Forums >> Revit Systems >> Technical Support >> symbols, detail components

vinnygolfer

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Joined: Wed, Jul 8, 2009
181 Posts

help, i realize that this may be a beginner question, but up till now i didn't really care about the appearance of the symbols in revit. now that i'm using it more, i want to use our company standard symbols. i'm using mep 2012. how can i replace the symbol that revit uses with one that i create so that i get the look that we want? there are alot of symbols that i need to change, and i just need to be started in the right direction. again, sorry if this is a basic topic, but i couldn't find any help by searching old posts.

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WWHub

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Joined: Tue, May 16, 2006
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First, make sure you understand the difference between a symbol and a model/detail component.  Symbols always print the same paper space size, no matter what the view scale is.

If I were you, I would edit the existing symbols by:

1. Opening one by one in the family editor
2. Save under a new name ... maybe use your office initials in them to identify them
3. Now modify according to your standards (This may be a complete redo)
4. Load your new symbols in your office template and delete the old ones.

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vinnygolfer

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Joined: Wed, Jul 8, 2009
181 Posts

thanks, i've messed with that i little, but i'm getting frustrated. i can't seem to get to the right place to make the changes. here is a sample of what i'm dealing with on the left is the revit symbol for a butterfly valve and on the right is ours. i had to mask the area and then draw the new one. but i want to do it correctly from now on. in 3d it looks great, but i can't figure out how to change it in plan view. i opened the family, and tried opening the detail component. but from there i'm lost. i change it and nothing happens. i'm just sick of doing it wrong, when i know that it should be an easy fix.

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chuckbradley

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Joined: Thu, Sep 22, 2005
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The main thing to understand is that the symbol and the model object are two different things.  The symbols are loaded into the object family to show a representation of the actual object on paper. But in the model, there really is a 3d part there. You probably have a grasp of that already.The symbols themselves are going to be either "Generic Annotations" or "Detail Components".The annotations will scale up or down with the view scale.  Detail components will stay the same size and are used for stuff like grid ceiling lights.The annotation or detail will get loaded into the model family. Annotations go on the "Floor plan ref. level" and/or the "Ceiling plan ref. level". Detail components can go in the Floor or Ceiling plan ref. levels also, or they can also go in an elevation.You can start a new generic annotation family and import your cad symbol, explode it, then change the linetype to "Generic annotations", or create a subcategory that you'd like to control the visibility of seperately.  Then purge and save.  You don't want a bunch of "autocad layers" cluttering up your projects.The detail componets are similar I believe, been a while since I've had to make something new now.Things have gotten a lot easier in the last few releases, but you'll still encounter a few oddities and will find yourself needing to think around revit to get the job done.  You'll also find you can create some awesome families with all kinds of parameters to control visibility and different abilities like resizing.  It can even seem fun at times.

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vinnygolfer

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Joined: Wed, Jul 8, 2009
181 Posts

ok, i have taken a plug valve for the gas line, and modified it. in the attached pdf you will see the out of the box plug valve in medium detail. it looks nothing like the symbol in the ashrea handbook. so i created a 2d annotation family. then opened up the plug valve family, saved it as a new file. then erased the 2d symbol that was in there, and loaded in my new family. the one on the bottom is my new plug valve family. in 3d it looks the same as the one above it. but now it looks more like it should. but i'm still having troubles. i must have gone about it wrong, because as you can see there is now a gap between my new symbol for the valve, and the pipe.

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