Forums >> Revit Building >> Technical Support >> newbie here. saying hi. and a little basic revit "conceptual" question.

whitex

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Joined: Mon, Jul 30, 2007
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i have been using the program for almost a weekend now.  been venturing into making custom families.  however,  i am not sure at what point i should be massing objects (and leave them be masses).  and similiarly, when to start using family.  or why can't i just draw some lines...? 

here is my dilemma about revit:  say i need to build a customed guardrail for an ADA ramp.  i need to have glass inserted in it, and the shape of the guardrail is organic at 8'-0" long.  would it still be best to "try" and create that family?  or would it be better just leave it as a mass?

what is the best approach...?  what i don't get about revit coming from 5 years of advanced autocad) is that i stilll don't understand what to do when the design objects are not completed yet  (during a design process).  most of the time, i don't even know what that design object might be, in a given space.  for me revit lacks that, "leave it til later" option for its users.  am i the only one that feel this way?

or say i have some custom millwork that i have already spent the time modeling it in sketchup pro 6.0.  why, is it that in need to "TAG" them?  for what greater good (if any) if all i need is just a custom piece of millwork...  why is this "process" so complicated?

or say, i need just to complete a construction pricing document.  i don't need to have a complete model of the building, or a given space, in order to do that.  if i were to use revit, an imcomplete model is, well, incomplete...  i can't send something out when it is incomplete.  so, how does revit  "saves" time in this instance?

i understand the potential of revit for base building type projects, especially ones with curtain walls and such; or logistic interior for a huge interior project involving stacking and moving of peolple for GSA;  but i think it still has much to "tweak" for interior type projects, especially small restaurants / hospitality type where 90% of the interior is customed millwork / casework / artwork.

excuse me if i sound like as i am "whining"...  i am actually not, as you can see, i am learning the program, afterall.  i just hope that someone can explain the purpose of this "revit concept", and what is the best approach to handle small residential / hospitality type interior projects for me...

thanks in advance guys. - whitex

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sdbrown

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For the sketchup question, you just import the sketch up model into a blank casework family, then load it into revit and you have it as the right object type.

For your rail questions/ concept question.  You want to take the place holder approach in early design. YOu can draw lines when you need to .  For the glass railing, just make a rectangular profile the size of the glass, load it in, then create a railing type using that profile as a RAIL with the material set to glass, now you can draw whatever shape you want. 

Its easy to delete and swap out objects so build things quick and dirty, then just plan that between SD and DD you'll be remodeling things correctly.

As for MASSES NEVER use them for objects only use them for building shapes/features.  The same massing tools are available in every in-place family category(model>create). Just build these using the right category.  Note if your model slows down too much, replace these with real families once you've got your design down.

 When you say incomplete, what is incomplete. You have filled region tools and drafting tools to graphically draw whatever you need to communicate.  Note a tub can be symbol lines drawn in a tub family, then add the 3d later.  You could use revit as a complete 2d tool only having it set the heights for you, then draft your elevations as you would in acad.

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WWHub

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Lots of typical ... just started .... questions.  We have all been there and and then all the questions that come each time you make a leap onto another level.  My best advice is to let go of your AutoCAD rules and open yourself up to REVIT's.  You are only scratching the surface and although it is hard now, it gets a whole lot better later.

To answer a few of your questions:

1. Get some books and/or really read the tutorials.  Almost everything you need is in the tutorrials or can be found in the help file.  Work hard at understanding the terminology.
2. I rarely use generic models because they are all lumped together.  If possible, create families under their appropriate categories.
3. Use a railing for your guadrail.  This will be a great learning lesson! 
4. I think the REVIT name comes from revise it .... the  "leave it til later" really works well in REVIT.  You can easily create a 2d family to act as a placeholder for something 3d that you create later. 
5. You can import sketchup & dwg files into a family that you can assign a tag to.  You don't have to "explode" them.
6. For most work, your families will probably be very generic in detail and you will cover these up with 2d linework where appropriate.  Millwork is an example of somthing I don't model but I do have 2d detail components that I can apply overtop of my section generated from the 3d model.

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WWHub

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whitex

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thank you guys.  getting close, i am.  when the project is done, i will try to the export it to MAX, and def. share the rendering with you all.  thanks again.  (and will probably have more questions to come...)

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broncos4life

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Joined: Thu, Nov 10, 2005
390 Posts

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