1.

Core Concepts
a. Introduction building information modeling (BIM)
i. BIM coined by Autodesk. Describe process of creating digital model that
represent actual building facilities. Revit and BIM are not the same thing,
Revit helps achieve BIM. If all of the parts of your BIM project are
perfectly coordinated and dont need individual update to keep the in
sync then you have BIM. Revit helps calculate loads, etc. 3d is very
important in BIM, but is only a part of it. B I M, the I helps calculating
energy loads, needs data, helps get a proper design, the computer
calculates it.
b. Working in one model with many views
i. Revit helps that what you do in plan, automatically reflects in elevation,
3d, sections and vice versa. Changes coordinated.
ii. If you select something a floor plan, it automatically goes blue in all the
views, because they are not separate elements, one with different views,
the changes are seen in all views automatically.
iii. We can create views in any minute to see different sides of the model.
iv. Example: you can change a single door to a double one, and
automatically changes in the views and schedule. Changes are applies
immediately in all views.
c. Understanding Revit element hierarchy
i. Different types of elements, different categories. Groupings families.
ii. Categories break into groups, buckets, major ones: model elements,
annotation elements, special case: views.
iii. Model elements: anything that represents a real thing. Walls, doors,
stairs and railing. Physically exist. You create them in any view, and you
can see them and change them in any view.
iv. View specific elements: belong specifically to one view. Annotation
elements: dimensions, No real ones, no physical objects. Scale bar. They
only exist in the view that they are created. If you move one of this
elements, example room tags, they dont change in the other view.
Annotation elements and view specific elements respond to scale.
Change the scale, the model geometry wont change, but annotation
elements and view specific elements will.
v. Category family type: categories are built into the software. Walls, doors,
etc. Difference between, lets say a single door and a double door are
what we call a family, more specific designation. Category: furniture,
families: chain, desk, etc. Even in a family, youve got variations, types:
different sizes. If you change a characteristic in a type, all the ones in the
same type will reflect those changes. If you made a change in the family,
it will affect all the ones in that family, same goes for categories. The
hierarchy tells us in what level changes are going to take place.
2. Getting Comfortable with the Revit Environment
a. Understanding the different versions of Revit
i. Architecture: three versions.
1. Revit: Architecture / MEP / Structure
2. Revit Architecture
3. Revit LT
b. The Recent Files screen and the Application menu
i. Recent Files
1. Projects area: Links to open and create new files. Create a file
based on a template.
2. Recently opened files: reopen that file
3. Family files: individual objects that are placed in the project.
4. Resources area.
ii. Application menu
1. Commands usually expected there.
2. Expand the menus. Click the link to open a dialog box.
 3. You can select to view recent documents or open documents. You
can pin the document, so it wont move below even if you open
other files afterwards.
c. Using the Ribbon and the QAT
i. Ribbon: contains all the commands that you are going to use when
modeling. The number and type of tabs depends on the version of Revit
that you are using. Organized in what we call panels, that groups like
commands together. Expandable panel, an arrow on the bottom. Three
kinds of buttons: simplest form, dropdown button (instead of opening
directly a command, opens a little menu) and a combination of the two.
Any of the buttons can be added to the QAT.
ii. Quick Access Tool bar: to add one command to there, only right click, and
there you go. You can run out of space fast in there are many commands
there. With customize, you can group the different commands there.
d. Understanding context ribbons
i. Context ribbons: will appear when you select certain objects, related to
the context of that object, kind of greenish menu. The number of the
context buttons depends on the object selected.
ii. If you select a command, lets say wall command, not only it will redirect
to a context menu in the modify tab, but it will also add more options
below the ribbon options bar. Not every time youll get options in the
options bar.
e. Using the Properties palette
i. You can use it while you are creating an object and once youve already
created it. Located by default on the left. While you are creating an
object, you cant change the settings. To stop using the command, press
Esc once; to get out of it press Esc double, or click on the Modify button,
thats on the top left.
ii. To see the properties of elements that are already drawn, simply select
them. It shows you the family selected, the category and the amount of
selected objects. You can manipulate the type of object one its drawn,
just change, for example, the type of wall you want to use, and it will
change on the drawing. To add to your existing selection: Ctrl + C.
Example: Walls (2) you have to walls selected, pay attention to the
number, because any changes you make will affect the entire selection.
iii. To apply changes made in the properties palette you can click on the
button apply, press enter or simply move the mouse out of the bar into
the drawing.
iv. Be aware if you select elements with different properties, lets say
different families. Changes will apply to all of them, making the similar
objects. If you select totally different objects, lets say toilet and wall, the
palette will only show you the common changes that you can make to
both of them. If it shows Common (3), on the pop-down menu, you can
focus on a specific category, lets say Plumbing Fixtures (2) or Walls (1).
You can make changes to the entire floor plan without losing the
selection.
f. Using the Project Browser
i. Table of contents of the project, locate the views. Below the properties
palette.
ii. Floor plans, ceiling plans, elevations, sections.
iii. To see the view, just double click on the name in the Project Browser.
Also, you can click on the drawing representation, if it exists, like in the
case of a section. Level heads work in the same way as sections.
iv. You can right click anywhere in the PB, to locate a specific view, in the
case that you have a lot of them. Right click menu can give you multiple
new choices.
g. Customizing the user interface
 i. You can move the palettes everywhere in the screen, docked to a specific
side of the screen or like a floating menu, but the last one usually cover
part of the drawing.
h. Using keyboard shortcuts in Revit
i. Shortcuts usually shown on the tool tips that show when you put your
mouse on the command button.
ii. Example: Wall (WA) (w+a), dont press enter, because it will run the
previous command.
iii. Not all the commands have a keyboard shortcut. You can actually
customize your Revit to create a command. View User Interface
Keyboard Shortcuts (KS). You can assign more than one shortcut to one
command, but you have to be careful to not apply an existing shortcut to
another command.
i. Navigating views (zooming, panning, rotating)
i. Zoom scroll wheel. Wherever your mouse is, it will become the center
of the zoom.
ii. Pan take the wheel and press and hold it down. Also the scroll bar, but
preferably use the wheel.
iii. Orbit Shift + Pan. Only works on a 3D view.
iv. Navigation bar: steering wheel and zoom button. Zoom in region: zooms
a specific area of the drawing. Zoom Out (2x). Once you select a
command, this one becomes the button on the top of the list, once its
the button, if you select the option in the pop up menu, it wont work. All
of the options here have a shortcut. Tile windows (t+w). Zoom All to Fit
(z+a). Zoom to Sheet Size (z+s): match the window to the print scale,
what youll get when you print it.
j. Selecting objects
i. On the bottom: Click to select, TAB for alternates, CTRL adds, SHIFT
unselects.
ii. If you select an object by click, and then select another one, it
automatically unselect the previous object. Every time you click, you are
creating a new selection set.
iii. Select any with space, it will unselect any previous selected options.
Another way to deselect is press Esc or click the Modify tool.
iv. TAB: When you put your mouse on the top of an object, but its not
actually the object you want to select, you press the TAB key, so it
selects any close object that you might want to select. Only press TAB, do
not hold it; highlight, TAB and the click, if you want to select, the amount
of tabbing depends on the object you want to select
v. Chain selection: press TAB, if you got a wall and it found a wall that
touches the end point of the previous wall, it will recognize it as one,
because they are chains. If you have more than one chain available,
moving the mouse will change the TAB options.
vi. Window select: click + drag. To the right: window, it has to cover the
entire object. To the left: it selects all the objects that are touched. You
can use this techniques + CTRL or Shift.
vii. Modify: Filter. It will give you the quantity of the different types of objects
that you have selected. If you uncheck on the box, it will deselect that
type of object on the selection.
k. Understanding selection toggles
i. Linked model: you insert an existing project in another Revit file.
ii. Underlay elements: you see whats under as a reference.
iii. You can unselect certain types of objects and prevent them from being
selected. Modify tab, below the modify button click on select, and you
can choose which one to activate and which not to. You can do the same
with the buttons on the down right corner.
iv. Pinned elements: prevent an object from accidentally being moved. You
can also prevent it from being selected.
l. Accessing Revit options
 i. This settings are not restored from project to project, they are saved in
Revit itself.
ii. Sign In, if you want to log in into Autodesk 360.
iii. Reminders to save your project.
3. Starting a Project
a. Creating a new project from a template
i. You can access template files in different ways: application menu, new
project; or the project menu on the home menu when you open Revit
(recent files screen)
ii. You can start with the DefaultMetric template, from the US Metric folder,
this one is considered a really basic starting point.
iii. Each template usually has different features. This may include the
number of views, the schedules and even some sheets, ready to print.
iv. You can also start from an empty file, and construct your own template,
depending on the project.
b. Accessing a multi-user projects using Workshare
i. When you work with multiple users in same Revit project, we create a
central file, in a network center. The central file is no accessed by any of
the users, instead, we create a local copy, from which you update the
central file.
ii. Allows multiple users to access the same file at the same time.
iii. Open link, browse the network folder, select the central file and select in
the bottom the option Detach from Central, to create a Read Only or
Create New Local, to update constantly the central file.
iv. Once you finish with the changes, you click the Synchronize with central
button. If any coworker have made any changes, they will display
immediately in your screen.
c. Creating and configuring a new project
i. Start from the DefaultMetric file. Create a basic file for the remaining
project.
ii. There are a few configurations that you may want to do one you start a
new project.
iii. Manage tab, many of this settings, you change them and you keep them
for the lifetime of the project. First of all Project Information: fill what you
think is important to have in the project early on. Most of this information
is basically reference to give the project some context. But they probable
show once you create sheets for your projects.
iv. Project Units: Default in mm, you can chose the default unit, the number
of decimal places. There are unit for all the different type of measures.
v. Project location: change where the project locates in the real world. This
could help for shadows study, the weather stations correct and the sun.
This can be as precise as you want.
vi. The first time that you safe the file, it will pop up the Save As dialog. Give
a name an open the Option window, Maximum is for the number of
backups, approximately 3 or so. Every time you save the file, it will keep
the last save, one it reaches the number, and it will discard the oldest
one.
d. Adding levels
i. Levels: determine where all the important heights are. Can be in the
positive or negative direction. You cant work with levels in a floor plan
view, you have to go to a vertical view, lets say an elevation or a
section.
ii. A default template file comes with two levels, once you select one of
them you can make various modifications.
iii. White circles at the end of the level, if you drag them, it will change the
extends of the level. Once you change the extends of one level, it will
change the others as well, if you have the lock icon activated.
iv. Check boxes on the side: it displays the level annotation information if
its checked.
 v. Small break symbol: add an elbow, the annotation appears in a different
eight than the level. To get back to the parallel, click on the circle that
appears on the elbow, and drag it up.
vi. Change the height of an existing level: you can change it with the
dimension or the value on the right. Click on the number and type the
value you want.
vii. Add additional levels: Architecture tab, Datum panel, Level button (l+l).
Click two points on the screen and it will add a level on the height that I
previously accepted. Parallel to the others, levels have to be parallel to
the ground line. Level head currently black, if you go to modify, it will
become blue, because it will have created three new plans, a floor plan, a
ceiling plan and a structural plan; in the case that you dont need the
floor plan, and you delete it, it will get back to be black. You can easily
remove the ones that you dont need. Once you drag the sides to the
other levels, it will automatically lock with the others. As you can change
the height of the level, you can also change the name of it, you can
approve the name to change also for all the views of it.
viii. You can determine ahead of time which floor plans are going to get
created: options bar: plan view types, the ones selected are the ones that
will get created.
ix. You dont have to click point to point to create a level, you can use pick
lines tool. Offset in the options bar: for example 150. Then you select an
existing level, and it will automatically create one with the same
extension.
e. Adding grids
i. Grids provide organization and structure to your project. Not all buildings
need grids. Its a good idea to create them at the beginning of the project
to establish the structure of it.
ii. Architecture tab, Datum panel, Grid button. You can add grids as curves
and as lines. The same as levels, you can add bubbles with the check
box.
iii. When you create a grid, it automatically names it as 1. Even if you delete
it, the next one will have 2 as its name, be careful to change it before
moving forward, because if you dont, the you are going to have to
change manually all the names afterwards. Other option is to change the
number for letters.
iv. When you change direction, from vertical to horizontal, Revit wont
recognize it and will keep the numbering. Again you have to do it
manually before moving forward.
v. Same as levels, you can snap the grids, so when you move the extension,
all of them will move. You can snap only a group of grids if you want, if
the snap against your will, click on the lock to separate them.
vi. You can create curve grids, for complex buildings, or multi segment grids,
if you want your grid to get a special form.
vii. All datum elements, grids and levels, will only show on orthographic
views, and when they are perpendicular to the viewing angle.
f. Refining a layout with temporary dimensions
i. Its important to get things located really precisely. Sketch, then modify.
Get the things in a general position, at the beginning, then with the
various tools we get those elements into a really precise position.
ii. In addition to the previous tools that appear with the grid that weve
seen before, on the low part, we get some dimensions temporary
dimensions. We can modify them to a specific location just by clicking,
typing and the pressing enter.
iii. On the sides of the temporary dimensions we get two blue dots, witness
lines. The can be located in a variety of locations, on the inside of a wall,
the outside o in the center of it. To change the location, you can simply
click on the witness line, or drag it.
 iv. You can see the measures of a wall by putting the mouse on top of it.
v. You can move grid relatively to a wall or to another grid, it all depends on
the witness line location.
vi. Temporary dimensions help to get a draft drawing to a really precise one.
g. Adding columns
i. Revit has two types of columns: architectural and structural ones.
ii. Architectural one: simple version of a column, column enclosure, the
finish material. Structural column: actual structure: metal or steel, thee
one that actually holds up the building.
iii. Architectural columns: if you insert one, with the checkbox Moves With
Grids activated, if you place your column in the intersection of a grid the
position will keep associated with that intersection, if you move one of
the grids, or both of them, the column will move as well. If you add a
column close to a wall, in will merge with it.
iv. Structural columns: you can also place it free standing, it also has the
Move with Grid feature. When you are working with structural columns, it
goes with the logic that loads go down with gravity, the column goes in
the negative direction. Options bar: change depth to height, and set the
level that you want to attach up to. Feature: multiple panel, At Columns
option, place a structural column at the location of any architectural
column, drag a rectangular section to select all the previously drawn
architectural columns, to accept it press the green check button. At grids:
place a structural column at every grid intersection that you select,
again, green check button.
v. If you want to change the orientation of the columns, select them and
press the spacebar.
4. Modeling Basis
a. Adding walls
i. Architecture tab, Wall command. Drawing a wall is like drawing a line,
you need two points, once you have the two points, and the next wall is
automatically connected to the previous one. If you want to deactivate
that, uncheck the Chain box on the options bar. To get out of the Wall
command, press Esc twice, or click on the Modify tool. If you only press
Esc once, youll break the chain, but still be in the command.
ii. Once in the wall command you can draw it as a line, as a rectangle or
even as a polygon, getting the chance to choose the number of sides you
want, and also a circle, which creates actually two separate walls, and
also arcs, that can be drawn as tangents, so you can draw a fluid curve.
iii. Properties palette: Base constraint and Top constraint, which is
unconnected, that means that you can insert the wall height numerically,
you can also select another level as top constraint, so you dont have to
enter a number and theyll be attached to a specific level, if you move
the level, the wall will move as well.
iv. You cant draw walls in elevations.
b. Wall properties and types
i. You can choose the amount of detail that is display in the walls itself. On
the bottom left corner, next to the scale, click on the white rectangle and
then youll get the level of detail that you want to see. A wall can have
several components in its structure, called layers by Revit.
ii. Properties palette: Location line. Every wall has a core, you dont need to
have more than that, but you can. The core is the part of the wall that
actually holds the wall up.
iii. Location line: you can select any part of the wall, related to the core, or
any other part of the wall. The grip points change position according to
the location line. Be careful with the Location line, in the case that you
flip objects, if you dont put the location line in the right way, it might not
go well, and change dimensions. Flip the wall by clicking the two
opposite arrows or by pressing the spacebar.
 iv. You might also see the impact of the location line if you change the
thickness of the wall. You change the depth, but it maintains its location
line.
v. Select a wall, edit type. You can see the settings that apply to all
instances of this wall. All the changes affects all the walls of this type,
whether they are selected or not. Structure, edit assembly: it shows all
the layers of the wall. You can delete any layer, except the structure one
in the core, you can add more layers in the core, but you cant have less
than one.
vi. All these concepts not only apply to walls, but to everything in Revit.
c. Using snaps
i. Two basic kind of snapping behavior. Increment snapping behavior and
object snapping behavior.
ii. Revit locates geometry in space. Everythings always relative, if you pick
a random point, its always going to get called 0, because theres nothing
else nearby to relate to. Increment snap: if Im zoomed out, Revit is
automatically snap your drawings with an increment of 1000 (in the case
of millimeters). Even if you havent put a specific measure, you can be
sure that is as precise as its shown. As I zoom in, Revit is going to get
more precise with the increment. You can control it by going into de
Manage tab, Snap command. You can add as many increment numbers
as you want, not necessarily in order, Revit will do that for you. As soon
as you get close to an existing geometry, Revit will attach to it, and not
to the snap, it assumes that its more important.
iii. Object snaps: same as AutoCAD. You can turn on and off as many as you
want. They also have keyboard shortcuts. If its giving you a snap that
you dont want, thats when you use the shortcuts.
d. Locating walls
i. One possible technique is to sketch and then modify, put our elements in
draft locations and the come back and modify them to a specific one. You
dont necessarily need to be that precise at the beginning.
ii. For an interior wall, the one that only has metal structure and drywall on
both sides might be ok. Preferably Wall Centerline for Location Line.
iii. When you draw a wall you have two dimensions, the linear dimension
and the angle. The linear one is in bold, which means that if you type a
dimension, it will automatically be placed there.
iv. To modify what you have sketched, select the object, and then you will
see the temporary dimensions, to change them, just click on it and type
the number you want and press enter. Be careful when you work with
temporary dimensions, the object selected is the one that moves.
v. You can change the witness lines as you want, the more convenient way
is to have them in the sides of the wall, and so you will actually see the
size of the room. They can be in the centers of the walls, the faces, and
in the edges or the center of openings. To change those settings go to
the Manage tab, Settings panel, Additional Settings and Temporary
Dimensions. It might be important to check that setting before doing a lot
of work.
vi. All the walls are attached, so if you move one, all will move with it.
e. Using the Modify tools
i. Move: If you select the command first, then youll have to select and
press enter. Now you have to select your starting point, and your final
move point; you can use any point in the drawing as a starting and
ending point. If you have an object previously selected, it will go
automatically to start point. You can also select any point in the drawing
as a starting point and then type, to put the exact move amount.
ii. Copy: works the same way as move. If you copy a wall and then want to
move it, be aware that if you use the move command, it will still be
 attached to the wall as it is right now, to avoid that, check the box Disjoin
in the options bar. You can also manipulate a wall by the blue grid points.
iii. Trim / Extend: Trim/Extend to corner, creates corner conditions. The
dashed lines show you how it is going to look once you finish with the
command, the side you are clicking on will determine if it trims or
extends.
iv. Offset: to change the offset distance, modify it in the options bar.
v. Whatever options you set in the options bar, its going to remember it for
the next time that you use the command.
vi. Sometimes is preferably to use the temporary dimensions than the move
command, to avoid the math.
vii. Split Element: to break down a segment of the object, lets say a wall.
You can directly use the option Delete Inner Segment, or in the other
way, you split the element and then use Trim.
f. Adding doors and windows
i. Doors: usually you can select from the families loaded in the file. A door
always have to be placed on a wall it cant be placed in a free space. If
you move your mouse, it will define where side does it opens to. One you
click place the wall, you get a temporary dimension, to confirm what you
did before, if you ant to change it just click and type. The door will get
the option to be centered, but you can choose it not to. To flip the door
press the spacebar before clicking. If you already put the door, click on
the flipping buttons or just press the space bar.
ii. To load a family, go to the Doors command, Mode panel, Load Family.
Then you get to the type catalogue. There you can select exactly the
sizes that you want to load.
iii. Windows: they work the same way as doors. To add you only have to
make sure that the family is loaded into the file and that you have a wall
to place it.
g. Adding plumbing fixtures and other components
i. Component tool: to add a variety of categories. Same as doors and
windows, you load the families that you need. Some families are free-
standing, you can place it anywhere. You can use the spacebar, to flip or
rotate, depending on the situation. By default it will rotate in a 90, but if
you have an element with a specific angle, place your mouse above it
and the press the spacebar.
ii. Remember that you can load more than one family at the same time,
with the Ctrl of the Shift key.
iii. There are 2D and 3D components, you may choose the 2D if you have
big file and want to reduce the size of it.
h. Using Autodesk Seek
i. If you want a component thats not in the US Metric library, you can
obtain more from different sites. One of them: Autodesk Seek. You can
search directly in it from the app, in Inset, the Autodesk Seek search bar.
It includes content from Autodesk itself and from manufacturers.
ii. Once you download a file, if you open it, it will take you to the Family
Editor. Go to the right top and click Load into Project and Close.
i. Wall joins
i. Modify tab, Geometry panel. Youll have to select any wall intersection to
move forward, it is also possible to work with a multiple selection. You
can work with either Butt or Miter, Butt is a more natural one. If you want
to change the principal wall, just click on the Next button. If you have a
non 90 angle, Revit will offer the Square off option. You can also use this
tool to disallow the join.
j. Using constraints
i. You can turn a measure into a permanent relationship, so if you have a
door 100 millimeters apart from a column, you can able it to move with
the column in the same distance if you move the column. The icon under
 the temporary dimension works to convert a temporary dimension into a
permanent one, but by that point is not a constraint.
ii. To get a permanent dimension into a constraint, select it and click on the
blue lock. Your constraint will be related to a specific object, so if you
move that one, it will keep the previous relationship.
iii. You can create a permanent dimension with the Aligned dimension (d+i)
directly. If you add one and then click on the EQ option above it, you will
center it automatically.
iv. Align: you pick a reference object and then you click the object that you
want to move into alignment with it. If you align and then click on the
blue lock, you create a new relationship. Be careful not to abuse of these
option, it can cause errors.
v. You can delete the constraint data shown, but keep the relationship, be
careful with that.
vi. On the bottom part you have an option to Reveal all the Constraints.
There you can remove as many relationships as you want.
5. Links, Imports and Groups
a. Linking AutoCAD DWG files
i. You can either import files or export a Revit file as a DWG.
ii. If you link an AutoCAD file into Revit, and the author makes some
changes, it will update automatically in your Revit.
iii. Insert tab, Link Cad button. Dont double click so you can manage all the
different options, to choose what to do with the layers, the background
and the colors. If you plan to print your CAD file with the Revit one,
preferably change colors to Black and White, if not, work with Invert or
Preserve. If you choose preserve, it will change the colors to ones more
appropriate in a white background. You can add all the layers or just a
number of them, you can change this later. Units in Auto-Detect may
work just fine, but sometimes youll need to specify them.
iv. The check box of current view only works to decide if treat the lines in
the CAD files as model lines or should it treat them as drafting
information. If you check the box, its going to be treated as view specific
information, it will only show in the view that Im loading it in.
v. For positioning, you can try with the Origin to Origin, but cad Origin wont
always match your Revit origin, then you can use Zoom to Fit and move it
to the center, or you can try other option.
vi. The CAD file is treated as a single element in your Revit project. If you
want to convert your CAD project into a Revit one, youll actually have to
trace over.
vii. Revit will recognize the object snaps from that drawing. For example,
even if for auto cad the 2 faces of a wall are actually two independent
lines, Revit will sense the center point of them.
viii. Its preferably to work with color, because as the Revit project is in B&W,
you will know when youve already traced that part.
ix. When you trace a CAD file, you ignore walls and doors, because Revit will
automatically break the walls when you insert either of them.
b. Creating topography from a DWG link
i. Insert, Link CAD file. For topographic geometry, uncheck the Current view
only box, to preserve the 3D nature of the file.
ii. If you select the Query command, you may actually be able to select the
lines of the CAD file. If you click one of them, youll get its information,
like to which layer it belongs to.
iii. To create topography, go to the Site view, and to the Massing & Site tab,
Toposurface button. Then you can select points to create a surface, but
this will work if you have a small file or a simple surface. If you have a
large source file, change the Place Point option to Create from Import,
Select from Import Instance and click anywhere in the CAD file, then you
select the layers that you are actually interested in and click ok. It
creates all the necessary points and put them the adequate elevation,
 corresponding to the CAD file. Create the green check icon to create the
surface.
iv. You can appreciate the surface in the 3D view.
c. Understanding CAD inserts
i. One example is the details that may take a while to convert to Revit files.
ii. We will use Import CAD, instead of Link. Revit offers the option to create
this kind of view for details, Drafting View, a black sheet of paper thats
not connected at all with the model. Create the sheet, and then go to
Import CAD.
iii. Setting the positioning to Manual Center may be actually easier than
the other options.
iv. Line weights: you can insert the AutoCAD line weights as you go into the
corner arrow in the Import panel. The dialog will show the CAD color
panel, and the line weight that we might want to use on Revit.
v. Layers that dont have a line weight will use the color index to define it.
You can import an already existing collection of settings, with the Load
button. This will not affect the file that we already opened, but if you
insert a new one, this one will show the line weights.
d. Import tips
i. If you imported a group of layers and you want to get rid of some of them
or hide them. Query command, there you can click the Delete or the Hide
button.
ii. To view a hidden layer, go to View tab, Visibility / Graphics command.
CAD files are in the Imported Categories tab, there you can select which
layers you want to bring back.
iii. If in the Visibility/Graphics command you go to Override, you can see the
weight, the color and the pattern of the layer and modify them.
iv. If you delete a layer, it will actually be removed from the file, you will not
see it in the Visibility / Graphics tab, so you generally use it only to
reduce file size.
v. Import vs Link CAD: import usually increases file size. When you import a
CAD, you can Explode it, but it will create a lot of unnecessary stuff.
vi. If you actually need to explode a CAD file, its better to work before on a
temporary Revit file.
e. Creating groups
i. They may help in the case of any repetitive elements, any changes to the
group will apply to all of it. Revit will create two groups, Model Group,
which contains all the geometry; the Attached Group will include the
rooms tags, the door tags, etc. You can identify the group by a dashed
box.
ii. Groups are also visible in the Project Browser. From there you can create
the same group into the project, by Create Instance, or just dragging. You
can move the insertion point of a group by clicking on it and moving the
blue dots.
iii. Edit group: you can make changes, the click the Finish button (f+g), the
changes will be displayed in all the copies of the group.
iv. Create Similar: create an object with the same properties as one selected
before.
v. To copy the tags as well, click in any copy of the group, and the go to
Attached Detail Groups, and select which one you want to show. If you
add tag numbers, it will not repeat them, it will create new ones (great!).
vi. Variation on the group: select the group and go to Edit Type in the
properties panel. Duplicate, then modify the group and press finish. Now
in any instance of the group, the duplicated one will work as part of a
family, so you can chose which one you will use.
vii. They work perfectly when working with repetitive patterns with just a few
variations.
f. Mirroring groups to create a layout
 i. Mirror Pick Axis: youll use an existing geometry as the reflect point.
Click on any point and there youll have your reflected drawing. Some
walls or elements may overlap.
ii. If you have overlapping walls and you select he group, press the tab key
to move your selection, or even to select a specific element, there you
can exclude an element from an instance of a group.
iii. Ignorable and not ignorable warnings.
iv. Mirror - Draw Axis: you draw the axis of reflection. If you want a precise
dimension, after drawing select the Activate Dimensions, in the options
bar, and you will get the temporary dimensions, for you to modify them.
g. Creating Revit links
i. Insert tab, Link Revit button.
ii. You can find the file in the Project Browser. There you can chose to
Reload the file, Unload it, among other things. Open (and unload): you
can have both files open, only if you are not working in the same
computer; so if you want to apply files of the inserted Revit, this is your
tool. If by this time you go back to the Revit file where you inserted it, it
will not be displayed, but if you save the changes, and then click on
Reload, you will see it again, updated.
h. Rotating and aligning a Revit link
i. Rotate: the center point of the drawing is automatically selected as the
rotation point. You can rotate a specific angle by typing it in the options
bar. To change the center of rotation, go to the options bar, and click on
place. Now you need a starting angle, and then the result one.
ii. Align: it will simultaneously move and rotate the desired drawing into the
appropriate orientation. You can also align heights by using the align
command in elevation, with two reference objects.
i. Establishing shared coordinates.
i. Shared coordinates might help to establish relationships between two
files, so this two files will know how to link with one another.
ii. Properties panel, Shared Site. The coordinates preferably come always
from the Site file. If your site file is linked, you want to acquire the
coordinates from that file; if you had the site file opened ant the project
linked, then you will publish the coordinates. You have to record that
relationship in a place, then click on Reconcile. You have to save to
record those changes.
iii. Now, if you link the Revit file in the Site again, and place the Align to
Shared Coordinates option, it will remember the exact same location.
j. Managing links
i. This happens in the case of missing link files. Select the Not Found file,
and then you can Reload From and locate the missing file. For
Reference type, Overlay may work if the linked files dont have links of
their own; if they have, use Attachment.
ii. You can get to that tab again from the Insert tab, Manage links, or in the
Project browser, right click on Revit links to go to Manage, or even right
click directly in the Revit linked file name in the browser.
k. Understanding file formats
i. If you are going to work in Revit with a team, everybody should work with
the same version, Revit is a not Backward Software, if you open a
previously version made file, it will update it, and that is irreversible.
6. Sketch-Based Modeling Components: any object that we have to create a 2D sketch to
get the shape and overall of it, Revit cant automatically assume the shape for you.
a. Creating floors
i. Architecture tab, Floor button. Sketch mode on, you can only get out of it
with the green check and the red cross.
ii. Its easily to create floors from existing wall geometry. Extend into wall
(to core), it will sense the core and will put the sketch line there.
iii. You create the floor by clicking lines, they have to be closed to work,
clean intersections.
 iv. You can choose if you want to attach or not the bottom walls to the floor.
You can get back to sketch mode by Edit Boundary.
v. You can fix the wall and floor attach by Join Geometry.
vi. By pick lines, you are creating a relationship between wall and floor. You
move the wall, the floor will move as well.
b. Creating footprint roofs
i. Same as floor, you sketch it, and then it will create it for you.
ii. Architecture tab, Roof by Footprint. When you are in sketch mode, stay
there until you finish your work. Options tab: Define slope gets you slope
edges instead of flat edges.
iii. When you highlight a wall it will create the sketch line with the overhang,
the triangle represents the slope of the edge. 30 is the default, if you
want to change it, preferably first draw, then go to Modify, select all of
them and change in Properties tab the slope. All of them dont need to
have the same slope.
iv. In order to complete a footprint roof, you need an enclosed sketch. You
can see the result in the 3D view. You can work in the sketch even in the
3d view. You can have a slope or a gable roof.
v. If Pick Walls wont work well, you might use Pick Lines.
c. Working with ceilings
i. Automatic creation tool, but you can also sketch it.
ii. Automatic ceiling: you can see it in the ceiling plans, not in the floor
plans. You can choose the ceiling types and the height of it. Select the
rooms, for boundaries, if they dont work well, check your walls and
modify them. You can prove that you create the ceiling by a section.
iii. Sketch Ceiling: all familiar previous tools. Pick walls, pick lines, be sure
that is a closed boundary. You can change the height after drawing as
long as it is selected.
iv. The roof usually matches the orientation of the room. You can rotate
them to the orientation you want.
v. Light fixtures: Component tool and Load Family. Hosted element, it will
require a ceiling element. You can shift the grid to a more appropriate
spacing.
d. Creating extrusion roofs
i. For nontraditional roofs, curves, etc.
ii. The best way to work is in elevation. First you have to set the work plane,
thats the first question that pops when you select the Extrusion Roof.
Sketch based object, default option: pick a plane, select a face of a wall.
In sketch mode you can work with different forms, you are creating open
shapes, doesnt need to be a closed boundary.
iii. By default when you create an extrusion roof, it will apply the depth of
the building to the roof. You can change that by the modify tool. You can
create any free form.
e. Attaching walls to roofs
i. For the walls to go all the way up to the roof.
ii. Highlight the walls that you want, with the Ctrl or with TAB, and then
click. Go to Attach Top/Base button, in the options bar select the top or
the base, and then select the roof or the ceiling.
iii. Even if you change the slope, the walls will remain attached to it. You can
also detach the geometry by the Detach Top/Base button.
f. Using the shape editing tools to create a flat roof
i. If you have a flat footprint roof, in addition to the traditional Edit
Footprint tool, you get Shape Editing panel. This is because a flat roof is
necessary to add the slope feature.
ii. Add Point: sketch mode, you can add a point anywhere in the surface.
With the Modify Sub Element, you can modify the height of any of the
points you add or of the dashed lines that Revit generates.
iii. You can see clearly the shape of the roof in a section. The roof have
layers, same as a wall. You can customize it in Edit Type. Its always a
 good idea to duplicate the type before making modifications. Variable
column, you can only check one of them.
g. Working with slope arrows
i. Usually the best place to use it is when the slope line is not perpendicular
to the roof. Maybe you want the slope not to run along an edge of the
roof.
ii. Slope arrow button, the first button has to touch the sketch. Mark two
points and then define the slope in the properties tab, it can be by the
Height of The Tail or by the Slope itself.
iii. Height of the tail: tilts the roof along its diagonal, in the example.
iv. You can use sketch lines, but remember to delete them before finishing.
The slope arrow heads can be anywhere, but the tail has to touch the
sketch.
v. Crickets.
vi. You can add slope arrows to floors as well. With them you can create
more complex situations that you cant achieve with the traditional tools.
h. Adding openings
i. An opening object is a negative object that actually cuts away from the
solid objects that we have. In the Architecture tab we have five different
types of opening objects.
ii. Shaft: example, elevator shaft. You can make the hole in the floor plan by
edit boundary, but that youll have to do every floor plan by the time.
With the shaft tool you draw the hole in one floor plan and then define
the height of it, or just connect it to an existing level.
iii. Dormer: First you have to connect the existing roofs with Join Roofs. Then
go to the Dormer tool, select the roof that you want to cut, select the
edges of the hole, by selecting the walls and clean the sketch. You can
see the cut clearly in a section or in the 3D view.
7. Stairs
a. Working with stairs
b. Adding railings to stairs
c. Working with component-based stairs
d. Adding extensions to railings
8. Complex Walls
a. Creating a custom basic wall type
b. Understanding stacked walls
c. Adding curtain walls
d. Adding curtain grids, mullions, and panels
e. Creating wall sweep and reveals
f. Model lines
9. Visibility and Graphic Controls
a. Using object styles
b. Working with visibility and graphic overrides
c. Using view templates
d. Hiding and isolating objects in a model
e. Understanding view extents and crop regions
f. Understanding view range
g. Displaying objects above and below in plan views
h. Using the Linework tool
i. Using cutaway views
j. Using graphical display options
10. Rooms
a. Adding rooms
b. Controlling room numbering
c. Understanding room bounding elements
11. Schedules and Tags
a. Understanding tags
b. Adding schedule views
c. Modifying schedule views
d. Creating a key schedule
 e. Using images in schedules
12. Annotation an Details
a. Adding text
b. Adding dimensions
c. Adding symbols
d. Adding legend views
e. Creating a detail callout
f. Adding detail components
g. Using arrays to parametrically duplicate objects
h. Adding filled and masking regions
13. The Basics of Families
a. Understanding families
b. Creating a new family from a template
c. Using reference planes, parameters and constraints
d. Adding solid geometry
e. Cutting holes using void geometry
f. Adding blends
g. Completing the family
14. Sheets, Plotting and Publishing
a. Adding sheets
b. Working with placeholder sheets
c. Aligning views with a guide grid
d. Exporting to AutoCAD
e. Plotting and creating a PDF