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REVIT 2014 STILL HAS NO FUTURE!

18 REPLIES 18
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Message 1 of 19
xxjwilson
3461 Views, 18 Replies

REVIT 2014 STILL HAS NO FUTURE!

I've been a Revit user for an MEP firm for 4 years now and with every release I hope that Autodesk finally incorporates the ability to show content that exists on future phases. Sadly the latest release has not been updated to do so. Every project I've worked on since the beginning has been a multi phase project, and when designing large MEP systems we always have to space plan for future equipment. Ideally we want to show new equipment "by category"and have any content that might exist in the future show up as halftoned and dashed. This allows for more accurate bidding by contractors and better coordination between disciplines. The current phasing structure allows you to create future phases, and place the content on them, but the visibility filter will only show what is on the ACTIVE phase and anything PRIOR. So if I have  3 phases: (EXISTING, CURRENT PHASE, and FUTURE PHASE) and I want to print to the current phase, anything on the FUTURE PHASE, disappears. If I switch to show FUTURE PHASE all the content on CURRENT PHASE, is considered existing by revit and now has the visibility of such.

We have come up with very creative ways to work around this but any kind of user defined view filters , only apply to our model, and often becomes a coordination issue with Architectural and Structural firms. I've asked one of the Arch firms we frequently work with how they deal with this and they suggested creating duplicate views and laying them directly on top of the other on a sheet, one showing the future view and the other showing day one content, that means maintaining an excessive number of views especially in very large projects. Under Greenfield conditions (no existing work) we can simply set the "EXISTING" graphic override to show "BY CATEGORY" and have the "NEW" graphic override to show a halftoned and dashed style, then create a phase filter that shows "NEW" as OVERRIDDEN and EXISTING as BY CATEGORY. Great problem solved....until the future work needs to be done and now you need the use of that existing phase.

Point being that a third VISIBLE phase would solve all of this, NEW, EXISTING, and FUTURE

If anyone has a solution that just uses the built in phasing tool that Revit comes with and doesn't involve elaborate view filters based on worksets or duplicating hundreds of views, please reply to this post, I'm open to any suggestions, thank you in advance.

18 REPLIES 18
Message 2 of 19
mroman
in reply to: xxjwilson

After much debate and many headaches my office has decided that the quickest and easiest solution is to set the future objects on a temporary phase (setting them to be created and demolished within the same phase). 

It's not the best solution but until we are giving something useful to work with it's the best we've come up with. 

I've set all my "future" walls to be created and demo'ed in the new construction phase. I then create a view filter called "Show Future" that displays all new comstruction: by category, existing: overridden, demolished: not displayed, temporary: overridden.

 

By doing so I get all my new construction elements as dark heavy lines, existing as thin gray lines and "future" or temporary as dasshed lines. 



Phasewise it's incorrent but with a simple note to our consultants our headaches seem to be less frequent now. 

 

Message 3 of 19
billsbz
in reply to: xxjwilson

I see that you have been using Revit for quite some time now.  I am curious, Are you doing any piping with with the program, and tell me of your experience with the manujfactures RFA and Csv files.  Are they working for you?  Do me a favor if you decide to answer please use my email address(billsbz@hotmail.com)

 

Thank you for your comments,

 

Bill

Message 4 of 19
EKey
in reply to: xxjwilson

We use a Workset "Future" and then use Filters to override graphic appearance for elements on that Workset.

In general I agree, Revit must have a way to display future phases.
Message 5 of 19
dtiemeyer
in reply to: mroman

If you're only attempting to show it graphically different, have you considered creating a 'filter' for it combined with a yes/no checkbox shared parameter? That would allow you to show content as dashed and exist in the 'present'. Or perhaps an 'integer' parameter for the phase number, if you have a lot many phases. Yes I know this is a complete hack, but might get you by.
My other CAD is a Cadillac and I like to Revit to the Max!
Message 6 of 19
EKey
in reply to: dtiemeyer

Please see the attached picture. Hope is clarifies the idea.

Message 7 of 19
billsbz
in reply to: xxjwilson

I want to thank everyone trying to explain to me thier ideas.  I feel I must try to explain myself more clear.  I am a retired plumber teaching my self Revit.

You have many fittings, each with thier own RFA and or Csv file.  The RFA files are in the Library and the Csv files are in the Look-up table.  The issue is some of the look up tables are wrong.  I am running Revit 2014.  I have talked to some of the manufactures and they know of the problem and are hot on it to fix it.  What I am really looking for is someone experiencing the same.


 

Thanks again

Bill

Message 8 of 19
xxjwilson
in reply to: EKey

Thats what we did for a few projects but we ran into issues when exchanging the model to other disciplines. The content looks right in the model, but as a link the filters don't carry over. You cant assign a filter to look at worksets from a link.that I know of.
Message 9 of 19
billsbz
in reply to: xxjwilson

ALERT, ALERT, ALERT


 

IS THERE ANY ONE OUR THERE IN THE REVIT WORLD THAT IS A MECHANICAL ENGINEER WORKING WITH PIPE AND THE FITTINGS

THAT BUILD SYSTEMS IE, HOT, COLD AND RETURN WATER, HYDRONIC SYSTEMS, FIRE PROTECTION, NATURAL GAS?

Message 10 of 19
xxjwilson
in reply to: billsbz

billsbz, I started this forum to discuss the need for future phase filters to be built into revit and the limitations / workarounds to not having them, this is probablly not the best place to ask questions about piping. If you back out to the forums and do a search for "piping systems in revit" there are at least a dozen threads that discuss the topic.

Message 11 of 19
JesseReimer
in reply to: dtiemeyer

I am about to start a phased project and stumbled on this thread. I see your solution having marit and was wondering if you have tried adding the shared perameter for future phase graphics control? and if you have any follow up comments? does it play well with consultants on linked models?

 

Thanks. - still no futures phase.

Message 12 of 19
EKey
in reply to: JesseReimer

Hi armsreachaway,

It works well for graphics only. Unfortunately this solution affects
schedules. Filters can be used to compensate it.

If the model is sent to the client he needs to be notified, that he can't
use any quantity takeoff software with bling eye. The elements on the
"Future" workset should be filtered out.

Cheers,
Evgeny.
Message 13 of 19
billsbz
in reply to: EKey

I concure completely.  Revit will only be useful when all who claim to have product families that accually work in Revit.  The need to test their product and retest.

Message 14 of 19
laszlo.csek
in reply to: xxjwilson

Hey Guies,

 

Read through the thread, and I agree with you people, it's pretty sad that such an important feature is still missing from the package. (Using 2015 now)

 

The solution that I found was to simply define project parameters and make filters from them. I am still using the phasing feature because its quick and very efficient. On the visibility side the phasing feature is still weak 😞

 

By combining the phasing visibility and the filters based on a project parameter its easy to set up a system where the parameter itself can be the same as your phase names. and if I work in the right phases and keep it neat and tidy it is easy at any point to synchronize the phase parameter by isolating the phases and showing nothing else just the desired phase. As soon as the Parameter for the filter is up to date whatever can be set.

 

I set up this system but don't have experience on how badly it can be messed up by a whole team working on it. When I see it, I will keep you posted if that brings up any problem. (I think it will, as usually team work does 🙂 )

 

Hope this helps.

 

Still waiting on future visibility option. Also some phase grouping would be nice.

 

P.S.: Please Santa I was a good guy 😄

Message 15 of 19
smbrennan
in reply to: laszlo.csek

Has everyone used Autodesk's Feedback Page to put this request in? They need to see the demand, and that is one of the best ways to get your voice heard. Bombard them with all problems you come across in the software. Power in numbers, right?
Shawn B.

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Message 16 of 19
EKey
in reply to: smbrennan

I put the request several year ago. No respond received yet. Should we organize a DDOS attack on the Feedback page to be heard? Smiley Happy

Message 17 of 19
xxjwilson
in reply to: smbrennan

I'm still fumbling through with the same workaround we have been using for 3 years now. I would be on board with anything that improves this problem.

Justin Buchalski
BIM Manager
kW mission critical engineering
jbuchalski@kwmce.com
518.588.2984
433 River St. 8th Floor
Troy NY, 12180
Message 18 of 19
xxjwilson
in reply to: xxjwilson

So fast forward 8 years since I originally posted this and it seems that Autodesk has finally made an "adjustment" to the way Revit shows phasing. In the latest release (currently R22) You now have the ability to use the phase created as a sorting criteria in view filters. 

So skip the phase filter tool altogether and start including this view filter in all view templates. The filters will also work with linked files but the phase naming will need to be matched exactly.

I see this as a small victory!

Message 19 of 19
curtisridenour
in reply to: xxjwilson

In 2023 you can demo content and it wont lose it's circuit info or its pipe/duct system. So they have finally allowed us to do our job as the software intended (by phasing).

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