topic Re: True Wall Length in Revit Architecture Forum

True Wall Length

a_sedlenieks — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 14:02:47 GMT

Hi,

I have very strange issue, I want to calculate Wall length, but the parameter gives incorrect length value in the Schedule. When I create calculated parameter = Area / Unconnected Height it removes the length of the door, which I don't want, as I want to get true length of the wall.

Is it possible to get the true length of the wall element ? Seems like only way is to create parts which is additional work and maintaining which I don't want to do.

Re: True Wall Length

ToanDN — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 15:36:59 GMT

Create parts, schedule parts and show parts length.

Re: True Wall Length

barthbradley — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 16:34:36 GMT

Not strange. Just how Revit rolls. You can disable auto join and stop walls at face of other walls and then use Join Geometry to remove linework at union. Hardly something to do retroactively. That would be a PITA.

Re: True Wall Length

a_sedlenieks — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 06:07:13 GMT

But why would someone ever want to know Wall length that is the length of the wall location line, not actual wall ?

Re: True Wall Length

pedruccioli — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 13:12:02 GMT

I guess Revit does it's thing to prioritize a correct volume instead of a "correct" length (I'm assuming this because length can be interpreted as Datum, while Volume and Area are "real elements")

As you can see in the image below, it only returns a "incorrect" number on the second wall, which makes up for the lost 18cm on the intersection with the 60cm wall:

If i extend the central wall, the calculation of lenght "jumps" the crossing one, and now we have 2 incorrect values:

But then again, they are only compensating for intersections and in this case. It only gives the same value because I'm not "slicing" either the 300cm or the 158cm wall. If I were to do that, the same difference would appear:

I would say that if you need a paper project, it's going to have dimensions on it or measure with a scalemeter. If you need a digital project, you can measure everything as needed. But if you absolutelly need to have every dimension absolutely perfect on a schedule, you should do as @barthbradley suggested and work a loooot.

Thanks for bringing it up, that was very clarifying for me, if someone ever asks for a schedule with every length, I'll take Revit's answer with a grain of salt.

Re: True Wall Length

a_sedlenieks — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 13:16:10 GMT

Hi,
I need the Total Wall Length to produce estimate for client. For some constructions we count total Area but for some Walls we need Total Wall Length to get the price.

Re: True Wall Length

pedruccioli — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 13:31:02 GMT

From this test I did, I'm fairly comfortable with the total lenght of the walls in the project. It compensated for the joined sections as it should. So in this case, you should be fine.

If as you said, there are just some walls that need this specific information, then create an Instance Parameter and fill it manually. As the project advances, use a schedule to identify all walls and double check if the value still stands, and update the ones that changed.

Depending on your LOD, parts should work too as @ToanDN suggested.

Re: True Wall Length

a_sedlenieks — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 14:28:45 GMT

Instance parameter is nice idea, though it still has to be measured manually for each wall and seems like a lot of work.

I also tested the method you describe, it works if the walls don't have doors in them. If there are doors or other inserts, the calculation does not take into account the door length. But we need to include also door length.

I don't like Parts as they introduce another layer of unnecessary elements that has to managed. I have bad experience with, they always break when the model is edited or someone (including me) always forgets to change Parts / Original Display settings. But I guess, the Parts is the only semi-automatic solution and is less labour intensive as manual counting or Instance Parameter.