Author Archives: Mirko Jurčević

12 Nov

Modeling Structure in Revit®: 2. Set Levels and Grids

“Set levels and grids? Just throw a few of them in the model and let’s do some real modellin’!”

Level as the most important element

Levels are the most important elements of a Revit model. Grids are important, but not so much as levels (you know, if you delete a grid, nothing will get deleted with it like when you delete a level).

Your whole future (re)modeling work  depends on how you plan and set your levels in the beginning. Levels and grids are “the structure” of your Revit model. You don’t need to be a structural engineer to know the importance of a good structure. Here are some important tips about how to properly Read More →

05 Sep

Dynamo: Copy values between Revit® parameters

To copy values between different Revit parameters quickly, use Dynamo script. Let’s say that we entered information (parameters values) into many Revit family instances in our project just to realize that it should be on another place (in another parameter). Or we change our minds during the project (it happens).
So, in order to do the boring task of copying parameter values to another place quickly, let’s use the power of Dynamo.

The script is simple, it just uses Element.GetParameterValueByName and Element.SetParameterByName methods to get and set the values.
All you need to do is: Read More →

23 Apr

Revit® 2018.3 startup warning

Recently, after I updated my Revit 2018 to Revit 2018.3 version, on startup I received following error message:

DBApplication “bb3086be-63bb-44bd-99eb-d584c013cf2f” Startup failed because an error occurred from OnStartup.”
System.TypeInitializationException: The type initializer for ‘Autodesk.RevitServer.Versioning.Client.HttpClientHelper’ threw an exception. —> System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not load file or assembly ‘Autodesk.Bcg.Net, Version=7.7.2.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=d672471c03b2c408’ or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.
at Autodesk.RevitServer.Versioning.Client. HttpClientHelper..cctor()
— End of inner exception stack trace —
at Autodesk.RevitServer.Versioning.Client. HttpClientHelper.AddProductInformation (String name, String version)
at Autodesk.Revit.UI.Collaborate.CollaborateDBApplication.OnStartup (ControlledApplication application)
at Autodesk.Revit.AddIn. ExternalDBApplicationManager.startupSingleDBApplication (RevitAddInDBApplication dbApplication)

Read More →

13 Feb

Change Revit® family level reference without moving elements

Changing reference level of Revit family instance can be painful, especially if you do not want to move an element, just change the reference.

For particular object it’s not a big deal, just calculate the offset value, change the level and enter new offset value, the object will go to the same place it were.

But, what if we have several, if not hundreds of such objects. On different heights (offsets) and referenced to different levels? That could take some time to adjust (re-reference). And it’s prone to errors.

Even worst case is with conduits, pipes, cable trays, ducts and similar objects which have point objects (fittings), and linear objects (ducts, pipes etc.) with or without Read More →

12 Jan

Cuttable vs. Non-Cuttable Revit® Categories

If a family is cuttable then the family displays as cut when the cut plane of a view intersects that family in all types of views.

In Family Editor, click visibility-settings to open Element Visibility Settings dialog. There is an option called When cut in Plan/RCP.  (RCP is short for Reflected Ceiling Plan)

visibility-settings-dialog

This option determines if family geometry is shown when the cut plane intersects that family. Family can be cuttable only if it’s Category is cuttable. How can we know which Revit categories are cuttable and which are not? Read More →

11 Nov

How to display beam projection in Revit® plan views

Revit Beams are also known as “Structural Framing”.

Typical arhictectural (floor) plan view shows particular level with it’s cut plane set approximately 120cm from the level. Also, beams from the level above are shown in floor plans. And, here comes our first problem with Revit: what’s the easiest way to show our beams without too much manual interaction?

There are several solutions for showing beams “from above” in Revit floor plan views, each of them having their pros and cons: Read More →

10 Nov

Display fire rating symbol with doors in Revit®

In your Revit project documentation, sometimes you want to display parameters or values that are not available in Tag’s Label dialog.

Let’s take an example:

Door fire rating is a system parameter that you can use (and tag) with a door family. But, you do not want to display parameter value but rather a symbol representing value (or a range). There is no way that Revit will allow this to happen using regular Tags, that is, Tag familiy cannot “read” a value and then “decide” what graphic symbol to use. You must do this manually by using “correct” tag or tag type.

There is, however, an alternative solution. It is not coolest solution because it is off Revit’s logic (where model elements and annotations are separated) but it works.

What you need to do is: Read More →