. Create it along the reference plane on the right,
with the first point at the intersection of the reference planes. Then, use
the Align tool (shortcut: AL) to align the end point of the reference line
to both reference planes. You will have to use tab to toggle among all the
options. Click on the lock icon.

PAMPHLETS
5 - ASSIGN WIDTH AND ANGLE PARAMETERS
Create a dimension to link each endpoint of the reference line. Assign

the width parameter to the dimension. Then, create an angle dimension
between the horizontal reference plane and the reference line. Create a
new instance parameter for the angle value. Call it “Actual Angle” and use
the Graphics category for grouping. Lock all dimensions.

PAMPHLETS
6 - TEST THE ANGLE
Angle values with reference lines can sometimes be buggy. To make sure
everything works fine, change the Actual Angle to test a few different
values. Make sure to try the important 90, 180 and 270 values along with
a few random angles.

PAMPHLETS
7 - CREATE 3 MORE REFERENCE LINES
Create 3 more reference lines to match the outlines of the door in plan
view. Add a “thickness” dimension label. Then, add angle dimensions
between each reference line. They should all be 90. Lock them all.

PAMPHLETS
8 - CREATE MASKING REGION AND ALIGN
Go to the “Annotate” tab and select the “Masking Region” tool. Select
the Panel [cut] line style. Use the Pick Lines option and click on each
reference line. Then, use the Align tool (shortcut: AL) and align each
boundary line to the reference line. Click the green check to complete.
Again, you should test multiple angles to make sure the family works.

PAMPHLETS
9 - CREATE A “DOOR SWING” LINE STYLE
In the Manage tab, click on Object Style. Create a new door model
subcategory called “Plan Swing”.
10 - CREATE DOOR SWING ARC LINE
Go to the Annotate tab and select the Symbolic Lines tool. Create an arc
line using the new Plan Swing [projection] line style. Use the Center-ends
arc draw option. Click once at the intersection of the center reference
planes, then again at the left reference plane and finally click on the
reference line current position (see next page).

PAMPHLETS
11 - ALIGN AND LOCK ARC LINE
The arc line is now created. Select the line and activate the Center Mark
Visible parameter in the instance properties. Align the center mark of the
arc line to both reference planes and lock.

PAMPHLETS
You need a 3rd and final alignment to the arc line. Align the endpoint of
the arc line to the horizontal reference plane and lock. Be careful: never
align the arc line to the door panel reference line.
12- ASSIGN PARAMETERS TO ARC LINE
Assign the Width parameter to the radius of the arc line. Then, select
the arc line and click on the temporary angle dimension icon to create a
permanent dimension. Assign the Actual Angle instance parameter. Lock
everything up.

PAMPHLETS
13- WRITE FORMULA FOR “ACTUAL ANGLE” PARAMETER
If you enter a plan swing angle value of less than 1°, the arc line won’t be
able to draw and the family will bug. To avoid this issue, you need to create
a formula to make 1° the minimum possible angle value.
Start by creating a new parameter called “Swing Angle”. It is an instance

parameter grouped in the Graphics category.

PAMPHLETS
Go to the family type. In the formula for “Actual Angle”, use the following
formula: if(Swing Angle < 1°, 1°, Swing Angle). Basically, it means that if the
Swing Angle is below 1°, the Actual Angle value will revert back to 1°. For a
value above 1°, nothing will be changed.
Keep in mind: Swing Angle is the value users will manually enter. Actual
Angle is the value that actually affects the family components.
Hey can you believe the family is finally done? This is definitely a tricky
family to create. But the good new is that once you are done, it can be
reused for many more door families.
Save the family. Time to nest it inside the main door family.

PAMPHLETS
14- NEST THE SWING FAMILY INSIDE THE MAIN DOOR

FAMILY
Load the swing family into the main door family you want to use. Place an
instance of it in plan view. Then, lock the nested family reference planes to
the main family reference planes like described in the image below. Lock
the alignments.
15- ASSOCIATE THE NESTED FAMILY PARAMETERS
Select the door swing family and click on . Click on the small
rectangle for both Width and Thickness. Match the parameters.

PAMPHLETS
You also need to assign the Swing Angle parameter. This one is an instance
properties. Leave the type menu and check out the Door Swing family
instance properties. Click on the small rectangle next to the Swing Angle
value. Create a new parameter with the exact same settings as the original
one.

PAMPHLETS
16- OPTIONAL: MATCH DOOR PANEL TO SWING ANGLE
Are you going to use the door family for 3D views and renderings? If
so, it might be an interesting idea to match the actual 3D door panel to
the door swing family’s angle. This way, the doors can be opened in the
renderings.
To achieve this, align the panel boundary line to the reference line. Assign
the thickness parameters and lock the 90° angles.
If using this technique, avoid using angles above 180°, as it might break the
family. If you want to be extra careful, you can add a formula parameter to
convert any value above 180° back to 180°, like you’ve learned in step #13.

PAMPHLETS
17- TEST THE DOOR FAMILY
Everything is supposed to be complete! Time to test it. Don’t insert the

door into an ongoing project. Instead, create a dummy “test” project
where you can mess around without being scared of ruining important
work.
Try many angles and configurations.
Good news: the door swing is the most complicated door family to create.
Everything else is much more simple.

PAMPHLETS
CREATE NEW/EXISTING DOOR SWING STYLE

The graphic convention to distinguish an existing door from a new door is
usually to use a straight line instead of the usual arc line. You can integrate
this information directly in a door swing family and switch between new
and existing by using a yes/no instance parameter like in the image below.
Go to the plan view of the of the door swing family. Go to the Object
Style menu in the manage tab. Create a new subcategory called Plan
Swing (Existing). Set a grey line color.

PAMPHLETS
Then, go to the plan view of the swing family and go to the Annotation
tab. Select the Symbolic Line tool. Select the Plan Swing (Existing)
[projection] line style. Draw a line at the intersection of the reference
planes to match the door opening.

PAMPHLETS
Right now, we have two lines to represent the plan door swing. Obviously,
you only want to see one line at a time depending on the phasing. That
means you must add a visibility parameter to each line. Select the arc line
and click on the small rectangle next to the visibility instance parameter.
Click on the small icon to create a new parameter. Call it “New Swing” and
select Instance parameter option. Group under Phasing.

PAMPHLETS
Repeat the same process for the grey

straight line and call it “Existing Swing”. You
should have both these parameters included
in your family, grouped under Phasing.
Load the plan swing family back into the main door family and replace the
swing. Now, you must now assign the parameters from the nested family
into the main door family. This part can be a little confusing... basically, you
have to recreate the same swing visibility parameters and link them to the
swing nested family.
Select the swing family and find the Phasing section in the instance
properties. Click on the small rectangle and recreate the parameter using
the exact same name and the phasing grouping option like you did for the
door swing family. Repeat the same process for the Existing Swing.
Go to the main door Family Types menu. You should see both swing yes/
no parameters.

PAMPHLETS
Final step, we’ll add a formula to make sure that you can’t have both lines
visible at once. In the formula column for New Swing, enter the following
text: not(Existing Swing). That means that the value for New Swing will
automatically be the opposite of Existing Swing.
Alright! Load the door family into a project. Create 2 instances of the
brand new family. In the instance parameter, check or uncheck the
Existing Swing parameter to activate the correct line style.
Be careful: the swing parameter is not linked to the actual phasing of the
project. That means a door set to the existing phase could still have the
New Swing style used.

REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
SHARED SITES
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #14 / FALL 2019 / SHARED SITES
WHAT IS THIS PAMPHLET ?

WHY SHARED SITES

In Pamphlet #9, we covered the basic notion of Revit’s strange coordinate
system. In this issue, we’ll push further and explore how to properly use the
Shared Site feature. Shared Sites are used in order to have multiple linked
Revit files using the same site coordinates.
Before diving deep into these topics, we’ll go through a small recap of the
major things to know about coordinates.
REVIT PURE - © Copyright 2019 - BIM Pure Productions 4

PAMPHLETS
UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALL 3

COORDINATE ORIGIN POINTS
There are 3 different origin points in a Revit project: the Project Base
Point, the Survey Point and the secret Internal Origin. The next page
features a short description of each point. To learn more, make sure to
read Pamphlet #9.

PAMPHLETS
PROJECT BASE POINT: This point is used almost

exclusively for internal purposes. It is used to place
dimensions relative to the building. It is represented
by a blue circle with a cross in the middle. It can also
be used to set the angle difference between True
North and Project North.
SURVEY POINT: This is used to create a “shared

coordinates” system among multiple linked Revit or
CAD files. That means its location is most useful when
exporting and importing files. It is usually placed relative
to a real-world site element such as the intersection of
2 property lines or a geodetic marker.
INTERNAL ORIGIN: This is the tricky one. This point

is invisible and cannot be moved. Most users don’t
even know it exists. By default, importing or exporting
a CAD or Revit file will be made relative to this super-
secret point, therefore confusing many people.
THE MYSTERIOUS SURVEY POINT
There are multiple ways to use the Survey Point. The way we recommend
is that you always keep it clipped. This way, it will always match the
Shared Site origin of the project. If you move an unclipped Survey Point,
you will probably cause confusion in your project.

PAMPHLETS
WHY USE SHARED SITES?

Have a look at the image below. There are 3 different Revit models: two
building models and a site model. Each building has a specific local Project
Base Point and Internal Origin, most likely located at the same location.
The shared site origin position is set in the site model and represented by
the Survey Point. Then, each building model is positioned and the shared
coordinates are acquired from the site model.
Why would you use this Shared Site feature? The next pages will explain
the benefits.

PAMPHLETS
BENEFIT #1: Spot coordinates refer to the same point on all

models
In the image below, we use the Spot Coordinate tool, located in the
Annotate tab. It will indicate the X/Y distance from a point to the Shared
Site Origin, which is represented by the Survey Point.
When the Shared Coordinates are spread among all the Revit files, the
spot coordinate tool can be used in any model and still refer to the same
origin point.
Be careful: there can be multiple types of Spot Coordinates. In the type

properties, make sure that the Coordinate Origin is set to Survey Point.

PAMPHLETS
BENEFIT #2: Spot elevation refers to the same height on all

models
It is helpful to spot the elevation of a building element in relation to the

site. In the example below, we place the elevation value of the Shared Site
Origin (represented by the Survey Point) at Sea Level = 0. This way, we
can use the Spot Elevation tool to indicate the height of any element in
relation to the sea level. Spread the Shared Coordinates to all Revit files
and you’ll be able to use this feature accurately on any model.
Like with the Spot Coordinates tool, make sure to use Survey Point as the
Elevation Origin in the Spot Elevation type properties.

PAMPHLETS
BENEFIT #3: Revit models and other external files can be linked
using “By Shared Coordinates” positioning
You can think of the Shared Coordinate system like a virus that spreads
around. The virus starts from the linked Revit site model. It then spreads
around to the architecture model, to the structure model, to the linked
CAD files, etc. Once the virus is fully spread, you can link any file together
and they will automatically position themselves if you use the Auto - By
Shared Coordinates positioning option.
Again, this positioning option only becomes available when the files have
been synced using Share or Publish Coordinates. That’s what you will learn
in the coming pages.

PAMPHLETS
BENEFIT #4: The “True North” of a building can be adjusted in

the site model by using the rotation tool
All Revit projects contain two norths: first, the Project North, which is
used to orient view in a convenient way in relation to the sheets. The True
North represents the real north in relation to the site.
The most common way to set the True North value is to manually set a
rotation angle value between the True North and Project North. However,
there is a simpler way to do this: you can link your architecture project on
the Revit site model, rotate it and publish the coordinates.
When coordinates are shared, you can go back to the Architecture model
and adjust the Orientation parameter in the instance properties of a plan
view. Pick between Project North and True North.

PAMPHLETS
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SHARED COORDINATES

AND SHARED SITES
Shared Coordinates and Shared Sites are not the same thing. In the image
below, there is a site model and 2 instances of a building model. Each of
these files is using the same Shared Coordinate System. However, each
instance of the Revit building model has its own Shared Site. Basically, all
files have a common Survey Point but they also have their own personal
Project Base Point and Internal Origin.

PAMPHLETS
12 STEPS TO CREATE SHARED SITES IN REVIT

PAMPHLETS
1- CREATE ARCHITECTURE MODEL, LOCATE INTERNAL

ORIGIN
The first step is to create the main architecture model. Orient the views
for convenience and ignore the True North for the moment.
Make sure to place the building in relation to the internal origin. Usually,
that means at the corner of your building, where two major grids might
intersect. Don’t mess up this step. You cannot relocate the internal origin
of the project.

PAMPHLETS
2- LINK REVIT MODELS FROM ALL DISCIPLINES USING

“ORIGIN TO ORIGIN”
If you have MEP and Structure models ready, you can link all the Revit
files together. Use the Auto – Origin to Origin option. Always use this
option and you will never have positioning problems when linking multiple
disciplines. Don’t worry about shared coordinates for now.
3- CREATE SITE MODEL AND LINK CAD SURVEY DATA
Once you have the Survey Data from your civil engineer or surveyor in
hand, create a new Revit site model. Make sure the origin in the CAD file
containing the survey data is where it needs to be. In this example, we will
use a 2D CAD topo file, although sometimes you might receive 3D files.

PAMPHLETS
In this surveyor DWG file, the origin (0,0) is located at the corner of the
property lines. This is the agreed location of the shared site origin. The
default Revit origins are all at the same spot. Then, use the Link CAD tool
and use Manual - Center positioning option. Click to place the DWG file.

PAMPHLETS
Now, go to the manage tab, click on the Coordinates icon and select the
Acquire Coordinates tool.
Then, click on the CAD link. As you can see, the Survey Point of the Revit
site model is automatically moved to match the CAD file origin.

PAMPHLETS
4- MODEL TOPOSURFACE USING CAD FILE
Now, let’s model the topography of the site using the Toposurface tool,
located in the Massing & Site tab. Click on the Create from Import tool
and select the CAD file. Select the correct CAD layer. In this case we
know it is layer TOPO.
Thousands of points will be automatically created. In this case, this is a 2D

CAD file, which means you still have to manually set the height of all the
points. Use the sea level information to set the proper height to the points
on each curved line.

PAMPHLETS
5- SET SURVEY POINT TO ELEVATION = 0
In most cases, you want the Survey Point height to be set to level 0. This
way, you can use it to indicate the Sea Level elevation of any point. In
your Revit site model, go to any elevation and uncrop the view. Activate
the Survey Point visibility in the Visibility Graphics menu, under the Site
subcategory. Select the Survey Point and make sure it is clipped. Move it
to Level 0. Make sure you don’t modify the X/Y coordinates of the point.
Depending on how your Revit template is set up, the Survey Point might
already be set to Level 0. It should match the Internal Origin elevation.

PAMPHLETS
6- LINK AND POSITION THE ARCHITECTURE MODEL
Use the Link Revit tool in the Insert tab. Select your architecture model
and use the Manual - Center positioning option.
Now, manually position the building on the site model.

PAMPHLETS
7- ROTATE THE ARCHITECTURE MODEL IF NECESSARY
In page 11, we’ve talked about how you can set the True North of a project
using the rotation tool inside the site model. It is now time to rotate your
model if necessary.

PAMPHLETS
8- ADJUST THE BUILDING VERTICAL POSITION
Go to an elevation view. Figure out what Sea Level elevation will match
the Level 1 of the architecture model. Create a new level in the site model
and call it “Building A.” In the example below, we know Level 1 = Sea Level
7600mm. Align and lock the architecture model Level 1 to this new level.
With this technique, adjusting the building height in relation to the site
becomes pretty easy.

PAMPHLETS
9- PUBLISH COORDINATES TO ARCHITECTURE MODEL
You have linked an architecture model, properly positioned it on the site

and adjusted the rotation value. Now, it is time to Publish the coordinates
from the site model to the architecture model. Select the linked
architecture file. In the instance properties, you will find the Shared Site
parameter. Click on it.

PAMPHLETS
When clicking Shared Site, here are all the options available to you:
In this case, you should pick the first option: you want to publish the
coordinates from the Site model to the Architecture model. Basically, this
will move the survey point in the house model to be in the same position as
the site model. The operation will only be complete once you close the site
model: you will be asked what to do with the linked house model position.
Select the first option.

PAMPHLETS
It’s a good idea to verify if the publish coordinates tool worked as intended.
Open the architecture Revit model. Normally, the Survey Point has been
moved to reflect the position in the site model.
Try to set the view orientation to True North. It should match the north
you’ve set with the rotation tool in the site model.

PAMPHLETS
10- OPTIONAL: CREATE MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF THE

SAME ARCHITECTURE MODEL
You can have multiple instances of the building on the same site. In the
Revit site model, copy and paste the building instance. Adjust the position,
both in plan view and in elevation.
Now, you have to create a new Shared Site. Click on the Shared Site
button in the instance properties of the linked model.

PAMPHLETS
Use the Record current position... option and click on Change...
You now have access to the Site menu of the linked architecture model.
Click on Duplicate.

PAMPHLETS
Enter a name for the new Shared Site. Click on OK.
To verify everything is correct, open the architecture file. Select the

Survey Point and click on the blue text Survey Point - Internal. There will
be a list of multiple sites. Select “Site 2” and click on Make Current. The
position of the Survey Point and the True North angle will be updated to
reflect the position you have set in the Site Model.

PAMPHLETS
11- STRUCTURE AND MEP MODELS ACQUIRE

COORDINATES FROM ARCHITECTURE
Now, let’s acquire the coordinates from the Architecture model to the
Structure and MEP models.
In the example below, you are inside the structural model. The
Architecture model is already linked inside (using Origin to Origin
positioning option). Select the Architecture model and click on the
Shared Site parameter in the instance properties. This time, you have to
use the Acquire option instead of Publish. You want to acquire the shared
coordinates system of the Building-A architecture file.

PAMPHLETS
12-LINK SITE MODEL INTO STRUCTURE AND MEP

MODELS USING “BY SHARED COORDINATES” OPTION
Congratulations, all the Revit models are now using the same Shared
Coordinate system! That means you can link any of these files together
using the Auto - By Shared Coordinates positioning option. In the image
below, you can see our Structural model with the linked site model.

PAMPHLETS
SITES WITH MULTIPLE BUILDINGS
Sometimes, you might have a site that contains multiple buildings. The
workflow remains similar:
1- Create the architecture project.

2- Create a site model, set shared site origin and model toposurface.
3- Link the architecture model inside the site model.
4- Manually position the building inside the site.
5- Publish the coordinates from the site to the architecture model.
6- Spread the coordinates from the architecture file to the other
disciplines. Link all files together using Auto - By Shared Coordinates.
Repeat these steps for all buildings. Each building has a unique shared site.

PAMPHLETS
BIM EXECUTION PLAN
When writing a BIM execution plan, you should list all the important
coordinate points and include a screen shot. Make sure to list the internal
origin, the project base point and the survey point of the linked site model
(if applicable). Make sure to also indicate the elevation values. It should
look like this:
PROJECT BASE POINT:

The project base point of the architecture model is located at the intersection
of grids A and 1.
INTERNAL ORIGIN:
The internal origin is also located at the intersection of grids A and 1,
intersecting in height with level 1.

PAMPHLETS
SURVEY POINT:
The survey point of the linked Revit site model is located at the south-west
property line intersection. The elevation at height 0 refers to the sea level.
After setting up these coordinate points, they should be pinned and never
moved again.

REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
pyREVIT
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #15 / WINTER 2020 / pyREVIT

WHY pyREVIT ?
pyRevit is the best Revit plugin you can install, and it is absolutely free. It is
amazing for two reasons:
1- The basic tools included are amazing.

2- It allows you to create your own tools using the Python language.
In this pamphlet, we will explore both aspects. First, you will get the list of
our favorite add-in tools and how to use them. Then, you will learn how to
create your own basic extension using the Python language.
INSTALLING pyREVIT
First, make sure pyRevit is installed on your computer. Check out this link
for the latest version. Click on Asset and download the .exe file.
https://github.com/eirannejad/pyRevit/releases
pyRevit is developped by Ehsan Iran-Nejad, who is based in Portland,

Oregon. You can support the project on Patreon here:
https://www.patreon.com/pyrevit
PAMPHLETS
TOP 10 MOST USEFUL pyREVIT TOOLS

If you have tried to find the right Revit plugin in the past, you know it can
be quite a pain in the ass.
1- MAKE PATTERN
Oh my god. I don’t even want to know how much time I’ve lost making
patterns manually by using a .pat text file. This tool works even better than
in my wildest dreams. To get started, you should create a Drafting View.
Draft your pattern using detail lines. Make sure the whole pattern fits
inside a rectangle, although you don’t have to draw an actual rectangle.
Select the lines and use the Make Pattern tool in the pyRevit tab.
You can activate some options like flip, scale, rotation and Create Filled
Region. Enter a pattern name and select either Detail or Model pattern.
When you are ready, click on Create Pattern.

PAMPHLETS

PAMPHLETS
Now, you have to click on two points: the origin (bottom-left corner) and
then the top-right corner. Use snaps to guide you.
The pattern creation is now complete! It should appear in the list of

available patterns. It can be used in a filled region.

PAMPHLETS
2- BATCH SHEET MAKER
Creating multiple sheets in Revit has always been slow and boring. Some
Dynamo scripts can help, but they can’t compete with the efficiency of
pyRevit Batch Sheet Maker tool. Click on the Sheets icon in the pyRevit
tab, then select Batch Sheet Maker. You will get the following dialog box.
Enter the sheet number, then press tab and enter the sheet name. If
multiple sheets have the same name, you can create a range of sheets by
using the :: symbol as below for the wall sections (A510::A515).

PAMPHLETS
You will then be asked to pick a Title Block. Pick one and click on OK.
Have a look at the sheets of the projects. They have all been created!
Another boring task automated.

PAMPHLETS
3- SET REVISIONS ON SHEETS
In Revit, revisions are indicated on a sheet once a revision cloud is added to

a view or when you manually activate the revision on a sheet. The problem
is that you can’t activate a revision on multiple sheets at once. If you have a
huge set of documents, it can be really long and boring to manually set the
revision to all sheets.
pyRevit has a fix for that. In the Revision menu, you will find the Set
Revisions On Sheet menu. Select the revision you want to add.

PAMPHLETS
Then, you will have to select the sheets to which you want to add the
specific revision.
If you look at the revision schedule inside one of the selected sheets, you
will see the selected revision has been added.

PAMPHLETS
4- MATCH•
You might be familiar with Revit Match Type Properties tool. It takes
the type properties from an element an spreads it to another element.
pyRevit has a seemingly similar tool simply called Match•. However,

instead of changing the type properties, it will share the override graphics
from one element to another. In the example below, we use the Match
tool to spread the graphic override of a wall to other walls in the view.

PAMPHLETS
5- COPY LEGENDS TO OTHER DOCUMENTS
For some strange reason, you can’t copy a legend from one Revit project
to another. You have to create a new legend and manually copy/paste the
content inside the schedule.
pyRevit has a tool called Copy Legends To Other Documents. It can be

found under the Legend menu. Select the project you want to copy the
legends to, then select the legends you want to copy.

PAMPHLETS
6- SYNC VIEWS
This is the kind of tool you didn’t realize you needed so badly until you
were able to try it. It is amazingly helpful. It will keep all views in the same
zoomed area so you can keep working on the same sector without having
to zoom and pan. For example, let’s say you have a big 5 story building and
you are working on the top left corner of it. When Sync Views is toggled,
the same area will display on your screen when you switch to another level
or to a RCP plan.
Check out the next page to see a demo.

PAMPHLETS

PAMPHLETS
7- WHO DID THAT??
This is the sneakiest tool of the bunch. Did you ever work on a project with
multiple users only to find an important architecture element floating in
the middle of nowhere? And no one admits their mistake? The Who Did
That tool allows you to see the last person that performed a specific task.
In the example below, we want to know who moved a floor. Select the floor
and pick the Who did that?? tool on the Teams dropdown menu. A dialog
box will display the Creator, Owner and Last Change By user names for
the element. Then, you can have an intervention with Waldo.

PAMPHLETS
8- WIPE
Revit has a tool called Purge Unused that can help you remove unused
items in your models. However, this tool is often not enough if you want
a deep clean. There are always a few remaining elements that can’t be
removed. pyRevit Wipe tool allows you to go much deeper. You can see
below all the categories you can clean. The “Wipe Model Components”
allows you to mass delete elements like views, sheets, walls, etc. That might
be useful for a cleanup before sending a Revit model externally.

PAMPHLETS
9- PICK
The most common way to select a category of elements is to use the

default Filter tool. The problem is that it can be a little annoying to
constantly check and uncheck categories.
pyRevit’s Pick tool allows you to pick a specific category before selecting.
By expanding the Pick dropdown menu, you will also find tools to either
pick Detail elements or Model elements.

PAMPHLETS
10- PLACE ORIGIN MARKER
If you have read previous pamphlets, you know how messed up the
coordinate system in Revit can be. In addition to the Project Base Point
and Survey Point, there is also an invisible point called the Internal Origin.
This point is used by default when importing and exporting files to other
software. New: if you are using Revit 2020.2 or more recent, the internal
origin now has a default marker. This tool isn’t helpful in that case.
If you don’t know where the location of the internal origin is, try to use the
Place Origin Marker tool in pyRevit. It is located under the Edit dropdown
menu. It will create a diagonal cross of detail lines at the location of the
internal origin. You should probably indicate the spot with reference planes
and delete the lines after using the tool.

PAMPHLETS
11- PRINT ORDERED SHEET INDEX
Revit has a special type of schedule called Sheet List. It allows you to
create a list of sheets, usually to be placed on the front page on a set
of sheets. This list is usually filtered to only show sheets from a specific
revision. pyRevit has a tool called Print Ordered Sheet Index that allows
you to print sheets from a specific sheet list. This is useful to make sure
you are printing the correct sheets from a specific list or revision.

PAMPHLETS
CREATE YOUR OWN pyREVIT TOOL

This part of the pamphlet offers a brief overview of the tools included in
pyRevit that allows you to create your own Revit tool using the Python
programming language.
Python is known as one of the easiest programming languages to learn,

especially when compared to language such as C# and VB.net. Using this
feature is a little more complex than using Dynamo, but a little simpler
than using the default API and other programming language.
Here is a great free online course to learn Python:
Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python)

University of Michigan via Coursera
This course aims to teach everyone the basics of programming computers

using Python. We cover the basics of how one constructs a program from a
series of simple instructions in Python.
Link: https://www.classcentral.com/course/python-4319
Another quick word: Thanks to Dan Boghean from OZ Architecture for

his great course about pyRevit at the BILT 2019 conference in Seattle.
A lot of the content in the next pagesis inspired by the documents he
provided.

PAMPHLETS
pyREVIT FOLDER STRUCTURE
What is great about pyRevit’s tool creating capabilities is how easy it is to

create your own tabs and dropdown menus. Have a look at the pyRevit
folder, usually located in AppData/Roaming:
pyRevit extensions pyRevitTools.extension

master folder folder folder
The pyRevit.tab folder then contains folders for all the panels. In the image
below, you can see all the subfolders contained in the path of the pyRevit.
tab folder, then inside the Drawing Set.panel folder. See next page to
understand what all these terms mean.
pyRevit.tab folder Drawing Set.panel folder

PAMPHLETS
Once you are inside a panel folder, your subfolders should have
.pushbutton, .stack or .dropdown at the end of their name. The image
below explains all the terminology.
For example, here is the folder for the Toggles panel. It contains 2 stacks.
The second stack contains 2 pushbuttons and 1 smartbutton.
Toggles.panel folder toggles2.stack folder
When creating your own extension set using pyRevit, you’ll have to learn
how to navigate this folder structure to organize your tools.

PAMPHLETS
PREPARE TO CODE
Before you start coding, you should get prepared. First, you should
download Notepad++. It is a glorified notepad designed specifically to
write code. It is available for free at this link:
https://notepad-plus-plus.org/downloads/
In the language menu of the software, you can select Python. Colors will
be added to your script, helping you visualize.
Then, you will need to use the Revit API. Basically, it contains the name
of all the tools and commands used in Revit. In your script, you will have to
import and refer to these commands to execute actions. Check out the
API docs at this link:
https://apidocs.co/apps/revit/2020
You are locked and loaded! Let’s get ready to code.

PAMPHLETS
START CODING
We’ll now create the most basic add-in. You will create a dialog box that
says “Hello World!”. The first thing you need to do is to import tools from
the Revit interface. In this case, we will import the specific “TaskDialog”
tool. We use the following line:
from Autodesk.Revit.UI import TaskDialog
You can then use the TaskDialog tool to display whatever you want. Use
the following line:
TaskDialog.Show(“Hello World”, “Thanks a lot!”)
Now, you can add elements in your code that are specific to pyRevit. You
need to fill in the title and doc information. Title is the name of the tool
that will be displayed in the ribbon, doc is the description when your cursor
hovers over the icon. Write it down at the top of your code just like this:
__title__ = “Enter Title Here”

__doc__ = “Enter description when cursor hovers on icon here”
In the tool we are currently building, it would look like this:
__title__ = “Awesome Tool”

__doc__ = “This tool creates a dialog window”

PAMPHLETS
Here is what the entire text for your tool should look like:
CREATE FOLDERS
We have the script ready. We now need to create the folders so the script
appears in Revit. We will create a tab called Revit Pure, with a panel called
LOL and the smartbutton will be called Awesome Tool. This is what your
folder structure should look like.
You can also create an extension folder and place it on a local server. In
pyRevit settings, you can then add a link to this folder.
ADD ICON AND SCRIPT
Each button folder contains a script file and an icon file. The script file
should always be called script.py. The icon should always be called icon.
png. Try to use an icon image of 96px or less.

PAMPHLETS
Here is what the Awesome Tool.pushbutton folder should contain:
Make sure to place the complete folder structure inside the pyRevitTools.
extension folder, located in your AppData/Roaming/pyRevitMaster folder.
Then, hit the refresh button in the pyRevit tab.
The Revit Pure tab, the LOL panel and the Awesome Tool pushbutton
should appear as in the image below. You can also see the description when
you hover your cursor above the icon.

PAMPHLETS
When you click on the tool, this dialog window should appear:
Congratulations, you just created your first add-in in Revit! Of course this
tool is completely useless, but at least you know the basics.
CREATE A REAL TOOL
Now that we’ve created a useless tool, let’s create one that actually does
something. We’ll create a tool that displays the Type Name of selected
elements.
First, let’s pre-load the database (DB), the user interface (UI) and the
selection option (UI Selection). The * symbol imports all the tools.
from Autodesk.Revit.UI import *

from Autodesk.Revit.DB import *
from Autodesk.Revit.UI.Selection import *

PAMPHLETS
Now, you need to define the document and user interface of the
document.
uidoc = __revit__.ActiveUIDocument
doc = uidoc.Document
Now, you need to define how elements will be selected. Create a variable
called selectionIds. Then, type in the User Interface defined earlier
(uidoc). In this example, we use a selection tool called PickObjects. By
researching the Revit API docs, we find out this is what you need to type:
selectionIds = uidoc.Selection.PickObjects(ObjectType.Element)
Then, you need to create a “For” loop to cycle through all selected
elements. This is how you create the loop:
for id in selectionIds:
element = doc.getElement(id)
The final step is to create a Dialog window that displays the type name of
each element in the loop:
TaskDialog.Show(“Element-Type-Name”, element.Name)
Be careful: this technique will display a different dialog window for each
individual element you have selected.

PAMPHLETS
This is the final code:
Create a new folder in the LOL panel. Place the script and icon files.
Reload all the scripts inside Revit. The tool should appear in the tab. Let’s
try it out to make sure it works properly

PAMPHLETS
Once you click on the tool, you will have to select elements. You can
select as many elements as you want. Click on Finish to complete the
selection process. As you can see, the dialog box will display the type name
of the element.
Of course, this tool is not really helpful. But by learning Python and by
exploring the Revit API, you can easily expand this feature and build a
helpful plugin. Good luck!

REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
FREE ADD-INS
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #16 / WINTER 2020 / FREE ADD-INS

WHY FREE ADD-INS?

In the last issue, we’ve discussed the best free add-ins out there, called
pyRevit. Make sure you check that issue because pyRevit is really amazing.
For this issue, we’ve decided to further investigate all the amazing free
add-ins out there. We came down with a list of 4. This list could have been
way bigger, maybe more will be explored next time.
Let’s get going!

PAMPHLETS
4 AMAZING FREE ADD-INS FOR REVIT

Here are the 4 add-ins that we will be discussing in this Pamphlet.
1- COLOR SPLASHER
made by: BIM One Download link
Colorize views based on the parameter
values of elements.
2- SHEET LINK
made by: DiRoots Download Link
Sync data between Revit and Excel
3- ISOLATE WARNINGS
made by: Archisoft Download Link
Isolate and create graphic overrides to
elements afflicted by warnings.
4- FAMILY REVISER
made by: DiRoots Download Link
Quickly modify your families.

PAMPHLETS
1- COLOR SPLASHER
The first add-in is called Color Splasher. It is developed by the folks over at
BIM One.
Download the add-in by clicking here.
This add-in is used to quickly create a color scheme that reflects the
parameter values of specific categories. Want an example? Below, we
created a scheme that shows walls with different colors depending on their
length.

PAMPHLETS
Creating a color scheme based on the parameter values of elements can

be done with Revit default tools, but it is long and tedious. You have to use
the Filters tool to identify a specific category of elements. Then, you have
to add the filter to the Visibility/Graphics menu and add a color override.
Long, tedious, boring.
EXAMPLE: REVIT VS COLOR SPLASHER TO CREATE A FIRE

RATING PLAN VIEW
In the example below, we create a fire rating plan that shows walls in
different colors, depending on the fire rating value.
Using Revit Native Tools:
Creating a fire rating plan view can be done in Revit by using the Filters
feature. You have to create a different filter for each resistance value, then
you have to set a graphic override like in the image below. The process is
long, tedious and boring.

PAMPHLETS
Using Color Splasher:
That’s when Color Splasher comes in. Go to the BIM One tab in the
ribbon and open Color Splasher.

PAMPHLETS
The first thing you should do is to select a category. This menu will only
display categories that are visible in the view. You can hold CTRL to select
multiple categories at once, but for now we only need Walls.
When the category is selected, all available parameters for this category
will appear. In this case, select Fire Rating.

PAMPHLETS
Once a parameter is selected, Color Splasher will automatically create

a color scheme. There will be a different color for each parameter value
contained in the project. In this case, there are four values: 30, 60, 120
and N/A (for walls without a fire rating value). Walls without a fire rating
value won’t actually be colored.
These colors are quite ugly. There are a few options to change them. At
the bottom of the menu, you can click on Rainbow or Refresh. Refresh
will create a new, random color scheme.

PAMPHLETS
If you click on the Rainbow button, a gradient color scheme will be

created. A darker color will be used for high values and a pale color will be
used for low values.
Finally, you can simply click on each value and manually set a color like you
would do in the Visibility/Graphics menu.

PAMPHLETS
When your scheme is ready, click on Apply color set. The colors will be
applied to the view.

PAMPHLETS
As you notice, Color Splasher creates a solid fill color for both cut and
projection patterns. The color also affects the Projection line, but not the
Cut line.

PAMPHLETS
Cut line.
Something you should be careful about: the colors will be lost the moment
you close the Color Splasher menu. Make sure to click on Save schema
and save an external .csch file.
YOU DON’T NEED TO INSTALL COLORSPLASHER TO SEE THE

COLORS
When I initially tried the add-in, I wondered how the colors would behave
for users that don’t have Color Splasher installed. It turns out that colors
display the same for everyone, regardless of if they have the add-in
installed or not. Obviously, you would need the plugin to modify the colors
or shut them down.

PAMPHLETS
Cut line.
Something you should be careful about: the colors will be lost the moment
you close the Color Splasher menu. Make sure to click on Save schema
and save an external .csch file.
YOU DON’T NEED TO INSTALL COLORSPLASHER TO SEE THE

COLORS
When I initially tried the add-in, I wondered how the colors would behave
for users that don’t have Color Splasher installed. It turns out that colors
display the same for everyone, regardless of if they have the add-in
installed or not. Obviously, you would need the plugin to modify the colors
or shut them down.
CASE STUDY: COLORS BY PHASE
Recently, I was asked to create a plan view where elements of different

phases would show up in different colors. Revit’s default Phases tool is
limited to graphic styles for New and Existing. You can’t set colors to
multiple phases.
That’s when a plugin like Color Splasher becomes incredibly helpful. First,
we select all the required categories by holding the CTRL key: Doors,
Floors, Furniture, Walls, etc. Then, pick the Phase Created parameter. Set
interesting colors and click on Apply color set.

PAMPHLETS
This is what the Colorsplasher settings should look like:

PAMPHLETS
an. The “Wipe Model Components” allows you to mass delete elements
like views, sheets, walls, etc. That might be useful for a cleanup before
sending a Revit model externally.
The only issue I have with the plan above: it would be great to control the
visibility of the lines. The fact that the projection lines are affected by the
color override causes some issues here. For example, you can’t see the
riser lines in the stairs, because both the lines and the run surface pattern
are using the same color. BIM One, if you are reading, please update
Colorsplasher so you can customize whether projection lines are affected
or not.

PAMPHLETS
2- SHEET LINK
The second add-in we are exploring is called Sheet Link and is made by
DiRoots. It allows you to sync data between Excel and Revit.
Click here to download the add-in.
There is a lot of add-ins that allows you to export and import to Excel.
What makes SheetLink special is that you have multiple options to do so
and the graphic interface is extremely helpful.
Go to the DiRoots tab and open Sheet Link. On the left of the menu, you
can select Categories of elements. In this example, we select Doors.

PAMPHLETS
ADJUST THE SELECTION OPTION
By default, all doors in the model will be included in the exported excel
file. At the top of the menu, you can modify the Selection option. Instead
of using Whole Model, you can switch to Active View, which will select
all doors from the current active view. That means if you are inside level 1
view, only the doors visible in that view will be included.
You can also pick the New Selection option, which will let you create a
selection window to pick specific elements.

PAMPHLETS
Once your selection is done, you will have to select the specific elements
you want to include in your exported excel file.

PAMPHLETS
SELECT THE PARAMETERS
You now have multiple doors selected. Sheetlink will ask you to pick which
parameter you want to export. This part is similar to creating schedules in
Revit: use the arrows to add specific parameters.

PAMPHLETS
ALTERNATIVE: USE AN EXISTING SCHEDULE
Instead of selecting specific elements and picking parameters like we just

did, you can simply select an existing Revit schedule. On your left, select
the Schedules option in the Type dropdown menu.
Then, select a specific schedule in your Revit model. In this example, we

use the DOOR SCHEDULE.

PAMPHLETS
If you pick this option, you don’t have to select parameters. The
parameters included in the schedule will be automatically included. The
parameters will be using the name you set in the schedule header. That
means it might not show the “native” name of the parameter. Be careful
with that.

PAMPHLETS
EXPORT TO EXCEL
Click on “Export to…”. Open in Excel.
As you notice, the spreadsheet is well organized with a color code.

Sheetlink will always add the Element ID parameter. This is the “invisible”
unique number of the element. Dynamo users should be familiar with this
number.
Type parameters are displayed in yellow. Be careful when you modify type
parameters. You need to make sure they are the same as all instances of
the same type.

PAMPHLETS
MODIFY THE SPREADSHEET
Let’s add our own values to the spreadsheet. In this case, we fill out the
Comments parameter for multiple doors. Save the file and close.
IMPORT THE SPREADSHEET BACK
Let’s import the spreadsheet back to our model. Open the Sheetlink menu
again. Click on Import from…. Select the excel file you’ve just modified.
You should receive the Model Updated Successfully message.

PAMPHLETS
Have a look at the DOOR SCHEDULE we have originally exported. As

you can see, the comments we filled up in excel have been modified in the
Revit schedule.

PAMPHLETS
3- ISOLATE WARNINGS
Isolate Warnings is a great free add-in made by Archisoft. It allows you to

visualize warnings in a Revit model.
Click here to download this add-in.
The first step is to go to the Warnings menu, located in the Manage tab.
Then, click on the Export button. Name your file and save it in the .html
format.

PAMPHLETS
Now, you are ready to use the Isolate Warnings add-in. Click on the icon,
then select the .html file you have just created.
The add-in will automatically create two 3Dviews: one called

IsolateWarningElements and one called OverrideWarningElement. In
the 3D view called OverrideWarningElement, elements that have an
associated warning will appear with a solid green pattern and red outlines
graphic override.

PAMPHLETS
If you go to the 3D view called IsolateWarningElements, elements

affected by a warning will be isolated.

PAMPHLETS
If you select one of these elements, the Show Related Warnings icon will
appear in the contextual tab.

PAMPHLETS
Once you reach the “Show Related Warnings” menu, you will get a
description of the warning. In this case, we have 2 different warnings. One
of the overlapping wall and room separation line. Another for walls overlap.
In certain cases, Revit allows you to take action immediately. In the case
below, you can click on Delete Checked to delete the room separation
line.

PAMPHLETS
4- FAMILY REVISER
The fourth free add-in is called Family Reviser. Managing families and
types naming convention can be annoying. Users can spend countless
hours manually changing the name of certain families to add prefixes and
suffixes. That’s when Family Reviser can save you a lot of time.
Click here to download this add-in. Click on the FamilyReviser icon in the
DiRoots tab.
DiRoots has 3 major tools available to you: Exporter, Editor and Worksets.

PAMPHLETS
EXPORTER
First, let’s explore Exporter. This allows you to import families contained
inside a project to individual .rfa files. In the example below, you can see
we select a category (Columns and Detail Items). Then, we select specific
families (MCOL_Rectangular-Arch). Finally, you can select specific types
to be included in the export.
If you look on the right, you see all the list of families to be exported.

PAMPHLETS
You can assign folders and sub-folders for specific type of families. Hold
the shift button when selecting families to assign multiple families at once.
When you are ready, click on Save Families at the bottom of the screen.
Your families folder is now created and ready!

PAMPHLETS
You know all these annoying backup files that are automatically created?
With the file name ending with a .0001 prefix? Turns out you can put
all these files together in a Backup folder instead of polluting your main
families folders. Set up this feature on the Selected Families menu.
EDITOR
Dynamo can be used to quickly modify the name of families and types.
Many Dynamo scripts exist to add a prefix or to enact similar changes.
FamilyReviser also has this feature, but with an amazing and intuitive user
interface
On the right, you can select either Loadable Families or System Families
(like wall types, ceiling types, etc).

PAMPHLETS
A common request among people who buy our Revit Pure BASICS
template is to change the RP prefix that is used in all families name to a
custom company prefix. In this case, you could use the Find and Replace
tool to accomplish that. In the example below, we replace all values of RP
to HB.

PAMPHLETS
When the operation is completed, families that had their names updated
will have a green rectangle in the “Updated” column.

PAMPHLETS
WORKSETS
The final feature included in FamilyReviser is called “Worksets”. It allows
you to assign families and types to specific worksets. When you open the
menu, you will see a list of all elements in your projects and which worksets
they are assigned to.
You can sort these elements by parameter and quickly change the
worksets. It is also possible to create “rules” to quickly correct elements in
the wrong worksets.
While this is an interesting feature, remember that the best practice for
worksets is to have as few as possible. Avoid using worksets for visibility.

REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
SLANTED WALLS
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #17 / SUMMER 2020 / SLANTED WALLS

WHY SLANTED WALLS

Usually, pamphlets are used to go deep on a specific topic. They can go
from, 30, 40 even up to 50 pages.
This is a mini-pamphlet that focus on a specific new feature from Revit

2021: Slanted Walls.
Why a mini-pamphlet? Because we are hard at work on the upcoming

learning package that will be called MANAGE. It’s going to be amazing.
More details in the coming months.
For now, let’s get started with slanted walls.

PAMPHLETS
8 TIPS TO UNDERSTAND SLANTED WALLS

1- SET WALL CROSS-SECTION TO SLANTED
To get started with slanted walls, switch the Cross-Section parameter from
Vertical to Slanted.

PAMPHLETS
2- ADJUST THE ANGLE FROM VERTICAL PARAMETER
Once the Slanted parameter has been assigned to Cross-Section, you will
have access to the Angle From Vertical parameter. Pick a value between
-90° and 90°.

PAMPHLETS
3- ADJUST THE ANGLE BY DRAGGING BLUE DOT
You can also modify the angle by moving the boundary point of the wall.

PAMPHLETS
4- ADJUST THE ORIENTATION PARAMETER FOR

WINDOWS AND DOORS
By default, windows and doors will be vertical. You can adjust the
Orientation setting in the instance properties. When you set it to
“Slanted”, the window will match the angle of the wall.

PAMPHLETS
You can apply the same principle to doors, although slanted doors don’t
make much sense.

PAMPHLETS
5- SWEEPS AND REVEALS WILL MATCH WALL ANGLE
When creating sweeps and reveals on a slanted walls, the elements will
match the angle of the wall.

PAMPHLETS
6- YOU CAN ADD DIMENSIONS IN SECTIONS BUT NOT

IN PLAN VIEW
If you go to a plan view and set the Detail Level to Fine, you can see all the
layers of the wall. For some reason, you can’t add dimensions to specific
layers of a slanted wall. Even adding dimensions to the wall is a little
complicated.
However, if you create a section, assigning dimensions to all layers of the

wall will be possible.

PAMPHLETS
7- USE SLANTED WALLS WITH CURTAIN WALLS
One of the most useful and intriguing way to use the Slanted Walls feature
is with Curtain Walls. Like you see, even perpendicular curtain walls will
match the slope.
Previously, you had to use the Curtain System feature or the Mass
feature. While it worked, having a simplified workflow with the Slanted
Walls feature is greatly appreciated.

PAMPHLETS
8- SET AN ANGLE BETWEEN -90° AND 90°
The angle you can set for slanted walls has to be between -90 ° and 90°
degrees. As you can see in the image below, high values will produce weird
looking result. Most slanted walls will be used on walls with a slope below
45 °.

REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
RAILINGS
PART 1
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #18 / FALL 2020 / RAILINGS

WHY RAILINGS?
Railings is one of these topics you could write a 1000 pages book about.
There are so many mysterious little features hidden from most users.
In fact, both the fall 2020 and winter 2021 pamphlets will be dedicated
to railings. In the first part, everything will be about rails. How to create
specific shapes, transitions, height, terminations and much more.
The upcoming pamphlet will explore balusters and posts.
This pamphlet assumes that you have some basic proficiency using railings.
If not, check out our Railings BASICS guide by clicking this link:
https://revitpure.com/s/Revit-Pure-BASICS-Railings.pdf
Thanks and good luck! Now, let’s get going.

PAMPHLETS
3 TYPES OF RAILS
TOP RAIL
Top rail is the highest horizontal element of a railing.
It is created by selecting a 2D profile and a height.
HANDRAIL
Handrail is an intermediate rail used for hands. They
are linked to a wall or to a railing with Supports.
INTERMEDIATE RAIL
Any horizontal rail other than the Top Rail and the
Handrail. Can be used to constraints balusters.
Also known as Non-Continuous Rails.
Top Rails and Handrails have their own system families. They can be found
in the project browser. Different types can be used on different railings.
In the railings properties, you can select a Top Rail type and set the height.
Click the 3 small dots to access the top rail properties.

PAMPHLETS
You can have 2 different Handrail types for each railing type. Set the
right/left position and the type used. Unlike Top Rails, the height is set in
the Handrail type properties.
As for Intermediate Rails, they are created directly in the main Railing
type properties. Access the menu by clicking on Rail Structure (Non-
Continuous). Then, set setting properties like Height, Offset, Profile and
Material.

PAMPHLETS
TOP RAIL PROPERTIES

PAMPHLETS
HANDRAIL PROPERTIES

PAMPHLETS
INTERMEDIATE RAIL PROPERTIES

PAMPHLETS
COMPARING 3 TYPES OF RAILS

PAMPHLETS
COMPARING 3 TYPES OF RAILS

PAMPHLETS
UNDERSTANDING 9 RAILS PARAMETERS
1- ASSIGN TO BALUSTERS
Balusters base and top can be constrained to rails, except for handrails.
In the image below, you can see we constrain a baluster base to an

intermediate rail (also known as non-continuous rail). The top of the
baluster is constrained to the Top Rail. Offsets can be assigned to the base
and top.

PAMPHLETS
2- CREATING RAIL PROFILE
Create a new profile family using the Profile - Rail default template. Use
the text guidelines to properly draw the profile.
In the top rail properties, make sure to select the profile you have
just created. The Hand Clearance value will be set so the profile is
automatically centered with the railing boundary line. (see property #5)

PAMPHLETS
We got our top rail profile. Yeah!

PAMPHLETS
3- DEFAULT JOIN: MITER OR FILLET
Most top rail Default Join parameters are set to miter, producing a
standard, straight transition. You can go to the Top Rail or Handrail type
properties and change the Default Join to Fillet instead of Miter. Then,
you will get access to the Fillet Radius value. This affects all transitions,
both in the horizontal and vertical planes.

PAMPHLETS
MODIFY INDIVIDUAL JOIN
In the previous tip, changing the default join affected all joins. What if you
want to modify an individual join instead? You will have to select the top rail
using tab. Then, click on Edit Rail. Click on Edit Path.
Then, you’ll have to click on Edit Rail Joins.

PAMPHLETS
Click on one of the join, represented by the square snap symbol. Then,
change the join type to Fillet and enter the radius value you wish to use.
If you enter a value that is too big and would interfere with another
intersection, you will get the following warning:

PAMPHLETS
4- SUPPORTS
Supports are used to connect Handrails to

railings or to walls. Adjust Family type, Layout,
Spacing and Justification in Handrail type.
The default Revit family is Circular. In the Support Type properties, you
can adjust Radius and Height. If you want a different shape, you will need
to create another Support family.
LAYOUT OPTIONS
There are 5 different layout options for supports:

PAMPHLETS
LAYOUT OPTIONS EXAMPLES

PAMPHLETS
SUPPORTS TIPS
You can unpin and move a support to get a specific position.
When a support is placed on walls of different distances, you can

individually select a support and set an individual Hand Clearance value.

PAMPHLETS
5- HAND CLEARANCE
The Hand Clearance value represents the distance between the railing
path (represented by a purple line) and the beginning of a rail. In the
example below you can see a few different values use on a Top Rail,
showcased in a plan view.

PAMPHLETS
PROJECTION VALUE IS AUTOMATICALLY CREATED
Just next to the Hand Clearance value in the properties, you will find the
Projection value. This represents the distance between the railing path line
and the end of the rail. This value is only for information purpose: it can’t
be modified. It is automatically generated by adding the Hand Clearance
to the rail’s width. In the example below, you can see the projection is
equal to the Hand Clearance (50mm) added to the width of the rail
(40mm).

PAMPHLETS
FLIP THE DIRECTION OF THE RAILING
By default, the hand clearance value is relative to the interior side of the
railing. That’s quite obvious when you are hosting the railings on a stair, but
less so when you are drawing a railing on the ground. If the hand clearance
puts your rail on the wrong side, click the flip arrows to switch sides.
HAND CLEARANCE GUIDELINES
The top rail is usually centered on the railing path line. Actually, Revit will
automatically set the Hand Clearance value to -(width/2) so the profile is
perfectly in the middle.
Hand clearance is usually more useful for Handrails, where code standards
often requires you to have a minimum value.

PAMPHLETS
6- TRANSITIONS
There are 3 transition types for Handrails and Top Rails in Revit. Simple,
Gooseneck and None. Look at the image below to understand what all
these transitions actually do:
In the strange railing below, the Top Rail has Gooseneck transitions and
the Handrail has Simple transitions.

PAMPHLETS
7- TERMINATIONS
Terminations are located at the end of a Top Rail or Handrail. In the
example below you can see the difference between a top rail using a
termination and one using no termination. People are less likely to stab
themselves in the stomach when a termination is used :)
The default Revit termination family is a simple plate of wood usually set
against a wall and used for handrails.

PAMPHLETS
CREATING A TERMINATION FAMILY

Create a new family and use the Railings - Termination family template.
Model the geometry of the termination on the right side of the reference
planes, where the red lines are drawn in the image below.
To recreate the ancestral termination used in the previous page, load the
profile in the family and model a sweep. Then, create a void extrusion to
cut the extremity of the sweep. Load the family in your project.

PAMPHLETS
ASSIGN TERMINATION TO RAIL

Terminations can be assigned to Top Rails and Handrails. In the example
below, we start by assigning terminations to the Top Rail. We assign a
termination to both the Beginning and the End of the rail. Then, we assign
terminations to the handrails. Why not?

PAMPHLETS
REMOVE TERMINATION LINE IN 3D VIEWS

As you can see, there is an annoying line that joins the rail with the
termination. You can get rid of it in a 3D view by using the Lineworks tool
(shortcut: LW). Select the <Invisible Lines> type and click a few times on
each visible line you want to remove. This only affects the visibility of the
lines on a single view.
TERMINATION IS PLACED AT END OF PATH

Are you using a custom end path for the railing? The termination will be
placed at the end of the custom path.

PAMPHLETS
8- EXTENSIONS
Now, let’s talk about extensions. You will find these options in the Top Rails
and Handrails properties. You can set an extension type and a value. You
set whether the the extension is at the beginning and/or end of the railing.
The Wall extension type only works with handrails.
As you can see below, an extension value goes beyond the purple path
lines of a railing. See next page to understand the extension options.

PAMPHLETS
EXTENSION STYLES

PAMPHLETS
USING “TREAD DEPTH”

When using railing on a stair, you can activate the Plus Tread Depth
parameter. This is only available at the bottom of the stairs. In addition to
the extension length, the width of a tread will also be added to the rail.

PAMPHLETS
9- CREATE CUSTOM EXTENSION PATH

In the last page, you were limited to 4 extension shapes. Turns out you can
customize the shape to whatever you want.
Tab-select the Top Rail, then click the Edit Rail button. Then
click Edit Path.
Changed your mind and want to go back to the original shape?

Click the Reset Rail button when the Top Rail is selected.
Editing railing path is limited to the extensions, you cannot modify the
main part of the rail. Use this feature for Top Rails or for Handrails.

PAMPHLETS
CUSTOM PATH LIMITATIONS

A custom path is limited to the current plane of the railing. You can’t draw
a sophisticated 3D path. In the image below, the path has to be drawn on
the blue plane.

PAMPHLETS
OTHER RAILING FEATURES AFFECTING

RAILS
We just went through 9 features affecting rails. Now, we’ll go through
general railings features that also have effects on rails. These are:
1- Railing Direction
2- Tangent and Angled Joins
3- Landing Height Adjustment
4- Railing Slope Override
Let’s go.

PAMPHLETS
RAILING DIRECTION
Have you ever wondered what the arrows in the railing path mean? They
indicate where the beginning and end of railings are located. They also
indicate the location of the left side and right side of the railing.
You can switch the railing the direction of the railing by clicking on one of
the arrow. The arrows are only visible if the railing is hosted on an element.

PAMPHLETS
In the example below you can see what happens to the railing when the
direction is switched. The handrail and termination location are modified to
match the beginning/end and right/left side of the arrows.

PAMPHLETS
TANGENT JOINS
In the railings type properties, you will find the Tangent Joins parameter.
The image below illustrates the 3 available types. The behavior of this
option can be quite unpredictable. Add Vertical/Horizontal Segment is
the option that makes the most sense on most cases. See a few examples
in the next page. As you can see, different options might end up providing
the same result.

PAMPHLETS
TANGENT JOINS EXAMPLES

PAMPHLETS
ANGLED JOINS
In the railings type properties, you will find the Angled Joins parameter.
This option manage how the joins will behave on at the intersection of
railings. An example would be at the bottom of the stairs, like in the image
below.

PAMPHLETS
LANDING HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT

In the type properties of a railing, you will find the Use Landing Height
Adjustment parameter. Check the box and enter a value. This way, you can
have a different value when the railing is located on a landing (or floor).
Most people aren’t aware of this feature and will create multiple railing
types with different height. Using this feature avoid the trouble.

PAMPHLETS
LANDING HEIGHT - INDIVIDUAL SEGMENTS

If you don’t want to apply landing height correction in the railing type, you
can apply the effect to a single railing path line. In the example below, we
set a height correction value of 300mm to one of the railing path line. This
value will override any value set in the type properties of the railing.

PAMPHLETS
RAILING PATH SLOPE OVERRIDE

Another hidden feature in the railing path options is the Slope parameter.
Here, we set the Sloped parameter override to an individual segment
line. Instead of having a vertical connector like in the previous page, the
selected segment will be sloped to connect the adjacent segments.

PAMPHLETS
HAVING FUN WITH SLOPE / HEIGHT CORR.

By using the Sloped parameter and the height correction parameter on
individual railing path lines, you can create really odd railings. The example
below is made from a single railing, just by creating multiple little segments
with overrides.

PAMPHLETS
THANKS FOR READING!

As always, send your thoughts to nick@revitpure.com. I read and answer
all emails. Let me know what theme you want explored for the next edition.
REVIT PURE PACKAGES
Did you like the simple, efficient style of this pamphlet? That means you
will love our learning packages! BASICS will help you learn all the essential
tools of Revit. Check it out at: revitpure.com/basics. DESIGN will teach
you how to create beautiful presentation documents using Revit. Check it
out at revitpure.com/design.
Both packages contain an eBook and video tutorials, but also bonus
content such as templates and Revit families. Use code learn to get 15%
off on any package.

REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
RAILINGS
PART 2
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #19 / WINTER 2021 / RAILINGS PART 2

WHY RAILINGS?
This is the second part of our epic series about railings! Make sure you
didn’t miss the first pamphlet, which was mostly about rails:
https://revitpure.com/s/RP-Pamphlet18-Railings-Part-1.pdf
This pamphlet assumes that you have some basic proficiency using railings.
If not, check out our Railings BASICS guide by clicking this link:
https://revitpure.com/s/Revit-Pure-BASICS-Railings.pdf
This pamphlet will mostly talk about Balusters and Posts. You will learn how
to properly adjust the balusters in your railing type, then you’ll learn how to
create a classical baluster family.
Thanks and good luck! Now, let’s get going.

PAMPHLETS
BALUSTERS VS POSTS
BALUSTERS
Vertical elements that are part of the railing. Set
their shape with Baluster Family. Adjust their
spacing in Baluster Placement.
POSTS
Posts are balusters that are at the Start, the End
or the Corner of a railing. They can be added in
Baluster Placement.
BALUSTER FAMILY
Balusters are made from a full 3D Revit family.
These families are made so the baluster can be cut
diagonally to match slopes in the railing.
POST FAMILY
While baluster families can be used to create posts,
usually they aren’t cut diagonally and might extend
beyond the top rail height.

PAMPHLETS
UNDERSTANDING BALUSTERS MENU
The balusters menu allows you to create a balusters pattern. In this

example, we have balusters with the Distance From Previous set to
100mm. In the second example, we add a second baluster by clicking on
the “Duplicate” button. We set the Distance From Previous to 125mm.

PAMPHLETS
As you can see here, we now have two types of balusters, each with a
different Distance From Previous.
VERTICALLY ALIGNED BALUSTERS
Time to understand the Base and Top constraint. Let’s add an intermediate
rail to have fun with our railings. Next page, you can see an image where
we have a railing with a Distance From Previous of 0. That allows us to
insert two different types of balusters that are vertically aligned.

PAMPHLETS
As you can see, setting a Distance From Previous of 0 to the second

baluster allows us to vertically align 2 different baluster types. In this case,
the Top of the first baluster and the Base of the second one both are the
Intermediate rail.

PAMPHLETS
USING BASE AND TOP OFFSETS
In the example below, we mess a bit with the Base/Top offset values of the
balusters. You can see what happens.

PAMPHLETS
SETTING JUSTIFICATION
There are four different justification settings available for balusters.
When using Spread Pattern To Fit, the Distance From Previous value will
represent the minimum spacing. Revit will then adjust the dimension to fit
the length of the railing. Spread Pattern To Fit is usually the best option.

PAMPHLETS
“USE BALUSTERS PER TREAD ON STAIRS”
When the “Use Balusters Per Tread On Stairs” box is checked, the balusters
“Main Pattern” menu will be completely ignored.
Many users are confused about this feature, so again: the top menu
becomes completely irrelevant when the box is checked.

PAMPHLETS
Once the “Use Baluster Per Tread On Stairs” box is checked, you only
have to set 2 parameters: Balusters Per Tread and Baluster Family.
You only need to specify a baluster type and how many balusters to be
placed on each tread. The bottom of the balusters will match the host
element (either the treads or support). The top of the balusters will be the
top rail. In the example below, you can see what happens when you switch
the number of balusters per tread.

PAMPHLETS
“USE BALUSTERS PER TREAD ON STAIRS”

BEYOND STAIRS
When creating a railing that is partly on a stairs but that extend beyond the
stairs to a landing or a floor, the same balusters will be used, with the same
spacing used on the stairs.
Basically, the “Main Pattern” of balusters will be ignored for the entire
railing, even on segments beyond the stairs.
In the example below, you can see that the balusters distance from one
another will be automatically adjusted to match the Actual Tread Depth.

PAMPHLETS
KNOWN ISSUES: BALUSTERS GLITCH
If you have balusters that go beyond the stairs, you might have a glitch like
in the image below. Sadly, there isn’t any easy way to solve the issue for
the moment.

PAMPHLETS
OFFSET VALUE ON BALUSTERS
The offset value is used to control the distance from the balusters to the
center of the railing path. A positive value will move the balusters to the
left side, while a negative value will move them to the right side. You can
understand the direction of the railing and which way are the right/left
sides by looking at the direction arrows.

PAMPHLETS
OFFSET VALUE BALUSTERS (STAIRS)
In the previous page, we mentioned that a positive offset value moves the
elements to the left side. The process is a little different when railings are
hosted on stairs. A positive offset value goes to the exterior side of the
stairs while a negative offset value goes to the interior side of the stairs.
Watched out though: If the “Use Baluster Per Tread On Stairs” box is
activated, the offset value will be ignored.

PAMPHLETS
USING POSTS
Revit allows you to create Beginning, Corner and End posts. The image
below explains how to use posts. Look at the arrows to understand the
placement of the beginning post.

PAMPHLETS
SPACE VALUE ON POSTS
When creating posts, you have access to an additional parameter called

Space. When the value is set to 0, the post will be centered on the
extremity of the purple boundary line. A positive value will move the post
towards the start of the railing (represented by the beginning blue arrow).
Usually, the Space value is equal to half the width of the post. A negative
value is used at the start post and a positive value at the end post.

PAMPHLETS
BREAK PATTERN AT + CORNER POSTS
Just below the balusters Main Pattern menu, you have a dropdown menu
called Break Pattern At. The default is usually Each Segment End, which
means each purple boundary segment will restart the balusters pattern.
You can switch the option to Never if you want the pattern to never be
interrupted, even at corners and intersections.
Just below the Posts option, you can also select in which case you want
to use the Corner Post feature. If the pattern is set to break at Each
Segment End, you can also set a corner post at each segment end.

PAMPHLETS
When the pattern is set to break at Each Segment End, you can split the
purple boundary line of the railing to add Corner Posts at the positions of
your choice.
The Angles Greater Than option allows you to create a minimum angle
required between segments for the pattern to break and for a corner post
to be added.

PAMPHLETS
CREATE A CLASSICAL BALUSTER FAMILY

Time to learn how to create a classical baluster family.
You can see the profile just on the left here.
Create a new family using the Baluster template.
In our profile, the middle part will be fixed, will the top
and bottom square shaped parts will adapt depending
on the baluster height and angle.

PAMPHLETS
Go to the Left elevation view and add 2 new reference planes. In the
example below, the new reference planes are in pink. We add dimension
and set the planes to 100mm.
Then, you need to lock the middle area, which is the fixed part of the
baluster. Add a dimension and click on the lock icon.

PAMPHLETS
Then, import the image reference for your baluster (if necessary).
Scale the image so the middle section fits between the reference planes.
Place the image so the center of the baluster is aligned to the center
reference plane, like in the image below.

PAMPHLETS
Now, use the Revolve tool. It is located in the Create tab. Revit will ask
you to pick a Work Plane. Select the Center (Left/Right) reference plane.
Make sure you are already in the Left elevation view in the family.

PAMPHLETS
Now, draw half the profile of the baluster with the purple Boundary Lines
using the image as a reference. Then, pick the Axis Line tool and match
it to the center reference plane. This will be the center of rotation for the
shape.

PAMPHLETS
We will now create the rectangle shaped part of the baluster above and
below the curved part.
Go to the Left elevation view and create an extrusion. Again, you can pick
the Left/Right reference plane as a workplane when prompted to.
Use the Pick Lines tool and select the 4 reference planes like in the
image below. Make sure to Lock the boundary lines. Then, Trim the
lines.

PAMPHLETS
Go to a Plan View. Create new reference planes to have a square shape

around your baluster. Then, Move the boundaries of your rectangle
extrusion and Lock to the new reference planes.
Repeat the same process for the rectangle shape at the bottom of the
baluster.

PAMPHLETS
The geometry of your baluster should now be complete! You can go to a

3D view to make sure everything is properly working.

PAMPHLETS
Try a few dimensions for the baluster height to make sure the family is
properly working. For the moment, the excess height is distributed to the
bottom rectangle. Next page you’ll learn a trick to distribute the height to
both the top and bottom.

PAMPHLETS
To equally distribute the excess height to both the top and bottom
rectangle shapes, create a new reference plane at the center of the
baluster. Then, add 2 EQ dimensions like in the image below. Test the
baluster height to make sure it properly works.

PAMPHLETS
A final thing before saving and loading the family. Select the 3 geometric
shapes. Click on the small rectangle next to the material parameter.
Create a new parameter called “Baluster Material”.
The family is complete! Load it to your new project.

PAMPHLETS
Add the baluster family to a railing type. Try it on stairs to make sure it
properly works. As you can see, it does adapt to height differences.

PAMPHLETS
THANKS FOR READING!

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PHASES
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PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #3 / WINTER 2017 / PHASES

WHAT ARE PHASES ?

Phases are used in Renovation projects, or complex multi-phase projects.
Instead of manually drafting dashed lines to represent demolished walls,

using phases automates the process and produce the correct graphic
representation much more easily.
All of this sounds confusing? Don’t worry, after reading this pamphlet you
should become a complete Phases master.

PAMPHLETS
CREATE PHASES
To access all Phases options, go to Phases menu in the Manage tab

The first thing you need to do is set the phases you require.
RENOVATION PROJECT: In most Revit templates, the basic phases are

Existing and New. For most project, this is all you will need. A common
mistake is to create a Demolition phase. There is no need for that:
demolished elements can be set for demolition in the New phase.
MULTIPLE PHASES PROJECT: If you have a big project with multiple

construction phases, create as many phases as required. You can simply
call them Phase1, Phase2, or use more descriptive terms.

PAMPHLETS
SET ELEMENTS TO EXISTING OR NEW
Each view is set to a specific phase. When creating a new element, it will
be associated to the same phase as the view.
Below, we create a bunch of walls and doors. They are all set to New
phase by default. Let’s say we decide the interior wall and door are existing
element, you have to select them and set them to existing phase. As you
see, they become gray when their phase is changed.

PAMPHLETS
HOW TO DEMOLISH
To demolish stuff in Revit, you need to use the Holy Hammer of
Destruction, located in the Modify tab. Click on the element you
want to demolish and it will be set to “demolished” in the current
phase.
You can also simply select an element
and set the “New” phase in Phase
Demolished properties.
As you can see in the example below, we demolish a window. Revit will
automatically refill the void left by the window with a wall of the same type.
Use “Show Previous + Demo” phase filter: the window is red and dashed

PAMPHLETS
WHAT IS A PHASE FILTER?
Phase filter is how you decide to view elements relative to phases. Revit
comes with a bunch of default phase filters that should cover most
situations. You have 3 options for each element category: By Category,
Overridden or Not Displayed.
WHAT ARE GRAPHIC OVERRIDES?

When you select Overridden category, elements will display with the
overrides selected in this menu. For example, in a demolition plan we set
a graphic overrides to demolished elements so they appear with dashed
lines and no cut pattern.

PAMPHLETS
UNDERSTANDING PHASE FILTER

PAMPHLETS
UNDERSTANDING GRAPHIC OVERRIDES
Overrides can be customized to fit your need. Below, we modify cut

patterns and lines for existing and demolished elements.
Overrides can also be used for Materials. Below we modify the material
override for demolished elements.

PAMPHLETS
WHICH PHASE FILTER SHOULD YOU USE?
EXISTING PLAN
DEMOLITION PLAN
NEW FLOOR PLAN

PAMPHLETS
CREATE TEMPORARY ELEMENTS

Revit Phases can be used to create temporary elements. That means stuff
that is used during the site construction, like fences. To do that, you need
to create an element that is created in the same phase it is demolished.
In the example below, we create a fence type wall that will be used during
the construction.
As you can see in the plan view,

this fence temporary element will
now display in dashed blue lines.
However, you need to use a custom
Phase Filter to have such a view: we
explain how next page.

PAMPHLETS
CREATE CUSTOM PHASE FILTER

To display the temporary fence we created last page, we need to create a
new phase filter. Go to Phases in the Manage tab. Go to Phase Filters tab
and click New. Call it “Show Complete + Temp”.
What do we want to see in this phase filter? We want existing and new
elements to be visible without any overrides, so we pick “By Category”.
We also want Temporary element to be displayed in dashed blue lines,
therefore we use the “Overriden” visual style.
We don’t want to see demolished elements, so we select “Not Displayed”.
As you see in the Graphic

Overrides, the Temporary type is set
to Dashed Blue Lines.

PAMPHLETS
5 TIPS TO BECOME THE ULTIMATE PHASES

MASTER
1- SORT PROJECT BROWSER BY PHASES
When working on renovation projects, you should sort views in the Project
Browser by Phases. To do that, right-click on project browser and select
Browser Organization. Then, group views by Phase in the Grouping tab.
The problem with this technique is that

demolition views won’t be sorted together. To
solve this you can instead sort by Phase Filter
and rename the filters to names like Existing,
Demolition and Complete.

PAMPHLETS
2- ROOMS ARE ONLY VISIBLE IN A SINGLE PHASE
Rooms are behaving quite strangely with phases. Rooms are only visible in
the phase they were created in. That means a room created in the phase
“existing” won’t be visible in the new phase views. Also, you can’t change
the room phase once it is created. Rooms can’t be demolished.
What if you want to see existing rooms in a new plan? You have three
options:
Option #1: Create a dumb text tag. This is a quick fix and can work for
small project, but not recommended on large, serious projects.
Option #2: Create a view containing only view tags from existing room,
and put it over new floor plan view on a sheet. Not very clean, but it works.
Option #3: Copy rooms from the existing plan and use Paste Aligned to
View in the new plan. Problem is you double the number of rooms in the
project. Demolished walls can also mess with rooms boundaries.

PAMPHLETS
3- GROUPS DON’T KEEP PHASES
What if you have a group containing existing elements that will be

demolished? If you copy the group, the phases information won’t be
retained. Groups themselves don’t have phases, only elements inside do.
In the example below we create a group containing a wall and a door.

We set them to Existing phase, to be demolished in New phase. So far,
everything is working fine.
Now, we want to copy this group. The phases information completely

reset for elements inside the group when it is copied. New wall and door in
this group are not demolished. As you can see, in the new floor plan, the
second group is visible even though it is same as the other group.

PAMPHLETS
4- CREATE SEPARATE WALLS TO DEMOLISH FINISH
A frequent renovation case is to demolish the finish of an exterior wall

but keep the rest of the wall elements. In this case you should model two
separate walls: one containing the exterior finish, the other containing the
rest of the wall. Then, set the exterior finish to be demolished.
In the new plan, we add the new exterior finish, that display as white over
the existing grey wall.

PAMPHLETS
5- MAP PHASES WITH LINKED REVIT FILES
Using linked Revit files that are also using phases? You need to make sure
phases are Mapped correctly to the linked file.
Select the Revit Link and click Edit Type. Then, click on Phase Mapping.
Then, make sure the phases have the same name and that they fit one
another. Avoid having differences in the number of phases from one Revit
File to another.

We really hope you enjoyed this pamphlet. Please email us at nick@
revitpure.com and let us know what you thought, as well as which Revit
theme you would like covered for the next Pamphlet.

REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
PHASES
PART 2
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PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #20 / SPRING 2021 / PHASES PART 2

WHY PHASES?
Pamphlet #3 about Phases was released all the way back in 2016. While
some things have changed, most of it is the same. This new pamphlet will
jump into advanced topics, so make sure you are mastering the phases
basics:
https://revitpure.com/s/RP-Pamphlet3-Phases.pdf
There’s a lot to talk about with phases! This pamphlet will be based on a
recent episode of Revit Pure Live that you can watch here:
Here’s what we’ll discuss: using double patterns features introduced in

Revit 2019, creating demolished floors and ceilings finishes patterns and
how Revit 2022 completely changed the game when it comes to phases.
Enjoy.

PAMPHLETS
USING DOUBLE PATTERN WITH PHASES

The Revit 2019 update was a huge deal when it comes to phases. It
introduced the Double Pattern feature. In the example below, you can see
how we combine the material patterns with the phases pattern to create
an existing brick wall.

PAMPHLETS
This feature means you can easily create phases graphics overrides to
represent existing elements without losing materials’ patterns. That wasn’t
possible before Revit 2019.

PAMPHLETS
DOUBLE PATTERN STRATEGY

Always use the foreground pattern for lines representing a material and
background pattern for solid fills. If you set the solid fill in the foreground,
you will override the material pattern information and lose graphical
components.
Again, the background pattern in the material properties should always be

set to none, just like this:
This way, you’ll be able to mix material’s foreground with overrides

background without being scared of losing information.

PAMPHLETS
WATCH OUT WITH MATERIAL OVERRIDES

In the graphics override menu, you can choose to pick a material override.
While it can be helpful, it comes with some issues. For example, if you
have a wall with multiple layers of materials, the layers will all be gone and
replaced with a single layer. Here is an example:
In the example below, the phasing overrides don’t have a material set. On
the right, the phasing have a material overrides. It replaces every layers of
the wall.

PAMPHLETS
UNDERSTANDING PATTERN PRIORITY
There are multiple subtleties in the way you can set pattern overrides with
phases. It can be done with the phase pattern overrides, but also with the
phase material override. Here is the priority list:
1- Phase Pattern Overrides

2- Phase Material Override
3- Element Material
A subtle feature of the Phase Material Override is that the background

pattern is never used. Only the foreground pattern can have an effect.

PAMPHLETS
Then, here is the phase material override. The background pattern isn’t
used at all by Revit.
Here is the resulting wall. It uses background pattern from the graphics
override and foreground pattern from the material override.

PAMPHLETS
SHADING PROPERTY IN MATERIAL

OVERRIDE
When you are using shaded or consistent colors view styles, the color
set in the shading of the phase material override will be used. Like in this
image:

PAMPHLETS
MANAGING INFILL ELEMENTS
If you demolish a door or window, Revit will automatically fill up the hole
in the wall with an “infill” element. If you want to patch up the wall, that’s
perfect. But sometimes, you want to replace it with another door or
window! That’s when you might have problems.
You can see the automatic infill element on the “complete” view on the
right:

PAMPHLETS
As you can see, these automatic infill elements don’t have a phase. You
can change the wall type, but you can’t move it or modify the extents. A
strange feature indeed!

PAMPHLETS
YOU CAN’T DELETE INFILL ELEMENTS

If you try to delete the infilling element, you will get this warning. If you
proceed, the demolished door will be deleted! Be careful.

PAMPHLETS
ALTERNATIVE: CREATE DEMOLISHED

HOSTED WALLS
Sadly, there is no easy way to delete this automatic infill if you don’t like
it. But there is a helpful workaround: create a separate wall just where the
door is located and set it to demolished.

PAMPHLETS
MANAGING FLOORS & CEILINGS PHASES

When using phases overrides, the graphics of some elements might be
affected even if you don’t want them to. For example, maybe you don’t
want the surface pattern of the existing floor to appear in grey, like below:

PAMPHLETS
USING VIEW FILTERS

A quick fix is to create a view filter that includes all elements you don’t
want to be affected. For example, you could include all floors and all stairs.
Then, you deactivate the visibility of the background pattern.
The view filters graphics overrides have priority over phases graphic
overrides.
In the example below, all floors and stairs won’t show any background
pattern in the specific view. This way, the floor won’t show up with a gray
surface pattern like in the previous page.

PAMPHLETS
DEMOLISHED FLOOR & CEILINGS

Another issue you will face when demolishing ceilings or floor finishes
is that the pattern isn’t modified with dashed lines. For example, the
demolished ceiling in the image below appears like a regular new ceiling,
not like a demolished one. To show dashed lines, you’ll have to create a new
pattern specifically for demolition.

PAMPHLETS
CREATING A PATTERN
Creating a pattern used to be a tedious hassle, but the free PyRevit plugin
allows you to create one quickly.
Use the complete tutorial on this URL:
https://revitpure.com/blog/how-to-quickly-create-a-pattern-in-revit-
using-pyrevit
Here, we recreate the 2x4 ceiling pattern but with dashed lines. Important
note: you’ll have to create a different ceiling material and type for this
pattern to properly show up.
You can use the same process for floor finishes.

PAMPHLETS
GROUPS AND PHASES

In the image below, a group with demolished element is copy/pasted. The
demolition information isn’t copied; the walls appear in the “new” plan.
To keep things simple, everything in your group should be on the same

phase.

PAMPHLETS
PHASE MAPPING WITH REVIT LINK

For phases to properly work between linked models, you have to map
them together. In the example below, we go to the type properties of the
Revit link. In the phase mapping menu, we make sure the phases match.
If you don’t map the phases, you might have issues with the visibility of
elements from the linked model.

PAMPHLETS
ROOMS & PHASES

Rooms created in the existing phase will only be visible in “existing” views,
regardless of the phase filter. Once a room is placed, the phase can’t be
changed.
When creating a demolition plan, you can’t show room tags from existing
rooms. You’ll have a to use a workaround.

PAMPHLETS
PROJECT BROWSER & PHASES

It’s a good idea to create view types specific to phases in renovation
projects, like in the image below.

PAMPHLETS
THANKS FOR READING!

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PAMPHLETS
LANDSCAPE
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PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #21 / SUMMER 2021/ LANDSCAPE
WHAT IS THIS “PAMPHLET”?

Revit Pure Pamphlets are published 4 times a year by email. Each
edition covers a particular Revit theme. We like to pick themes
that are complex and confusing. Our job is to make these topics
simple for you.
WHY LANDSCAPE
Let’s be clear about it: Revit’s landscape and site tools are
terrible.
Landscape architects and users modelling complex sites often

get frustrated by what is offered by Autodesk.
The good news is that the community took things into their own
hands, found great workflows, and build amazing plugins to
solve issues and pain points with the landscaping features.
The first part of the pamphlet will teach you some out-of-the-box
workflow tips to help you model a site.
The second part of the pamphlet will be dedicated to a great

plugin called Environment.
This pamphlet is the first part of a series of two pamphlets about

landscape and site features. Enjoy!

PAMPHLETS
13 TIPS TO MASTER LANDSCAPE IN REVIT

1- ON SIMPLE SITES, USE FLOORS INSTEAD OF
TOPOSURFACE
Most Revit users use the Toposurface tool to create the site. It’s
the most common workflow, and it’s how you are usually taught
to model.
Toposurface can be pretty problematic, however. Creating

subregions and building pads is a painful process for many users.
Therefore, you should use floors to represent site elements on
simple sites. Create a floor type for each hardscape component
(roads, sidewalk, grass, soil, etc.).
You can see different floors in the image below.

PAMPHLETS
One fantastic thing about using floors instead of toposurface/

subregions is that you can use snaps and the Align tool, making it
much easier to model curbs and place other site elements.
Check out this site, entirely created using floors.

PAMPHLETS
2- SET SITE FLOORS FUNCTION TO “EXTERIOR”
To filter, schedule and control visibility of site floors, make sure

the function inside the type properties is set to Exterior.
In a floor schedule, you can exclude site floors by using this filter:
Finally, you should also uncheck Room Bounding for the exterior
floors.

PAMPHLETS
3- CREATE SIMPLE SLOPES WITH FLOORS
It is possible to create slopes using floors. The first technique

is to use arrows, where you set a slope angle to an arrow. The
second option is to manually adjust the height of the points like
is often done with flat roofs.
This way, you can create hardscape like a slightly sloped

driveway.

PAMPHLETS
4- USE TOPOSURFACE FOR COMPLICATED SLOPED

SITES
There are limits to what floors can do. For sites like the image
below, use the Toposurface tool.
When modelling toposurface, you should probably create

a linked Revit model. When creating topography points, the
absolute elevation refers to the height distance to the Internal
Origin of the Revit model. That means you should use the
Internal Origin height as sea level = 0 if you are modelling from
surveyor information.

PAMPHLETS
5- ADJUSTING TOPOGRAPHY INCREMENTS AND

VISUAL SETTINGS
There is a hidden menu most people have no idea about. Go to

the Massing & Site tab and click on the arrow, like in the image
below. The menu below will pop.

PAMPHLETS
In the image below, you can see we have primary contours set
at intervals of 2000mm. Then, we’ve set additional secondary
contours at increments of 1000mm. The secondary contours are
displayed with a thin line style, while the primary ones are thick.
You might notice that the secondary contours are set to start only
at 0. If you are using negative values, you’ll have to set a negative
value here as well. If the sea level = 0, you shouldn’t have that
problem.
PAMPHLETS
6- SETTING SINGLE SECONDARY CONTOUR AT

SPECIFIC HEIGHT
In the example below, we’ve set the Range Type to Single Value
and set the Start of the contour at 57 000. This will produce
a single secondary contour line at this height. We’ve set the
secondary contour to red using the Object Styles menu.

PAMPHLETS
7- CREATING TOPO FROM LINKED CAD FILE
Link a CAD file with topography lines. When creating a

toposurface, use the “Create from Import” tool. Select the CAD
file, then pick which layer you want to use.

PAMPHLETS
You can see the result below. Make sure that in the CAD file,
each topo line has a height z-value. Else, you’ll have to manually
assign the height to each automatically generated point.

PAMPHLETS
8- CREATING A SUBREGION
If you want to have multiple materials on the same toposurface,

you can use the Subregion tool. Use purple boundaries to draw
roads or other hardscape surfaces.
Most landscape architects think you shouldn’t use subregions

at all. They hard to control and they can cause inaccuracies. You
will probably get this annoying message when you try to modify
them:
Also, you can’t set a height offset to a subregion. That’s why it’s
more convenient to use floors, although on steep sites they can
be hard to create.

PAMPHLETS
9- USE THE “GRADED REGION” TOOL TO MODIFY

THE TOPOSURFACE IN PHASES
The Graded Region will set the main toposurface to be

demolished in the current phase and create a new toposurface.
Click on Graded Region in the Massing & Site tab. Next, select
your toposurface and modify the height of topo points to reflect
the change during the construction.
As you can see in the view below, we can see both the existing
and new toposurface together. The existing one appears in red
because it is demolished.

PAMPHLETS
10- USING THE BUILDING PAD
This tool is used to create a hole in the toposurface for the

building. The creation process for a building pad is similar to a
floor. Set the purple boundary lines to the exterior foundation
limits. Use the lock button to make sure the building pads
move with the foundations. Set the level and offset you want the
pad to reach in the properties.
Most people hate this tool because it is hard to control properly. If

you can resort to floors instead of toposurface, do it.

PAMPHLETS
11- USE RAILINGS FOR SITE ELEMENTS
Railings are amazing and can be used to multiple site elements.

The reason they are so helpful is that they can be hosted on
toposurface (and floors).
In the image below, you can see we’ve created a fence type
railing. Select the railing, use “Pick New Host” and click on the
toposurface. The railing should be hosted like in the image.

PAMPHLETS
12- USE RAILINGS FOR CURBS
Railings can be used for anything, including curbs. Create a new

rail profile family that is shaped like a curb:
Create a railing type that doesn’t contain any balusters, Top Rail
or handrails, but only a rail with the curb profile:

PAMPHLETS
You can host these curbs railings to toposurface or floors:
If you want clean joins between curbs intersection, make sure to

activate the Weld option for the Rail Connections parameter in
the railing type properties.
If you are using this tool on sloped curved shapes, make sure to
assign the same height offset to each purple boundary segment.

PAMPHLETS
13- CREATING SLOPED CURVED WALLS
Creating a sloped straight wall is simple. You can use the Edit
Profile tool.
However, it is impossible to modify the profile of a curved wall.
There are a few workarounds: the first is to create a sloped

reference plane and to Attach the top of the curved wall to it.
The other possibility is to use the Model In-Place tool to model a

Void Swept Blend. In the modify tab, use the Cut tool on the
sloped wall. Group the wall & void together.

PAMPHLETS
8 AMAZING TOOLS IN THE ENVIRONMENT

PLUGIN
An Israeli firm called Arch-Intelligence created a plugin called

Environment, which aims to supplement the lacking default
landscape tools you can find in Revit.
Click here to download the plugin for a free trial. The cost for an
individual license is $350 per year.
1- SHAPE BY TOPOGRAPHY
This tool allows you to shape a flat floor based on the shape of a
toposurface. Select the tool, select the toposurface, then select
the floor.

PAMPHLETS
You’ll see the menu below appear. You can set the relative
elevation to the toposurface, which you should adjust. Click OK
and let the plugin calculate.
Check out the result below.

PAMPHLETS
Maybe you don’t like all the triangulations lines, you can turn
them off in the Visibility/Graphics menu.
This way, it looks better:
2- FLOOR CONTOURS
If you create a floor like in the previous tip, you won’t have any
contour lines. Good news: The environment plugin contains a
tool called Floor Contours.

PAMPHLETS
Select the floor and click on the tool. You’ll be asked to set the
increment and the type of model lines to be used.
Check out the result:
Using the dropdown menu from the same tool makes it possible
to update the contour lines or delete them.
PAMPHLETS
3- SET ELEVATION TO MODEL LINES
Previously, you’ve learned how to create a topography from an

imported CAD file. With the Environment plugin, it is possible to
do so within Revit. First, draw a bunch of model lines. Splines are
best for this, but you can use any shape.
Next to the Set Elevation tool, you can set an increment, a

reference level and a start elevation. When adjusting the values,
make sure to press enter. Else, it won’t work. Next, click on the
small arrow at the bottom right corner to adjust line override and
topo tag.

PAMPHLETS
Click on the Set Elevation button, and click on the line one by
one, starting with the lowest line. The line acquires the color
override you’ve set, and a text displaying the line height might
appear, depending on the options you’ve selected. This can be
done in any view, although it’s easier inside a 3D view.
4- CREATE SURFACE
Once your model lines are created, and their height has been set,
you can use the Create Surface tool.

PAMPHLETS
When using this tool, select the model lines you want to use. The
plugin automatically generates a toposurface out of it. No need
to use CAD files anymore.
5- OBJECT OUTLINES
A common issue when using sloped floors is that the model

patterns are entirely messed up. Point in case:

PAMPHLETS
First, go to the Visibility/Graphics of the floor plan view you want

to use. Hide the pattern.
Then, select the floor and click on Create Outlines. A filled region
matching the material is automatically created on that view.

PAMPHLETS
We usually advise against using 2D components like lines and

regions because they aren’t linked to the model. In this case, the
team behind the Environment plugin went out of their way to
create smart 2D components. First, the name of the region is the
same as the name of the floor.
If you modify the shape of the floor, you will receive this pop up:
If you click yes, the filled region will update to match the new
floor shape.
Finally, if you modify the floor material pattern, the change will
also be reflected in the filled region.

PAMPHLETS
6- COMPLETE FLOOR
Let’s say you have a big sidewalk with holes for soil and planting,
like in the image below. Select the floor and click on the
Complete Floor tool.
Select which holes you want to fill. They will become highlighted
in blue. Click on Finish in the options bar.

PAMPHLETS
Pick a floor type and adjust offsets and related elevation. Click
on OK. As you can see, the holes are filled up. The best way to
create holes is to use Openings, although the tool also works
with holes created with the floor boundaries.

PAMPHLETS
7- SURFACE FROM EDGE
Go to the Create Surface drop-down menu and select Surface

From Edge. Click on the edge of elements you want to create a
toposurface from, like in the image below.
You can set an Height Offset. When you are done, click on Apply.

PAMPHLETS
In the image below, you can see the result of the tool.
8- ARRANGE WALLS
This tool will create multiple small wall segments out of a long
wall on a sloped floors, toposurface, roofs or stairs. Select the
wall and click on the Arrange Walls button.

PAMPHLETS
Select the wall and click on the Arrange Walls button. Set the
height options and click OK.
You can see the resulting bunch of walls.
Use the Wall Layout inside the same plugin tool to create a flat
2D elevation layout of these curved walls.

PAMPHLETS
COMING IN THE FALL 2021: LANDSCAPE PART 2
The is the first of our pamphlet series about landscape. Part 2 will
be released in the fall. It will discuss parkings and planting. Stay
tuned!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to Lauren Schmidt for coming on the Revit Pure Live

show and spreading her knowledge about landscape in Revit.
Lauren has a great blog over at LandArchBIM. In addition, she
is working on a new plugin for landscape called LandForm with
Parallax.
Thanks to Jeffrey A. Pinheiro (the Revit Kid) for his great videos
about creating sites in Revit, especially this live session.
Thanks to Ilya Volokin for approaching me to demonstrate the

Environment plugin. It is indeed a fantastic tool.

PAMPHLETS
THANKS FOR READING!

As always, send your thoughts to nick@revitpure.com. I read and
answer all emails. Let me know what theme you want explored
for the next edition.
REVIT PURE PACKAGES
Did you like the simple, efficient style of this pamphlet? That
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Both packages contain an eBook and video tutorials, but also

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learn to get 15% off on any package.

REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
DYNAMO
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #22 / FALL 2021 / DYNAMO

simple for you.
WHY DYNAMO?
If you haven’t started to use Dynamo in your Revit practice, I can
confirm you are wasting hours of your precious time.
Is there a boring, repetitive and tedious task you find yourself

doing over and over again? Dynamo can almost certainly
automate it for you.
This is the perfect starting point if you don’t have any experience
with Dynamo. This is a kindle to light the automation fire in your
mind. Once you get going with Dynamo, you’ll ask yourself why
you didn’t start sooner.
Thanks and good luck :)

PAMPHLETS
MANAGE LEARNING PACKAGE
This pamphlet is an excerpt from our recent MANAGE learning

package for Revit. Do you want to get the complete Dynamo
chapter, plus 16 other chapters to master Revit? Click on this link
to get the entire course. Pamphlet readers get 15% off.
LEARN MORE
PAMPHLETS
WHAT IS DYNAMO?
Dynamo is a visual programming platform for Revit. Typically,
programming is done with text. Visual programming replaces
code with nodes and wires instead. In the end, you can achieve
the same result by building a custom add-in than a Dynamo
script. In the image below, the Visual and Textual programs both
accomplish the same thing.
In this chapter, we will focus on modifying parameters and

information. Dynamo can be used to generate geometry, but
these features are usually more complex. We’ll focus on the
simple stuff first.

PAMPHLETS
DYNAMO TERMINOLOGY
Open Dynamo. You will find the tool on the ribbon, in the Manage
tab.
Here is the basic terminology of Dynamo. Nodes are the little

boxes you keep seeing all around. We’ll use that word a lot.

PAMPHLETS
CONNECTING NODES
The core idea of Dynamo is to connect nodes using wires. That’s
what we do in the image below.
RENAMING NODES
Double-click on a node to rename it. Renamed nodes will have a
yellow “Renamed” tag alongside the name.

PAMPHLETS
NODES LIBRARY
On the left of the interface, you’ll see the node library. They are
divided into multiple categories. The nodes that interact with
Revit are part of the Revit category. The search bar is essential to
find your way around the huge number of nodes.

PAMPHLETS
CUSTOM COMMUNITY PACKAGES

A strength of Dynamo is the active community which keeps
providing additional nodes for free. Go to the Package menu and
select Search for a package. Some packages are essential for a
great Dynamo experience. More on that later.

PAMPHLETS
INPUT NODES
Input nodes are essential to get your script started. They are
used to define specific numbers, text, file path, yes/no and much
more. Here are some input nodes you’ll encounter:

PAMPHLETS
CREATING A NOTE
Some scripts can become insane spaghetti festival. Adding notes
to the script helps other user understand what’s going on. Go to
Edit and click on Create Note.
Then, type in whatever you want and click Accept.

PAMPHLETS
CREATING A GROUP
Notes are okay, but groups are better. Select multiple nodes and
notes. Then, right-click and select Create Group.
Check out this awesome group:

PAMPHLETS
You can show a group color by right-clicking it. Multiple colors

will be available. When creating big scripts, use a strong color
code to keep things easy to manage.

PAMPHLETS
MANUAL MODE VS AUTOMATIC MODE
The Automatic/Manual option is located at the bottom right of the

interface.
Automatic mode will run and rerun the script each time you
modify it. This is the default mode in Dynamo, but probably not
convenient for you. Automatic mode often execute scripts before
users are ready to do so. You can potentially cause problems to
your model if you aren’t careful.
Instead of Automatic, switch to Manual instead. When you want

to activate the script, click on Run. Regardless of which mode
you are using, create a test model before using your script on an
important Revit model.
DYNAMO PLAYER
Some users are terrified of opening Dynamo. That’s ok, they can
use the Dynamo Player to run the script and they’ll never face the
spaghetti.

PAMPHLETS
CREATING A SEQUENCE
That’s enough with the interface, let’s create something.
Add a sequence node. Use the right-click menu and type in

Sequence.
Hover your cursor over one of the input ports. You will see a pop-
up that explains what that input does and what input type the
node expects—hovering your cursor above the entire node will
explain how to use the node.

PAMPHLETS
ADDING INPUT NODES
Let’s explore a few ways to create input. The universal Dynamo

node is called Code Block and can be used for multiple things.
You can indeed type in code, but also simply type in values. To
create a code block, double-click anywhere on the screen.
In the example below, we type numbers. Press Enter to create

multiple lines on the same Code Block. Plug the wires.
Code Block has some limitations. One of them is that the values
entered here can’t be customized in the Dynamo Player.
NUMBER VS INTEGER
The Code Block alternative is to use a Number or Integer node. If
you remember your math class, an integer is a number that is not
a fraction.

PAMPHLETS
USING A SLIDER
When creating number or integer input, you can use sliders.
Click on the arrow symbol to adjust min, max and step.
Let’s plug that slider into the sequence!

PAMPHLETS
EXECUTING THE SEQUENCE

Execute the script. The sequence is generated. Hover your cursor
on the node and you’ll see a List pop-up. Go to the list and click
the Pin icon so you can see all items on the list permanently.

PAMPHLETS
USING A “STRING”
Time for some programming jargon: string means text.
Create a string node.
Type in a letter. As you can see below, the script now creates an
alphabetical list instead of a number sequence.
This specific type of entry only accepts a single letter, but other
nodes will allow you to use as many words and letters as you
want.

PAMPHLETS
12 STEPS TO CREATE YOUR FIRST DYNAMO

SCRIPT
Ok, we’ve created a sequence, but that doesn’t amount to much.
It’s time to get serious and create a script that will allow you to
modify the parameters of specific elements.
1- UNDERSTAND DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

CATEGORY, FAMILY, TYPE AND INSTANCES
You are ready to interact with a Revit model. First, take a look
at this chart and make sure you understand it. Else, you’ll get
confused with nodes.

PAMPHLETS
2- DEFINE ALL ELEMENTS OF A CATEGORY
Let’s say you want to pick all doors in your project. You’ll need to
bring two nodes: Categories and All Elements of Category. Use
the search bar to find the nodes.
In the Categories node, use the dropdown menu to pick a

category. In this example, we use Doors.
A quick note here: if you try to type Doors in a String or Code

Block node, you will get a warning. Revit expects the Category
input type. A string isn’t a category. That’s why you need to use
the Categories node.

PAMPHLETS
3- ADD “Element.SetParameterByName” NODE
Search for the Element.SetParameterByName node. Set the

doors to the element input port. Use a string value for the
parameterName and a number for the value.
For the sake of this exercise, we use the Sill Height parameter to
modify doors.
When your script is ready, click on Run if you are in Manual

mode. If you are using Automatic mode, the script will be
executed automatically. Check out your doors. The Sill Height
should be adjusted to 150mm:

PAMPHLETS
4- SWITCH TO THE “SELECT MODEL ELEMENTS”

NODE
Let’s just pause for a moment and celebrate the fact that you’ve
created your first useful Dynamo script. Isn’t that amazing? You
can easily flip a few nodes to potentially affect all parameters of
all categories in your projects.
We’ve used All Elements of Category in this case, but what if you
want a specific elements selection instead?
Bring in the Select Model Elements node. Be careful: another

node called Select Model Element (singular) only allows you to
select a single element.
When you click on Select, go back to Revit and do a window

selection.

PAMPHLETS
5- UNDERSTAND ElementID AND WATCH NODE
When elements are selected, you will see a bunch of numbers

populate the node. These represent the ElementID value, which
is a unique number for each element. Add a Watch node: it will
indicate the category or type of each unique ElementId. Click on
the green ElementId to show the element in your Revit model.

PAMPHLETS
6- CREATE A SELECTION FILTER
Try to execute the script with your selection: you’ll most likely get
a warning. That’s because you selected elements from multiple
categories, not just doors. Other categories don’t have a Sill
Height parameter, resulting in a Dynamo warning. The script is
still working, but it is inefficient. This action isn’t good practice:
you need to clean your script.

PAMPHLETS
Let’s bring a node called Element.GetCategory and plug it in.

The node creates a list with the category for each element.
Let’s bring in another friend to the party. This one is called

Category.Name. It will convert the categories to strings. Then,
bring in the node called ==. This node will compare two values
and give you a list that contains either the True or False values.
In the x input, have a list with the category of each selected

element. In the y input, we plug in a Doors string input . The ==
node answers the question: is x = y? If yes, it returns True. If no, it
returns False.

PAMPHLETS
To properly use the BoolMask node, you have to plug-in the

original selected elements to the list input. Plug the result of the
== node in the mask input. In the example below, you can see
the Select Model Elements output is connected to two different
nodes.
When the script is executed, the in list contains all doors, while
the out list contains elements from all other categories.

PAMPHLETS
Now, plug in the in list to the Set.ParameterByName node you’ve

added earlier. No more yellow warning!
7- ALTERNATIVE: USE NODE FROM RHYTHM

PACKAGE
Let’s be honest: that was a lot of nodes just to filter by category.

Let’s introduce John Pierson’s amazing Rhythm package. It
contains the perfect node for you. First, search for the Rhythm
package like you’ve learned in the previous section. Click on the
arrow button to download.

PAMPHLETS
Now, add the node called ElementFilter.ByCategory. If you are

confused by the node, hover your cursor on the inputs to get full
explanations.
Note: the search tool in Dynamo can be capricious. If you can’t find the node,
try typing in “ByCategory”.
This custom node replaces the 4 default nodes we had to use in

step #6. Big thanks to John Pierson, the oracle of Dynamo.

PAMPHLETS
8- REPLACE “SETPARAMETERBYNAME” NODE
The Element.SetParameterByName is limited to instance

properties. The Rhythm package contains another helpful node
called Element.SetParameterByNameTypeOrInstance that also
works with type parameters. Replace the old node with this
custom node.
This is what the final script looks like.

PAMPHLETS
9- PREPARE THE SCRIPT FOR THE DYNAMO PLAYER
The dynamo player is great if you want people in your team to

use the script without interacting with the spaghetti interface.
There are a couple of easy steps to take if you want to bring your
script to the Dynamo Player. Right-click on nodes and activate “Is
Input”. Repeat the process for all input nodes you want to access
in the Dynamo Player.

PAMPHLETS
Once the node are set to inputs, you have to Rename them.
Double click on a node and set a name that will be easy to
understand for all users. In the example below, we rename the
String node to CATEGORY.
In this script, we rename 3 nodes for Category, Parameter Name

and Value.

PAMPHLETS
10- BRING THE SCRIPT TO THE DYNAMO PLAYER
Save the script. In this case, we’ll use the name “Assign
Parameter to Elements”. Open the Dynamo Player, located in the
Manage tab.
You will see the Dynamo Player interface, with a bunch of default
scripts. Click on the folder icon with an arrow. A windows folder
will pop up. Paste your new script in that folder and click the
circle refresh arrow.

PAMPHLETS
11- TEST YOUR SCRIPT
Your script should now appear in the Dynamo Player. Click on the
properties icon before running it:
Users can modify all inputs. We can use this script to modify
any number parameter value from any category. In this case,
let’s try to alter the wall’s base offset to 175mm. Watch out: the
parameter names are cap-sensitive. Make sure you type them in
exactly as they appear, or else you’ll get a warning.

PAMPHLETS
Press on the Play button. If all goes well, it should say “Run
completed”. If you get a warning, you’ll have to debug your script
or ensure the inputs don’t have any mistakes.
To make sure the script worked, verify the walls on the models.
The selected walls indeed have a Base Offset value of 175mm.

PAMPHLETS
12- ADD A “STRING” PARAMETER OPTION
In it’s current state, this script only allows us to assign values to

numerical parameters. What if you want to modify parameters
with text values?
Let’s add an option. Bring in a Boolean node and a If node. As

you can see below, a boolean node is an input node with true/
false values. Users will be able to pick an option in the Dynamo
player. In the example below, we rename the node to give some
instructions to users.
The If node will return a text value if true and a number value if
false.
Plug the If node output to the value input of the SetParameter

node. Make sure the Boolean node and the String node are set to
Input.

PAMPHLETS
Save the script and open the Dynamo Player again. You should
see this:
In this script, the NUMBER VALUE is ignored because we’ve set

the switch to True. Only the TEXT VALUE is used.

PAMPHLETS
Have a look at the doors: they have the text parameter we’ve set
in the Comments field. Love is in the air.
If you have paid attention, you’ve probably realized you could

modify any category parameter using this script. Amazing, isn’t
it?

PAMPHLETS
13- ADD PARAMETER FILTERING
In this case, we affect all selected elements of a specific

category. What if you want to only affect elements with specific
parameter values?
Let’s bring in another node from the Rhythm package called

ElementFilter.ByParameterStringValue.
In the example below, we use this node filter to only keep

elements whose Comments parameter is equal to RP. The rest of
the script would only apply to these specific elements.

PAMPHLETS
UNLOCK THE REST

This PDF is an excerpt from our new MANAGE learning package
for Revit. The full course contains even more Dynamo learning
content. You will learn how to use Excel with Dynamo, you will
set a sequence of numbers to elements’ marks and you will learn
how to make Dynamo more user friendly. Click here to learn
more about the MANAGE course and get 15% off.
LEARN MORE
REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS

SCHEDULES
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS

WHAT ARE SCHEDULES ?

Schedules are spreadsheets connected to your model. Imagine excel
sheets being automatically updated with every change in your Revit file.
If you modify an element in the model, it will be updated in the schedule

and the other way around.
You can create a schedule for every model element. You can use them to
calculate cost. To create plan notes. To create sheet and views lists.
WHY ARE SCHEDULES SO COMPLICATED ?

As awesome and useful as schedules are, Autodesk made them quite
complicated to use. The menus and interface are labyrinths.
Good news! You found this pamphlet and will hopefully become a schedule
Grand Master. Enjoy the ride and please have fun with us.

PAMPHLETS
TYPES OF SCHEDULES
Schedules are located in the View tab of the Ribbon. You have to choose
one of these schedule types:
BASIC SCHEDULE: LIST AND QUANTIFY ALL ELEMENTS

Most common schedule type, this is used to list and quantify all elements.
Below, we have a wall schedule sorted by level, listing type and area.
SHEET + VIEW LISTS

Sheet lists are usually placed on the front page, while view list are usually
used internally to control the project.

PAMPHLETS
MATERIAL TAKEOFF: CALCULATE MATERIALS

Want to know how many plywood boards area you have in the project?
This is the schedule you are looking for. Quantities are calculated
regardless if the material is part of the wall, roof, ceiling or column. This
can be used to estimate cost.
NOTE BLOCK: ORGANIZE PLAN NOTES

This schedule type is used to list 2D generic annotation families. The main
use is to produce plan notes.

PAMPHLETS
CREATE A BASIC SCHEDULE

When creating a new schedule, you will be asked to choose a model
category. Also select the phase and name your new schedule.
FIELDS
Fields are parameters that you select
to be part of your schedule. Depending
on the Category you chose, different
parameters will be available.
The top field of this menu will appear

on the left of the schedule, the bottom
one will appear on the right.

PAMPHLETS
19 TIPS TO BECOME A SCHEDULE MASTER

1. USE FILTERS TO EXCLUDE SPECIFIC ELEMENTS
Go to Filters menu to exclude specific elements from the schedule. For

example, if you want a schedule with walls that are at least 1000mm long,
add a “is greater than or equal” Length filter. As you see in the resulting
schedule, walls below 1000mm are hidden.
2. SORT AND CLASSIFY YOUR SCHEDULE
Go to Sorting/Grouping menu to select a way to sort the schedule. For

example, if we Sort the wall schedule by Type, walls will be classified by
type, in alphabetical order.

PAMPHLETS
3. UNCHECK ITEMIZE EVERY INSTANCE TO GROUP ITEMS
By default, every elements are visible in a schedule. That means if you

create a wall schedule, every single wall will be shown individually.
Most of the time, you want to group these walls. Go to Sorting/Grouping

menu and uncheck Itemize every instance. Walls will be grouped together
by the Sort category. In the example below, walls are grouped by Type.

PAMPHLETS
4. ADD HEADER AND FOOTER
In Sorting/Grouping menu, activate Header to add a Title above each

category. Footers has 3 options you can choose: Title, Counts (number of
elements) and Totals (for each field).

PAMPHLETS
5. GO TO FORMATTING MENU TO ACTIVATE TOTALS
To calculate total for a field, make sure Calculate Totals is activated in the
Formatting properties of a specific field. In the example below, we activate
totals for area but not for length.
You also need to make sure totals are activated in the footer, else they
won’t show up.

PAMPHLETS
6. TOTALS FOR GROUPED ITEMS DON’T NEED FOOTER
If you don’t use Itemize Every Instance, elements are grouped and don’t
need a footer to get totals. If totals are deactivated for a field (like the
length field below), the schedule field will be blank. However, walls with a
single instance in the project will still show the value of that instance, like
for the RP- Funky Wall and Wood Wall type below.
7. USE GRAND TOTALS
What if you want to know the total

area of every single wall in the
project? Go to Sorting/Grouping
and activate Grand Totals.

PAMPHLETS
8. HIDE FIELDS YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE
Sometimes, a field can be required to filter or calculate value, but don’t

need to be visible in the actual schedule. Go to Formatting and select
Hidden Field. You can also select a column and use the Hide tool in the
Ribbon.
9. USE VERTICAL HEADER FOR LONG TITLES
Long headers names can make your schedule very wide. Making them
vertical will make your schedule thinner. Go to Formatting and set heading
orientation to Vertical for each required field.

PAMPHLETS
10. GROUP HEADERS TO ORGANIZE YOUR SCHEDULE
Select many field headers by using Shift or dragging your cursor. Then
click the Group button in the contextual tab. Add a name to the new
subcategory header.
11. HIGHLIGHT ELEMENT IN MODEL
Sometimes, you see an element in a schedule, yet you have no idea where
it is located in the model. Click Highlight in Model and a view will open
with the element appearing in blue.

PAMPHLETS
12. USE CALCULATED PARAMETER TO GET PRICE
When creating a Material Takeoff schedule type, use the Calculated

Parameter to calculate values together. For example, multiply the Material
Cost with the Material Area to get the total price for each material. Click
Calculated in the ribbon, select Currency and set the Name. Then select
the two field in the formula and put * between them. Add a /1 at the end of
the formula to fix units. In this example we used price, but this tool can be
used to calculate anything or create percentages.
13. PLACE SCHEDULES ON SHEET TO PRINT THEM
You can’t print a schedule on the schedule view. It needs to be placed on a

sheet first. Use print screen or Windows snipping tool if you need to print
the schedule directly from the view.

PAMPHLETS
14. SET TITLE VISIBILITY AND SELECT FONTS
Do you want Titles and Headers to

be visible? Go to Appearance menu
to deactivate them if required. Also
select fonts to be used in schedule.
The Schedule Default font is Arial,
so if you want another font, select a
text style from your project.
15. DESIGN SCHEDULE LOOK WITH GRIDLINES
What kind of schedule look do you want? Free-spirit or accountant? Use

gridlines in Appearance menu to select that. Want to remove grids for a
specific column? Use the Borders tool in the ribbon.

PAMPHLETS
16. MODIFY SCHEDULE APPEARANCE ON SHEET
A schedule placed on a sheet looks completely different from what you

see inside the view. The “Sheet Look” is what your schedule going to look
like once printed. So make sure you verify schedules inside sheets when
designing appearance.
17. ADJUST COLUMNS WIDTH WITH LITTLE ARROWS
When inside a sheet, click on a schedule and move the little arrows to
modify the width of each column. If you want a precise value for the
column width, use Resize button in the Ribbon.
18. DOUBLE-CLICK ON SCHEDULE TO MODIFY IT
You can’t modify a schedule directly on a sheet. Double-click the schedule

to enter the schedule view, where you have access to all options.

PAMPHLETS
19. USE THE RIBBON TO ADJUST COLUMNS STYLE
Use the ribbon to make adjustments to the visual style of each column.
For example, in the schedule below we changed the Area column by using
a centered horizontal alignment, a top vertical alignment, changed the
font to be bold and underlined and used a pink shading. All these awkward
changes can be set back by using Reset button.
You can’t change the look of rows, this is for columns only.

PAMPHLETS
LIKED THIS PAMPHLET? BASICS IS FOR YOU.

Do you like the simple, fun and efficient ways of this pamphlet? We
created a complete beginner/intermediate series to learn Revit with the
exact same style. To thank you for reading this pamphlet, we offer 15% off
to get the BASICS package. Go to revitpure.com/basics and enter promo
code learn.
Let us know what you thought about the pamphlet at this email address:
nick@revitpure.com

REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
DOOR
SCHEDULES
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #23 / WINTER 2022 / DOOR SCHEDULES

simple for you.
WHY DOOR SCHEDULES?

In pamphlet #2, we covered schedules. In pamphlet #13, we
covered doors. For this pamphlet, we’re mixing both!
If you are a beginner, make sure to read pamphlet #2. Here, we’ll
cover some basic principles of a good door schedules. You will
learn to think about type/instance parameters. You will then fix
units, properly use the “From Room” parameter and you will
properly organize your schedule.
Then, you will learn how to create a door hardware set schedule
that you can send to your consultant.
Good luck and enjoy.
REVIT PURE - © Copyright 2022 - BIM Pure Productions Inc. 4

PAMPHLETS
We’ve recently released a new course dedicated to BIM

managers who want to become Revit masters. Click on this link
to get the entire course. Pamphlet readers get 15% off.
LEARN MORE
PAMPHLETS
1- DECIDE IF YOU’LL USE TYPE OR

INSTANCE PARAMETERS
Each firm has different standards for their door schedules. An
important thing you’ll need to figure out is if you will be using
type or instance for each parameter. There is no universal answer
to this question.
Typically, you might put all dimensions and materials in type

parameters.
When a parameter isn’t directly related to the geometry or the

general material, instance is usually more suitable. For example,
the fire rating and hardware would be instance parameters.
In the schedule below, we’ve used yellow for type parameters

and green for instance parameters. Some of the instance
parameters (From Room / To Room) are built-in and
automatically generated.
You can keep a copy of this “work” schedule for internal use.
In the example of Fire Rating, this is a built-in type parameter. It

means you’ll have to create a new Instance project parameter to
actually be used in the schedule.

PAMPHLETS
2- CHANGE UNITS FROM FEET TO INCHES

Doors dimensions are often set to inches even though the rest of
the project might be in feet. You will have to the Formatting menu
and select one of the field. In this case, we pick the height.

PAMPHLETS
Then, uncheck “Use Project Settings”. Select Fractional inches

instead of feet and fractional inches.
Set up the rounding option. When it’s done, you can see that
the dimensions show up in inches. The same technique could
be used to show both metric units in an imperial project or vice-
versa.

PAMPHLETS
3- COMBINE HEIGHT AND WIDTH

Some users prefer to combine the height and width in the same
column. Go to the Fields menu and click on the “Combine
Parameters” icon. Then, add Width and Height to the combined
parameters field.

PAMPHLETS
When the parameters are added, add a separator. In this case,

we type in “ x “, including the space before and after.
You can see the result in the schedule.

PAMPHLETS
You’ll still see the old height and width separate parameters
when the parameters are added. You will need to hide them in
the Formatting menu. Check the hidden field box for both height
and width. These parameters will still be used for the combined
parameters you’ve created, but they won’t appear in a specific
column.

PAMPHLETS
4- ADD “FROM ROOM” AND “TO ROOM”

Most users want to see where the room is located with the “From
Room” and “To Room” parameters.
Go to the Fields menu. Select From Room or To Room in the

“Select available fields from” dropdown menu.
You can pick any parameter from the room. In this case, we’ll
pick room number.

PAMPHLETS
By default, From Room and To Room parameters are

independent from the direction of opening. To switch the rooms
in these two fields, you can use the dropdown menu:
However, there is a little trick to make the door automatically

adjust the From Room and To Room parameters. First, you’ll have
to edit the door family. Then, in the general properties, activate
the “Room Calculation Point”.

PAMPHLETS
You should see a curved

green dashed line. The
beginning of the arrow
represents the “From
Room” and the end
represents the “To Room”.
Load the family back into
the project.
As you can see in the schedule below, the room information will
automatically update based on the door swing direction. So if
you change the info in the schedule, the door will flip.

PAMPHLETS
5- ALTERNATIVE: USE ROOM NUMBER &

NAME ONLY
Some users prefer to have a single room number. In addition,
they like to see the room name. In this case, pick either From
Room or To Room. Add the “To Room: Name” parameter as well.
You should rename the fields in the schedule to simply number
and name. In this case, we also group the parameters with the
“Room” header.
If you use this strategy, you can use the drop-down menu of
the number to switch the From/To Room. The room name will
automatically be updated. Be careful if you’ve activated the
Room Calculation Point in the door family though, as it will flip
the door.

PAMPHLETS
6- CREATE A “DOOR TYPE” SCHEDULE

In most commercial project, the room schedule typically
contains every single door, each with its unique number.
In a residential project, unique door numbers are not necessarily

used. A type mark value would be used and the schedule would
have a “count” parameter.
In the schedule, make sure to add the Type Mark and Count
parameters.

PAMPHLETS
In the Sorting/Grouping menu, sort by Type Mark. Then, uncheck

the Itemize every instance box.
You can see the results here. Many fields have the “varies” value,
meaning it is an instance parameter. You should remove all
instance parameters from this type of schedule or replace them
with type parameters instead.
Here is the “door type” schedule. The count parameter is used to

show how many doors of that type are used in the project.

PAMPHLETS
8 STEPS TO CREATE A DOOR HARDWARE

SET WITH KEY SCHEDULES
1- ADD HARDWARE PARAMETERS

Let’s add a set of hardware components to your doors. First,
you will need to add a parameter for each component. For this
example, we’ll start with a few parameters:
- Hinges
- Locket
- Closer
Create a new text, instance-based project parameter for each.

You can group the parameter under a specific category to ensure
all of them are grouped together. In this case, we use “Materials
and Finishes”.

PAMPHLETS
When you select a door, you should see the new hardware
parameters in the properties:
Optional: to clearly distinguish hardware parameters, you can set

a prefix like HS (for Hardware Set). It’s also wise to use shared
parameters to eventually embed the information in families and
use it on tags.
Note: shared parameters in key schedules can only be used in

Revit 2022 or more recent.

PAMPHLETS
2- CREATE KEY SCHEDULE

There is a chance you have no idea what a key schedule is.
Create a regular schedule like usual and pick the doors category.
Then, check the “Schedule Keys” box. Give the name “Hardware
Set” to the key.
In the schedule, you can add all instance properties. In this case,
pick all the hardware components:

PAMPHLETS
3- ADD A ROW FOR EACH HARDWARE

GROUP
By default, your schedule will be empty.
You will have to click on the Insert Data Row button.
Each row represents a hardware group. Create a few to get

started:

PAMPHLETS
4- FILL UP THE SCHEDULE
Fill up the information for each hardware group. Of course, you

can complete the schedule later on if you don’t have all the
information yet.
You can rename the headers to remove the HS prefix.
You can add additional parameters later on, based on the

information required on your doors.

PAMPHLETS
5- ADD HARDWARE GROUP TO MAIN

DOOR SCHEDULE
Go back to the main door schedule. Add the “Hardware Set” field
to the schedule.
For each door, select a hardware set from the dropdown menu.

PAMPHLETS
Once you have set a hardware group to a specific door, the

hardware parameters are locked and grayed out. You can see an
example when a door is selected:

PAMPHLETS
6- PLACE BOTH SCHEDULES ON SHEET
Now, make sure both the main door schedule and the key
schedule (hardware set schedule) are placed on the sheet. You
can see that the hardware set parameter in the main schedule
refers to the second schedule.

PAMPHLETS
7- LIST ALL DOORS FROM A HARDWARE

SET GROUP
If you have a lot of doors, you might like to see all doors grouped
and sorted by the hardware set. Duplicate the main door
schedule. In the Sorting/Grouping menu, sort by Hardware Set.
In the Formatting, activate Hidden Field for Hardware Set since

the column would be redundant information.

PAMPHLETS
Here is our resulting schedule. You can see all doors for each
hardware set number.

PAMPHLETS
8- EXPORT AND SEND HARDWARE

SCHEDULE TO CONSULTANT
Often, architects rely on consultants to complete the doors

hardware specs. Often, the process involves manually entering
back the information provided by the consultant.
With BIM, the old workflow is outdated. Instead, we’ll export and
import the schedules directly from Revit. We recommend using
the free DiRoots Sheetlink plugin. We won’t cover all the features
for this plugin here, but we wrote a blog post about it here.
Export the Doors Hardware Set schedule using this plugin.

PAMPHLETS
Ask your hardware consultant to fill up the information in the

excel spreadsheet. When you receive the file back, you can
simply reimport it in Revit. The fields will be automatically
replaced. A limitation though: you must pre-create the hardware
group number in Revit for this technique to work.
In the image below, you can see that the information entered in
Excel is reflected in the Revit schedule when imported back:

PAMPHLETS
CHECK OUT OUR MANAGE COURSE

Did you enjoy this pamphlet? Make sure to check out our
MANAGE learning package, which has a huge section dedicated
to schedules. Click here to learn more about the MANAGE course
and get 15% off.
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REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
FAMILIES
revitpure.com
© Copyright 2022 - BIM Pure Productions
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #24 / SPRING 2022 / FAMILIES

simple for you.
WHY FAMILIES?
The most recent pamphlets have covered intermediate to
advanced topics in Revit.
For this edition, we decided to go back to basics.
This pamphlets offer an overview of “families” in Revit. You will

learn the different kind of families. You will learn where you can
find decent families on the internet and how to manage all your
content. Then, you will learn the basic information you need to
create your first family.
Thanks to Purvi Irwin for her great work documenting good

practices with families. Thanks to Gavin Crump for his good
summary of why manufacturers families are problematic.
Let’s get started!

PAMPHLETS

to get the entire course. Enter code learn to get 15% off.
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PAMPHLETS
13 TIPS TO UNDERSTAND AND ORGANIZE

REVIT FAMILIES
1- DIFFERENTIATE CATEGORY, FAMILY, TYPE AND

INSTANCE
Before even talking about families, it is imperative that you

understand the difference between category, family, type and
instances. The image above should help you understand.
Categories are built-in Revit and can include either building

components (columns, walls, ducts) or symbolic elements (tags,
dimensions, regions).

PAMPHLETS
In the image below, you can see an example from the Doors
category. We have a loadable .rfa Simple Door family that was
created by a user. This family has two different types, each with
different dimensions and materials.
Then, each type has multiple unique instances placed in a

project.

PAMPHLETS
In this example, a door is selected. You can edit the family, which
will affect all types and all instances.
You can also edit the type properties, which will affect all
instances of this specific type.
Or you can edit the instance properties, which will only affect this
specific door.

PAMPHLETS
2- FIND FAMILIES IN THE PROJECT BROWSER
In the project browser, you can find all families in the project. In
the image below, you can see the first level represent categories.
The second level shows the families and the 3rd level shows the
types.
Although the instances never appear in the project browser, it is

possible to select all the instances in the view or in the project by
right-clicking a type:

PAMPHLETS
3- DIFFERENTIATE 3 KIND OF FAMILIES
When most users think of a family, then think of a loadable .rfa

file they can create or download. There are actually 3 different
kinds of families in Revit:
In-Place Families:
• These families are modeled directly in a Revit project.
• They are difficult to reuse, they are slow and they can cause
performance issues.
• Avoid this feature and use loadable families instead.
Loadable Families:
• These are the families that you most commonly create and
modify in Revit.
• They are created in a .rfa file and then loaded in a model or

template.
• Categories can include windows, furniture, tags and plumbing

fixtures.

PAMPHLETS
System Families:
• System families are predefined in Revit.
• You do not load them into your projects from external files.
They are embedded inside a model or template.
• Categories can include walls, roofs, ducts and dimensions.
4- UNDERSTAND WHICH FAMILIES ARE LOADABLE

OR SYSTEM
In the image below, you can see a list of Revit categories,

classified by either System of Loadable families. This list is not
complete, but it can give you an overview.

PAMPHLETS
For example, the wall category has 3 system families: Basic

Walls, Stacked Walls and Curtain Walls. These system families
are built-in and can’t be modified or deleted. You can create
types for each of these system families.
All system families have their own icon in the ribbon. However,
not all loadable families have their own icons. That’s why you
can use the Component tool in the Architecture, Systems or
Structure tabs. This will contain all additional loadable families
like furniture, entourage, parking, casework and many others.

PAMPHLETS
5- SYSTEM FAMILIES CAN INCLUDE EMBEDDED

LOADABLE FAMILIES
Here is a concept that might seem contradictory: system families

can include loadable families inside of them.
Let’s take the example of the railing. The railing is a system family.
However, each railing type can contain multiple loadable families
of various sub-components like rail profile, baluster, post, support
and termination.

PAMPHLETS
6- FOLLOW THIS HIERARCHY OF GOOD FAMILIES
When trying to get families for your project, follow this priority
order:
1- Families developed internally

Families made by your team are always the best option. You
know they will be matching your firm standards, you can build
exactly to match your needs and not be worried.
2- Families made by trusted external collaborators

If you lack the qualified staff to build families or if you don’t have
enough time, trusted collaborators such as BIM consultants is the
next best option. Families shared by architecture/engineering
firms you are collaborating with can also be a good option.
3- Default families made by Autodesk

If you can’t build your own families or don’t have trusted
collaborators to build them, the next best option is to look at
what Autodesk has available in their default libraries. These
families might not match your standards, but they can be a good
starting point.
4- Downloaded manufacturers’ families from websites such as

“BIM Objects” and others.
We are now entering the danger zone. The vast majority of
manufacturers families are low-quality. They are over-modeled,
they have too many parameters, they are very heavy and will
slow down your model. If you really have to use one of them,
make sure to verify and clean them before.

PAMPHLETS
5- Downloaded families from Revit community websites such as

“Revit City”.
Families found on community websites are almost always
terrible. Avoid them at all cost.
Depending on the size of your firm, you might decide what

content your users are allowed to acquire. For example, a very
large firm will ask users to stick to families created internally.
Smaller firms might allow loading some default Autodesk
libraries.
You will need some time to figure out what works best for you.
You need to find a balance between keeping quality control, but
also giving some freedom to users, especially if they don’t have
quick access to internal content creators.
7- AVOID MOST MANUFACTURERS FAMILIES
The problem with most manufacturers-made families is that they

are made to please the manufacturers, not the users. Remember
that when something is free, it means you are the product.
Quality is rarely the main goal of this content. Here are common
issues with these families:
• They are very heavy (more than 1 Mo).

• They contain too many parameters.
• They are too precise and detailed.
• They are modeled with scripts instead of Revit experts.
• They will slow down your model.

PAMPHLETS
You might think that a couple of manufacturers families can’t be

that bad for your project, right?
In a video about Revit model health, Gavin Crump aka Aussie

BIM Guru mentioned a project where printing a set of sheets to
PDF went from 5 minutes to 8 hours. For 4 months.
The culprit was a terrible manufacturer chair family that was

downloaded on a shady website. The family contained complex
imported 3D geometry. Since that chair was placed hundreds
of times, it significantly slowed down the computation time to
generate PDFs.
On the next page, you will find an example of a window family

you can find on the most popular manufacturers website.

PAMPHLETS
This window family weighs 10 MB, contains more than 200

parameters and has insane complexity. Using this kind of
sluggish family in your projects would cripple and slow your
models.

PAMPHLETS
8- USE THESE WEBSITES FOR DECENT

MANUFACTURERS CONTENT
While the biggest manufacturers content websites are generally

quite bad, there are some upcoming players that are doing great
work. Here are a few of them we can recommend:
BIM Content (https://bimcontent.com)
This Australian-based company’s priority is to create the best

possible families. It has been launched recently, but is starting to
accumulate an interesting library and include showrooms and 3D
previews.
BIMSmith (https://bimsmith.com)
BIMSmith manufacturers content is entirely developed internally

with the highest standards. In addition to loadable families, they
also offer container files for system families such as railings.

PAMPHLETS
9- CREATE VIRTUAL SHOWROOMS FOR FAMILIES
An interesting trend that has emerged with both manufacturers

content and with professional firms is the creation of Virtual
Showroom models, sometimes called “Container Files”.
Trying to open each family one by one when trying to find the
correct one is a long and boring process.
The idea of virtual showrooms is that families from a similar

collection are placed together in a Revit .rvt model.
In the example below, the site bimcontent.com has created a

virtual showroom for washroom accessories. Much easier to
locate what you are looking for and to verify the content.

PAMPHLETS
Another use of the showroom is for system families such as walls

and railings, which cannot be downloaded as individual .rfa.
Here are examples of walls and railings virtual showroom from

BIMSmith and BIM Content. If you have a large collection of
system families, you can build this for your firm as well instead of
putting everything in your template.

PAMPHLETS
10- VERIFY AND CLEAN MANUFACTURERS CONTENT
If you really need families found on the internet, you should at

least follow this rule: never load them directly in your project.
Always verify and clean the family first. Purvi Irwin wrote a great
article on how to clean internet Revit families here:
https://www.caddmicrosystems.com/blog/revit-content-
cleanup-aka-dont-trust-the-internet/
The main points of the article:
• Delete useless parameters.

• Delete the family types you don’t need.
• Delete the useless “Object Styles” subcategories.
• Purge the family 2-3 times.
• Make sure to purge the materials.
• Change materials parameter to By Category so you can
change the materials inside a project.
• Clean the nested families as well.
• Delete unneeded line patterns and fill patterns.
If you follow all these rules and the content is still heavy (more
than 2 MB), it may indicate poor modeling practice. Perhaps a
sign that you shouldn’t use the family at all.

PAMPHLETS
11- ORGANIZE YOUR REVIT FAMILY LIBRARIES
Families that you use in the majority of your projects and that
aren’t too heavy (more than 1MB) can be included in your
template.
Families that you don’t use on the majority of your projects

or that are very heavy should stay in a separate library or in a
container .rvt file. You can load the individual families as required.
When a family is loaded to a file, it is embedded in the .rvt. It

means the external .rfa isn’t linked to the model, it only serves as
a backup.
Here is a diagram of how you should organize your families:

PAMPHLETS
12- USE REVIT PLUGINS TO MANAGE FAMILIES
Managing families can be quite complex with multiple Revit

versions, local servers, cloud and different files. In recent years,
cloud-based plugins have been created to manage families and
assets more efficiently. They can be used to manage not only
loadable families but also system families, details, legends, etc.
Here are the most interesting plugins.
AVAIL - https://getavail.com - starts at $20/user/month
This platform allows you to collect all your Revit assets, including
families but also schedules, legends, details and more. You can
also harvest the assets from a Revit file, then sort and organize
them for all users to access. It contains both a Revit plugin and a
desktop app.

PAMPHLETS
UNIFI Labs - https://unifilabs.com/ - starts at $20/user/month
UNIFI and AVAIL are similar, but the big difference is that UNIFI
is entirely in the cloud. Once a Revit asset is integrated into the
system, it becomes available for all in the cloud. That might be
a big selling point for many businesses, although some might
prefer to keep their data local.
UNIFI also offers analytics, including the number of downloads

for each asset, but also a project health dashboard.

PAMPHLETS
Kinship - https://kinship.io - starts at $10/user/month
This tool is simpler and cheaper than previous options, and it

also features a model health dashboard. It lacks certain features
of other plugins and isn’t as polished, but it’s easier to install and
manage. It doesn’t include a desktop app, only a Revit plugin
and a browser portal. It is used by some major architecture firms
including BIG.

PAMPHLETS
13- USE DIROOTS “FAMILY REVISER” TO EXPORT

AND RENAME FAMILIES
Family Reviser by DiRoots is an amazing free plugin that helps

you export and rename families. In the image below, you can see
we check categories of families we want to export to .rfa, inside a
specific folder.
You can also use this plugin to quickly add a prefix or a suffix to
your families.
Click here to download this great plugin.

PAMPHLETS
PART 2: CREATING LOADABLE FAMILIES

Now, that you understand the basic principles of families in Revit,
you are ready to create one by yourself. First, let’s break 2 myths
about Revit families:
Myth 1: Families should always be parametric.
Reality: No. It is perfectly reasonable to build a family that is

not parametric. You can create a simple family without any
parameters or formulas. The geometry is fixed.
Myth 2: Families should always be in 3D.
Reality: No. 2D families can be very useful. Sometimes, it is not

necessary to model the 3D geometry of a component. In early
phase, it can help you keep a faster model.

PAMPHLETS
Too many users are scared of creating a family because they

think they need to create something complex. Instead, they end
up using lines and group for components, which is terrible for the
model quality.
Lines and groups are “dumb” elements. You cannot use them
in scheduling, they can’t have an assigned model category and
they will slow down your model.
It is ok to build a simple, non-parametric family that only contains

a few model lines.
In the upcoming pages, you’ll learn how to create a basic family.

PAMPHLETS
11 STEPS TO CREATE A SIMPLE FAMILY IN

REVIT
STEP 1: SELECT THE CORRECT FAMILY TEMPLATE
To create a family, click on the R at the top right of the screen. Go

to New, then Family.
Then, go to the default Autodesk folder where family templates

are located. In this case, we pick the Generic Model template. It
is possible to change the category of the family later on in certain
cases.

PAMPHLETS
STEP 2: DRAW MODEL LINES
In this example, we’ll create a very simple family that is aimed to

represent a simple piece of rectangular equipment. We’ll start
with an entirely 2D, non-parametric family.
Go to a floor plan view in the family and draw model lines. You
can make sure it is centered on the reference planes.
You can save this family and load it to your project.
Then, select the component tool. Since it was the last family
loaded in the project, it should appear as the first option.

PAMPHLETS
You can see we place this simple family in the project. Since it is
made with model lines, it is also visible in 3D views as lines.
This might seem like a useless family, but no. It can be used in
scheduling and you can assign project parameters to it. Much
better than drawing lines directly in the model.

PAMPHLETS
STEP 3: ADD REFERENCE PLANES
Now, let’s upgrade the family we’ve made. We will convert it to a

parametric family. The length and depth will be adjustable. You
will need to create 4 new reference planes around the rectangle
shape, like in this image:

PAMPHLETS
STEP 4: ADD EQ DIMENSIONS
Now, create a dimension for all the vertical reference planes and
another one for all the horizontal ones.
Select the dimension and click on the EQ button. This way, you
will ensure that the middle reference plane is always centered on
the family.

PAMPHLETS
STEP 5: ADD DIMENSIONS LABEL
Create a dimensions for the bottom and top horizontal reference

planes. In the ribbon, click on the small icon in the “Label” menu.
You will be prompted to create a parameter. Call it “Depth”. If you

want to use this parameter in a schedule, you’ll need to employ a
Shared Parameter.

PAMPHLETS
STEP 6: ALIGN MODEL LINES TO REFERENCE

PLANES
Your family should now look like this:
Now, use the Align tool in the modify tab (or use shortcut AL).
Select a reference plane, then click on the model line. Lock it.

PAMPHLETS
STEP 7: ADJUST DIMENSIONS
Before loading a family back to the project, you need to make

sure it properly works. Try to change the dimensions of the width
and depth.
In the Create or Modify tab, you can see the Family Types menu.
If you click on it, you can see the complete list of parameters in
this family. You can modify the dimensions from here as well.
You can pre-create multiple types by clicking on the “New

Type” icon. Give a name to the type and make sure to adjust the
dimensions.

PAMPHLETS
You can see we have “pre-created” two types for this family. Each
type has different dimensions. Load the family back into the
project.
When an instance of the family is placed, you can select it and

click on Edit Type. You can modify the dimensions and create
new types from here as well.
You can now create a schedule to list all instances of this

Random-Equipment family. If you want to learn more about
schedules, check out our Pamphlet #2.

PAMPHLETS
STEP 8: CREATE AN EXTRUSION
Go back inside the family. Now, we’re going to transform this

2D family into a 3D one. Delete all the model lines. Click on the
extrusion tool in the Create tab.
Use the rectangle and place it to match the reference planes like
this:
Then, make sure to click on the Lock icon for each segment of
the extrusion.

PAMPHLETS
If you go to a 3D view inside the family, you should see the

extrusion.
Now, go to an elevation view. Create a horizontal reference plane

above the level and extrusion. Place a dimension and assign a
new parameter called “Height” to it.
Then, align and lock the top of the extrusion to the new ref. plane.
Try to adjust the height parameter to make sure the family

properly works.

PAMPHLETS
STEP 9: ADD A MATERIAL PARAMETER
Select the extrusion and in the properties, click on the small

rectangle next to material. Create a new parameter for the
material of this geometry.
For each type, you can now set a different material. You can
assign a material either directly in the family editor or you can
wait for the family to be loaded in the project. In the example
below, you can see different materials for different types.

PAMPHLETS
STEP 10: ADD A VISIBILITY PARAMETER
It is possible to model geometry whose visibility can be turned

on and off. For example, we create a handle shape placed on top
of the box. Select the geometry and click on the small rectangle
next to Visible in the properties. Call it “Handle Visibility”.
This doesn’t affect the visibility of the shape inside the family,
only when the family is loaded back into the project.
You can see what happens when you check and uncheck that
visibility box:

PAMPHLETS

MANAGE learning package, which will help you create great
standards and keep healthy Revit models. Click here to learn
more about the MANAGE course.
LEARN MORE
REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
GROUPS
PART 1
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #25 / SPRING 2022 / GROUPS

simple for you.
WHY TALK ABOUT GROUPS?

Model groups in Revit have a bad reputation. Many users avoid
them completely. Indeed, they can be buggy.
However, they are still the best option when it comes to modeling
repetitive interior layouts like apartments. This post starts with
an overview of the tool. Then, you will get tips to have a smooth
experience using groups.
This is the first pamphlet in our series about group. Next issue will
explore advanced workflows using Dynamo.
Let’s get started!

PAMPHLETS

to get the entire course.
LEARN MORE
PAMPHLETS
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF CREATING GROUPS
CREATING A GROUP
Select multiple elements. In the Modify tab, select the “Create

Group” tools. Set a name to the group. You can then copy and
paste the group.
To modify a group, select it and click the Edit Group icon.

The group has a yellow-ish tint around it. When you are done,
click the green check to complete.

PAMPHLETS
Use the ungroup tool to make the elements independent.
Use the Add/Remove tool once inside a group to add

and remove elements to the group.
SETTING THE ORIGIN
Each group has an origin represented by a blue dot. This origin

can be moved. Typically, you should place it located at the
intersection of important walls or grids.

PAMPHLETS
This origin can be used when creating a model group. Although

most people create groups with the copy and paste tool, it can
also be placed from the Architecture tab.
Select a type. The placement will be based on the position of the

group’s origin.

PAMPHLETS
GROUPS IN THE PROJECT BROWSER
There is a whole part of the project browser dedicated to groups.

You can drag and drop a group from here to create a new
instance.
It is also possible to Edit a group from here by using the right-

click menu. This is different from opening the group by selecting
one in the model. This opens a different Revit file that you need
to save.

PAMPHLETS
CONVERT GROUPS TO LINK
It is possible to convert a group to a Revit link. Click this tool in

the ribbon:
You will need to enter a name to the linked Revit file. The reverse
is also possible. Once a Revit link is in the project, you can Bind
Link to convert it to a group.
This process might cause a few issues, so be careful.
ATTACHED DETAIL GROUPS
There are two group types in Revit: model groups and detail
groups. Model elements cannot be part of a detail group and
vice-versa.
However, you can attach a detail group to a model group. In

this example, we create dimensions, a wall tag and a room
tag referring to elements from group B. When grouping the
annotation elements, Revit asks us to create an attached detail
group. Name it consistently.

PAMPHLETS
Then, select a different instance of this model group. You should

now see the “Attached Detail Groups” icon in the modify tab.
Click it and select the correct detail group to attach.

PAMPHLETS
19 TIPS TO AVOID ISSUES WITH GROUPS
1- NEVER USE DATUM ELEMENTS INSIDE GROUPS
Datum elements include:

• Grids
• Levels
• Reference Planes
• Scope Boxes
Having a level inside of a group is probably the worst thing.
2- AVOID IN-PLACE FAMILIES INSIDE GROUPS
In general, you should avoid in-place families. Inside of groups,

they are even more dangerous. Avoid them.
3- BE CAREFUL WITH NESTED GROUPS
Nesting groups (groups inside of groups) isn’t a problem by itself,

but you must be thoughtful about how you use this feature.
Avoid nested groups that could be nested families instead. For

example, if you need a table + chairs, create a nested family
instead of creating a small nested group with these components.

PAMPHLETS
A few other principles of nested groups:
• Don’t go more than 2 levels deep (a group within a group,

not a group within a group within a group).
• Consider unnesting the groups as the project progress.
• Ask yourself if it’s worth it. For example, if part of a group is

only shared with a single other group, the time saved by
nesting group might not be worth it.
• It might complicate the use of scheduling and Dynamo

automation.
• My workflow: I prefer not to use nested groups.

PAMPHLETS
4- BE CAREFUL WITH MIRRORING GROUPS
Contrary to popular belief, mirroring the groups will not cause

corruption or break the groups.
However, some elements will be “reversed” even if they shouldn’t

be.
For example, plumbing hot water vs cold water will not be in the
right position. Be careful with liability!
To be extra safe, it might be better to have right and left variants

for each group.
If you still decide to mirror groups, explore and verify them first to
ensure nothing is broken.
Some people (ahem, Revit Cat) think you should never mirror
anything because it messes up the ElementID and causes
problems with hosted families. Link here.

PAMPHLETS
5- BE CAREFUL WHEN EXCLUDING ELEMENTS
The “exclude element” tool allows you to remove elements in a

specific group instance.
In theory, it is helpful. In practice, it makes me a little nervous.

Was the element deliberately excluded? Is it a mistake or a bug?
Excluding elements can be automatically done when there

are host/hosted elements issues. It might indicate there are
problems with the group.
My workflow: I generally avoid using “Exclude Element”.

PAMPHLETS
If you decide to exclude elements from a group instance to

reduce the number of group types in the project, document the
process and let users know it has been a deliberate decision.
My workflow: I avoid using “Exclude Element”.
6- NEVER USE THE “FIX GROUPS” OPTION
The “Fix groups…” tool doesn’t fix groups at all. Instead, it will
either ungroup the group or duplicate the group with a new
name.
When you get that warning, click cancel and manually fix the
problem.
You often get the problem with hosting/hosted elements getting

separated.

PAMPHLETS
As you can see below, the possible “fix groups” options won’t fix
your problem at all.

PAMPHLETS
7- NEVER LOCK SKETCH-BASED COMPONENTS

INSIDE GROUPS
If you try to constrain a sketch-based element (floors, ceilings

or roofs) to an element that isn’t inside a group, you will get a
warning that prevents you from doing it.
If you try to add a sketch-constrained element to a group after it

is created, you will get this warning:

PAMPHLETS
8- DON’T LOCK AND CONSTRAIN A GROUP TO AN

OUTSIDE ELEMENT
In the example below, a user constrained a group to a window

that is not part of the group. This is a terrible idea! If you move
one of the elements, you will likely get a warning and cause
potentially cause problems in your model.

PAMPHLETS
9- DON’T INCLUDE EXTERIOR ELEMENTS,

CORRIDORS AND PARTY WALLS
Don’t include exterior elements in a group created for repeating

interior parts like hotel rooms, apartments, patient rooms, etc.
Exterior and interior don’t mix well in the same group.
Party walls, corridor walls and corridor doors shouldn’t be part of

a group.
You cannot include elements in a group that are hosted on party

or corridor walls. Instead, replace them with non-wall-hosted
elements.
The exception to these rules is modular construction. The content

of a group should reflect the actual components of the module.
The elements built directly on site and that are not part of a
module should not be included in groups.

PAMPHLETS
10- SET THE TOP OF THE WALLS TO

“UNCONNECTED”
Inside groups, only a single level should be used as a constraint.

The top of the wall should always be unconnected.
If the top of the wall has a level constraint, you risk causing
issues. For example, moving a level will cause the annoying
“Fix Groups” warning.

PAMPHLETS
If you want to use the same group for levels that might not have
the same distance between them, you can use the Attach Top/
Base. Using this tool only affects specific instances of the walls
and will not cause “fix groups” issues.

PAMPHLETS
11- INCLUDE BOTH THE HOSTING AND HOSTED

ELEMENTS IN THE GROUP
Always include both the hosting and hosted elements in the

group. Else, you’ll get warnings, bugs and chaos.
In the example below, a toilet is part of a group, but not the

hosting wall. If you copy and paste the group, the corridor wall-
hosted “toilet” is excluded from it. If you try to unexclude the
element, you’ll get a warning.

PAMPHLETS
12- IF HOSTING ELEMENT CANNOT BE INCLUDED IN

A GROUP, DON’T USE A HOSTED FAMILY
It might be an excellent strategy to completely avoid hosted

families to avoid issues with hosting/hosted elements. For
example, pick a toilet placed on a level instead of a wall-hosted
one.
13- ELEMENTS IN A GROUP SHOULD BE HOSTED/

CONSTRAINED TO A SINGLE LEVEL
Make sure all elements in a group are hosted or constrained to

a single level. We’ve already established that walls should not
be top constrained to a top level but should use “unconnected
height” instead.

PAMPHLETS
Let’s use another example: ceilings. Make sure to set the ceiling
height from the bottom of the floor, not a negative offset from
the level above. Example: set a 2410mm offset from Level 1, not
-500mm offset from Level 2.

PAMPHLETS
If you don’t do so, you fight get this warning... with the nasty “Fix
Groups” again!
In addition to walls and ceilings, follow this rule for all other
components, including furniture, plumbing fixtures, lighting
fixtures, floors, etc.

PAMPHLETS
14- AVOID FACE-BASED FAMILIES INSIDE GROUPS
Face-based families behave weirdly inside groups. For example,

if you offset a whole group, everything moves except the face-
based families. Better to avoid them completely.

PAMPHLETS
15- USE ROOMS INSIDE GROUPS
Don’t hesitate to use rooms inside groups. The room name

cannot vary from one group instance to another, but the room
number can. Revit will automatically create a new room number
for a new group containing a room. You can adjust this number.

PAMPHLETS
16- All ELEMENTS INSIDE A GROUP ARE THE SAME

WORKSET
Elements inside groups all belong to the same Workset. This

Workset is assigned directly to the group.
However, each group instance can have a different Workset. It is

generally easier to keep all instances of a group type in the same
Workset. In the image, you can see the Workset of a group can
be changed.
However, the individual Workset of elements inside the group

can’t be changed. The parameter is grayed out.

PAMPHLETS
17- ELEMENTS INSIDE GROUPS SHOULD HAVE

SAME PHASE SETTINGS
Model groups don’t have “phase created” and “phase

demolished” parameters. However, each element inside the
group does have these parameters.
When you create a group instance, the elements will have the
same “phase created” as the view the group is created on.
For example, you could create a new apartment type group in a

“new” view. When you paste the group in an “existing” view, the
elements inside are set to phase created = “existing”.
The best workflow is to make sure all elements inside group have
the same “phase created” and “phase demolished” settings. This
way, you’ll avoid potential confusion.

PAMPHLETS
18- DON’T MAKE GROUPS TOO LARGE
Only a single user can modify a group at the same time. The
more elements your group includes, the more complicated it
will be to collaborate. You will fall into permission hell. Don’t
make a group for an entire floor. Instead, create a group for each
apartment or for each module.
19- GROUPS CAN BE POROUS: DISALLOW JOINS
Elements in groups can have a “porous” behavior. For example,

walls inside groups will try to join with surrounding walls that are
not part of the group. While that might be a desirable outcome in
some instances, it is not the case in modular construction.
If the porosity is an issue, use the “Disallow Join” tool.

PAMPHLETS

PAMPHLETS

LEARN MORE
PAMPHLETS
THANKS FOR READING!

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This pamphlet wouldn’t be possible without the great content

from the BIM community. Here are some resources that have
been helpful:
Niall Kelly – 8020 BIM – “Revit Groups are Awesome! How to

Make and Edit Revit Groups”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OfkWekWf2I
Niall Kelly – 8020 BIM – “22 Tips for Mastering Revit Groups”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRpoDSg5dPE
Aaron Maller & Jeffrey Pinheiro – TheRevitKid – “Revit Groups vs

Links”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKW1tdyZ8lk
Nivin Nabeel – CanBIM (Building Transformations) – “Big Team,

Big Project, No Time”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l76M5c0S7fE
Belinda Carr – “Groups vs Nested Families”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iKFClg_Imw

REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
GROUPS
PART 2
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS

simple for you.
WHY TALK ABOUT GROUPS?

In the last issue of PAMPHLETS, you learned the best practices to
use Revit groups for multifamily housing projects. Click here to
read the previous issue.
In this edition, we dive deeper and talk about the difference

between groups, assemblies, links and nested families.
Then, you will learn how to use Dynamo to automate groups

filtering.
You will also harness the power of Dynamo to automate the

creation of views for each group.
Thanks and good luck!

PAMPHLETS

to get the entire course. Enter code learn to get 15% off.
LEARN MORE
PAMPHLETS
GROUPS VS NESTED FAMILIES VS LINKS

VS ASSEMBLY
You can use other Revit tools in a similar way to Groups. Let’s
explore groups, nested families, links and assemblies. You will
learn about their differences and which option is the best.
WHEN TO USE ASSEMBLIES?
Typically, you can use assemblies for structural components.

They allow you to automatically create views for a specific
“assembly” of elements like beams.
Assemblies aren’t made for repeating interior layouts. However,

they can be helpful for the structure part of a modular design.

PAMPHLETS
WHEN TO USE NESTED FAMILIES?
Nested families are amazing! More people should use them. The
main idea is simple: families inside of families. For example, a
“living room” furniture nested family could include a couch, a rug
and a table.
Each “nested” family inside the main family should be shared. It

means you can both use the family inside the main family, but
also independently. Make sure to check the Shared parameter
inside the family.
As you can see in the image next page, we have a nested

family that contains a couch and a table. Since these families
are shared, they can also be loaded individually in the project.
Furthermore, they can be used inside this shared family or as a
separate, unique family.

PAMPHLETS
Nested families have a significant limitation: they cannot include

system families like walls, ceilings, floors, etc.
Nested families are most helpful when multiple loadable families

are part of a layout.

PAMPHLETS
Here is an operating room example:
Image credit: Belinda Carr (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iKFClg_Imw)
In this example, everything in green is part of a nested family.

If you are curious about the complete list of pros and cons of
nested families, have a look at Belinda’s video.
WHEN TO USE REVIT LINKS?
Revit links are a big rival to Revit groups. You should probably
use Revit Links instead of groups for modeling:
• Different buildings on a site.

• Part of a building done by a specific firm (example:
specialty kitchen equipment, interior design team, etc.).

PAMPHLETS
• Content needs to be used in multiple projects at the same

time.
Pros of links:
• No annoying issues (fix groups) and strict rules to follow.

• Multiple people can work on a link at the same time.
• A link can be used on various projects at the same time.
• Links help to create smaller models and ensure better
performance.
Cons of links:
• Complicated to tag and dimension.

• No instance parameters for elements.
• Reloading content (wall types, families, etc.) is difficult. You
must do it in each linked file.
• Forced to open a separate instance of Revit to work on the
link.
Pros of Groups:
• You can assign unique instance parameters to elements

• Easier and faster to edit.
• Easier to reload families and content.
• Possible to attach “nested detail group.”

PAMPHLETS
Cons of Groups:
• Only one user can work in a group at the same time.

• Common group issues (groupception, “fix groups,” hosted
families, excluded bugs, warnings, by face families’ issues,
etc.).
• Porosity of groups: can interact with surrounding elements.
• Heavier Revit models require more RAM.
• Groups cannot be live-shared by multiple Revit models.
In the context of an interior layout (apartment, patient room,

modular apartment), groups are the winner. But it might depend
on your context and workflows. It is possible to convert a Revit
group to a link and vice-versa.
SCHEDULING GROUPS: THE BASICS
It is possible to schedule Model Groups. The group itself is

scheduled, not the elements contained inside.
In the old versions of Revit, you only have four schedulable

parameters by default. Revit 2023 added all the common
parameters (description, comments, etc.).
It is possible to add project parameters to model groups in any

Revit version.

PAMPHLETS
By default, model groups schedules won’t tell you much. They

can be use to display the count and reference level.

PAMPHLETS
With Revit 2023, it is also now possible to tag model groups.
AUTOMATING GROUPS WITH DYNAMO
What if you want to schedule everything inside of a group?

Revit won’t let you do it by default. However, using Dynamo can
make it work for you. Let’s explore the steps to create a group
numbering script.
Step 1: Add “Group Type” and “Group Instance” Shared

Parameters
Create new shared parameters to everything that will be included

inside of groups that you may want to schedule (walls, doors,
rooms, etc). Also, add these parameters to the Model Group
category as well. Notice that when you add a project parameter,
you have the option to use “Values can vary by group instance.”
That means each instance of elements can have a different value
for this parameter. For Dynamo to properly work, you need to use
this option for all parameters you add.

PAMPHLETS
All elements inside your group should have these two

parameters when selected. Since you’ve picked the “Values can
vary by group instance” option, you can modify the value directly
by tab-selecting the element. No need to enter the group first.
However, you can’t modify these parameters manually. You need

the help of Dynamo.

PAMPHLETS
Step 2: Set a Numbering System for your Model Groups
The group type name will serve as the primary way of numbering
and marking individual elements. Therefore, make sure to have
a clear name representing the group usage. For example, APP-A
(For apartment type A), MODULE-01, etc.
Step 3: Start Dynamo Script, add Custom Packages
Open Dynamo. You will need to install the Clockwork package.

Then, create nodes to extract the type names of all placed
groups. You will need the Element Classes, All Elements of Class
and Element.Name nodes. These nodes are used in Dynamo
2.13. If you are using older versions of Dynamo, the nodes might
be called “Element Types” and “All elements of Types.”

PAMPHLETS
Here, you might consider filtering the groups to only keep

specific ones, for example, those whose name starts with “APP.”
Then, you need to extract unique group type name values. Bring
the node called list.GroupByKey. It creates a list of the different
group names used in the project.
It is a good idea to group these first four nodes.

PAMPHLETS
Step 4: Create Unique Number For Each Group Instance
Now, you want a unique number for each group instance. For
example, if there are three instances of the APP-A group, they will
be called APP-A-1, APP-A-2 and APP-A-3. You could customize
this name even further by adding the level. However, we’ll stick to
a simple number for the moment.
You want the script to: Take the group type name, append a
number at the end and assign it to the new shared parameter
you’ve created for all group instances. For this, we will use the
Sequence node. Use the List.Count node to set the correct
amount of numbers for each group type. Convert the sequence
to a String. It is possible to add a separator (such as -) to the
number. Then, use the string.Insert node to add the number and
separator to the original string extracted from the “uniqueKeys”
output.

PAMPHLETS
You can see the number sequence you should get in the image
below. There are two instances of the group type called “APP-A”.
Therefore, the script creates two strings, called “APP-A-1” and
“APP-A-2”. Unique numbers will also be generated for every other
group type.

PAMPHLETS
Step 5: Attribute Unique Mark to Each Group Instance
Now, let’s add these strings to the Group Instance parameter

of each model group. Bring in the node called “Element.
SetParameterByName”. Use the “Group Instance” parameter
name you’ve previously created. Bring in the final string for the
value.
As you can see, each group instance should now have a unique
number in the Group Instance parameter you’ve created. The
sequence will be based on the order of creation. For example,
group APP-B-3 will be the third instance created of this group
type.

PAMPHLETS
Step 6: Assign Type & Instance numbers to elements part of the

group
Now, we will pick everything contained inside the groups and

assign the type and instance numbers. You will need to install the
Clockwork package and DynamoIronPython. Bring in the Group.
Members node from Clockwork.

PAMPHLETS
This node will list everything contained inside of each group:
Use these nodes to set the type and instance parameters to the
elements:

PAMPHLETS
Have a close look at the levels of the list. Set “element” to @L2
and “value” to @L1.
Tab-select one of the elements in the group. You should see both
the type and instance numbers:
Important: each time you modify the groups, you’ll need to rerun
the Dynamo script.

PAMPHLETS
SCHEDULING MULTI-CATEGORY GROUPS
The Dynamo script marked each element inside groups,

ensuring more options in scheduling. Let’s try to create a multi-
category schedule. In the Filter, let’s only keep apartment A.
Here is an example that includes everything from the App-A

group type.
You could also have a schedule that includes all groups, sorted
by instance number.

PAMPHLETS
Here is an example of a door schedule that includes the group

instance.

PAMPHLETS
DYNAMO BONUS: CREATE VIEWS FOR EACH GROUP
If you have lots of groups, Dynamo can be used to generate

views quickly. The script is a little heavier, though. It works in
Dynamo 2.13 (Revit 2023). You need 3 packages: Clockwork,
Rhythm and Archilab. Here it is:
The first step is to create nodes to find all unique groups starting
with a specified prefix. For example, the script gets all groups
with the “APP” prefix.

PAMPHLETS
Then, the script verifies if there are already views for these
groups. If so, these groups are filtered out.
The script then creates a plan view and ceiling plan for each
filtered group.
The script then renames the views to match the group name.
They are also moved to a user-specified group type and
assigned to a view template.

PAMPHLETS
Then, you need to create a bounding box around all elements in

the group. Extract the “min point” and “max point”. Then, set to a
user-specified offset value to leave a gap between the group and
the crop region.

PAMPHLETS
Finally, the script assigns the bounding box to the crop region
of the views. The crop box nodes are new from Dynamo 2.13. In
older versions, you’ll have to use other techniques with custom
packages (like MEPover). A limitation of this script is that if a
group is rotated, the crop region won’t have a rotation.

PAMPHLETS
Have a look at your project browser. There are views for all
groups! On a project with many apartments and modules, this
can save a lot of time. In addition to plan and ceiling views, you
could add elevations, 3D views and other view types.

PAMPHLETS
CONCLUSION
Groups are great for multi-apartments buildings and modular

construction. Make sure to understand the best practices
the avoid damaging issues. Use the power of Dynamo and
schedules to make the most of your group’s data.

PAMPHLETS
REFERENCES
Niall Kelly – 8020 BIM – “Revit Groups are Awesome! How to

Make and Edit Revit Groups”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OfkWekWf2I
Niall Kelly – 8020 BIM – “22 Tips for Mastering Revit Groups”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRpoDSg5dPE
Aaron Maller & Jeffrey Pinheiro – TheRevitKid – “Revit Groups vs

Links”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKW1tdyZ8lk
Nivin Nabeel – CanBIM (Building Transformations) – “Big Team,

Big Project, No Time”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l76M5c0S7fE
Belinda Carr – “Groups vs Nested Families”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iKFClg_Imw
Tim Waldock – “Revit Mirror Command is so not BIM”

http://revitcat.blogspot.com/2021/11/revit-mirror-command-is-
so-not-bim.html

PAMPHLETS

LEARN MORE
PAMPHLETS
THANKS FOR READING!


REVIT PURE PRESENTS
PAMPHLETS
FLOOR
SYSTEM
revitpure.com
PAMPHLETS
ISSUE #27 / WINTER 2023 / FLOOR SYSTEM

simple for you.
WHAT IS THIS FLOOR SYSTEM?

This is a project I have been doing in collaboration with QWEB,
the Quebec Wood Export Bureau.
Click here to download the family
It is a family that contains multiple nested structural elements.

It can be stretched on all directions. The joist spacing can be
adjusted, and the structural depth of the system is automatically
set based on the system Width.
This is a unique and innovative system I’ve never seen in Revit

before. Although it is meant for modular construction, it could
aslo be helpful in other circumstances.
In the first part, you will learn about the features of this system.
Then, you will learn some tricks to build a family such as this.
Disclaimer: This family is meant for early-phase modeling. It

doesn’t replace a structural engineer.

PAMPHLETS
WATCH THE YOUTUBE VIDEO

The topics covered in this pamphlet are covered by the video
below. Click here to watch it, or click the image:

PAMPHLETS
THE PARAMETRIC SYSTEM

The family contains joists, beams, a subfloor, and columns.
Everything is parametric! Check this out:
Why exactly should you use this family? It is meant as an early

phase family to quickly model structure with real dimensions.
You can copy and paste them to create a building layout:

PAMPHLETS
1- THE FAMILY IS A GENERIC MODEL WITH NESTED

STRUCTURAL FRAMING & COLUMNS
This family contains multiple nested shared components:

PAMPHLETS
These nested families are shared, which means they are

individually part of the Revit database. Therefore, when the
dimensions of the engineered floor system are changed, the
schedule automatically updates.

PAMPHLETS
2- THE JOIST SPACING CAN BE ADJUSTED
In the type properties of the family, you will find the joist spacing
parameter.

PAMPHLETS
3- MODIFY THE LENGTH, THE WIDTH, AND THE

FLOOR-TO-FLOOR HEIGHT
In the instance properties of the system, you can modify the

Length, the Width, and the Floor-to-Floor Height.

PAMPHLETS
4- DRAG THE BLUE ARROWS TO ADJUST THE WIDTH

AND LENGTH
You can set the values of the dimensions directly in the

properties, but you can also drag the blue arrows to adjust the
Width and Length of the family.
A limitation of this technique is that the values are rounded to

multiple digits. For better precision, type in the value.

PAMPHLETS
5- THE NUMBER OF COLUMNS IS AUTOMATICALLY

DETERMINED
The family calculates how many columns are required based on

the length.
For a Length up to 16’, there are 4 columns.
Between 16’ and 24’, there are 6 columns.
Beyond 24’ there are 8 columns.

PAMPHLETS
6- SWAP COLUMN FAMILIES
It is possible to switch from one structural column type to

another. In this example, there are 3 1/2” and 5 1/4” PSL
Columns.
To swap columns, go to the type parameters. However, make

sure to pick types only from this QWEB_PSL family. If you try
a different column family, you will probably get a warning or
strange behavior because the family is set up differently.
The family lets you pick between different column sizing:

PAMPHLETS
7- AUTOMATIC STRUCTURAL DEPTH
The Depth of the structural framing automatically adjusts based

on the Width. Here are the spans used:
Between 0’ to 16’-0” = Structure Depth: 9 1/2”
Between 16’-1” to 20’ = Structure Depth: 11 7/8”
Between 20’-1” to 26’-0” = Structure Depth: 14”
Between 26’-1” to 30’ = Structure Depth: 16”

PAMPHLETS
8- A WARNING IS DISPLAYED IF THE WIDTH IS TOO

LONG
The width of this module should never go beyond 30’. If a value

above 30’ is entered, the structural framing disappears and a 3D
text warning is displayed:

PAMPHLETS
9- THE SUBFLOOR IS INCLUDED AS A NESTED

SHARED FAMILY
Overall, this family is in the Generic Model Category. However, it

also includes a nested, shared subfloor family.
Normally, the floor category cannot be used when creating a new

family. However, we’ve managed to create one using a super-
secret trick.

PAMPHLETS
You can tab-select the subfloor and hide it if you want. Also,
you can use V/G menu to shut down all floors or this specific
subcategory.
You can also shut down the “Subfloor Visibility” parameter in the
type properties. However, this removes the subfloor entirely from
the model.

PAMPHLETS
10- EACH LEVEL OF DETAIL HAS DIFFERENT

INFORMATION
When using the Coarse level of detail, you will only see a
translucent slab that represents the thickness of the structural
system. The columns are also visible.
When using the Medium level of detail, the structural elements

appear.
With the Fine level of detail, metal hangers appear for the joists.

PAMPHLETS
11- SCHEDULES ARE INCLUDED FOR THE NESTED

STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS
The container file of this family includes 3 pre-made schedules.

Obviously, these are live schedules that will automatically update
if the dimensions of the structural systems are modified. First,
here’s a schedule that contains all columns:
For the columns to be included in this schedule, they need to

have the Type Comments parameter set to SYSTEM.

PAMPHLETS
The second schedule contains all Structural Framing elements.

Again, they need to have the SYSTEM value in the Type
Comments parameter to appear here.

PAMPHLETS
You can see that there are LSL, LVL and Open-Web types. These
titles are used from the Description parameter of each structural
type:
Finally, here is a schedule that contains all module (or full floor
structural system). It includes the Mark value, the Width, the
Length and the Floor-to-floor height.

PAMPHLETS
12- THE FILE IS IN A CONTAINER WITH

INSTRUCTIONS
Even the best Revit family is useless without a proper

explanation. When you download the engineered floor system, it
is part of a container file. The starting view includes instructions
and tips on how to use the family:

PAMPHLETS
5 SECRET REVIT TRICKS TO CREATE A

STRONG, FLEXIBLE STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
FAMILY
Alright, you’ve learned all the features from the floor system
families. Now, we will lift the veil on how to reproduce some of
these features. These are advanced Revit family strategies.
1- CREATE BLUE ARROWS THAT ARE VISIBLE IN 3D

VIEWS
The floor system family contains blue arrows that are visible not
only in plan views but also in 3D views.
To make the blue arrows visible in 3D views, set a dimension

between a reference plane and a reference line (or a model line).
No geometry has to be constrained to the ref. line/model line.
Assign the parameter to the dimension linked to the line.

PAMPHLETS
In this case, you can see there is a 3D grip only on one side:
If you want 4 grips, you will have to create four reference lines
(or model lines). In the image below, you can see the 4 reference
lines before the dimension parameter is assigned. The reference
lines are red for clarity purposes. You can add dimensions to
make certain the lines are centered on each side. This ensures
the 2D arrows will be centered as well.

PAMPHLETS
Once the parameters have been added to the dimensions, the

family should look like this:
You will see 4 grips in the 3D view. That’s the technique we’ve
used for the floor system family. Thanks to John Pierson for this
trick!

PAMPHLETS
2- ADD A CONDITIONAL 3D TEXT WARNING
In the floor system, this 3D text shows up when the Width goes
beyond 30’:
This is a great way to warn users conditions aren’t respected

without breaking the family. First, create the 3D text and place it.
Click on the Visibility rectangle.
Call an Instance parameter called Warning Visibility.

PAMPHLETS
Go to the Family Types menu. You must type the condition that
will cause the 3D text to be visible. In this example, we want the
text to display when the Width is equal to or above 30’.
Sadly, there isn’t a Greater than or equal symbol for formulas in

Revit. You have to use a workaround. Use the not operator and
type the opposite of what you want.
In this case, not(Width < 30’)
In addition, We’ve set the family so the joists aren’t visible if the
warning is. Add this visibility parameter to the joists:
That’s it! Make sure to play with the Width to ensure it works.

PAMPHLETS
3- CREATE A FLOOR NESTED FAMILY
Floors are system families and cannot be created as loadable

families... right?? right?
Wrong! A super-secret trick allows you to create loadable

families of system families such as walls, floors, ceilings, etc.
Thanks to Håvard Vasshaug for the video explaining the secret
trick.
In a Revit model, use the Model-In-Place tool.
Select the category you want to use and model an extrusion.
While still inside the Model In-Place tool, select the geometry
and create a group.

PAMPHLETS
In the project browser, look at the groups. Right-click the new

group and select Save Group.
This will prompt you to save the group as a .rfa family.
Open the family. It’s a loadable .rfa with the Floor category!

PAMPHLETS
You can model and change this floor family like you can with any
other family. Before loading it into another family, make sure to
make it shared.
You might ask... Why it is so important to use the “floor”

category? Because it allows you to use Visibility/Graphics in
Revit to shut down the floor category, while keeping the rest
visible. It also allows you to properly use schedules.

PAMPHLETS
4- USE NESTED SHARED FAMILIES FOR

STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS
A family inside another family is called a nested family. A nested

family can be shared, which means that it will also be loaded and
created in the project independently from the host family.
Make sure that the shared parameter is active.
The biggest benefit of a nested shared family is that the elements

can be scheduled independently. For example, even though
the columns are nested into the main family, they will appear as
individual elements in the columns schedule:

PAMPHLETS
A limitation of a nested shared family is that you cannot associate

the type parameters.
For example, the structural framing families dimension

parameters are instance-based. This allows these dimensions
to automatically be adapted depending on the system’s width
dimension.
If you go to the type properties of this nested family, the small

rectangle that allows you to associate a parameter isn’t available.
That’s because type properties can be adjusted directly in the
project.

PAMPHLETS
5- USE “IF” STATEMENT TO AUTOMATICALLY

CHANGE STRUCTURAL DEPTH BASED ON WIDTH
On page 15, you learn that this family’s structural depth

automatically adjust based on the Width. This is possible by
using an if statement. Here is the basic syntax of an if statement:
if(condition, result if true, result if false)
For the framing height, we use a nested if statement, which

means there are multiple conditions.
Here is the formula that is used for the Framing Height value:
if(Width < 15’ 11”, 0’ 9 1/2”, if(Width < 19’ 11”, 0’ 11 7/8”, if(Width < 25’ 11”, 1’
2”, 1’ 4”)))
In this case, the framing height will be 9 1/2” if the Width is

smaller than 15’11”, 11 7/8” if the Width is smaller than 19’-11”
and so on.
If you are new to formulas in Revit, this might seem a bit

overwhelming, but it’s not that bad.

PAMPHLETS
ADVANCED FAMILY STRATEGIES

COURSE
Are you enjoying these family tips? We’ve got more for you! Revit
Pure is offering a cohort-based course about advanced Revit
family strategies.
Next cohort is on March 20th.
Click here to learn more

PAMPHLETS
THANKS FOR READING!



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REVIT PURE PRESENTS

ISSUE #1 / SUMMER 2016

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WHAT ARE WORKSETS ?

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1- ORGANIZE YOUR WORKSETS

2- PLACE LEVELS AND GRIDS ON

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3- CREATE A WORKSET FOR EVERY

4- CLOSE WORKSETS YOU DON’T USE

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5- UNDERSTAND WHAT “EDITABLE”

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6- SET ELEMENTS TO “EDITABLE” TO

Often it is better to make elements editable instead. You can do this by

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7- CLEAN YOUR WORKSETS EVERY FRIDAY

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8- USE WORKSHARING DISPLAY TO KEEP

In the above image we know that user RevitPure is working on the WC

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9- USE CHECKOUT STATUS TO AVOID REQUESTS

10- CREATE WORKSET A-FINISHES

ISSUE #2 / FALL 2016

WHAT IS THIS “PAMPHLET” ?

WHAT ARE SCHEDULES ?

If you modify an element in the model, it will be updated in the schedule

WHY ARE SCHEDULES SO COMPLICATED ?

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BASIC SCHEDULE: LIST AND QUANTIFY ALL ELEMENTS

SHEET + VIEW LISTS

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MATERIAL TAKEOFF: CALCULATE MATERIALS

NOTE BLOCK: ORGANIZE PLAN NOTES

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CREATE A BASIC SCHEDULE

The top field of this menu will appear

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19 TIPS TO BECOME A SCHEDULE MASTER

Go to Filters menu to exclude specific elements from the schedule. For

2. SORT AND CLASSIFY YOUR SCHEDULE

Go to Sorting/Grouping menu to select a way to sort the schedule. For

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3. UNCHECK ITEMIZE EVERY INSTANCE TO GROUP ITEMS

By default, every elements are visible in a schedule. That means if you

Most of the time, you want to group these walls. Go to Sorting/Grouping

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4. ADD HEADER AND FOOTER

In Sorting/Grouping menu, activate Header to add a Title above each

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5. GO TO FORMATTING MENU TO ACTIVATE TOTALS

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6. TOTALS FOR GROUPED ITEMS DON’T NEED FOOTER

7. USE GRAND TOTALS

What if you want to know the total

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8. HIDE FIELDS YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE

Sometimes, a field can be required to filter or calculate value, but don’t

9. USE VERTICAL HEADER FOR LONG TITLES

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10. GROUP HEADERS TO ORGANIZE YOUR SCHEDULE

11. HIGHLIGHT ELEMENT IN MODEL

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12. USE CALCULATED PARAMETER TO GET PRICE