Revit Architecture Forum
Welcome to Autodesk’s Revit Architecture Forums. Share your knowledge, ask questions, and explore popular Revit Architecture topics.
cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Revit dimensions suck

38 REPLIES 38
SOLVED
Reply
Message 1 of 39
mpukas
24198 Views, 38 Replies

Revit dimensions suck

In a single family house with wood wall & sloped roof framing, why won't Revit dimension to the intersection of bottom of rafter to inside face of wall, which is the top of plate? This has been a problem for me since I started using Revit. 

 

One issue I found was if my roof assmebly contained a finsihed ceiling, it wouldn't dimension to the plate, it would dimension to the intersection of drywall. So I eliminated the interior finish from my roof, and modeled a ceiling separately. That works sometimes, most times Revit still won't dimension the plate, just the drywall intersection. 

 

I have my roofs modeled to "extend to wall core" and set to "rafter". I have "attached" the wall to the roof. 

 

Another work-around is I have to unjoin the wall, and then Revit will dimension that plate. THEN I have to go back and re-join the wall of all of the other elements I just unjoined it from. 

 

Any advice? Thanks much. mpp

38 REPLIES 38
Message 2 of 39
Alfredo_Medina
in reply to: mpukas

Your message contains some sentences that indicate that Revit is supposed to dimension by itself. I thought the user was the one in charge of deciding where a dimension should be drawn or not,  not the software.


Alfredo Medina _________________________________________________________________ ______
Licensed Architect (Florida) | Freelance Instructor | Autodesk Expert Elite (on Revit) | Profile on Linkedin
Message 3 of 39
mpukas
in reply to: mpukas

As you know, Alfred, unlike ACAD, Revit only dimensions to specific points. ACAD doesn't care whether or not your dimension is actually on the point or not, it'll place the dimension. Revit simply will not place a dimension for me. It will not allow me to pick the point I want, in this case the top of wall plate. 

 

It happens to me a lot. It doesn't like something I did making the building model, and won't pick up a point that I want dimensioned. Instead of a 10 second task, it turns into 15 minutes of frustration trying to trouble shoot the issue, then fixing it, and then putting everything back together again. 

 

I take it from your comment that yuo do not have this problem. Have you seen this issuebefore, and do you have any advice? Thanks much. mpp

Message 4 of 39

You can try to do two things : 

  1. from Manage >Additional Settings > Temporary Dimensions > Temporary Dimensions Properties...you can set where the temporay dimensins will for preference placed
  2. When placing dimensions , before clicking , hover with the mouse over the location you want and TAB until the desired highlight in blue , then click...

Use Aligned Dimensions

 

I think these can help you...

Constantin Stroescu
BIM Manager AGD
Message 5 of 39

and of course from Manage > Snaps , to be active and Object Snaps to be checked

Constantin Stroescu
BIM Manager AGD
Message 6 of 39

Hi Constantin. Thanks much for the suggestions. 

 

I had all of those settings coverd, and unfortuneatley for me I wasn't able to address my issue. 

 

btw, I'm referring to dimensions, not temp dims. When I set a dimension to a wall plate, I first select the level and then try to select the top of wall. That's where Revit will not let me select the top of wall - only the intersection of GWB at the ceilign and wall. 

 

To dimension the top of wall, I have to unjoin the wall - which unjoins it from EVERYTHING - set then dimension, and then join the wall back to all of the things it was joined to. 

 

Thanks again. 

Message 7 of 39
Alfredo_Medina
in reply to: mpukas


@mpukas wrote:
...

 

I take it from your comment that you do not have this problem. Have you seen this issue before, and do you have any advice? Thanks much. mpp



Well, no, I don't have any problems with dimensions. Some things are differnet if you compare dimensions between Revit and AutoCAD (2D), but that's is understandable. Different programs, different rules.


Alfredo Medina _________________________________________________________________ ______
Licensed Architect (Florida) | Freelance Instructor | Autodesk Expert Elite (on Revit) | Profile on Linkedin
Message 8 of 39
mpukas
in reply to: Alfredo_Medina

Hi Alfredo. My issue is that Revit will not pick the top of wall when dimensioning a wall section. It will only pick the intersection of the drywall at the ceiling and wall. I can't tab to select a different option. And if I zoom in and click on the top of wall, Revit will not select the point and exit the command.
Message 9 of 39
awes
in reply to: mpukas

Would it be possible for you to send a piece of  your model (wall and roof) and detail pic that exactly shows the point/ level you're not able to dimension to. In the meantime you can draw a ref.plane trough the point you want to dimension to and dimension to that plane. 

Message 10 of 39
Alfredo_Medina
in reply to: awes

Exactly. I was coming to this thread to request exactly that. An image or a file, that helps us understand the issue.

 


Alfredo Medina _________________________________________________________________ ______
Licensed Architect (Florida) | Freelance Instructor | Autodesk Expert Elite (on Revit) | Profile on Linkedin
Message 11 of 39
mpukas
in reply to: Alfredo_Medina

I've attached a PDF detail at 1 1/2" = 1'-0" that will hopefully help illustrate my issues. Pleae forgive the lack of detail and graphics. This is still in progress, and I'm still learning to detail in Revit. 

 

This shows that Revit will not dimension to the intersection of rafter and stud wall- which is the top of wall plate. That point is 9'-0" above the level dimensioned to. The roof is offset at 9'-0" from the level and is located correctly. 

 

This is where I have to unjoin the wall, place the dimension to the rafter-stud wall intersection, and then rejoin to the wall to the other elements. 

 

Thanks very much for taking the time to have a look at this. mpp

Message 12 of 39
Chris.Aquino
in reply to: mpukas

If you zoom into that intersection, hover over that point, and hit tab, does the selection point change?

 



Chris Aquino
Adoption Marketing Manager | BIM Collaborate Pro
@Aquinotecture

Message 13 of 39
mpukas
in reply to: Chris.Aquino

No the selection point does not change. If I zoom in an d click on that point, Revit will exit the command.
Message 14 of 39
awes
in reply to: mpukas

You're right. I'm not either able to dimension to that intersection after attaching the wall to the roof (rvt 2014).

 

I have a workaround though; detach the wall, draw a ref.plane through the intersection point, strech the top of the wall to the ref.plane level, remove ref.plane, dimension to top of wall, attach wall to roof. Well, I don't actually know to what the dim.line is connected to.

Message 15 of 39
rosskirby
in reply to: mpukas

I've experience something similar, in that when two overlapping walls that run parallel to one another are joined, the faces that lie within the overlapping area can't be dimensioned to or even aligned to.  It's as if they cease to exist, and I imagine something similar is happening here, since you mention that you can't dimension to the point you want until you unjoin the two objects.  I'm not sure why Revit stops recognizing faces/intersections for joined objects, but I can confirm the issue.

 

I'd recommend submitting it to product support.  Perhaps it will be addressed in a release update or a future version.  For the time being, you'll have to continue unjoining, then dimensioning, then rejoining.

Ross Kirby
Principal
Dynamik Design
www.dynamikdesign.com
Message 16 of 39
mpukas
in reply to: rosskirby

Thanks for the response guys. It's releiving to know it's not jsut me and something I did in my building model, and it's also frsutrating to have to do yet ANOTHER work aorund in Revit. 

 

How do I submit this to product support? Does Autodesk even bother to respond to issues like this? 

 

Cheers! mpp

Message 17 of 39
cvandevere
in reply to: mpukas

One work around that I use when I can't dimension to a particular point is to add a reference plane and dimension to that. You may have to adjust the length of the dimension leader/line.  The reference planes don't print.

CDV
Message 18 of 39
mpukas
in reply to: cvandevere

Furthermore, I've discovered that when trying to detail a wall section, not only will Revit not dimension to the intersection of wall and rafter, it will not snap to that point at all. I can't draw a line from that intersection, or place a detail componenet snapped to that point. 

 

Revit seems to ingore that point all together. 

 

The work arounds are to either: 1) set two reference planes - one for the top of plate from top of plywood, and the other for the inside face of stud; or 2) unjoin the wall, drawn the lines/place components, and then re-join the wall to all other elements. 

 

Cat Mad

 

 

Message 19 of 39
scott_d_davis
in reply to: mpukas

roof cut.pngI don't want to tell you how you should do your detail, but looking at the PDF you attached:  wouldn't the top of the wall stop at a double top plate, which would be flat (not sloped as the top of the wall in the PDF is) and then the rafter would be bird-mouth cut to sit on top of the top plate?  If thats the case, then the dimension you are trying to draw would be easy, as it would dimension to the flat part of the top of the wall. I've never seen a framing condition with the sloped topped wall you are showing.



Scott D Davis
Sr AEC Technical Specialist
Message 20 of 39
MKEllis
in reply to: scott_d_davis

Scott, that's what I thought looking at this specific example.

 

There is, however, still a problem when trying to dimension to an angle as shown in the eg. here. I've come across it a few times and have had to resort to ref planes to create the intersection to which i can place a dimension. It's a work around, but frustrating as it feels as though the snaps should be able to pick up intersections within wall/roof assemblies.

Can't find what you're looking for? Ask the community or share your knowledge.

Post to forums  

Rail Community


Autodesk Design & Make Report