So I need (or want :-) to use a Grid represented in 3D in Revit and while Navisworks can now visualize the levels and grids in 3D, alas Revit cannot (still/yet?) -Insert smily of choice, I prefer to simply say that's typical... Anyhow, I hoped to find John Raiten's 3D grid (I know he had a nice one from our Gensler days), but since I can't find it or don't have it in my dropbox folder I bounced around the Revinternet and the first one I stumbled on was in Russian...
Well no, it wasn't in Russian, though the author's name is, so credit him by hitting his post too... but although it is a nice posting he did talk about a method to use Autocad data as one method for grid representations and that to a lot of folks, me included, can be thought of thus: "Any Autocad data in Revit is the worst thing one can do to a Revit Project!" So there :-PAdditionally I want one to do a bit more, so I just made my own that you can d'load Right Here!!!
I am not going to do a full how-to, since it is ready to go for you but I will go into a few things that one needs to be aware of for 'proper' use (AKA: Not blowing it up), So on with the show...The top-left most image is what the 3 types of the Line Based Generic Model of 3D Grids look like ...in 3D obviously.
I made the "line" portion quite thick and grey, so it pops but is distinct from other graphics.
The 'circle' is an extrusion with thickness and material control... Size should not be messed with except by experts and should only be done at the family level, not from the project!
The 2nd image on the left is what it looks like in the family environment's 3D'ness...
The image right shows them in plan with a standard OOTB grid. The Type Names are specified in blue tags.
I realized a bit of a naming gotcha... I should have Type-Named "One Letter" something like 'One Letter and Two Numbers' but since it also works with many (not all) pairs of double letters... AND it was already finished when I realized that, so it is simply Type-Named "One Letter". Though as you can see it IS still useful for double numbers and some double letters...
The "Text Only" Type is really my preference so you can all consider the ones in 'bubbles' as a gift :-)
The parameters are quite formulaic ;-) -naa it's just that they do rely on some basic formulas as you can see below...
I am not mentioning (hey I am just about to :-) the "Two Letters" Type very much since, in order to fit the larger letters in pairs (if needed) like 'MM' and 'WW', etc. the bubble needs to be too big for my taste; but there you go anyways...choices: always choices...
As you can possibly guess if you change the sizes of the bubbles or the number of bubbles from the project (instead of simply choosing the correct Type) you will probably blow these up!!! So either don't do that or if you do please send all complaints to The Senate!!!Finally the final image below is of the Object Styles, Sub-Categories from the project environment. I set these up from the family to allow easier, more flexible choices for the glass materials I built them with...
So if you want to mess with your own copy of these; feel free to download, use, share, complain about, etc...
-Cheers!!!
[funny, I haven't needed or wanted these previously, but for Contractors using Revit I see a nice fit]
ReplyDeleteWhy is using Autocad content in Revit the worst thing you can do to a Revit project? Seems a major waste considering the large amount of Autocad content available and that both packages are provided by the same company. You would think that the would be able to overlap without compromising the integrity of either one using the strengths of both?Why is using Autocad content in Revit the worst thing you can do to a Revit project? Seems a major waste considering the Autocad content available and that both packages are provided by the same company.
ReplyDeleteQ: "Why is using Autocad content in Revit the worst thing you can do to a Revit project?"
DeleteA: In a nutshell they are so different in their uses, geometry creation, etc. that the data is incompatible. ACAD is a belief system (point to a line and type text to call it "wall" and you believe it to be a wall, change only the text to "duct" and the belief system breaks down...Revit is object and information based modeling, ACAD creates dumb lines, arcs, etc...
Q: "Seems a major waste considering the large amount of Autocad content available and that both packages are provided by the same company."
A: Not at all a 'waste', rather a "use". Modernization is never a waste...your comment is just like the ones I heard from people that said they'd never draw all their details in AutoCAD (when it was new)...they all thought "sticky-backs" would be used 'forever'... I meet tons of people who don't even know what a sticky-back is LOL...BTW: they ALL re-drew their details in AutoCAD or "whateverCAD"!!!
Q: "You would think that the would be able to overlap without compromising the integrity of either one using the strengths of both?"
A: One might assume that, dream of that, prefer that but it is simply not the case. Revit is so different from ACAD and any process or method from ACAD will surely be the wrong process and method in Revit at the very best...but at worst destroythe Revit project. If you are in LA come by the LARUG and we can discuss further but for now, I suggest you bounce around RevitForum.org and see what others say... you'll find the people who have a great deal of project experience and expertice in both will agree, if not be more strident against anything Autocad going into Revit.
Even if you had your grids Isolated and export that plan view into Navisworks, the AutoCAD text does not come over. And if you use the new Grid system in Navisworks, you can kind of see where you are, but if you export a true 3D grid system from Revit with the intelligence behind the 3D object, if you are near the grid, you can definitely see the text, and also click on it and it will tell you in the properties what grid it is.
ReplyDeleteAutoCAD still doesn't come even close to the information that can be brought into Navisworks from Revit.
Plus, it is a great way to graphically represent grids in your 3D views in Revit.