Forums >> Revit Building >> Technical Support >> Elevation Shadow Diagrams

Sydney2001

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Joined: Mon, Jun 7, 2010
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Hi Everyone,

I have noticed a few similar questions, but not this specific one.

I must produce an elevation of a neighbouring building showing the sun shadows at different times fo the year.

The problem is that thebuildings are very close, and when I place the eleveation line between the two buildings the shadows from my building disappear. How do I make my building invisible but the shadows from it not?

To rephrase the question how do I place the elevation line between the buildings, but have the shadows of the building behind cast onto the visible elevation?

(the boundary between the two buildings is dead straight so no issues with a section/elevation line).

I'm using 2010.

thanks everyone

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rkitect

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Joined: Thu, Dec 16, 2004
792 Posts

Sydney,

This unfortunately is a huge oversite on Autodesk's part.  I've been trying to find a way around this with no success so far.  Not only that, but while doing some poking today after reading your post I even found that Revit still can't accurately project shadows consistently across views:

http://www.screencast.com/users/rkitect/folders/Jing/media/a15edd2a-e5ec-412f-bfb4-b41cd8902a19

The image above shows 2 views, one 3d one plan in the same project with the same sun settings in both (using location services) and you can clearly see that the shadows are different in each view.  So even if we could get shadows to project without the object there I'm not sure we can fully trust those shadows yet .

Sorry for the bad news,

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Carl - rkitecsure[at]gmail.com

Need help? I'm probably in my chat room!

You fell victim to one of the classic blunders. The most famous is never get involved in a land war in asia, but only slightly less well known is this! Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!

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Sydney2001

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Joined: Mon, Jun 7, 2010
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Thank-you, I was beginning to think that I was stupid.

I have to say that Revit isn't the first CAD that I have used, and needless to say I am disappointed. Even if I can produce shadow diagrams can I rely on them?

 I have found a way around it,  I have turned all walls transparent, kept roofs solid and made the neighbours wall out of glass. The roofs are casting shadows where the wall would, but still doesn't look great.

cheers

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rkitect

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Joined: Thu, Dec 16, 2004
792 Posts

I'd hate that something like not being abel to set up acurate shadow diagrams is really ruining your opinnion of a BIM package as robust as Revit. That's like saying "Revit is so disappointing, I mean really AutoDesk, you haven't implemented the timeframe animation capability yet? hello!?"

We're getting there, but some things are better off outside of Revit until then.

Best of luck!

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Carl - rkitecsure[at]gmail.com

Need help? I'm probably in my chat room!

You fell victim to one of the classic blunders. The most famous is never get involved in a land war in asia, but only slightly less well known is this! Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!

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millieclarke

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Joined: Tue, Nov 9, 2010
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I was struggling with this and have found a SOLUTION.

Make the main house out of a translucent material. Move the section line to the middle of the main house. You can now see the shadows on the neighbours wall. Trace the outline by eye with detail lines. Then move then section line back to between the two buildings. Fill the outline of the shadow!

A bit of a pain but still it's a solution.

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