Text String Value in Formula

As it is known that string value can't be used for results of  formulas. It means...

At the family above, if the TYPE should be..

if A < B,  TYPE = X

if A > B,  TYPE = Y

if A = B,  TYPE = Z

Document Ready Family

As an architect, one of the most important purpose of using Revit is making documents. Revit supports lots of great features for it. But, to get fine documents without errors, most parts of the building must be made with 3D model. And this can be annoying work sometimes.

Some rooms of buildings have general design guidelines. Restroom is a representative one. It has repetitive toilets, urinals and basins. With Revit and it's parameter, it can be made very easily and rapidly both 3d model & 2d documents.

Here is an example I made.

Visibility of Void

Here is a question.
Is it possible to control visibility of Void in a family?

Slope Arrow without Slope..WHAT???

Yesterday, I saw an old unsolved question at RevitCity by accident.(someone asked it again with point out link)

The point is, Grids of Sloped Glazing align to "world" not the object when it's not sloped. how can make it align to the object without angle input.

And Here is a solution I found.

Praise Pythagoras.

When a window family with arched lintel is necessary and height has to be controlled, what kind of parameters have you been using?

1. Angle based method

A arched lintel maintains it's angle if it has no parameters. It's just simple.

Don't Let Tool's Name Deceive You

I think the biggest difference between Revit and Autocad is that most of tools in Revit has there objective components like walls, floors, stairs.... But anything can be drawn with lines in Autocad. Sometimes this difference makes work easier, but sometimes the opposite.

But we can take advantage of the tools in Revit more than their names, if we deeply understand how they work. I mean, why do we have to make roofs with Roof tool? Is there any reason not to make stair with Railing tool?

What are you doing Railing?

Enlarge Your library "To Infinity and Beyond"

Sometimes, making families which has no parameters but has complicated shape is pretty annoying work. How the hell can I make a beautiful smooth sofa with only Extrusion and Sweep in Revit? Maybe, it's not impossible if i had more than enough time. But who has it?

Curved Pattern and Mapping

User question: How can I make arched brick lintel in Revit?

Like this one?

Well, at first, making models of each bricks which is straightforward can be tried. Of course, it's not very difficult to make it with array or some other features in Revit. But is it necessary? Then why don't we make model of each bricks for walls??

RoomS tag

Today, I saw a question that "Is there a way to maintain the individual rooms in a suite, but create a tagable suite that includes all the rooms as well?"

And here is a solution for it.

Making use of Curtain Wall

A user in Korean forum asked me how to make stud frame for drywall with Revit. I've never thought about it. I prefer make my model simple.

Isn't it look like mullions?

Curved Insulation

Few days ago, I've got to see a question about curved  insulation at RevitCity. I've never thought this kind of families are necessary before. I just answered the way I made curved frame can be used. It was just an idea, not tested.

So I tried to make one.

Step1.

At my 1st attempt, i just made a simple detail and arrayed it.

Adaptive Symbol

As known, annotation tags in Revit can show information of families. But Symbols can't.

In the picture above, level tags show levels automatically, but it does'n happen in section symbols. It could make some documents incorrect. Of course it's been happening when we use Autocad. But in Revit? I expect it shouldn't be.

So I developed a symbol family which can follow the model and make correction automatically.

Automate Tag, Annotation, Symbol.

Tags and annotations in Revit are very useful. But some families need tags or symbols in most views at the same position like fire-rating tags for doors.

Make Curtain Wall Smart

Environmentally, I can't say curtain wall is the best option. My office has good looking wide curtain walls, but they made me like a turkey in the oven last summer. (Damn energy policy!!! :(  )

But it's still attractive when we design a building with large and simple shaped mass.

NotMyOffice.jpg

Revit provides pretty good feature to make curtain walls. But there are some inconveniences yet.

Horizontality & Verticality

Horizontality and verticality are very important in building design.

Most of buildings have to stand Vertical on the ground and provide Horizontal floors for people or something to stand.

In Revit, most of families find there axis as horizontal &vertical in project automatically. But, for what reason  they don't when I use 3d curved paths to get workplanes for profiles.

At the picture above, you can see what happens when a path is 3d curved. Workplanes at the ends are rotated.(so are the workplanes at the middle)

Spanish Roof Tiles

As known, we don't have to make in 3d every parts of buildings when use Revit.
We can use 2d elements for documents and it's good enough for construction.

But in some reasons, we have to make highly detailed models sometimes.

Roof tiles are one of them. It's not nessesary in 3d for construction documents. But without medeling, the visual effect can't be like real one.

In fact, I rarely use roof tiles in my projects. I tried this just because of my curiousity.

Visibility of Symbolic Line

Everyone may know how useful Symbolic lines are when make families. And visibility setting makes Symbolic line more powerful. With this feature, we can make highly detailed plan or section views without 3D models.

But in some of family templates, the option of 'Show only if Instance is cut' can not be changed.

Visibility setting in a Genetic model template

I just can't understand why this is blocked! (anyone knows?)

And the way I found to change this option is..

Stair Landing with Treads.

Here is one of my old tips.

In some projects, space for stairs can't be large enough. Therefore more steps are necessary even at their landings.

General Stair in Revit

If just tread profile lines added at the landing above.. It goes like this

3Points Circle without Formulas

After I started this Blog, thankfully, I'm getting more feedback than i expected, and I love it.

A week ago, I posted about 3-point Circle. And I got a response from Dr. Mark.

I think the bottom line of his idea is reducing complicated formulas, and placing proper location.

Like i said at this post, I hate formulas too. :-)  And he is right about the placing part. I just ignored it at the last post.

Dr. Mark's Idea is quite impressive. But I thought it there must be a simpler way. (I think there're always easier or simpler ways when use Revit)

Here is my solution.
I didn't use any of formulas except '='. I just used the feature of Host Point by Intersection.

Thanks again Dr.Mark.

Enjoy. :-)

Ceiling Hangers in Revit

Most of Ceiling hangers have structures like above picture.
Is there anyone make this on 3D in Revit? I suppose not. If not, there must be several ways to describe this especially in section views.

General Methods

Method1 : Using detail lines- just like what we do in Autocad....
                  Why do you use Revit???

Method2 : Make one hanger with Detail Component and copy or array this in a project..
                 This could be the basic way in Revit. But too much works(copy&array).

Method3 : Using Repeating Detail Component.
                 This could be more convenient. But in some projects, many types required.

Method4 : Make parametric Detail family.
                 It works fine in most projects. But under sloped roofs or slabs?

Do you hate formulas? So do I.

I've been using various formulas when I make families in Revit. They usually make my work easier, but make me crazy at the same time. I always try to use formulas as little as possible. (I'm not that math guy)

And here is one of the tips to get rid of formulas.

Folding Structure

To make a family like folding doors those enable to close and open, Pythagorean theorem can be used for it like this

3-points Circle, 3-points arch

Draw in Autacad
with 6 Circles

Draw in Revit
Only One Circle?

There are various ways to draw circles in Autocad, and they are very useful.

But, there's nothing like that in Revit. Center point-Radius, this is the only way.

So, here is a question. Is it possible to make circle with 2-points or 3-points method in Revit just like in Autocad? To tell the conclusion first, yes it is.

Helix, Helix, Helix...

When did you start using Revit?

In my case, it was the year of 2010. I've been using SketchUp for Modeling & Design, 3ds-max for rendering, and Autocad for drafting until then.

Revit was just awesome for me at the first time. But it took not much time for me to realize that modeling in Revit is not that easy comparing with SU or 3ds. Practicing was the only way to make it easy for me.

Few month later, someone asked me about how to make a Helix with Revit. Hmm.. that wasn't an easy mission for me at that time. And this one simple question made me to begin a journey to Helix.

I started googling. It was the first time for me to get to know Zach's blog. And This was what I read.

Step 1. Stacked Points

I've tried to follow, but could't get some parts to make it at that time.

So I found my own way like this.

The Perfect BIM Software Ever

There're lots of tools about BIM. Revit is just one of them.
And each of them has it's pros and cons.
I love Revit, but I need another tools for some reasons. I suppose everyone does.

What if, I just design then Revit makes all details, documents and make 4D construction simulations automatically.

I know one software which can make this kind of job done.

I'm starting Blogger in English

I have my blog with Korean  already.
But I realized that there're a lot more people interested in Revit besides Korea.

This is the graph of my YouTube chanel which shows number of views are dramatically increasing besides Korea.