revit architecture 2012 reference planes/lines

[adave]

Does anyone know of a good tutorial video on creating reference lines/planes?

Thanks

[loboarch]

What are you looking to know about creating them?  It is basically just 2 clicks.  What is your end goal for the reference planes/lines?

[adave]

I was watching a third party tutorial on Revit A. 2012 tht showed how easy it is to create ref lines/planes, and it did look  easy.  However, when I go to "Home" on my ribbon bar in 2012, the "ref lines" choice is not there, only "Model lines".  There is a "Ref Plane" button, and that works.

Here are some specific Qs:

1. Where is the "ref lines" button located (or do I just use "model lines", and chage it into a reference line somehow)?

2. Component placement - How do I tie a  component to a specific point in 3-D space.  Can I intersect a reference line with work plane and place the component at that intersection, or is there a better way?

And, BTW, when is it most appropriate to give "Kudos"?  Is there an explanation somewhere on the site?

Thanks!

[Alfredo_Medina]

You are looking for the Reference Lines button in a project file. It's not there. It's in the family editor.

[adave]

I think this miight be an "apples/oranges" problem.  I'm not referring to the solar panel right now; this is a general question about ref lines in the main drawing.

The only "Reference Lines"  button I can find is when I load a component, and choose "Edit Type". This brings me into the component editor screen, which has nothing to do with the main project drawing.  There is a "reference line" button in this edit screen, but NOT in the project workscreen (at least that I can find)

If you are referring to the higher level drop down menus "Home --> Modfy|Place Component" , there is no "Reference Lines" button under any of these drop downs.  Are you using 2012?  Perhaps I need to add it to my ribbon bar somehow?

Thanks

[loboarch · Accepted solution]

Like alfredo said there is not a reference line tool when workign in a project environment UNLESS you are making an in-place family.  Then the ribbon command are different while in the edit in place mode and a reference line tool will appear.  other wise the reference line tool is ONLY in the family editor.

I think this question really gets at the question you have been asking about the solar panel for the past couple of days.  You are correct in the fact you nedd a reference line to create this.  I have created a simple family that is face based and then has the geometry built on the work plane of a reference line.  This line has an "angle from face" parameter that lets you change the angle of the panel to the roof face.  I have attached the family.

One problem with this is the way Revit "sees" the face.  the direction is different on different slopes so it is hard to createa family that will respond as you described in your other post where you want to define the slope of the panel from vertical.  I tried this with some formulas but it was not workign because the direction of the slope of a roof was not consistant so the panel would angle wrong sometimes.

The attached family makes this more simple to control but you have to do some manul work to figure out the correct "angle from face" to get the result you want.  You might also have to use the space bar to rotate the panel at the time of placemetn to get it going the right direction. 

[adave]

Thanks for clearing that up for me.  I'll give a try with the sample you sent. 

There's a series of tutorials by  "levaxxitheblog" that I've been watching for 2012, and the instructor showed both creating a ref line AND a ref plane in the overall drawing.  THe ref line is 2D, and he was able to create, and then select it (in 3D view).  Then he was able to create a ref plane in xy or xz planes by choosing the "ghost ines" that came up when hovering over parts of the 2D line.  I'll ignore that for the present and just use the ref planes. 

I also found  AU (which I hadn't been aware of til an hur ago), and read a presentation on Families that indicates that this is a larger "can of worms" than I initially realized.   Still would like to figure out how to do it, though.  In fact, I don't know how to do my work without figuring it out.  I'll play around with the dwg you sent.

[adave]

OK, I think I 've got it now, at least well enough to carry out the task at hand (placing panels where I want them).  I created a new panel, vertically oriented, from your model, and was able to import it into my project.

One question about these panel models by you and Alfredo:  there is an extrusion under the panels, used to define the tilt/placement. It is invisible in the project.   Is the extrusion really necessary?  Couldn't it be replaced by a reference plane (or line)?  I noticed that you left the reference line through the panel; why not do the same for the base?  I'm guessing it doesn't hurt anything though...

[loboarch]

The "extrusion" you are seeing in the family editor represents "the host" that will be used once the family is in the project.  Since this family is faced based the family editor give you a "host" so you can develop your family geometry in relation to the host.  That geometry is dropped as the family is placed in the project.

Refercen planes used to create the family are not transferred into the project  (at least in a visible way) I just crated the panel and did not reallyt worry to much about the reference planes/lines.

[CADgrump]

Hello adave:

I have the same need.   I want to equally space an item between two grid lines and my AutoCAD instinct is to draw a line and divide it.   I am figuring out Revit 2012 and want to add / insert / create a construction line to make this happen -- this is how I've come across your post.

Following the advice to ignore my AutoCAD instincts, I've trudged through all of my ribbons and tabs and panels and can find nothing that stands out as being useful for this purpose.

I Googled the "LeVAXXi the Blog" and everything I find is for Revit 2011.   Are you sure you were viewing a tutorial for 2012?   If so, can you please post a link?

Thanks.

- Jay

[CADgrump]

Okay, in the last few hours, I've discovered that, in order to equally place items in a defined space, I have to randomly drop them into the space, dimension them, then "equalize" the dimensions, and then erase the dimension strings.   If it works -- great -- I don't care if it makes sence.   Problem is, it doesn't work (for me, on this machine, right now).

Are there any settings that prevent the alinged dimensions from offering the "EQ" option?   The dimension strings do not stay "joined", there is no "EQ" above them when I'm done dimensioning, and if I right click, the "EQ Display" is grayed out.

I've used both the Annotate-Aligned-Dimension and the Modify-Measure-Aligned "commands" and get the same result.   Also, is it normal that the Aligned dimension string requires me to pick both ends for every dimension, and not continue from the last dimension, picking only the "far" side, as in ACAD?

Help...

Thanks.

- Jay

[loboarch]

In order to get an "EQ" shown on a dimension string you need to click at least 3 extension line points and they all ned to be picked at the same time.  You can't dimension 2 points and then later go back and add another dimension point to the string.  The "EQ will not show up that way.  The string needs to be orignally placed with all of the points you wanto equalize.

[CADgrump]

That's what I expect, but when I click a third point, there is no dimesion. I have to pick a beginning point and an end point for every "space", thereby breaking the continuity of the dim string. I can't get a continuous string of dimensions, no matter what. I have some time today to look around and see if I can find a dimensioning demo video. I doubt there's one out there, since it should be an intuitive process.

Thanks.

[Alfredo_Medina]

You say you are making 3 clicks? For an eq-eq string for two elements it's actually 4 clicks. The fourth one a click away from the string, on an empty space. This one determines the location of the string.

[CADgrump]

Thanks.

I was placing the dimension line, when it appears after the second point has been chosen, then trying to select the third dimension point - a la AutoCAD - and this was the problem.

- Jay