Revit Contour Lines/ Best Practices

[Anonymous]

  My office is modifying an existing topo surface for a project (demo and new phases will be in our drawing sets).  What we'd like to do is draw contour lines in a CAD-like fashion and have the surface follow along, but as far as I know, points are the only option (that's the first thing I need answered).  

  When our draftsman placed his points for the contour lines to create a curb, the lines were behaving and going from point to point.  Somewhere, Revit didn't connect the points anymore and began interpolating wildly.  I'm guessing it's because of the contour spacing where he was doing his work.  The only thing I know to do is to pace points ever closer together until the contour lines behave, but I want to know what the best practice is for this (whether what I told him is the best solution I can offer).

[constantin.stroescu]

I think I use the same method or slightly different but at me it works..

• I place the dwg file in Site - Floor Plane, I pin it there..
• I made a seria of levels at certain height on which the contours will be placed
• Massing and Site > In Place Mass >name it >Draw > SPLINE THROUGH POINTS....click following the dwg file contours...the spline can be controled when placing the points
• After drawing the spline , it can be refined by placing additional points on it...when the point is placed is a Hosted Point and cannot affect the curve, so it is needed to change it in a DRIVING POINT... MAKE POINT DRIVING option (it will change its dimensions and will be able to drive the curve...
• Aditional movies of the points can be done by selecting them and mving be tripod axes or better by the arrow keys...

[bimandict]

Hi,

I tend to use the Data extraction function from a DWG contour model. Then I can control points in a spread sheet.

I can't post my training material here due to copyright but you will find this function on line.

Here are some keywords:

Extract Data

DXR file

Data source settings

Category filter keep Geometry

Point Extraction.xls

Edit and save as CSV

Save XLS as XLSX

Revit - create from import open CSV

[Anonymous]

Part of this isn't quite what I was asking and the other part I'm not sure I understand.  How does one make a point a driving point?  And is this what affects whether Revit interpolates correctly?

[bimandict]

Hi,

Just to make my post a bit clearer.

All Im saying really is that landscaping in Revit is not that acurate and using DWG's in a Revit model could cause other issues.It is easier to analyse and edit points in a spreadsheet. If you want more acurate lines between the points you can add rows to the spreadsheet and add the numbers you require.

[Anonymous]

Oh I'm sorry, I thought I was replying specificaly to the first post.  I didn't look far enough into your response because I know that's going to be too complicated for what we need and for those involved.  However, I'm wondering whether this spreadsheet moves and places points in Revit or if it is for construction documents only.  And if this is an add-on program spreadhseet.

[bimandict]

Hi,

Yes you did reply to a specific post. I just thought I add to my post to clarify a bit more.

The spread sheet is controlling the Revit model but you get the points originally from a contour dwg.

Hope that helps.

[constantin.stroescu]

about Driving Points

Having a Spline Through Points made in In Place Mass, if I try to refine it putting a new point on it ,this new point will be by default a hosted point -this means that it belong to the spline path, can move alog it but can not change (drive ) the curve path.

But selecting this point, in the upper bar  the option Make Point Driving become active...so we can change it in a point that can control (refine ) the already made curve.

[Anonymous]

Oh so you're referring to points along the spline rather than points used to control the contour on a site?  I just want to know whether I can edit the path or the site or if I can stop Revit from interpolating so drastically incorrectly.  In effect: is placing several points on the site the best way to (easly) get this done?

[constantin.stroescu]

Let make myself clear

I was referring to the situation when I have to manualy  redraw the curves having on background a dwg ,a scan or a bitmap of the site  and especialy when I want to model the terrain by myself..not using the Toposurface of Revit

Why I would do this?

Because Topsurface has very limited functions and it does not interact well with other Revit Entities...(try to make an underground construction , try to cut the terrain other then vertical...).

That's why , sometimes I prefer mass modeling...