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